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Arturia expands the KeyLab Essential mk3 range with a new 88-key controller keyboard – a new standard for stripped-back, multi-octave MIDI control.

Last year, Arturia unveiled mk3 versions of its KeyLab Essential range of affordable controller keyboards. In their third iteration, the 49 and 61-key controllers offered improved DAW integration, a redesigned interface and new features like the Chord and Scale Modes.

Today Arturia introduced their new KeyLab Essential 88 mk3, a full-sized 88-key controller keyboard boasting the same updated feature set as its 49 and 61-key KeyLab Essential range.

Adding to the 49- and 61-key models of the KeyLab Essential range, Arturia’s KeyLab Essential 88 mk3 puts a semi-weighted full piano range at the fingertips of musicians and producers.

KeyLab Essential 88 mk3 features a full-size, 88-note range, semi-weighted keyboard, designed for DAW production, hybrid setups, and controlling MIDI hardware instruments.

Above the keyboard, you will find a 2.5″ display and DAW controls, next to a 2×4 grid of pressure and velocity-sensitive pads and a bank of nine faders and nine full-rotation encoders, all of which arrive pre-mapped to parameters in your DAW and bundled software instruments such as Analog Lab V.

KeyLab Essential mk3 is equipped with custom DAW scripts for majors DAWS such as Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, Cubase and Bitwig. You can design your own customised mappings, or control other DAWs via the MCU/HUI protocol.

Arturia is hoping to make writing melodies and chord sequences easier with Chord and Scale Modes and a built-in arpeggiator. Chord Mode assigns chords to single keys across the keyboard while Scale Mode locks the keyboard to one of a selection of pre-defined scales, so you won’t be able to hit a wrong note if you try.

All KeyLab Essential mk3 controllers arrive bundled with a two-month subscription to Loopcloud and a software package that includes Analog Lab V, a software instrument that offers thousands of presets lifted from its V Collection bundle of synth plugins, and Ableton Live Lite.

New with KeyLab Essential mk3 controllers:

• New creative features: Scale Mode, Chord Mode, and Arpeggiator
• Custom DAW integration (FL Studio, Ableton, Logic Pro…)
• More versatile presets
• Easier controls & interface
• Expanded software package for beginners & pros

Arturia KeyLab Essential 88 mk3 is priced at £299. Find out more on Arturia website.

Novation has introduced the FLkey Mini and FLkey 37, its first dedicated MIDI keyboards for FL Studio. These integrate fully with Image-Line’s DAW, and promise “seamless music production and an intuitive workflow”.

The FLkey range will enable you to do more without having to look at your screen and use your mouse or keyboard. You get direct access to the mixer and step sequencer, along with channel rack playability from the pads.

In addition, you can control instruments and automation, browse presets from Image-Line plugins and assign custom controls.

FLkey Mini is a compact 25-mini-key MIDI keyboard, designed to combine a portable keyboard with essential FL Studio control.

FLkey 37 expands on its Mini counterpart, giving creators a 37-note full-size keyboard for a larger octave range, making it a more playable device that is designed for studio use. It also offers more features, including Channel rack control, Fixed Chord mode and User Chord mode, which enables producers to play custom chords with one finger. Scale Chord mode, meanwhile, makes it possible to play pre-made chords in eight different scales straight from FLkey’s pads.

Here are the official video demos:

Features:

• Seamless Integration with FL Studio
• Volume and pan control
• Step sequencer
• Channel Rack playability
• Scale mode
• Instrument control – Trigger FPC, SliceX and Fruity Slicer with the pads for more expressive beats and melodies.
• Plug-in control – Control Image Line plug-ins and record natural-sounding automation with FLkey’s eight pots.
• Preset browsin – Browse presets in Image Line plug-ins directly from FLkey.
• Fixed Chord mode – Play custom chords with one finger (FLkey 37 only).
• User Chord mode – Assign 16 custom chords and play them with just one finger. Store chord progressions for rapid song building and performance (FLkey 37 only).
• Scale Chord mode – Play 32 pre-made chords in eight different scales straight from the pads (FLkey 37 only).
• Custom modes – Assign custom controls to the pads and pots to tailor your music production workflow.

FLkey Mini and FLkey 37 are available now, priced at $109.99 and $199.99 Find out more on Novation website.

The Nektar Impact GX Mini is another affordable, portable controller to consider.

Nektar is assuring plenty of unexpected surprise for your mini MIDI keyboard buck with the Impact GX Mini, a 25-note controller that gives you all the features you would expect from a ‘board of this size and a few that might surprise you.

The mini keys are velocity-sensitive, and you can choose from three velocity curves to suit your playing style. An assignable joystick delivers pitchbend and modulation control, there are octave up/down buttons, and a footswitch can be plugged into the 1/8-inch socket with 1/4-inch adapter included.

In addition, there is also the ‘Part 2’ feature which enables you to make momentary setup changes at the touch of up/down buttons.

Hold one of these down and you can instantly transpose the keyboard, switch it to another MIDI channel or layer a second sound on top of the existing one; let go and you’ll immediately revert to the original configuration. This could be handy, particularly in a performance context.

The Impact GX Mini offers out-of-the-box integration with a slew of big-name DAWs, with the seven transport buttons also being MIDI assignable. A shift button opens up a secondary level, giving a total of 14 accessible button functions.

Compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux and iOS, the Impact GX Mini is also USB class-compliant and USB-powered.

The Nektar Impact GX Mini now  available priced at $49.99/£60/€70.

Find out more on the Nektar Technology website.