The pads' velocity response is fixed, but they respond well enough provided you strike positively. Probably the most impressive addition at this price point is the 2 x 8 row of velocity-sensitive, multi-coloured pads designed for either percussion tapping or the launching of loops. It's devilishly simple but no less effective for that. The former is best suited to adjusting the parameters of soft synths, while the latter is Novation's built-in functionality to provide seamless DAW operation. standard MIDI CC transmission) and 'InControl' mode. Three buttons are provided to toggle sections of Launchkey controls between 'basic mapping' (ie. This makes Launchkey very simple to configure and use.” Even had a MIDI port been present, you'd still be unable to fully control most hardware synths due to their wildly varying CC requirements. The exclusion of hardware synths is no accident because the manual states: 'Launchkey's controls are non-assignable. Connectivity is exclusively via USB, channelling Novation's ambitions firmly towards PC, Mac and iPad. Perhaps strangely for a controller keyboard, there are no standard five-pin MIDI sockets.

If portability is your highest priority, the flyweight champion of the stable is the Launchkey 25 at around 2kg. When handling, you can't quite escape the rattly feel of plastic, but at less than 4kg, at least it won't be a burden to haul around. The middle-of-the-range model, the four-octave Launchkey 49 was the one supplied for review and, upon unboxing, I was immediately taken by its newt-like orange underbelly beneath the more conservative panel of dark grey. The package is further sweetened by a bundle of free software and samples, including Ableton Live Lite. This means multi-coloured, multi-purpose pads and a thoughtful selection of knobs and buttons for use with soft synths and popular DAWs.

We're offered a choice of two, four and five octaves, and although the smallest of these hasn't enough space for all the sliders and buttons of the others, the functionality is otherwise the same. The new Launchkey range of keyboard-based controllers is founded on three sizes of keyboard, the models named according to the number of keys. Splendid.įor over 20 years Novation have been making controllers, synths and control surfaces, and their appetite for perfecting the species continues unabated. Novation's new controller keyboard has bright lights, friendly buttons and a newt-like orange underbelly.

Novation launchkey mini drivers