Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer

• 9. Sequencer

  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/01 Overview

    • 9.1 Sequencer Overview

      • Launchpad Pro has four independent sequencer tracks for software or hardware instruments.
      • For software, connect by USB and set each instrument to receive the MIDI channel of the sequencer track that controls it. Track MIDI channels can be changed in Sequencer Settings.
      • For hardware, connect the included TRS minijack-to-MIDI DIN adapter and a MIDI cable to a MIDI Out port. The sequencer sends MIDI through its MIDI Out ports as well as USB. It can run without a computer when powered by the included wall plug and USB-C cable.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View

    • 9.2 Steps View

      • The top half of the grid shows a pattern’s 32 steps. Press Play to start the white playhead at the beginning; press Play again to stop it.
      • The bottom half is the Play Area, where pads play notes.
      • Steps View layout
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/01 Play Area

        • 9.2.1 Using the Play Area

          • On Chromatic and Scale tracks, Up and Down shift the Play Area by an octave.
          • On Drum tracks, Up and Down shift by 16 notes (one 4 × 4 grid). Left and Right move the Drum layout by one row of four notes.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/02 Assign Notes

        • 9.2.2 Assigning to steps

          • Hold a note in the Play Area and press a step, or hold a step and press notes in the Play Area. Each step can hold up to eight notes.
          • Hold a step to preview it. Assigned notes light red in the Play Area.
          • Hold a Play Area note briefly to see its assigned steps light red. If you hold a chord, only steps containing every held note light red.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/03 Clear Steps

        • 9.2.3 Clearing steps

          • Hold Clear and press a step to remove all its notes.
          • To remove one note, hold its step and press the assigned red note in the Play Area.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/04 Duplicate Steps

        • 9.2.4 Duplicating steps

          • Hold Duplicate and press the source step, then press a destination step while still holding Duplicate. Keep holding Duplicate to paste to more steps.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/05 Playback

        • 9.2.5 Playback

          • Press Play to begin at the start of the patterns.
          • To resume a stopped sequence at its stopped position, hold Shift and press Play. Play lights gold while Shift is held.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/06 Record

        • 9.2.6 Recording into the sequencer

          • Press Record [O] to enable live recording; the button lights red. While the sequencer plays, notes from the Play Area are recorded.
          • Incoming MIDI from USB or the TRS MIDI In port is recorded too.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/07 Gate Length

        • 9.2.7 Setting gate length

          • Press and briefly hold a step until it pulses green. Keep holding it and press a later step to set how many steps the notes last. The intervening steps pulse green.
          • To reset the gate to one step, press the pad that would set a two-step gate twice. The second press returns the gate to one step.
          • Ten-step gate length
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/08 Tracks

        • 9.2.8 Using multiple sequencer tracks

          • The four sequencer tracks play simultaneously. Select a track with its lit track-select button; each track’s button and Play Area use the same color.
          • Track colors, as drawn in the Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/03 Patterns View diagram: Track 1 orange, Track 2 violet, Track 3 green, Track 4 salmon.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/02 Steps View/09 Ableton Live

        • 9.2.9 Using the Sequencer with Ableton Live

          • Ableton Live MIDI tracks accept input from any channel by default. If several sequencer tracks play while multiple Live tracks are armed, the notes can reach every armed track. Assign a separate input channel to each Live track.
          • In Live, choose “Launchpad Pro MK3 (LPProMK3 MIDI)” as MIDI From on Mac, or “LPProMK3 MIDI (MIDI 1)” on Windows.
          • Ableton Live MIDI input port
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          • Set each Live track to the channel of its Launchpad sequencer track. By default, Launchpad tracks 1–4 send on MIDI channels 1–4. Sequencer Settings can change those channels.
          • Ableton Live track MIDI channels
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          • Set Monitor to Auto and arm the Live tracks. To arm several at once, hold Command on Mac or Control on Windows while clicking each record-arm button. You can instead disable “Arm Exclusive” from a record-arm button’s context menu.
          • Ableton Live Arm Exclusive setting
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  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/03 Patterns View

    • 9.3 Patterns View

      • A Pattern is a 32-step sequence. Each track has eight Patterns per project. Open Patterns View to see them; the playing Pattern pulses and is the one displayed in Steps View.
      • Patterns View
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/03 Patterns View/01 Chain

