Novation FLkey 49 MK2 review

The current US FLkey 49 is Novation's second-generation 49-note controller for an FL Studio-centered setup. Its exact US product record identifies SKU/MPN NOVFLK49MK2; current support names its documentation FLkey 2 49. This review evaluates the published configuration and operating instructions, not a unit used or tested by the author.

Four octaves, with a specific keybed and control surface

The 49-key layout is the middle range between compact 25/37-key controllers and the five-octave FLkey 61. Novation describes the keys as full-size and semi-weighted; its current family comparison calls the 49- and 61-note beds waterfall-style. That tells a shopper how the manufacturer classifies the mechanism, not how its force or travel will feel to an individual player. The inspected product page and guide do not establish keyboard-key aftertouch. Someone who relies on wide voicings or simultaneous bass and treble may prefer the 61, while a producer recording parts separately may decide four octaves are enough. Range does not imply piano-weighted action or sound generation.

Its layout pairs those keys with pitch and modulation wheels, 16 RGB pads, eight endless encoders, nine faders with buttons, and a 128-by-64 monochrome OLED. Novation maps the surface to FL Studio's Channel Rack, mixer, plugins, transport and pattern workflows. The pad grid can trigger sounds or patterns, while faders and encoders offer hands-on control of software parameters. These are distinct tasks: more controls do not make a keyboard better if the mapping does not match a user's session, and a pad does not include a drum instrument.

Pad pressure is not keyboard aftertouch

The current FLkey 2 family documentation describes pressure-sensitive pads using polyphonic aftertouch, with support depending on the DAW and plugin. The exact 49-key guide describes 16 velocity-sensitive aftertouch-enabled pads. That is useful for expressive pad gestures, but it should not be read as pressure response from the piano-style keys. If the required expression is keyboard aftertouch, the manufacturer materials reviewed here do not establish it for this model. A receiving plugin must also interpret the pad message for the gesture to matter.

Novation also lists Scale mode, several chord modes and an arpeggiator with a step editor. These are ways to shape MIDI note input, not a substitute for a host instrument. The OLED gives feedback about the selected mode or parameter; the controller's reviewed specifications list no onboard sound engine or audio output. Plan the software instrument or external synthesizer and an independent monitoring route.

Direct hardware MIDI and USB-C can coexist

For a computer-based rig, the documented plan combines the USB-C host connection and USB bus power with a separate five-pin DIN MIDI Out to external gear. The box list names a 1.5-metre USB-C-to-A cable. A USB-C-only computer may need a different cable or a suitable adapter; verify the connector and host requirements rather than assuming the supplied lead fits every port. MIDI Out carries notes and control data, not sound or power for the receiving synthesizer.

The version-5 English guide also describes using the DIN output with or without a computer. In a computer-free arrangement the FLkey itself still needs a standard USB supply rated 5 V DC and at least 500 mA. The external instrument needs its own power and audio connection. A 6.35 mm sustain input is present; the guide warns that the signal may need to be assigned in the receiving plugin and does not support sostenuto, soft or volume pedals. Check the pedal's function as well as the plug size.

FL Studio integration, and the HUI fallback

The central choice is software workflow. The current US product page lists custom scripts for FL Studio 26.1.1 or later and says other DAWs can use Mackie HUI. The v5 guide describes its FL Studio setup with version 25 or later, so the current product-page requirement is the safer version check; software specifications can change as host releases evolve. HUI is a control protocol rather than the same dedicated FL Studio script layer, and the manual notes that setup in many DAWs requires configuration. Before purchase, check the exact version, operating system, host ports and control actions needed. The manufacturer's current bundle page also describes software offers; registration, eligibility and license terms are separate from the hardware facts here.

A published body width that needs extra room

Novation publishes a body width of 730 mm (28.74 inches), depth of 263.5 mm (10.37 inches), and height of 93 mm (3.66 inches). The listed mass is 4.08 kg (9.00 lb). The 28.74-inch width crosses the finder's quarter-inch screen at 28.75 inches; that one-hundredth-inch numerical margin is not a workable installation allowance. Add space for the USB and DIN plugs, cable bends, hands, nearby controls and the sustain lead. Check both the desk opening and the supporting surface; the published body dimensions are not a stand-fit guarantee.

Compared with the FLkey 61, the 49 saves 6.50 inches of width and 1.54 pounds while retaining the same listed control count and the semi-weighted family keybed. The 61 adds twelve notes, useful when the extra octave reduces range changes during a part, but its 35.24-inch body is materially wider. The 37-key FLkey is a smaller, full-size synth-action option with fewer notes and no nine-fader bank. Those differences make the 49 a more specific choice than a generic “best MIDI keyboard” claim: it suits a four-octave FL Studio control plan with direct hardware MIDI when the desk can spare nearly 29 inches, but the exact host, footprint and expression details still need checking.

Novation US FLkey 49 product page · FLkey 2 49 downloads and English guide · Novation FLkey range comparison.