If you’re reading this, and if you care about controllers at all, you’ve probably got one. Now the question is, what are you missing? LaunchControl XL is coming with a whole mess of handy faders and knobs if you’ve got more controls than you can map.
In fact, while it would make an utterly horrid marketing statement, I would dub the slogan of this hardware like this:
Twist knobs without having to constantly press shift and select keys or give up having some faders.
There’s Push, of course, the Ableton-controlling flagship, complete with pressure- and velocity-sensitive grid. There’s AKAI’s former APC, which already has a full complement of faders, encoders, and triggers. Beyond that, we’re talking about various combinations of faders and knobs and triggers in smaller controllers in some combination. For example:
There’s the Novation Launchpad – built like a tank, dirt cheap, just a grid.
There’s the new AKAI APC mini – grid with faders, but no knobs.
There’s the Novation LaunchControl – knobs and some pads, but no faders.
Well, now Novation is back with the LaunchControl XL. It’s knobs, yes – but more knobs. And those knobs get their own colored indicators so you know what they’re controlling. And now it has faders, too. And if it doesn’t sell like hotcakes to everyone, betcha it sells like hotcakes to people who have just a Launchpad.
24 knobs in three rows of eight – which maps conveniently to Live
Multicolored indicators on the knobs for multiple functions
Driver-free (so if you’re using Bitwig or Renoise on Linux, you’re in, too)
16 multi-color buttons give you track focus, mix controls
Works on iOS, too, via Camera Connection Kit
£159.99, coming late August, which is also roughly when we should have one in for review.
More pics and a video… (though I didn’t personally take the musical style in the vid, maybe you will – )
Significantly, whether that video is your cup of tea or not, you can watch an in-depth video here on how they did what they did and download the set to have a look. So, we can all get back to making weird, dancefloor-clearing IDM if we really want to. (Hey, if she or he is still on the dance floor, that may be the one for you. Nerd love. The best.)
Novation know how to sell their products to the controller addicts we are, indeed ! 😉 , now this one is too big for my 2 launchpad Mini , will wait the Mini version ;-D
So you’re saying you’ll wait for the “Novation Launch Control XL mini”? Remember, this isn’t Korg 😉
Novation know how to sell their products to the controller addicts we are, indeed ! 😉 , now this one is too big for my 2 launchpad Mini , will wait the Mini version ;-D
So you’re saying you’ll wait for the “Novation Launch Control XL mini”? Remember, this isn’t Korg 😉
Novation know how to sell their products to the controller addicts we are, indeed ! 😉 , now this one is too big for my 2 launchpad Mini , will wait the Mini version ;-D
So you’re saying you’ll wait for the “Novation Launch Control XL mini”? Remember, this isn’t Korg 😉
This might be the right controller for me to buy since I need to control my DAW in an easier way from my vocal booth. Maybe this thing with a long USB cable should do it. I am still wondering if working without a screen in the booth would be an issue. If not, this might be fantastic for record and also for mixing and editing.
This might be the right controller for me to buy since I need to control my DAW in an easier way from my vocal booth. Maybe this thing with a long USB cable should do it. I am still wondering if working without a screen in the booth would be an issue. If not, this might be fantastic for record and also for mixing and editing.
This might be the right controller for me to buy since I need to control my DAW in an easier way from my vocal booth. Maybe this thing with a long USB cable should do it. I am still wondering if working without a screen in the booth would be an issue. If not, this might be fantastic for record and also for mixing and editing.
you know what? this is one of the few controller’s I’d buy if I were still using a computer. This and a launchpad seem like a great and pretty affordable combo to use with Ableton.
you know what? this is one of the few controller’s I’d buy if I were still using a computer. This and a launchpad seem like a great and pretty affordable combo to use with Ableton.
you know what? this is one of the few controller’s I’d buy if I were still using a computer. This and a launchpad seem like a great and pretty affordable combo to use with Ableton.
