by Markkus Rovito
Today Novation announced a new Ableton Live controller called Launchpad, and DJ Tech Tools got an advance look at one of the first units available. What one might consider a poor man’s APC-40, the Launchpad ($199US) anchors itself around and 8-by-8 grid of 64 buttons for launching clips and scenes from Ableton Live’s Session view, while a Mixer mode gives you ready access to track volume, pan, Send A/B amount, mute, solo and record enable. Read on to decide if you should blast off or abort mission.
MISSION: LIVE CONTROL
The Launchpad is USB bus-powered and includes software drivers, demo Live session files and a special, limited Launchpad version of Ableton Live 8 to get you started. Of course, if you already own a full version of Ableton Live, Launchpad will work with it as well.
After installing the software and setting Launchpad as your control surface in Live, Launchpad’s pad grid in Session mode will show you the top eight clip slots of the first eight tracks in your Live Session view. If you have more tracks and clip slots in your session, use Launchpad’s directional arrow buttons to move through the software’s session view. A red rectangle in Live moves about as you scroll, showing which clips are active on the Launchpad’s grid.
The circular Play buttons on the far right of the Launchpad launch scenes in Live, and the grid buttons launch or stop individual clips. Launchpad’s buttons are backlit with green LEDs for clips that are active, yellow (amber) LEDs for clips that are available but not playing, and unlit buttons represent empty clip slots. Just like you would do with a mouse in Live, you can use the empty clip slot to stop an active clip in the same track.
BONUS MIXER
To compensate for its lack of “mixer” controls like faders and knobs, Launchpad features a mixer mode. Press it once, and the pad grid shows you four rows of green “reset” buttons representing the status indicators of the volume, pan and Send A/B effect levels for each track. The bottom four rows of buttons enable the stop, mute, solo and record enable functions for each track.
While still in mixer mode, the right-hand Play buttons take on different functions. The top four Play buttons in Mixer mode enter display mode for volume, pan, and send A/B levels. In those modes, the pad grid shows the volume levels, pan position and send amounts for each track and they can be adjusted with the buttons.
If you want to use Launchpad as a MIDI controller on other software, you can, but you must do it using Novation’s free Automap software. Most, but not all, MIDI software works fine with Automap, but it doesn’t play well with M-Audio’s Torq DJ software. That’s a bummer too, because Launchpad has two user customizable midi pages. Since Torq can ReWire to Ableton Live, Launchpad would have been a great controller to use in a Torq/Live set-up with some of Launchpad’s user pages mapped to extra Torq functions.
ON BOARD?
64 multi-colored buttons with fully integrated Ableton Live support for $199 including software. That’s a pretty compelling sell for a lot of folks who want easy access to Live without breaking the bank. Could the buttons feel better? Yes. Could the package be a little more sexy, like the Monome? Yes. Can you beat the per-button value for Ableton heads? Nope! Check back later in the month for a more comprehensive review after we put the controller through more rigorous tests and see how well it works with Traktor and other DJ software.
Ummm…… i will be to the point, i’m trying to find somthing like this for my husband and have no idea wat i’m doing, all i want to know will it be ok with any computer, do i need to also buy the pad adn software? thanks
This is nothing but a MIDI software controller. It doesn’t do anything by itself, rather it is used to control a program such as Ableton Live 8 or Traktor. These programs can be very expensive, so the controller comes with a slimmed-down version of Ableton that covers just the basics.
why does this say that Launchpad doesn’t work well with Torq?…I have it mapped for Torq and it works just fine…!!!
why does this say that Launchpad doesn’t work well with Torq?…I have it mapped for Torq and it works just fine…!!!
if you dont have one, get one.
the versatility is incredible; ignore what anyone says.
it has about the tenth of the JazzMutant Lemur, amongst programs to customize it.
if you dont have one, get one.
the versatility is incredible; ignore what anyone says.
it has about the tenth of the JazzMutant Lemur, amongst programs to customize it.
if you dont have one, get one.
the versatility is incredible; ignore what anyone says.
