Today at the 2015 NAMM Show, Novation unveiled the newest iteration of their popular grid controller series, the Launchpad Pro.
With this professional grid instrument, Novation has given the classic Launchpad an overhaul – adding velocity and pressure sensitive pads, RGB LED feedback and improved control.
The Launchpad Pro has been designed to keep the user focused on their performance: easily and immediately apply effects, “dip in and out” of specific mixer controls at the touch of a button, and switch between four key modes:
- Session Mode: immediately trigger and combine your clips.
- Note Mode: create dynamic beats and play the grid just like an instrument.
- Device Mode: easily apply effects to your performance.
- User Mode: create unique custom performances and layouts.
Here’s the official video intro to the Launchpad Pro:
Designed for live performance, Launchpad Pro’s new RGB pads light up to match the color of the user’s clips in Ableton Live, displaying at a glance which clips are playing.
In Note Mode, Launchpad Pro automatically switches the layout for drum or instrument devices. With drums, all the user’s sounds are available, spread across the entire 8 x 8 grid. With instruments, the grid illuminates as a chromatic keyboard, enabling the Launchpad Pro user to handily play notes, melodies, and chords.
The Launchpad Pro can also be used with any of the user’s music software and external hardware in Standalone Mode: for example, plug the unit straight into Logic Pro, and play it like a keyboard; connect the MIDI ports to a Bass Station II and play riffs on the Launchpad Pro grid.
Launchpad Pro is bundled with everything needed to get started, including cables and software, and can be bus-powered over USB. The grid controller is also class-compliant and doesn’t need any drivers; “install the software, plug in and start performing.”
Launchpad Pro at a Glance
1. Integrate seamlessly with Ableton Live
2. Control a variety of other music software and external hardware
3. Play using RGB pads that match the color of your clips
4. Create expressive beats on drum racks spread across the whole 8 x 8 grid
5. Easily play notes, melodies and chords on an illuminated chromatic keyboard
6. Get immediate, slick access to all your mixer controls
7. Control your effects and instrument mid-performance
8. Download and control a growing library of Max for Live devices
9. Compact, lightweight, tough and bus-powered
10. Comes with everything you need to start
Pricing and Availability
Novation’s Launchpad Pro will be available for purchase Spring 2015, with a US MAP of $299.99. For more information, go to the Novation website.
bout time on this one , im not a fan when companies milk us like cows.
Boring. More of the same from Novation.
Wow, about time Novation! Releasing the version of the Launchpad you should have released to begin with. Is this one going to be impossibly sluggish too?
If they do a launchpad95 hack on this, then I’d get this as a main controller. Add it to my existed Launchpad for clip triggering, then I am thinking get a Launchpad Control XL for the sliders and knobs for some hands on, a Queno for pads and FX controls, and a Xkey 37 for traditional input – would be a better setup than a Push for a mobile per knob/button function, for just a little more money.
So who’s getting this instead of Push and why?
Guess it depends if you are actually using it with Ableton or not. I konw there is a script for Push to Bitwig, but when I tested that a year ago it was far from finished. With that said, where is the knobs on this one? That is one of the perks with the push.
yes but between a $499 Ableton Push and this $299 launchpad pro without a screen nor encoders nor advanced function that the push has such as muting parts in a drum rack and stuff … I’ll gladly give again those $200.
However Novation had some great ideas on this Launchpad Pro, like the fast switching by keeping the finger pressed, this would be really cool on the Push ! And velocity sensitives rgb pads is also awesome
Anyway, great ideas on this product but I think that it’s a little bit overpriced. But what do I know …
I would – if it really is able to fully operate standalone (even with different scales) – to control my MIDI hardware.
it has physical midi in and out ports on 3.5mm jacks, good move
Basic question from a novice: could i plug this into the back of my MPC Ren, giving me access to 64 notes at a time on the launchpad, instead of the MPC’s 16- assuming i’m currently using a plugin synth? That would be awesome!
I’m tired to see this kind of video because the demo didn’t show all the preparation before the video, all the job and configuration to do in Ableton. Everything seems to be simple and perfect in this kind of video, and this my main criticism… A lot of people will buy this kind of controller (same for the Machine or any hardware controller) and will resell it 1 month later because they cannot use it in the same way.
They have a full 20 minute video explaining everything in detail. They can’t expect everyone to sit through a video that long, therefore they have to make a shorter one that shows it off just as well.
Did they have to make it so ugly?
definitely makes me want to mount my speakers on concrete blocks
Can we please have a moratorium on the use of “pro” in product names?
will it be possible to save custom presets of scales and chord setups with the launchpad pro, Today i found out that the ableton push cannot do this and I was going to purchase one but I’m now looking for a like controller that has this capability?