Arturia Keylab 88 MKii - Is it really the BEST?

⬇️Best price for the Keylab 88 MK2⬇️
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🔥How does this compare to the Keylab ESSENTIAL? • Arturia Keylab 88 ESSE...
Keylab 49/61 Review • Arturia KEYLAB MkII - ...
Note: In the video I say that the Keylab is a "sequencer," but it does not have a sequencer built-in. It is a controller for software or hardware sequencers.
In this video I review and demo the best features of the Arturia Keylab Mk2 and test out the key feel of the hammer action keys. The Arturia Keylab MKii is a midi controller keyboard and hardware synth controller. It has a lot of features to help you control your DAW including Ableton, Logic, Cubase, Reaper, ProTools, and many others. The Keylab also controls Arturia Analog Lab and the virtual instruments by Arturia giving you hands on control to sculpt sounds and you compose or perform. Music Radar named the Keylab MK2 the best midi controller and sequencer of 2019 and I go through all the reason why it may be the very best.
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[@SanjayC]

🔥What's your dream keyboard? What should I review next?

[@sphinx3563]

Bro my dream keyboard is Novation sl-Mkiii

[@sphinx3563]

But this keyboard also have nice feel.......:D

[@raylallydrums]

Btw when do you announce the giveaway winner

[@dhanushmohanaraja]

Bro , say about "Nektor Impakt LX88+ "

[@SanjayC]

Yeah, thats a great keyboard too

[@kevinfry3642]

That first minute was a free commercial for Arturia, beautiful.

[@SanjayC]

LOL! Yeah, would be awesome if they actually used it!!

[@final_mile_music9713]

If companies get their products right then users do the advertising!

[@martonandorka]

Yeah, but if he tries to play Clair de Lune he should learn it exactly how it is written, without any extra notes...

[@deutsch9510]

It's cool too cause debussy and arturia are both French

[@eastercharles443]

@@SanjayC I need one...

[@hugo65720]

FINALLY a true, pro, pragmatic and complete demonstration! THANK YOU.

[@lachlanrussell18]

It’s always a good day when there’s a Sanjay c upload :P As a piano lover, but one who trained on synthesisers, this looks like the keyboard for me. 88 Weighted keys, daw integration, and a laptop stand? Sounds damn near perfect for performing at festivals and gigs like that. Love it

[@SanjayC]

Yeah that laptop stand is so ingenious!

[@Notmehimorthem]

Concerning heavy action - this is a GOOD rthing. It gives you more feedback on velocity. Your hands will at first go "oh no" that's hard, but over practice time - about a month or so, your tiny finger muscles will develop and not only will it become a breeze but those muscles will give you that fine control and finesse you might lack now.

[@stuartpoltrock2904]

I bought this board and sent it back because of the weight action. Regretted the decision and have recently ordered it again from Sweetwater with exactly the intention you write about - I'm going to 'adjust' to the keyboard. I loved the construction and capability of this board. Now I'm waiting till it's back in stock.

[@sfz5]

I recently bought a KeyLab 49, obviously not weighted, lol. I am just learning it (not easy to configure the way I want it), but I plan to use it, not only in my studio, but on stage as a second keyboard to my Kurzweil Forte - which is weighted. There is nothing like a weighted keyboard for a pianist. I played non-weighted for a while and came back. My Kurzweil is nice, but also in my studio, I still have the Yamaha KX88 MIDI controller I bought 36 years ago. I need to visit a music store to check out the KeyLab 88, but so far, the KX88 feels the best of any weighted keyboard I've ever played. Compared to an acoustic piano? The only thing missing... the vibrations of the strings under your fingers. Heavy action? That is in comparison with the super light action of a synth. I prefer to say piano action. Yes, it helps assist in dynamics through velocity. But also, I've been told I play more accurately oh a weighted keyboard. Not as many of those little bleeps that I didn't mean to play. These are my flaws, not necessarily other players'.

[@jesusacristo307]

It does have its benifits but when playing classical peices i seem to struggle with trills fast arpegios.

[@JohnFHendry]

Yes it adds relative depth connected to throw time that relates to better control response.

[@JohnFHendry]

@@sfz5 What a depressing thing to hear almost 4 decades later with todays tech and you were being kind by not mentioning Poly AT: "but so far, the KX88 feels the best of any weighted keyboard I've ever played."

[@TheAudioDabbler]

My dream midi controller. Great review. Makes me want it even more.

[@SanjayC]

Its a good keyboard to save up for!

[@elyad67]

@@SanjayC Hi Sanjay, im thinking about the Arturia MK2 (midi controller), or a Roland Juno DS88 (hardware synth) which of the two would you recommend for a beginner player, wanting to create some music

[@MrOpossum76]

Hi Sanjay, I got my Keylab88 MK2 three weeks ago and I am amazed by the Fatar Keys. I don‘t think that their action is that hard. In fact the quality of the gear is exquisite, totally agree with that. The Keylab is a good choice for all those who want get rid of their pile of vintage gear. The Arturia V-Lab4 or the V-Collection 7.1 are the perfect replacement.

[@SanjayC]

Woah...what did you do with that vintage gear? Send it my way!! 😊

[@MrOpossum76]

Most of it is gone. Kept only the prophet5 and the OB-X😬

[@meritbadges2687]

How your reviews are so in depth AND unbiased is beyond me

[@SanjayC]

Thats a really nice compliment. Thank you!

