Arturia MiniLab 3 Crash Course

Your MiniLab 3 is sitting on your desk. Let's get sound coming out of it in the next five minutes.

Connecting Your MiniLab 3

Plug the USB-C cable into the back of the MiniLab 3 and into your computer. That's it. No power adapter needed - it runs entirely on USB power.

The rear panel has four connections:

1. USB-C port - Power and MIDI data to your computer
2. MIDI Out - 5-pin DIN connector for hardware synths
3. Pedal Input - 1/4" TRS jack for sustain or expression pedals
4. Kensington Lock - Security slot for theft prevention

Mac users don't need any drivers. Windows users will have drivers installed automatically when you install MIDI Control Center.

When connected, the MiniLab 3 powers on immediately. The pads light up, the OLED display activates, and you're ready.

Launching Analog Lab Intro

Open Analog Lab Intro. If this is your first time, you'll need to authorize it through the Arturia Software Center.

Once it's open, you'll see the main browser with thousands of presets ready to play.

If your MiniLab 3 is connected, Analog Lab detects it automatically. You'll see "MiniLab 3" recognized in the MIDI settings, and the Controls panel at the bottom shows a graphic of your keyboard.

Playing Your First Preset

Click any preset in the browser. Try something from the "Pads" category - they sound great immediately.

Now play the keys.

That's it. You're making music.

The keys are velocity-sensitive. Press gently for soft sounds. Press harder for louder, brighter tones. This isn't just volume - many presets respond to velocity by changing the character of the sound.

Understanding the Display

The OLED display shows you what's happening at all times:

• When you load a preset, you'll see its name and category
• When you move a knob or fader, the display shows the control name and its current value
• When you hit a pad, the display shows your velocity

This feedback helps you understand exactly what your MiniLab 3 is sending without looking at your computer screen.

Most MIDI keyboards have pitch bend and modulation wheels. Your MiniLab 3 has something different - low-profile touch strips. They take a moment to get used to, but they're fast and expressive once you understand how they work.

The Pitch Strip

The left strip controls pitch bend. Slide your finger up to bend the pitch higher. Slide down to bend lower.

Here's the key difference from a wheel: the pitch strip is spring-loaded. When you lift your finger, it snaps back to center automatically. You don't have to manually return it to zero.

Try this: Load a lead sound in Analog Lab, play a note, and slide up on the pitch strip.

The bend range depends on the preset. Some bend a whole octave. Others bend just a semitone or two. This is set in the instrument, not the MiniLab 3.

The Mod Strip

The right strip controls modulation. This is MIDI CC 1 - the standard modulation controller that almost every synth responds to.

Unlike the pitch strip, the mod strip stays where you leave it. Slide up to increase modulation, lift your finger, and the value holds. Slide back down to zero when you're done.

What modulation actually does depends on the preset. Common uses:

• Adding vibrato to a lead sound
• Opening a filter on a pad
• Increasing intensity or movement
• Crossfading between layers

Try this: Load a pad sound, play a chord, and slowly slide up on the mod strip. Hear how the sound opens up and evolves? That's modulation at work.

Using Both Together

For expressive playing, use both strips at once. Pitch bends add human feel to melodic lines. Modulation adds movement and life to sustained notes.

Analog Lab has thousands of presets. Finding the right one used to mean clicking through menus with your mouse. With MiniLab 3, you can browse entirely from the hardware.

The Main Encoder

The large black knob below the display is the main encoder. It clicks when you turn it (detented) and it's also a button you can press.

With Analog Lab open and focused:

• Turn the encoder to scroll through presets
• Press the encoder to load the selected preset
• Long-press the encoder to "like" the current preset (adds a heart icon)

Browsing by Type

Scrolling through thousands of presets isn't practical. You need to filter by category.

Hold Shift and turn the main encoder. Now you're browsing Types - the main categories like Keys, Pads, Bass, Lead, Strings, Brass, and more.

When you find a Type you want:

1. Press the encoder (while still holding Shift) to select that Type
2. Release Shift
3. Turn the encoder to scroll through only presets in that Type

Sub-Types

Within each Type, there are Sub-Types. For example, within "Pads" you might find "Ambient," "Warm," "Digital," etc.

After selecting a Type, keep holding Shift and turn the encoder to browse Sub-Types. Press to select one.

To go back up a level, scroll to "Back" (usually the first item) and click.

