LAUNCHPAD PRO

Programmer's Reference Guide

Document number: FFFA001331-02

Version 1.01

Table of Contents

About this Guide 3
Number Systems and MIDI conventions 3
Bootloader 3
Basic Features 4
Basic Layouts 4
Basic Communication 4
Set-up Screen 5
Colours 6
Note Layout 6
Drum Layout 8
Fader Layout 9
Programmer Layout 16
Device Inquiry 18
Advanced Features 20
Lighting LEDs Using SysEx Messages 20
Flashing 21
Pulsing 21
RGB Mode 22
MIDI Clock 23
Text scrolling 23
System Exclusive Messages 25
Other SysEx Messages 28

About this Guide

Launchpad Pro communicates using MIDI over USB and MIDI jack, operating in both directions. This manual, describing the MIDI communication format, is all the information you need to be able to write software that is customised for Launchpad Pro.

This is not an exhaustive document. Certain extra System Exclusive messages are used for authentication, and for remote firmware upgrade. These are beyond the scope of this document, however, it is worth knowing that they exist in case you encounter them while you are playing with Launchpad Pro.

Number Systems and MIDI conventions

There are three ways of expressing MIDI data in this manual. The first, where appropriate, is a plain English description of the message. When we describe a musical note, middle C is deemed to be 'C3' or note 60. MIDI channel 1 is considered to be the lowest-numbered MIDI channel and channels range from 1 - 16.

MIDI messages are also expressed in plain data, with decimal and hexadecimal equivalents. The hexadecimal number will always be followed by an ‘h’ and the decimal equivalent given in brackets. For example a Note On message on channel 1 is signified by the status byte 90h (144).

Bootloader

Launchpad Pro has a bootloader mode that allows the user to configure and save certain settings. The bootloader is accessed by holding the Setup button whilst switching the device on.

Setup

Device ID select 1-16

Layout text OFF/ON

Bootloader revision

Firmware revision

Figure 1: Bootloader display

The top two rows of square buttons can be used to set the device USB ID of Launchpad Pro. The device ID ranges from 1 – 16 and the selected ID is represented by an orange button. This also sets the USB identity, which ranges from 51h to 60h. The default ID from the factory is 1. If more than one Launchpad Pro is to be used on USB, then each device must have a different USB ID selected.

The blue button refers to layout text, enabling the scrolling text messages when the layouts are changed. By default the button is bright blue and the scrolling text within the main firmware is enabled. Once the user is familiar with the use of the main firmware setup and layout selection, turning the layout text off in the bootloader can give more rapid layout changes in the firmware.

The light green button displays the bootloader version number, and the dark green button shows the firmware version number.

The main firmware can be started by pressing the Setup button again.

Basic Features

Basic Layouts

The User Guide gives a detailed description of the various layouts available in Launchpad Pro and how to select them. The Live layout is automatically selected by Ableton Live, indicated by the green side LED. There are four additional layouts available, allowing the Launchpad Pro to be used as a 'Standalone' MIDI controller without Ableton. They are Note, Drum, Fader and Programmer layout. Further detail on each layout can be found later in this document.

The different layouts may be manually selected on the Setup page, by pressing one of the five coloured square pads on the top row. (See later.) The layouts may also be selected automatically using the following message:

Host >> Launchpad Pro:

F0h 00h 20h 29h 02h 10h 2Ch F7h

(240, 0, 32, 41, 2, 16, 44, , 247)

Where the byte is: 00h – Note

01h - Drum

02h – Fader

03h – Programmer

The layout determines the MIDI note numbers that the buttons send and receive. Layout 0 is best for writing software that uses Launchpad Pro as an instrument. Layout 3 is best for programming light shows, as the grid is a blank canvas and is easy to navigate by adding and subtracting. Adding 1 moves to the right 1 button, adding 10 moves up one button.

Basic Communication

The communications behaviour of Launchpad Pro varies depending upon the layout. All of the Standalone layouts can be used to detect button presses and control LED colour, but the actual data values and results vary. Please refer to the following sections for specific details of each layout.

Launchpad Pro is provided with a USB interface and MIDI input/output jacks. It is usual for Launchpad Pro to connect to an Apple Mac or Windows PC using the USB lead. Once connected, the class-compliant USB driver will automatically provide communication ports to Launchpad Pro for sending and receiving note messages. These MIDI ports should be considered separately to the conventional MIDI hardware (the MIDI input/output jacks.)

There are 3 MIDI input ports and also 3 MIDI output ports. The first port pair (first input port and first output port) is usually used for communication with Ableton. (These first ports will communicate with the Live layout of Launchpad Pro.) The second port pair is used for Stand Alone mode of Launchpad Pro. Note,

Drum, Fader and Programmer layouts all share these ports. The third port pair is used by the hardware MIDI interface. The output is routed from the USB, through the Launchpad Pro and out to the