Novation 61 SL MkIII - First Look

Novation Product Specialist Enrique Martinez gives ADSR a first look and overview of their new Novation 61 SL MkIII Keyboard controller.

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MIDI and CV-equipped keyboard controller with eight-track sequencer

Novation today announces the next generation of SL keyboard controllers. SL MkIII is far from your typical keyboard controller. It’s an all sequencing, all dancing hub for all of your music-making tools. A centrepiece to connect, control and create with your entire setup. Computer or not. Create quickly and easily with your MIDI hardware and CV/Gate synths. Build your tracks in the eight-track polyphonic sequencer: everything in time; everything in key; every control at your fingertips.

Novation worked with Ableton® to create an unprecedented integration with Live™. SL MkIII truly pulls your sessions out of the box. The full colour LCD screens give you full visibility of your parameters, while the pads, buttons, eight faders and eight knobs get you hands-on with your music – and in any major music software, using InControl. Deep integrations with Logic® and Reason – plus HUI compatibility with Cubase, Pro Tools® and Reason – mean SL MkIII can follow you away from Ableton®, too.

SL MkIII boasts Novation’s finest, most playable and expressive synth-style semi-weighted keybed, with a sprung action and Novation’s highest scan rate, all tuned to the needs of the experienced player.

Key features

Absolute hardware control, taking total control directly from the internal eight-track polyphonic pattern-based sequencer
Easy integration with Ableton® Live™ or any other HUI-compatible DAW. Controlling software is made easy by recording productions from a studio centrepiece
Whether in the box or outside the box, the MIDI and analogue clock and transport controls keep everything running in time
Highly customisable mappings for hardware and software easily control everything
USB; MIDI In, Out, Out 2/Thru; three pedal inputs; Analogue Clock Out; and two CV Pitch, Gate, and Mod outputs can be used to route anything anywhere
SL MkIII’s pads, buttons, eight faders and eight knobs take control of all major music software using InControl
The SL MkIII has an exceptionally high scan rate of 10kHz, giving the keyboard a huge dynamic range for expressive keyboard performance
SL MkIII’s velocity-sensitive RGB pads have multiple functions: they can be used for launching clips, as steps in the sequencer, they are perfect for the finger drummer, and have polyphonic aftertouch
Components allows templates and sessions to be backed up and restored in the cloud, enabling access from anywhere in the world. All content can also be saved locally