The eight knobs and four faders on your MiniLab 3 aren't just generic MIDI controllers. In Analog Lab, each one has a specific purpose.

Knobs 1-4: The Macros

The first four knobs control Analog Lab's Macros. These are preset-specific controls that affect multiple parameters at once.

The exact effect depends on how the preset was programmed. Some presets use all four macros. Others might only use one or two.

Try this: Load any preset and turn Knob 1 (Brightness) slowly from minimum to maximum. Hear how dramatically the sound changes? That's the power of macros - one knob controlling many parameters.

Knobs 5-8: Effects

The second row of knobs controls Analog Lab's effects.

Try this: Load a dry piano preset and turn up Knob 8 (Reverb).

Faders 1-4: EQ and Volume

The four faders control the master output.

These are global - they affect everything coming out of Analog Lab, not just the current preset.

The EQ faders are centered by default. Push up to boost, pull down to cut.

The eight RGB pads on your MiniLab 3 are velocity-sensitive, pressure-sensitive, and organized into two banks - giving you 16 pads total.

Playing the Pads

By default, the pads send MIDI notes on channel 10 - the standard drum channel. Each pad triggers a different note.

These correspond to kick, snare, hi-hats, and other drum sounds in General MIDI drum kits.

Load a drum preset in Analog Lab and hit the pads.

Velocity Sensitivity

The pads respond to how hard you hit them. Light taps produce quiet notes. Hard hits produce loud, punchy sounds. The display shows your velocity value when you hit a pad.

Aftertouch (Pressure)

Here's something special: the pads sense pressure after you've hit them. Press harder on a pad you're already holding, and it sends aftertouch data.

What aftertouch does depends on the preset. Common uses:

• Adding vibrato
• Opening a filter
• Increasing volume
• Triggering additional sounds

Try this with a pad preset: Hit a pad and hold it, then press harder.

Switching Banks

To access the other 8 pads, hold Shift and press Pad 2. The display shows "Bank B."

Press Shift + Pad 2 again to return to Bank A.

Shift Functions

When you hold Shift, the pads change color and take on special functions:

We'll use most of these in later lessons.

Your MiniLab 3 has 25 keys - two octaves plus one note. That's enough for most playing, but sometimes you need to reach higher or lower. And if you have a sustain pedal, this lesson shows you how to connect it.

Octave Shift

The Oct- and Oct+ buttons shift the entire keyboard up or down by octaves.

Press Oct+ once. The button lights up white. Now your keyboard plays one octave higher than normal.

Press Oct+ again. Now you're two octaves up.

You can shift up to 4 octaves in either direction. The display shows your current octave offset.

To reset to normal, press both Oct- and Oct+ at the same time.

Transpose

Sometimes you need to shift by semitones, not octaves - maybe to play in a different key without changing your fingering.

Hold Shift and press Oct+ or Oct-. Each press shifts by one semitone.

When transposed, the octave button turns blue instead of white.

If you've shifted both octaves and semitones, the button blinks between white and blue.

To reset transpose only, hold Shift and press both octave buttons together.

MIDI Channel Selection

Your MiniLab 3 can send on any of the 16 MIDI channels. By default, it sends on channel 1.

To change the channel: Hold Shift and press a key on the keyboard. The first 16 keys (F to G# in the second octave) select channels 1-16.

This is useful when:

• You have multiple instruments loaded and want to play a specific one
• You're controlling hardware that listens on a specific channel
• You want the pads and keys to trigger different instruments

Connecting a Pedal

The pedal input on the back accepts three types of pedals:

• Sustain pedal - The most common. Hold notes without keeping your fingers on the keys.
• Footswitch - A simple on/off switch that can send any MIDI CC.
• Expression pedal - A continuous controller (like a volume pedal) that sends a range of values.

Plug your pedal in and it should work immediately. If the polarity is reversed (sustain is on when you lift your foot), you can flip it in MIDI Control Center.

We'll cover pedal configuration in detail in Lesson 11.

An arpeggiator takes the notes you hold and plays them back as a pattern. Instead of pressing each note individually, you hold a chord and the arpeggiator does the work.

Your MiniLab 3 has a full-featured arpeggiator built in - no software required.

Turning the Arpeggiator On

Hold Shift and press Pad 1. The display confirms "Arp On."

When the arpeggiator is active, a small icon (four dots) appears in the corner of the display.

Now hold a chord on the keyboard. The arpeggiator plays each note in sequence. Release the chord and it stops.

