Novation 49SL MkIII 49-Key MIDI Controller Keyboard and Sequencer with DAW integration

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Along the rear, the SL MkIII has a power switch and input for its external power adapter, which is required at all times as there’s no USB power option. Next along comes a USB port, for connection to a computer, along with three DIN ports, the first two for MIDI in and out, and a third that is switchable between offering a secondary output and MIDI through port. The keyboard can also be divided into Zones, which can each be assigned to one of the eight Parts, so users can play multiple instruments at once - handy for use as a live performance hub. Up to eight Zones can be assigned, each with adjustable keyboard range, displayed via the LED light guide above the keyboard. While these multi-faceted sequencing tools are the core feature of the SL MkIII, it can still handle the DAW control duties you’d expect from a high-end MIDI controller. To set the SL MKIII up with Ableton Live 11 please connect and power your SL MKIII and then open Ableton. The setup is the same as this article, with the inclusion of MPE for the pads to use Polyphonic Aftertouch. Many DAWs have a ‘smart’ controller scheme that MIDI devices can hook into to achieve dynamic control assignments, without resorting to manual fixed mapping. These generally only extend to the built‑in devices and instruments found in your DAW. For control of third‑party VST/AU/AAX plug‑ins some brands have opted to develop their own plug‑in hosts. This gives them direct integration with their hardware, customisable mapping, patch browsing, multi‑plug‑in patches, etc. And of course they can build in their own sound content store... NI’s Komplete Kontrol and Akai/M‑Audio/Alesis’ VIP are the main examples, but Nektar have also just announced a host.

Templates from the unit can be retrieved from the list of all 64 Templates or pulled directly from one of the Templates currently being used in one of the 8 Parts. This makes it easier to get it and edit the controls currently being used. If the firmware update for your Novation device via Components fails, there are a number of troubleshooting steps we recommend trying. The primary row of eight encoders and buttons are accompanied by full‑colour displays. There’s a transport section, various mode and function buttons, and a bank of eight mixer‑style strips each with a slider and two buttons. The 16 pressure‑sensitive pads lie in two rows below the screens so they can be drafted in as Ableton launchers and sequence programmers. Your choice of music software is crucial to your creativity. SL MkIII's pads, buttons, eight faders and eight knobs take control of all major music software using InControl or any HUI-compatible DAW. Allows patterns to be transposed across the octave range, to find the perfect pitch and experiment with ideas. Toggle swing per-partFor this to show, your device will need to be in Bootloader mode. The instructions for starting your device in bootloader mode are included below: The new arpeggiator probability feature brings an element of randomness to each arpeggiator, turning SL MkIII into a generative and constantly evolving instrument. Step probability On this screen, you can edit the messages sent out by the 16 pads on your SL MkIII. This includes Pad hit and pressure assignments:

The downside was it took work to set up, and relied on local settings files on your machine. With modern displays, and the move towards computer independence and integration with Components, I can understand why Novation would step away from Automap. It does leave something of a gap though that’s filled, or not, in different ways depending on your DAW. The SL MkIII’s pads can now be used to make sequencer transposition a powerful performance tool. Pattern octave transpose We're going to show you how to set up your SL MkIII with Reason. Please ensure that your SL MkIII is connected to your computer via USB and powered on. With the introduction of SI MKIII v1.3, you'll be able to utilise unquantised recording. v1.2 introduced micro-step editing (letting you position notes off the grid). This resulted in minute timing variations. Now with unquantised recording, you can record directly into these microsteps. V1.4 Firmware Update I’m going to walk you through how to set up your SL MkIII with Pro Tools. Please ensure that your SL MkIII is connected to your computer and powered on.

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Bass Station II: Hold the 'Save', 'Patch left' and 'Patch right' buttons and power on the Bass Station II

The probability of a programmed step can be altered, bringing creative irregularity and extending the musical palette of the SL MkIII. Sequencer transpose (with pads) This is where the SL MKIII comes into its own. Work with all major music audio workstations using intuitive Novation InControl software. It even comes with a copy of Ableton Live Lite, 4 GB of Loopmasters sounds and sample, and XLN Audio Addictive Keys virtual instrumentsto get you started. Choose an arp type, set a sync rate, tweak the length, and then use the pads to design your rhythms in real time. If you are using a Mac, go to Preferences > Link MIDI. Then, select the SL MKIII as a control surface, and select the input and output to Novation SL MKIII (InControl).

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On this screen, you can edit the messages sent and the behaviour for each of the rotary controls on your SL MkIII. All you need to do is select the rotary control you want to edit so that it is highlighted. Once selected, you can change the settings for that specific control: The keyboard feels very nice and all other hardware too except for the sliders, they feel a bit cheap. Novation's v1.4 firmware update for their flagship SL MkIII range of controller keyboards brings immense new composition and performance features, which greatly expand their capabilities: Per-part arpeggiator

Pro Tools control worked with next‑to‑no setup. I got transport, basic mixer navigation and control, and a handful of core commands like Save and Undo, but no plug‑in control. Logic Pro had the added bonus of Smart Control mapping, allowing Logic to do much of the heavy lifting while the SL kept its encoders in the right place at the right time. In Context Between the well-designed templates and easy-to-use Components app, Novation has done an excellent job in making setup as hassle free as possible, but given how adaptable the SL MkIII is, you’ll still need to spend some time configuring it to best adapt it to your own setup. It doesn’t quite match the plug-and-play immediacy of NIs’ Komplete Kontrol system, but offers much more flexibility for interfacing hardware and software. Automap was/is Novation’s plug‑in control system that took a slightly different approach. Instead of running everything inside a special host, Automap was a relatively discreet service on your computer that communicated with special ‘wrapped’ versions of your plug‑ins. You could create your own maps and use them directly with your plug‑ins in any DAW. Then go to the Preferences (Options > Preferences on Windows, Ableton Live > Preferences on macOS) and go to the Link/Tempo/MIDI tab and match the settings below: Once this is complete, please go to Preferences > Control Surfaces > Add > Select 'Novation' as the manufacturer, and 'SL MkIII' as the model, then select the InControl option as the input and output port.We're going to show you how to set up your SL MkIII with Studio One 4. Please ensure that your SL MkIII is connected to your computer via USB and powered on. If you’re using a PC, go to Option > Preferences > Link MIDI. Then, select the SL MKIII as a control surface, and select the input and output to Novation SL MKIII (MIDI2), which is how the InControl mode is displayed on PC. If you are not already, please try updating your firmware using the standalone version of Components. Beyond the sequencer, the SL MkIII also features an Arpeggiator, with adjustable rate, gate length and direction. With the Arpeggiator mode active, the arp pattern can be adjusted by using the 16-pad grid to add or remove steps. The arp can only be used on one Part at a time, but it is possible to change which part the arp is assigned to on the fly, using one of the central rotaries. The keyboard itself offers some handy features too. Use the sequencer to easily record notes as you play them, or input step-by-step. Play and edit your sequences directly from the keyboard. Record your movements as automation into the sequencer, bringing life to your production.