Launchpad is a nice addition to using Ableton for DJing just for the purpose of triggering clips or playing a few notes here and there (user1 mode)…It also features a “mixer” mode but frankly? How are you going to mix with a parameter resolution of 8? (each button becomes a “stepped” value of whatever is controlled in the mixer, since we got 8 rows we got 8 posible “stepped” values for the volume faders for example)
It becomes a “must-have” if you also have MaxForLive and you are planning to inject some live performance in your DJing because its functionality is expanded to include creative device controling, step sequencers, and lots of other goodies.
(here’s a litle showcase vid – nothing big)
Yet still, to control mixer elements (knobs, fader, etc etc) you either have to invest in a fader-knob controller, or take the “mixing” out of the box (and Ableton) to a regular DJ mixer which sort of kills the purpose of using Ableton in the first place (multiple – in the box – channels, custom effect chains, etc etc) because you then become limited to the output channels your soundcard offers and the available ones the DJ mixer will have.
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