To turn it off, press Shift + Pad 1 again.

Arpeggiator Edit Mode

To change how the arpeggiator behaves, enter Arp Edit mode: Hold Shift and long-press Pad 1 (hold it for about a second).

Now all eight knobs control arpeggiator parameters:

To exit Arp Edit mode, hold Shift and briefly press Pad 1.

Arpeggiator Parameters

Mode - The order notes are played:

• Up - Ascending order
• Down - Descending order
• Inc (Inclusive) - Up then down, repeating high and low notes
• Exc (Exclusive) - Up then down, not repeating high and low notes
• Rand - Random order
• Order - The order you pressed the keys

Division - The rhythmic value of each note: 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32. Add "T" for triplets.

Swing - Adds a shuffled, "behind the beat" feel. 50% is straight. 67% is full swing.

Gate - How long each note plays. Lower values = short, staccato. Higher values = longer, more legato.

Rate - Tempo in BPM when using internal clock.

Sync - Clock source: Int (internal tempo) or Ext (sync to your DAW).

Octave - How many octaves the pattern spans (0-3). At 0, it plays only the notes you hold. At 2, it plays those notes plus one and two octaves up.

Tap Tempo

When using internal sync, you can tap in the tempo manually.

Hold Shift and tap Pad 8 at least four times at your desired tempo. The more taps, the more accurate.

Hold and Chord are two features that let you create evolving textures without keeping your fingers on the keys. Combined with the arpeggiator, they're incredibly powerful for ambient music, pads, and live performance.

Hold Mode

Press the Hold button. It lights up, and the display confirms "Hold Mode ON."

Now play some notes and release them. They keep sustaining.

Play new notes. The old notes stop and the new notes sustain.

This is different from a sustain pedal. With a pedal, every note you play keeps ringing until you lift the pedal. With Hold, only the most recent notes sustain.

Press Hold again to turn it off. Any sustained notes stop.

Chord Mode

Chord mode memorizes a chord shape and lets you play it from a single key, transposed across the keyboard.

To turn Chord mode on or off: Hold Shift and press the Hold button.

But first, you need to create a chord.

Creating a Chord

1. Hold Shift
2. Press and hold the Hold button
3. Play the notes of your chord on the keyboard (one at a time or all together)
4. Release Shift and Hold

The display shows "Creating Chord" while you're inputting notes. When you release, Chord mode is automatically enabled.

Now play any single key. You'll hear your entire chord, transposed to that root note.

The chord stays memorized even when you turn Chord mode off or power down the MiniLab 3. To create a new chord, repeat the process.

Tip: Play the root note of your chord first. This ensures the chord transposes the way you expect.

Combining Hold, Chord, and Arp

Here's where things get magical. Turn on all three:

1. Create a chord (Shift + hold Hold + play notes)
2. Turn on Hold (press Hold button)
3. Turn on Arpeggiator (Shift + Pad 1)

Now play a single key and let go.

The arpeggiator plays your chord in a pattern. Hold keeps it going after you release. You can tap different keys to change the root note, freeing your hands to adjust knobs, play another instrument, or just enjoy the sound.

This is how producers create evolving ambient textures with minimal effort.

Your MiniLab 3 comes with Ableton Live Lite - a powerful DAW that's tightly integrated with the hardware. This lesson covers setting it up and recording your first musical idea.

Installing and Authorizing Live Lite

If you haven't already:

1. Register your MiniLab 3 at arturia.com
2. Find your Ableton Live Lite serial in your account
3. Download Live Lite from ableton.com
4. Authorize it using the serial

Setting Up MiniLab 3 in Live

Open Ableton Live Lite. Go to Preferences (Cmd+, on Mac, Ctrl+, on Windows) and click the Link/Tempo/MIDI tab.

You'll see three MiniLab 3 entries:

• MiniLab 3 MIDI - The main MIDI port. Turn on "Track" and "Remote."
• MiniLab 3 DIN Thru - For passing MIDI to hardware via the 5-pin output.
• MiniLab 3 MCU - Leave this off unless using Mackie Control mode.

Close Preferences.

Loading Analog Lab as a Plugin

In Live's browser, find Plugins > Arturia > Analog Lab.

Drag Analog Lab onto a MIDI track. It loads and you can play it immediately.

Selecting DAW Mode

On your MiniLab 3, hold Shift and press Pad 3 until the display shows "DAW."

