@thebl8nlyblatantnetwork nice! 👌if I had one of those when I was 18 I probably never would of turned to the MPC. Nothing even close to it existed. This was when it was known as fruity loops.
I'm thinking about picking up the 49 key version before the end of the year. I'm just a beginner, really, even though I've toyed with my Yamaha dgx500 for what? Twenty years now. But I've been looking to get back into it more seriously, for scoring my own projects. I like the physical faders and having four octaves (or split the key bed into two instruments) to mess with, which is why I'm leaning toward the 49. I'd been thinking about an Arturia Keylab Essentials MK3 for a long time. The keys feel a lot better to me than any Novation controllers I've messed with. But some of the chord and scale features on the Mk4 Launchkeys seem way more useful for me than a nicer key bed.
@@MorphBallMedia yeah the Arturia keybeds are nice. I like these keys on the Novation MK4 though. 49 keys is solid if you need those faders and extra keys
this thing is so sweet /// i just got mine today ... been using Push 1 since 2010 , nice to have keys back 🎹🎶🎵 can be simple or complex ! and lots of interesting features and approaches .... YEAH you know !!!! and it's awesome that it weighs 1.5 lbs !!!! hah
I wonder if Novation will update their SL range anytime soon to come in line with the launch Keys. If they do they could kill the Push off. The MK 3 SL were very tempting be interesting to see if they update them.
@@javonuniverse631 honestly in person the screen isn’t that bad. The bigger the screen the more money it would cost too. There is a 49 and 61 key with faders. Personally I like the smaller versions. I don’t have a ton of space for the others.
I really hope it's fully compatible with AUM on iPad. Apparently from what I just researched online it's not officially supported as a class compliant device as of now. I'm curious to see what will be the result of your experiment in AUM.
@@bjamminsincebirth3494 Ooof that's a relief! By the way huge relief as well hearing your positive feedback regarding the pads quality! I'm assuming that all the amazing chord stuff you showcased is directly attached to the device itself and is accessible in AUM as well. Is the sequencing stuff also completely internal or? It's difficult from the "outside" to see where the Ableton specific stuff begins exactly. Basically are there some major things that are missing in AUM I suppose is the right question haha :)
Yep! as soon as the Launchkey MK4 series got released it was obvious it was the best option available for now. There is one thing I'm sad about though: Why did Novation not give the mini MK4 version a proper key bed that feels at least as good as an Arturia Keystep? The real estate of full sized models on a desk is already too big for my taste in the context of an iPad based setup. Given my preferences, having my iPad directly resting against my desk centred right in front of me and with nothing standing in between is mostly non negotiable. There's really something to be said about this phenomenon that occurs when elements of a setup shrink to the point where the setup feels truly comfortable to use and perfectly cohesive. I'm actually quite passionate about this topic so I've written a very substantial amount on this which I will add as replies to this comment to hopefully avoid getting filtered. If it fails though I won't bother trying again lol 😅
For me the dream controller would have 2 octaves +7 extra keys on the left (ending in F) with premium keys slightly bigger than the Keystep, the encoders would be completely recessed within the chassis of the device and could potentially have custom extensions installed (exactly like what Teenage engineering did with the OP Z - even though I disapprove of their pricing). The display would have about 4x the size of the Launchkey's, and it would be positioned towards the top and offset towards the left whereas the 8 recessed encoders would be adjacent to the right as 2 rows of 4 encoders to make it possible to easily see what parameter each encoder corresponds to and does to values consistently by looking at the screen. The pitchbend would be oriented horizontally and directly integrated with a modwheel component on the vertical axis which would snap back to zero, exactly like in vintage Roland keyboards like the JX-8P. The pitchbend and modwheel would be fully mechanical (as opposed to capacitive) and placed directly above the keys to reduce the chassis width as much as possible. That modwheel + pitchbend combo would also be completely recessed in the device with the possibility of installing an extension to achieve a customizable "joystick" form factor. The controller would have a maximum width of 45cm and a maximum chassis thickness of 3cm. In this scenario it would become imaginable to have the lower edges of an ipad partially resting against the upper section the controller chassis, but this is already something I can do with my Arturia keystep, but obviously this comes at the cost of a device that has essentially no usable endless encoders.
