KENNY LARKIN & THE NOVATION LAUNCHPAD
Posted on Thu 28 April 2011 in DJ Gear
Kenny Larkin is one of the most influential producers in the Detroit Techno scene. His string of releases and headline DJ performances throughout the ‘90s and into the 21st century propelled him to a position as one of the most prolific producers and remix artists of the scene. Kenny has also released material under the moniker Dark Matter and has put out records on Plus 8, Transmat and more recently Rush Hour Recordings and Planet E. He travels extensively, DJing in Europe and Asia as well as America. At last year's Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), Kenny sat on the "25 years of Detroit Techno" panel with Juan Atkins, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Carl Craig and more...
Kenny uses his Launchpad both in the studio and on stage. "I like to improvise, so the clip-style way of working was probably the most important thing that put me on to the idea of working with Live, and the Launchpad." When he's making music, Launchpad lies at his fingertips, giving him the power to launch clips, record new parts and improvise with his arrangements. It integrates perfectly with Ableton Live, alongside an impressive collection of equipment, including a Sony DMX R100 mixer and numerous outboard processors, including a vintage Focusrite ISA110. "When you're in the studio the last thing you want is to be bogged down with technical situations. With the Launchpad, it's so easy to work on Ableton; everything is in front of you, you just push a button and record a clip — it's just fantastic in that way".
When on the road, Kenny travels with Launchpad. During live performances, he uses it to launch clips, and deliver a truly improvised performance. Launchpad fits in his laptop bag, and allows him to make music whenever inspiration strikes. "You can comfortably work in the bed with that thing, you can be on a plane and use it!"
"It's the most fantastic, most perfect way of working."
Check out this movie of Kenny talking about how he works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daylNarNw0Y