If you walk into a major studio anywhere in the world, there’s a strong chance you’ll find a Focusrite Novation product. Since its 1992 inception, Novation’s created some of the most iconic synths of that decade as well as developing specialised MIDI controllers, notably the Launchpad family which began a long-running collaboration with Ableton that continues to this day. In 2013 came the first Launchkey keyboard controller and now, over a decade later, Novation’s fourth generation of Launchkeys has arrived in a range of sizes to suit different users’ needs.
The question is, will they keep Novation at the forefront of cutting edge studio control, and who exactly are they designed for?
There are six Launchkey models in total, sharing a core set of features with slight differences depending on the physical size of the models, from the Launchkey MINI 25 up to the Launchkey 61. But who are these different controller keyboards aimed at? “It’s not that there’s one particular and specific customer that might want to use a given model, it’s more tied to a use case,” says Novation product manager Mario Buoninfante. “You can have a professional musician that plays five gigs per week, every week of the year, that might want to use a smaller keyboard because of its portability because it fits better in their setup.”
He continues, “for those who are just getting started on their music journey, it might be that they want to start with [a controller] that feels more manageable, both from a price point of view and in terms of services. Then maybe a more advanced user or someone that’s not travelling might prefer the 49 or 61 key version. But what’s important is that the core functionality is the same across all the models.”
The MK4 will also work with USB-C-equipped iPads, meaning it can be used with Logic Pro for iPad, though at present there’s no direct template. But even where an app isn’t natively supported, you’re able to create custom maps instead.
While the models have very similar core functions, their varying sizes result in a few physical differences. Hence only the larger 49 and 61 key models have faders and fader buttons, while the two Mini models have dual touch strips in place of the more conventional pitch and mod wheels found on the other units – though crucially all of this can be re-mapped to suit your needs. Thanks to their greater number of keys, the 49 and 61 permit MIDI zoning and layering, and the two smallest models have 3.5mm MIDI outputs while the larger boxes sport regular five-pin ports.
As Mario explains when discussing the changes from version 3 of the Launchkey family, the controllers’ ability to function independently of a computer makes them feel more like instruments than ever before. “A big thing is that all the creative tools that have been made part of the firmware, which makes it feel like an instrument, it’s a big step forward compared to the Mark 3. And then there are some really nice upgrades on the mechanical side of things like the overall design, the overall feeling, buttons and encoders instead of fixed pots, and sliders with a good length as well. On the 49 and 61, there’s been a big upgrade to the key mechanism.”
The controllers still integrate with all the major DAWs and especially tightly with Ableton Live, with upgraded Launchpad-style backlit pads now featuring polyphonic aftertouch meaning they are pressure-sensitive for more expressive performance. This tech sadly doesn’t extend to the keybeds since doing so would have added both to the cost and the bulk of the units, something Novation was keen to avoid. And, unlike the MK3, there is currently no 88-key version of the MK4 — though our impression from our conversation is that we wouldn’t be surprised to see one unveiled soon.
The controllers’ MIDI functions are now baked into the firmware meaning their tools including Scale and Chord modes. Meanwhile, the eight-step generative arpeggiator can be used directly connected to MIDI hardware like modular gear or grooveboxes with no computer involved. So it’s truly a standalone controller or can just as easily unite the hardware and software sides of your setup.
Although there’s plenty of visual feedback on the hardware itself, Novation also released the Components app, which runs either on your desktop or via a browser. This lets you manage and customise its setup, uploading and downloading templates or bespoke patches.
Mario explains that Components is essentially “a librarian that lets you create custom templates so that you can configure every single control on the device in terms of faders and encoders and paths to send whatever MIDI message you need to send. It goes from the more common standard CC messages but it also deals with more complex ones like 14-bit CC messages, so it’s quite comprehensive.”
At this point in the chat, we’re joined by Sam Counihan, senior product manager and previously with Moog and Ableton for a number of years. He adds that “you also can map keystrokes. So as shortcuts become ever more convoluted there’s more and more added into each application. It’s a nice way to cut back on that complexity and keep you within the context of the controller”.
We ask Sam what he thinks producers look for in a MIDI controller in 2024 that perhaps they might not have sought out a decade ago.
“When you’re working with hardware that connects to software,” he says, “there’s a significant difference in what you’re interacting with and the amount of recontextualization, reorientation you need to do when you go from looking at what’s in front of you, to what’s on the screen.
“We think that offering many of these functions and tools within the MIDI controllers allows you to reduce that cognitive strain, that left-right brain interrupt that can get in the way of having the idea and expressing it. A MIDI keyboard is never going to completely replace the computer keyboard and mouse. But what we can do is, when you’re in those flow moments of creativity, keeping those in one context and one control surface and probably not having every option under the sun but some sort of constraints helps your creativity. That’s what’s exciting about MIDI controllers.”
Mario agrees that the way to make MIDI controllers better is to improve their smarts rather than necessarily adding hundreds of hardware features which inevitably affects both the size and the cost of the hardware. “When we speak about the evolution of MIDI controllers, clearly a deeper and more in-depth integration with software is required — we’re delivering that with this product.”
The developers also plan to upgrade and enhance the system’s functionality going forward via firmware updates. However, they’re not convinced that anything significant was omitted from the MK4 generation due to cost constraints. Sam comments, “I’d like to think that we make as good products as anybody. And we put a lot of effort into trying to get the best result at the price point in terms of the musical experience, the robustness of the product, the level of integration.”
Mario agrees, telling us, “we really take a lot of pride and we spend endless conversations and hours working and tweaking every single little detail that ended up being part of the product. Of course, you always want to push things further but we’re already providing from the get-go a really rich set of features.”
Sam continues, “I couldn’t honestly sit here and say if only we’d done X, then it would be X, as opposed to what it is. We do have room to move with the firmware. That’s something we can play with and build on user feedback with later updates. So I think we’re really keen to just get them out to users. We’ve had some great feedback from reviewers, and we have an excellent beta group with feature requests and tweaks. There’s no shortage of ideas about where we can go within the constraints of the hardware we’ve got, but it doesn’t feel like anything’’s missing.”
The Launchkey MK4 family seems to tick a lot of boxes, from the pre-mapped support for multiple DAWs, the modularity of working both as a standalone and a software controller and the flexibility to configure every parameter exactly as you want. USB power and an impressive set of performance tools like scale, chord and pressure-sensitive pads make them powerful performers with even the smallest, hyper-portable Mini models featuring sustain pedal inputs and MIDI output. There’s also a generous software bundle, again common to every model that includes Live Lite, software instruments and effects from Klevgrand, orchestral tools and GForce and the Melodics app to help you learn to play.
As we seek to blur the lines ever more between our studio hardware and software, developers like Novation are spending a great deal of effort refining and streamlining these workflows with an understanding that it’s more important to strike a balance between functionality and efficiency – to keep you creating and in the moment – than to necessarily provide an avalanche of features. And, to keep things affordable enough that all musicians can take advantage of these tools. With the Launchkey MK4 and the work that Novation is continuing to put into empowering players and producers, it’s an exciting time to be a musician – with even more sure to come.