There still is no device on the market that offers what Novation brings to the table with the Launchkey MK4 series (high resolution usable screen, 8 respectable endless encoders, and all the MIDI control logic & sequencing goodies the MK4 series comes with) AND a "proper" mini-keys key bed. It's almost as if they're deliberately holding back! If I didn't have the Keystep I'd 100% buy the MK4 2 octaves mini version. My logic is that even though I'd choose a 3 octaves mini version if the key bed was premium quality, if I'm going to have to settle for crappy mini-keys anyway, at least I'm going to get the advantage of maximum ergonomics fitting it tightly offset to the left of my iPad as the 2 octaves mini version is only 33cm wide and only about 3cm thick (if you exclude the encoders height). The full sized 2 octaves version doesn't actually make good use of space because it's unnecessarily wide as it puts the modwheel and pitchbend to the side of the keys instead of on top, unlike the 3 octaves version, but then the 3 octaves version is just too wide for my use case so... LOL. With the 2 octaves mini version I still get access to the same pads, logic, screen and encoders as the larger versions, and I only have to spend 179$ USD. If I need more than 2 octaves for composing I always have the Keystep, which adds another 7 keys ending in F. As someone who focuses on electronic music production, oddly enough it seems like the least expensive member of the gang would actually be the better choice from my perspective, however, if needed to play proper keys I would 100% go for the full size 3 or even 4 octaves version if the key bed upgrade is worth it. Given my use case though, considering that this would completely demolish the balance of my setup, it's simply out of question even though I'd love to play keys it's kind of incompatible with how I envision my interaction with the iPad from an ergonomics standpoint.
@@bjamminsincebirth3494LOL indeed, I know it can seem like it's A LOT for some but I'm at a point where I just don't care. Sharing ideas can really inspire others to dream of something better than the stale junk that's being rehashed over and over that many of us have come to settle with. Not wanting to settle is the reason I've made the jump over to the iPad Pro world. In parallel to all this I really DO approve of the Launchkey MK4, I mean that sincerely. If it proves to be reliable, considering its cost and what it can do on paper, this is a significant step in the right direction, even though in comparison to the controller concept I described obviously there's still a long way to go. Regardless, the amazing stuff you've demonstrated on the topic of chords and harmony management is DEFINITELY the kind of stuff that NEEDS to be in every single proper modern MIDI controller that's out there, because that has a major impact on creativity especially in the context of minimalist setups such as what I show on my channel. Cheers!
@@bjamminsincebirth3494 LOL indeed! I know it can seem like it's A LOT for some but I'm at a point where I just don't care. Sharing ideas can really inspire others to dream of something better than the stale junk that's being rehashed over and over for all these years and that many of us have come to settle with. It's a positive desirable natural instinct to expect technology to evolve to better adapt to our preferences and needs in order to help us maximize our creative potential. Not wanting to settle is the reason I've made the jump over to the iPad Pro world. It's been a colossal expense of time and energy but I haven't regretted it one bit, especially considering what I'm capable of producing with my custom setup now. In parallel to all this though I really DO approve of the Launchkey MK4, I mean that sincerely. If it proves to be reliable, considering its cost and what it can do on paper, this product release represents a MASSIVELY significant step in the right direction, even though in comparison to the controller concept I described obviously there's still a long way to go. Regardless, the amazing stuff you've demonstrated on the chords and harmony management is a FAT upgrade for this kind of product. That kind of stuff is exactly the kind of functionality that needs to be in EVERY proper modern MIDI controller. It can have such a massive impact on creativity especially in the context of a minimalist/streamlined setup similar to the one I show on my channel.
I haven't watched your video yet (this one) most people were complaining about there's no "Device Lock" button like it was on the MK3 (I own both 37 MK3 & MK4) Now here's the trick....if you want to lock the encoders to 1 device/VSTi/VST just right click on the device in Ableton and you will see "Device Lock" at least inside Ableton 12 you can do this so we don't need the Device Lock button anymore...
What happen to the navigation button from mk3 that looked like this [....] and why would they leave it out ? That was one of the main reasons i loved it, being able to scroll through sounds on my keyboard besides mouse or keyboard smh.
@@KhingTut92 I have no clue about that Navi button because I don’t own the MK3. I do know the Shift and Pads have most of the functionality built into it.