[@JustinUrban1]

So excited that I just ordered one. I’m trying to save for a big monster synth, and while I wait this thing will give me everything I need. The plug ins are really exciting to me as well. I’ve owned a fair amount of hardware synths, both analog and digital, and it’s really easier for me to just use mostly VSTs. They are so good these days it’s hard to argue that you need a $3k unit to get good sound.

[@GuramKasrashvili]

how did it work out for you? I'm trying to get it and was wondering how authentic the keys feel? like are they really overly heavy?

[@mitchmcturtle6890]

@@GuramKasrashvili how did it work out for you? I’m trying to get it and was wondering how authentic the keys feel? Like are they really overly heavy?

[@GuramKasrashvili]

@@mitchmcturtle6890 keys are definitely heavier then I expected. It’s prolly heavier then on any keyboard or piano I’ve played with. I’m considering selling it for that reason. It’s a quality product tho and could work out for you.

[@mitchmcturtle6890]

@@GuramKasrashvili thanks for the reply. I’m a piano player so I definitely do like heavy keys but from what I’m gathering it seems the keys might be a little too heavy. I’ll try and test it out before I buy.

[@Keysounds0]

Great vid! Though I would of appreciated if you would of mention how “authentic” the feel/weight of the keys were to you. As you know a heavier calibration doesn’t automatically make a keyboard feel more like a piano. While actual pianos also have different amounts of resistance and feel, I would of appreciated a general comparison of the keylab’s keys to some of your favorite piano companies like Steinway, Kawai etc. Personally I’m always on the lookout for the least amount of compromise between piano feel and functionality.

[@devidasa9637]

Fwiw, I've given up on finding a midi controller with the features of the Arturia Keylab 88 or NI KK S88 that adds an action like Kawai's RH3 or Roland pha4. I (jazz pianist and jazz/pop composer) must represent a very small potential market, cuz no one makes such a device. I guess the closest would be the Kawai MP7SE or Roland RD2000, but not really. Roland puts the pha4 action in their $500 DP's, why not make a pianist's version of the Arturia 88 with pha4 keybed and charge $1250? I'm going with a Nord Grand for my "serious" playing and the Arturia for music production...and I say that as someone who owns Komplete 13 Ultimate Collection. Maybe I'm stupid ;)

[@sandramariahofmann1300]

No matter if the Arturia Keylab 88 MKii is the best, this is definitely the best review for this device! You answered all my questions and gave a realistic view on the Keylab. Thank you, Sanjay!

[@spiritualsimba5728]

I whole heartedly love that you started the video with you playing the instrument. Sometimes that’s all we need 😌.

[@SanjayC]

Haha...glad you enjoyed that

[@SweetScaleTV]

I have the Keylab 49!! I love it... i think 88 keys for producers is a bit much but cant hate on it! Thanks for sharing!

[@SanjayC]

You're welcome. Happy to hear you're enjoying your 49! Do you use it with hardware synths?

[@SweetScaleTV]

@@SanjayC No I only use it for producing in Ableton.. I'm a keyboard junkie so i use other keyboards and samplers but when it comes to producing with ableton even FL and Logic to a lesser degree I LOVE the Keylab 49!!! Love your content bro!

[@SanjayC]

Thanks a lot!

[@jackminto7062]

Love Clair de lune in c major

[@SanjayC]

Haha...I cheated. Needed to learn to play it in a few minutes to C major it had to be!

[@DesireeD]

Wow! As a pianist I really like this keyboard! Fantastic video Sanjay!

[@SanjayC]

Thanks Desiree! Yeah it’s really nice. Do you play classical?

[@DesireeD]

@@SanjayC I never really studied classical music, but I really like playing it sometimes

[@kepmusic8160]

Do you recommend this keyboard instead of a Yamaha p125 digital piano, for classical music ?

[@mrratskins]

I just ordered one of these yesterday. It was between the Arturia and the NI S88 Mk3. Tough decision. They both have pluses and minuses. I am somewhat concerned about the keybed since I have heard that it is A) wonderful, B) way too heavy, and C) spongy. Heavy might not be a problem, but I hate spongy keys. And I am hoping the action is fast enough to do decent trills. First thing out of the box I'm going to try some trills.

[@johnvellamusic]

Hi! Wondering if you had any thoughts on the keybed after checking it out? I'm trying to decide between the two for tI'm sure very similar reasons! Thanks in advance.

[@mrratskins]

I've had the Arturia for a while now. I find the features fantastic. The keybed is workable. A little bouncy for my taste, but it didn't take long to get used to it. I've got seven synth action keyboards and didn't need another one!

[@maximkucherenkomusic]

For a long time I thought which MIDI keyboard to choose: Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2 or Keylab 88 MK2. And I chose Komplete Kontrol, because two big informative screens are more important for me than pads, and 8 encoders can be increased up to 32 in MIDI Mode, and up to 128 in Plug-in Mode (when you use plugins that support NKS) just by switching pages. Amazing keyboard. But the only thing Arturia wins is support of the sheet music stand. Because if I want to learn some classic or anything else I need to buy music stand separately. So this is the one problem of NI keyboard as for me.

[@SanjayC]

Yeah, i like that they included the sheet music stand and the laptop stand. Very useful features.

[@maximkucherenkomusic]

@@SanjayC by the way, thanks for your helpful videos. Keep it up!

[@TimVolkovPhD]

shivers when you were playing in the opening

[@SanjayC]

That's a compliment! :-)

[@mattchesney3884]

Best review of a MIDI controller!!! Was deciding between the 88 and the 61 and you sold me on spending a little more! Fantastic review, sir!

