![]() ![]() The velocity sensitivity is put to use elsewhere, too. ![]() Using the top row of selector buttons, it’s easy to jump between playing and clip launching, too, making this a flexible tool for live performers looking to jam and trigger loops/backing tracks from a single device. In and of themselves, these Note modes are nothing that new or revolutionary, but now that velocity sensitivity is included, it immediately makes the Launchpad X feel considerably more playable. With multiple Drum Rack tracks armed, the Launchpad will trigger all tracks simultaneously, meaning that by laying out each drum rack at different positions on the note grid - ie, one starting at C0, the next at C1, etc - it’s possible to create a simple, quick hack to play multiple drum instruments simultaneously. There are several genre-themed construction kits included, so even users with no DAW experience can quickly learn to perform with loop-triggering, note and mixer modes. Plug in the controller and head to the Novation website and it’ll guide you through the basics. This is effectively an interactive tutorial for newcomers. There’s also an intriguing new browser-based app called Launchpad Intro. The first is Ampify Launchpad, the company’s accessible, DJ-style music-making app that allows users to trigger, manipulate and perform with loops from their mobile device. In this mode, much like Ableton’s own Push controller, the grid can be used to play up to 64 individual sounds from a drum rack, arranged into 8x8 grids which match the software layout.Īlthough Ableton Live remains the Launchpad’s primary focus, the X also comes ready-made for use with two other Novation-built tools. The second layout is used when a track assigned a Drum Rack is selected. There are 16 preset scales to choose from, and both Scale and Chromatic modes for a choice of whether notes outside of that scale are available or not. Used with an instrument, it displays the familiar style of ‘scale’ mode used across most modern pad-centric controllers - whereby notes of a scale are highlighted from left to right across the grid with root notes delineated by a change in colour. ![]() Used with Live, engaging Note mode from the top row of buttons will configure the pad grid to one of two layouts. As you’d expect, this immediately makes the Launchpad X a considerably more expressive controller when it comes to playing drum and instrument sounds.Īs with previous incarnations, this is still primarily an Ableton Live controller, and users of that DAW benefit from simple plug-and-play compatibility. The most notable change is the addition of velocity and pressure sensitivity to the pads. While the Launchpad X retains the same core design, there’s a lot of additional functionality on offer here compared to the original design. Naturally though, things have moved on significantly over the past ten years, and the slightly simplistic nature of those original Launchpads now looks rather dated. It’s a format that’s been built upon by numerous later devices, including Novation’s own Launchpad Pro, Ableton’s official Push controllers and Akai’s recent standalone Force.
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