Launchkey 88 [MK3]

I'm pretty new to using DAW's (I was a Recording Engineer in the 1970's and 80's, we used Tape Machines, LOL). I'm building a new Music Workstation in my home and wanted a small, simple Controller with enough features for Drums as well as ARP and Sequencing to use with a DAW. (I already own a Arturia KeyStep 37 for my Modular Synths). I looked at quite a few YouTube Reviews and this LaunchKey Mini MK3 always stood out. It was designed to really work with Ableton but also integrates fairly well with Logic Pro which is what I thought I would use it with. After having it for a few weeks now I can say that yes it works pretty well with Logic Pro but really integrates even better with Ableton, so much so I have decided to make Ableton my DAW of choice. The learning curve for me was pretty easy being new to all of this and there are lots of good online tutorials. Overall this little beast is packed with a full range of great features. The build quality is ok, not great but not bad, it’s plastic but the Knobs Buttons and Pads have a solid feel. Just treat it well and it will be just fine! The Keyboard is not meant for a “virtuoso” but for me who is a hunt and peck keyboardist (I am a drummer) it works and I like the small size. Hey, you can’t beat the price for this much technical power. Setup was very easy using the Novation WebSite. The only thing I’m still confused about is setting up my own Custom Mode but I’ll figure it out. As for the person that complained about the lack of a MIDI Cable being included and then buying the wrong ones, that is just “USER” error. All he had to do is contact Novation/Focusrite Customer Support like I did, within an hour they got back to me and sent a Link to where to buy the correct cable. That says a lot about Novation Support! Bottom line, if you want a nice, compact Controller that’s full of features at a great price…. THIS IS IT

I had the Akai MPK mini mk2 for several years and it was ok but I was never fully satisfied with it. I hesitated to even consider the Launchkey because I wasn't really familiar with Novation and personally didn't know anyone with any of their gear. I decided to take a chance on this and WOW... I wish I had this years ago... Everything about this feels better than the MPK. The build quality is better and feels more like a premium product. The keys don't feel as cheap and toy-like. 16 pads instead of 8 like most of the boards of this size. Pitch and modulation touch sliders instead of wheels which I love. The knobs have a nice resistance to them and make small adjustments easy. And on top of all that this has top notch Ableton Live integration, something the MPK lacked entirely. I love Live's session mode and the Launchkey has made it easy to work in Ableton without having to jump back to my keyboard and mouse. I'm not at the level where I'm performing live but I can already see how the integration can make live performances possible and fairly easy. The layout is intuitive while retaining a ton of built in functions and settings. Overall I'm very impressed with this. At the same price as the MPK mini, this seems like the better buy, even if you're not an Ableton user and if you are then this is the obvious choice.

I spent a lot of time researching this and comparing to other beginner mini keyboards- specifically the akai MPK mini II. The quality is amazing, the keys and drum pads are very touch-sensitive and there is no noticeable delay for sound production when you press keys. Drum pads are velocity sensitive, and you can program your own colors. ( i did rainbow). I also like that the dials do not spin indefinitely, there is set scales so you can easily control pitch, modulation, and several other settings. This product is not cheaply made, and you can also set up with any software AND has an audio output to use with other devices, where the AKAI MPK does not. Only star I retract would be for beginner use. This product comes with ableton lite software license, which is great, but difficult to learn for beginner and novice musicians. I recommend using skillshare if you are new, there are tons of videos on how to use ableton. As I said earlier, this can be programmed with any digital audio software. For a gift for a beginner, this is a huge bang for your buck, and is portable.

