Tutorial and review: Launchpad Pro MK3 vs Launchpad X // Which should you get?

I’ve had a Launchpad X for 3 years and I use it mainly with Logic. In retrospect the extra buttons of the pro would have been good. Now…. I wonder if the Launchpads are relevant, especially with the Ableton Push or the Maschine with NI. Is anybody still making good use of their Launchpad?

X is a nice size but no chord mode is a deal-breaker, maybe next time.

Even a basic chord mode (and scale mode) has transformed my music creation. Far faster to find what sounds right or what is in my head, and create fuller better sounding music.

Will have to stick with my 25 mini keyboard for now for travel, but would like a mini groove box one day as they look more fun.

How stands novation circuit rhythm the compariaon as a daw controller apposed to launchpad pro?

I have to try the launchpad pro❤

The pro is like a cheap Diet Ableton Push lol, I love it.

I still highly recommend the Push over the Launchpad though, strictly in terms of value for the price.

Hey man, this might seem like an arbitrary question, but are the keys on either/both Launchpads here pressable?
I know that on the original Launchpad Pro, the keys don't depress at all (aka they're trigged by touch only). I can see the use for this, but I personally prefer pressable keys, as it seems like a touch-triggered surface would be easier to accidentally trigger wrong notes on. With pressable keys, it will know when I actually want to trigger something.

Need^^^

I love the X pads, but even the Push 1 is so much easier to use with its display, compared to all the modes etc you have to remember on both the X and Pro.

How do I know which button is which scale in Note settings mode?

I wonder if it is worth to buy the Launchpad Pro it as an input device with scale modes for my Elektron DN&DT, even though I already have a Circuit and a Launch Control XL (+USB host)?

Launchpad Pro mk3 is a rather frustrating device.
You can play chord progressions with single buttons, but you can't use that feature in the sequencer.
Every key in a chord is struck at the same time because there is no strum effect. That's fine for electronic music, but not for any other genre playing traditional instruments like piano or el. piano instruments. Yes, I can play chords in non-quantized mode, but why would I torture myself doing that on the grid instead of a midi keyboard. Any cheap midi keyboard is going to be much better experience than any grid controller for that matter.
CC assignment is more of a gimmick than a feature. It'll never be a substitute for knobs. It may be useful for some rough sketches and nothing more. I would rather have step based parameter control. Something like parameter lock, and then the sequencer in note mode modulating the locked parameter.
Note repeat!? Is it that hard to implement the note repeat function?

Ableton integration is not impressive by any means.

I have the mini mk3 and cannot figure out what the hold User/keys/drums down function does. Can you tell me?

My question is what app are you using I can’t seem to find it

you never mentioned whether they function with thr novation app on the ipad does the c work with this

Any idea how to change velocity for one sound when that sound is on the same step as another sound on the sequencer? Its really annoying when I have a kick and a snare on the same step and I want to change the velocity of the snare only but using the velocity control it changes the velocity of the kick too..

I am having a problem with fx sends on the mk3. the second send button lights up correctly but does not switch to second fx send values on the
8x8 pads when engaged. Any ideas??

great..thx.👍💯cool new modes & functions
p.s. the shift Button 🤮
One Touch strip would be cool ....

I learned so much more from this video than I did from anything Novation put out. Thanks!

I'm wondering why one would buy such controller

could you show us how to create a drum rack with a 16 steps step sequencer (1bar) quantized to 1/16? also want to add note repeat and velocity, its for launchpad pro mk3

Do i have to use a comouter pls i need answers

Thank you for the extensive review I really enjoy your videos and get alot of value.

There was update for Launchpad X:
- Now you can have 8 custom modes each can be set to any channel from the device itself by holding down any custom button on the right side
- You can long press any button on the mixer for temporary access
- Double press Session to a move around in the grid in 8 steps.

for solely finger drumming purposes, which one would you recommend?

I wonder if you could build chord mode on the X as a custom mode?

these things have always looked cool but just seem like you'd need to be super dedicated to remember all the steps and button sequences with no screen...

When you are in custom mode and you save chords, if you change the scale do the saved chords change or they stay the same?

