USER MANUAL
Special Thanks DIRECTION Nicolas Dubois Philippe Cavenel Frédéric Brun Leonard Sauget Olivier Delhomme PROGRAMMING Sebastien Colin INDUSTRIALIZATION Nicolas Dubois MANUAL Morgan Perrier Guy Perchard Matthieu Courouble Sebastien Colin Camille Dalemans DESIGN Glen Darcey Sébastien Rochard Axel Hartmann © ARTURIA SA – 2019 – All rights reserved. 26 avenue Jean Kuntzmann 38330 Montbonnot-Saint-Martin FRANCE www.arturia.
Congratulations on purchasing the Arturia KeyLab Essential! 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 2.
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.
Table Of Contents 1. Getting Started ............................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.1. Connecting KeyLab Essential ......................................................................................................................................... 2 1.2. The Front Panel.......................................................................................................................
1. GETTING STARTED 1.1. Connecting KeyLab Essential First of all, we recommend that you install the Analog Lab 2 and the other included software, and be sure to register and authorize them. Connect KeyLab Essential to your computer using the included USB cable. Power is also supplied through this connection. As KeyLab Essential is a class-compliant USB device, its drivers are automatically installed when connecting to a computer. Your controller keyboard is now ready to use.
1.3. The Rear Panel 1. MIDI Out KeyLab Essential's MIDI Out socket can be used to send MIDI information to outboard synths & modules when powered with the optional PSU, rather than via USB. 2. Sustain Pedal Input The sustain pedal input automatically detects the polarity of your sustain pedal when KeyLab Essential is turned on, so it can be used with practically any standard pedal. 3. USB Connection Use this socket to connect KeyLab Essential to your device.
2. GUIDED TOUR 2.1. Keyboard KeyLab Essential features either 49 or 61 velocity sensitive, synth-action keys, or 88 velocity sensitive, semi-weighted keys. This is obviously used to capture melodic performance, but can also be used in conjunction with the MIDI Channel Select function to change KeyLab Essential's MIDI output channel. 2.2. Pitch & modulation wheel These controllers allow for real-time pitch shifting and modulation control.
2.3. Octave Control & Transpose 2.3.1. Setting the Octave Pressing the Oct - and Oct + buttons will shift the range of KeyLab Essential’s keyboard, giving you access to higher and lower pitches. When activated, the selected octave button will blink at a certain speed, indicating how low or high you have transposed the keyboard.
2.3.2. Activating Transpose The Transpose function lets you shift the pitch of the keyboard to make performance as straightforward as possible. For example, you may wish to transpose the keyboard to perform with a vocalist who finds it more comfortable to sing a song in a particular key. You can simply transpose the keyboard, and play the song as you normally would.
2.5. Pads KeyLab Essential features 8 dual function performance pads that are both velocity sensitive and pressure sensitive. The default, the pads output MIDI data that is typically used to perform drum and percussion parts.
2.6. MIDI Channel selection KeyLab Essential gives you a quick, efficient way of changing the User MIDI Channel it currently outputs on. 2.6.1. Changing MIDI Channel To change the MIDI channel, simply hold the MIDI CH button, and press the corresponding note on the keyboard below the MIDI channel you wish to select. Now all controls set to follow the "User" MIDI Channel in the MCC will change to that channel.
2.9. Part Controls The 3 control buttons are used to switch the functions of KeyLab Essential’s encoders and faders, letting you control different channels while using the DAW map, and control the parameters of all 3 sections of Analog Lab’s Multi Mode. Using the Analog Lab map, the control buttons function in the following way: • Part 1: Select and control Part 1 in Analog Lab Multi Mode. • Part 2: Select and control Part 2 in Analog Lab Multi Mode.
2.10. DAW Command Center Using the industry standard Mackie HUI data language, KeyLab Essential gives you direct access to the most frequently used commands in your recording software, including: • Save: Saves your track. • Punch: Enables “punch in” style recording in your DAW. • Undo: Reverses your last action, such as deleting a track, or capturing a MIDI performance. • Metro: Toggles your DAW’s metronome on and off.
2.11. Preset Browser & Display KeyLab Essential features a powerful Preset Browser and clickable jog wheel to help you quickly find the sound you’re looking for within Analog Lab 2. With the Analog Lab map engaged, the whole Preset Browser becomes a dedicated navigator for Analog Lab 2. Choosing the right sound from over 5,000 presets can be daunting, but KeyLab Essential makes it easy.
2.13. Factory Reset Sometimes you may wish to factory reset your KeyLab Essential. This will initialize the unit, putting in its default state. To factory reset your KeyLab Essential, follow these simple steps: • Make sure KeyLab Essential's USB cable is disconnected. • Press and hold Oct+ and Oct- buttons. • Insert the USB cable. • The LCD screen will display a factory reset message. • Confirm the reset by pressing the central knob.