I love this device and I want to give it 5 stars, but there are some issues that you should know about before purchasing. The keys feel a bit like toy keyboard keys. I don't mean smaller versions of standard keyboard keys - I mean it really does feel toylike. However, after using the keyboard I fell in love with the low travel and the pressure response actually works very well. But you MUST expect a "toylike" key feel when you first get it. This keyboard has no control for velocity curve at the hardware level. If you use FL Studio that's fine, just set it there. But if you use an application like Reaper which has no global velocity curve, you're stuck with keys that sound a bit quiet unless you press them harder than you probably want to. The firmware is easy to update and the keyboard has performed reliably once I addressed an issue --- if you find the keyboard to disconnect or seem like it crashes, it is most likely it's not getting enough USB power. This is a known issue with devices powered by USB, so if that happens just connect it to a powered HUB. I mention it though because I have two computers - one of which is a laptop - where there wasn't enough USB to power both my Focusrite Scarlett Solo AND the keyboard. The pads feel amazing. They are incredibly responsive. The ribbon controllers feel good. The knobs feel good. You also get some free software at the Focusrite website, which is nice. All in all it's an excellent product, but the lack of velocity adjustment is unfortunate because it's a little unpleasant in software that doesn't have a global velocity setting. PS. It lights up in glorious dancing rainbow colors after a few minutes of inactivity. It looks cool, but if you find it distracting you can turn it off. It's called "Vegas mode" and you can find out how online.

After watching and reading reviews on various reasonably priced controllers, I picked this one because of its good reviews and Ableton integration. One of the reviews I watched rated the keys as average and talked up a competing brand as having a much better key feel. Honestly, I think the key feel on this one is pretty decent for a controller in this price range. As good as many synths. I have a weighted 88 key Nord performance piano and a Roland synth to compare to. While these keys are smaller and unweighted, they're still much larger than many of the micro controllers out there that would be poor for developing the muscle memory necessary to play on regular keyboards. Still, I wouldn't recommend a keyboard with this few keys as a starter keyboard for someone learning and of course, as a controller, it has no sounds of its own, so you still have to have a software synth and computer to use it. Ableton picks it up with no fancy configuration via USB.

I love these little controllers and this is one of the best in my opinion for portability. I ultimately decided to return it because I didn’t need the portability as much as I needed more keys… so I went up to the 37 key. But the functionality is mostly the same. If you are someone who plays mostly synth, looping, simple piano chords… this is perfect. If you are a bit more advanced on the piano and want a sustain pedal and have both hands on the keys… you may want to look at some of the bigger boards in this lineup. WORKS FLAWLESSLY WITH ABLETON. I was very resistant to ableton at first since I had already learned a couple of other DAWs, why move? well… for live looping, it’s hard to beat. And the integration with these notation products is just amazing. I have not ended up with a launchpad and launch key 37 as a result. So if you’re using ableton.. these notation keyboards are GREAT. I can’t speak to other daw integration because I don’t use them when I’m working in my other DAWs… I only use these products during live performances… not during production.

I admit this is my second keyboard from Novation I’ve purchased. The first was a 25 key which worked quite well with Ableton Live. I still use it and wanted a full size keyboard for more dynamic musical pieces. This Novation Launchkey 88 [MK3] MIDI Keyboard Controller for Ableton Live is a true powerhouse of integration and performance. I finally own a solid keyboard with 88 velocity-sensitive keys, intuitive controls, and RGB backlit pads, and specifically, seamless control over Ableton Live's session view, mixer, and instruments. Its sturdy build, versatile connectivity, and sleek design make it a must-have for amateurs like myself, performers, and producers seeking professional-grade functionality.

I'm a newbie exploring the MIDI world. I did a lot of research on reviews about this product and others and I finally decided to go for it given that this is the most recent product comparing with other brands. Honestly it could be a bit intimidating having a product like this and it's a bit disappointing that you don't get to see basic tutorials from Novation. Don't get me wrong, they have some good stuff, but not for a beginner like me. I've been following people who publish video tutorials for learning to use this controller and also Ableton (which is the DAW that comes with this product). It's a lot of fun to play with something like this and there's plenty of free plugins so in couple of weeks you can start creating some basic stuff. It's great to watch the professionals showing you the many things you can do with a entry device like this one. My only complain with the vendor was that my product arrived without a software bundle code, I reached out to them and they asked me to contact the provider.

Super Midi Keyboard zum schmalen Preis. Hatte vorher eins von Arturia welches von den Materialien edler war, was aber nicht so kompatibel und eingerichtet ist wie das Novation für Ableton. Beim Novation hätte ich mir noch den Scale Modus gewünscht, dann wäre es perfekt. Absolute Kaufempfehlung!

