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Notes: The Mutant Hot Glue is a versatile bus mixer for analogue effects chain design. The included analogue compressor offers series or parallel compression and a sidechain input, making it particularly well suited to drum processing. The voltage controlled distortion is based on ideas borrowed from the guitar pedals responsible for a lot of yesterday's acid style techno sounds, but improved over the guitar equivalents, and made specifically for synthesizer and drum processing. The distortion can be used in its default position, normalized to the effects send, or like every other part of the module, broken out and used elsewhere in your modular system.

Features

4 Channel Mixer with Effects Send

4 input channels, each with their own level and effects send control
Channel A mixer bypass switch and dedicated output for easy sidechain compression
Channel B is dual input, but shares level/send controls (for dual output modules, like the Mutant Hihats)
Channel C+D summed output
Main mixer output normalized to compressor input

Hi-Fidelity Analogue Compressor

Soft-knee compressor based on the same family of premium audio ICs used in some 500 Series studio gear
Dedicated threshold and compression ratio controls
Gain control dials in up to +40dB of compressor make-up gain
Compressor sidechain input for creating pumping effects
LED indicator actively displays the amount of compressor gain reduction

Voltage Controlled Analogue Distortion

A classic distortion topology reborn for modular analogue synthesizers and drum processing
In/Outputs are conveniently normalized to the module's send and return jacks
Blend control lets you adjust the mix of distorted and clean input signal
Fast responding CV input allows for complex modulation patterns and even modulating with audio signals

By default, the 4 channel mixer's output conveniently feeds into the compressor's input, giving access to easy New York style parallel compression by way of the compressor blend control. The dedicated output and mixer bypass switch for channel A allow you to use it as a sidechain source for the compressor. An effects send and return allow you to create complex effects routings within your modular system. With the number of excellent DSP and other effects modules on the market today, this makes it easy to combine modules to great effect, all within the eurorack modular domain.

Redesigned by Erica Synths in close collaboration with Hexinverter. Minor alterations were made in mechanical assembly and digital controls to address Erica synths manufacturing routines and chip shortages, but the analogue signal path is 100% identical to the original version.

In September 2022 Stacy Gaudreau - the founder of Hexinverter Electronique, announced closing down the operations. Following their announcement, Erica Synths in cooperation with Hexinverter Electronique saw a way for their incredible and truly unique music instruments to keep on inspiring musicians and finding a home in countless studios to come.
The effort and innovation incorporated in Hexinverter Electronique eurorack modules are far too great to prematurely become history. Erica Synths will take over the manufacturing, sales, and support of several Hexinverter Electronique modules. While retaining all functionality of Hexinverter Electronique modules, Erica Synths redesigned the hardware of modules and will provide support for reissue modules only.

Technical specifications

Width: 24HP | Depth: 30mm
Current draw: +70mA, -70mA @ 12V

Notes: Control your DAW, play with MIDI hardware, and get hands-on with your own style of music-making with KeyLab Essential mk3 88. This full-range keyboard controller removes barriers and makes creativity simple, with expressive semi-weighted keys, idea-sparking creative functions, and the most inspiring music software included as standard.

The streamlined piano range keyboard

Expand your musical horizons with a semi-weighted 88-note keyboard that removes barriers and makes your creative life easier. From studio to stage, DAW to MIDI hardware, KeyLab Essential 88 mk3 keeps things simple so you can focus on your music with full piano-range expressivity.

Your essential ingredients for creativity

KeyLab Essential provides an array of useful & intuitive controls that'll get the job done. Enjoy a comfy keybed, tactile faders/encoders/pads, and thoughtful layout that'll make sense for your setup. Enjoy a hands-on instrument experience balanced with software flexibility.

The best DAW integration

Get creative right out the box with KeyLab Essential's custom DAW scripts, bringing pre-mapped controls into your workflow with any major DAW. Not only that, but the KeyLab Essential controls work seamlessly with Analog Lab V, the included sound anthology plugin - letting you freely explore thousands of sounds, old and new.

Your musical workhorse

For when you want to get experimental, find a new sound, or just need a bit of extra inspiration, KeyLab Essential has a few tricks up its sleeve. Create fun ever-changing melodies with the Arpeggiator, weave rich chord voicings with Chord play, and always stay in key thanks to Scale mode.

