Applies to:
- FL Studio 12 and above
- Original Launchpad Pro
The Launchpad Pro can be used with FL Studio in accordance with Image Line's own development. This guide has been imported from this forum post:
forum.image-line.com/viewtopic.php?t=145029
Setup
1. Connect the device via USB. FL Studio will auto-detect the device. (Use the included USB cable and not through an extender cable).
2. Enabled MIDIIN2 (Launchpad Pro) in FL MIDI Settings, and set it to the same input and output Port number and the Novation Launchpad Pro controller type.
Mapping
- CLIPS / OVERVIEW / CONTROLLERS: trigger clips in the Performance zone, and displays an overview of 8×8 zones or controller layouts.
- NAVIGATION: navigates the playlist zone by 1 clip/track increment. (Hold all 4 to change mode, to navigate by 8 clip/track increments).
- OVERVIEW: displays an overview of 8×8 zones, press a button to jump to the corresponding zone.
- ALT LOCATION: stores a clip zone or controller page location for quick access.
- SCENE: triggers vertical columns or grouped clips.
- +SCENE: triggers vertical columns or grouped clips, but adds to the existing triggered clips.
-
QUEUE: queues the next clip(s).
- (Hold SCENE and +SCENE together for SAME MODE: triggers only clips in tracks that are set to the same Press mode).
-
GLOBAL SNAP: will use FL's global snap setting instead of the per track Trigger snap setting
- (Double tap SCENE, +SCENE or GLOBAL SNAP to 'lock' them on).
Overview mode
Press the OVERVIEW button to go into Overview mode.
In this mode, the main 8×8 set of square buttons shows the currently used Performance zones in the Playlist. Press a button to jump to that zone on the Launchpad.
In this mode, the 8 round buttons on the right are used to jump to the Track settings page or the note or control layout pages.
Track settings page
Press OVERVIEW, then the top right-most round button to jump to the real-time Track settings page. Or if you are currently viewing the top left-most Performance zone on the Launchpad, press the left navigation button once.
On this page, the buttons change and display each track's settings, even during playback in Performance mode. Navigate vertically to access other tracks.
- Columns 1 & 2: Track activity.
- Columns 3 & 4: Position sync (up/down).
- Columns 5 & 6: Trigger sync (up/down).
- Columns 7 & 8: Motion mode (up/down).
- Column 9: Press mode (cycle).
Pad pressure
Each clip-launching track or controller page sends a separate pressure message that can be linked to a parameter. Press and hold a pad on a track or control page, right-click a parameter in FL Studio, enable Auto-detect and push down on the pad to link it to the pressure message.
Note and control pages
Press OVERVIEW, then one of the other round buttons on the right-hand side of the Launchpad, to jump to note and controller layout pages. If you are currently viewing the top left-most Performance zone on the Launchpad, press the left navigation button twice or more. To access more than the first seven pages, you continue to use the navigation buttons.
Note layouts control the currently selected channel in the step sequencer window. Use the Prev/Next Channel buttons on the right to change the target channel. Select two channels at the same time in the step sequencer window of FL Studio to use the C Major + Slicex page for two different instruments at the same time.
Controller layouts allow parameters to be controlled by a group of buttons. To link a controller to a parameter in FL Studio, right-click the knob or fader, select 'Link to controller', enable 'Auto detect', then press a button on the layout on the Launchpad. Use the smoothing knob in the controller link window to smooth the parameter changes as you press between buttons.
The XY Controller page is actually only one controller but link it twice to two different parameters, disable 'Remove conflicts' and use the corresponding mapping formula presets, so X and Y positions are mapped to each link.
Hold (or double-tap to lock) SCENE to hold notes, or to enter “temporary” fader mode. Press +SCENE to release all held notes.
There are preset layouts, but you can also create your own with a simple scripting system. See custom setup/page info here.
The 8 buttons on the right control these transport parameters:
- Record
- Overdub
- Loop recording
- Metronome
- Wait for input
- Step edit mode
- Previous FL channel (for note input)
- Next FL channel (for note input)
Light Show Mode
Notes
- To use multiple Launchpads, use multiple instances of MIDI Out set to different MIDI ports (make sure IN/OUT ports match for each Launchpad). 115 is the default if you want to share projects with others.
- The light show system uses the normal Launchpad setup, so you don't need to change anything if you have a properly working Launchpad setup with feedback.
Animations
Notes map to buttons, causing them to light up according to the following rules:
- Piano roll to Launchpad mapping:
- Each octave starting from C0, is a Launchpad row, added from the bottom-up
- Velocity on 3 MIDI channels map to LHS (Light, hue, Saturation):
- MIDI channel 1: NOTE ON / OFF to set a pad on/off, with LIGHT of velocity
- MIDI channel 2: NOTE ON ONLY, to set a pad's HUE *and leave it*
- MIDI channel 3: NOTE ON ONLY, to set a pad's SATURATION *and leave it*
Control notes
MIDI note G10/127 sets 3 different animation modes depending on the velocity:
- Velocity 0% > 30% = Mode 1: Animation off
- Velocity 31% > 60% = Mode 2: Animation blended with the clips
- Velocity 61% > 90% = Mode 3: Animation only
- Velocity 91% > 100% = Mode 4: Video mode (Launchpad displays pixels around your mouse cursor)
- MIDI note F#10/126 sets “temporary animation only”:
While the note is held, the clip launch buttons are turned off. This allows you to display clips to trigger, but temporarily turn these off while the animation displays. Unlike the note G10/127 which sets the mode once for all notes, this is safe to use per pattern.