Novation Launchpad: should I get one?

[Dabrenn]

Hey guys, I'm thinking about purchasing a Launchpad and I'm wondering if you all think its a wise purchase and what your opinions on it are. I think it looks like it pretty fun to use and its relatively cheap and I do use Ableton.

Also, do you know if I could use it in conjuction with Traktor for more intersting performances? Such as more intricate and controlled beat slicing and stuff like that.

Thanks! :D

[the4thImpulse]

Launchpad is a simple midi controller so yes, you can use it with pretty much any thing that responds to midi, traktor included (I have seen a few cool videos of custom templates with traktor). It's not used by many big acts out there who opt for more rugged and versatile controllers like the APC40 or monome. That said it is a solid controller so there's nothing to worry about there.

It is hard to recommend something like a midi controller to someone as they can be used in so many different ways. What do you expect from it? How do you want to use it?

It is cheap so if you end up not liking it wouldn't be much of a gamble (compared to most other worthwhile controllers).

[Motivfs]

Yes, you should.

[Dabrenn]

What do you expect from it? How do you want to use it?

Something fun and useful. The only Midi controller I have is the Kontrol S2 and a Midi keyboard with no bells or whistles. I'd love to own an APC 40, but my budget is pretty limited. I don't DJ with Ableton so I would think the APC would be a little over-the-top, especially since I'm no professional.

I don't know a whole lot about the launchpad besides videos I've seen of it (like the Madeon one :D), but I assume I could use it to do quite a few different things; from DJing to help with producing.

Like you said: its not much of a gamble. I could probably get one fro $100, so that's a selling point for me.

[the4thImpulse]

What do you expect from it? How do you want to use it?

Something fun and useful. The only Midi controller I have is the Kontrol S2 and a Midi keyboard with no bells or whistles. I'd love to own an APC 40, but my budget is pretty limited. I don't DJ with Ableton so I would think the APC would be a little over-the-top, especially since I'm no professional.

I don't know a whole lot about the launchpad besides videos I've seen of it (like the Madeon one ), but I assume I could use it to do quite a few different things; from DJing to help with producing.

Like you said: its not much of a gamble. I could probably get one fro $100, so that's a selling point for me.

From the sounds of it I think you will have a blast with the launchpad. It will take a little work but you could incorporate it easily into your traktor sets, it would be great for launching effects, loops, and samples (although its not velocity sensitive so beware).

I own an APC40, got it for DJing but have made some good use with it in studio. With ableton its great to test out different synth/bass loops with drum loops I create, it helps me get an idea on where I should take a song. A launch pad will do basically the same thing in that regard, it could be a fun tool to have.

[Dabrenn]

Thanks for the advice!

One more question if you care to answer; why do you DJ with Ableton? I don't really understand the draw of DJing with Ableton. With an event DJ-for-hire business model, it seems like Ableton would bring up some problems that more traditional DJ programs don't really have. If could create my sets straight through beforehand and maybe incorporate my own music, then I'd see the use of Ableton. Is this what you do?

Of course, I know almost nothing about DJ'ing with live.

[the4thImpulse]

Thanks for the advice!

One more question if you care to answer; why do you DJ with Ableton? I don't really understand the draw of DJing with Ableton. With an event DJ-for-hire business model, it seems like Ableton would bring up some problems that more traditional DJ programs don't really have. If could create my sets straight through beforehand and maybe incorporate my own music, then I'd see the use of Ableton. Is this what you do?

Of course, I know almost nothing about DJ'ing with live.

Well, in the past I used Virtual DJ with the Hercules RMX controller and have spent a lot of time on my friends CDJ's with the serato timecode. I have done all that 'more traditional' djing stuff and it was certainly fun, I never truly mastered it but I did get good, good enough to play very consistently live.

I switched to Ableton as I am now starting to play my own music, more often, and I know in the future I will be doing my own sets so I want to really understand ableton when that time comes. Ableton lets me preform in a much more unique way, even if its all the same to the listener. I enjoy performing with Ableton more than I did the 'DJ' route and I think that's a very important thing for the performer. In the end people just want to hear bass music, very few care as to how that happens and there's always going to be a hater saying I 'pre-warp all my tracks - therefore I have no skill' and so on...

(I'll stop that rant now)

With ableton now, I don't create pre-made sets in either arangement view or session. I have premade 'clip packs' which each consist of a song split into cue points and loops/samples. I drag them into session view and mix them with the other clip packs, its a very similar feel to traditional djing in the sense I can change the direction of the set at any moment (I am not stuck on a set path). Yes everything is pre-warped and all that fancy ableton stuff so I spend my time adding in drum riffs with a step sequencer controlled by my lemur during transitions instead of beatmatching.