Applies to: Launchkey Original. To connect your Launchkey to an iPad, you will need: Your Launchkey; Your Launchkey USB cable; An iPad; An Apple USB camera connection kit (not included) You must plug the USB cable into the Launchkey Mk1 first, then plug the other end into the Camera Connetion Kit. Finally connect the camera connection kit into the iPad. Nov 29, 2016 So recently I just downloaded the Novation Launchpad on my iPad, but I plan on using it on my Mac's garageband. How do I set it up so that the two devices can be connected, and therefore play music using the two devices? Is ere an option to connect an external sound device for GarageBand Mac?

Novation has announced Launchkey, a range of 25, 49 and 61 note keyboard controllers with up to 50 physical controls including 16 velocity-sensitive multi-colour trigger-pads. As well as enabling hands-on control of your DAW’s mixer, instruments and more, Launchkey is an integrated software/hardware instrument. The control surface has been designed to work tightly alongside two intuitive apps for iPad: the Launckey app and the Launchpad app – plus the powerful V-Station & Bass Station synth plug-ins for Mac.

Launchkey is a controller for all major music software, giving you hands-on control of your mixer, transport and more in Ableton Live, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Reason, Logic and Cubase. With nine faders, nine buttons, eight rotary knobs and transport controls, nothing comes close to Launchkey for sheer controllability.

The velocity-sensitive synth-style keyboard mechanism is accompanied by pitch and mod wheels and octave, track up/down buttons. It recreates the feel of classic synth keyboards with precision, so playing styles can be reflected by the software as accurately as possible.

16 multi-colour backlit velocity-sensitive launch pads can be used to play drums and trigger loops without having to go near the computer. Whatever software you use, the 16 launch pads are perfect for sketching out beats or playing in drum patterns, or triggering clips and scenes in Ableton Live.

Launchkey includes an entire suite of software for iPad and Mac including a brand new Launchkey synth app, a Launchpad app for triggering and improvising with loops, and the powerful V-Station and Bass Station soft synths for Mac — not to mention Ableton Live Lite and a huge Loopmasters sample pack.

Novation Launchpad is a music performance app for iPad that will have you making beats and triggering loops instantly. It’s packed full of high quality loops and sounds that can be combined in the multi-colour 8×6 Launchpad grid to make and remix music. The built-in time stretching always keeps you locked in to the beat, so your loops don’t go out of time.

The app follows some of the key features from the ‘Launchpad’ hardware, now used by many of the worlds famous DJs and performers, but strips out much of the complexity. Eight volume sliders allow quick volume changes and simple FX modes offer cool DJ effects such as stutter FX and synced filter FX, adding fun ways to remix your music and make your performance unique.

The Launchpad app, along with the Launchkey app can transform your Launchkey hardware into a synth and loop triggering workstation for performing and producing music with your iPad. The launch pads on the hardware trigger loops in the app and you can get hands-on control of levels with Launchkey’s physical faders.

Launchkey connects to your computer or iPad via USB. The Launchpad and Launchkey apps require an iPad and the standard Apple Camera Connection kit (not included). On the Mac, V-Station and Bass Station require OS X 10.4 or later, a 450 MHz G3 or faster, 256 MB of RAM and a compatible host application. Bass Station is available in VST and AU formats. V-Station is available in VST, AU and RTAS (32 and 64-bit) formats. Both are OS X Mountain Lion compatible.

Ableton Live Lite requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 (10.5 or later recommended), a 1.8 GHz G4/G5 or faster processor (Intel Mac recommended), 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended, if supported by your computer), and a DVD-ROM drive.

Launchkey 49 will be available in March 2013 for £139.99 / $199.99. Launchkey 25 and Launchkey 61 will be available in April 2013 for £99.99 / $149.99 and £159.99 / $249.99, respectively.

Developed in 2004, Apple’s Garageband quickly rose to the top for DAWs that were great for beginners. It has a simple layout and it is relatively easy to develop your songs on. The best MIDI keyboard for Garageband is going to be an option that is cheaper, portable, & compatible.

The good thing about this is that Garageband is a very common free DAW (digital audio workstation) or in other words: recording studio.

MIDI keyboards are definitely one of the most important purchases you can make when it comes to music production and songwriting.

If you’re looking to just wet your feet with making beats and producing music, Garageband makes for an easy choice as it comes with MACs and IOS. You can now download it for Windows as well.

My personal opinion is that you should just get a cheaper MIDI keyboard to use with Garageband as you get used to learning music production.

Because of this, I’m excluding some of the more expensive options I would recommend to just keep it simple.

If you’re curious to more expensive options, you can read more about MIDI controllers and my favorite 88 key MIDI keyboards in the links above.

Note: I’ve played every MIDI keyboard that I talk about in any of these articles. I have also spent years touring the country playing keyboards in a moderately well-known band. This article is meant to give you a better understanding and help make a decision.

Contents

• 1 Best MIDI Keyboards For Garageband
  • 1.1 Novation Launchkey Mini MK3
  • 1.2 Arturia Microlab
  • 1.3 M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3
  • 1.4 Nektar LX 61 +
  • 1.5 Arturia Keystep Pro – Best All-Around

Best MIDI Keyboards For Garageband

Below are my favorite picks for Garageband. I hope you find this list helpful!

