ARTURIA Keylab Essential 88 MK3 Review: It’s A Steal!

🎹 Check out the Keylab Essential 88 MK3: bit.ly/4btNEbZ
⭐️ Learn more about the Keylab Essential 61 MK3 ( I recommend this size): bit.ly/4dMgEx1
The Keylab Essential MK3 proves that budget MIDI keyboards can compete with the premium stuff. It comes with solid semi-weighted keys, 9 encoders and faders, 8 drum pads, and powerful integration with DAW and Arturia's Analog Lab Pro. Let me show you why the Arturia Keylab Essential 88 MK3 is the best budget full-sized MIDI keyboard.
🕹️How to control your DAW: • Arturia Essential Keyl...
MY FAVORITE TOOLS & STUDIO GEAR
🎹 Komplete Kontrol S61 MK3 - Please bury me with this MIDI keyboard - bit.ly/s61-mk3
🧳 Komplete Kontrol M32 - My favorite MIDI keyboard to travel with - bit.ly/46tRqyT
🔊 Frontier Monitors - My favorite studio monitors- bit.ly/frontie...
🔕 Acoustic Treatment - The most beautiful way to sound treat your room - bit.ly/frontie...
🖥️ Compact 88 - I finally found a studio desk that’s compact and not ugly - audiohousing.com/
🎵 MOTU M2 - My favorite audio interface, especially for recording my videos - bit.ly/motum2-gc
🖲️ Logitech MX Ergo - This trackball mouse saved me from Carpal Tunnel- bit.ly/logitec...
WHO AM I?
Hey, it's Onesto. On this channel, we explore the latest plugins and gear that help keep our lives musical and creative. If that sounds interesting, consider subscribing! Can't wait to see you in the next video!
PS: Some links are affiliate links that I get a kickback from. And since affiliate sales are a slippery slope to shill-ness, here are some rules I follow to preserve the integrity of each review.
1. Only feature good products. This means that I say no to some offers and that I don’t have to spend too much time on the negatives. But I understand that only saying good things about a product can seem inauthentic. So that brings me to my next thing.
2. Avoid hyped-up language. I may have done this in the past and that sucks, but I now avoid using words like “game-changing” and other forms of hyperbole. I want to talk like a friend, not an influencer. I might get a little flashy in my titles and thumbnails, but even then, I stay far away from language that reeks of exaggeration.
3. Being different is better than better. I used to make a lot of walkthroughs, but everyone else makes those, so I avoid them when possible. Instead, I try to find a unique yet insightful take to help clarify whether something is worth trying.

[@ThisIsOnesto]

Hey, thanks for watching! 🎹 Check out the Keylab Essential 88 MK3: bit.ly/4btNEbZ ⭐ Learn more about the Keylab Essential 61 MK3 ( I recommend this size): bit.ly/4dMgEx1

[@kevinsuh5313]

Thanks for the info!

[@ThisIsOnesto]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@SomebodyPickaName]

Great review, Onesto. I'm good to go in the keyboard dept but was curious about the product.

[@ThisIsOnesto]

Thanks for the feedback! Hope you were able to see how great the value is behind this keyboard. That's the best thing about it. I actually think the features and quality is worth more than they're asking.

[@michseong]

Thanks for review! Great video

[@ThisIsOnesto]

Thanks for watching!

[@jrd461]

If you could only have or buy one controller, would you get the NI Kontrol S61 Mk3 or this Arturia Keylab Essential 88 Mk3? I'm torn between the two. Which do you think you will use more now that you have the Keylab Essential? How do their keybeds compare? A comparison video between the two would be helpful to a lot of people.

[@ThisIsOnesto]

Hey great question! If I had the budget, I would go for the NI Kontrol S61 MK3. Especially if you're a fan of the NI ecosystem, than the S61 is great, but it has a big price tag ( a little too much if you ask me). I use it everyday too. I considered doing a comparison video but it would be an unfair comparison primarily because the Keylab Essential is a budget controller while the S61 MK3 is a premium controller. Nearly everything about the S61 MK3 is better than the Keylab Essential. The keybed is better, the build quality of the body, buttons and encoders, there's more ports for pedals, and of course the giant high res display is gorgeous and actually very useful. However, when you compare the Kontrol S61 MK3 with the Keylab Essential 61 MK3, you're paying close to $600 more for the Kontrol S61 MK3. So it's no surprise that it's better all-around. But ironically, the price is so low on the Keylab Essential it actually becomes as good as choice as the S61 MK3. Hmmm, I guess that's what my comparison video would have been about haha, hope that helps.

[@SKashif7]

@@ThisIsOnestoHey Onesto, great response. I have a NI KK S49 MK2. Do you think I should replace it with KeyLab essential mk2 ?

[@ThisIsOnesto]

@SKashif7 Great question. I would only replace it if you are trying to go bigger in size, so getting the Keylab 61 or 88. For me, I a 61 key midi controller is perfect. A 49 key is just a little too small for the way I play. But if you’re happy with 49 keys and simply want a newer keyboard, I would stick with the S49 MK2.

[@jefffstone]

Wait... Alesis Q88 MKll is literrally M-Audio Keystation 88 MK3! LITERALLY!!! I know it because I have the Keystation. And I want to replace it with an Arturia MK3 from this video.

[@jefffstone]

Well... I swaped on this from M-Audio Kystation 88 MK3 aaaaand... The keys on Arturia feels worse for piano. How can I explain it... In M-Audio the keys feels like they are on springs: the pressure resistance is linear and i can play softly, or hardly, or somewhere between very confidently But in Arturia they arle like on silicone bubbles: it's very hard to play on medium values of the velocity and if you will play not softly enough or not hardly enough (around medium values) you'll get too quiet or too loud sound. It's like trying to set the lightswitch position on the middle. The exponentional velocity curve is saving the situation a little Still, I hope that this is a matter of habit

[@daphneofc]

Are the keys is really good?

[@ThisIsOnesto]

I think at the price point and for 88 keys, the key quality is worth it. Of course, you can find better keys, but you'll likely be paying more.

[@csuhaitibor4339]

Big problem remove CV ports