NovationMK2 Launchpad Mini Compact USB Grid Controller for Ableton Live

Table of Contents:-Included-Important Notes-Pros and Cons-Ramble-Conclusion-Extra Notes-Extra Extra Notes-UpcomingIncluded: Launchpad Mini, USB connector, Ableton Live 9 Lite code, and ManualIMPORTANT 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.

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.

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.