@bjamminsincebirth3494 yea the mk3 had a navigation button that acted like a mouse, u could scroll up and down on kick drums and different sounds, like you would do with a mouse to audition different sounds. Cannot believe they took that away
@@williamsrdan I have no clue because I don’t use Android for anything. I personally don’t think Android is good for making music. Again I’m not saying you can’t do it. I just find that Android isn’t supported enough for music making imo and from my experience. You can always buy it to try it and return it if it doesn’t work. Another option is visit a local music store that carries them like Guitar Center and try it in store.
They sell the MK3 very cheap around here now, is there a big difference between an MK3 and Mk4 ? it tried to find someone comparing them but have only found MK2 vs Mk3, not much about MK3 vs MK4
@@rustandmagic I’ve tried the Mk3 and I personally didn’t like it. One thing that bothered me was it was very bulky. The new one is much more slender in size. Also, I think the new one has a few features with regards to chords that are not on the other one. But I only use the other one for like a couple days so I can’t remember everything.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Loved the scaler detour!
Novation makes some good controllers. If your an FL user their FL KEY looks amazing as well.
Yessir I have the fl key 61
@@LiftedNoise plus this one works with FL too
@thebl8nlyblatantnetwork nice! 👌if I had one of those when I was 18 I probably never would of turned to the MPC. Nothing even close to it existed. This was when it was known as fruity loops.
Facts 😂 man fruity loops that’s what I remember it being called I remember the first one 😂 I’m old
@@LiftedNoisethis key board fire with all the stuff it gives you
21:57 while latched chord entry would be better, you can enter the chord notes
individually while holding the pad!
@@anzatzi good point thank you
That screen telling you the chords 🔥🔥🔥
@@thebl8nlyblatantnetwork yeah man. In User Chord mode. It’s one of my favorite features.
I'm thinking about picking up the 49 key version before the end of the year. I'm just a beginner, really, even though I've toyed with my Yamaha dgx500 for what? Twenty years now. But I've been looking to get back into it more seriously, for scoring my own projects. I like the physical faders and having four octaves (or split the key bed into two instruments) to mess with, which is why I'm leaning toward the 49.
I'd been thinking about an Arturia Keylab Essentials MK3 for a long time. The keys feel a lot better to me than any Novation controllers I've messed with. But some of the chord and scale features on the Mk4 Launchkeys seem way more useful for me than a nicer key bed.
@@MorphBallMedia yeah the Arturia keybeds are nice. I like these keys on the Novation MK4 though. 49 keys is solid if you need those faders and extra keys
this thing is so sweet /// i just got mine today ... been using Push 1 since 2010 , nice to have keys back 🎹🎶🎵 can be simple or complex ! and lots of interesting features and approaches .... YEAH you know !!!! and it's awesome that it weighs 1.5 lbs !!!! hah
@@paulantoni1046 congratulations! Yeah it’s really solid for the cost!
I wonder if Novation will update their SL range anytime soon to come in line with the launch Keys. If they do they could kill the Push off. The MK 3 SL were very tempting be interesting to see if they update them.
@@MeerkatMuzic yeah that SL has always been one I wanted. It’s just pricey
Need a bigger screen and more buttons for easier access to daw 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
@@javonuniverse631 honestly in person the screen isn’t that bad. The bigger the screen the more money it would cost too. There is a 49 and 61 key with faders. Personally I like the smaller versions. I don’t have a ton of space for the others.
I really hope it's fully compatible with AUM on iPad. Apparently from what I just researched online it's not officially supported as a class compliant device as of now. I'm curious to see what will be the result of your experiment in AUM.
@@Silent_Stillness it works in AUM as a standard midi controller. None of these core Ableton features are working.
