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I bought a Keylab 61 when they first became available, but it has been a big disappointment. I've never used any of the billion sounds that came with it. Programming simple stuff is a PITA. Recently the G2 key stopped triggering any MIDI, and since then a couple of other keys have stopped working. Today I took it apart and found the contacts are sealed and clean, so there is nothing I can do to fix it. The only option is a new keybed. So I'm going to toss it or give it away if anyone wants it.

I'd appreciate suggestions for a replacement. I only use a keyboard for MIDI input. Semi weighted is fine. Good key response, quick octave transpositions, and smooth pitch and mod wheels that return to zero reliably is all I really need. Dedicated hardware controls for main functions would be good. But the key thing is a reliable mechanism. I don't need pads, faders, knobs, transport buttons, etc for MIDI control functions, but if they're there that's OK.

Thanks

Before you throw it away:

Check to make sure that Arturia won't replace the keybed for you, free. I had some trouble with my Keylab 61, fixed it, and when it broke again I called Arturia. They shipped me a minty-fresh keyed, I replaced it myself (easy as pie), and it's been great ever since.

Sorry it isn't working for you. I love mine. Although if and when it breaks, I'll replace it with a Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol s61 MKII. If most of your instruments playback in Kontakt, it's the bomb, and features a very well-reviewed Fatar keybed.

My Axiom 61 was solid for years until recently when several of the faders started generating random CC info and other weirdness, so I can't exactly recommend it.

I was considering the Keylab 61 or the NI Komplete Kontrol S61 mk2. This post makes me less inclined to consider the Keylab 61. A good amount of my instruments are Kontakt instruments, but maybe not enough to justify the price. The feature it offers that appeals to me is the lighted keys to show where the active samples are and key switches etc, but I don't think that works in non-NI instruments. Is that true Jim? I assume the lighted key thing and a lot of the S61mk2's features are for NI instruments only.

I feel for your bad experience.

I've always been pleased with my full weighted Studiologic, and my semi weighted Novation keyboards.
They are all built around Fatar keybeds, which are just fine to my fingers.
Any other brand keybeds are just not right to my fingers. Of course, YMMV.

BTW, when it comes to return-to-center, the Novation pitch wheels are fine while the Studiologic is not.

Maybe you could get a deal for a Novation 61SL MK II. They've been around for quite long now.

Dix, I think it works for any instrument that plays via Kontakt, Reaktor, etc. Or, to be precise, any instrument that can be placed in your Kontakt Library panel.

I think. Which means it may not be true, as human memory is useless for recalling facts.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I'll start by asking Arturia what they can do.

I have a K2000 V1.0 that has a Fatar keybed (TP/9S) that has held up well. I put it away because I stopped using the sounds on it, but in retrospect just putting it back on the desk might be the simplest solution.

Looking around at the other new keyboards, I noticed the Nektar Impact GX61+ or the more stripped down GX61 which appears to be the only one that comes with a profile specific to DP. But they're cheap and I wonder how durable they are.

Gravity Jim wrote:Dix, I think it works for any instrument that plays via Kontakt, Reaktor, etc. Or, to be precise, any instrument that can be placed in your Kontakt Library panel.

I think. Which means it may not be true, as human memory is useless for recalling facts.

I got a S61mk2 yesterday. Actually, it looks like anything that will load into Komplete Kontrol can activate Light Guides. Even Play instruments in KK are showing the LGs for active samples and key switches.

However, so far I'm not sure I recommend the Smk2 series as a straight up MIDI controller. The key bed is very nice, but, there's no sliders, no pads. Changing the knob CC output requires launching Komplete Kontrol software. It's very NI-centric. Unless you're committed to the NI ecosystem there are better controllers I'm sure.

Also, there's no Komplete Kontrol template for DP template (naturally ), so KK implementation isn't as elegant as with other DAWs. For instance, I could be wrong, but it looks like the only way to see the proper Light Guide for keyswitches is to open the instance of Komplete Kontrol and select the instrument you want displayed. If there in fact if there is no easier way (see the thread i posted asking this question) I'll likely return it.

I had similar experience. Also VIP also has a similar approach in that you need to first launch VIP instance and then choose your instrument. I find that clunky somehow.

Apart from VIP clunkiness, would you recommend the Akai controller? Do you have to use VIP with Akai controllers, like you do with KK for S61mk2? Unless I'm wrong about the KK light guide integration, like the OP, I'll be in the market for a new controller.

...and this just in. KK doesn't work with multi-instruments or VEP. In those cases it becomes a rather vanilla, not so smart MIDI controller.

The Akai controller is well built but it misses the same thing the NI does. Faders. I got rid of them. I am now in the process of looking for a great feeling keyboard with nothing else and motorized faders from Icon so that I can chase MIDI controller in DP. I find DP’S lack of trim or any other automation mode in MIDI cumbersome and thought this would be a way around it. The upside of a controller like this is that it fits under the desk, keeping the controllers on top. I also use Nord Piano and Korg C3 for other things.

I'm more of a programmer than a keyboard player so my controller needs are rather modest. Truth is my Axiom 61 was fine until it started freaking out. There's a lot of new controllers out there. I just need to find one that's solid with the basics that I mentioned.

I really did like the feel of the S61 Mk2. It's too bad it requires VIs to be in the Komplete Kontrol software shell to get any of it's cool functionality. Also too bad it can't handle multi-instruments ...and that it's DP connectivity is rudimentary. ...and has no pads ...or faders.

I've almost traded my Novation SL MKII 61 for an Advance or a Komplete Kontrol a few times, but reading more on them, the NI takes a stupid Control Center software to do regular MIDI, and I have a Rig Kontrol 3 that's "legacy" now Control Center no longer supports it. At some point an OS update will kill it's ability to send MIDI even. NI are out of the picture for controllers for me because of this. I might break this if NI ever integrate with DP and release a gen2 s88, the light strips for Kontakt are useful to me. The AKAI Advance has similar issues, It's a great choice for performance, but long term there's no telling if AKAI stick with VIP. Basically the Novation SL MKII is a great keyboard, the knobs and sliders send MIDI CC's and you can assign dozens of parameters if you're so inclined.

I'll take that as a reco for the Novation SL MKII. I guess I'll need to go to Guitar Center (the horror!) or something to check out controllers. Though I said I'm not much of a keyboard player, I'm really falling in love with the feel of the S61Mk2. I'd like to get something as good, but I'm not sure anything is out there.

As I mess around further with Komplete Kontrol I'm realizing it would be great with any other workflow, but the one that I do mostly these days - orchestral mockups. For weirder electronic scores that use single instances of NKS instruments it would be stellar.

I'm really trying to figure out why I shouldn't return S61Mk2, even to the point of considering buying a MIDI fader controller as a companion! But so far, the cons are too great to justify it.

The don't the actual keyboard will stop working. But it's advanced functionality does need the proprietary software. It would if they work out some sort of open platform for this.