Novation Launchkey MK3 - User Manual

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Launchkey MK3
Programmer’s reference manual

Novation Launchkey MK3 Specifications

General

Model	Launchkey MK3
Manufacturer	Novation
Type	MIDI Keyboard Controller
Velocity Sensitivity	Yes
Aftertouch	No
Display	LCD Screen
Transport Controls	Yes
Arpeggiator	Yes
Scale Mode	Yes
Chord Mode	Yes
USB	USB-B
Power	USB Bus Powered
Sustain Pedal Input	Yes
Keys	25, 37, 49, 61
Pads	16
Knobs	8
Faders	9
DAW Integration	Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase, Pro Tools, Reason
Connectivity	USB
MIDI I/O	Out
Included Software	Ableton Live Lite, Spitfire Audio LABS Expressive Strings, XLN Audio Addictive Keys, Klevgrand R0Verb and DAW Cassette, Novation Sound Collective

Summary

About this Guide

Bootloader

Accessing the Bootloader

How to enter bootloader mode by holding Octave Up/Down buttons while plugging in the device.

Easy Start Feature

Enables Mass Storage Device access for convenient first-time setup, can be toggled.

Bootloader Version Display

Shows how to view the bootloader version using specific buttons.

MIDI on Launchkey MK3

USB and DIN MIDI Interfaces

Details the two USB MIDI interfaces and the DIN output port for communication.

Device Inquiry Message

Explains the Sysex message used to identify the device, including <dev_type> and version fields.

SysEx Message Format

Describes the standard header and command byte structure for all SysEx messages.

Standalone (MIDI) mode

Button MIDI CC Events

Explains that buttons send MIDI Control Change events on Channel 16 in this mode.

DAW Mode

DAW Mode Activation and Control

How to enable DAW mode and control its features using MIDI events.

Surface Control in DAW Mode

Details how pads, pots, and faders map to MIDI events and their functionality.

Pad Modes in DAW

Explains MIDI events and values for selecting Pad modes like Drum, Session, and Scale.

Pot and Fader Modes in DAW

Details MIDI events for controlling Pot and Fader modes like Volume, Pan, and Send.

Colouring the Surface

Colouring Channels

Specifies MIDI channels for setting stationary, flashing, and pulsing colours on LEDs.

Colour Palette Details

Provides tables showing decimal and hexadecimal colour codes corresponding to specific colours.

Colouring Behaviour

Explains how flashing and pulsing colours are synchronized and their waveforms.

MIDI Control Examples

Static Colour Example

Demonstrates sending MIDI Note On messages to set a static red colour on a pad.

Flashing and Pulsing Examples

Shows MIDI messages for flashing green and pulsing blue colours on pads.

Turning Colour Off

Illustrates using Note Off or zero velocity Note On messages to clear pad colours.

Controlling the Screen

Display Priorities

Explains the three priority levels (Default, Temporary, Menu) for screen display.

Character Encoding

Details control characters and ASCII interpretation for SysEx messages on the LCD.

Setting Default Display

Describes the SysEx message to set the default display content and its row.

Parameter Display Control

Clearing Default Display

Provides the SysEx message to clear the default display and relinquish control.

Setting Parameter Names

Details SysEx for assigning custom names to Pots and Faders on the display.

Setting Parameter Values

Explains SysEx for displaying custom values for Pots and Faders.

Launchkey MK3 Features Control

Arpeggiator Control

Details Control Change events for Arpeggiator On/Off, type, rate, octave, gate, swing, rhythm, mutate.

Scale Mode Control

Explains Control Change events for Scale mode On/Off, type, and key (root note).

Configuration Messages

Velocity Curve Configuration

Describes SysEx messages to set velocity curves for Keys and Pads (Soft, Medium, Hard, Fixed).

Startup Animation Control

Details SysEx for modifying the startup animation interval and RGB colour sequence.