In DAW mode, MiniLab 3 automatically recognizes Ableton Live and maps the transport controls.

Transport Controls

While holding Shift, the pads control your DAW:

Try it: Hold Shift and press Pad 6 to start playback. Press Pad 5 to stop.

Recording Your First Clip

1. Arm your Analog Lab track by clicking the Arm button
2. Hold Shift and press Pad 7 (Record)
3. Play something on the keyboard
4. Hold Shift and press Pad 5 (Stop) when you're done

You've recorded your first MIDI clip.

Recording Knob Automation

Want to record those knob movements too?

1. In Live, click the Automation Arm button (next to the transport)
2. Arm your track
3. Start recording
4. Play notes AND move knobs
5. Stop recording

Now when you play back, the knob movements are reproduced automatically.

External Sync

If you're using MiniLab 3's arpeggiator and want it to sync to Live's tempo:

1. In Arp Edit mode, set Sync to Ext
2. In Live's MIDI preferences, enable Sync output for MiniLab 3 MIDI

Now the arpeggiator follows Live's tempo, even when you change it.

Your MiniLab 3 isn't limited to software. It has a 5-pin MIDI output that can control any hardware synthesizer, drum machine, or module.

What You Need

• MiniLab 3
• A standard 5-pin MIDI cable
• A hardware synth with MIDI input

Connecting

1. Connect a MIDI cable from MiniLab 3's MIDI Out to your synth's MIDI In
2. Power on both devices
3. Set your hardware synth to receive on MIDI channel 1 (or match the channel MiniLab 3 is sending on)

That's it. Play the MiniLab 3 keys and you should hear your hardware synth.

No Computer Required

Here's the best part: you don't need a computer at all. The MiniLab 3 can run on USB power from a phone charger, battery pack, or powered USB hub.

This makes it a genuinely portable controller for hardware setups.

Using Touch Strips with Hardware

The pitch and mod strips send standard MIDI data (pitch bend and CC 1). Most hardware synths respond to these by default.

Using the Arpeggiator with Hardware

The arpeggiator works over 5-pin MIDI too. Turn it on (Shift + Pad 1), hold a chord, and your hardware synth plays the pattern.

If your hardware has its own sequencer or arpeggiator, you might want to sync them. Set MiniLab 3's arp to Ext sync and send MIDI clock from your hardware (if it supports being a clock master).

MIDI Channels

By default, MiniLab 3 sends on channel 1. If your hardware listens on a different channel:

Hold Shift and press a key to select channels 1-16.

Or if you want the pads to trigger one synth (on channel 10 for drums) while the keys trigger another (on channel 1), you can set this up in MIDI Control Center.

MIDI Thru

If you're using software on your computer at the same time, you can use MiniLab 3's DIN Thru port in your DAW's MIDI settings. This passes MIDI from your computer out through the 5-pin connector - useful for sequencing hardware from your DAW.

MIDI Control Center is Arturia's software for customizing your MiniLab 3. You can change what every knob, fader, pad, and strip sends - then save your custom setups and recall them from the hardware.

Installing and Connecting

Download MIDI Control Center from arturia.com/downloads. Install it and launch it.

With your MiniLab 3 connected, it appears automatically in the device list.

Templates vs Device Memories

Templates live on your computer. You can have as many as you want.

Device Memories live in your MiniLab 3. There are five slots (User 1-5).

The workflow: Create and edit Templates on your computer, then transfer them to Device Memories when you want to use them on the hardware.

Editing a Template

Click any control in the graphical display of MiniLab 3. It highlights in red and shows editable parameters below.

For knobs and faders:

• MIDI Channel (1-16 or "Keyboard" to follow the global channel)
• CC number
• Min/Max values
• Output type (CC or NRPN)

For pads:

• MIDI Channel
• Mode: Note, CC, Mackie (transport), or Program Change
• Note number and velocity (for Note mode)
• Color

For touch strips:

• MIDI Channel
• CC number (mod strip only; pitch strip always sends pitch bend)
• Range

Saving to Device Memory

When your template is ready:

1. Drag it from the Template list onto a Device Memory slot

OR:

1. Select the Template
2. Select the destination Device Memory
3. Click "Store To"

A progress bar shows the transfer. Your custom mapping is now stored in the MiniLab 3.