Além de ser um produto de MUITA qualidade e ter chegado antes do esperado, ganhei vários "brindes", como uma cópia do Ableton Live Lite e alguns plugins por ter comprado o controlador.

Great little keyboard. Syncs to pc well. Good for Ableton. UK company. This model is superseded now. I like their stuff though. Good quality company.

Super clavier pour Ableton!!

Un prodotto molto interessante e completo sotto il punto di vista delle funzioni ma anche controverso, e cercherò di spiegarne i perché in modo che altri utenti non si trovino nelle stesse difficoltà che ho incontrato io. Partiamo innanzitutto col dire che la tastiera dovrebbe essere plug'n'play con il programma Ableton: in realtà non è così. Infatti viene sì riconosciuta dal programma ma non vengono attivate tutte le porte midi tanto è vero che la tastierina non funziona e non invia alcuna nota: deve essere impostata 'a mano' dall'utente nelle Preferenze di Live. Poi, all'inizio, ho riscontrato alcuni problemi, il tasto Arp che rimaneva illuminato fisso così come il tasto Fixed Chords che a volte funzionava e a volte no. Ho scaricato il programma Novation Components dal sito del produttore ed ho aggiornato il firmware della tastiera e adesso il tutto sembra funzionare a dovere. C'è da dire, comunque, che, talvolta, il funzionamento della la tastiera è un po' imprevedibile: ad esempio è sufficiente sfiorare i tasti affinché attivino una qualche funzione mentre, talvolta, capita che la tastiera non comunichi correttamente con Ableton e che quindi si renda necessario chiudere il programma e riavviarlo affinché tutto torni a funzionare normalmente. C'è un ulteriore particolare che ha destato la mia curiosità... Gli ultimi tre tasti della tastierina contengono tre simboli che dovrebbero attivare una qualche funzione tramite la pressione del tasto shift... In realtà, non attivano proprio un bel niente così come mi hanno confermato anche dal supporto di Novation. Forse, in futuro, serviranno a qualcosa, magari dopo un nuovo aggiornamento del firmware! Bene, se siete arrivati a leggere fin qui vi sarete chiesti perché non ho effettuato il reso del prodotto.... Sinceramente, se avessi dovuto farmi fare un controller per Live su misura, probabilmente mi sarei fatto fare proprio un prodotto del genere; per quanto riguarda le sue funzioni e per come sono state organizzate, visto anche dimensioni, costruzione e prezzo, per me è semplicemente il controller ideale. Ecco perché nonostante i difetti che ho elencato lo ritengo un prodotto davvero valido da utilizzare con il programma di Ableton. In quanto a funzioni, non gli manca davvero nulla. Probabilmente il prodotto soffre ancora di difetti di "gioventù" dovuti a un firmware non proprio ottimizzato. Spero in futuro Novation provveda in merito, essendo io in possesso di più di un controller, vi posso dire che questo i suoi soldi li vale tutti... Due parole anche sui software dotazione: anche se bisogna districarsi con le solite prassi di registrazione presso vari siti il tutto è reso semplice dal fatto che non appena si collega la tastiera al computer si apre un file che permette un collegamento al sito Novation dove ci si può registrare e da lì scaricare il software. Il pezzo forte è il già citato Components che è sopratutto un vero e proprio editor, poi ci sono vari plugin e, ovviamente, l'immancabile Ableton Live Lite (versione rigorosamente 10, pena il non funzionamento del controller). Consigliatissimo quindi a chi già utilizza Live, conosce il programma e sà come districarsi nell'utilizzo e nel risolvere i problemi che si possono incontrare con questi controller; non lo consiglierei affatto a chi vuole iniziare ad usare un controller midi con il programma di Ableton ma non ha le dovute conoscenze e la necessaria esperienza. Meglio allora altri prodotti come quelli di Akai che fanno poco ma lo fanno bene e da subito... Aggiornamento al 18/12: con l'ultima versione di Live, vengono risolti alcuni bug con questo modello ed aggiunta una nuova utile funzione (vedere sul sito Ableton le info). Aggiungo, pertanto, la quinta stella 👍🏻