Launchpad Mini Mk2

Table of Contents: -Included -Important Notes -Pros and Cons -Ramble -Conclusion -Extra Notes -Extra Extra Notes -Upcoming Included: Launchpad Mini, USB connector, Ableton Live 9 Lite code, and Manual IMPORTANT NOTES: It's Ableton Live 9 LITE, and the upgraded version will run you a pretty penny (I believe over $300, I'll check this). You can do a lot with lite, but just know that it's not the fully unlocked version. Also, check Ableton live 9's minimum computer requirements just to make sure your computer can actually run it. If you don't know how to check, download the program and use the 30 day trail to see how it runs on your computer. Pros: Super fun, Good intro. to launchpads, Affordable, and Ableton Live 9 Lite code for free. Cons:Learning curve, Basically limited to 4 colors, hard to adjust sensitivity (if possible at all). Ramble: If you put in the time and effort, you will love this product. I've had it for 3 days and after looking up multiple guides, finding templates, and messing around with the program, I have a good grasp on what you do to have fun using this product. Also, you need to either read the manual or watch YouTube videos on what the numbers and letters do. Not knowing what these do WILL mess with outcome of your project. If you're looking for more colors for your projects (RGB spectrum), buy the $150.00 model of this product. However, I would start with this model if you are just starting, just to make sure you actually want to delve into the world of launchpads. I had no problems with the website or product which I've heard other individuals have had, so just know that it could happen to you and that you should try to be patient with Novation when filing a report. Conclusion: This is a great product. Buy it if you're interested in this field of music and enjoy it for what it is. If you know for sure you want to invest your time and money into launchpads, buy the $150.00 one so that you can make unbelievably cool light shows while playing music (also the interface is easier to understand with this model). Extra Notes: Watch YouTube videos 100% (especially over the setup), find an easy to understand template (I don't remember what template I used but i'll link it soon), and don't give up on learning it (It's difficult, but worth it). Extra Extra Notes: Sorry for being repetitive. Upcoming: I'll post a short video on what I can currently do/what it can do, I'll link a good template and a few important guides, and i'll post a picture of it.

This is a good product so I don't want to leave it a negative rating, but I have some things to say that may be negative to some people. First off I only have one bad thing to say about launchpad itself. The buttons sometimes register zero or two hits, and although this doesn't happen that often, it can be a real pain if you're recording something when it does. The other thing I wanted to mention, is that the launchpad or the software (ableton) broke my computer. While I'm not sure if it was actually one of those two what caused this, I can't think of what else could have caused it. The first time (yes I say first cuz it happened twice) this happened was within a week or two simce I started using the launch pad, it completely broke my hard drive (and at that point I didn't suspect the launchpad to have caused it) so I got a new one and only had three things installed, steam, Adobe creative cloud, and ableton. Not even a week had gone by and the sane thing happened again, except this time I was able to go back to a previous point and restore what I had on my hard drive (although thanks to this now I can't download creative cloud, idk why). Considering I only had three things on my computer, two of which I'd had on my previous one for over a year, I'm 99% sure that either the launchpad or ableton was what killed my computer both times. Needless to mention I haven't used the launchpad since (and don't have ableton installed) for over a month and nothing has happened to my computer.

NOTE: I have not tried this with Ableton. I attached it instead to djay Pro Ai running on an iPad with a Pioneer DJ controller and a powered USB 4-port hub between the devices (so that Launchpad can get power as the iPad can't optimally provide that, see lights below for more). It works perfectly to trigger events in djay and receives MIDI messages back to the Launchpad from djay. This allows me to set up LED colors on the Launchpad to indicate loops that aren't playing and then change color to indicate loops that are when I trigger them (then switching colors back when I tab buttons to stop the loops). The button action is somewhat solid. The problem with these pad controllers is always the balance between too hard (but is less likely to stick or record two taps when you meant one) or too soft (which can be more comfortable to the touch but is too sensitive and accidentally registers double hits). This tends toward the softer side but is not terrible. Since the buttons are small (each button is less than an inch square), it's easy to miss and hit adjacent buttons. However, the small size of the entire unit is nice when you want to keep your rig tiny. It's also super light weight yet seems solid enough for live performance. Lights are plenty bright when powered by the hub or a laptop so dark or bright gigs are doable. Note that this has a special low powered/dimmer LEDs mode where it can be powered by just an iPad. I tried it once and it seems to work well. There's also a fairly robust iOS app dedicated to this controller that was fun to try out but too expensive to subscribe to for what it does. There's no lite version so you gotta pay monthly for the privilege.

