Back to navigation


Arturia Takes KeyLab to the Next Level!





This article was


Written By





Our Product Research Team





Get to know them!





With its rock-solid build quality, superior ergonomics and expressivity, and the sheer control it provides over your virtual instruments and DAW software, the Arturia KeyLab MkII 49 has raised the bar for professional MIDI controller keyboards. Onstage or in the studio, you need a keyboard controller that gets the job done. Unlike many keyboard controllers constructed entirely of plastic, the KeyLab MkII features a lightweight yet rugged aluminum chassis that can stand up to the most grueling tour schedules.





Arturia is also a top software company, so who better to decide what goes into a keyboard designed to control software? The KeyLab MkII's superb aftertouch-sensitive keybed (the same one used in Arturia’s flagship MatrixBrute) feels incredible under your fingers and responds beautifully when you're executing fast staccato lines, trills, and repetitions. Equipped with 16 RGB backlit performance pads, nine large faders, nine rotary encoders, four CV outputs, five expression control inputs, and a killer software bundle headlined by Analog Lab, the Arturia KeyLab MkII 49 puts everything you need to create music right at your fingertips.





Related Videos: KeyLab 49 MkII 49-key Keyboard Controller - Black





NOW PLAYING:


Arturia announces KeyLab MkII





How to Shop for a MIDI Controller Online


Masterful construction





We'll just say it: most keyboard controllers are made of plastic ? and there's nothing wrong with that. Modern plastics are strong and lightweight. But there's a reason most airplane fuselages are made of aluminum: it's stronger while remaining lightweight. That's why Arturia uses it for the frame of their KeyLab MkII controllers. And in honor of the many vintage synth sounds you'll be playing with your new KeyLab MkII, Arturia gave it real wood side panels and the same gleaming aluminum wheels as the MiniBrute 2. You're going to look awesome onstage!





Masterful software integration





KeyLab MkII provides a streamlined workflow solution for controlling your DAW, Analog Lab, or any MIDI-compatible instrument. The DAW Commands center gives you deep control of your software via the use of DAW-specific magnetic overlays. Working with the included Ableton Live Lite? Use the Live overlay. Switching to Cubase? Simply swap in the Cubase overlay! And thanks to the KeyLab MkII's smart, efficient logic, you can now access Analog Lab sound categories directly from your controller. Need a piano sound? Press the Piano button!





Masterful expressive performance





Arturia's KeyLab MkII 49 is way more than a MIDI controller ? it's an expressive instrument for the professional keyboardist. Equipped with channel aftertouch, the keybed is perfect for adding modulation to synth sounds while playing two-handed parts, while the nine large onboard faders give you legit drawbar control over your organ patches. Grab one of the nine rotary encoders for a highpass filter sweep. Use the 16 velocity-sensitive backlit RGB performance pads to bang out drum and percussion parts. Sustain, Expression, and three Aux pedal inputs give you unprecedented creative modulation possibilities.





Masterful connectivity





With the KeyLab MkII 49, Arturia drew on its masterful analog synth modeling experience to think outside the box. In addition to 5-pin DIN MIDI In and Out connectors, they equipped the KeyLab MkII with four CV jacks to connect to traditional hardware analog synth gear. CV connectivity is an innovation in the MIDI controller category; and at Sweetwater, we expect we'll be seeing a lot more of this going forward.





Analog Lab: the power browser from V Collection





If you're like most musicians at here Sweetwater, you want great sounds and you want them fast. That's just what Arturia Analog Lab delivers: instant access to 6,500 premium preset synth and keyboard sounds from the company's award-winning V Collection. Whether you're a music producer, a performing keyboardist, a sound designer ? or just a connoisseur of vintage keys ? Analog Lab lets you ace the gig with a treasure trove of awesome-sounding, meticulously modeled instruments and amazing features that make it fast, easy, and fun to use. From classic to cutting-edge, Analog Lab is the power browser of hot keyboard sounds in the V Collection.





Arturia KeyLab MkII 49 MIDI Keyboard Controller Features:


Ultra-responsive keyboard action with 49 aftertouch-enabled keys


Lightweight, roadworthy aluminum chassis


Advanced configurable interface


16 RGB backlit performance pads


9 large faders


9 rotary encoders


5 expression control inputs


4 CV output jacks


Smart category controls


MIDI and USB connectivity


Deep software integration and DAW-specific magnetic overlays


Included Software:


Arturia Analog Lab


Ableton Live Lite


Piano V 2


Arturia MIDI Control Center