Arturia Announces The Keylab Essential mk3

UPDATE: Check out our in-depth KeyLab Essential Mk3 review!

The Keylab Essential mk3 is the latest addition to Arturia’s universal Midi controller line.
According to the French company, KeyLab Essential mk3 is a focused, accessible, and fun keyboard controller designed to make your music-making workflow more personal and enjoyable than ever before. 
We can consider the Keylab Essential mk3 as a natural development and a relevant upgrade to the recent Minilab 3 (see our Arturia Minilab 3 review).

Stay tuned for our hands-on impressions, and in the meantime let’s check out the main features.

What’s New At A Glance

• Bigger screen with 4 contextual buttons
• 5 dedicated DAW scripts (+ Mackie & HUI)
• Better integration with Arturia Software
• Scale mode, Chord play (with presets), Hold function
• 2 Pad Banks (for finger drumming or clip launching)
• Bigger software bundle (Analog Lab V, Ableton Live Lite, NI The Gentleman, UVI Model D, Loopcloud & Melodics)
• Multi-purpose pedal input (Sustain, Footswitch or Expression)
• USB-C
• Eco-designed: 100% Recyclable packaging, at least 40% recycled plastic and -18% Materials’ carbon impact compared to previous models.

Here’s an overview of the hardware features:

Arturia’s Tips

Arturia suggests 10 different ways to have fun with the new Keylab Essential mk3, especially if you are new to the magic world of computer music production.

• Find YOUR sound in any Arturia Software

Thanks to the new screen, browse through presets, filter by type,
“like” a sound to recall it later

• Control Ableton Live Lite

Browse and arm tracks, launch clips and scenes, navigate the
timeline, control devices, Play / Record / Stop; Save / Quantize /
Undo / Redo

• Switch from DAW program to Arturia program

For a great performance or production experience, switch from
controlling your DAW to controlling any Arturia plugin

• Cumulate Hold, Chord, Scale & Arp

Using only one finger, play chords that will be held, quantized to
a scale and then arpeggiated… Very musical result guaranteed

• Create a full track only using the included Software Bundle

2000 curated sounds from the V Collection, the most popular DAW on
the market, 2 pianos and sample banks… All you need to make a track

• Improve your piano or finger drumming skills

Thanks to the Melodics subscription and bonus lessons, get better
at playing keys and pads

• Customise your KeyLab Essential

Choose the CCs sent by the controls, the colour of the pads, the
velocity curves, the pedal input type… Customise anything

• Create a “Multi” in Analog Lav V

Like 2 different sounds in Analog Lab? Use your KeyLab Essential to
create a split point or layer the sounds, controls them
individually or all together.

Price and Availability

The Keylab Essential mk3 is available now, in two different versions (49 and 61 keys), respectively for €/$199 and €/$249. You can learn more on the official website.