[@SMVal23]

Id like to let you know that because of you I got the information I needed for a certain piece of equipment and now I finished the first part of my song thank you

[@SanjayC]

I love hearing that! So happy that I helped you out. Please share your song with me when you're done :-)

[@SMVal23]

@@SanjayC will do

[@anagallardo9486]

Can you please do a comparison between this and the Komplete Kontrol s88

[@sinatrabone]

That's what I'm looking for, too :). However, watching your two reviews of these keyboards side by side, I think I'm correct in concluding that you slightly prefer the Arturia Keylab. Am I correct?

[@quizkitten9641]

@@sinatrabone This is EXACTLY what I'm looking for as well. I want a killer 88 controller with an amazing weighted keyboard.

[@quizkitten9641]

@Tronam Very interesting. I had a Fatar controller several years ago and it was great, but what would you recommend I look at? Should I be looking at things like the Kurtzweil ARTIS88 Digital Piano?

[@piyushgupta1606]

I was looking for this.

[@cnotebeats8061]

the Komplete Kontrol s series are the thing you want. I don't understand how this can be the nr 1 with a screen of '95 and no 3rd party support. Yes you have the analog lab plug in and some remakes of great synths but these are perfectly controllable bc of nks of NI. Also Komplete 13 in combination with other vst's you are unstoppable

[@Shubham.Mishra]

Dear Sanjay, First of all, watching your videos is a pure delight, I must say. Your channel is really promising and has a lot to offer to (budding) musicians. Second of all, I am looking for your advice on gear-purchasing. I would like to learn Piano and I am considering to buy Kawai ES110(considering the fact that I have a $1,000 budget, plus this digital piano sounds realistically "mellow" compared to other digital-pianos in this range). I have learnt Music Theory in college and my aim is to produce music and for that purpose I am considering to buy a 88-key midi controller. I am really confused what to buy now, considering the fact that I have a budget of only one gear, I cannot afford to buy two gears at the moment, and I want to produce music. Which Piano/88-key Midi Controller do you suggest? Lastly, kudos and congratulations to you for doing what you are doing. Keep up the good work! 👍

[@SanjayC]

Thanks you, Shubham. I appreciate the nice comments. If you are starting out in music production, I highly recommend that you consider a midi controller keyboard instead of a digital piano like the Kawai ES110. You could get a midi controller like the Arturia Keylab Essential for much less money and then invest the rest in production software and software instruments. The quality of software plugins (even piano sounds) is really good these days. And they give you more flexibility when producing music.

[@SanjayC]

Watch this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaSQaI2qoa2tn5Y

[@musicbyrishi]

Arturia is a well established brand and i love their products. The keylab mk2 series is really good and the 88 key is awesome for live performances .I don't have their keyboards but i do have the pigments plugin which is next level

[@SanjayC]

Agreed. I really can see this used for live performances - especially for EDM performers - just so many knobs and synth control.

[@paulgleitsmann6816]

Just ordered mine and I so HYPED!

[@MrStix25]

Just ordered mine too, cannot wait

[@paulgleitsmann6816]

@@MrStix25 ooh! Have fun with yours!☺️

[@mann318is]

4:53 i would love to just listen that amazing melody You are playing. Maybe make an separate video.. Would You consider to do it? Please

[@SanjayC]

Thanks so much. Actually, I was just playing around. Didn't really record it. :-) But thanks for appreciating my tinkering

[@lorenzocarocci]

Hey Sanjay, after a few weeks of research and scrolling reviews I am desperate to make a decision between purchasing the Arturia MKii 88 and Native Komplete S88. I saw your reviews about 10 times for both controllers, and I really would like to leave it to your experience. If you could please help, only things I would like for you to take into consideration are that I like having the pads as a feature, but I give more importance to finding the best keyboard overall. The DAW I use is Logic Pro. Hope you will be able to see this. Thanks.

[@marcusleitner3594]

To be honest, if you're dead set between those two keyboards, I'd choose the Arturia over the Komplete just for all-around use. But it also depends on your workflow and what you use. If you use any Native Instrument vsts with any regularity then the S88 is for you. That said, if you don't there's very little reason to own one. In terms of key feel, that's an incredibly subjective thing but since both have top of the line Fatar keybeds, both feel great, and unless you're a pianist looking for an exact match to a piano's hammer action, you'll have no complaints with either unless you're buying a used mk1 S88. Then the Arturia is far better. If you asked me, I wouldn't buy either because I've found that I rarely use the knobs and faders on my keyboards because I have better alternatives in the studio. If you're looking for something more minimal, and cheaper, M-Audio's Hammer 88 or Studiologic's sl88 are great alternatives and also have fantastic keybeds. I personally think the sl88 is the best out of the four. The closest thing to a piano feel would probably be a Kawaii VPC1 but that's super expensive. So between the two, go with the Arturia for flexibility and more control options.

[@martijnvanpommeren395]

Marcus Leitner if you already own a NI KK S61mk2 (which is perfectly integrated in the Native Instruments ecosystem), would it make sense to get the S88 at all? Or just get the Arturia for integration with other instruments or (eg) the sl88 for just a piano keybed and action? Edit: or if you already own a Machine mk3, that has the screens and encoders...

[@marcusleitner3594]

​@@martijnvanpommeren395 Good question. For me, I prefer 88 keys + I use a lot of Kontakt libraries so I definitely liked the s88 for that. I went with the sl88 though because I already have a pretty good midi controller that I prefer over the screens and the encoders on the Machine or the KK. So with all that in mind, if you're happy with the S61 and don't need the 88 keys/have space, there's no need to upgrade. If you have the Machine Mk3 and want a good keybed the sl88 or the hammer are great compliments. The only reason I would shy away from the Arturia, is because the encoders aren't infinite and the faders aren't mechanical. I just really dislike moving to a different channel and having the controls not exactly the same. With that in mind, I'd buy the Arturia if I could only have one keyboard to control everything just because the slight annoyance isn't a huge dealbreaker especially if you get used to it.

