Novation Launchkey Mini MK3

Here's my review for the Novation Launchkey Mini MK3:

Pros:
- Ableton. Really helped my workflow in Ableton for sure. There's just so much it can do. I recommend reading the manual and watching tutorials on Youtube so you can use all the features. Great for a jam session.
- Lightweight, and very portable
- Pads are responsive to light touch
- Keys are small, but playable. Better than I expected.
- The coloured lights are a cool feature. They add a vibe for sure.
- The mod wheel and pitch bend strips work well. It takes some getting used to if you're used to a mod wheel, but it saves space.
- Comes with great included software, including Ableton Live Lite and a choice of one of the 4 Addictive Keys (I chose Mark One).
- It came triple boxed (thumbs up for Thomann.de, excellent service as always).

Cons:
- The build quality is a little light to match the light weight. Would recommend buying a bag for it.
- Pads are a little stiff to the touch.
- The buttons are a little flimsy but work well.
- Would be nice if the knobs were endless encoders, but this hasn't been a big issue for me.
- Velocity on the keys can be a little jumpy at times (noticed this on the black keys).

Overall:
- A great midi keyboard, especially for the price. It has so much going for it that I'd happily overlook the above cons.
- Highly recommend if you're an Ableton user.
- The portability is amazing.

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.

I've used my MK3 keyboard for producing on my iPad and Windows DAW, for six months or more with no complaints.
The keys, tho mini keys, enable chords and flourishes of notes.
You can enjoy the brilliant arpeggiator with all it's variations, or assign chords making them a breeze to play. Hold on! What about the velocity and feel of the keys? They're what you would expect in terms of size from mini keys, so they’re not great for people who prefer full size keys, but I have no problem with these on the MK3, they feel responsive with a balanced velocity and are fun and playable. The same for the drum pads, which are great!
Ableton Live users will be delighted with the integration and pad LED colour coding.
The free software licenses are very useful instruments.
My favourite feature is the TRS midi out which I use the play my Crave synth live.
Th 8 knobs at the top allow for quick midi learn function in any software or digital hardware synths, and really make your performances fun!

Pros:
Size is mobile and studio friendly. Features: TRS midi type A.
Touch slider Pitch and Mod.
Cons: Power is over 100Ma which means iPad cannot power this keyboard directly. There needs to be an option to switch off all LED’s, then a direct to iOS without the need of USB hubs would be better.
No bluetooth connectivity. If only this had BT, it would outsell Korgs Nano Key Studio which in my opinion has less playable keys, otherwise it’s maybe better choice if you need bluetooth and smaller device.
Overall the Novation MK3 is a really great mini midi keyboard and I will continue to enjoy using it. Looks great and the build quality is practically flawless and it's light and portable making great for mobile and live performances.

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.

I bought the launchkey in December as I entered my first steps in music production. A lot of friends advised me not to buy it, but I was so in love with it that I had to give it a try.

DAW COMPATIBILITY:
Ableton is the mother of the Launchkey. Their connection is perfectly matched and allows to easily create beats, both live or recording.

Logic has a specific hardware to download and it works fine. A bit confusing, but still remains a good controller to use while mixing and recording.

Material and Handling:
It is definitely PLASTIC. A well made one, but plastic. You only notice when you play chords. The keys is very tight and short and it is okay to produce some basic line but if you need a piano arrangement, even an easy one, it it impossible to play. That's why I will buy a bigger midi keyboard.

FEATURES:
Built-in features are amazing. Pitch, Modulation, transpose, arpeggiator and so on. Have a look online to know more. They perfectly work apart from the modulation pad which not always recognize the finger sliding on the pad.

BUNDLE:
Novation offered me a splice subscription for 2 months, several sound packages (native instruments and so on) and Ableton live lite (maximum of 8 tracks)/

To Buy or not to buy?
Well, if you are starting producing or have always dreamt of electronic live performance but got confused by launchpad, BUY IT.

It is so cheap with so many features.

Then you can upgrade, but this is the perfect start.

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.