Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3 88-key Keyboard Controller - Black Certified Open Box

Name: Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3 88-key Keyboard Controller - Black
Brand: Arturia
Rating: 4.5 (4 reviews)

88-key MIDI Controller with Semi-weighted Hybrid-feel Keys, 2,000 Presets, 9 Rotary Encoders, 9 Sliders, 8 RGB Backlit Pads, Pitch/Mod Wheels, USB-C, 5-pin MIDI Out, Expression Input, LCD, and Bundled Software - Black

Write your review

Item ID: KeyLabEss883Bkd2

Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3 88-key Keyboard Controller - Black

Certified Open Box Savings!

Save $33.97 What is Certified Open Box?

The price below reflects your savings.

Savings:

.97

New for $393.07

Condition Notes:

This returned item is in like-new condition and perfect working order. Includes all original accessories. This item ships in its original packaging which shows some signs of wear.

This item was thoroughly inspected by our factory-authorized service team and is backed by Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty. The images shown do not necessarily represent the condition of this particular item.

! 1 person has this Certified Open Box item in their cart. Order now before it's gone!

Add to Cart

Ask An Expert

Our expertly trained Sales Engineers are ready to help!

(800) 222-4700

What is a Sales Engineer?

Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3 88-key Keyboard Controller - Black

Only 1 Left!

Add to Cart

Add to list

Most Popular Accessories & Related Items

Back to navigation

This article was Written By

Our Product Research Team

Get to know them!

Redesigned for 88-key Performance with Any DAW

With the detailed work that Arturia’s masterful emulations receive, we would expect nothing less in the company’s approach to designing the optimal way to interface with those worlds of sound. Now, the KeyLab Essential mk3 88-key Keyboard Controller delivers a bold, intuitive redesign to make composition, recording, and playback easier than ever, armed with velocity-sensitive semi-weighted keys to provide an optimum balance of classic piano feel and flexible synth-like expression. Meanwhile, it introduces new creative features alongside its intelligently reorganized interface, premium software, and deep integration capabilities. Producers and keyboardists at Sweetwater love how seamlessly this controller works with Arturia’s suite of award-winning soft synths. Its completely customizable software connectivity allows you to painlessly use the KeyLab Essential mk3 with any DAW that suits your workflow. Faders, encoders, beat pads, contextual buttons, and real-time visual feedback ensure the mk3 is a playback powerhouse perfect for the studio and the stage.

Newly improved and more powerful than ever

One of the more critical facets of the KeyLab Essential mk3 is its ability to prioritize and enable performance while eschewing cumbersome menu-diving, all while remaining easily integrated with any DAW. It can’t be overstated how many creative barriers that plague other controllers just disappear! New creative tools include scale and chord modes, as well as an arpeggiator to mix up and expand your repertoire of compositional opportunities. Packaged premium software includes the full suite of Analog Lab V’s distinctive array of modern and vintage synths, hybridized instruments, orchestral sounds, and much more, all with 2,000 studio-grade presets to serve as the bedrock of your next project. Each of the nine rotary encoders is accompanied by a fader alongside an RGB-backlit beat pad equipped with velocity and pressure sensitivity. A full-color, 2.5-inch LCD screen provides real-time feedback for all assigned parameters and controls, with context-assignable buttons and completely customizable controls making for an easily tailored performance tool.

Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3 88-key Keyboard Controller Features:

Redesigned interface streamlines workflow with precision-placed buttons, knobs, and sliders
Semi-weighted keys blend synth-like flexibility with classic piano feel for a hybrid performance experience with uncompromising expression
8-pad beat pad includes RGB backlighting and velocity/pressure sensitivity to deepen compositional and performance potential
2.5-inch LCD provides real-time feedback of any adjustments in full color
9 rotary encoders and 9 faders can be customized entirely and assigned for optimal use in your arrangement
All buttons and control points can be contextually set, allowing for expanded production possibilities without the headache of menu-diving
Pitch and mod wheels are positioned above the lowest notes for a slim profile that’s ergonomically beneficial
Packaged with premium software, including Analog Lab V, and more than 2,000 studio-grade presets
Newly introduced performance and composition features include chord and scale modes, as well as an arpeggiator
Custom scripts are available for unimpeded use with virtually any DAW of your choosing
Seamlessly integrates with Arturia’s suite of soft synths to take them to any studio or stage opportunity
USB-C connectivity manages complete MIDI communication and bus power to accommodate use with almost any setup
5-pin MIDI output and expression controller input enable deeper integration for any live or studio arrangement

What is Certified Open Box Gear?

At Sweetwater, we're so picky that what we call "Certified Open Box" is actually better than what most music retailers sell as "new" gear! Our gear hasn't endured hundreds of people a week plunking away at all the keyboards, fumbling through Stairway to Heaven on every guitar or playing with every fader and knob on a mixer or control surface.

