Novation Launchkey 37 MK4: Three Octaves of Hands-On Control for Producers Who Write in the DAW

The Launchkey 37 MK4 is Novation's creative MIDI keyboard controller built for the producer who lives inside Ableton, FL Studio, Logic, or Cubase and wants to get ideas down without reaching for the mouse. It pairs 37 full-size synth-action keys with 16 velocity-sensitive RGB pads, eight endless encoders, and a crisp 128x64 OLED display, then layers on the creative tools — Chord Map, Scale Mode, and a generative arpeggiator — that turn a blank session into a track. Three octaves is the sweet spot: more range than a portable 25-key, less desk than a full 49 or 61, and enough span to play basslines with your left hand and chords with your right.

37 Synth-Action Keys and Pads That Feel Like an Instrument

The 37 keys are full-size and synth-action, velocity-sensitive so a soft pass and a hard pass land at different dynamics — emotion in basslines, melodies, and chords, not flat MIDI. The 16 RGB-backlit pads use Novation's FSR sensing with polyphonic aftertouch and a unique radial sensor per pad, so they read pressure consistently across the surface. Finger-drum a beat, trigger Ableton clips, or assign the pads to play chords and individual notes — the response stays tight and expressive whether you are programming hats or performing a clip set live.

Chord Map, Scale Mode, and the Generative Arpeggiator: Never Wait for Inspiration

This is where the Launchkey earns its place over a plain keyboard. Scale Mode locks the keys to one of 30 scales so wrong notes simply do not sound, and the Chord Detector shows what you are playing on the OLED. Chord Map gives you 40 banks of eight curated chords to perform progressions instantly; Fixed Chord and User Chord let you save and transpose your own voicings. The generative arpeggiator turns a single held note into evolving movement, and its 8-step editor — with tie, accent, ratchet, mutation, and rhythm controls — shapes that movement into a part you actually want to keep. For a songwriter staring at an empty arrangement, these tools are the difference between a session and a finished idea.

Eight Encoders and Deep DAW Integration That Keep Your Hands Off the Mouse

The eight endless encoders switch between plugin, mixer, sends, and transport modes, with four custom modes you map yourself through the free Novation Components software. Custom DAW scripts give the Launchkey hands-on control of Ableton Live, Logic, FL Studio, Cubase, Reason, Bitwig, and Ardour, and HUI support covers everything else. In Ableton Live specifically you get built-in Sequencer, Drum Rack, and Clip modes plus Capture MIDI, which records the idea you just played even if you forgot to hit record. Transport buttons mirror your DAW for play, stop, record, and loop, and the keyboard is NKS-ready for browsing Native Instruments libraries straight from the hardware.

Bus-Powered, Connected, and Ready to Create Out of the Box

The Launchkey 37 runs entirely over USB-C bus power — one cable to a Mac, Windows machine, or USB-C laptop and you are playing, no power supply to pack. A 5-pin MIDI Out drives external synths and drum machines, a 1/4 in jack takes a sustain pedal, and a Kensington slot secures it in a shared studio. At 21.9 in wide, 9.9 in deep, and 4.8 lb, it sits comfortably on a desk and travels easily. It also ships with a serious software bundle — Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, Novation Play, GForce heritage synths, Klevgrand effects, NI Komplete 15 Select, Orchestral Tools, and Melodics lessons — so a first-timer can install a DAW and instruments the same day, while an upgrader gets a controller that finally maps to the software they already run.