Novation Launchkey Mini MK3 Reviews

Value for money

Best for those who travels it fits everywhere .

Thanks!

Super comfortable mini keyboard. Really thin and comfortable. The perfect size to carry around and be comfortable to play with. I recommend it!

Very VFM proposal

It is so portable! Compared with the competition has many features. Not the best quality you can find though works perfect with ableton.

Good for its size

I like this a lot and is a good midi controller. Obviously due to its size it can be limiting as to the types of music can be produced but I can’t fault it because it has served me well thus far.

All in all, a great piece of kit that does what it’s supposed to do and has good compatibility with Ableton Live which is one of my DAWs of choice.

Good entry MIDI instrument

If you are looking for a place to start with MIDI instrument this is a great piece of tech, I use it with Abelton Live and are very pleased with it. Just have to practice, the control features for DAW.

Overall good keyboard

Very nice functions with ableton. Too small piano keys, like a toy. Sensitivity curve can’t be tuned on pads.

Need more time to dive in

It's a good product, even the keys not as good as roland A-Pro Series which has the best build quality so far as I know for controller.

Connectivity are good, I use cubase and it's integrated well except the groove agent pad color didn't sync with the physical pad on launchkey or maybe I still didnt get how it works.

I found that when I try to connect to the component mode, the device dont state as connected even I installed all the latest firmware and connect thru USB. I supposed to be able to edit and customize the buttons, but it didnt connect. So it hasn't yet fully functioned for me.

All editor are in browser mode (not in apps). Shouldn't be a problem. But the build quality is very good, much better than nektar impact 49 or m-audio keystation form that side. With a bit of tweek, it might be my go to device.

It's very handy

It is what you'd expect. A cheap yet fairly sturdy bit of kit as the other reviews state.

It comes with Ableton lite now I think which was free when I bought this but now you need to buy this to get lite (if you follow me) .

Just used at home with a focusrite soundcard with two ports.

This controls the studio software to lay down ideas.

You can also have a bit of fun.

And if this is gonna be a bedroom / backroom bit of kit, the lights are nice, lol.

It's fine.

Exactly as described

Enjoy this , exactly as described. I regret not getting a bigger one in ways but then again this is nice and compact & interacts nicely with Ableton

Great features, poor keybed

The keybed feels very mushy to play. The keys don’t have a nice responsive touch to them like for example the mini keys on the Yamaha Reface keyboards

cool

lots of functionality with ableton, cubase and other midi usecases. feels lightweight but portable. durable, been using it for years

Small but compact

Small but perfectly formed MIDI controller that works great with or without Ableton Live. I don't use it with Ableton at all, but it works on all DAW's and also it's iOS and android compatible. You need a camera adapter for iPad.

Highlights of the Launchkey Mini are the onboard arp and fixed chord modes. The arp has multiple modes, rhythmic patterns, timing divisions and a four-octave range. Put it in Mutate mode and it'll auto-generate variations. Great for on the go production.

Best product in 100eu price-range

My girlfriend is happy and she started crying, that's enough for my review :)

Great value for the price, I'm using it with Ableton Live and it works perfectly.

Happy to Recommend!

I'm using this with REAPER and it works just great. If this is your first MIDI device, there is a learning curve that you will have to tackle. You will have to learn how to setup the controller, how to make it work in your DAW and how to use it with your virtual instruments. Yes, it seems like a lot, but it's not hard. Give yourself a day or two to settle in. As the saying goes "RTFM!" ("read the fricken manual!") and Google/YouTube are great resources. Use the Novation "Components" app to help set the custom colors and upgrade the firmware to V1.1.

Like: Works great. Touch sensitivity is excellent.

Like: Small! Overall form factor is great for a small desk. I chose this over other models because of this. Flip side: piano keys are small.

Like: It's not too light. It's small but feels substantial and won't move unnecessarily in use.

Like: New firmware (v1.1) allows LED brightness adjustment and adds a 'strum' mode to the ARP feature.

Like: Once registered on the Novation website you have some nice virtual instruments to work with.

Dislike: My one does not sit perfectly flat on the desk - I would recommend using additional rubber or felt pads under the top right and left corner, or removing the two centre rubber pads.

Dislike: It's designed for Ableton so "Session" mode is not available for other DAWS.

Dislike: Only one custom pad mode can be loaded at a time. The Components app allows you to edit and save you own presets but each must be uploaded to the unit individually through the app.

Dislike: Pad colors and assignments in Drum mode can not be edited.

Perfect for Every Job

This is the perfect MIDI controller for a smaller studio setup, and is much more affordable and easily incorporated into a bedroom studio than a full size keyboard.

Good quality and great prise.

I mainly use ableton live and was using mini mk2 before this one. Everything works well as expected and the mk3 looks way better. I especially like the matt surface on black keys because my sweaty tend to slip from smooth small keys on mk2.

The trs MIDI out is also super handy. I often cannect it to my sequenser.

Best Budget MIDI Keyboard

Best Budget MIDI Keyboard to make music anywhere!

Perfect Ableton companion, missing features compared to the 25 MK3

Handling: The small form of this keyboard is one of its best features, it is about the size of a computer keyboard which makes it perfect for busy desks and travel. The pads and knobs are nice to use, keys are meh but for that I would recommend the non-mini models.

Features: While it has a ton of nice features compared to competitors, I am missing some other nice features that can be found in the 25 MK3 just for a bit more money. Since these are all software features I think Novation could have provided them via Firmware. Otherwise the integration with Ableton is awesome.

Quality: It is built with light plastic and the gummy pads in the back aren't even so it wobbles a lot when using it. I fixed that with some thicker gummy pads I stuck to it and now it feels way better.

Overall if space is not a problem I would recommend the larger models like the Launchkey 25 MK3, however I am very satisfied with the purchase. Also you should install the provided drivers and upgrade to the latest firmware as soon as you get it.

It just works so well...

Dealing with MIDI since the late 90s I got used to all the programing and tweaking but guess what - it doesn't have to be like that. This one just works. You plug it in, open the Ableton Live! and everything just works. Made my workflow much smoother.