Arturia KEYLAB ESSENTIAL MK3 User manual

USER MANUAL
_KEYLAB ESSENTIAL MK3

Special Thanks
DIRECTION
Frédéric Brun Kevin Molcard
DEVELOPMENT
Yannick Bellance (lead)
Nicolas Dubois (lead)
Florian Rameau (lead)
Timothée Béhéty
Valentin Foare
Farès Mezdour
Thibault Sénac
MANUFACTURING
Jérôme Blanc Antonio Eiras Lionel Ferragut Nadine Lantheaume
QUALITY
Emilie Jacuszin
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Julien Viannenc (Lead)
Bastien Hervieux
Aurélien Mortha
Nicolas Naudin
Nicolas Stermann
MANUAL
Sven Bornemark Jimmy Michon
BETA-TEST
Charles Capsis IV
Richard Courtel
Adrian Dybowski
Andrew Henderson
Are Leistad
Andrew Macaulay
Terry Marsden
Paolo Apollo Negri
Grégory Roudgé
TJ Trifeletti
© ARTURIA SA – 2023 – All rights reserved.
26 avenue Jean Kuntzmann
38330 Montbonnot-Saint-Martin
FRANCE
www.arturia.com
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not
represent a commitment on the part of Arturia. The software described in this manual is
provided under the terms of a license agreement or non-disclosure agreement. The software
license agreement specifies the terms and conditions for its lawful use. No part of this
manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any purpose other than
purchaser’s personal use, without the express written permission of ARTURIA S.A.
All other products, logos or company names quoted in this manual are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Product version: 1.0.0
Revision date: 23 May 2023

Congratulations on purchasing the
Arturia KeyLab Essential mk3!
Get ready to start your musical journey.
KeyLab Essential is a class-compliant, universal MIDI controller, capable of harnessing the
power of practically any software instrument and DAW. It has been designed to enhance
your workflow, let you spend less time using a keyboard and mouse to create music, and
seamlessly integrate with Arturia Analog Lab V.
This instruction manual covers the general use and features of KeyLab Essential, and goes
into more detail on the technical aspects of the controller so you can make the most of its
advanced functionality.
In this package, you will find:
• KeyLab Essential controller keyboard
• USB cable
• Analog Lab V license for download
• Ableton Live Lite
• Native Instruments The Gentleman
• LoopCloud
• UVI Model D
• Melodics
Don’t lose your registration information! The serial numbers and activation codes detailed
in the Quick Start Guide are required to unlock your software.
Remember to register! It sounds boring, but it’s worth it. Registering is important because it
lets you download and activate Analog Lab V, as well as the Arturia MIDI Control Center.

Special Message Section
Specifications Subject to Change: The information contained in this manual is believed to
be correct at the time of printing. However, Arturia reserves the right to change or modify
any of the specifications without notice or obligation to update the hardware that has been
purchased.
IMPORTANT: The product and its software, when used in combination with an amplifier,
headphones or speakers, may be able to produce sound levels that could cause permanent
hearing loss. DO NOT operate for long periods of time at a high level or at a level that is
uncomfortable.
If you encounter any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should consult an audiologist.
NOTICE: Service charges incurred due to a lack of knowledge relating to how a function
or feature works (when the product is operating as designed) are not covered by the
manufacturer’s warranty, and are therefore the owner's responsibility. Please study this
manual carefully and consult your dealer before requesting service.
Precautions include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Read and understand all the instructions.
2. Always follow the instructions on the instrument.
3. Before cleaning the instrument, always remove the USB cable. When cleaning,
use a soft and dry cloth. Do not use gasoline, alcohol, acetone, turpentine or any
other organic solutions; do not use a liquid cleaner, spray or cloth that's too wet.
4. Do not use the instrument near water or moisture, such as a bathtub, sink,
swimming pool or similar place.
5. Do not place the instrument in an unstable position where it might accidentally
fall over.
6. Do not place heavy objects on the instrument. Do not block openings or vents
of the instrument; these locations are used for air circulation to prevent the
instrument from overheating. Do not place the instrument near a heat vent at any
location with poor air circulation.
7. Do not open or insert anything into the instrument that may cause a fire or
electrical shock.
8. Do not spill any kind of liquid onto the instrument.
9. Always take the instrument to a qualified service center. You will invalidate your
warranty if you open and remove the cover, and improper assembly may cause
electrical shock or other malfunctions.
10. Do not use the instrument with thunder and lightning present; otherwise it may
cause long distance electrical shock.
11. Do not expose the instrument to hot sunlight.
12. Do not use the instrument when there is a gas leak nearby.
13. Arturia is not responsible for any damage or data loss caused by improper
operation of the instrument.