Certified Open Box (also known as a demo) means we’ve had it out of the box for our YouTube channel, displayed at events, tested in our studio, or maybe it was in a customer’s hands for a few days and isn’t ‘factory fresh’ as a result. Every Certified Open Box item we sell has Sweetwater’s 2-year Total Confidence Coverage™ warranty and has been tested and verified up to ‘new’ specs by our factory-authorized technicians to make sure it’s in perfect working order before we ship it to you.

When you buy a Certified Open Box item at Sweetwater, you get:

2-year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty™!
Products inspected and tested by our factory-authorized techs, guaranteed to function like new (or better)!
FREE shipping on most items
Equipment that will MEET or EXCEED your expectations!

Click HERE to browse our current inventory of Certified Open Box equipment. Purchasing Certified Open Box gear from Sweetwater is a smart and safe way to save!

Warranty Info

Sweetwater's FREE 2-Year Total Confidence Coverage Warranty

Extra peace of mind at no extra cost.

Save money with FREE parts and labor
Get back to making music with the industry's fastest turnaround time
Fix it the first time with our award-winning, factory-certified Service Department

Learn More about Total Confidence Coverage

Back to navigation

Tech Specs

Type: KeyLab Essential 88 Mk3 Keyboard Controller
Number of Keys: 88
Type of Keys: Semi-weighted
Velocity Sensitive: Yes
Pads: 8 x Touch/Pressure-sensitve Pads
Other Controllers: Pitchbend/Mod Wheels, 4 x Command Switches
Encoders/Pots: 1 x Clickable Navigation Encoder, 9 x Rotary Encoders
Faders: 9 x 30mm Faders
Dedicated Transport Control: Yes, 8 x Transport Switches
Presets: 2000 Sounds
Pedal Inputs: 1 x 1/4" (sustain)
MIDI I/O: 1 x 5-pin DIN (out), USB
USB: 1 x USB-C (rear)
Features: 2.5" LCD Screen, Multi-mode Arpeggiator
Software: Analog Lab Pro (2000+ sounds), Ableton Live Lite, NI The Gentleman, UVI Model D
Format: VST, AAX, AU, NKS
Hardware Requirements - Mac: 4GB RAM, 4-core 3.4GHz or Apple Silicon CPU, OpenGL 2.0 Compatible GPU
Hardware Requirements - PC: 4GB RAM, 4-core 3.4GHz CPU, OpenGL 2.0 Compatible GPU
OS Requirements - Mac: MacOS 11.0 or later
OS Requirements - PC: Windows 10 (64-bit) or later
Color: Black
Power Supply: USB Powered (C-to-A cable included)
Height: 3.46"
Width: 49.52"
Depth: 10.03"
Weight: 18.07 lbs
Manufacturer Part Number: 231542

What Makes Our Sales Engineers Great?

Sweetwater Sales Engineers are a world-class team of experts dedicated to you. Hand selected from across the globe, each brings a wealth of experience and expertise in the world of music gear to provide you with unparalleled service completely free of charge. Friendly relationships, real trust, and the right gear are only a call or a click away!

(800) 222-4700

Contact Your Sales Engineer

Back to navigation

The Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3 88-key Keyboard Controller has got to be the best budget controller out there. The sliders, knobs, pads, pitch and modulation wheels are of high quality. The overall build quality is great. The bundled Analog Lab software makes this controller a steal at $. I highly recommend.

I'd like to start by saying that I am primarily a guitarist. That being said I did start my journey on piano, and have had many keyboards over the years. Something else worth mentioning is that I'm using a Mac with Logic Pro. Now that we have that out of the way...

This keyboard is incredible. The feel of the keys, knobs and faders are great. Pads and buttons are responsive and responsive. It's easy for even a hack like me to get some nice long legato riffs cranked out over the many octaves. It also comes with a cable and a card for registering your product, but more importantly this allows you to activate some sound packs.

I'm not a huge fan of stuff like activating things, registering and account, or any of that mumbo-jumbo usually, but this was pretty easy. Once I was done it was worth the hassle because it gave me more presets than Rick Wakeman and all his Six Wives put together. My favorite thing about the software is how it will automatically map functions for the knobs and faders when you change presets. What that means is that every preset lets you use the hardware to change your sound on the fly without any fiddly menus or clicking around on a computer. In Logic it didn't automatically map the function buttons (play, record, etc) but that was easy enough and isn't Arturia's problem anyway (Logic Pro > Control Surfaces > Controller Assignments, click learning mode).

The sounds are out of this world. I think I got this keyboard delivered today at 9am and it's now 10pm and I've spent all day messing around with this except eating. I don't know how to put this but there are two kind of keyboard sounds there are the sounds that sound like keyboard sounds, and there are sounds that inspire. I know that sounds pretty cheesy but it's true. You'll get anything from realistic piano sounds to sci-fi soundscapes and everything in between.

