Arturia Keylab 88 mk3 – Review

Back with a new universal MIDI controller, Arturia have brought out the Keylab 88 mk3, branded as a “premium keyboard for modern creators”. There’s a host of new features that set it apart from the previous Keylab Essential keyboard, with its added features, feel, and playability. With our boss man Hoss demoing the new product, we took the keys out for their first spin! 

First unboxing this keyboard and setting it up, you’ll notice its heavy build. Where the NI Kontrol S88 weighs about 29 lbs, this weighs around 43.3 lbs, so you’ll need a sturdy stand for it. Aside from that, the keyboard looks fantastic with its sleek, off-white colouring – the wood panels at the side give it a nice vintage look, too.

On the back of the keyboard, screws are sticking out for two attachments that come with the product: an upright stand for your sheet music, and a flat stand to rest your keyboard on. This is a welcome convenience that you won’t find with the current NI Kontrol S88, readying the user for any setting, whether composing, producing or performing live.

The Three Modes

ARTURIA, which lets you control Arturia Lab and other Arturia software; DAW, which gives you total control over your DAW via your keyboard; and USER mode, for your custom programs. It’s also been pre-mapped to major DAWs, so getting it going on Logic Pro X was as simple as plug-in-and-play. 

Now, it’s time to jam! The hammer-action keys feel a little heavy-duty but still play smoothly. We tried playing some bulky EDM piano chords with it – there’s enough weight to them that they won’t be too easily triggered, yet they’re light enough that you won’t have to push and push for a response. Once you get used to the stiff start, the feeling is fluid. The impact of hitting the keys is also very quiet when you hear them unplugged.

The velocity range is wide, giving the user all the nuances in volume that they desire. Testing out some neo-soul/jazzy chords with varying dynamics, the changes in intensity are faithfully captured.

Balance and Versatility

While its hammer-action keys are quite balanced, the three rows of keypads are very responsive, more so than the pads on an Akai MPC. There may be fewer pads than the MK2, eschewing the standard four-by-four grid of 16, but their receptive nature feels like an upgrade from the previous model and a great feature for finger-drummers and sample-choppers. 

The included software is a big plus, and more than was previously given with the Essential – Analog Lab Pro, the Minimoog emulation Mini V and Piano V, to name a few. This wide array of sounds, from iconic synths to acoustic keys and strings, allows the user to explore many sonic possibilities.

The different chord, scale and arpeggiator modes offer some cool parameters you can create within. Playing some plucky synth chords through the arpeggiator while controlling the modulation through the 360/limitless rotary knobs was fun. And the pitch bend and modulation wheels are great! We demoed this with a Middle Eastern string sound, and it gave us all the slides and vibrato we needed! It’s helpful that you can see a visual representation of it on the LCD display. The screen itself could be a little bigger, but the full-colour display is great, especially when using Arturia software.

All in All

This keyboard is a solid addition to any musician’s arsenal, both in its build and its features. The weighted 88 keys give a resistant, realistic feel for piano players, and its pads are perfectly light and sensitive. These features, combined with the seamless DAW integration, provide a comfortable setup from the get-go, and there’s enough variety in modes and musical timbres to keep you and your audience entertained. You can view more information on the product on Arturia’s official website, here.