[@martijnvanpommeren395]

Marcus Leitner great, Thanks... have been using synth action keys so far, but would really like to also get into more actual piano playing, so I’m currently looking at 88 key midi controller (or even epiano with midi capabilities) with some authentic action. For software I have both Arturia and NI instrument bundles, and LPX as my daw.

[@BeastmanG]

What did you go for? I’m very tempted by the Arturia

[@Jack-il7yu]

I ordered this thing yesterday. I seriously cannot wait. I've been playing the piano since I was 4 and started playing around with DAWs around 11 maybe? Anyway I've always loved producing music even if no one else ever hears it and since moving to university, and after having not played the piano in years, I just can't wait until this gets here. Good thing I'm watching the review after ordering it lollll

[@shreyasmahimkar4424]

Lovw it how you got with the basics in the beggining

[@SanjayC]

Thanks, Shreyas! We were all beginners at one time, so I want to help everyone :-) Are you just starting out?

[@shreyasmahimkar4424]

Actually no but I thought the same

[@Mike__G]

I like my Roland A88. I have a Keylab 49 as well. I like the A88 for its superb action. Controls on a keyboard are less important, but the 49 does the job well. I’d advise getting more than one keyboard if you want them to do multiple things. As far as action, nothing beats my Kawai Grand.

[@darrenewing1900]

Very nice! I always love your videos even if I'm not a fan of the gear. I haven't owned an Arturia yet but who knows. Keep up the good work bro! 😎👍

[@SanjayC]

Thanks, Darren! Really appreciate you always watching my videos! What are you working on today?

[@darrenewing1900]

Believe it or not I've been honing my art by remixing some anime theme songs, running beats, breaking down the songs themselves and analyzing different techniques. It's pretty cool when you let yourself really hear all the subtle things that go into writing music. Plus my son likes when we play around with a song he likes. He asked me the other day if I was going downstairs to "make music". I told him I was only going to do laundry and his response was "I like when you make music daddy." He is my driving force and your videos educate. Thank you for asking (sorry for the long answer) 😎👍

[@SanjayC]

Wow awesome! I love breaking down other songs....always learn so much! So nice to hear that your son values your music making time. Need to teach him to produce!

[@backpackingvillager1480]

Can u make 3 Options for music production? Like, 1. Asus, mic, headphone, midi etc. 2. Mac, mic, headphone, midi etc. 3. Razor, mic, headphone, midi etc. Also which is best small cpu and 4k monitor instead of buying laptop for music production and editing?

[@isaacralph6770]

You had me sold the moment you started playing Clair de Lune

[@rdean150]

Nice review. One area that I didn't really follow, however, was how this MIDI controller qualifies as a sequencer. I get that it can send MIDI and CV signals to control a DAW and/or hardware devices, but that's all part of being a controller, right? Can it natively record patterns of notes or control messages that it plays back in sync with a clock? Arturia make excellent sequencers, so I'd love it if this just happened to have a "Keystep Pro" mode or something hidden in its featureset.

[@SanjayC]

That was an error. Thanks for pointing that out. Music Radar called it that in their article, so I said the same in the video. It does not have sequencer features. I'll make a note on that correction int the video description.

[@anotherwolff3650]

The best keyboard: Arturia MiniLab MKII is my No.1! Why: i use it more because it is more handy then the 88 key version ;)

[@twinsen_rus]

I've been dreaming about it even with the first generation of keylab 88, but heard some rumors about the keyboard quality issues and changed my mind. Then I was dreaming of Studiologic SL88 Studio with the same keyboard arturia keylab88mkii has but it has almost no control over DAW and stuff and it's absolutely impossible to find it in stock even if you pre-order it. And then I found this treasure. And I'm in love. Totally going to get this one. It will be a huge step forward for me since now I'm using Korg Microkey 37, lol, and I'm looking for an all-in-one monster keyboard to learn and record and control and stuff. Thanks for your video!

[@SanjayC]

Nice choice. This is an excellent keyboard!

[@j0hannes5]

I had the 61 version of it and replaced it with a Novation SL61 MkIII which is at least 10x better for me. The different features, like the Lights are one thing but the Arturia Keyboard did not work as expected. There was lots of fiddling around to get things to work. The chord feature did not work at all. The guy who I sold it to also complained about not getting things to work and returned it to the Shop I got it from. The Novation keyboard is by far the better product.

[@NiElsir]

The Novation SL61 is absolutely fantastic. I have been really happy with it too. Though I have had some problems lately with the screens disappearing when going from sequencer to incontrol mode. Hope it is just a firmware issue

[@varunnarayanan3477]

I use my digital piano as a midi control even though it has no knobs, but being a piano player it helps to have the 88 key range to help me practice classical piano as well as compose... huge fan

[@SanjayC]

Yes those extra keys make a difference when you want to get expressive right?

[@varunnarayanan3477]

Sanjay C very much!! I covered this Tamil piano song on my channel and he amount of expression I get is simply amazing.. to check it out and give me your feedback if possible!😁

[@varunnarayanan3477]

Sanjay C only problem is I need external midi inputs like a an expressive e ( which I hope to win 😂) to control knobs live as it’s hard to manually control on screen

[@LuisFletes]

It's a beautiful controller and great integration with the Software BUT I hated the keyboard hammer action, it felt more like a spongy action. I returned it. I've been playing Piano for almost 40 years. Your review is so good it almost made me buy it again lol.

