Novation Launchkey 61 MK4

I’ve been using the Novation Launchkey MK4 with Cubase, and it’s been a solid and inspiring addition to my setup. The integration is surprisingly smooth—transport controls, mixer navigation, and parameter tweaking all work well, and it really helps me stay focused on creating instead of constantly reaching for the mouse.

The keybed feels good overall—fast and responsive—but I do wish it had a bit more weight to it. It’s on the lighter side, especially coming from piano practice, but it’s still very playable and expressive once you get used to it.

The pads are great: sensitive, fun to use for drums or triggering clips, and well-positioned. The layout makes sense, and I find myself coming up with new ideas just by jamming and tweaking knobs. It feels like a controller that wants you to create.

If you’re a Cubase user looking for a MIDI controller that keeps things fun and efficient, the Launchkey MK4 is definitely worth considering. It’s become a creative companion in my day-to-day music work.

I preordered the MK4 for my more-or-less portable setup a couple of weeks before Thomann had them in stock, basically when Novation announced them. Thomann shipped mine as soon as they came in, and I had it in my hands just three days later.

I’m a composer using Cubase primarily for orchestral work, and I chose the MK4 over the MK3 for a very specific reason: Novation moved the faders from the right to the left. This layout is essential for me because I play instruments with my right hand and control CCs with my left hand, and I don’t currently have a separate fader controller. Other MIDI controllers with left-hand faders were either too old or had poor keys, so this was the best modern, professional option—and I’m glad I went for it.

The MK4 is simply outstanding. The design, the feel, and the build are all excellent. It’s packed with features, integrates seamlessly with Cubase (and I imagine with other major DAWs as well), and the software is top-notch. Novation Components makes it easy to configure everything, and I love that it powers entirely from a single USB cable—no extra power supply needed.

The semi-weighted keys are exactly as expected: they don’t fully replicate an acoustic piano, but they strike a great balance between realism and flexibility, letting me program pianos and orchestral instruments with expression while keeping the playability light and responsive (and keeping the weight and price lower than they would have been). It’s not a full-weighted piano, but that’s the trade-off for portability, and for composing it works beautifully.

A few standout features for me:

- The endless encoders, especially for transport and DAW functions, are a huge workflow boost.

- The size is perfect: 61 keys are enough for two-handed playing without making the keyboard huge.

- The integration with Cubase for controlling transport, mixer, and CCs feels natural and saves me time. If you haven't checked out the MIDI Remote, what are you doing? :)

Pads are responsive and feel solid. I use them for shortcuts and macros in Cubase.

Build quality is excellent—this doesn’t feel cheap in any way.

For anyone composing orchestral or cinematic music in Cubase (or other DAWs), this is a superb controller. I don’t hesitate to say it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made, and one of the best keyboards out there for its form factor and price range.

Fits perfectly into my ableton workflow and works well with the Launchpad to give me more hands on control over my daw. Build quality is very respectable at this price point. The keybed is the weakest link but still feels a lot better than the cheaper controllers out there and is fun to play for me, even having owned a real upright piano. Overall at this price there is nothing to complain about and I see this as a no-brainer for Ableton users.