Novation - Launchkey 88 MK3 + Komplete 15 Standard Upgrade

The Novation Launchkey 88 MK3 plays in the big leagues without going over the top. With its 88 semi-weighted keys, it offers a balanced playing feel, perfect for pianists who don't want a competition pad, but still want a little resistance under their fingers. The backlit pads with polyphonic aftertouch aren't there for decoration: they respond to the touch of a finger, ready to trigger your samples, scenes or rhythmic moods. Between the sensitive faders, tactile knobs and transport buttons, everything is designed to keep your hands on the instrument and your thoughts in place. Ergonomic bonus: the 2 x 16-character display takes the guesswork out of it.
It's clean, well thought-out and a pleasure to use.

But where this Novation master keyboard really makes a difference is in its openness to the world of software - and more specifically to that of Native Instruments. Thanks to NKS compatibility, the Launchkey 88 MK3 becomes a natural extension of the virtual instruments contained in the Komplete 15 Standard Upgrade bundle. Turn a knob and it reacts. Load a preset and it appears. There's no need to mimic an orchestra conductor in front of your screen, everything is fluid. And because the keyboard is powered by USB bus, it can be integrated into your setup without requiring an additional power socket. It's a bit like a guest arriving with his own chair and playlist.

On the software side, Komplete 15 Standard Upgrade does more than just populate your hard drive: it catapults you into a sprawling universe of sound. From Kontakt 8 and Guitar Rig 7 Pro to synths like Massive X and FM8, this bundle is an amusement park for curious ears. Add to that drums, pianos, guitars, organs, studio effects and a bunch of Expansions with exotic names (hello Afrobeats and Drum State): you've got enough to cross styles, continents and your strangest artistic phases. All of this can be installed via Native Access, so you can stay zen during the activation marathon. A word of advice: bring some disk space and a few litres of coffee.

With Ableton Live 12 Lite and Cubase 14 LE included, your Launchkey 88 MK3 becomes a veritable creative powerhouse, capable of transforming every idea into a complete track, from groove to atmospheric synth. Ableton Live 12 Lite lets you clip, arrange and mix in the blink of an eye, while Cubase 14 LE provides a robust environment for midi editing, recording and professional sound production. Together, they are the perfect complement to the Komplete 15 Standard Upgrade pack, enriching your master keyboard with virtual instruments and effects, so that every note and chord comes to life with precision and fluidity.

This Novation + Native Instruments pack is the musical equivalent of a well-oiled duo: one drives, the other propels. If you're just starting out in production or looking to upgrade an ageing home studio, this is a credible and versatile combo. Want to compose an orchestral soundtrack with Session Strings 2, follow up with an electro loop with TRK-01, then finish the day in lo-fi with Glaze 2? No problem, it's all at your fingertips. And if you're the kind of person who deletes the same track three times because "it just doesn't sound right", Komplete gives you at least 50,000 chances to start again. We've seen worse creative indecision.