[@jamesowen3118]

Luis Fletes worst action ever. Beautiful otherwise. Sold mine too.

[@LuisFletes]

James Owen Yep! I couldn't agree more.

[@wasanasaw]

The action is a little spongey ... but that’s part of the compromise. The sponginess allows after touch. To have that all in one keyboard .... you obviously have to have some compromise. It at least responds well to a piano plug in and it’s not too difficult to get used to

[@Dekon7]

What about the komplete kontrol 88 mk2

[@LuisFletes]

Pablo Chocobar I don’t know, I have never used that one. I know it does not have faders. About their piano action I cannot tell you anything because I have never played it.

[@gawaa5094]

Love your videos keep creating the best quality videos on KZbin :- )

[@SanjayC]

Thanks Gab Vic! I worked hard on this one :-)

[@dietfriedschnabel1753]

My Keylab 88 MKII comes tomorrow! ☺

[@JoeLinux2000]

Are the keys weighted like Casio's gravity action or do they have springs like the Yamaha KX-88 from years ago?

[@ritapatel5727]

I love your New piano ! And of course your talent and your music 👏👌👍

[@SanjayC]

Thanks so much!

[@margaretchristo6859]

Woke up listening to your video! You make beautiful music. Love the Aturia Keylab 88 MKii! Thanks Sanjay C.

[@SanjayC]

Thank you. Yeah, the keyboard is A+

[@MrBasboris]

Thanks so much for your great work! This IS the one I will buy and thanks to your great review. You are the best!

[@SanjayC]

Thanks so much, Boris!

[@HeathcliffBlair]

Lovely presentation. Thanks. I bought the Keylab 88 mk2 last week after using a Studiologic SL990 Pro for years. To be frank, I found the Keylab action to be unacceptably heavy and "thick" to the point of being a physical strain to use. This adversely affects the kind of music I am getting out of it (composer here). Despite the nice extra controls and options, I'm afraid that I'll have to return it for something else - possibly the Studiologic SL-88 Grand or the NI S88 mk2 maybe? For now, I'll go back to my old 990 which has a lot of irritating technical drawbacks, BUT a great weighted hammer action. Making music unobtrusively is the thing! Thanks again.

[@nickvledder]

Unfortunately: TRUE. Way too heavy action for pianists. No good for me and sold it within a year!

[@HeathcliffBlair]

@@nickvledder Right. Very thick and unnatural feeling action. I ended up getting a SL-88 Grand. It has next to no controllers, but the action is perfect. Never looked back. 🙂

[@MrImperativeoz]

what about the Roland A88 MK2? How does it compare?

[@JayTheLane]

It’s very good. Some say the keybed on this is sluggish.

[@jeffmurray9418]

Hi Sanjay, thanks for the review it’s much appreciated. I purchased the S88 mk2 from NI based on your previous review and I really like it. I think my “dream controller” would have Arturias basic functionality of sliders, knobs and laptop holder attachment (very cool!), a color screen that competes with the S88, and a built in audio interface. I would pay an extra couple hundred for that. Keep up the great reviews they are extremely helpful:)

[@SanjayC]

So glad you're happy with the S88, Jeff. Yeah, I was just chatting with someone about finding the perfect keyboard - doesn't exist yet. I think you have you understand your needs and pick accordingly. Maybe one day they'll make a perfect keyboard!

[@LeeBlaske]

One thing you might want to do in these reviews is take the instruments apart so we can see the internal construction. Fatar keyboard actions are usually pretty awful. They might sound and feel fine just out of the box, but they don't hold up. The reason is because to get a smooth feel, Fatar puts a HUGE glob of lubricant on the pivot points of the action. As the action ages, the lubricant migrates out of the pivot point, and the whole action gets clattery. Also, I think an important quality to review is note-to-note velocity response. I've owned a number of Fatar actions that have been unpredictable (i.e. playing up and down the keyboard with the same velocity will give you unpredictable velocity numbers). You won't notice this on patches that don't have much dynamic change, but you WILL notice it if you try to play expressively with a patch that has a wide range of velocity response. It can be kind of strange, too... You might just think you're just not playing very well, when in fact, it's the keyboard that's letting you down. BTW, the Fatar actions that utilize a ton of grease to get smoothness WILL feel lighter as they age, so if you're making a judgement about whether to buy or not buy based on the "heaviness" of the feel, just realize it won't feel that heavy after it's broken in. If you run into an older Fatar keyboard that's been used a fair amount, just compare the way the keys in the middle feel with the keys on the ends (that haven't been played as much, and have more of their grease still intact). You'll notice a big difference. I had a Native instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 (I had both the original and MKII models at different points), and the feel of the actions changed a lot over time (no abuse, and just studio use). YMMV, but I've had so many bad experiences with Fatar actions, I'm making a point of never buying one ever again.

[@brunosco]

Thanks for sharing. Doesn’t make the decision easier, but at least we know…

[@squeakD]

I love how they integrated a laptop stand into this controller. I’m of the minority. Many people and manufacturers are producing graded/scaled actions. I prefer a balanced hammer action (and a little on the heavier side too). My options are extremely limited. I ended up having to go with the MAudio Hammer 88 (even though I had the budget for a much more expensive model). Unfortunately the compromise resulted in an extremely bare bones controller. When you say the action on the Arturia is heavier, how would you rate it compared to other popular controllers with graded actions?

