Controllers Guide: Novation Launchpad Pro MK3 vs Novation Launchkey 61 MK3
In the ever-evolving landscape of music production, having the right controller can make all the difference in your creative workflow. Novation has established itself as a leading brand in the MIDI controller market, with the Launchpad Pro MK3 and Launchkey 61 MK3 standing out as two of their flagship products. While both controllers offer exceptional quality and integration with popular DAWs, they serve different purposes and cater to distinct production styles.
Whether you're a finger drummer looking for an intuitive grid controller or a keyboard player seeking a comprehensive production station, understanding the unique features and capabilities of these controllers is essential for making an informed decision. In this comprehensive guide, we'll dive deep into the Novation Launchpad Pro MK3 and Novation Launchkey 61 MK3, comparing their features, performance capabilities, and ideal use cases to help you determine which one best suits your musical needs.
Novation Launchpad Pro MK3: Overview and Key Features
The Novation Launchpad Pro MK3 represents the evolution of Novation's iconic grid controller series. As the third iteration of the Pro model, it builds upon its predecessors while introducing new features that enhance its functionality and versatility.
Design and Build Quality
The Launchpad Pro MK3 features a sleek, compact design that's both durable and portable. The controller is built around an 8x8 RGB pad grid, with each pad offering velocity and pressure sensitivity for expressive performance. The pads are surrounded by mode selection buttons and dedicated controls for navigating your DAW, making it a comprehensive production tool despite its relatively small footprint.
The build quality is exceptional, with a robust chassis that can withstand the rigors of live performance and regular studio use. The RGB pads are responsive and provide clear visual feedback, with customizable colors that help you organize your workflow.
Performance Capabilities
Where the Launchpad Pro MK3 truly shines is in its performance capabilities. The controller offers four distinct modes:
Session Mode: Perfect for launching clips in Ableton Live, allowing you to trigger scenes, navigate your session view, and record automation.
Note Mode: Transforms the grid into a customizable instrument, with various scale options and layouts for melodic and harmonic exploration.
Chord Mode: Enables you to play complex chord progressions with single pads, with customizable voicings and inversions.
Custom Mode: Allows for personalized MIDI mappings, turning the Launchpad into a bespoke controller for your specific needs.
The velocity and pressure-sensitive pads make the Launchpad Pro MK3 an expressive instrument in its own right, particularly for beat-making and electronic music production. The inclusion of a polyphonic sequencer further enhances its capabilities, allowing you to create complex patterns without relying on your DAW's sequencing tools.
DAW Integration
While the Launchpad Pro MK3 works with most major DAWs, it offers particularly deep integration with Ableton Live. The controller provides intuitive access to Live's Session View, allowing you to launch clips, record automation, and navigate your project without touching your computer.
The controller also includes dedicated buttons for essential DAW functions like record, play, and quantize, streamlining your workflow and reducing the need to switch between controller and computer. For producers using other DAWs, the Launchpad Pro MK3 can be configured as a generic MIDI controller, though you may lose some of the specialized functionality.
Connectivity Options
The Launchpad Pro MK3 offers comprehensive connectivity options, including:
USB-C port for connection to your computer and power
MIDI In, Out, and Thru ports for integration with hardware synthesizers and drum machines
Clock output for synchronizing external gear
These connectivity options make the Launchpad Pro MK3 a versatile hub for both software and hardware setups, allowing it to serve as the centerpiece of a hybrid production environment.
Novation Launchkey 61 MK3: Overview and Key Features
The Novation Launchkey 61 MK3 represents a different approach to music production, focusing on keyboard performance while incorporating pad-based features for a well-rounded production experience.
Design and Build Quality
As the name suggests, the Launchkey 61 MK3 features 61 full-size, semi-weighted keys, making it ideal for keyboard players and those who prioritize melodic and harmonic elements in their productions. The keyboard is complemented by 16 RGB pads, 8 knobs, 9 faders, and various transport and navigation controls.
Despite its larger size compared to the Launchpad Pro MK3, the Launchkey 61 MK3 maintains a relatively slim profile, with a durable construction that balances portability with functionality. The keys offer a responsive playing experience, with velocity sensitivity that captures the nuances of your performance.
Performance Capabilities
The Launchkey 61 MK3 excels as a comprehensive production controller, offering a range of features for both keyboard players and producers:
Scale Mode: Restricts the keyboard to notes within a selected scale, helping you stay in key during improvisation and composition.
Chord Mode: Allows you to trigger complex chords with single keys, with various voicing options.
Arpeggiator: A powerful arpeggiator with customizable patterns, rhythms, and octave ranges for creating evolving melodic sequences.
RGB Pads: 16 velocity-sensitive pads for triggering samples, playing drums, and launching clips in Ableton Live.
The combination of a full-size keyboard with pad-based controls makes the Launchkey 61 MK3 versatile enough for various production styles, from traditional keyboard-based composition to electronic music production.
