Launch Control XL MIDI Remote

Here is a script with 4 pages for the Launch Control XL.

If someone wants to use this and has a Mac, PM me and I will help to create a Mac version.

Performance update - Significant performance improvement.
Update to remove Cue page from midiremote file.
Update to fix issue with FQCs on Instrument page
Update added zoom knobs to Instrument page.

Oqion - Launch Control XL MR.zip (2.6 MB)

Source code can be found here:

https://github.com/oqion/midiremote-userscripts/tree/main/Novation/Launch_Control_XLt

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User Manual

Introduction

Pages

  • Mixer
  • Track
  • Sends
  • Instrument

Installation

Install the Syx

To Enable the Script one will need to first download and install the Novation Components Application or use the on-line Components web app:

https://components.novationmusic.com/launch-control-xl-mk2/templates

Select Launch Control XL from “Choose your Product.”:

And then Upload Template LCXL_OQ.syx:

It Should look something like this:

Now select “Send to Launch Control”, and select Template 8.

Select Template 8 on your Launch Control: By pressing “Templates User” and then 8 on the bottom row of buttons. Here Lit brighter.

Your Launch Control should now look something like this:

The Launch Control is now set up, and ready to go.

Install the script

In Cubase, within the MIDI Remote tab, Open the MIDI Remote Manager:

Select Import Scripts:

Navigate to wherever you have saved the file:

Novation_Launch Control XL.midiremote

And import that Script.

Your MIDI Remote tab should now show something like this:

Colour Chart

The Launch Control is capable of a limited Palette. Care has been taken to provide as many colours as possible.

The buttons on the right of the device are not capable of displaying all of the colours. The arrowed button can only display red, and the state buttons can only display amber and yellow.

The buttons along the bottom are capable of all colours listed, but always show Yellow High when selected, or “On”.

Colours take on meanings, and when they do a similar chart will be provided with the meanings listed.

All pages

On all of the pages the Following Controls are consistent.

Track and Bank Buttons

The Up and Down Arrows will always move the track or bank to the Next or Previous.

Page Select Buttons

The Left and Right Arrows will always select the Next or Previous Page

Transport Buttons

The 7 leftmost lower Buttons are always the transport analogous to the transport in Cubase.

The Rewind and Fast Forward buttons are momentary, and the cursor will stop when they are released.

The Play and Stop buttons have been combined to provide a Play/Stop Toggle.

Track Buttons

The Monitor, Mute, Solo and Record Arm buttons are toggles and will be Off when not engaged, and Yellow when engaged (Except on the Instrument page where they are always Amber, and will function for any Track type.)

These buttons will always affect the currently selected track.

Knob Pickup Behavior

Most Knobs that affect variables are set to “pickup” mode.

In this mode the LED will show dim or Low when the value within cubase does not match the position of the knob, or when the difference is unknown by the script.

When the position of the knob and the value within Cubase are known to be the same, the LED will show High.

In this image the position of the knob on the left does not match the value in Cubase, but the knob on the right does.

Mixer Page

Cue 1

The top row of knobs controls the level of Cue 1 level for the given track.

Send 1

The middle row of knobs controls the level of Send 1 level for the given track.

Pan

The lower row of knobs controls the level of Pan for the given track.

Volume

The Faders control the volume in Scaled mode. The difference between the Cubase value and the position of the fader will close as the fader is moved until they are the same, and then the fader will move the volume of the track in sync.

Select

Pressing one of these buttons will select the given track.

Write

This red button at the lower right, will toggle the write state of the Selected Track.

Track Page

The Track Page provides control over much of the available Track Controls.

The controls on this page are typically specific to the selected track.

It is split into several sections EQ, Quick Controls, Pre, Track Strip, and has the addition of a Metronome Control.

Metronome

When all the way in the down position, this fader will turn on, or off the Metronome. (When using the Control Room make sure to have the Control Room Metronome enabled at all times.)