[@SanjayC]

Compared with pretty much all other keyboards I've tested, its heavier. But not in a bad way. I quite enjoy playing it.

[@squeakD]

Thx! Thinking of selling my MA-Hammer 88 and getting this.

[@hinduprinze33]

I'm all about the little add on accessories!

[@SanjayC]

Yeah, so great they added those features

[@GCARRASCO7]

Hi Sanjay, I’ve been following you for a few years. Love your content and always value your input. This video convinced me to take the leap and buy the Keylab. Thanks so much

[@ievadubova]

As a pianist by profession I find the keyboard really great for those with a weak technique it might seem a bit heavy but the resistance is beautiful to control tone I can’t complain at all. Feels very nice to play. Of course I won’t swap out my grand or upright this is my additional instrument for composition and gigs that focus on more contemporary music that are using ableton and a variety of sounds prepared before.

[@CARLOSMARTINS-zv5mm]

hello sanjay c, first congratulations on the video on keylab 88. very top. in relation to the keylab 88 keys; do they feel like a hammer? some friends said that their keys similar to the NORD STAGE 3 76 ... are heavy balanced keys, not 100% hammer action. I particularly played on the NORD STAGE 76 and I didn't really like the keys ... I found the keys rebounding slowly. I really like heavy keys even and today I have a NORD STAGE 3 88 and the keys are really hammer action .. I would like an evaluation of you on the keys of KEYLAB 88, because I intend to purchase this model because although I love the sensitivity of my NORD 88, I also quite like this area of VST. strong hug here from BRAZIL

[@SanjayC]

Hi Kaike 01! Thank you. I haven't tried the Nord Stage recently so I don't know how I could compare the keys. Compared to Korg, Roland, and Yamaha keybeds, these are a little heavier. I've tested all those keyboards recently. The keys on the Keylab are no exactly like hammer action piano keys, but feel much better than synth action keys. I hope this helps.

[@kaiketesta01]

@@SanjayC thank you

[@lennardvillasenor5151]

Thanks Sanjay. As someone who grew up learning and performing with a classical technique on the piano this review was immensely satisfying and informative. I currently have a grand piano in the living room along with a Yamaha KX88 , which I use as a MIDI master controller in my keyboard synthesis corner and was considering options in terms of updating to a newer fully weighted velocity and aftertouch sensitive MIDI keyboard. The Arturia Keylab 88 and the Native Instruments S88 Mk2 were the ones on my consideration list, but living in Sweden where buildings are smaller , it is not always the case that these models are available in Stockholm to physically play to try at urban retail stores. Much Appreciation for this video. Will you be reviewing the Kawaii offering with 88 keys? They are the only one, now that Yamaha does not make 88 key midi controllers (though as stated Yamaha does make 88 key digital pianos with USB midi capabilities at various price points with different Yamaha keyboard sub assemblies, ) from a manufacturer who also makes acoustic grand pianos. I believe both Arturia and Native Instruments use Fatar the Italian Keyboard manufacturer as a subassembly supplier.

[@SanjayC]

Hi Lennard. The Kawai VPC1 looks like it would feel amazing...but the price is high and features are low. Fatar keybeds are good enough for more producer who are looking for a decent piano feel. I will review more of these types of keyboards on my channel as soon as I get some in :-) I have reviewed the S88 here kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnnIg2mwoMebbNE

[@justarandomguy6359]

I don't know why, But i like this guy.

[@SanjayC]

😊

[@johnmartinskyrie]

I have an Akai MPK 88 but was considering the Arturia for the V collection integration. Thanks for your video, it is really helpful and brought me to subscribe to your channel.

[@iamshiv21]

This is what I see in my dreams.

[@SanjayC]

Yeah, its pretty incredible. I forgot...what are you using now?

[@iamshiv21]

@@SanjayC keyboard keys

[@SanjayC]

oh yeah...

[@georgespanos5056]

Hey Sanjay. Thank you for this awesome in-depth review/overview! Straight to the point and informative, great stuff. Wondering how you feel about the playability of the keybed on the Arturia Keylab 88 mkii vs the Native Instruments S88 mkii? I really want something that has a real piano feel (well as close as you can get on a controller). I've heard both controllers use the same Fatar TP100LR keybed, so I'm assuming they feel similar? I've watched both your reviews but can't tell which one you prefer. Really interested in your opinion on this, thank you!

[@SanjayC]

Hi George, I talked a little bit about the comparison at the end of this video. Honestly, after playing either one for some time, I just got used to it. The keys on the Arturia are definitely heavier than most hammer action keys I've played. But both the S88 and Keylab 88 were close enough to the feel of a real piano for me to be happy immediately. I wouldn't choose one over the other, but if you forced me to choose, I would probably pick the Arturia for key feel.

[@hamgatan5415]

nice and straight to the point - I bought mine last year and yes those keys are heavy bastards that take time to get used to.. but wow what a unit! interesting fact also - an Ableton Push 2 fits nice and snug on the laptop tray! :)

[@SanjayC]

Oh nice idea to put the Push 2 on it! Ultimate setup!

[@shippowindscar4413]

I'm a little confused: Are these normal weighted keys or are they heavier than most weighted keys? I'm close to a decision on this one, but you seemed to suggest they where more weightier than usual. You spoke of the NI S88 being something with less weightier in the key department... So is the NI S88 like the keys you would usually find on a midi keyboard or weighted in a suitable manner? And, Is the Arturia KeyLab 88 MK2 overly weighted or just weighted? I love weighted keys, but if they are overly weighted I would maybe have issues with it as I'm not a player and when a pianist came to play would they find it uncomfortably weighted or is it a case of this is weighted and the NI S88 is more like a standard midi keyboard?

