Novation LaunchPad Music Control Surface

It was literally last week this time we were IM'ing and emailing everyone we knew about an online digital music making addiction called, ToneMatrix, a simple sinewave synthesizer controlled by an ordinary 16step sequencer. We pined how we wished there was a hardware version of the magically addictive concept...and then we see this!

Jointly designed by Ableton and Novation, Launchpad places Ableton Live at your fingertips. Whether you’re a DJ, performing musician or studio producer, Launchpad gives you all you need to truly ‘play' Live.

With a multi-colour 64-button grid and dedicated scene launch buttons, Launchpad is purpose built for triggering and manipulating clips in Live, it also offers a totally new way of controlling Ableton Live’s mixer. Launchpad's buttons can be used to sketch out beats with drum racks, and they can be assigned to other functions in Live using Ableton's 'Learn' mode.

Launchpad ships with a dedicated ‘Launchpad edition’ of Ableton Live 8, but can control almost any other music software using Novation's award-winning 'Automap' control software.

The $199 Novation Launchpad is a grid controller which is operated by a series of on and off buttons in an 8×8 grid with additional keys to initiate further programmed effects. Plug it in via USB to your laptop and use it with music software Ableton Live, and you're on your way to being the next greatest thing (at least in your mind).

[via The Coolist]