3. MIDI CONTROL CENTER KeyLab Essential has been designed to give you quick access to the most important, and frequently used controls. Rather than bury its extra functionality in sub-menus, you can use the Arturia MIDI Control Center to access the controller’s full range of abilities, such as creating your own personalized maps. 3.1.
3.1.2. Device Memories The Device Memories section of MCC displays the 8 banks that correspond to the 8 Maps within KeyLab Essential. 14 • Analog Lab - This map is dedicated to using KeyLab Essential within Analog Lab 2. This particular map is read-only, and cannot be altered. • DAW - This map is dedicated to using KeyLab Essential to control your recording software. Again, this map is read-only, and cannot be altered.
3.1.3. Local Templates The Local Templates section lets you store and organize your custom User maps without needing to save or recall settings from KeyLab Essential. It can also be used to load preconfigured maps generated from the Arturia user community. • Factory templates - This section displays the default settings of KeyLab Essential, giving you a useful ‘initialized’ patch to start from or return to. • User templates - This section displays the saved User maps contained within your computer.
3.2. MCC Controller Map This section of the MCC is where you can customize the way the performance pads, rotary encoders, faders, keyboard, and sustain pedal input react. These settings can then be stored in one of KeyLab Essential’s 6 User Maps Don't worry if this seems confusing at first, there's no way to break KeyLab Essential with the MIDI Control Center. Feel free to experiment, tweak parameter and have fun creating your own maps. You can always reload the default templates if you make a mistake.
3.3. Customizing the Pads The Mode menu lets you choose between the different modes available per pad. Each mode contains a unique set of parameters: 3.3.1. Pad Off Disables the pad. This can be used to prevent accidentally triggering the pad when it is not required in your personal User Map. 3.3.2. Pad MIDI Note This option is used to output standard MIDI notes using the pad. • Channel: Select the MIDI channel output for the selected pad, between 1 to 16.
3.3.4. Pad Patch Change This option allows you to use KeyLab Essential’s pads to trigger patch and program changes within virtual instruments, outboard synths, and much more. • Color: Select the color the pad will illuminate on being struck or toggled on. • Channel: Select the MIDI channel output for the selected pad, between 1 to 16. This can also be set to “user”, which will make the pad output to the default MIDI channel selected in the Device Settings.
3.4. Customizing the Encoders The Mode menu lets you choose between the 2 modes available for each encoder. Each mode contains a unique set of parameters: 3.4.1. Encoder Off Disables the rotary encoder. This can be used to prevent accidentally moving the knob when it is not required in your personal User Map. 3.4.2. Encoder Control • Name: Lets you enter your personal name for the encoder which will display on the LCD screen when the knob is used. This can be up to a maximum of 12 characters long.
3.5. Customizing the Faders The Mode menu lets you choose between the 2 modes available for each fader. Each mode contains a unique set of parameters: 3.5.1. Fader Off Disables the fader. This can be used to prevent accidentally moving the fader when it is not required in your personal User Map. 3.5.2. Fader Control This mode is the standard mode for the fader, and lets you customize how each fader responds when used.
3.7. Customizing the Sustain Pedal The Mode menu lets you choose between the different modes available for the sustain pedal input. Each mode contains a unique set of parameters: 3.7.1. Sustain Pedal Off Disables the sustain pedal. This can be used to prevent accidentally changing your sound when it is not required in your personal User Map. 3.7.2. Sustain Pedal MIDI Note This option is used to output standard MIDI notes using the sustain pedal. • Option: Choose between Gate and Toggle.
3.8. Changing the Global Settings The Device Settings section of MCC lets you alter some of the global settings of the KeyLab Essential. Let’s take a closer look at what each parameter does: • User MIDI Channel: This changes the default MIDI channel output for KeyLab Essential from 1 to 16. • Vegas Mode: When KeyLab Essential is left idle and untouched for around 5 minutes, it will begin an eye-catching, colorful light show. You can choose to Enable or Disable this as you see fit.
4. SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT In consideration of payment of the Licensee fee, which is a portion of the price you paid, Arturia, as Licensor, grants to you (hereinafter termed “Licensee”) a nonexclusive right to use this copy of the Analog Lab Lite Software (hereinafter the “SOFTWARE”). All intellectual property rights in the software belong to Arturia SA (hereinafter: “Arturia”).
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5. DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY USA Important notice: DO NOT MODIFY THE UNIT! This product, when installed as indicate in the instructions contained in this manual, meets FCC requirement. Modifications not expressly approved by Arturia may avoid your authority, granted by the FCC, to use the product. IMPORTANT: When connecting this product to accessories and/or another product, use only high quality shielded cables. Cable (s) supplied with this product MUST be used. Follow all installation instructions.
