Controlling the Launchpad X surface

If you aim to control the Launchpad X using scripts, the best option for lighting pads/buttons or creating an interactive surface is switching to Programmer mode. You can use the Programmer/Live mode switch message to achieve this or access it from the setup menu (hold Session, then press bottom Scene Launch button). Programmer Mode sends out a message for every pad or button that is pressed, and equally lights pads or buttons when the same message is received, Remember to switch the device back to Live mode once done.

Alternatively, you may use Lighting Custom Modes in the same way, but you are limited to interacting only with the 8×8 grid. On a Launchpad X in its factory default state, Custom mode 3 and Custom mode 4 are set up for lighting pads, each with a different layout. You can switch to either of these using the Launchpad X’s User Interface. In these Lighting Custom Modes, you may enable Ghost mode, which allows the lighting area to expand beyond the 8×8 grid into the top and side button rows and logo. To access Ghost Mode, press the Note and Custom buttons in rapid succession (with the appropriate Custom mode already selected).

Alternatively, you may use Lighting Custom Modes in the same way, but you are limited to interacting only with the 8×8 grid. On a Launchpad X in its factory default state, Custom mode 3 (User) is set up for lighting pads. You can switch to either of these using the Launchpad X’s user interface. In lighting custom modes, you may enable Ghost mode, which allows the lighting area to expand beyond the 8×8 grid into the top and side button rows and logo. To access Ghost Mode, press the Session and Custom buttons (Drums, Keys, and User) in rapid succession.

In a Lighting Custom Mode, Ghost mode is automatically enabled when:

In Programmer mode, all buttons, and pads accept either Note or Control Change messages. The indicated type is which is sent by the device on the MIDI interface when the corresponding button or pad is pressed.

Custom Mode 3:

Custom Mode 4:

When providing colours by MIDI notes or control changes, the colours are chosen according to the following table, decimal:

The same table with hexadecimal indexing:

In Lighting Custom Modes (and Programmer mode) the Launchpad X accepts colours through the MIDI interface. Channels are used as follows:

The Note number selects the pad to control (as shown on the layout mappings) and the velocity the colour to use (as shown on the colour palette). Similarly, for Control Changes, the CC number selects the pad to control and the value the colour to use.

When sending flashing colour, the colour flashes between that set as static or pulsing colour (A), and that contained in the MIDI event setting flashing (B), at 50% duty cycle, synchronised to the MIDI beat clock (or 120bpm or the last clock if no clock is provided). One period is one beat long.

The colour pulses between dark and full intensity, synchronised to the MIDI beat clock (or 120bpm or the last clock if no clock is provided). One period is two beats long, using the following waveform:

For these examples, switch the Launchpad X into Programmer Mode.

Lighting the lower left pad static red:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    90h     0Bh    05h
Dec:    144     11     5

This is Note On, Channel 1, Note number 0Bh (11), with Velocity 05h (5). The Channel specifies the lighting mode (static), the Note number of the pad to light (which is the lower left one in Programmer mode), the Velocity of the colour (which is Red, see Colour Palette).

Flashing the upper left pad green:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    91h    51h   13h
Dec:    145    81    19

This is Note On, Channel 2, Note number 51h (81), with Velocity 13h (19). The Channel specifies the lighting mode (flashing), the Note number of the pad to light (which is the upper left one in Programmer mode), the Velocity of the colour (which is Green, see Colour Palette).

Pulsing the lower right pad blue:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    92h    12h    2Dh
Dec:    146    18     45

This is Note On, Channel 3, Note number 12h (18), with Velocity 2Dh (45). The Channel specifies the lighting mode (pulsing), the Note number of the pad to light (which is the lower right one in Programmer mode), the Velocity of the colour (which is Blue, see Colour Palette).

Turning a colour off:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    90h    12h   00h
Dec:    144    18    0

This is Note Off (Note On with Velocity of zero), Channel 1, Note number 12h (18), with Velocity 00h (0). The Channel specifies the lighting mode (static), the Note number of the pad to light (which is the lower right one in Programmer mode), the Velocity of the colour (which is blank, see Colour Palette). If the Pulsing colour was set up there with the previous message, this would turn it off. Alternatively, a Midi Note Off message can also be used for the same effect:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    80h    12h    00h
Dec:    128    18    0

This message can be sent to Lighting Custom Modes and the Programmer mode to light up LEDs. The LED indices used always correspond to those of Programmer mode, regardless of the layout selected:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h   00h  20h  29h  02h  0Ch  03h  <colourspec>   [<colourspec> […]]   F7h
Dec:    240   0    32   41   2    12   3    <colourspec>   [<colourspec> […]]   247

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h   00h  20h  29h  02h  0Dh  03h  <colourspec>   [<colourspec> […]]   F7h
Dec:    240   0    32   41   2    13   3    <colourspec>   [<colourspec> […]]   247

The <colourspec> is structured as follows:

Lighting types:

The message may contain up to 81 <colourspec> entries to light up the entire Launchpad X surface.

Example:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h  00h  20h  29h  02h  0Ch  03h  00h  0Bh  0Dh  01h  0Ch  15h  17h  02h  0Dh  25h   F7h
Dec:    240  0    32   41   2    12   3    0    11   13   1    12   21   23   2    13   37    247

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h  00h  20h  29h  02h  0Dh  03h  00h  0Bh  0Dh  01h  0Ch  15h  17h  02h  0Dh  25h   F7h
Dec:    240  0    32   41   2    13   3    0    11   13   1    12   21   23   2    13   37    247

Sending this message to the Launchpad X in Programmer layout sets up the bottom left pad to static yellow, the pad next to it to flashing green (between dim and bright green), and the pad next to that pulsing turquoise.