it has about the tenth of the JazzMutant Lemur, amongst programs to customize it.
bought an MPD26 and it has absolutly nothin on this. perfect for getting ish rockin for cheap
traktor fun with launchpad: http://www.midikatapult.com/
I have had some luck with my launchpad and making it work with traktor. I’m posting this for the purposes of knowing if anyone else can get this to work as well, and well, hopefully share some knowledge.
thanks everyone:
http://www.djtechtools.com/forum/showthread.php?p=84816#post84816
does anyone know if this thing is duplex, as in, if you make a change to say, a volume level in live, does it reflect in the control surface the same way the apc40 does? i like the idea of this, and the price kills the apc. couple it with a axiom or something else with some knobs for quicker fx changes, i reckon you’ve got a killer piece of kit.
Yo so anyone out there know how this little guy would play with a A&H Xone 4d?? Was thinking it might be a nice addition…hypothetically that is, still dont have a 4d hahaha
I own an APC40.. and I’m thinking of getting one of these.. maybe tonight.. for the easier portability.. and I have lusted over the monome.. I think mainly I’d like to do some kinda max-ish step sequencing on the fly is the thing.. and I’m trying to design a multimedia show controlled via Max so… the only thing I wish was that it be key velocity sensitive… oh, and I love how you can use multiples of these together..
@James
I got the Native Instruments Maschine.. I love it.. really impressed with the quality of the sounds and the work flow.. though it is the sorta thing where you want to see the software mature a bit.. and I think not having key velocity sensitivity while programming stuff.. with the APC40 and Launch Pad is a bit of a draw back.
But I should confess that at times I feel like a bit of a Native Instruments fan boy.
For me, I think it is the perfect addition to my axiom and mpd and also for anyone who already owns other midi controllers. Now I can finally play and record without having to worry about midi mapping scene clips to my drum pads (thank God!). I don’t know about the monome; my friend owned one and I never thought it was that great to begin with. I would actually prefer the korg zero 8 had I the cash. Really with so much midi equipment already, this is more ideal than an apc 40 (although mega tempting). I mean this and a korg nano control would be like $300! That is $100 left over I could spend on plugins instead.
Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wu7OUvK-bY
I have seen you can do live drum pattern edits and then loop etc on the LaunchPad (see Abletn site demo)… but this is a whole different bag
how d’ya do this ? and could you use this as well as clip launching ?
I was thinking of getting a Native Maschine, but this looks like I wouldn’t need to (I only need APC40) ?
Seems like a good tool for someone who just wants to get away from the mouse / keyboard. Like I might pick one up, where I wouldn’t drop $400 on an APC.
But for the guys who really play the grid, the lower price might not mean as much.
I USE A MPD 32 AND A APC 40. THIS THING IS REALLY CUTE
Hopefully it plays well with traktor.
I really would like to use it for FX selection, I dont like a rotary/pot to do it, but then you need a lot of buttons for quick selection for all 4FX units.
I’m wondering about how well traktor will be able to control the backlit pads: it would be great if I press some sort of shift knob it would be possible to query certain values/switches from traktor and light the appropriate pads (maybe even choose which color depending on the midi message or something). Possibilities would be endless.
Further I want to use it to have buttons to select for example delay length, beatmatch length, beat slicer pattern and style, … I think buttons are so much better than using a rotary/pot for this. Especially if they are backlit, so you see on the controller which length is selected 🙂
And of course for cuepoint juggling and stuff
The first thing I wondered was how much would it cost to re-house it. I am sure I am not the only person thinking that.
I would say this is a rip off for the consumer
get a behringer bcr with the knobs only $150.00
endless rotary knobs for volume adjustment and panning
buttons for clip trigger, and muting
even footswitch ports for the live performer
Not as flashy as this, but works better and cheaper.
~Nixon
The BCR 2000 is a different style of controller. Whereas the Launchpad has multiple user modes, can be used to control drum racks, toggle effects, launch clips, and adjust the mix, the BCR is simply a huge bank of endless encoders.
