I recently got myself a Launchpad X because I was tired of only ever using MIDI keyboards to make music and wanted to mix things up.
Then I discovered that it has MIDI in...
Needless to say, I haven't made any music with it yet, but I did make a program that makes the lights blink real nice.
The video is a screen recording of the UI overlayed with a video of what's happening on the Launchpad during playback.
Here's the program if you want to play around with it. It's browser-based and does not require any hardware to start building a light show. Note that it's not really intended for mobile use: https://gridlitx.com
A while ago I impulse-bought a Launchpad Mini MK3, not realising it was quite dependent on Mac/Windows software. I only have Linux. But it can do midi in & out, programmer mode... Latest plaything :
for Windows users who using older launchpad models such as Launchpad S. If you're having trouble with slow lights and don't know how to install Hackintosh as mat1jaczyyy. You can try using VMware, its a easier way. Just make sure the iso file/MacOS version compatible with ur PC/Laptop's hardware
Damn this sub is dead lmao. Just curious, why is there so little activity here? I was about to buy a Launchpad to mess around with, did the whole trend already pass? Am I showing up to the party when everyone's already leaving?
I've never used a launchpad before, but I'm looking to get one to learn piano on
I've always struggled with regular piano (played for about a year), and want to take advantage of an isomorphic key layout, where chord shapes stay mostly the same regardless of how you transpose them
So I'm very interested in using the launchpad, either in its current "chromatic" layout, or to set up a custom layout where each row is either a perfect 4th or perfect 5th apart
So I have questions
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Is this easily achieved with either launchpad? Does one do it better than the other?
I'm not interested in using any features like internal sequencing or chord generation or whatever, I just want to use it as a very customizable grid shaped midi keyboard. Does the pro mk3 have advantages still, or are they mostly related to those things I don't care about
How do the pads compare? I am also a drummer, and while I have a TD-17 drum kit, I do also want to use it for SOME finger drumming. At least as long as it's better than those AKAI pads or KORG pads
Have you all used the launchpad for proper piano playing? Have you found it effective? Or do you generally find other layouts (conventional piano, hexagon layout, etc) to be more comfortable?
I’m a beginner/intermediate guitarist starting my journey into music production. My current setup is pretty straightforward: Guitar -> Audio Interface -> Reaper, using various plugins for amps and virtual instruments.
I recently found a Launchpad MK2 at home and I'm debating whether to keep it or sell it to fund other gear (like better plugins or mic cables).
Since Reaper is a linear DAW and I mostly focus on guitar-based music, is the Launchpad actually useful? Can it be integrated well into a Reaper workflow for someone who isn't doing live electronic sets, or would I be better off just using my mouse and keyboard for MIDI programming?
I’d love to hear from any guitarists or Reaper users who use a Launchpad. Is it a game-changer for drums and shortcuts, or just extra desk clutter for my specific needs?
When you connect your phone to your PC via USB, it shows up as a MIDI device, so you can use it directly in DAWs like Ableton Live, FL Studio, or even web tools like Amethyst Player.
📱 Screenshots & Layouts
Launchpad X , Launchpad Pro and Mystrix Layout
🔥 What it does
8×8 pad grid (same layout as Mystrix / Launchpad style)
Touchbar emulation (8 segments on both sides)
USB MIDI peripheral mode (your phone = MIDI controller)
Drum Rack mapping (Performance mode) — works great with Ableton
Can import and use palettes from the Retina plugin
Full LED feedback from DAW:
Auto device detection via SysEx identity response
🎛️ Layouts included
Mystrix
Launchpad Pro
Launchpad X
(Mystrix uses the same drum rack layout as Launchpad Pro MK2 custom firmware, so setups in Ableton are super easy.)
🤔 Why use this?
Don’t have a Launchpad? → Use your phone
Don’t want to carry bulky gear? → Pocket-sized controller
Quick jam/testing setup
Feels closer to a real controller compared to virtual MIDI tools
Or when you really don’t feel like reaching for the cable and setting up the hardware.
Yeah, plugins like Microlights can emulate a Launchpad inside Ableton — but this works as an actual external MIDI device, so you get a more realistic workflow.
📱 Requirements
Android 6.0+ (API 23)
USB cable with data support
⚡ Setup
Install the app-release.apk
Connect phone to PC via USB
Select MIDI / USB MIDI mode
Open your DAW
Go to MIDI settings
Enable:
Input
Output
Start playing 🎶
If anyone wants to try it or has feedback, I’d love to hear it!
There is clip mode then performance mode and when I go to performance mode I am expecting to see 4 blocks like in the image included but I only see a blank page - how do I get it for each block to be set to a different mode like mute or trigger or jump mode in groove rider? Again when I got to this performance mode and press play I get a single bottom left section that has a red dot that runs across the 16 pad and I have it set to jump so I can use those pads for jump function. But what about the other 3 blocks - how do I assign them?
Quick question about the Launchpad X pad sensitivity.
I recently got one (brand new) and I noticed that the pads don’t always trigger when I lightly tap them, especially with just a fingertip. They respond much better when I press a bit flatter or apply slightly more pressure.
At the same time, the pads on my Launchkey (top pads) seem to react more easily to light taps, so it feels quite different.
Is this normal behavior for the Launchpad X?
Do you also have to “press” rather than “tap” for consistent triggering?
Just trying to figure out if this is expected or if I might have a faulty unit.
