SL MkIII
Let's connect
SL MkIII is far from your typical keyboard controller. It’s an all-sequencing, all-dancing hub for all of your music making tools. A centrepiece to connect, control and create with your entire setup. Computer or not.
Create quickly and easily with your hardware. Build your tracks in the eight-track polyphonic sequencer: everything in time; everything in key; every control at your fingertips.
Available in 49 and 61 key versions.
The SL MKIII range
Total control
Get to work with your favourite hardware with all the benefits of a DAW at your fingertips; no need to look at a computer screen. Pull your DAW out of the box and combine with your hardware synths - connecting everything through SL MkIII. Then easily control everything with highly customisable mappings for your hardware and software. Or create your own in the software editor.
Internal eight-track pattern-based sequencer
Input notes step-by-step, or record as you go; you can play and edit your sequences directly from the keyboard. Then record parameter automation straight onto the sequencer, bringing your productions to life. You can choose an arp type, set a sync rate, tweak note and pattern lengths, and use the pads to design your rhythms in real time.
Included software
Ableton Live Lite - The renowned electronic music creation software, with seamless Launchkey integration. With effects, instruments, sounds and all kinds of creative features included – everything you need to make any kind of music.
GForce - Back in 1993, we introduced the world to a compact analogue synth with colossal low end — the original Bass Station. Now, more than thirty years later, we’ve partnered with analogue-modelling pioneers GForce Software to create GForce Novation Bass Station.
Native Instruments – Choose from one of three curated bundles with Komplete 15 Select. Beats, Band, and Electronic – each includes synths, sampled session instruments, and high-quality effects designed to suit specific genres and workflows.
XLN Audio Addictive Keys - Add great sounding piano to your tracks with the Studio Grand, based on the iconic Steinway® Model D. Plug in and play; you’ll be instantly transported to a professional recording studio set up to capture this beautiful piano.
AAS Session Bundle - Essential sounds for your tracks: Lounge Lizard’s authentic classic electric piano tones; Strum Session’s acoustic and electric guitar sounds; Ultra Analog Session’s easy-to-use, huge synth sounds.
Spitfire Audio LABS Expressive Strings - Exclusive to Launchkey: get immediately expressive and realistic strings sounds. Control release, delay and reverb or fade in experimental warped layers to add colour to your tracks and scores.
Klevgrand R0Verb - A hybrid between a simple reverb and a very complex delay in an easy-to-use plug-in. Design your own reverbs and put your sounds in their own unique space.
Klevgrand DAW Cassette - Bring your sound back to the golden age of cassette tapes, with an accurate recreation of saturation, distortion, noise and wobble.
NKS-ready hardware
It's the feel
SL MkIII boasts our finest and most playable synth-style semi-weighted keybed, with a sprung action tuned to the needs of the experienced player. It’s got aftertouch too, assignable to anything. Its exceptionally high scan rate of 10 kHz gives the keys a super dynamic feel for expressive performances. And you can see scales, modes and zones instantly with vibrant on-key RGB LED feedback.
SL MkIII's velocity-sensitive RGB pads have multiple functions too: they can be used for launching clips, as steps in the sequencer, for finger drumming, and have polyphonic aftertouch.
Keys for Live
We've worked with Ableton® to create an unprecedented integration with Live™. SL MkIII truly pulls your sessions out of the box. The full colour LCD screens give you full visibility of your parameters, while the pads, buttons, eight faders and eight knobs get you hands-on with your music - and in any major music software, using InControl.
Keys to the DAWs
Deep integrations with Logic® and Reason – plus HUI compatibility with Cubase, Pro Tools®, Studio One and Reaper – mean SL MkIII can open up any DAW.
Key features
Use the sequencer to easily record notes as you play them, or input step-by-step. Play and edit your sequences directly from the keyboard. Record your movements as automation into the sequencer, bringing life to your production.
Scales, modes and zones
Work with scales and keys and set up multiple zones and layers on the keyboard.
The perfect controller for Live™
We worked with Ableton® to create an absolutely stunning keyboard controller for their Live™ music-making software. The five colour LCD screens give you full parameter feedback, enabling you to see everything you are controlling.
Backlit Pitch and Modulation wheels
Pitch and Modulation wheels have RGB LEDs that change colour to show what track you're working on.
Comprehensive connectivity
USB; MIDI In, Out, Out 2/Thru; sustain, expression and footswitch inputs; Analogue Clock Out; and two sets of CV Pitch, Gate, and Mod outputs can be used to route anything anywhere.
Keys for the player
The SL MkIII boasts our finest, most playable and expressive synth-style semi-weighted keybed, with a sprung action and our highest scan rate, all tuned to the needs of the experienced player. It’s got aftertouch too, assignable to anything.
Control all major music software
Your choice of music software is crucial to your creativity. SL MkIII's pads, buttons, eight faders and eight knobs take control of all major music software using InControl or any HUI-compatible DAW.
One routable clock for the whole system
Whether you're in the box or outside the box, the MIDI and analogue clock and transport controls keep everything running in time.
Arpeggiator
Choose an arp type, set a sync rate, tweak the length, and then use the pads to design your rhythms in real time.
Customisable templates
Highly customisable mappings for hardware and software easily control everything. Or create your own templates in the software editor, and save them to the keyboard.
Components
Components allows you to backup and restore your templates and sessions in the cloud, enabling access from anywhere in the world. All content can also be saved locally.
Selectable Velocity Curves
Choose from a comprehensive selection of Velocity Curves to suit your playing style.