The Novation Launchpad Mini is a compact, portable MIDI controller designed for music production, live performance, and DJing. It can integrate with Ableton Live and other DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) or act as a standalone USB MIDI instrument. There are a total of 80 RGB pads for clip launching, drum programming, and simple MIDI control.
As of 2026, the Launchpad Mini typically retails for around £85-£100 (16/04/2026).
Pros
The Launchpad Mini is easy to get started with, and has engaging light up control pads. It can be used to control synths, drums or live sessions in an intuitive way.
Cons
The pads are not velocity sensitive, and send a constant velocity. The presence of other control buttons (play/stop/pause/mute etc.) may prevent it from being useful with all users.
Quick Start Guide
Plug in the launchpad to your device with the supplied USB-C cable. It should appear on your system as a USB-MIDI device. Pressing “Keys” in the top right will give you a layout most suitable for piano-like instruments. Pressing “Drums” will give a layout more suitable for playing drum samples.
If Ableton Live is running it can become a controller more suitable for controlling an ableton session. Access this by pressing “Session”.
It’s also possible to create custom interfaces for the device at https://components.novationmusic.com/. Here, you can set up buttons with specific colours and MIDI notes for a specific user.
Further reading
Manufacturer’s website: https://novationmusic.com/products/launchpad-mini
Novation Components: https://components.novationmusic.com/