I would say that if you got this far just check it out.

For years I've used a mini-key 37-key MIDI keyboard for entering notation into Dorico, Sibelius and Finale. That has been fine for many years of step-entry and minimal (but still existent) need for switching octaves on the mini keyboard. All that is background to why I purchased this Arturia KeyLab Essentials 88-key mk3 keyboard.

I wanted a keyboard I could actually play music with (i.e. full size keys with decent action and the full 88 keys of a piano) but I also have requirements of the keyboard needing to be easy to move (i.e. light enough to carry easily) yet have a number of pads for percussion entry, and also some faders and knobs to control DAW software. And the fact that it's powered by the USB bus is a plus in my opinion. No need for a power adapter to forget to pack when travelling and no need to be near a power outlet when using this keyboard.

This Arturia keyboard fits my requirements exactly! It's the little-brother to the Arturia Kelab 88, but don't be fooled by the term "essentials" as if any major functionality has been left off. This is a fully functional MIDI controller and there are even Profiles which can be downloaded from the Arturia web-site to make it more easily work with major DAW software such as Cubase (which is what I'm using it with in addition to my notation software.) Check the Arturia web-site to find out which DAW software there are pre-defined profiles for. You can also create up to 5 of your own profiles to allow this keyboard to work with whatever software you want and store them right on the keyboard.

The ports on this are very minimal -- the USB-C port for power and communication with a computer and a pedal jack for use with a sustain pedal.

The key action is great for my purposes -- I'm not primarily a keyboard player but I find the key action to be excellent for my needs. It is touch-sensitive for dynamic control should you be using this in performance. However it does NOT have after-touch sensitivity so if you need that (some soft-synth patches require after-touch to get the most out of the patches) so if you need after-touch you need to look at a different keyboard.

There are 9 knobs and 9 faders -- 8 are designed to be assignable while knob 9 and fader 9 are specifically there as short-cuts to the master tracks in a DAW. There are 8 pads which have 2 banks of functions assignable. As it comes, at least in the Cubase profile, bank 1 is for sending specific midi-note-numbers for use with a percussion patch to enter your own drum parts. Bank 2 has other functions assigned to them. All of that is programmable for your own profiles if you wish.

The pitch-bend and modulation wheels feel solid and work very well.

The LCD screen is large and easy to read and changes to show what MIDI value is being sent when you move a knob or slider. The knobs are 360-degree turnable (i.e. no stop bumpers for minimum or maximum motion). The knobs and sliders are easy to move but they have enough resistance that it's easy to get them to exactly the place you want -- some keyboards have knobs and sliders without any resistance which makes it difficult to be precise with them.

This keyboard is designed with the pitch-bend and mod wheels above the lowest keyboard keys, allowing this keyboard to be shorter than many others which have pitch-bend and mod wheels to the left of the lowest keyboard keys.

It's a fairly new entry in the keyboard marketplace and I'm very happy I discovered it -- the only drawback is that it would be nice to have after-touch but that is very low down on my MIDI keyboard requirements and for the majority of my MIDI keyboard usage it is a complete non-issue since I don't perform on keyboard in public.

My 37-key mini-keyboard is an Arturia that is very well built so I expected this to have the same excellent build quality and I was not disappointed. This 88-key unit is solidly built with Arturia's attention to detail and quality.

I am greatly enjoying using this!

There are lots of us out there who use synthesis but aren't primarily keyboard players. We need flexibility from a controller but know that a great piano action is wasted on us. As for me (a guitarist), I use the keyboard mainly to test out virtual instruments. But I do the actual work in my DAW (or in my case, Sibelius). For some VIs, MIDI continuous controllers may be hard-mapped while others give you flexibility about which controller drives a certain function. This lightweight Keylab is made for such a user.

The key action is fine for me. More importantly, there are lots of knobs and sliders (and buttons) that can be mapped to whatever controller you wish. With a little ingenuity, you can even use the 8 pads as controllers if you have some familiarity with Max. I particularly like the fact that you can even turn most of the buttons into controllers (toggles or gates). Since I don't have any interest in controlling my DAW from the keyboard, I've done that. The MIDI Control app that comes with the Keylab makes in easy to reprogram the controllers, store them to the device (and as files on your local computer). Pretty nice.

There are a couple of very small issues. The included cable is of sufficient length, but is USB-C to USB-A. If you want USB-C on both ends you'll have to buy a cable. It should have been included. There's also a nice sleep function with programmable timeout. It works erratically on a hub (even though the keyboard itself gave no problems). You'll need a direct connection to the computer in this case. These are quibbles, but small ones.

All in all, this keyboard is giving me what I want. Only time will tell to know how well it holds up.

See also: Keyboard Controllers, Arturia, Arturia MIDI Controllers