Recalling User Programs

On the MiniLab 3, hold Shift and press Pad 3 repeatedly. You'll cycle through:

• ARTURIA (Analog Lab control)
• DAW (transport and DAW-specific features)
• User1, User2, etc. (your custom mappings)

Velocity Curves

In the Device Settings tab, you can customize how the keyboard and pads respond to your playing.

Options:

• Linear - Even response across the range
• Exponential - Harder to reach high velocities
• Logarithmic - Easier to reach high velocities
• Fixed - Always sends the same velocity regardless of how hard you play

You can set different curves for the keyboard, pads, and pad aftertouch.

Pedal Configuration

Also in Device Settings, configure your pedal input:

Pedal types:

• Sustain - Standard sustain pedal (CC 64)
• Footswitch - On/off switch sending any CC
• Expression - Continuous pedal sending CC 11
• Control - Continuous pedal sending any CC

If your pedal works backwards, flip the Polarity setting.

Other Global Settings

• Vegas Mode - The colorful screensaver that activates when idle. Set the delay (5, 15, or 30 minutes) or turn it off.
• Backlight - Turn pad/button lighting on or off.
• Pitchbend Settings - Standard (spring return) or Hold (stays where you leave it).
• Low Power Mode - Dims lights for battery/iPad use.
• Knob Acceleration - How fast values change when you turn knobs quickly.

Time to put everything together. In this lesson, you'll build a complete 60-second musical sketch using everything you've learned.

The Plan

We're going to create:

1. An ambient pad foundation using Chord + Arp + Hold
2. A bass line using the keyboard shifted down
3. A drum pattern using the pads
4. Knob automation for movement

All recorded in Ableton Live Lite.

Setting Up the Session

1. Open Ableton Live Lite
2. Create four MIDI tracks:
   • Track 1: Analog Lab (pad sound)
   • Track 2: Analog Lab (bass sound)
   • Track 3: Analog Lab (drum kit)
   • Track 4: The Gentleman or UVI Model D (piano, optional)

Set your tempo (try 85 BPM for something ambient, or 120 BPM for something more energetic).

Part 1: The Pad Foundation

1. Select Track 1 (pad sound)
2. On MiniLab 3, create a chord (Shift + hold Hold + play a nice 4-note chord)
3. Turn on Hold (press Hold)
4. Turn on Arpeggiator (Shift + Pad 1)
5. In Arp Edit mode, set:
   • Mode: Up
   • Division: 1/8
   • Gate: 75%
   • Octave: 1
   • Sync: Ext
6. Arm the track and record 8 bars of evolving pad by playing different root notes

Part 2: The Bass Line

1. Select Track 2 (bass sound)
2. Turn off Arpeggiator (Shift + Pad 1)
3. Turn off Hold and Chord (press Hold, then Shift + Hold if needed)
4. Press Oct- twice to shift down two octaves
5. Arm the track and record a simple bass line that follows your chord roots

Part 3: The Drums

1. Select Track 3 (drum kit)
2. Reset octave (press Oct- and Oct+ together)
3. The pads should now trigger drum sounds
4. Arm the track and record a simple pattern using Bank A
5. Optionally switch to Bank B (Shift + Pad 2) for additional sounds

Part 4: Knob Automation

1. Go back to Track 1 (pad)
2. Enable automation recording in Ableton
3. Play back your session
4. During playback, slowly move Knob 1 (Brightness) and Knob 8 (Reverb)
5. Stop and play back - the knob movements are recorded

Part 5: Polish (Optional)

Add a piano part using The Gentleman or UVI Model D for a different texture:

1. Load the piano on Track 4
2. Record a simple melodic phrase or chords

Adjust the faders on each track to balance the mix.

What You've Used

In one session, you've used:

• Chord mode
• Hold mode
• The arpeggiator with external sync
• Octave shift
• The pads for drums
• Knobs for sound shaping
• Knob automation
• DAW transport controls
• Multiple instances of Analog Lab
• The bundled piano instruments

That's your MiniLab 3 working at full capacity.

Button Combinations

Default Control Assignments (Analog Lab)

Factory Reset

To reset your MiniLab 3 to factory settings:

1. Unplug the USB cable
2. Hold Oct- and Oct+ together
3. Plug the USB cable back in
4. Keep holding until the pads light up

Warning: This erases all User Programs and Device Settings.

Vegas Mode

Your MiniLab 3 enters a colorful light show after being idle. This is called Vegas Mode.

To change the delay or disable it: Open MIDI Control Center > Device Settings > Vegas Mode.

Options: 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or Off.