Launchpad ships with a dedicated 'Launchpad edition' of Ableton Live 8, but can control almost any other music software using Novation's award-winning Automap control software. Launchpad was jointly designed by Novation and Ableton to bring the features of Live to modern musician's fingertips. In the related Input and Output choosers, select Launchpad as well: Make sure that the MIDI ports for the Launchpad are configured correctly. Enable 'Track' and 'Remote' for the Launchpad's inputs and outputs. For the Launchpad MK2 and Pro, you will also need to enable the output Sync port.

Novation has updated Automap to version 4.3.

Changes and fixes:

• Revised Plug-In focus follow on screen option.

• Added HUI support for Reaper, Studio One, Digital Performer and Pro Tools LE in Setup Wizard.

• Added support for Logic Express 9 in Setup Wizard.

• Green light will come on for all HUI-supported DAWs on the same system.

• Added 'Ignore HUI heartbeat messages' in HUI setting (only tick this box if you are a Reaper user).

• Added Automap mode to Impulse's Plugin button when using with Ableton Live.

• Updated Impulse Firmware to version 663, now the Plugin button has two modes when use with Ableton Live. Mode 1 (constant light): to control Live device, Mode 2 (flashing light) to control Automap enabled plug-ins.

• Updated SL Mkii firmware to version 1.3.12.

• Updated Zero SL Mkii firmware to version 1.3.14.

• Fixed Automap asking for password when launching on DAW on OS X.

• Fixed VST3 not working when 'Follow on screen Plug-In where possible' is ticked (in the expense of Steinberg's VST3 plug-ins on screen rotaries not working, Windows only).

• Fixed VST plug-ins not auto focusing when using Sonar.

• Fixed track name not appearing after load a session with HUI in Digital Performer.

• Fixed automap enabled VST3 plug-ins crashing or not loading in Studio One.

• Fixed bug when plugging and unplugging hardware continuously on OS X Lion.

• Fixed garbled text in Notification window on Mac.

• Fixed not wrapping Focusrite Midnight suite in setup wizard.

• Fixed crash when tracking up and down with Impulse 25 using Reason.

• Merged Logic Express and Pro Tools LE guide with Logic Pro and Pro Tools.

• Improved Logic setup guide.

• Matched the text regarding Automap MIDI in advanced so it's now the same on Mac and PC.

• Reduced Mac and Win installer download size.

• Removed Mac PPC support.

• Fixed AU automation mis-write when touching a control while moving another.

• Fixed LED ring not displaying pan parameter when using Studio One.

• Fixed Preview button not working on Mac.

• Updated Studio One setup guide to include additional keyboard setup information.

• Changed the stop button behaviour in Studio One to match the Mackie HUI.

• Added messages to notify user to use 'Plugin' button to switch between Ableton Live mode and Automap mode.

• updated Impulse 25 encoder HUI mapping.

• Fixed crash with wrapped VST3 version of Melodyne with Studio One.

• Known issues:

• Windows only, Steinberg's VST3 plug-ins on screen rotaries not working when wrapped, untick 'Follow on screen Plug-In where possible' option in Preferences.

• when using HUI with Digital Performer, moving fader 1 will also move fader 8 in the Automap GUI. This will not affect session in most case. This is caused by DP sending CC7 on channel 1 back to Automap every time the first slider is being move.

• AU plug-ins name will appear strangely in Studio One when wrapped. This does not affect the performance of the plug-ins.

• Fabfilter VST3 not recognise on windows systems when wrapped.

• Waves 8 plug-in will not auto focus when wrapped or not wrapped.

Tips:

• VST2 and VST3 plug-ins re-wrap is required for the new fixes to work.

• If you are using multiple version of Reaper, the naming of Reaper in Setup Wizard depends on which version you load first.

• If you have these versions of Pro Tools, Reaper, Studio One and Digital Performer, the green light next to them will come on if one DAW is setup.

Automapis free software that comes with all Novation controllers. It gives you instant access to your DAW and plug-ins so you can get hands-on control of your music software. It features a software edit page that graphically shows what is assigned to which knob, fader or button on the hardware. Automap 4 has a re-designed GUI and now features a notification system that pops up in the corner of your monitor to tell you what you are controlling when you move a knob, slider or button.

Automap 4 was launched with Novation's new Impulse controller keyboard range in Summer 2011. The v4.1 update now enables Novation’s top of the range SL MkII controllers to work with Automap 4 for instant assignment and convenient control. Other Novation controllers and keyboards are now also compatible with Automap 4 including: Nocturn, Launchpad, UltraNova, ReMOTE SL, Nocturn Keyboard and the SL Compact.

Automap is the original music software control technology. It was launched in 2006 and has evolved over the years with significant workflow improvements. Automap 4 is simple to set up and start using right away, and gives you unparalleled control over your DAW and plug-in instruments/effects.