I got the Novation Launchpad Ableton Live Controller with 64RGB Backlit Pads (8x8 Grid). Software Used: FL Studio 20 (Imageline) Pros: - Software driver updates are provided for free and still accessible with the company site which makes me highly more supportive of this brand. Companies that can't provide driver updates towards their own physical products is definitely a no go for me. - Includes USB cord. - Nice RGB colors. - Quality is great. - Great for Beginners and Intermediate users. - Ableton Live 10 Lite is provided for free within the package. - Nice and lightweight. Cons: - When first opening the product out of the box the pads are stiff and hard to push into. I would've like it if it was more sensitive when pressing the physical button down. I would best assume it will be less stiff over time. - The lights will stay on to illuminate after turning off the "Desktop(Windows 10 OS)" after shutting down if you don't fully turn off the back power switch of your "Desktop" computer. - I kinda wish that there were more color varieties when it comes to the physical aspect. To me, the orange side rims are a bit ugly to standby from. So if there are more color varieties I defiantly would get another with a different color. - If you're reductively OCD, the only thing that bothers me is the branded symbol in the center of the 8x8 grid pad. Four of the pads aren't symmetrical with the other pads. If this doesn't bother you then nice. For me, it's sort of a bother although I don't really have OCD but it is contrasting enough where it's hard to avoid. Conclusion: - The cost of this device is well worth for what I spent which is $119.99 USD (OG Value Price: $149.99).

I must say, this is probably the best piece of music equipment one can purchase. Whether you're trying to learn the basics of music making, or you are an established producer. This will bring everything to the next level, mentally and physically. I've been producing music for 5 months, and this is legit the coolest tool i have purchased. While i dove right in and bought a variety of compliments to this; such as the LaunchControl XL and looking to buy the launchkey. Novation has truly innovated a superior product than to its competitors. Do your research for-sure, but know that this is definitely the product you are looking for if you have even come to this page and read this review. While some have stated that note mode is useless.. It takes some getting used to, but you can almost press any lit up key in note mode and it will sound good in sequence. If you are a musician this take even you a huge learning curve. No one said this would be easy, so don't give up. Trust in yourself and practice practice practice. Thats all that can be said about this product. Its only good if you put in the time to be good. West.

-Overview- Chances are, that if you bought a launchpad, you want to play one of these crazy lightshows. Thankfully, the community is just amazing with websites like Launchpad-pro, a website that has over 100 projects for your launchpad! Also, there are tons of youtube videos made by the best. The most known launchpad creator is by far Kaskobi. He provides free downloads for projects! Also, r/NovatationLaunchpad on reddit has some amazing posts and projects! -Hardware- The launchpad is sturdy. the buttons might be just a little hard to press at first, but you get used to it and it makes you do less missclicks. I didnt have an issue with the launchpad itself, but i did have a VERY big problem with: -The software- Ableton live is hell itself. You get your launchpad out of the box, you wanna play somthing, but first, you have to get this stupid program working. I spent 4 hours with video until somthing worked. I thought to myself, that thats it. I wont have to do any of this again. But i was wrong. When I put in a project that I downloaded, Ableton live just said oh, im sorry but you cant use this and that in ableton live lite. This means that this project is unplayble. Well, that wasnt really the messege, but thats what it meant. So now, I looked EVERYWHERE for projects for lite, and all i got was not a lightshow, but a if-you-hit-a-button-it-lights-up-and-makes-a-sound. No crazy fun lightshows. Nothing. So this means, I paid 120$ for this, and I can't do anything. So I just left my launchpad in the drawer. For 2 years, from 2017 to 2019, it was there. I could have got my money back, but I didnt. I wanted to do somthing with it. So, I downloaded the trial version for Ableton live 10 Suite, And saw what I was missing. I was missing crazy fun. Amazing lightshows, it felt good. So here we are. I have 15 days left in my trial version. And I dont know what to do. My fear is that after the trial ends, the launchpad will go back to the drawer. I dont want that to happen. But also Ableton live 10 standard costs twice as the launchpad itself, at 370 dollars, and Suite is at 650. And im somwhat mad that the product I bought is soon to be useless.

I bought this for my son's 18th birthday. He is a gamer, loves music and is a kinesthetic and auditory learner. I wasn't sure this was an instrument he could learn, but he loves EDM and Madeon especially. The first day he was frustrated with Ableton, the companion music site, but by day 2 he had learned 1/2 a song and now knows several. There are several videos to help beginners and that is how he started teaching himself the songs, by just watching how they played the songs and memorizing it. The lights did not do anything when he first set it up, but now he has whole lighting schemes for different songs. This is not something you can just sit down with and start playing without some research and ton's of practice. But he has loved every minute on it and I have been shocked at how this has replaced so much of his gaming time. Most gamers have the hand eye coordination to excel at this instrument and will be satisfied by the sound and visual effects. As a parent it has been wonderful to watch him find and explore a hobby beside gaming. His one complain was the lack of instructions, but there is an online user manual that is something like 635 pages, if anyone has the patience for that. My son just googled things and figured it out. I would recommend it to any parent or anyone looking to start computer composing or interested in DJ'ing.

It is great for the family and just coming up with different tone and rhymes. The grandchildren love it.