Novation SL MkIII

controls and customisable keyboard
light guide the result is a design that
is both stylish and easy to navigate.
Along the rear, the SL MkIII has a
power switch and input for its
external power adapter, which is
required at all times as there’s no
USB power option. Next along comes
a USB port, for connection to a
computer, along with three DIN ports,
the fi rst two for MIDI in and out, and
a third that is switchable between
offering a secondary output and MIDI
through port. On the analogue front,
there’s a clock output plus two
channels of CV, gate and mod out, all
of which are in 3.5mm jack form.
Finally, there are three pedal inputs
provided for sustain, expression and
foot switch.
Workfl ow-wise, the core element
of the SL MkIII is its eight-channel
sequencer. This is loosely based
around the pad sequencer found on
Novation’s Circuit range. As with
those instruments it uses a system of
chain-able 16-step patterns, which
Elektron’s Digitakt and Analog RYTM,
the Roland TR-8S, Korg Minilogue
and, as you’d expect, Novation’s own
Peak and Circuit synths. Novation
promise more pre-mapped hardware
templates in the future, but it’s an
easy enough process to create your
own and edit existing templates via
the Components app (see boxout).
In Steps mode, each 16-step
pattern is polyphonic, and can be
recorded live or have notes and
parameters inputted one at a time by
holding the corresponding pad on the
central 2x8 grid. Velocity and gate
length for individual steps can be
edited in the Options menu.
appears pretty simplistic at fi rst
glance but proves to be much deeper
once you start digging into the
features and capabilities. Here, each
of the eight channels is known as a
Part. Each Part can output note data
from the sequencer as well as
automation data controlled by the
pads, buttons, faders and rotaries.
Parts can be routed to any of the
controller’s outputs, and control
routings can either be setup manually
or assigned a pre-made template.
Straight out of the box the SL MkIII
comes stocked with well-designed
templates for controlling a number of
common hardware devices including
COMPONENTS, PACKS AND SESSIONS
Components is Novation’s browser-based librarian and customisation tool,
originally developed for Circuit but now compatible with Peak and the new SL
range too. In this case, the system can be used for managing and editing
Templates, changing under-the-hood settings and managing Sessions, effectively
replacing the old Automap system.
Presets for the SL MkIII are divided into Sessions and Templates. Templates
contain control routing setups for various hardware or software devices, and can
either be loaded from a pre-created list or created from scratch. Sessions contain
sequencer and automation data. The two combined are known as a Pack.
Components gives users a neat and well-designed environment for creating,
editing and storing everything contained within a Pack. The app is browser-based,
which is handy for
access on the go – I
particularly like having
the ability to edit
Templates from a mobile
device away from the
studio, should you wish
to tweak your setup in
preparation of a studio
session or live set.
Components can be
downloaded and run
offl ine too though, so
you’re not bound by an
internet connection.
THE ALTERNATIVES
Native
Instruments
S-Series
from £479
Tight plugin and
DAW control from
NI’s excellent
Komplete Kontrol
setup, but there’s
far less in the way of
hardware fl exibility.
native-instruments.com
Arturia Beatstep
Pro £219
Arturia’s Beatstep is
well-equipped for
linking up analogue
and digital gear. It’s
design is pad-based,
rather than keyboard-
based though .
arturia.com
Nektar
Panorama T4
£299
Nektar’s controllers
offer well-equipped
control at a solid
price point.
nektartech.com
Taken as a complete
package, I’m really
impressed by the SL MkIII
Reviews | Novation SL MkIII
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FMU338.rev_novation.indd 84 29/10/2018 11:30