[@SanjayC]

The Arturia is "overweighted" in my opinion. Its heavier than most other weighted keyboards I've tried.

[@shippowindscar4413]

@@SanjayC Thank you for clarifying!!! I'm still just not sure lol... I'm going to have to visit a place to feel for myself... If I can't then I'll get the S88 and custom spray it white myself... not sure what sort of task that'll be... I hoping the plastic LED covers pop out.. lol. Thank you for your reply, helps a lot... If I don't get to test first then the S88 it is

[@brunosco]

@@shippowindscar4413 Which one did you buy? And how happy are you with it and the action?

[@Shivapalofficial]

Fully featured keyboard 🤩🤩🤩🤩 Love it🤩

[@SanjayC]

Yeah, pretty full featured.

[@joehenthompson2023]

Thank you for the excellent video content on the Arturia KeyLab 88 Mk 2. I see that you have the Keylab 88 Essential and the Komplete Kontrol S 88 Mk 2. I am finding it challenging to choose between the Arturia KeyLab 88 Mk 2 and the Komplete Kontrol S 88 Mk 2 as they are both great controllers. Which of these controllers would be your main "go to" controller and why?

[@nathank1512]

What a great video. I have no idea about anything about this stuff but looking into it. This was most helpful.

[@GiovanniCanzanella]

Thank you for this review, the most useful on the Keylab88 !

[@anthonybradshaw]

I use my digital piano for playing some parts in ableton just because I have a hard time with synth keys and getting used to the feel haha I really like this one and the NI keyboard, prefer a little bit of heavier keys but not as stiff of action! Great video especially as a fellow pianist

[@SanjayC]

Thanks Anthony. What digital piano do you use? I actually like the heavy feel of the keys on the Arturia 88

[@anthonybradshaw]

@@SanjayC I can't remember the model exactly but I think a Yamaha p-45. I'm not sure of my exact preference (I'd probably have to try it) but I can do with most pianos but something that has a bit more springy keys is good for the music I have to practice on piano which is a lot of classical

[@RK-MODE]

Claire de Lune is one of my favorite piano songs ever.

[@SanjayC]

Yeah, its beautiful.

[@aleksywnek95]

I love mine, but I also have some problems with it. Have you ever had a situation in which knobs, whether used in Analog Lab or mapped to ableton, are jumping? Sometimes they don't want to cross a certain point, sometimes they are faster or slower - therefore you can't get a feeling of them. Same for faders. When used as mixing faders they (I think) send some weird midi signal (no matter if something is armed or not) and cause some weeeeird squeaking noises on channel being controlled. I was looking for some solution, and there are a couple of people on forums who also are searching for it. I hope it's gonna be repaired, because I really do love this keyboard. It speeds up my work flow by a ton! Have a great day everyone

[@aleksywnek95]

One issude solved. I had to turn off tracking in the second Keylab which is showing under MIDI ports in preferences. Now the faders arent giving any noise. Still working on the knobs tho :D

[@SanjayC]

The knobs on Arturia keyboards move the Ableton knobs very slowly...but they don't jump fo me. Never had that problem.

[@sarathm8853]

Always waiting for your video....

[@SanjayC]

Thanks, Sarath! MTMYL!

[@Only1Dharti]

That slo-mo Arturia intro tho!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Sexxxxxxyyyyyyyyyy

[@SanjayC]

Thanks!

[@Design_errorr]

All I dream about is having a studio 😍😍😍😍😍

[@SanjayC]

Keep dreaming and working hard...you will get there!

[@Daimon]

Once again, very well done. Your videos are very easy to understand even to those who know quite little, and I appreciate it a lot. Thanks.

[@SanjayC]

Glad you like them!

[@raincells]

Sanjay: I'm an experienced keyboard player/sound designer. I use hardware synths exclusively but tired of carrying and setting up all the gear. I'm interested in a one keyboard rig and a friend highly recommends Arturia software (and Gig Performer). Do I have to use a DAW like Ableton to run the software? Great video and have subscribed to your channel.

[@ecristalcristal9099]

Wow...I really need a new keyboard now!

[@SanjayC]

Haha....and this would be a great choice!

[@JamalNe]

That's what I want to know. I just can't decide between this "high-end" controllers since all of them use the same keybed. There are a lot of videos of the S88 mk2 from Native Instruments where this problem is shown. People say that the keybed lose all of it's hammer action after 1 year and some of them comes noisy from factory already. I tested one myself that was like new, less than 10 hours of playing and 1/4 of the keys had a different rattling noise compared to the rest

[@rohitRraina]

It is a beast 😍😍, and can add laurels to a track ❤️❤️

[@jnny7182]

Rohit Raina what are laurels?

[@rohitRraina]

@@jnny7182 here I used laurels as a verb that means an achievement or reward or you may say benefit . . .

[@jnny7182]

@@rohitRraina oh nice, got it thanks :)

[@chrisbasmati3177]

Beautiful playing bro!

[@SanjayC]

Thank you!

[@tonyfdesign]

The laptop shelf is pretty slick!

[@SanjayC]

Yeah, such a great idea

[@lornosaj5678]

Debussy + arturia = French !!

[@SanjayC]

Yes! You caught that! Are you classically trained?

[@lornosaj5678]

It’s mostly because I’m french ahah

[@liothomasart]

Langie Max french legendary chauvinism :)

[@xmaverickhunterkx]

Lionel Thomas Nothing wrong with loving your country.

