Novation Launchpad X — a 64-pad RGB grid controller, velocity- and pressure-sensitive with polyphonic aftertouch, built for direct integration with Ableton Live. It moves the Session View from the computer screen onto a physical surface, giving full hands-on control over clip and scene launching without a mouse.
The 8x8 pad grid mirrors colors from the Ableton Live session one-to-one, so the state of each clip — empty, recording, playing — is visible at a glance directly on the controller. Dynamic Note and Scale modes automatically quantize the pads to a chosen key, and per-pad polyphonic aftertouch responds to post-attack pressure, giving expression comparable to a keyboard despite the pad format.
Playing live without watching the screen
An engineer running a session with just keyboard and mouse loses eye contact with the audience and wastes time precisely clicking a small clip on screen. Launchpad X moves clip, scene, and mixer control onto large physical pads, letting you play and mix without looking away from the instrument or the stage.
Nothing gets lost thanks to one-touch MIDI capture
Capture MIDI records the most recently played phrase even if recording wasn't running at the time — removing the most common improvisation problem: a great idea played right before hitting "record." Four custom modes, configurable in Novation Components, let you map pads and buttons to any MIDI parameter outside the Ableton Live context.
KEY FEATURES
- 64 large RGB pads, velocity- and pressure-sensitive, with polyphonic aftertouch
- Deep Ableton Live integration: clip, scene, transport, and mixer control
- Dynamic Note and Scale modes, automatic key quantization
- Capture MIDI function — records phrases played retroactively
- 4 custom modes, configurable via Novation Components
- Also integrates with Logic Pro, Bitwig, and other DAWs
- 16 navigation and function buttons, 81 RGB LEDs
- USB-C, bus-powered
- Included: Ableton Live 12 Lite, Cubase LE, 40 Melodics finger-drumming lessons
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Type: MIDI grid controller
- Pads: 64 (8x8 grid), RGB, velocity + pressure, polyphonic aftertouch
- Buttons: 16 (navigation, scene, mixer, modes)
- LEDs: 81 RGB
- Computer connection: USB-C
- Power: bus-powered via USB
- Compatibility: class-compliant, macOS, Windows, iOS
- Security slot: Kensington