Novation has released a free app, Launchpad, that is based on their popular hardware controller.
The Launchpad iPad app is designed to work alongside the Novation Launchkey iPad app, a software synthesizer. The Launchpad app, along with the Launchkey app, can also be used with a Launchkey hardware controller to turn it into a synth and loop triggering workstation. The launch pads on the hardware trigger loops in the app and you can get hands-on control of levels with Launchkey’s physical faders.
Here’s a demo of Launchpad for iPad in action:
Features:
- 8×6 Launchpad grid for triggering up to 8 loops and sounds at a time
- 8 volume sliders and 8 filter sliders
- FX section for adding repeat and synced filter effects
- Premium content library from Loopmasters
- Load new complete sessions and sounds
- Global Tempo change
- Edit mode for loading samples
- Autosave – never lose your sessions
Novation does not make any mention of compatibility with other apps or CoreMIDI.
Note: Novation Launchpad is for iPad 2 and above (including iPad Mini) and requires iOS5 or later.
Novation Launchpad is a free download from the App Store.
If you’ve used Launchpad, let us know what you think of it!
I actually got a bit excited there for a second. God, Novation suck…
I thought it was an ableton controller…
Great to see Novation doing this and even better that it’s free….but it is confusing that they’re calling it the Launchpad.
Call it ‘Launchpad’ and people are going to think it’s a software version of the hardware Launchpad. But it seems like this is something different, more ‘inspired by’ the Launchpad.
They should have named it something different – or they should turn it into a software Launchpad.
Ball…dropped…
How it is supposed to work alongside launch key I have no idea. No way to create your own samples to trigger. The launch key synth is neat, and free for now, but not much depth. It would be nice to see a way to create samples in launchkey that could be triggered in launchpad. We’ll see. It would be really cool if they made it so that you could use it with launchpad hardware.
Not sure where they want to get with these apps. Launchkey is a nice sound toy, but nothing more, this launchpad app is also a nice toy, but the name and the way it looks is pretty deceiving.
While Ableton is about to launch Push, Novation responds with this? 🙂
yes, little strange, it’s fun but it ha
it has nothing of the ableton controller ………… or is this a pre-app of what must come once the keyboard will be shipping….. but no harm done it’s free
This would fit a need I have perfectly if I could import my samples into it. I’m looking for an app to replace my SP-404 onstage, something that can make sound independent of the computer but designed for live performance.
I’d say keep the 404. It’s solid and dependable.
At least they price their apps according to value…
novation rocks. I have the nocturn and actual launchpad and they are awesome to use. Launchkey (which is still going to be further developed) is pretty cool too and now this (for free)! thanks novation!! dont listen to the ungrateful people !
I got a Nocturn way back when and to this day I WANT to like it, but it’s the most cheaply built piece of plastic crap I’ve ever bought and it didn’t last a month before it was unusable. The knobs on all their gear feels like they’re going to come right off, and the Automap software is beyond pointless and over-complicated. Not even gonna bother with this since it just seems like a Fisher-Price version of Ableton (which there’s oddly no mention of now) and the Launchkey app was exactly what I’d expect from a company who makes toys.
I recalled that Launchkey has MIDI so I fired up Launchpad and MIDIBridge to see if the same held true.
Sure enough – Launchpad has MIDI In but not out – damnit!
Doesn’t seem to be functional at the moment but at least its presence is promising.
It’s fun, don’t get me wrong. But it would be nice if Novation put out apps that are more than mere toys. An iOS version of their V Station software would be cool.
Its fun to use by you need to be able to import your own samples for it to become truly useful.
Where does it say you can’t load your own samples? It seems that this app uses samples that are in your ipad. It’s a self-contained product. Right?
It is a bit misleading when it says “Load new complete sessions and sounds” That just mans you can choose from the loaded sounds and create your own preset. AS far as I can tell there is no way to load your own loops in. Hopefully they update that.
can you not load your own samples?
if not then it’s just a pre packed toy/game
not a music creation app for your own tunes/beats