[@FastRCToys]

Yes foie gras, red wine, cheese, good bread...

[@udvarhelyibalint]

I had my first keyboard in 1992, a Roland JV-30. It had the _exact same_ screen. Isn't it ridiculous :D

[@HrudayaRaaga]

Hi Sanjay. This is Anjan from India. I am beginning with my MIDI journey. I use FL Studio. Confused between Arturia Keylab Essential 49 and Nektar Impact LX49+. Can you please suggested? Nektar has built in support from FL Studio where as Artuira is not. Will it be difficult for me to map Arturia to FL Studio to fully utilize it's potential? Thanks.

[@bojjieg]

Do u have the answer for this raaga?

[@ShishtakritDas]

Hello Sanjay! Your name is like in the Bhagavad Gita in the first verse🙏 What would you recommend buying from this list? Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88 MK2 Kurzweil KM88 Studiologic SL88 Grand Arturia KeyLab 88 MkII Kawai ES-520B Kawai MP-7 SE Or maybe you have better ideas?

[@fuglbird]

I'm not normally a big fan of yours; but this review was very useful. Thank you!

[@SanjayC]

I appreciate that. I hope I can make more videos you’ll like.

[@JayTheLane]

@@SanjayCLol.. such a gentleman Sanjay 😂

[@the_synthside]

What is holding your laptop on the keyboard, would love that gadget

[@PositiveActionMan]

Brilliant Sanjay. I bought Analog Lab in the Black Friday deals and want to get a Keylab so that I can get the most of the software. But having several controllers already i was finding it hard to justify the extra $$ for a Keylab. But the weighted keys are a sure fire big seller for me as I play Piano and struggle with the minimalistic feel of the mini and non hammer action keys. Its very expensive tho... thats the problem

[@SanjayC]

Hi TG!! Yeah, there are no cheap hammer action keyboards. Someone should make a 49 or 61 key keyboard with hammer action keys.

[@thepaintedsock]

Beautiful playing. Though I'm disappointed in the piano sound. Sounds a bit harsh. I'm torn now. I love how much it offers in terms of soundtracks and effects. I was keen on getting one but not sure I want to give up the my yamaha p125. Piano sounds amazing on this.

[@richardabraham5576]

Your presentation is nice. It reminds me of Mr WhoseTheBoss Arun..

[@SanjayC]

Thank you! That's a real compliment!

[@abhradeepdas1725]

Hey Sanjay C, Your video reviews are very matured and to the point. Thank you for the free plugin informations in a previous video. I saved 129 $ in the neutron elements. Just a thought out of context though, Is there any video that you made in the past regarding working with a MacBook Pro as a main production station with Logic Pro X. Especially how to make an optimal setup so that heating issue doesn't come up.

[@hermetic3696]

What an intro 👏🏽❤️🔥

[@SanjayC]

Hey thanks!

[@MaybeBeni]

Really enjoy your midi reviews Sanjay !!!

[@prodmarquese]

just got the Essential 49 yesterday, man im satisfied af i love It! i recommend it to everyone

[@SanjayC]

Awesome! So happy that you're enjoying it!

[@ST1210S]

Which keyboard is better Arturia Keylab 61 MKii or Komplete Kontrol S61 MK2? Can you do a video about this ?

[@SanjayC]

The Keylab will give you more connectivity for synths and more knobs/faders. But I prefer the workflow on the S61 because I produce with software instruments (NKS compatible) more often.

[@piyushgupta1606]

Can you do a full comparison between this midi keyboard and S88 MK2? Please.

[@SanjayC]

Hi Piyush. I probably won't make that video anytime soon. but you can ask me questions about them here.

[@biggdrake]

Excellent video. I think everytime I see an Arturia presentation I think it feels like a super keyboard and I think it's that "A" logo on the back that I think the Avengers use this to make superhero battle theme music. Lol. I like that it has a MIDI in and out as I use an MPC 2000XL that has a MIDI in and out with a time sync feature that I wonder if I could record the sound patterns from the Arturia into the MPC? I do have the MIDI to usb connection for the MPC too. If it was possible it would make it more appealing. 👍

[@SanjayC]

Oh yeah...that A does remind me of Avengers as well!

[@RetroPlus]

The laptop stand is really elegant

[@SanjayC]

Yes, everyone likes that

[@Jeremy-su3xy]

hey sanjay, I'm considering to buy arturia 88 keyboard for piano practice. Would you recommend this one over semi-weighted essential 88 mk3? I mean if semi-weighted key is okay I want to go with essential since it gives spaces for computer keyboard and mouse on my desk.

[@NessEliezer]

Nice! That's what I was looking for. Thanks for share

[@valkyrievic]

building my own hands on workflow station soon! and yeah I love music!

[@flexinriffs9926]

I have the 61 mk2. Just got it, it's gunna take a while to figure out. Took all night to get it to control keylab and also reaper DAW mode. You Have to download drivers and change settings on the keylab. So far I love it already. The 88 was a little big for my space, but it looks great with the weighted keys.

[@SanjayC]

Congrats on getting the 61! Are you going to create some user customized modes for anything?

[@flexinriffs9926]

Sanjay C most likely yes. I do mainly guitar and drum programming but have been having so much fun with synths I'm going to play with those some more. Great vids!

[@MirkoMancini]

Nice video, thanks and... Tudor Black Bay, great choice, you also have good taste

[@SanjayC]

Haha! Good eye! You have good taste as well!

[@Kar1mam]

0:10 a mirror poped up on the wall in my room 😫

[@retroloungemusic]

Sanjay, I'd really like to hear you place the entire piece.