When not in the down position this fader changes the level of the metronome.

Focus Quick Controls (FQC)

These knobs control the Focus Quick Controls in pickup mode (bright when captured). 1-4 across the top, and 5-8 along the middle.

Focus Quick Controls were selected here because they provide control over whatever is in focus, including Track Quick Controls, where as Track Quick Controls can only modify the selected track.

Pan

Sets the pan of the selected track.

Volume

Sets the Volume of the selected track.

Write

Toggles the Write mode of the selected track.

Instrument (Inst)

Toggles the Instrument window on instrument tracks.

Edit (Edit CS)

Toggles the Edit or Channel Strip window of the selected track.

Pre

Gain

This knob controls the Gain in pickup mode (bright when captured).

Pre Bypass

This button enables the Pre section when lit.When Orange the Pre is bypassed, when Yello, the Pre section is enabled.

Phase

This button inverts the phase of the channel. When Yellow the phase is inverted.

Low Cut Frequency

This Knob acts as both an on/off switch as well as the frequency setting for the Low Cut in pickup mode.

When all the way to the left, the Low Cut is off, and the LED will be turned off.

When not all the way to the left, the Lo cut frequency is being selected.

The colour of it’s LED indicates the Filter Slope.(see below)

Hi Cut Frequency

This Knob acts as both an on/off switch as well as the frequency setting for the High Cut in pickup mode.

When all the way to the right, the Low Cut is off, and the LED will be turned off.

When not all the way to the right, the High cut frequency is being selected.

The colour of it’s LED indicates the Filter Slope. (see below)

Low Cut Slope

This fader selects the Low Cut Slope. When the slope is changed the Low Cut Frequency LED will change colour to indicate the slope being used. (see below)

High Cut Slope

This fader selects the High Cut Slope. When the slope is changed the High Cut Frequency LED will change colour to indicate the slope being used. (see below)

Slope Colour Chart

The Frequency Knob will show high colour for captured, and low colour for not captured, just like all the other pickup mode knobs, but it’s colour will change to represent the frequency slope setting, by the fader just below it.

Equalizer (EQ)

The Cubase 4 band Equalizer can be controlled from this section of the Track page.

The columns are set up from left to right to control the Lo, LMF, HMF, and Hi bands.

Low Button

Turns On/Off the Low band, Yellow when on.Red when off.

LMFButton

Turns On/Off the LMFband, Yellow when on.Red when off.

HMFButton

Turns On/Off the HMF band, Yellow when on.Red when off.

Hi Button

Turns On/Off the Hi band, Yellow when on.Red when off.

Gain

These 4 faders control the Gain of the associated band.

Frequency

These 4 knobs control the Frequency of the associated band.

Q-Factor

These 4 knobs control the Q-Factor of the associated band.

Type

These 4 knobs control the EQ type of the associated band.

The LED on these knobs are Colour Coded. (see below)

EQ Type Colour chart

All 4 bands can be set to Parametric, the Low band can be set as well to the types on the left, and the Hi can be set to the types on the right, in addition to the two Parametric Types. The orders match that in Cubase.

Sends Page

The Sends Page allows control over up to 8 sends on the selected track, as well as Both Focus and Track Quick Controls.

Edit (Edit CS)

Toggles the Edit or Channel Strip window of the selected track.

Focus Quick Controls (FQC)

These knobs control the Focus Quick Controls in pickup mode (bright when captured). 1-4 across the top, and 5-8 along the middle.

Track Quick Controls (FQC)

These knobs control the Track Quick Controls in pickup mode (bright when captured). 1-4 across the top, and 5-8 along the middle.

Sends Bypass

These buttons control Sends Bypass, Yellow when Send is engaged, and Orange when the Send is bypassed.

Sends Level

These Faders control Sends Level in Scaled Mode.

Sends Pre/Post

These knobs control whether the Send is Pre or Post fader.

