Creating music in the digital world is sometimes a little challenging. So many distractions, so many new things to learn. KeyLab Essential lets you focus on what’s important…

Music is at the heart of this controller. Every aspect of KeyLab Essential has been carefully chosen to give you the best possible experience when creating and performing. From the responsive keyboard to the intelligently assigned knobs and faders, you’ll feel like everything you touch turns to gold. KeyLab Essential makes navigating your track a breeze thanks to the dedicated DAW Command Center, and makes browsing your presets an exciting, inspiring experience.

KeyLab Essential helps you keep your eye on the target. Spend less time with a keyboard and mouse, and more time creating,

A world of sound

A complete keyboard production studio, KeyLab Essential comes with some incredible software titles.

Whether you want a searing-hot synth lead or an ethereal string pad, a vintage upright piano or a complex, animated soundscape, KeyLab Essential gives you everything you need to perform and record. All the ingredients of the cocktail are there and ready to be mixed according to your own style.

Analog Lab - Gives you access to thousands of the best sounds from our award-winning V Collection, and gives an amazing introduction to our whole software instrument catalog. Featuring 17 iconic instruments, including analog synths, revolutionary digital workstations, organs, string machines and pianos, all pristinely recreated using Arturia’s exclusive True Analog Emulation® technology.

Ableton Live Lite - New users and seasoned pros alike love working with Ableton Live Lite. Featuring an innovative twin workflow, time stretching and pitch shifting functions, as well as numerous studio quality effects, you’ll be releasing professional quality tracks in no time.

Grand Piano Model D - Steinway pianos are found in only the very best concert halls and recording studios. Thanks to KeyLab Essential, you can have one in your living room. The UVI Grand Piano Model D puts the sound of the famous Steinway Model D grand piano at your fingertips, sampled in exquisite detail, and ready to play.

KeyLab Essential is packed with software that will inspire your creativity and unlock your musical potential.

Roll Call of Features!

Piece by piece the KeyLab Essential gathers all the elements required to take the control of your studio.

1. Performance controls: Bend your notes, modulate your sounds and transpose your keyboard by semitones or full octaves.

2. Chord play: Quickly create full arrangements with intelligent chord feature.

3. Midi channel select: Quickly change MIDI channels with dedicated control.

4. Performance pads: Dual-purpose dynamic, back-lit pads also let you select your favorite mapping options.

5. DAW command center: Take control of your recording software thanks to the MCU/HUI protocol.

6. Screen and Analog Lab remote: Read the right info when you need it thanks the twin-line LCD screen and browse your Analog Lab presets directly on your keyboard.

7. Pre-mapped knobs and faders: Adjust the panning and level of the tracks in your DAW, and the essential parameters of the Arturia virtual instruments.

8. 61 note Keyboard: Durable, velocity-sensitive keys will capture every nuance of your performance.

9. MIDI out: Control any MIDI-compatible synths, outboard, and modular gear.

10. Sustain pedal input: Push forward the expressivity of your keyboard play with a sustain pedal. The polarity can be inverted to comply with all types of pedals.

11. USB connectivity: Bus-powered, class-compliant, and powered through usb.

12. Optional DC power: Power KeyLab Essential without connecting to a computer.

Everything in its right place

Designed to make the process of creating music as fun and barrier-free as possible, each component, function, and design element of the KeyLab Essential is a tribute to you.

Quality playing surface

The durable, smooth-action keys will capture every nuance of your performance. You can shift the keyboard using the dedicated octave switches, get creative with your performance using the pitch bend and modulation wheels, and make use of the optional sustain pedal. A chord feature is also included to save a chord and then to play and transpose it with a single key press.

8 multi-purpose performance pads

Versatile and space-saving, the bank of dynamic, RGB back-lit pads features switchable modes, letting you punch in awesome drum rhythms and percussion patterns, while also letting you select your favorite mapping options to control Analog Lab, your DAW, or any other software or hardware you create maps for.

Rotary knobs & faders

Adjusting the panning and level of 8 channels at a time could not be more natural than with the automatically mapped knobs and faders. And if your creativity requires more tracks to fully express, no problem, two switches are there to move back and forth across your whole mix. Using the Analog Lab dedicated memory they will give you a direct control of the parameters of your Arturia virtual instruments.

DAW Command Center

MCU/HUI enabled DAW Command Center lets you totally master your creative environment. This great little control hub lets you play, pause, stop, record, toggle your metronome, and fast travel around your project. Take a break from the screen and focus on the music.

Extras

KeyLab Essential packs a smart and effective twin-line LCD display to let you know the right info when you need it such as your presets and parameter info. In user memories, you can even customize the label it displays for each knob and fader. Just underneath is the preset remote for Analog Lab and all the other Arturia instruments. Your mouse will maybe miss you, not the opposite.

• Software Specifications:
  • Includes Analog Lab software with 6000 synth sounds
  • Includes Ableton Live Lite
  • Includes UVI Grand Piano model D
• Hardware Specifications:
  • 61 keys with velocity
  • Controllers: 1 clickable encoder, 9 encoders, 9 30mm faders, 6 transport switches, 4 command switches, 1 modulation wheel, 1 pitch bend wheel, 8 touch and pressure-sensitive pads
  • Connectivity: MIDI out, USB, Sustain pedal
  • Functions as a universal MIDI controller
  • Twin-line LCD screen
  • MCU/HUI control compatibility
  • Chord Play mode
• Perfect Analog Lab integration:
  • Select sounds, browse presets, switch parts, smart-assigned controls.
  • Standalone or plug-in operation: VST, VST3, AU, AAX.
  • Over 6,000 TAE® powered preset sounds from Arturia’s award-winning V Collection
• Ableton Live 9 Lite - record, layer, and edit your sounds to create a finished song.
• UVI Grand Piano Model D - Sample-based software recreation of Steinway classic.
• Compatible with all major Digital Audio Workstation: Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, FL Studio, Bitwig, Cubase, Ableton Live, Digital Performer, Studio One *