Launchpad from Novation is a USB controller jointly designed by Ableton and Novation that places Ableton Live at your fingertips. Whether you're a DJ, performing musician or studio producer, the multi-color 64-button grid and dedicated scene launch buttons provide easy triggering and manipulation of your clips in Live.
Each button has three colour states so you can see at a glance what's loaded (orange), what's playing (green), and what's being recorded (red). Similarly, Live's interface tells you what section of the Session View the Launchpad is currently controlling. This two-way communication ensures that Launchpad and Ableton Live are always perfectly in sync.
Launchpad doesn't just launch clips. Switch to "mixer mode" and the same button grid offers a unique way to control Ableton Live's mixer. Volume, pans, sends, track arming, soloing and muting can all be controlled via the grid. Using buttons instead of dials, Launchpad lets you jump to different levels across 8 channels at once, useful for controlling multiple effects sends.
The controller is also great for sketching out beats - switch to "user mode 1" and the 64 buttons become drum pad triggers laid out for playing Ableton Live's Drum Racks. However, Launchpad has 2 user modes, and both are fully customizable. Using Live's own learn function, they let you create your own control setup, exactly the way you want it.
Launchpad is not exclusive to Ableton Live. An ideal controller for Max for Live, the customizable user modes are flexible enough to deal with even the most detailed Max for Live devices and can handle generic parameters and controls with ease. Programmers can utilize variable brightness and multi-color (11) LED states to their full advantage when designing new and innovative tools in Max for Live.
| Connection | USB 1.1 |
| Buttons |
64 (8 x 8 grid) square multi-color back-lit buttons 8 round multi-color back-lit system buttons (assignable) 8 round multi-color back-lit function buttons (not assignable) |
| Faders | No |
| Transport Controls | Assignable |
| Rotary Controls | No |
| Multiple Units | Up to 6 Launchpads can be used with Live simultaneously |
| Included Software | Ableton Live Launchpad Edition |
| Software Supported | Ableton Live, and any software that features assignable MIDI capability |
| System Requirements |
1.5GHz or faster CPU Mac OS X or Windows XP/Vista 512MB RAM, 1GB recommended |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 9.5 x 9.5 x 0.8" (240 x 240 x 20mm) |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (0.72kg) |
| Specialties | Flexible trigger platform for Max MSP and REAKTOR programmers |