Ever since the launch of the Novation Launchpad, fans of grid-based controllers have been joyfully pondering, experimenting, and in some cases creating ways of using the Launchpad across several different applications, as opposed to simply using it with Ableton Live.

Why would this be the case? Well, for starters it greatly resembles a Monome, which has been an amazing, and somewhat elusive toy to get your hands on for grid-like controllers. The Launchpad is far cheaper than a Monome. But, there's one more thing...

If you open up a Kong in Reason, you'll notice that its buttons greatly resemble the Launchpad's buttons:

This means that with the Launchpad, you're getting a fairly inexpensive device that gives you the tactile feel of drum machine pads!

Unfortunately, the Reason implementation was more of an afterthought with the Launchpad. If you were to try using the Launchpad at this moment with Reason, you may be able to trigger some device buttons, but it's far from being studio, or stage worthy.

The Launchpad does come with the free version of Automap, and this, when used carefully, can make the Reason experience much better. There is some setup involved, though.

This article is primarily written as a means to explain where the Launchpad is functional with Reason, and ways that you can have quite a bit of fun with it in Reason, once it's set up.

Let the investigation begin...

Scenario 1 - Remote... Is it Even Worth it?

Like every controller I ever use with Reason, I always try out Remote first. This is Propellerhead's primary auto-mapping for any device that is hooked up to Reason. Surprisingly, when I ran Auto-Detect Surfaces, the Launchpad was detected...

But it's not seen as a MIDI keyboard type device. Instead, it was connected as a control surface. And, as a control surface, I wouldn't really recommend this controller at all. The buttons work in a toggle mode where, for example, if a button is mapped to a knob it will simply toggle the knob incrementally. The lights are pretty, and the mappings do change from controller to controller, but c'mon! You can't use it for MIDI notes at all in this mode... At least, not easily. Here's a shot of the Automapping with Thor:

Scenario 2 - Manually Setting up the Launchpad

Now that we've established that the Launchpad is a little weird as a control surface, let's try using it with Kong as a drum pad. This, I found, actually is a really cool setup and allows you to avoid Kong's irritating habit of not allowing you to turn off velocities on your pad. Let me show you how I set it up.

Step 1 - Preferences

Go to the Reason > Preferences > Control surface page. If the Launchpad is already present, delete it.

Press the Add button and select Novation from the list...

Then select Automap Keyboard, and then Automap MIDI for the input port. Press OK. Some other tweakers out there may have another way of doing this. If so, leave a comment and enlighten me. Now, quit preferences.

Step 2 - Mapping

Now for the somewhat tedious part: Create a Kong, then click on the Automap button in your Apple dock to bring up the Automap Page. I would highly recommend having a drum patch loaded up in your Kong at this point.

You will have a blank page in your automap window. If not, from the Automap file menu, choose Clear All Controls.

Now, click on the lower left hand square, and in the Parameter Drop-down menu, choose Note 036 (C1). This will assign Pad 1 to the Launchpad, as this is the MIDI key you would press on a keyboard to trigger pad 1, on the Kong.

Now, to speed things up a bit, place Automap's Learn mode in to the Latch setting.

Launchpad Automap

Click on the Launchpad, 4 rows of 4 buttons, this is the exact layout of Kong, and will be really helpful for triggering the drum device. You may come up with your own custom mapping for later, this is just what I like. The Latch mapping will be Note 36 (C1). We'll finish this next.

You've got all the buttons, they just need to be assigned. We know the first button in the lower left corner is the right mapping, Note 36 (C1). On the next button to the right, assign it to Note 37, the next 38, and so on. All the way up until all the buttons are mapped numerically from 36 on up.

Now, take your Automap out of latch, and start playing! This sets you up with all of the basic pad buttons for Kong, and it actually is a pretty good controller at this point. You do have the option of mapping CCs to different functions of Kong as well. Try setting up some different buttons and see what works for you.

Alternatives to Automap

Aside from Automap, there have been individuals out there who have also seen the potential of the Launchpad with Reason. The easiest, and most elegant I've seen has been Deluded Software's Relaunch, as it has a Remote-style mapping for every device in Reason, as well as a killer Combinator that makes amazing use of the Launchpad. It even has a custom arpeggiator.

It does seem like Relaunch's support may have fallen by the wayside, as it's a year old now, and still on Ver 1.0. But don't let this dissuade you: it works wonderfully, albeit with some minor bugs here and there.

There are other alternatives out there like Nonome, but Relaunch was the option that I had the most luck with.

Conclusion

Ableton Novation Launchpad Automap

Okay, I hope this provides a wonderful tool for your Reason endeavors. The Launchpad is truly a cool controller for Reason, it just needs a little attention in the setup. But, hey, at the price it's going for, who cares?

Launchpad Automap Tutorial

Automap Launchpad Mini