        • 9.3.1 Chaining Patterns

          • Press two Pattern pads at once to set the start and end of a chain. During playback, the Patterns play in order. A chain can span all eight Patterns, for up to 256 steps.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/03 Patterns View/02 Queue

        • 9.3.2 Queuing Patterns

          • During playback, press a Pattern or Pattern chain to queue it. The selection flashes and begins after the current Pattern ends.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/03 Patterns View/03 Clear

        • 9.3.3 Clearing a Pattern

          • Hold Clear and press the Pattern to erase it.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/03 Patterns View/04 Duplicate

        • 9.3.4 Duplicating a Pattern

          • Hold Duplicate and press the source Pattern, then press a destination Pattern slot. Keep Duplicate held to paste the copy into additional slots.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/03 Patterns View/05 Instant Change

        • 9.3.5 Instant Pattern Change

          • During playback, hold Shift and choose a Pattern or chain to switch immediately. The sequencer enters the new selection at the point it would have reached if that selection had played since playback began.

          • Note/Info An instant switch can bring tracks back into time after queued switches between Patterns of different lengths.
            

  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/04 Scenes

    • 9.4 Scenes

      • A Scene triggers Patterns across all four tracks with one press. The 16 white pads at the bottom of Patterns View represent Scenes. Scenes can also be chained into a longer song structure.
      • Scenes in Patterns View
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/04 Scenes/01 Assign

        • 9.4.1 Assigning to Scenes

          • Hold a Scene to preview its assigned Patterns or Pattern chains; after a short delay they light red.
          • While holding a Scene, press a Pattern or Pattern chain to assign it. You can also hold a Pattern chain and press a Scene.
          • Editing the Scene does not change current playback. The new assignment takes effect when you reselect the Scene or its Scene chain cycles back to it.
          • A Scene changes from green to white when the currently playing Pattern chains differ from its saved assignments.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/04 Scenes/02 Chain

        • 9.4.2 Chaining Scenes

          • Press two Scenes together to set the start and end of a chain. When you press Play, the Scenes play in order. The sequencer advances after every track has completed its Pattern chain at least once.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/04 Scenes/03 Queue

        • 9.4.3 Queuing Scenes

          • During playback, select a Scene or Scene chain to queue it. The queued pads flash; after Track 1’s current Pattern ends, the new selection starts from the beginning without losing sync.
          • For an immediate switch, hold Shift and select a Scene or chain. The sequencer enters it at the point it would have reached if it had played since playback began.

          • Note/Info An instant switch can bring tracks back into time after queued switches between Scenes of different lengths.
            

      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/04 Scenes/04 Clear

        • 9.4.4 Clearing a Scene

          • Hold Clear and press a Scene to return it to the default assignment: Pattern 1 on every track.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/04 Scenes/05 Duplicate

        • 9.4.5 Duplicating a Scene

          • Hold Duplicate and press the source Scene, then press a destination Scene slot. Keep Duplicate held to paste it into additional slots.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/05 Pattern Settings

    • 9.5 Pattern Settings

      • Pattern Settings changes how steps play in the current Pattern. The top half of the Play Area becomes playback settings while this view is selected.
      • Pattern Settings view
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/05 Pattern Settings/01 Sync Rate

        • 9.5.1 Pattern Sync Rate

          • Eight peach pads set how long each step lasts relative to the current tempo: 1/4, 1/4T, 1/8, 1/8T, 1/16, 1/16T, 1/32, or 1/32T. T denotes a triplet.
          • The default is 1/16, one sixteenth note per step. Faster rates give finer step resolution but shorten the Pattern’s total duration. Slower rates make longer Patterns with less timing detail.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/05 Pattern Settings/02 Direction

        • 9.5.2 Pattern Playback Direction

          • Four pink pads select playback order from left to right:
            • Forward: Play from the start step to the end step.
            • Backward: Play from the end step to the start step.
            • Ping-Pong: Alternate forward and backward. Both endpoint steps play twice, so the Pattern cycle doubles in length.
            • Random: Choose each step anew during playback. A step may repeat any number of times in one cycle, but the cycle keeps its length when chained to other Patterns.
          • Changes made during playback take effect at the end of the current Pattern cycle.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/05 Pattern Settings/03 Start End

        • 9.5.3 Pattern start and end points

          • In Pattern Settings, press a step to set the Pattern’s end point; the selected end step lights peach.
          • Hold Shift to display the start point in peach, then press a step while Shift is held to move the start point.
          • Steps containing notes outside the selected range are dim red. Empty steps outside the range stay unlit.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/06 Velocity

