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INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing this Novation Launchkey MIDI controller keyboard. As well as the 

music keyboard itself, Launchkey is equipped with a range of controllers to allow the modern 

musician to create great music in the studio, in live performance or on the move. The keyboard 

allows you to control your existing Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software, and also the 

included V-Station and Bass Station software plug-ins, the Launchkey iPad synth app and the 

Launchpad iPad loop-triggering app. Together, this unique software-hardware combination 

allows instant, real-time tweaking of synth parameters, loops and audio effects.

This guide will introduce you to Launchkey and explain the various ways you can use it with 

your music software in your recording set-up.  

Launchkey includes Novation’s InControl mode, which gives you a simple yet powerful way of 

controlling all your favourite music software applications.

With Launchkey you have two ways of working:

•  InControl – automatically maps Launchkey’s sliders, rotary controls and buttons onto your 

essential DAW parameters, such as channel faders, pan, mute and solo.

•  Basic Mapping mode – use Launchkey as a conventional MIDI controller, where 

each controller - sliders, rotary controls and buttons - transmits a dedicated MIDI CC 

(Continuous Controller) message.

For additional information, up to date support articles and a form to contact our Technical 

Support Team please visit the Novation Answerbase at: 

www.novationmusic.com/answerbase

Key Features

•  Available with 25, 49 or 61-note synth-action keyboard

•  8 rotary controls

•  9 sliders (49 and 61-note versions)

•  16 performance launch pads with multi-colour backlighting

•  Numeric LED display showing parameter values

•  Standard transport control set

•  Standard synth modulation and pitch bend wheels, plus octave transpose buttons

•  Track control buttons – change DAW tracks remotely

•  Integrated with InControl for seamless control of your DAW

•  Very simple installation procedure – class compliant, no driver required

About This Manual

We’ve tried to make this manual as helpful as possible for all types of user, both newcomers to 

computer music and those more experienced, and this inevitably means some users will want 

to skip over certain parts of it, while relative novices will want to avoid certain parts of it until 

they’re confident they’ve mastered the basics.

However, there are a few general points that are useful to know about before you continue 

reading this manual. We’ve adopted some graphical conventions within the text, which we hope 

all types of user will find helpful in navigating through the information to find what they need to 

know quickly:

Summary of Contents for MIDI controller keyboard

Page 1: ......

Page 2: ...ered names or trade marks mentioned in this manual belong to their respective owners Disclaimer Novation has taken all possible steps to ensure that the information given here is both correct and comp...

Page 3: ...red when the apparatus has been damaged in any way such as power supply cord or plug is damaged liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus the apparatus has been exposed to rain...

Page 4: ...tions within this manual may cause magnetic interference with appliances such as radios and televisions and void your FCC authorization to use this product in the USA 3 Note This equipment has been te...

Page 5: ...following sections of California law which refer to RoHS namely sections 25214 10 25214 10 2 and 58012 Health and Safety Code Section 42475 2 Public Resources Code CAUTION The normal operation of thi...

Page 6: ...InControl mode 13 Basic mapping mode 13 Interfacing Launchkey to an iPad 14 EXPLORING LAUNCHKEY 15 MIDI Channel 15 Transport controls 15 Octave up down 16 Transpose 16 Pitch Wheel 16 Modulation Wheel...

Page 7: ...s rotary controls and buttons transmits a dedicated MIDI CC Continuous Controller message For additional information up to date support articles and a form to contact our Technical Support Team please...

Page 8: ...er What s In The Box Launchkey has been carefully packed in the factory and the packaging was designed to withstand rough handling Should the unit appear to have been damaged in transit do not discard...

Page 9: ...rt available Monday Friday 9 30am 6pm GMT BST www novationmusic com support FA0754 01 Power Requirements Launchkey will normally be powered from your computer or iPad via its rear panel USB connector...

Page 10: ...simple to configure and use 1 Keyboard Launchkey is available in 25 49 or 61 note versions 2 Pitch wheel standard pitchbend wheel spring loaded to return to centre position 3 Mod Modulation wheel 4 91...

Page 11: ...y Shows the value of the MIDI parameter being transmitted by the control you re currently using 12 Octave buttons shift the keyboard up or down in octave steps Pressing the two buttons together lets y...

Page 12: ...y to a USB port on your computer or iPad using the USB cable supplied 2 2 Power In you can also connect an AC to DC adaptor here to externally power Launchkey 3 3 Sustain a jack socket for the connect...

Page 13: ...unchkey to allow instant operability with certain DAWs Consult the DAW Setup Guide you downloaded with the Launchkey Software Installer which includes a list of currently supported DAWs The DAW Setup...

Page 14: ...o an iPad as shown above 1 plug the USB cable in the box into the USB port on Launchkey 2 plug the other end of the USB cable into to the USB port on the Camera Connection Kit 3 now connect the Camera...

Page 15: ...e the launch pads these ALWAYS transmit on MIDI Channel 10 as this is the standard GM MIDI channel for percussion instruments Transport controls Launchkey is provided with a standard set of six transp...

Page 16: ...tave buttons 12 together lets you transpose the keyboard in semitone increments up to a maximum of 12 semitones The LED display flashes and confirms the transposition Pitch Wheel Launchkey s Pitch Whe...

Page 17: ...asic Mapping mode each button transmits a fixed MIDI CC message See the MIDI tables on page 24 Rotary controls All models have eight rotary controls 6 which like the other Launchkey controllers may be...

Page 18: ...only operative in InControl mode They allow you to step the slider s between tracks or instruments in your DAW On Launchkey 49 and 61 the Track I H buttons step through the DAW tracks in banks of eigh...

Page 19: ...e fixed and invisible to you so its operation is seamless and transparent InControl mode may be selected independently for the various blocks of controllers sliders buttons rotary controls and launch...

Page 20: ...ffers an 8 x 6 matrix of multi coloured pads which can be used to make and remix music from a library of samples and loops Built in time stretching ensures that all the loops and samples are synchroni...

Page 21: ...s one of the eight pads To recall a favourite patch simply press a pad Note that storage of favourite patches is retained within the app each favourite always links to an existing patch thus any alter...

Page 22: ...aunchkey and Launchpad iPad apps It is possible to run the two apps simultaneously and by using the InControl buttons 10 assign various sections of the Launchkey hardware to control each app For examp...

Page 23: ...unchkey is a class compliant device This means your computer will detect the keyboard when you connect it and if necessary install the correct drivers automatically Q What is the DC power socket for A...

Page 24: ...nsmitted Recognised Remarks Basic mode channel 1 16 No Defaults to 1 Note number 0 127 No Note velocity Note on Note off Yes Yes No No Pitch bend Yes No Control change 0 127 No System exclusive Device...

Page 25: ...25 English...

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