Table Of Contents
1. Welcome to KeyLab Essential ............................................................................................................................. 2
1.1. What’s KeyLab Essential?................................................................................................................................................ 2
1.2. KeyLab Essential Features Summary...................................................................................................................... 4
2. Installation....................................................................................................................................................................... 5
3. Hardware Overview .................................................................................................................................................. 6
3.1. Connecting KeyLab Essential........................................................................................................................................ 6
3.2. Front Panel................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
3.3. Rear Panel................................................................................................................................................................................. 8
3.4. Display......................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
4. KeyLab Essential operations ............................................................................................................................... 9
4.1. Wheels.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
4.2. MIDI Channel.......................................................................................................................................................................... 9
4.3. Bank ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
4.4. Transpose –/+ and Octave –/+..................................................................................................................................... 11
4.5. Pads ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 12
4.6. DAW Control Section........................................................................................................................................................ 13
4.6.1. MIDI Setup in you DAW......................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
4.7. Prog.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
4.8. Part................................................................................................................................................................................................ 17
4.8.1. Setting Split Points...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 17
4.8.2. Editing Part 1 and 2 .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 18
4.9. Hold Mode................................................................................................................................................................................ 19
4.10. Chord Mode ....................................................................................................................................................................... 20
4.10.1. Playing Predefined Chords............................................................................................................................................................................. 20
4.10.2. Creating a Chord .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
4.11. Scale.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
4.12. Arpeggiator .......................................................................................................................................................................... 24
4.12.1. Activating and deactivating the Arpeggiator......................................................................................................................................... 24
4.12.2. Entering and leaving Arpeggio Edit ............................................................................................................................................................ 25
4.12.3. Editing the Arpeggiator....................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
4.12.4. Arpeggiator Parameters ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 27
4.13. Tap Tempo ............................................................................................................................................................................. 31
4.13.1. The Arpeggiator, Chord Mode, Scale Mode, and Hold Mode ....................................................................................................... 31
4.14. Vegas Mode ......................................................................................................................................................................... 32
4.15. Factory Reset...................................................................................................................................................................... 33
5. KeyLab Essential and Analog Lab V ............................................................................................................ 34
5.1. Important Note — It’s All Malleable ......................................................................................................................... 34
5.2. Audio and MIDI Setup.................................................................................................................................................... 35
5.2.1. Analog Lab V MIDI Settings............................................................................................................................................................................... 35
5.3. Browsing Presets............................................................................................................................................................... 37
5.3.1. Browsing Within Types.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
5.4. Knobs and Faders............................................................................................................................................................. 38
5.5. Pads ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
5.6. Controlling Parts in Analog Lab V .......................................................................................................................... 39
5.6.1. Adding a Part in Analog Lab V......................................................................................................................................................................... 39
5.6.2. Editing an Existing Multi Preset...................................................................................................................................................................... 40
5.6.3. Editing in the Part Menu........................................................................................................................................................................................ 41
5.6.4. Controlling Parts ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 42
6. DAW Control ................................................................................................................................................................. 43
6.1. Custom Controlled DAWs .............................................................................................................................................. 43
6.1.1. Transport Control ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 44
6.2. DAW Control with Mackie Control Universal................................................................................................... 45
7. Declaration of Conformity................................................................................................................................... 46
7.1. FCC ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
7.2. CANADA.................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
7.3. CE ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 46
7.4. ROHS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 47
8. Software License Agreement............................................................................................................................ 48

1. WELCOME TO KEYLAB ESSENTIAL
1.1. What’s KeyLab Essential?
Congratulations – you have made a great choice!
KeyLab Essential has been designed to be your best friend when you're making music.
Whether on stage, in studio or while rehearsing and jamming, you need transparency and
direct routes to the sounds you have in your head.
KeyLab Essential is a lighweight and easy-to-use MIDI keyboard controller. But don’t let
its elegant appearance fool you — it’s huge on features usually found in more expensive
keyboards.
Not only can you use KeyLab Essential to play your sound modules (inside or outside of
your computer), but also control important functions inside your DAW. This will boost your
workflow!
KeyLab Essential automatically recognizes and controls popular DAWs including Ableton
Live, Apple Logic Pro, Bitwig Studio, Image-Line FL Studio, and Steinberg Cubase. On top of
that, KeyLab Essential can control any DAW using the MCU/HUI protocol.
You can control your DAW transport with dedicated Transport buttons, use the knobs to
tweak plug-in parameters, and adjust track volumes and pans by using the KeyLab Essential
faders.
A complete keyboard production studio, KeyLab Essential also comes with the incredible
Arturia Analog Lab V – your very own vintage and modern keyboard collection, with access
to over 2000 presets from the award-winning V Collection, ready to customize and play in
an instant.
Whether you want a searing-hot synth lead or an ethereal string pad, a vintage upright
piano or a complex, animated soundscape, KeyLab Essential gives you everything you need
to perform and record. All the ingredients of the cocktail are there and ready to be mixed
according to your own style.
2 Arturia - User Manual KeyLab Essential mk3 - Welcome to KeyLab Essential