Novation Launchkey Mini MK3

The Novation Launchkey Mini MK 3 is an incredible mini controller that works really well with all major DAWs. The integration is flawless with Garageband and Novation typically makes super user-friendly controllers in general.

You are presented with 16 pads, & 8 knobs. Another big win for Novation with this controller is that you can also control hardware synthesizers with it.

This means that if you have a really nice hardware synth that you want to control, you now have an incredibly cheap way to do so with the Mini MK 3.

Up until recently, the Akai MPK Mini MK2 was the best option for mini controllers, but now with the Novation Mini MK3, it’s hard to not have it as my top pick.

Pros

• 16 velocity-sensitive pads
• Comes with impressive free software including Ableton Live Lite
• Fully controls Ableton Live
• 8 rotary knobs
• Pitch & Mod sliders
• Inexpensive
• Easy to use

Cons

• Smaller keys

Arturia Microlab

The Arturia Microlab is one of the smallest and portable MIDI keyboards currently available. With this being said, it doesn’t have a ton of different features to play with.

The Microlab comes in 3 different colors that all look pretty cool in my opinion. One of the nice features with the Microlab is that it actually has a built-in USB cable that retracts.

This is convenient if you’re looking to just throw it in your backpack while traveling. You also don’t need to remember an additional USB cable either.

As far as features, this is a pretty stripped down controller that is made for producers on the go or for beginner producers.

Pros

• Retractable USB cable
• Only weighs 1.8 lbs
• Comes with bundled software
• Inexpensive
• Works great with Garageband
• Easy to use

Cons

• Limited features
• No pads
• Small keys

M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3

The M-Audio Keystation 49 MK3 is a keyboard I recently started recommending. You can get it in 49,61 or 88 keys, but the 49 key model is the cheapest.

There aren’t really a ton of features with this controller, but it has all the beginner essentials that you need.

You will find a pitch-bend and modulation wheel that feel pretty decent in structure.

Pros

• Great bundled software including Ableton Live Lite & Skoove
• Lightweight
• Full-sized velocity-sensitive keys
• iPad & iPhone compatible (Great for Garageband App)
• Easy to use
• Inexpensive
• Very slim
  

Cons

• Not a lot of features
• Lacks pads

Nektar LX 61 +

The Nektar LX 61+ is a great controller that you can use with Garageband. What I like about this option is that it has 61 full-sized keys, 8 pads, as well as faders and rotary knobs.

This is one of the most affordable 61 key MIDI keyboards currently available on the market.

The Lx 61 + includes the DAW software Bitwig and this is a great software to have when you’re starting out.

What’s nice about this software is that it’s easy to use and it’s been streamlined for beginners.

I’ve been recommending the LX 61 + a lot lately for many other DAWs just because of its simplicity and the fact that it has 61 full-sized keys.

If you’re a fan of ripping solos, you can do so nicely by taking advantage of the number of keys as well as using the modulation wheel and pitch-bend.

One thing that I feel like people complain about with this controller is that the key-bed isn’t great. While I do agree, I feel like that’s more on the buyer. It’s relatively inexpensive for a MIDI controller and it’s not a digital piano.

It doesn’t have weighted keys and its primary goal isn’t to replicate an acoustic piano, it’s to transfer MIDI and allow you to write music.

If you’re looking to spend around this price range, check out my guide to the best digital pianos under $300 if you’re looking for a good key-bed with 88 keys.

Pros

• 61 Full-sized keys
• Included DAW software (Bitwig)
• Full transport buttons
• Pre-mapped
• 8 pads
• 9 faders
• 8 control pots
• Only weighs 9 lbs

Cons

• Key-bed isn’t the greatest

Arturia Keystep Pro – Best All-Around

Novation Launchkey Drivers

The Arturia Keystep Pro is a brand new controller from Arturia that is a little bit steep in price compared to the others that I will mention.

With this being said, this is easily one of the most advanced controllers that you can own currently. For a very long time, the original Keystep by Arturia was kind of a best-kept secret that not all producers even knew about.

With the Keystep Pro, it’s no longer really a secret and it is now being recommended to all producers and musicians.

It is equipped with a 4-track polyphonic sequencer, & a dedicated 16-track sequencer.

This controller works extremely well with all major DAWs including Garageband. With this being said, it’s not specifically made for Garageband and doesn’t have special functions for it.

Pros

• 4 track sequencer
• 16 track drum sequencer
• Aftertouch
• Polyrhythmic sequencing
• 7 different arpeggiator modes
• Lightweight
• Metronome out
• Aftertouch & velocity-sensitive
• One of the best MIDI keyboards currently available

Novation Launchkey Garageband

Cons

• A little bit more expensive

Conclusion

Novation Launchkey 49 Driver Install

Keep in mind that there are tons of different DAWs out there that you can use with your MIDI controllers. I think that the ones featured in this article are the best controllers for Garageband as they all have a nice price tag and there’s a good range of sizes.