Hands-On Review: Keylab Essential mk3 Universal Controller
The Arturia Keylab Essential mk3 Universal Controller is a great addition to beginners and experienced users alike. Find out what makes it stand out from the crowd in this user review.
Look and Feel
It’s immediately clear that the Keylab Essential’s design has been given consideration. With its sleek black finish, chunky knobs and sturdy construction, it feels solid in the hands. The keyboard itself is also comfortable to play, with its firm keys, good weight and balanced action.
Features
The Keylab Essential is equipped with a range of features tailored to your needs. There are 8 rotary knobs and 8 sliders, making it perfect for micro-editing and creating complex effects. It also comes with Arturia’s MIDI Control Center software, and has built-in USB and MIDI ports for connectivity.
Performance
The Keylab Essential can be used with any DAW, and works particularly well with Ableton Live. It can control a wide range of parameters, from looping, EQ settings, filter envelopes and modulation speeds. It is fast and responsive, with no noticeable latency, and all of the controls are intuitive and easy to use.
Verdict
The Arturia Keylab Essential mk3 Universal Controller is an amazing choice for any electronic musician. It looks great, feels great, and is packed with features. It is an ideal starter controller for those new to the world of electronic music production, and experienced producers will find plenty to like as well.
