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 61 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 61 puts everything you need to create music right at your fingertips.
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 61 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 61, 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.
Type
Keyboard Controller
Number of Keys
61
Type of Keys
Semi-weighted
Velocity Sensitive
Yes
Aftertouch
Yes
Pads
16 x Backlit, Velocity-sensitive
Other Controllers
Pitchbend, Mod Wheel
Encoders/Pots
9
Faders
9
Dedicated Transport Control
Yes
Pedal Inputs
1 x 1/4″ (sustain), 1 x 1/4″ (expression), 3 x 1/4″ (aux)
MIDI I/O
In/Out/USB
USB
1 x Type B
Other I/O
1 x 1/8″ (CV in), 4 x 1/8″ (CV out, gate out, mod 1, mod 2)
Computer Connectivity
USB
Software
Analog Lab 3, Ableton Live Lite, Piano V2, Arturia MIDI Control Center
Format
VST, AU, AAX (Analog Lab)
Hardware Requirements – Mac
Intel Multi-core processor, 4GB RAM minimum
Hardware Requirements – PC
AMD / Intel Multi-core processor, 4GB RAM minimum
OS Requirements – Mac
OS X 10.10 or later
OS Requirements – PC
Windows 7 SP1 or later
Power Supply
USB bus power, 9V DC power supply (sold separately)