DAW Integration
Like the Launchpad Pro MK3, the Launchkey 61 MK3 offers deep integration with Ableton Live, with dedicated controls for navigating Session View, manipulating devices, and mixing your projects. However, the Launchkey also provides specialized integration with other popular DAWs, including Logic Pro, Reason, and Cubase.
The controller's "InControl" technology allows it to automatically map to essential functions in your DAW, providing intuitive access to parameters without complex setup procedures. This makes the Launchkey 61 MK3 a more versatile option for producers who work across multiple DAWs or prefer alternatives to Ableton Live.
Connectivity Options
The Launchkey 61 MK3 offers straightforward connectivity options:
USB port for connection to your computer (which also powers the controller)
Sustain pedal input for piano-style performance
MIDI Out port for connecting to hardware synthesizers and sound modules
While not as comprehensive as the Launchpad Pro MK3's connectivity, these options cover the essential needs of most keyboard-focused producers.
Comparing the Controllers: Which One Is Right for You?
Now that we've explored the individual features of both controllers, let's compare them directly to help you determine which one better suits your production style and needs.
Production Style and Workflow
The most significant factor in choosing between these controllers is your production style and preferred workflow:
Launchpad Pro MK3: Ideal for clip-based production, beat-making, and electronic music genres. Its grid-based layout encourages a non-linear approach to composition and performance, making it perfect for producers who prefer to build tracks by layering loops and patterns.
Launchkey 61 MK3: Better suited for keyboard players and those who approach music production from a more traditional compositional perspective. Its full-size keyboard makes it ideal for recording melodies, chord progressions, and bass lines, while still offering pad-based features for rhythm programming.
If your production style incorporates elements of both approaches, consider which aspect is more central to your workflow. Many producers eventually end up with both a keyboard controller and a pad controller, but if you're starting with one, choose the one that aligns with your primary production method.
Space and Portability Considerations
The physical size of these controllers is another important consideration:
Launchpad Pro MK3: Compact and highly portable, making it ideal for producers with limited studio space or those who frequently produce on the go. It can easily fit in a backpack alongside a laptop for mobile production setups.
Launchkey 61 MK3: Significantly larger due to its 61-key keyboard, requiring more desk or studio space. While still transportable, it's less convenient for frequent travel or production in space-constrained environments.
Your available space and mobility needs should factor into your decision, especially if you have a small home studio or frequently produce in different locations.
Integration with Your DAW
While both controllers offer excellent integration with Ableton Live, their compatibility with other DAWs differs:
Launchpad Pro MK3: Provides its most comprehensive features when paired with Ableton Live, with more limited functionality in other DAWs. If you're committed to Ableton as your primary production environment, the Launchpad offers specialized integration that enhances the Live experience.
Launchkey 61 MK3: Offers broader DAW compatibility, with dedicated integration for Logic Pro, Reason, Cubase, and others. If you work across multiple DAWs or prefer alternatives to Ableton, the Launchkey provides more versatile integration options.
Consider your current DAW and any plans to switch or explore alternatives in the future when making your decision.
Budget Considerations
Price is always a factor when investing in music production equipment:
Launchpad Pro MK3: Generally less expensive than the Launchkey 61 MK3, making it a more accessible option for beginners or those on a tight budget.
Launchkey 61 MK3: Represents a larger investment, though it offers more comprehensive features and controls that might reduce the need for additional controllers.
Consider your budget and the value each controller provides for your specific production needs. Sometimes investing more upfront can save money in the long run by reducing the need for additional equipment.
Creative Possibilities: Beyond the Basics
Both the Launchpad Pro MK3 and Launchkey 61 MK3 offer creative possibilities that extend beyond their basic functionality, allowing you to develop unique production techniques and performance styles.
Launchpad Pro MK3: Advanced Techniques
The Launchpad Pro MK3's grid layout and versatile modes enable several advanced techniques:
Live Remixing: Use Session Mode to trigger and combine different elements of a track in real-time, creating dynamic remixes during live performances.
Generative Sequencing: The onboard sequencer can be used to create evolving patterns that change over time, introducing an element of controlled randomness to your productions.
Custom MIDI Mappings: Create specialized layouts for controlling virtual instruments, effects, and DAW parameters, transforming the Launchpad into a bespoke controller for your specific needs.
Hardware Integration: Use the MIDI outputs to sequence and control hardware synthesizers and drum machines, creating a hybrid setup that combines the best of software and hardware.
These advanced techniques make the Launchpad Pro MK3 a versatile tool for experimental producers and performers who want to push the boundaries of conventional production methods.
Launchkey 61 MK3: Advanced Techniques
The Launchkey 61 MK3's combination of keyboard and pad controls enables different advanced techniques:
Split Keyboard Setups: Use MIDI routing to split the keyboard into different zones, controlling multiple instruments simultaneously for complex layered performances.
Advanced Arpeggiator Patterns: Combine the arpeggiator with scale mode and chord mode to create complex melodic sequences that evolve over time while staying musically coherent.
