There are few more frustrating things than when you want to sit down and make music but find yourself sinking all your time and efforts into finding inspiring sounds or, worse yet, getting your system to work at all. Arturia’s KeyLab Essential 49 is a virtual instrument workstation that’s perfect for preventing exactly that sort of problem from derailing you. Between the controller’s top-notch keybed, comprehensive hands-on controls, and total integration with the thousands of sounds in Arturia’s Analog Lab software, KeyLab Essential just plain works. It’s an amazing experience that lets you take your ideas and turn them into fresh tracks in no time.

Fast and easy access to your creative tools

Cut out the technical tedium with KeyLab Essential by combining a beautifully playable controller keyboard with Arturia’s acclaimed Analog Lab. When we got our hands on this amazing setup, even the most seasoned soft-synth gurus at Sweetwater couldn’t believe how easy it was to use this streamlined system. For starters, there’s the onboard Analog Remote section, which lets you call up sounds right from the controller — no need to touch the mouse. You have pre-mapped knobs and sliders for parameter control, performance pads, and even tools like chord mode to make songwriting as simple as it gets.

Total integration with your songwriting studio

Powerful as it is, Analog Lab is just part of what KeyLab Essential has to offer. This wonderfully laid out controller keyboard includes all the control you need to take charge of your DAW, including full transport controls. In fact, KeyLab Essential is a fully loaded universal MIDI controller, so it’s completely compatible with any third-party instruments or other music-creation software. Most of the controls also do double duty, providing you with layers of control over Analog Lab, your DAW, and any other instruments you want to play with.

Bundled with a killer collection of software

Speaking of DAW applications and other virtual instruments, check out the awesome software package bundled with KeyLab Essential controller keyboards. Let’s start by taking a closer look at Analog Lab. This greatest-hits sound collection features many of the top classics from Arturia’s award-winning V Collection. It covers 17 timeless synths and over 6,500 sounds featuring Arturia’s amazing True Analog Emulation technology. Next, there’s Ableton Live Lite. It’s an ideal introduction to one of the world’s most popular creative DAWs, which is renowned for its powerful songwriting structure. Lastly, there’s UVI’s Grand Piano Model D, a meticulously captured Steinway Model D that adds an essential instrument to your keyboard collection.