Launchpad Mini [MK3] User Guide 1
Table of Contents Introduction……...…..…….……..…………….……………….……………….………….3 Key Features…………………….……………….……………….…………......3 In the Box…………….………………….……………….………...…….…...…3 Getting up and running……..……….……………….………..…….…….......4 Launchpad Intro…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….6 Ableton Live…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….…….………….…...7 Using with other software…….…….…….…….…….…….………….………7 Hardware Overview….…….……….……………….……………….……………….…….8 Modes………….….…..………….………….……….……………………………….……..9 Session mode…………………………..
Introduction Launchpad Mini is our most compact and portable grid controller for Ableton Live. Launchpad Mini makes launching clips in Ableton Live a fast and tactile experience by bringing your Session View from the screen to your fingertips in full RGB colour. Take music making further and build tracks with Launchpad Mini, using keys and drum modes to lay down beats and melodies.
Getting Up and Running We’ve made getting up and running with Launchpad Mini as easy as possible, whether you’re a brand new beatmaker or a seasoned producer. Our Easy Start Tool provides a step-by-step guide on getting set up that is tailored to your needs, whether you’ve never made music before or you just want to download your included software as fast as possible. To access the Easy Start Tool, first plug in your Launchpad Mini. If you’re on a Mac: 1.
Double click the “Launchpad Mini” drive Double click the “Click Here To Get Started” link 5
Launchpad Intro If you’re new to Launchpads, Launchpad Intro is a great place to start. Choose from a variety of curated packs from Ampify Music and start performing immediately. Your Launchpad Mini will match the on-screen grid - press pads to launch loops and one-shots to build up your track. To get there, plug your Launchpad Mini into your computer and visit https://intro.novationmusic.com/.
Ableton Live Ableton Live (often referred to only as Live) is a unique and powerful piece of software for music creation. Ableton Live 10 Lite is provided with your Launchpad Mini, which gives you all the tools you’ll need to get started with making your own music. If you’ve never used Ableton Live before, we recommend visiting our Easy Start Tool (see Getting Up and Running). Here you’ll be guided through downloading and installing Ableton Live 10 Lite.
Hardware Overview Front panel Navigational buttons Session Mode Custom Modes (Drum, Keys and User) Scene Launch Buttons 8x8 Grid Stop/Solo/Mute Back panel USB-C Socket Kensington MiniSaver™ Socket 8
Modes Modes are the core of the Launchpad Mini interface. They allow you to switch between views, offering different functionality in each. There are four different modes available – Session, Drum, Keys and User. Simply press a mode button to enter the respective mode. The currently active mode will be lit green. Currently available modes will be lit white. Drums, Keys and User are all Custom modes.
Session mode Session mode is designed to control Ableton Live’s Session view, seen below. If you’ve never used Ableton Live before, we recommend visiting our Easy Start Tool (see Getting Up and Running). Here you’ll be guided through downloading and installing Ableton Live 10 Lite. You’ll also find videos covering the software’s basic features so you can get started with making music in Ableton Live using Launchpad Mini. Session view is a grid that consists of clips, tracks (columns) and scenes (rows).
The ▲▼◄ ► buttons let you navigate Session view. The red outline in the Session View grid shows the area currently visible on Launchpad Mini. ▲ & ▼ will move the outline across scenes, while ◄ & ► will move the outline across tracks. Note: This outline may appear in any colour - this won’t affect its function. • Press a pad to play the corresponding clip in Ableton. The colour will match between the screen and Launchpad Mini’s pads.
The bottom row of pads can provide track controls: Stop (stop clip from playing on a specific track), Solo (solo a specific track) or Mute (mute a specific track). These three functions are cycled between using the Stop Solo Mute button: When the device is powered on, the bottom row will at first represent clips in the same way as the rest of the 8x8 grid. After cycling past Mute, the bottom row will return to showing clips. The Stop Solo Mute button will be lit white when in this state.
Keys mode Keys mode allows you to play your Launchpad Mini’s grid as a chromatic keyboard. The layout presents 4 octaves of notes in a piano layout, with the octaves stacked vertically. The lowest pitch is at the bottom, with the highest at the top. The range of notes is C2-C6. In Ableton Live, load an instrument (such as Simpler) into a MIDI track and you will be able to play it in Keys mode.
User Mode & Lighting Pads (Advanced) User Mode has the same layout as Drum Mode, however no pads on the 8x8 grid are lit. MIDI Note messages sent to Launchpad Mini will light pads according to note number and velocity. The note sent will determine which pad lights up, and the note’s velocity will determine the colour. This is useful for creating light displays using the 64 RGB pads. The RGB LEDs are capable of outputting 127 colours, the index of which can be found in the Programmer’s Reference Guide.
Setting up a Custom Mode Custom Modes are created and edited on Novation Components. When Components is loaded on your computer, Launchpad Mini will connect automatically. If the product name next to the home icon (in the top right-hand corner) is not Launchpad Mini, press the home icon and select Launchpad Mini from the list of products. Within a Custom Mode, each pad within the 8x8 grid may act as a Note, a MIDI CC (control change), or a Program Change message.
For more hands-on information on how to create your own Custom Modes, visit Novation Components for an interactive tutorial – it’s easier to get started than it may sound! Ghost Mode Ghost Mode is a sub-mode of custom views that will un-light all function buttons around the edge of Launchpad Mini when in a custom mode. To enter Ghost Mode, press Session followed quickly by either Drums, Keys or User. Following this action, only the 8x8 grid will be lit.
Settings Settings menu Launchpad Mini’s settings menu allows you to change LED brightness, LED feedback, enter LED sleep, and switch between Live and Programmer Mode. To enter the settings menu, press and hold Session briefly. The top 4 rows will display the characters LED, indicating the topic of the menu.
The LED brightness level slider has 8 levels, from minimum to maximum brightness. The brightly lit white pad indicates which level is currently selected. LED feedback (internal) toggles whether pads on the 8x8 grid light up when pressed in Custom Modes. Bright green indicates that LED feedback (internal) is enabled, whereas dim red indicates that it is disabled. The setting is enabled by default.
Bootloader Menu Launchpad Mini’s bootloader menu allows you to change LED brightness, LED feedback, mass storage device availability, and device ID. To enter the bootloader menu, hold User when plugging in Launchpad Mini. The LED brightness level slider has 8 levels, from minimum to maximum brightness. The brightly lit white pad indicates which level is currently selected. Bootloader Version will inform which version of the Bootloader is on Launchpad Mini.
Application Version will inform which version of the Application is on Launchpad Mini. Pressing the Boot-up button will start Launchpad Mini normally, exiting the bootloader menu. MSD Mode toggles the mass storage device behaviour of Launchpad Mini on or off. MSD Mode is enabled by default. This is why Launchpad Mini appears as a mass storage device when plugged in to your computer.
Default MIDI mappings Shown below are the Note numbers for each of the default Custom Modes & Programmer Mode. Note 36 is Middle C.
User Mode (Custom): 8x8 grid, Momentary, Note On Programmer Mode: Includes buttons and pads (full 9x9), logo LED may be addressed, Momentary, Note On 22