Like always, very informative and in depth. After watching I bought a launchpad pro mk3. Then came back to this Video to learn how to use it. Much better than novations tutorials.

Thanks for this comprehensive review which is almost a tutorial! Very useful.

!EXCELLENT VIDEO & COMPARISON! I'm a Singer/Drummer/Percussionist, and a complete newbie as far as EDM Music Production, although I decided to test the waters & get my feet wet. Maybe this wonderful Community would help me with some advise. The music style & situation might be a little different than most users, so with that in mind I'll get to the point. I mostly want to arrange/produce Congregational Classic Pop and Jazzy Blues/Ethnic World Music & Percussion Fusion.

I'll be singing/Playing in a Congregation which has no other Band Members, and want to get away from CD Backing Tracks, as they are too dry & restrictive in "Inspirational Moments". My goal is to arrange/produce Backing Tracks to trigger Live during Worship, with different parts or compositions in a random order & length. In order to accomplish this, I purchased a dedicated Laptop for Music Production, a Novation 61 Key Controller for Ableton Live {The DAW I'll be using}, a Boss RC-505 Loop station, an Alesis Strike Multipad, and a Behringer Mixer to go along with my Alesis Strike Pro Drum Kit.

I've been doing some research as to a Music Composer/Controller/Grove Box, to aid me in LIVE Presentations as {for the moment} I'm a One Man Band. and this is WHERE I NEED HELP... Would the Akai MPC40 MKII together with the Novation Launchpad Pro MK3, or Circuit Tracks/Circuit Rhythm, {$650 together - What combination would be best?}, and would it be a good choice for this type of Music & situation? Or would I be be better off with a Machine MK3 {$700}? {Budget being around $700}. Or is there anything else The Community might advise me as a better choice for my Style of Music & situation? Note: I don't mind arranging/Producing completely in my DAW; I'm more interested in the best hardware to Trigger these arrangements/ samples/ loops in LIVE PERFORMANCE! I'll be MOST GRATEFUL for any help you can give me. THANKS!

Thanks so much. Based in part on this video, I grabbed the pro over Christmas this year, mainly to get the sequencer. I was upgrading from the Launchpad Mini. I am so glad I chose the Pro 3. The thing is an absolute gem for jamming and keeping me in scale. I use it mainly with Bitwig, with the four tracks running and then one main keyboard, and pages of sub keyboards and controls for different instruments. The extra custom control pages are nice, but in reality I've not used more than 4 (yet).

just got a pro mk3 for $190 :)

chords,seq,track selection etc fetures only available in session mode? I want to use them in arrange view

PLEASE, for someone like myself who wants to get into all this, how would I go about learning how all this stuff works? Learning how to use ableton and everything. There so much I don't even know where to start, what's important at first and what's not.

Is it possible to get the same note light feedback you get in Ableton when using other DAWS like in maschine???

Questions do you think this would make for a good controller sequencer for my Behringer 2600 Blue Marvin? If so would this just be a Midi Out from the LaunchPad Pro to the Midi In on the Blue Marvin?

I’ve a question… it’s possible to trigger buttons from midi input? And if possible, it sends the trigger to its outputs (usb and midi)?
Not finding a single clue on that anywhere…

you are the best thank you;)

Thanks for your videos. I just got the Launchpad x I want to program in its own custome mode. play ,record,loop, and quantize when I use elements do I select the midi widget or cc buttons? Then from there I map in my daw correct?

wish they made a pro version of mini

pro is damn massive

I shouldn't watch your videos. They're going to cost me money :D

in Overlap, can we have fourth augmented (6 semi tones) between raws?

I got the Laaunchpad X but now. . . that sequencer is nice Q.Q/

Definitely not recommended for beginners.

So is their a mode where you can trigger note on messages and then trigger them back off or is it same old, same old sustain only note programming? I'm talking about for real time note recording, not step.

Hello everyone! Can the Launchpad Pro also help on recording audio tracks? Or using it in arrangement mode?

do you thinj its worth the upgrade if I only want to add chord mode? I have the x and wondering if chord mode will really add anything or not?

Thank you AWE-some video!!!

the project for launchpad pro are still compatibility with pro mk3 ?

thank you for your extending reviews, they're immensely helpful