Hybrid Performance: Use the keyboard for melodic elements while triggering rhythmic patterns and effects with the pads, creating dynamic solo performances that combine multiple musical elements.
Detailed Mixing: Utilize the faders and knobs for nuanced mixing and automation, bringing a tactile element to the mixing process that's difficult to achieve with a mouse and keyboard.
These techniques showcase the Launchkey 61 MK3's versatility as both a performance instrument and a comprehensive production controller.
Software Bundle Comparison
Both controllers come with software bundles that add value to your purchase and expand your production capabilities.
Launchpad Pro MK3 Software Bundle
The Launchpad Pro MK3 typically includes:
Ableton Live Lite
XLN Audio Addictive Keys
Novation Bass Station and V-Station virtual instruments
Spitfire Audio LABS Expressive Strings
Klevgrand DAW Cassette and R0Verb
AAS Session Bundle
This bundle focuses on providing essential production tools and unique sound sources that complement the Launchpad's strengths in electronic music production.
Launchkey 61 MK3 Software Bundle
The Launchkey 61 MK3 typically includes:
Ableton Live Lite
XLN Audio Addictive Keys
Novation Bass Station and V-Station virtual instruments
Spitfire Audio LABS Expressive Strings
Klevgrand DAW Cassette and R0Verb
AAS Session Bundle
Membership to Novation Sound Collective (providing regular free software offers)
The software bundles are quite similar, with both providing a solid foundation for music production across various genres. The value of these bundles should be considered as part of your purchasing decision, especially if you're new to music production and looking to build your software collection.
User Experiences and Community
Beyond the technical specifications and features, the user community and support ecosystem around these controllers can significantly impact your experience.
Launchpad Pro MK3 Community
The Launchpad series has developed a vibrant community of users who share performance videos, custom mappings, and creative techniques. This community is particularly strong in the electronic music scene, with many producers and performers showcasing innovative ways to use the Launchpad in live settings.
Novation provides regular firmware updates for the Launchpad Pro MK3, adding new features and addressing user feedback. The company also offers comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and support resources to help users maximize their controller's potential.
Launchkey 61 MK3 Community
The Launchkey series appeals to a broader range of musicians, from traditional keyboard players to electronic producers. This diversity is reflected in the community, with users sharing everything from piano performances to complex production techniques.
Like the Launchpad, the Launchkey benefits from Novation's commitment to ongoing support and development. The company regularly updates the controller's firmware and provides resources to help users integrate it into their production workflow.
Both controllers benefit from Novation's reputation for customer support and product longevity, ensuring that your investment will remain valuable for years to come.
Making Your Decision: Practical Considerations
As you weigh your options between the Launchpad Pro MK3 and Launchkey 61 MK3, consider these practical factors to guide your decision:
Try Before You Buy
If possible, visit a music store to try both controllers in person. The feel of the pads on the Launchpad and the keys on the Launchkey is subjective, and your personal preference should play a significant role in your decision.
Consider Your Existing Setup
Evaluate how either controller would integrate with your current production environment:
If you already have a MIDI keyboard, the Launchpad Pro MK3 might complement it perfectly, adding grid-based control to your existing keyboard capabilities.
If you have a pad controller but lack keyboard input, the Launchkey 61 MK3 would provide the melodic control you're missing.
Future-Proofing Your Investment
Consider how your production style might evolve over time:
If you're primarily interested in electronic music production but might explore more traditional composition in the future, the Launchkey 61 MK3 offers more flexibility for growth.
If you're focused on clip-based production and performance, the Launchpad Pro MK3 provides specialized features that you might not find in more general-purpose controllers.
Remember that many professional producers eventually incorporate both types of controllers into their setup, so your initial choice doesn't have to be your final one.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Novation Controller for Your Music
Both the Novation Launchpad Pro MK3 and Novation Launchkey 61 MK3 represent excellent options for music producers, each with distinct strengths that cater to different production styles and preferences.
The Launchpad Pro MK3 excels as a specialized grid controller, offering intuitive clip launching, expressive pad performance, and deep integration with Ableton Live. Its compact design and versatile modes make it ideal for electronic music producers, beat-makers, and performers who prioritize a non-linear approach to music creation.
The Launchkey 61 MK3 provides a more comprehensive production solution, combining a full-size keyboard with pad controls, faders, and knobs for a well-rounded experience. Its broader DAW compatibility and traditional keyboard layout make it suitable for a wider range of musical styles and production approaches.
Ultimately, the "right" controller depends on your personal workflow, production style, and specific needs. By considering the factors outlined in this guide and reflecting on your own creative process, you can make an informed decision that enhances your music production journey.
Whichever controller you choose, both the Launchpad Pro MK3 and Launchkey 61 MK3 represent Novation's commitment to quality, innovation, and musician-focused design, ensuring that your investment will support your creative expression for years to come.
For more resources on building your music career, check out this guide on free musician website platforms to build your online presence. And when you're ready to share your music with the world, explore the best independent music distribution options for indie artists.
Happy producing!