@@bjamminsincebirth3494 Ooof that's a relief! By the way huge relief as well hearing your positive feedback regarding the pads quality! I'm assuming that all the amazing chord stuff you showcased is directly attached to the device itself and is accessible in AUM as well. Is the sequencing stuff also completely internal or? It's difficult from the "outside" to see where the Ableton specific stuff begins exactly. Basically are there some major things that are missing in AUM I suppose is the right question haha :)
Yep! as soon as the Launchkey MK4 series got released it was obvious it was the best option available for now. There is one thing I'm sad about though: Why did Novation not give the mini MK4 version a proper key bed that feels at least as good as an Arturia Keystep? The real estate of full sized models on a desk is already too big for my taste in the context of an iPad based setup. Given my preferences, having my iPad directly resting against my desk centred right in front of me and with nothing standing in between is mostly non negotiable. There's really something to be said about this phenomenon that occurs when elements of a setup shrink to the point where the setup feels truly comfortable to use and perfectly cohesive. I'm actually quite passionate about this topic so I've written a very substantial amount on this which I will add as replies to this comment to hopefully avoid getting filtered. If it fails though I won't bother trying again lol 😅
For me the dream controller would have 2 octaves +7 extra keys on the left (ending in F) with premium keys slightly bigger than the Keystep, the encoders would be completely recessed within the chassis of the device and could potentially have custom extensions installed (exactly like what Teenage engineering did with the OP Z - even though I disapprove of their pricing). The display would have about 4x the size of the Launchkey's, and it would be positioned towards the top and offset towards the left whereas the 8 recessed encoders would be adjacent to the right as 2 rows of 4 encoders to make it possible to easily see what parameter each encoder corresponds to and does to values consistently by looking at the screen. The pitchbend would be oriented horizontally and directly integrated with a modwheel component on the vertical axis which would snap back to zero, exactly like in vintage Roland keyboards like the JX-8P. The pitchbend and modwheel would be fully mechanical (as opposed to capacitive) and placed directly above the keys to reduce the chassis width as much as possible. That modwheel + pitchbend combo would also be completely recessed in the device with the possibility of installing an extension to achieve a customizable "joystick" form factor. The controller would have a maximum width of 45cm and a maximum chassis thickness of 3cm. In this scenario it would become imaginable to have the lower edges of an ipad partially resting against the upper section the controller chassis, but this is already something I can do with my Arturia keystep, but obviously this comes at the cost of a device that has essentially no usable endless encoders.
There still is no device on the market that offers what Novation brings to the table with the Launchkey MK4 series (high resolution usable screen, 8 respectable endless encoders, and all the MIDI control logic & sequencing goodies the MK4 series comes with) AND a "proper" mini-keys key bed. It's almost as if they're deliberately holding back! If I didn't have the Keystep I'd 100% buy the MK4 2 octaves mini version. My logic is that even though I'd choose a 3 octaves mini version if the key bed was premium quality, if I'm going to have to settle for crappy mini-keys anyway, at least I'm going to get the advantage of maximum ergonomics fitting it tightly offset to the left of my iPad as the 2 octaves mini version is only 33cm wide and only about 3cm thick (if you exclude the encoders height). The full sized 2 octaves version doesn't actually make good use of space because it's unnecessarily wide as it puts the modwheel and pitchbend to the side of the keys instead of on top, unlike the 3 octaves version, but then the 3 octaves version is just too wide for my use case so... LOL. With the 2 octaves mini version I still get access to the same pads, logic, screen and encoders as the larger versions, and I only have to spend 179$ USD. If I need more than 2 octaves for composing I always have the Keystep, which adds another 7 keys ending in F. As someone who focuses on electronic music production, oddly enough it seems like the least expensive member of the gang would actually be the better choice from my perspective, however, if needed to play proper keys I would 100% go for the full size 3 or even 4 octaves version if the key bed upgrade is worth it. Given my use case though, considering that this would completely demolish the balance of my setup, it's simply out of question even though I'd love to play keys it's kind of incompatible with how I envision my interaction with the iPad from an ergonomics standpoint.
@@Silent_Stillness wow you really thought this through.
@@bjamminsincebirth3494LOL indeed, I know it can seem like it's A LOT for some but I'm at a point where I just don't care. Sharing ideas can really inspire others to dream of something better than the stale junk that's being rehashed over and over that many of us have come to settle with. Not wanting to settle is the reason I've made the jump over to the iPad Pro world. In parallel to all this I really DO approve of the Launchkey MK4, I mean that sincerely. If it proves to be reliable, considering its cost and what it can do on paper, this is a significant step in the right direction, even though in comparison to the controller concept I described obviously there's still a long way to go. Regardless, the amazing stuff you've demonstrated on the topic of chords and harmony management is DEFINITELY the kind of stuff that NEEDS to be in every single proper modern MIDI controller that's out there, because that has a major impact on creativity especially in the context of minimalist setups such as what I show on my channel. Cheers!
