MIDI on Launchpad X

Updated

The Launchpad X has two MIDI interfaces, providing two pairs of MIDI inputs and outputs over USB. They are as follows:

  • LPX DAW In / Out (or first interface on Windows): This interface is used by DAWs and similar software to interact with the Launchpad X’s Session mode.

  • LPX MIDI In / Out (or second interface on Windows): This interface is used to receive MIDI from Note mode and Custom modes; and is used to provide external MIDI input or Light controls in Lighting Custom Modes and Programmer mode.

If you wish to use Launchpad X as a control surface for a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), you will likely want to use the DAW interface (See Software Interaction chapter).

Otherwise, you may interact with the device using the MIDI interface.

The Launchpad X sends Note On (90h – 9Fh) with velocity zero for Note Offs. It accepts either Note Offs (80h – 8Fh) or Note Ons (90h – 9Fh) with velocity zero for Note Off.

Device Inquiry message

The Launchpad X responds to the Universal Device Inquiry SysEx message, which can be used to identify the device. This exchange is as follows:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    7Eh    7Fh    06h    01h    F7h
Dec:    240    126    127    6      1      247
Launchpad X → Host (Application):
Hex:   F0h   7Eh   00h   06h   02h   00h    20h   29h   13h   01h   00h   00h   <app_version>    F7h
Dec:   240   126   0     6     2     0      32    41    19    1     0     0     <app_version>    247
Launchpad X → Host (Bootloader):
Hex:    F0h   7Eh   00h   06h   02h   00h   20h   29h   13h   11h   00h   00h   <boot_version>   F7h
Dec:    240   126   0     6     2     0     32    41    19    17    0     0     <boot_version>   247

The <app_version> or <boot_version> field is four bytes long, providing the Application or the Bootloader version, respectively. The version is the same version which can be viewed using the lower left green pads on the Bootloader’s surface, provided as four bytes, each byte corresponding to one digit, ranging from 0 – 9.

SysEx message format used by the device

All SysEx messages begin with the following header regardless of direction (Host => Launchpad X or Launchpad X => Host):

Hex:    F0h    00h    20h    29h    02h    0Ch
Dec:    240    0      32     41     2      12

After the header, a command byte follows, selecting the function to use.

Several of the messages have a readback variant which can be accessed in the following manner:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Ch   <command>    F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    12    <command>    247
Launchpad X → Host:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Ch   <command>    <data>    F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    12    <command>    <data>    247

Where the <data> is formatted in the same manner as normally it would be provided to the Launchpad X after the command. These readback forms are described for each of the commands, where available.

Selecting layouts

The Launchpad X has several layouts to choose from, which can be controlled by either the device’s User Interface (see the User Guide for more details), or the following SysEx message:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Ch   00h  <layout>    F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    12    0    <layout>    247
Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Dh   00h  <layout>    F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    13    0    <layout>    247

Where the available layouts are:

  • 00h (0): Session (only selectable in DAW mode)

  • 01h (1): Note mode

  • 04h (4): Custom mode 1 (Drum Rack by factory default)

  • 05h (5): Custom mode 2 (Keys by factory default)

  • 06h (6): Custom mode 3 (Lighting mode in Drum Rack layout by factory default)

  • 07h (7): Custom mode 4 (Lighting mode in session layout by factory default)

  • 0Dh (13): DAW Faders (only selectable in DAW mode)

  • 7Fh (127): Programmer mode

Readback variant is available by the following SysEx message:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Ch   00h  F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    12    0    247
Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Dh   00h  F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    13    0    247

When selecting Programmer mode using this SysEx message, the Setup entry (holding down Session for half a second) is disabled. To return the Launchpad X to normal operation, use this SysEx message to select any other layout than Programmer mode.

Programmer/Live mode switch

There is a dedicated SysEx message for Programmer / Live mode select:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Ch   0Eh   <mode>    F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    12    14    <mode>    247
Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Dh   0Eh   <mode>    F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    13    14    <mode>    247

Where <mode> is 0 for Live mode, 1 for Programmer mode.

Readback variant is available by the following SysEx message:

Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Ch   0Eh   F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    12    14    247
Host → Launchpad X:
Hex:    F0h    00h  20h   29h   02h  0Dh   0Eh   F7h
Dec:    240    0    32    41    2    13    14    247

When selecting Live mode with this message, Launchpad X switches to Session layout, or Note mode when not in DAW mode.

When selecting Programmer mode using this SysEx message, the Setup entry (holding down Session for half a second) is disabled. To return the Launchpad X to normal operation, use this SysEx message to switch back to Live mode.

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