The world of budget MIDI keyboards is competitive to say the least. There are countless companies cranking out keyboards under $300, ranging in size from 25 keys to 88 keys. There are mini controllers for tossing into a bag. Controllers with tightly integrated software for simplifying sound design. Keyboards with MPC-style drum pads. Honestly, it’s kinda hard to go wrong picking any of them—they’ll all get the job done.
Still there are a few, depending on your particular needs, that rise to the top. If you’re a user of Arturia or Native Instrument plugins, your best bets are their respective KeyLab Essential and Komplete Kontrol A series. But if you’re not locked into a particular company’s ecosystem, or if your DAW (digital audio workstation) of choice is Ableton Live, then Novation’s Launchkey series is a clear standout. And, with the new MK4 revisions, it makes a solid case for best budget MIDI controller period.
Hardware
There aren’t really any surprises on the hardware front. The LaunchKey MK4 is a budget MIDI controller through and through. The larger 49- and 61-key models have semi-weighted keybeds that are decent, but not great. (The 37- and 25-key models have synth-action keybeds that are even more meh.) It’s mostly plastic. And connectivity options are basic but adequate: just a USB-C port, sustain jack, and five-pin MIDI out.
There are a wealth of hands-on controls. Nine faders (on the larger models), eight endless encoders, 16 pads, and countless buttons. The faders and pads are pretty mediocre. The faders feel a little cheap and loose, and the pads just can’t compete with those on Akai controllers. They’re fine for launching clips, but I wouldn’t want to finger drum on them. The buttons are pleasantly clicky, though, and the move from potentiometers to encoders means you don’t have to deal with the chaos of parameters unexpectedly jumping around as you turn knobs.
,
The screen on the LaunchKey MK4s is quite small, but it’s helpful. As you move faders and turn the encoders it will show what you’re controlling and the value of each parameter.
The Mini versions share most of the same features, though instead of pitch and mod wheels they have touchstrips and the keys are smaller and spongier. They’re excellent travel controllers, but the lackluster keybed means I wouldn’t want to make them my studio workhorse. It is worth noting that the mainline LaunchKeys (as opposed to the Mini models) are quite tall. They only narrowly fit in my standard-size keyboard tray.
Arp and Chord mode
What elevates the LaunchKey lineup above other MIDI controllers are its arpeggiator and chord modes. The arp has all the usual modes you’d expect—up, down, up and down, random, et cetera. But the Mutate and Deviate features allow you to inject controlled doses of randomness into your arps for when you’re feeling stuck or a little bored of the same-old same-old. As you move Mutate it adds new notes from the scale or introduces octave jumps. Deviate introduces rhythmic variation. If you want more control there’s also Arp Pattern mode which allows you to manually program a rhythmic pattern for your arp, including rests, ties, accents, and ratchets.
Chord mode on the LaunchKey MK4s goes beyond what others offer. In addition to the standard fixed chord mode, where you play a shape and then are able to transpose it around the keyboard with a single key, there’s Chord Map. This puts chords from your selected scale on the eight left pads, and the six right pads trigger performance features like different inversions of a chord or arpeggiating through them.
,
The encoders at the top also control how the chords are played. The Adventure and Explore parameters are analogous to the Mutate and Deviate controls for arp mode, add rhythmic and harmonic complexity to your chord selection. The Novation LaunchKeys already had the best arpeggiator in the MIDI controller space if you ask me, and the MK4’s take that to new levels.
DAW and Software Integration
If your DAW of choice is Ableton Live, then the LaunchKey is going to be a real treat. The only tighter integration between a piece of hardware and recording software I’ve seen is the Push and Live—but that comes with a much higher price of entry ($999 for the controller-only version of Push with Live Intro). Right out of the box the LaunchKey MK4 are able to control most first-party Ableton devices, the mixer, trigger clips and scenes, loop sections of your arrangement, undo changes and trigger Live’s capture MIDI feature in case you forgot to press record before jamming out.
The sheer scope of the integration between the LaunchKey and Live is impressive. But it does take a little bit to find your footing. With so many features available controlling Live, your plugins, and taking advantage of the LaunchKey’s built-in arp and chord features requires a lot of button combos, shift functions, and some light menu diving. It’s not the most cumbersome interface I’ve ever seen, but I’d stop short of calling it intuitive.
,
While the LaunchKey can control some functions in other DAWs, the integration is far less tight. And depending on your particular DAW it might be pretty barebones. In addition to Ableton Logic Pro, FL Studio, Reason, and Cubase are all supported. Play, record, and basic mixer functions are supported across all DAWs, but beyond that, support can vary.
If you’re an Ableton Live user and you don’t find yourself reaching for VSTs from Native Instruments or Arturia constantly, the LaunchKey MK4 feels like an obvious choice for a sub $300 MIDI controller. The price is right, the build is decent and you get excellent integration with your DAW of choice. Sure there’s no aftertouch and the screen is small, but these are the sacrifices you make to keep prices down.
If you don’t use Ableton the choice isn’t quite as clear, but the LaunchKeys still make a solid argument for your MIDI controller buck. The expansion of the arpeggiator and new Chord Map feature are great for helping you snap out of a rut, especially if (like me) your music theory or piano aren’t the strongest. If you’re shopping for an easier way to interface with your music, especially if you use Ableton, the Launchkey models should be on your short list.