@@bjamminsincebirth3494 LOL indeed! I know it can seem like it's A LOT for some but I'm at a point where I just don't care. Sharing ideas can really inspire others to dream of something better than the stale junk that's being rehashed over and over for all these years and that many of us have come to settle with. It's a positive desirable natural instinct to expect technology to evolve to better adapt to our preferences and needs in order to help us maximize our creative potential. Not wanting to settle is the reason I've made the jump over to the iPad Pro world. It's been a colossal expense of time and energy but I haven't regretted it one bit, especially considering what I'm capable of producing with my custom setup now. In parallel to all this though I really DO approve of the Launchkey MK4, I mean that sincerely. If it proves to be reliable, considering its cost and what it can do on paper, this product release represents a MASSIVELY significant step in the right direction, even though in comparison to the controller concept I described obviously there's still a long way to go. Regardless, the amazing stuff you've demonstrated on the chords and harmony management is a FAT upgrade for this kind of product. That kind of stuff is exactly the kind of functionality that needs to be in EVERY proper modern MIDI controller. It can have such a massive impact on creativity especially in the context of a minimalist/streamlined setup similar to the one I show on my channel.
I haven't watched your video yet (this one) most people were complaining about there's no "Device Lock" button like it was on the MK3 (I own both 37 MK3 & MK4)
Now here's the trick....if you want to lock the encoders to 1 device/VSTi/VST just right click on the device in Ableton and you will see "Device Lock" at least inside Ableton 12 you can do this so we don't need the Device Lock button anymore...
@@Legpestibb yeah I don’t need that personally but thank you for sharing
hey just a quick question, is this the mini or just the regular launchkey?
also in this video when you refer to "scaler", is this a plug-in or a function of the keyboard itself?
@@njea1337 regular. It’s small though.
its the full size 37 key---mod wheels are the give away!
I'm stuck between this one or the Mini 37 MK4. $149 vs $209. I'd have to wait to save for this one.
What happen to the navigation button from mk3 that looked like this [....] and why would they leave it out ? That was one of the main reasons i loved it, being able to scroll through sounds on my keyboard besides mouse or keyboard smh.
@@KhingTut92 I have no clue about that Navi button because I don’t own the MK3. I do know the Shift and Pads have most of the functionality built into it.
@@KhingTut92 you can switch tracks and have access to 8 encoders to change your plugins
@bjamminsincebirth3494 yea the mk3 had a navigation button that acted like a mouse, u could scroll up and down on kick drums and different sounds, like you would do with a mouse to audition different sounds. Cannot believe they took that away
Will it work on Android tablets? If not, I'm out. Seems like no full sized key keyboards will.
@@williamsrdan I have no clue because I don’t use Android for anything. I personally don’t think Android is good for making music. Again I’m not saying you can’t do it. I just find that Android isn’t supported enough for music making imo and from my experience. You can always buy it to try it and return it if it doesn’t work. Another option is visit a local music store that carries them like Guitar Center and try it in store.
They sell the MK3 very cheap around here now, is there a big difference between an MK3 and Mk4 ? it tried to find someone comparing them but have only found MK2 vs Mk3, not much about MK3 vs MK4
@@rustandmagic I’ve tried the Mk3 and I personally didn’t like it. One thing that bothered me was it was very bulky. The new one is much more slender in size. Also, I think the new one has a few features with regards to chords that are not on the other one. But I only use the other one for like a couple days so I can’t remember everything.
@@bjamminsincebirth3494 Thanks, I will see if I can find one in the shops and have a closer look and compare.
where the sliders at pal?
@@__Rizzler__ 37 doesn’t have sliders. That’s on the 49 key and up version. I personally don’t like sliders.
Is user chords possible with their arp/strum?
@@cyb no but… you can use the arp at the same time as playing a user chord pad. It’s kind of neat.
Thanks your video got me to buy launchkey mk4 as my first midi controller!
Problem is the screen is so small !
@@mettaman7053 not for me it isn’t
👍
I know what it is, and thats why I wouldn't be a controller at that price range
@@England-su9dm it’s not for everyone
The keybed feels very cheap. Not great to play.
@@England-su9dm it’s a midi controller. It’s not a high end keyboard. I mean what do you expect for $200???