Novation Launchkey 49 MK4 49-Key MIDI Controller Keyboard

Novation Launchkey 49 MK4 49-Key MIDI Controller Keyboard

The Novation Launchkey 49 MK4 is a 49-key MIDI keyboard controller for producing, arranging and performing with your DAW. It gives you four octaves of semi-weighted keys, 16 RGB FSR pads, nine faders and eight endless rotary encoders for playing instruments, launching clips, finger drumming, mixing tracks and controlling plugins.

This fourth-generation Launchkey also adds a sharper OLED display, deeper DAW integration and expanded creative tools for chords, scales, arpeggios, splits and layers. Use it with major DAWs, hardware synths or compatible iPhone and iPad music apps, then customise the controls with Novation Components when you want a more personal setup.

Enhanced DAW Integration

Launchkey 49 MK4 supports major DAWs straight out of the box, including Ableton Live, Logic, Cubase, Reason Studios, Reaper, FL Studio and Ardour. That gives you hands-on control over transport, timeline navigation, mixing, EQ, clip launching, instruments and effects from the keyboard.

When used with Ableton Live’s Session View or Logic’s Live Loops, the 16 RGB pads can also work as Launchpad-style clip launchers. The pad colours match what you see on screen, so your session is easier to follow while you create.

49 Semi-Weighted Keys and Expressive FSR Pads

The upgraded Launchkey 49 MK4 keybed gives you a more confident feel for playing chords, melodies, basslines and expressive parts. Its 49 semi-weighted, waterfall-style keys make it a strong middle ground for producers who want more range than a compact controller while still keeping the setup manageable.

For beats, clips and performance control, the 16 patented FSR drum pads are velocity-sensitive and support polyphonic aftertouch. Each pad uses a radial sensor design for improved sensitivity and consistency, making finger drumming and expressive pad work feel tighter under the hands.

Creative Tools Built Into the Hardware

Launchkey 49 MK4’s creative modes are built into the controller, so they work across your DAW, hardware synths and compatible mobile setups. Scale Mode can lock the keyboard to one of 30 scales, helping you stay in key while writing melodies, basslines and chord parts.

Fixed Chord mode lets you trigger full chords from a single key, while Chord Maps let you build progressions from the pads. The updated Arpeggiator gives you more ways to twist, mutate and animate ideas, which is handy when you want a track to start moving quickly.

Splits, Layers and Custom Modes

With keyboard splits, you can divide the Launchkey 49 MK4 into two zones and play separate parts with each hand. You can also layer two MIDI channels across all 49 keys, sending the same notes to two instruments at once for bigger stacked sounds.

Using Novation Components, you can create custom mappings for the faders, pads and encoders, then recall them directly from the hardware. This is useful if you want the Launchkey to control a favourite synth, plugin or hardware rig in your own way.

Go Beyond the Computer

The 5-pin MIDI output makes it easy to connect the Launchkey 49 MK4 to hardware synths and MIDI gear, even when you are not working inside a computer-based setup. It is also USB-powered and class-compliant, making it a neat fit for laptop production, mobile writing sessions and compatible iPhone or iPad music apps.

If you are comparing options, you can also explore DJ City’s wider range of MIDI keyboards, 49-key MIDI keyboards and MIDI cables.

Included Software

Launchkey 49 MK4 comes with a useful software bundle, so you can plug in and start making music straight away. Ableton Live 12 Lite gives you recording and performance tools for up to eight tracks, while the additional instrument, sound and lesson bundles help round out your first production setup.

• Ableton Live 12 Lite
• GForce Bundle
• Parallel Orchestras bundle by Orchestral Tools
• Klevgrand bundle
• Melodics curated lessons

Commonly Asked Questions