    • 9.6 Velocity

      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/06 Velocity/01 Step Velocity

        • 9.6.1 Step Velocity edit

          • Press Velocity to see and edit the velocity of each step. Select a step in the top half of the grid; its velocity appears on the two-row slider at the top of the Play Area.
          • Press a slider pad to set the selected step’s velocity from 1 (minimum) to 16 (maximum). Manual edits set every note on a multi-note step to the same velocity.
          • Velocity view
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/06 Velocity/02 Live Record

        • 9.6.2 Live Recording with Velocity

          • Live recording can put notes with different velocities on one step. Bright pads show the lowest velocity; dim pads show the range up to the highest recorded velocity.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/07 Probability

    • 9.7 Probability

      • Probability lets individual notes sometimes skip a step, adding variation to a sequence.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/07 Probability/01 Edit

        • 9.7.1 Editing Step Probability

          • Press Probability, then select a step in the top half of the grid. The top row of the Play Area shows the selected step’s probability on an eight-pad slider.
          • The pads, from left to right, set the chance of a note playing to 13%, 25%, 38%, 50%, 63%, 75%, 88%, or 100%.
          • Every note on a step shares one probability setting, but each note is evaluated independently. At 50%, a two-note step may play both notes, one note, or neither.
          • Assigned or recorded notes default to 100%. Clearing a step, Pattern, or Project also resets its probability to 100%.
          • Probability view
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/07 Probability/02 Print

        • 9.7.2 Printing Probability

          • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/11 Print to Clip resolves the probability of each step once when it transfers the Pattern to Ableton Live. Print the same Pattern repeatedly to capture repeatable variations in separate clips.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/08 Mutation

    • 9.8 Mutation

      • Mutation varies the pitch of notes on selected steps during playback.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/08 Mutation/01 Edit

        • 9.8.1 Editing Step Mutation

          • Press Mutation and select a step in the top half of the grid. The top row of the Play Area shows an eight-pad Mutation slider for that step.
          • The leftmost value means no Mutation; the rightmost is the maximum. Newly recorded or assigned steps begin with no Mutation (one pad lit).
          • Mutation view
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/08 Mutation/02 Print

        • 9.8.2 Printing Mutation

          • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/11 Print to Clip resolves each step’s Mutation once as it transfers the Pattern to Ableton Live. Print repeatedly to capture several repeatable variations.
          • Combine Mutation with Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/07 Probability to make evolving Patterns, then print the results as clips.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/09 Micro Steps

    • 9.9 Micro Steps

      • Micro Steps give finer note placement within a step, useful for strums and fast retriggers.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/09 Micro Steps/01 Edit

        • 9.9.1 Editing Micro Steps

          • Press Micro Steps and select a step in the top half of the grid. The six leftmost pads of the Play Area’s top row represent that step’s Micro Steps.
          • Hold a note in the Play Area and press a Micro Step to assign it. To remove a note, hold its Micro Step and press the assigned red note in the Play Area.
          • Micro Step editing view
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/09 Micro Steps/02 Clear

        • 9.9.2 Clearing micro steps

          • Hold Clear and press a Micro Step to erase its notes. To remove one note, hold the Micro Step and press the assigned red note in the Play Area.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/09 Micro Steps/03 Duplicate

        • 9.9.3 Duplicating steps

          • Hold Duplicate and press a source Micro Step, then press a destination Micro Step while still holding Duplicate.
          • The paste does not occur if it would raise the total notes on the whole step above eight.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/10 Tempo and Swing

    • 9.10 Tempo and Swing

      • Tempo sets beats per minute; Swing shifts off-beat timing.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/10 Tempo and Swing/01 Edit

        • 9.10.1 Editing Tempo and Swing

          • Hold Shift and press Device to open Tempo view (blue and white). The displayed number is the current BPM.
          • Hold Shift and press Stop Clip to open Swing view (orange and white). A value above 50 delays off-beat notes; a value below 50 moves them earlier.
          • Use the Up and Down arrows to adjust either value. Hold an arrow to cycle quickly.
          • Tempo view
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          • Swing view
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  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/11 Print to Clip

    • 9.11 Print to Clip

      • Print to Clip transfers the selected sequencer track’s current Pattern or Pattern chain directly into an Ableton Live clip slot.
      • Select a clip slot in Live, then press Print to Clip on Launchpad Pro. You can also select a slot from Launchpad Pro: open Session View, hold Shift, and press a grid pad.
      • Selected empty clip slot
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      • If the selected slot is empty, the Pattern becomes a clip there. If it is occupied, Live uses the next empty slot below, letting you print several variations without overwriting clips.
      • Clip slot after Print to Clip
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      • In Patterns View, hold Print to Clip and press a pulsing track-select button to print that track’s selected Pattern or chain.