Haha a gear smash up video with a heap of midi controllers would be awesome 😀
Kinda a waste of resources though, but on the same hand it could prevent people buying certain equipment because its so easy to break which would save resources – tough decision really !
…
Good “stoled” concept (as idea and software included).
Crappy like (seems at first look) build construction.
Nice Price.
I still prefer my “octint” (arduinome RGB) + DIY vcm600.
Just my2cents.
…
[quote comment=””][…] the weight/plastic feel issue is an interesting one. The balance between heavy (gives the impression of solid/reliable) verses light/portable (gives the impression of cheap).
I’d love to see some one ‘TRY’ and break this unit. It as no moving parts, no power supply, no faders, knobs to break off… That’s what I call portable *and* durable… but hey what would I know…[…][/quote]
Hi Matt:
I know you know what you’re talking about here. You’re absolutely right, it would be really interesting and helpful to see exactly what it would take to break a Launchpad (hint,hint). If we felt like we had $200 to spend on the experiment, it would be a really cool video to test some real-world damage scenarios and see how the Launchpad fared, just to put any speculation to rest.
My personal feeling is that the plastic build of the Launchpad is not a huge mark against it, and you’ll just have to take the responsibility to be careful with it when transporting and gigging with it. It’s likely that you could play a lot of gigs with it without a problem.
However, there is an undeniable peace of mind, whether justified or not, that people get with gear built like the Rane TTM 57SL mixer or even the NI Maschine that makes you feel like the gear will be all right even when things outside of your own control inevitably happen. Nothing is indestructible, so it’s all just about calculating risk, the same way you would with financial investments like stocks and bonds… not as exciting as a gear smash-up video would be!
the weight/plastic feel issue is an interesting one. The balance between heavy (gives the impression of solid/reliable) verses light/portable (gives the impression of cheap).
I’d love to see some one ‘TRY’ and break this unit. It as no moving parts, no power supply, no faders, knobs to break off… That’s what I call portable *and* durable… but hey what would I know…
Guys: I am having controller overLOAD!!!
[quote comment=””][…] DJ Tech Tools got a hands-on, too.
I think the APC is Better but the Launchpad would be nice to have as well.The APC you can do Multiple things at the same time I think the Launch pad is good for travel or a small show . but if you really wanna play Ableton LIve the APC is Better.But i’m getting a Launch pad to add on to my APC for $200 u cant Lose
Categories: music Tags: ableton, Ableton Live, control-surface, hacking, Hardware, […][/quote]
I
[quote comment=”22129″] But if you’ve got the money, an APC 40 (at twice the price) is going to give you a lot more control, offering faders and knobs and a dedicated effects section. I couldn’t see using this launchpad without a separate controller for knobs and such anyway, so why not just go for the one that’s got the goodies built in? [/quote]
When we are DJing, there’s 3 of us performing at once: one on a MIDI controller doing FX sweeps etc, one on a mixer, and one triggering tunes/loops/samples etc on a laptop – so we don’t actually want an all-in-one solution. This is great, as our ‘triggerer’ can now move away from the laptop and use a proper controller.
[quote comment=””][…] DJ Tech Tools got a hands-on, too.
Categories: music Tags: ableton, Ableton Live, control-surface, hacking, Hardware, […][/quote]
I was starting to save for an APC, now I don’t know. I think the big draw on this is price, but there is something about having everything contained in the one box (i.e. the APC) that is still appealing! Plus assuming the APC is built anything like an MPC I wouldn’t have to worry as much about breakage. But I do own a nanokontrol and it did cross my mind that that could substitute sliders, faders, stop clip and/or mute/solo/record (or any combination!)
What to do?!
[quote comment=””][…] I like the concept though the mixer mode didn´t convince me. Also the build quality doesn´t look convicing. So Markkus did it feel like a solid piece of gear or is it similar as the nocturn? Is it just me or anybody else is not feeling plastic gear? […][/quote]
Good question; we didn’t get into the build quality yet. It’s definitely true that the Launchpad has the same lightweight plastic feel of the Nocturn. For some people, light and compact will be exactly what they want, but I have to admit: when Ean very lightly tossed it onto the table, I winced. If I were going to travel with it, I’d be very careful.