When the Send is off, the LED is off.

When the knob is all the way to the left the send will be post fader, and the LED will be Orange.

When the knob is all the way to the right the send will be pre fader, and the LED will be Lime.

Pre Post Off

Instrument Page

The instrument Page allows for editing of Instrument and MIDI tracks. It’s Track controls will light up in a dark amber colour and work on MIDI tracks, but do not provide feedback.They also work for other tracks also without feedback.

There are 14 user programmable knobs in amber which will function as pickup knobs like the pre-programmed knobs they will light when captured.

There is also a nudge pallet, and loop or cycle control, as well as Track Quick Controls.

Note: (Track Quick Controls will not work with MIDI tracks.)

In addition the top right knob is the AI knob, and the knob underneath it works as a switch to lock the AI knob to a given control.

Focus Quick Controls (FQC)

These knobs control the Focus Quick Controls in pickup mode (bright when captured). They are the lowest knobs on this page

Track Quick Controls (FQC)

These Faders control the Track Quick Controls in scaled mode.

Instrument (Inst)

Toggles the Instrument window on instrument tracks.

Nudge Pallet

These Momentary buttons control the same feature as the nudge pallet in Cubase.

Loop Buttons

These Momentary Buttons shift the cycle left and right.

AI knob

AI Knob

The top AI knob will adjust the parameter over which the mouse is hovering.

AI Lock Switch

The middle AI lock switch will lock the AI knob when all the way to the right, and unlock the AI knob when all the way to the left.

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Hell… this took a while… I guess

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It did, but it’s also been done for a while too. I just wanted to test it with a project, and document it before sharing.

I just noticed that the AI knob Lock doesn’t turn off the LED. It works, it just doesn’t turn the light on and off. It will have to wait for the next update. :slight_smile:

There is also another page in the source code for managing the Cues while recording a 4 piece. But it is untested.

No way to test on a Mac. But you could get the code and do it that way.

btw, I have no Launch Control… and keep the work for my X-Touch for the days with rainy weather :wink:

But I think I could learn something from your coding…

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It’s in TypeScript. You have to edit one line in the JS it creates, or edit one line in the TS before transpiling. It’s in the code.

it’s also directed at the LCXL. I will probably abstract it at some point to make the controllers usable across devices, it wouldn’t take much at all to do.

And the event handling as well. If you don’t manage the events, they will not be per-page.

I am hoping something happens with the next update that makes this easier and more performant. We shall see.

First of all, thank you for dedicating your time to us.
I have received my launch control XL and I can’t adapt it to my Cubase 12 in Win 11.
I have followed the indicated steps and the faders do not respond to the mix.
I can’t control the vst either, only Omnisphere. I have changed the midi cc in launch control and I have saved them but they are still the same as the factory ones, in short, a disaster.
I would be grateful if you could help me if you have time.
Thanks

I have no idea if Windows 11 is an issue. I know the “.midiremote” file will not work on Mac, you would have to download the .js file from github and use that if you were on a Mac. Windows 11 should work though.

I’m not sure what you mean by this. I assume you mean the faders are not working in the Mixer Page. The Mixer page will only work with particular track types. Midi tracks for instance are never part of a bank on any device.

It sounds like the you did not install the sysex through Launch Control to User Template 8.It is very important that you load the sysex to template 8. I left the other 7 user templates available for those who already have something set up there. In this case the upper two rows of knobs would be the only ones that work, as they are the same as the factory defaults.

It sounds like something went wrong at the step above that says:

Now select “Send to Launch Control”, and select Template 8.

image

You must not change the template setting in the launch control from the sysex in the zip file, as the script is dependent on these settings.

Thank you very much, you are absolutely right, I pressed the user button and the 8 at the same time, it did not do it well.
Now I only need to send midi messages cc 1 and cc11, which are the ones I use the most, I do it with the cubase pencil, through Launch control…
sorry and thank you

image

Above is the midi mapping from the sysex file. All are CCs on Channel 16, and again should be placed on Template 8.