      • Note/Info Print to Clip works only while connected to Ableton Live. In Ableton Live Lite, the button goes dark when all eight clip slots in a track are full.
        

      • Full Ableton Live Lite track
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  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/12 Projects

    • 9.12 Projects

      • A Project stores the sequencer’s Patterns, Scenes, scale and root, track types, and track MIDI channels. Launchpad Pro has 64 Project slots.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/12 Projects/01 Save

        • 9.12.1 Saving your Sequencer Project

          • From Steps, Projects, or Patterns View, hold Shift and press Projects to start saving. Save pulses green. Press Projects again to save to the active slot; Save flashes briefly while the device writes, and controls are unavailable during that moment.
          • To cancel saving, press a button other than Shift, Projects, or Setup.
          • To save to a different slot in Projects View, hold Shift and press Projects. Save pulses white. You may choose one of eight Project colors with the track-select buttons, then press the desired Project slot. Save and the slot flash to confirm.
          • A saved Project also includes Note and Chord mode settings and every Custom Mode master MIDI channel.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/12 Projects/02 Backup

        • 9.12.2 Backing up your Projects

          • Novation Components can back up Projects online. It is available in a Web MIDI browser or as a standalone download from the Novation Customer Portal.
  • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/13 Settings

    • 9.13 Sequencer Settings

      • Sequencer Settings controls each track’s type and MIDI channel, plus the scale and root note.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/13 Settings/01 Access

        • 9.13.1 Accessing Sequencer Settings

          • Hold Shift and press Sequencer to open Sequencer Settings.
          • Sequencer Settings view
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      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/13 Settings/02 Track Types

        • 9.13.2 Track Types

          • Use the three pads at the top right to choose Drum, Scale, or Chromatic. Select the track to change with its track-select button.
          • The top-left 4 × 2 pads preview the left side of the chosen track’s Play Area layout.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/13 Settings/03 Root and Scale

        • 9.13.3 Root Select/Scale Viewer

          • The piano-layout viewer shows scale notes in blue, the root in purple, and out-of-scale notes in dim white.
          • Press a pad in the viewer to change the root. The root selection applies in Note, Chord, and Sequencer modes.
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/13 Settings/04 Select Scale

        • 9.13.4 Selecting the Scale

          • Press one of the 16 scale pads. The selected scale lights bright white; the others are dim blue. The choice applies in Launchpad/UG/06 Note Mode, Launchpad/UG/07 Chord Mode, and Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer modes.

          • Available scales

            • Top Row (1)

              • Left

                • (1, 1) - Music/Scale/Minor/Natural
                • (1, 2) - Music/Scale/Major
                • (1, 3) - Music/Scale/Dorian
                • (1, 4) - Music/Scale/Phrygian

              • Right

                • (1, 5) - Music/Scale/Mixolydian
                • (1, 6) - Music/Scale/Minor/Melodic
                • (1, 7) - Music/Scale/Minor/Harmonic
                • (1, 8) - Music/Scale/Dorian/Bebop

            • Bottom Row (2)

              • Left

                • (2, 1) - Music/Scale/Blues
                • (2, 2) - Music/Scale/Pentatonic/Minor
                • (2, 3) - Music/Scale/Minor/Hungarian
                • (2, 4) - Music/Scale/Dorian/Ukrainian

              • Right

                • (2, 5) - Music/Scale/Marwa
                • (2, 6) - Music/Scale/Todi
                • (2, 7) - Music/Scale/Whole Tone
                • (2, 8) - Music/Scale/Hirajoshi
      • Launchpad/UG/09 Sequencer/13 Settings/05 MIDI Channel

        • 9.13.5 Setting MIDI Channel

          • Each track can transmit on any MIDI channel from 1 to 16. Assign different channels to address separate Ableton Live instruments or external hardware.