Novation has unveiled its newly-revamped Launchpad controller.
Keeping its familiar 8 x 8 pad grid, the updated Launchpad now has glowing RGB pads and a new industrial design.
Designed for easy integration with Ableton Live, the Launchpad’s RGB LEDs match the color of the clips in your Live session view, making it easier to see at a glance what’s playing. Use the color-coordinated pads to launch clips, play drums, start and stop loops, arm tracks, and control volumes, pans and sends – or anything else one can do with Max for Live.
Launchpad Features:
- 64 (8×8 grid) square RGB backlit buttons
- 8 round RGB backlit system buttons (assignable)
- 8 round RGB backlit function buttons (not assignable)
- USB socket / Fully USB bus powered
- Lightweight and portable
- Expandible with additional Launchpads, Launch Controls, Launch Control XL, or Launchkey
- Software Compatibility:
Ableton Live Lite 9 is included
Compatible with Ableton Live v 8 and up
Here’s Novation’s official video intro, featuring beatmaker / drumthumb Buddy Peace:
The Launchpad is also boxed with 1 GB of Loopmasters sounds and samples, Novation Bass Station VST and AU plug-in synthesiser, Novation V Station VST and AU plug-in synthesiser
Pricing and Availability. The Novation Launchpad will be available later in June 2015, at a suggested retail price of $169.99.
Addditional information about the revamped Launchpad is available on the Novation website.
Meh, I’ll wait for the pro
I had just been using the mini and just got the control XL when it was on sale (so now it is kind of like my old APC but bus powered) – hadn’t seen the pro – looks cool though
That’s great. Whatever happened to the open source SDK for the pro?
I want a synthesizer, that looks something like that.
-pressure sensitive grid of buttons with poly after touch.
-multi channel step sequencer
-multi timbral synthesizer
-midi controller
$1000
Put a sampler there as well and I’ll go as high as $2000
So….make it.
I know what you mean, but really that’s what it is when you plug it into ableton live, and so much more.
I’m glad they are updating these things, however what it needs is velocity and aftertouch on each pad more than pretty lights. I love pretty lights, they are pretty. But come on, this is 2015.
I think this is replacing their old launchpad and the velocity sensitive one is the already announce Pro model.
Ah, OK, cool, you’re right. Thanks.
So this isn’t the one that has note mode? That one is the “pro”, right? When is that one coming out?
instead of making one with velocity and one with not . why not just make one version with velocity and make it cost inbetween both the pro and non pro
Because they can sell more by giving people options at different prices, so you don’t have to pay for features you don’t need?
A Model between the Pro and the non-Pro, they could call it the semi-pro.
They did research a model between standard and pro, called the No-Go. But how do you do a model between a lauchpad with trigger pads only and a lauchpad that has velocity/aftertouch – do you drop the aftertouch or do 32 trigger pads and 32 dynamic!? I don’t get it? Many companies are bringing out odd little things, but Novation seem balanced. They give out innovation when it is needed and refine in time. I wish more companies had that focus.
…Still stuck on MIDI Channel 1.
Buyer Beware! The LaunchPad and LaunchPad PRO are two different animals.
LaunchPad PRO has velocity and Poly Pressure, the LaunchPad does not. The Pro version can be identified by having round buttons on all 4 sides of the grid.