As you can see, CC1 and CC11 are not set on this template. This is why Template 8 was chosen.
You can set CC1 and 11 etc. On a different Template, and then use the User Template button and the lower buttons at the bottom to change which user template you are on. This way you can still have 7 of your own personal User Templates.

Also, note that you can still use Mackie Hui. Simply set it to Mackie Hui Template 8, and select the
“Sends” page and it will function as described in the Novation Manual, with the top 8 knobs set to Track and Focus Quick Controls.

The Midi Remote Script is set to interact with Template 8 only! There is a one line change in the script to make it work with any template you have set it to, but that can get confusing and I don’t suggest it, however, I can tell you which line that is if you PM me. Still it is best to not set any of the templates to have any CC on channel 16.

I use a lot of Midi Tracks. And so I have template 1 set up to work by sending regular CCs on channel 1.

If you are more accustomed to using Instrument tracks, I suggest selecting the Instrument Page and setting the CC1 and 11, 2, 4, 21 etc. as the Track Quick Controls for the Instrument Track. This will give you the same functionality from the Instrument Page. This will also allow you to have a pitch bend control as well, though without springs this is not very usable. Thanks to @Nico5 for teaching me this.

Hopefully the bug in Cubase that makes Track Quick Controls unusable on Midi Tracks is fixed soon. Because the Nico5 solution will NOT work on Midi Tracks.

So in the mean time, please use user Template 1-7 , and channels other than 16 for your personal settings.

Hola,
I have configured, in a new template, and in quick controls, cc11 , cc1 and I have managed to record them but in automation tracks, when activating R and W , not inside the midi track, but I am already satisfied.
Thank Oqion for your time, the desire to help, and your kindness, you have made things much easier for me, I was lost.
Thanks :
:slightly_smiling_face: clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Hi,
thanks for your great work. It really helps a lot and I appreciate your time and your effort for doing this.
For me it worked on a Mac. I uploaded the midiremote file and it worked fine.
The only problem is that when navigating through pages via the SEND SELECT buttons, once it hits the Cue page it gets stuck and no chance to return to the previous pages. Would you please help me with that issue? Is it a bug only on my MacBook Air M1 ?
Thank you in advance.
Kostis

  • via the TRACK SELECT buttons indented to say

I’m not sure how you got the Cue page from the midiremote. That page does exist in the .js file, on GitHub but should not be in the exported midiremote file as it has not been tested. I just reimported the midiremote on PC and I do not see the Cue page. I think this might be part of the issue with cross platform, somehow the Cue page was “remembered” by Cubase and added to the export.

Is it possible for you to delete the Cue page?

I cannot find a way to remove the “cue” page…

The issue is that I still had the Cue page left over from the script when I exported the midiremote.
When you reload the script it leaves any previous pages in place, but removes all of the data.

Sorry about that.

You can either re-download the zip file which I have updated in the post at the top of this thread,

Or do the following

Open the mapping assistant:

image

Select the Cue page:

Select the gear icon,

Select Delete

image

Also, here is the midiremote file with the Cue page fully enabled. Again that page is not tested as I no-longer have the hardware to fully test it.

With Cue.zip (2.6 MB)

It works like a charm.
Thank you so much!
All the best

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Thank you for finding the defect!

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No worries. It’s my pleasure.
There is another little bag, unless it is not a hardware issue of my device.
The QC2 knob (pan/device 2) doesn’t work. It’s the only one not working of all the knobs faders and pots. I tried to remap it but cubase doesn’t listen to it at all.

Hello Kosmarv.
We can check both sides, the code, and how it is being used. To do that, I need to ask a few questions.

Which page are you on?

And using this chart which is the number of the encoder?

image

What track do you have selected in Cubase? ,

What is topmost window that is in focus?