Novation Launchpad: Unlocking Performance Mode with Components

Central to the workflow is Novation’s free Components application, which acts as the bridge between user imagination and Launchpad hardware. Accessible via web browser or as a standalone desktop app, Components is positioned as an intuitive, visual editor for building and managing Custom Modes. Once the Launchpad is connected, users can immediately start crafting layouts by dragging widgets—pads, faders, buttons—onto a virtual grid.

The process is refreshingly direct: after arranging and tweaking widgets, users can send their template to one of eight hardware slots for instant recall. Accessing these modes on the Launchpad is as simple as pressing the Custom Mode button and selecting the desired slot. The video highlights how this setup encourages experimentation, with rapid iteration and immediate feedback—an approach that fits Novation’s “Play. Create. Perform.” philosophy.

The first template, Beats Glitcher, demonstrates how Launchpad can become a hands-on drum manipulator. The presenter loads a drum rack with samples and leverages Ableton’s new drum sampler for its built-in effects, particularly the stretch (grain delay) function. Macros for delay amount and grain size are mapped to vertical faders on the Launchpad, allowing nuanced control—especially since the fader response varies with touch pressure, enabling both smooth slides and abrupt jumps. The drum grid widget is placed for right-hand playability, while faders sit alongside for left-hand tweaks, showing a thoughtful approach to ergonomic layout.

To add glitch and color, the template incorporates additional effects like fractal distortion and comb filtering. These are controlled via a set of CC button widgets, arranged so that each button steps through increasing values, while a dedicated toggle button switches the effect on and off. The visual feedback—button colors changing to indicate state—adds to the performance feel. The mapping process is shown in detail, from assigning MIDI CCs to customizing value ranges for tight, glitchy control.

The second template, Bass Performer, shifts focus to melodic playability and expressive sound shaping. Using Ableton’s Drift instrument, the presenter builds a bass patch with macro-assigned effects and snapshots for instant sound variation. Components is used to lay out a scale-constrained keyboard for easy riffing, with CC buttons mapped to snapshot changes. Additional controls include a shifter for pitch slides (up to a semitone), a high-pass filter, and a reverb—each mapped to dedicated faders or buttons. The result is a template that supports both subtle modulation and dramatic performance gestures, all from the Launchpad surface.