The Creative Controller
Description
Launchkey 61 is a powerful DAW controller featuring a premium semi-weighted keybed, eight continuous encoders, nine faders, and 16 velocity-sensitive pads for playing drums, instruments, and launching clips.
Designed for artists, the 61-key offers powerful DAW integration with a thoughtfully arranged control surface. Play instruments and drums, launch clips and scenes, and gain instant hands-on control over your DAW’s mixer, devices, and effects.
The Launchkey 61 includes sophisticated Chord and Scale modes, perfectly synced with the OLED display to keep you in key. It also features an editable Arpeggiator, three Chord Modes for quick musical progressions, and a Chord Detector that displays the current chord on the OLED screen.
- The Launchkey 61 features a semi-weighted piano-style keybed, designed for expressive and dynamic playing.
- Powerful integration with all major DAWs, including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, Bitwig Studio, Reason, FL Studio, Ardour, and more.
- Fixed/User Chord Modes on 16 pads, a Scale Mode with 30 scales, a Chord Detector, a generative arpeggiator, an eight-step sequencer, and a Chord Map with a wide range of handcrafted chords with dynamic performance modifiers.
- Includes a software bundle with Ableton Live 12 Lite, GForce synths, Orchestral Tools, Klevgrand plugins, and Melodics lessons for complete music creation and learning.
- Includes a USB-C socket, 5 pin MIDI out socket, and a 1/4” jack sustain pedal socket.
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61 semi-weighted keys
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16 Launchpad-style pads
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Universal DAW control
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Chord and Scale Modes
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Powerful Arpeggiator with step editor
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Complete software bundle
Powerful DAW integration
Launchkey offers powerful, custom integration for: Ableton Live, Logic, Cubase, Bitwig Studio, Reason Studios, FL Studio, and Ardour. With these, you get a hardware-powered workflow that gives you full control of transport functions, timeline navigation, mixing and EQ, clip launching, and instrument and effect parameters.
Our best-ever keys and pads
Launchkey 61’s upgraded keybed is sensitive enough for the most delicate melodies while being robust enough to endure the rigours of any performance. 61 semi-weighted, piano-style keys bring the feel of a premium instrument to Launchkey.
And for finger drummers, Launchkey now sports our patented, velocity-sensitive drum pads with polyphonic aftertouch. Unlike standard pads, Launchkey features a unique radial sensor that enhances sensitivity and improves consistency, enabling even tighter performances.
And for finger drummers, Launchkey now sports our patented, velocity-sensitive drum pads with polyphonic aftertouch. Unlike standard pads, Launchkey features a unique radial sensor that enhances sensitivity and improves consistency, enabling even tighter performances.
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Get in the Zone
Want to control more than one instrument at a time? With Launchkey 61, you can easily split the keyboard into two distinct zones.
Play different sounds with each hand or layer two MIDI channels across all 61 keys to send the same notes to both zones. This powerful feature lets you maximise your creative possibilities and control multiple instruments seamlessly. -
Move with the melody
Groove with the tempo of your project using the latest version of our generative arpeggiator.
Effortlessly create and mutate musical sequences with our new eight-step editor, expressing your vibe through tie, accent, and ratchet controls. -
Overcome creative blocks
Explore a wide range of handcrafted chords with dynamic performance modifiers through Chord Map, perfect for captivating live performances.
Trigger chords from a single key using Fixed Chord mode, store chord progressions with User Chord Mode, then play them back on the 16 velocity-sensitive drum pads.
All you need to create
The new Launchkey comes with a unique software bundle that enables you to dive straight into music creation. Ableton Live 12 Lite empowers you to record and perform with up to eight tracks of MIDI or audio, complemented by a selection of premium instruments, effects, and creative tools — all seamlessly integrated with your Launchkey.Klevgrand - Renowned for intuitive and effective production tools, Klevgrand, based in Stockholm, Sweden, offers Launchkey users three premium plugins: LUXE for track enhancement, R0Verb for multi-delay effects, and Slammer for comprehensive drum customisation.
GForce – Beautifully modelled heritage synth VSTs with emulations of classic Oberheim synthesizers. The bundle includes Oberheim SEM, Oberheim OB-EZ, and AXXESS.
Orchestral Tools – World-class orchestral and acoustic sounds, including the Parallel Orchestra Bundle, exclusively for Launchkey customers. This bundle features Delicate Piano, Flautando Strings, Percussion FX, Shadowy, Paradox Texture, and Woodwind Parallax. It supports creating a wide range of music, from cinematic to hip hop.
Ableton Live 12 Lite - The popular music creation software with seamless Launchkey integration. It includes effects, instruments, sounds, and creative features to make any kind of music with ease.
Melodics - A desktop and mobile app offering bespoke lessons for Novation users. Learn to play keys or pads with guided lessons and popular songs for both beginners and advanced users.
Specifications in detail
Keybed
- 61 semi-weighted piano-style keys
Creative tools
- Generative arpeggiator with step editor
- Scale Mode - with 30 built-in scales to choose from
- Zones: Parts A and B, Split, and Layer
- Chord modes: Chord Map/Fixed Chord/User Chord
- Custom Modes
- Octave up/down buttons
Controls and pads
- 16 RGB backlit velocity sensitive pads with polyphonic aftertouch
- 2 pad page buttons Scene Launch / Func buttons
- Pitch bend and modulation wheels
- 8 continuous encoders
- 2 encoder page buttons
- 9 faders and buttons
- Play/stop/record/loop buttons
- Capture MIDI/Undo/Quantise/Metronome
- Track navigation buttons
Display
- 128 x 64 monochrome OLED display
DAW integration
- Custom DAW scripts: Ableton Live 11 or later, Logic X and 11, Cubase 11 and 12, Reason Studios, FL Studio, and Ardour
- Compatible with all other DAWs through HUI
Connectivity
- USB-C socket
- 5 pin MIDI out socket
- Sustain pedal 1/4” jack socket
- Kensington security slot
Dimensions
- Width895mm
- Depth263.5mm
- Height93mm
- Weight4.78kg
Power Requirements
- USB bus powered
- Power supply not included
Compare Launchkey
Launchkey 49 | Launchkey 61 | Launchkey 49 [MK3] | Launchkey 61 [MK3] | |
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Keys | 49 | 61 | 49 | 61 |
Key Size | Full size | Full size | Full size | Full size |
Keybed | Semi-weighted | Semi-weighted | Synth action | Synth action |
Pads with polyphonic aftertouch | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Continuous encoders | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Faders and Fader Buttons | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Pitch/Mod Wheel | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
OLED display | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Chord Modes | Chord Map, Fixed, and User Chord | Chord Map, Fixed, and User Chord | Fixed, Scale, and User Chord | Fixed, Scale, and User Chord |
Scale Mode | 30 Scales | 30 Scales | 8 Scales | 8 Scales |
Arpeggiator | with eight-step editor | with eight-step editor | ✔ | ✔ |
Zones | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Clip/Scene Launch | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Custom Modes | Pads, Encoders, and Faders | Pads, Encoders, and Faders | Pads, Knobs, and Faders | Pads, Knobs, and Faders |
MIDI out | 5 pin | 5 pin | 5 pin | 5 pin |
Sustain input | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Bus Powered | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Find out more | Find out more | Find out more | Find out more |