The modern replacement for the venerable UC-33e?
my thought exactly
Exactly what its aimed at!
The modern replacement for the venerable UC-33e?
my thought exactly
Exactly what its aimed at!
The modern replacement for the venerable UC-33e?
my thought exactly
Exactly what its aimed at!
Agreed this looks like a nice evolution of the UC33 😉 As for what’ I’m missing? A 4×4 grid of potentiometers (not encoders) with standard midi out (not USB) would current complement my setup nicely.
with some standard midi out would be perfect!!!
Agreed this looks like a nice evolution of the UC33 😉 As for what’ I’m missing? A 4×4 grid of potentiometers (not encoders) with standard midi out (not USB) would current complement my setup nicely.
with some standard midi out would be perfect!!!
Agreed this looks like a nice evolution of the UC33 😉 As for what’ I’m missing? A 4×4 grid of potentiometers (not encoders) with standard midi out (not USB) would current complement my setup nicely.
with some standard midi out would be perfect!!!
It was time, UC-33 was a good concept.
It was time, UC-33 was a good concept.
It was time, UC-33 was a good concept.
There’s … the Livid Instruments DS1. Well, not yet, but it’s probably worth a mention here.
There’s … the Livid Instruments DS1. Well, not yet, but it’s probably worth a mention here.
There’s … the Livid Instruments DS1. Well, not yet, but it’s probably worth a mention here.
This looks to me, like they scooped the Dubspot DS-1: http://www.dubspot.com/ds1/
the DS-1 has the wrong kind of fader cap on, if you ask me. It may seem like a small thing, but it really isn’t, to me.
exactly so. those caps are fine for production, but they dont cut it for a performance device.
This looks to me, like they scooped the Dubspot DS-1: http://www.dubspot.com/ds1/
the DS-1 has the wrong kind of fader cap on, if you ask me. It may seem like a small thing, but it really isn’t, to me.
exactly so. those caps are fine for production, but they dont cut it for a performance device.
This looks to me, like they scooped the Dubspot DS-1: http://www.dubspot.com/ds1/
the DS-1 has the wrong kind of fader cap on, if you ask me. It may seem like a small thing, but it really isn’t, to me.
exactly so. those caps are fine for production, but they dont cut it for a performance device.
@peter is it £159 or $159?
@peter is it £159 or $159?
@peter is it £159 or $159?
Shame the knobs aren’t rotary encoders.
Shame the knobs aren’t rotary encoders.
Shame the knobs aren’t rotary encoders.
Seems like an ideal tool for ableton DJs. Too functional to get excited about though.
Seems like an ideal tool for ableton DJs. Too functional to get excited about though.
Seems like an ideal tool for ableton DJs. Too functional to get excited about though.
I’ll still buy the Livid/Dubspot DS-1 long before I buy this, even at twice the cost. I had the Launchkey 61 for two months and couldn’t stand the feel of the feel of the faders and knobs, not to mention the lack of selectable assignments (and still have the lights respond). I have a Livid Alias8 now, the DS-1 will be more of what I’m looking for. And built like a tank.
I’ll still buy the Livid/Dubspot DS-1 long before I buy this, even at twice the cost. I had the Launchkey 61 for two months and couldn’t stand the feel of the feel of the faders and knobs, not to mention the lack of selectable assignments (and still have the lights respond). I have a Livid Alias8 now, the DS-1 will be more of what I’m looking for. And built like a tank.
I’ll still buy the Livid/Dubspot DS-1 long before I buy this, even at twice the cost. I had the Launchkey 61 for two months and couldn’t stand the feel of the feel of the faders and knobs, not to mention the lack of selectable assignments (and still have the lights respond). I have a Livid Alias8 now, the DS-1 will be more of what I’m looking for. And built like a tank.
Excellent replacement for my nano kontrol!!!
Excellent replacement for my nano kontrol!!!
Excellent replacement for my nano kontrol!!!