What's new compared to the previous version?

A bigger display with 4 contextual buttons
5 dedicated DAW scripts, plus MCU & HUI protocols, for controlling any DAW
Enhanced integration with Arturia Software
Creative features: Scale mode, Chord Play, Arpeggiator (with presets), Hold function
2 Pad Banks (for finger drumming, clip launching, or User configuration)
Bigger software bundle (Analog Lab V, Ableton Live Lite, NI The Gentleman, UVI
Model D, Loopcloud & Melodics)
Multi-purpose pedal input (Sustain, Footswitch or Expression)
USB-C
Eco-designed

Premium Keybed quality
88-note velocity-sensitive semi-weighted keyboard

Pads & controls
1 clickable encoder
9 rotary encoders
9 x 30mm faders
8 transport switches
4 command switches
1 modulation wheel & bend wheel
8 touch & pressure-sensitive pads

Display control
2.5" LCD display with contextual buttons
Real-time feedback on tweaks and controls

Smart features
Multi-mode arpeggiator
Chord mode
Scale mode
Hold function
Semitone transpose

Software integration
Seamless integration with Analog Lab Pro and V Collection: select sounds, browse presets, smart-assigned controls
Custom DAW scripts for FL Studio, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Cubase, Bitwig Studio
Also compatible with MCU/HUI control
Up to 6 user presets for a totally customizable experience

Included Software titles & services
Analog Lab Pro software with 2000+ sounds
Ableton Live Lite
Native Instruments' The Gentleman
UVI Model D
2-month Loopcloud subscription
Melodics subscription for 40 lessons

Connectivity
USB-C connects to computers and MIDI Control Center
MIDI 5-pin DIN output for connection to external instruments, gear
Control input for pedal: sustain, expression, or footswitch
USB-C powered

Platform specifications

Windows
Win 10+ (64bit)
4 GB RAM
4 cores CPU, 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo-boost)
3GB free hard disk space
OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU
ARM processors not supported on Windows

Apple
Mac OS 11+
4 GB RAM
4 cores CPU, 3.4 GHz (4.0 GHz Turbo-boost) or M1 CPU
3GB free hard disk space
OpenGL 2.0 compatible GPU

Required configuration

Works in Standalone, VST, AAX, Audio Unit, NKS (64-bit DAWs only).

Work with ASC

An elegant and simple solution to help you install, activate, and update your Arturia software instruments.

Box content

KeyLab Essential Unit
USB-A to USB-C cable
Registration card

Dimensions

Size : 49.53 x 10.04 x 2.63 inches (1258 x 255 x 66.8mm)
Weight : 18.08 lbs. (8.2 Kg)


Included Software

You'll also get 6 titles giving you everything you need to make music your own way - here's

What's included:

Analog Lab V software with 2000 synth & keyboard sounds
Ableton Live Lite
UVI Model D & Native Instruments The Gentleman pianos
Loopcloud subscription
Melodics subscription

Box content

Quick Start
Registration card
USB Cable (C/A)

Notes: Dark Light is a dual reverb featuring both Dark Star and Sunlight. With all the routing options you could want, including separate stereo, parallel mono, and series mono, Dark Light takes Dark Star’s dark pitch shifted, delayed, and bit crushed reverb voices and Sunlight’s bright modulated, comb filtered, and bandpassed reverb voices and combines them into one massive sound to take your time and drift away in. Each pedal maintains its core sound and control set, then expands from there.

Additional Controls

Wet and Dry volumes for each side (replacing the previous Mix control)

Spread to set the stereo spread, allowing Dark Star and Sunlight to blend into each other’s outputs

Hold switch to create indefinite reverb trails while the pedal is engaged

Hold toggle to choose between holding Dark Star, Sunlight, or both

Exp jack to control any combination of Ctrl 1, Ctrl 2, Decay, Decay, Rate, Depth, or Input with an external expression controller

Independent In and Out routing for each pedal, with automatic parallel mono when plugging into only one

Soft-touch Bypass footswitches for true bypass and minimal switch noise

Requires 9V DC center negative 2.1mm jack power supply capable of 150mA (not included).

The art of Dark Light is by Jon Carling.