Novation launchpad Mod

DJ Gear & Hardware Hardware: Controllers, Mods and Gear
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Novation launchpad Mod

Hi, new to this site. Just wondering if anyone can tell me if it’d be possible to take one of the rows of buttons running down the side of the launchpad & convert them to rotary faders?

Thanks

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you will need 3 connections, for each rotary knob… if im right then there might be three 2 for the button and 1 for the led? possibly but im not positive..

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Cool, thanks. But Im not gonna buy one til Im dead sure it can be done. Anyone else know if it can be done? Also, I’d like one of the rotary faders to be an endless knob. Would that make a difference?

Thanks

4

If someone could pull this off, mad props, I’d buy one just to do it. Unfortunately, no idea personally if it can be done. :confused:

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Anyone?

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You could build your own. Or you could buy one already complete.

http://www.lividinstruments.com/hardware_diy.php

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This is what I wanted to do from the start really. Im happy to give it a go but I can you tell me what midi mother board thing I’d need that will enable me to have enough buttons and dials? Also, how hard would it be to have the LEDs.
Also, if anyone does know if the launchpad can be modified that would be awesome cos that particular unit is a nice size & weight, plus the fact its got the LED enabled buttons is a bonus.

Cheers

8

Bump.

I really wanna do this mod, I think it’s a better solution than building my own as everything is already there, all I need are some rotary faders. If anyone knows if swapping the buttons for rotary faders is doable please let me know. I’d be most grateful.

Many thanks

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Im not sure but rotarys and faders have 3 connections. The ground, the input and the power supply.Buttons usually just have 2 connections. Seeing as how the novation can sense velocity there might be another connection but im not to sure how that works.

IlluminatedSounds - Technology & Sound Blog shows a launchpad taken apart. I think itd be quite the mod to add faders or rotaries to it.

Have you checked out the nanokontrol for your fader and rotary needs?

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the launchpad buttons aren’t velocity sensitive.

even if you wire a pot up to the button wires, i believe you would just have a pot that works at 0 and full.

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Thanks, I have seen that article with it taken apart. I’m not actually after faders, just rotaries. I am after something with the amount of buttons the launchpad has but also with rotaries on it, something just like the Livid Block controller. Only problem with the livid controller is, 1. the price, I dont really want to be spending $400 on what is just a midi controller, and 2. the size & weight, I want to keep it as compact & as light as possible. The Block is particularly cumbersome and weighs over a kilo. The launchpad is slim and only weighs 750 grams

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Is there no way around this? Like some form of resistor or some component that can sort this issue out that goes in between the wire & pot? I’m not too hot on electrics to be fair so I wouldn’t know. Is it a case of the circuit board has to be made to accept a controller item that deals with information between 0 and 127??

Thanks

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i dont think so. The circuit board has to be able to interpret the amount of voltage the rotary is passing through. Without it it will just be like a on off switch.

Itll be hard to find what you need. The only way is to add another controller, or build your own. But seeing as how you already have the launchpad why not spring the 50 dollars to pick up a nanokontrol. Its thin and compact like the LP and if you get the black one it should look great next to or on top on your LP.

Side note i got an lp as a late xmas present and wow it rocks. I know what you mean by wanting some rotaries, if it had that itd be perfect. But i have 2 1ds to handle that side of the business.

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I dont actually have a launchpad, I was only gonna buy one if I can do this mod. I’m looking to travel to Australia in the next 6 months or so, I’m taking my set-up and so want it to be as light and as compact as possible (I’d want it that way regardless of my travels). I will probably sack off the multicore cables for standard RCA’s to save that extra bit of weight, I have purchased a new laptop that is lighter than my old one and has a bigger hard drive so I no longer need an external. Now all I need is a midi controller that will suit my needs. To have 2 midi controllers is kinda defeating the object. All I need to complete my set-up is a controller just like the launchpad but with rotary faders for the FX. I have been using an external QWERTY keyboard and a pals nanokontrol, they do the job fine as I have enough buttons and the rotaries but I want it all in one unit.
If this mod cant be done it’s looking like Im either gonna have to build my own or somehow mount the lightest QWERTY keyboard I can find and a nanokontrol in one lightweight casing connected via the smallest USB hub I can find.

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if you havent bought a controller yet, and you are confident in your soldering, and sourcing skills, build your own midi controller. Its going to be hard to find a oem controller thats “perfect”.

I built my own midi controller before and i loved it. Had everything where i wanted it. A good friend from japan was visiting and loved it so i gave it to him. Man i miss that thing.

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Yeah, it’s looking like thats what I might have to do. I’m confident with my soldering skills but never done anything like it before. 1 question tho, I already asked earlier on in the thread, can you tell me what midi board thing I’ll need if I want say around 65 buttons and around 6 rotary dials (one of them an endless knob) and if I’m building it I might as well add a couple of faders. So basically somewhere in the region of 70-75 components.

Thanks

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for 70-75 components, your only option is the midibox platform. You can go the arduino route, but that gets messy with scripts and shields etc.