Novation LaunchPad – operation test
At present there are many MIDI controllers intended for operation with Ableton Live, and Novation LaunchPad is one of them. Here are an operation test and a demonstration video of this product.
There are LaunchPad, USB cable, start-guide and DVD with drivers and Ableton Live version specially developed for this controller in the box. The hardware is very light and easy to carry. It has 4 big anti-skid rubber feet which guarantee stable position on a surface and allow to avoid inconveniences during its use.
As it is a MIDI controller, you just need to install drivers, and Launchpad is configured and ready for application with Ableton Live right away. An automap is provided together with the controller, which allows to use Ableton Live at once with a standard mapping. If you want to use it with other types of software, you will need to create a new mapping.
Operation modes
There are 4 modes of operation with Ableton Live: session, user 1, user 2 and mixer.
Session mode:
In this mode 8 clips of respective 8 channels which can be played are displayed. Buttons have LEDs which are backlit in different colours depending on a function which each clip is performing. Yellow colour means that there is a clip inside of a scene, green indicates that a clip is playing. If a scene is recorded, the LED will be red, and when the same button is pressed, the recording will stop.
At the top there are 4 buttons which allow to navigate through scenes and tracks.
Holding Session button pressed, it is possible to display the entire project; 8 scenes and 8 tracks will be shown on one single screen. In this way if a LED is yellow, it means that in the channel displayed there are clips which are played, and if it is red, it indicates that a clip is paused.
Mixer mode:
In this mode it is possible to access other 4 pages via scene buttons on the right (a play button is situated there). Their functions are indicated near them: volume, pan, send A, send B, stop, track on, solo, and arm.
We can control various functions at once or start to use advanced controls of the software (even though only their general features, such as resetting to zero pan volumes, stop playback of tracks, activate muted clips or arm tracks).
User1 and User 2 modes
These modes are similar; when they are first activated, there is no LED illumination, but when they are configured, all LEDs function well. These modes are completely assignable. They are specially designed for live performance. Drum Rack instrument which can be found on page of User 1, is very effective. User 2 is intended for DiJs who use Max for Live. Besides, it is possible to map all commands present in Ableton according to one’s preferences.
Video – operation test of Novation LaunchPad with Ableton Live
Conclusions
Novation LaunchPad is a good controller for application with Ableton Live. It is not too expensive. This controller is, of course, supplementary, you can add it to other equipment in your setups. It is quite difficult to use the software’s potential to the utmost and thus to satisfy your needs having only LaunchPad at your disposal. Lack of faders and knobs turns out to be inconvenient, and Launchpad display mode and its control instruments do not substitute them well enough. Perhaps too much time is lost when you try to enter mixer mode. We would also like to point out that LEDs are pale in the daylight, which makes you try to understand of what colour the clip that is played is.
We would like to thank Midiware (http://www.midiware.it), Italian distributor of Novation products, which provided us with the controller for this testing.
Test by Dario Frenda
(Translated and edited by Taissia Zubova)
