Novation Launchpad + Ableton Live 8 Upgrade

Full Description

With a multi-colour 64-button grid and dedicated scene launch buttons, Launchpad is purpose built for triggering and manipulating clips in Live, it also offers a totally new way of controlling Ableton Live's mixer. Launchpad's buttons can be used to sketch out beats with drum racks, and they can be assigned to other functions in Live using Ableton's 'Learn' mode.

Launchpad ships with a dedicated 'Launchpad edition' of Ableton Live 8, but can control almost any other music software using Novation's award-winning 'Automap' control software.

Creativity At Your Fingertips!

Launchpad's 64-button grid and dedicated scene launch buttons are ideal for launching and controlling your clips and scenes. You can use it to play drum racks, create beats and trigger samples in real time. You can also control other functions using Ableton's 'Learn' mode, including Ableton's knobs and faders, which can be assigned to rows of buttons on Launchpad.

There really is such innovative control over your mix that you might just be amazed, including volume, pans, sends, track arming, soloing and muting. You can jump to different levels across eight channels at once.

Go Large and Connect 3 Launchpads Together!

Launchpad supports multiple unit operation. Connect up to 3 Launchpads at a time. Expand your grid with multiple Launchpads, or have one Launchpad dedicated to mixer mode, and the other to launching clips.

Expand your Ableton control solution

Novation's Automap-enabled controllers work seamlessly together - a ZeRO SL MkII to control the mix, whilst Launchpad triggers clips!

Automap control

Launchpad can also be controlled through other DAWs and plug-ins using Novation's Automap control software. Automap can assign controls to software parameters on VST/AU/RTAS/TDM plug-ins by simply clicking on them, and touching a controller! You can go as far as to turn your Launchpad into a MIDI controller! Automap also provides a customizable heads-up transparent display across your computer screen, so you can see what you're triggering.

Automap PRO, an optional upgrade available to purchase online, lets you assign almost any computer keyboard shortcut, and combinations thereof, to Launchpads buttons.

A Useful Visual Feast

Max and Ableton are now integrated, so you can build your own instruments (or tweak other people's) within Live.

Launchpad can be used to control these instruments and gives you a huge amount of visual feedback. Multiple colours and brightnesses across different buttons display visual information about whether the note is on, the velocity, note length, pitch, and whatever else you want to see!

Programmers can utilise variable brightness and multi-colour LED states to their full advantage when designing new and innovative tools in Max MSP and Reaktor.

Reviews

"The buttons also feel like they would easily withstand the kind of sustained bashing that we musicians love to dish out." - Computer Music Magazine

"We can't imagine that many Live users who take their show on the road will regret buying a launchpad." - MusicRadar.com

"A great, affordable controller for Ableton Live. It offers a minimal set of controls, optimised for working with Live's Session View. The Launchpad is the control surface to beat." - Synthtopia.com

Ableton Live 8

Ableton Live version 8 enhances the Ableton vision of creative, real-time digital music sequencer with a wealth of new techniques, plug-ins and most-wanted workflow improvements.

Improving on the unique features that make Ableton Live the popular choice for performing musicians, Live 8 brings a wealth of new, innovative features.

These new features include a new groove engine, revamped warping techniques, live looping, five new effects (including the Ableton Vocoder), crossfades in the Arrangement View, group tracks and a re-worked MIDI editor.

New Groove Engine:

Groove patterns dynamically influence the timing and velocity/volume of audio and MIDI material. This can add life and swing to straight patterns, give a track more drive, or lend a piece an easy, laid-back feeling.

New Warping Engine:

Live 8 introduces a new, more direct way of working with warping and some important Warp Mode enhancements. You can now warp audio events by adjusting the events themselves on the timeline. Beats Mode has been updated, and there's a completely new Complex Warp Mode. Plus you can slice audio files to MIDI tracks based on transients.

Looper:

A much-requested feature, the Ableton Looper effect gives you classic sound-on-sound looping without the limitations of a hardware device. Looper is set up for remote operation, so you can record, overdub, undo and more without touching the computer.

New Effects:

Live 8 includes five powerful new effects: Vocoder, Multiband Dynamics, Overdrive, Limiter and Frequency Shifter. These effects cover all the well-known aspects of these devices, but really shine due to some innovative features and enhancements from the Ableton labs.

Workflow Enhancements:

Version 8 makes Live easier with a number of most-wanted enhancements and some deceptively simple detail work including real-time crossfades in the Arrangement View, enhanced MIDI editing, group tracks, a screen magnifier and more.

Novation LaunchpadFeatures and Specifications

Physical controls and Indicators:

• 64 (8x8 grid) square multi-colour back-lit buttons
• 8 round multi-colour back-lit system buttons (assignable)
• 8 round multi-colour back-lit function buttons (not assignable)
• Dimensions: W 240 mm x H 20 mm x D 240 mm
• Weight: 717g
• Connectivity: L-shaped USB 1.1 connector.

Minimum Operational Requirements:

Macintosh:

• OS: 10.4, or later recommended
• Computer: G4 or faster / Intel Mac
• Memory (RAM): 512 MB RAM / 1 GB recommended

Windows

• OS: Windows XP or Vista
• Computer: 1.5 GHz or faster
• Memory (RAM): 512 MB RAM / 1 GB recommended