I know what you’re saying about plastic gear. To me, it’s certainly not ideal to be hauling around gear that you have to worry about breaking. If you want the built-like-a-tank feel, you have to pay a premium, but if you’re in this for the long haul, it’s probably worth it.
[quote comment=””][…] I feel a little sorry for monome, though Im sure they have seen it coming, time to innovate! […][/quote]
i thought that too, but another digital music blog made a good point…this probably wouldn’t deter someone who really wants a monome from getting one. those things are like the holy grail to anyone who has one. and the production of this unit is basically a huge compliment that the monome folks have been on to something special from the start.
the novation unit isn’t for me (still breaking in my apc40), but i can definitely see someone pairing this with a nanoKontrol or something for some great results.
[quote comment=””]The launchpad is pretty cool. Very cool that you can daisychain a few units too for a bigger in your face visual clip layout! I knew the Monome would see it’s day to a cheaper rival. Definately seems a bit more performance savvy but I’m still leaning toward the APC for dedicated knob, fader, efx control.[/quote]
The launchpad is pretty cool. Very cool that you can daisychain a few units too for a bigger in your face visual clip layout! I knew the Monome would see it’s day to a cheaper rival. Definately seems a bit more performance savvy but I’m still leaning toward the APC for dedicated knob, fader, efx control.
This will sell very well,
I feel a little sorry for monome, though Im sure they have seen it coming, time to innovate!
Wow companies are gone controller crazy! whats up with all the new cool gear haha. Digital DJ revolution!!
[quote comment=””]looks nice. i agree that the different colored lights is what would make it far more usuable than a standard pad controller.
also, if happen to already have a korg nanokontrol, this would be the perfect compliment :)[/quote]
I like the concept though the mixer mode didn´t convince me. Also the build quality doesn´t look convicing. So Markkus did it feel like a solid piece of gear or is it similar as the nocturn? Is it just me or anybody else is not feeling plastic gear?
looks nice. i agree that the different colored lights is what would make it far more usuable than a standard pad controller.
also, if happen to already have a korg nanokontrol, this would be the perfect compliment 🙂
Specs and looks are awesome, a must try!
[quote comment=”22129″]Sure the APC only has 40 buttons instead of 64 but its interface for moving up and down scenes is pretty snazzy.[/quote]
That’s true, since both apc and launchpad have that moving “red frame” in ableton, button count doesn’t mean much. I think a launchpad combined with bcr2000 can be a powerful ableton setup.
Really nice!
We can map it to use with a Chess Game? It would be fun to play chess in one of these 😀
nice article markkus, looking foward to the next one!
This is the kind of thing Novation does best, IMHO; this will definitely be a cool tool. But if you’ve got the money, an APC 40 (at twice the price) is going to give you a lot more control, offering faders and knobs and a dedicated effects section. I couldn’t see using this launchpad without a separate controller for knobs and such anyway, so why not just go for the one that’s got the goodies built in? Sure the APC only has 40 buttons instead of 64 but its interface for moving up and down scenes is pretty snazzy.
So basically it’s an apc40, without knobs and faders, and a cheap substitute for monome. Well done Novation, well done)))
yeah this thing looks REALLY cool… I love the low budget idea compared to the monome… Looking forward to the in-depth review coming soon!!
I think the coolest thing about this guy is the multi-colored pads. So many possibilities.
[quote comment=””]MUST HAVE. *drool*[/quote]
cool
MUST HAVE. *drool*
Kinda tempted to get one of these actually, i need a controller for clip management in Ableton live reeeeaaaaaaly badly. I love the low profile size of the unit because it makes for well easy storage and as we all know when you doing traveling with your gear storage space is a premium. My bag of gear going to Bali was stretching it big time – i am lucky they never weighed my carry on luggage because it was WELL over the limit haha.
hm interesting trying to be like monome?
a little different concept but i say for the price y not? ;]