Nine endless encoder knobs and nine faders give you hands-on access to numerous sound
sculpting parameters inside Analog Lab V. Other V Collection instruments can also be
remotely controlled whis way, when you customize the settings in MIDI Control Center. Live
sound editing should always be this easy!
You’ll play KeyLab Essential's 49 or 61 velocity sensitive, synth-action keys. The eight backlit
performance pads sense velocity and aftertouch. Plus there are Pitch Bend and Modulation
Wheels, of course.
Please note, that the front and rear panels of the 49- and 61-key keyboards sport exactly the
same buttons, knobs, faders and connectivity. They're just spaced a bit differently on the
larger models.
On top of that, Arturia's MIDI Control Center software (a free download) lets you map
parameters directly to KeyLab Essential’s physical controls to create custom configurations.
You can then save these as user programs and recall them from the KeyLab Essential
hardware.
! For further information MIDI Control Center, please consult MIDI Control Center manual, an app
available for download from the Arturia website.
Arturia - User Manual KeyLab Essential mk3 - Welcome to KeyLab Essential 3

1.2. KeyLab Essential Features Summary
• 49- or 61-key velocity-sensitive keyboard.
• Eight velocity- and pressure-sensitive RGB pads.
• Two pad banks for a total of 16 functional pads.
• Dentented and clickable main encoder knob for navigation.
• Large easy-to-read display.
• DAW Transport control via dedicated buttons plus Save, Quantize, Undo, and
Redo.
• Nine endless encoder knobs and nine faders.
• Wheels for pitch-bend and modulation.
• Hold button for hands-free (and feet-free) sustain.
• Full-featured classic synth style arpeggiator.
• Chord play memorizes and plays user defined chords from one note.
• Scale mode makes it easy to always play in the right key and tonality.
• Hold, Arpeggiator, Chord, and Scale can be combined.
• Octave and semitone transpose functions.
• USB-C powered.
• MIDI via USB-C and standard 5-pin MIDI output.
• 1/4-inch TRS input accepts sustain, switch, or expression/continuous control
pedal.
• Included software:
◦Arturia Analog Lab V,
◦Ableton Live Lite,
◦Native Instruments The Gentleman,
◦UVI Grand Piano Model D,
◦Melodics subscription,
◦Loopcloud subscription.
• USB-C to USB-A cable included.
4 Arturia - User Manual KeyLab Essential mk3 - Welcome to KeyLab Essential

2. INSTALLATION
The first thing to do upon receiving your KeyLab Essential keyboard, after having completed
the registration process, is to update its firmware. Indeed, Arturia releases periodic
firmware updates to add functionality and improve performance.
To proceed with the update, you'll first need to download and install the MIDI Control Center,
the powerful companion software we designed to work with our hardware, from the KeyLab
Essential's Resources page.
Once this is done, you can follow these steps to upgrade the firmware of KeyLab Essential:
1. Download the latest firmware from the KeyLab Essential's Resources page.
2. Launch MIDI Control Center.
3. Please make sure KeyLab Essential 3 is selected under Device in MIDI Control Center.
Click on the box showing the firmware revision:
4. Click “Upgrade” in the dialogue box that follows, then navigate to the firmware file on
your computer and select it. The four buttons are now lit in blue, running in cycle.
5. Follow the rest of the onscreen instructions. When the firmware loading is complete,
KeyLab Essential will restart and be ready for use.
Once your KeyLab Essential is ready, you can start using it to control various virtual
instruments, like our own Analog Lab V [p.34].
For more information on how the MIDI Control Center works with the KeyLab Essential,
please refer to the dedicated manual in the KeyLab Essential section of our Downloads &
Manuals page.
Arturia - User Manual KeyLab Essential mk3 - Installation 5

3. HARDWARE OVERVIEW
3.1. Connecting KeyLab Essential
First of all, we recommend that you install the Analog Lab V and MIDI Control Center and
be sure to register and authorize them. Connect KeyLab Essential to your computer using
the included USB cable. Power and data is supplied through this connection.
You are strongly recommended to download the MCC and let it install KeyLab Essential's
custom driver. Without this specific driver under Windows, you won't be able to use MIDI
with multiple instances that use MIDI protocol on your computer.
3.2. Front Panel
The controls on the front panel of KeyLab Essential are as follows.
Number Name Description
1. Wheels [p.9] These easy-to-reach controllers act as pitch-bend and modulation wheels.
2. MIDI Ch button This button lets you select MIDI out channel.
3. Bank button Choose to use Bank A or B for the Performance Pads.
4. Transp –/+ buttons Transpose the keyboard in semitone steps.
5. Octave –/+ buttons Transpose the keyboard up or down an octave.
6 Arturia - User Manual KeyLab Essential mk3 - Hardware Overview