Novation Launchkey 49 mk4- anyone successfully set it up in Waveform? {tech support said "WHO KNOWS?"}

[GuitarPlayerinNYC]

8-22-25 Edit: Spoke to Novation tech support yesterday, and they said, essentially, the mk4 is a no-go with WF at this time (there's a script for mk3 within WF). They really don't offer much support, if you don't have one of their listed DAWs. and the rep said their instructions are "daunting." The rep couldn't explain to me why they don't have a midi editor app, but to try to use WF's midi learn, which I haven't used in 5 years. Really solid device. Feels premium. Lots of bells and whistles (which I'm not very interested in). The hunt goes on. I may just go back to Arturia. Hopefully the Arturia is basically plug n play, which my Essential basically was.

Still curious whether anyone has gotten the Novation mk4 to work with WF.
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I just spent the last 13 hours trying to setup the Launchkey mk4. Am I crazy, or do the online setup guide just send you into endless circles?

Anyway- I updated the firmware, installed the drivers, and have only gotten as far as when I first plugged it in (prior to the firmware update)- input from the keyboard, and some sounds from the keypads).

Before the firmware update, it appeared as my "Akai Pro" or something. I'm pretty sure my little Akai appeared as "Akai mini" or something. Mentioning this, because I found this odd.

There's a desktop app that I though you could use to map the transport controls and mixer knobs/faders, but no. I only used it to reset the keyboard to factory settings. I tried the Midi Learn from within Waveform (Pro, updated to the latest version.

I've had an Arturia Keylab and Akai mini keyboard, and both came with a desktop app, where you could map midi to wherever, but I really didn't have to do much. Both were pretty much plug and play.

The Launcheky doesn't even appear in the Settings Surface Control, or Midi devices, but "Launchkey mk4" does appear as input/output options, when setting up a surface controller, and a midi device. "Launchkey mk4" appears as an option, when choosing an input device on a track.

Anyway, I'm really curious if anyone has successfully installed the Launchkey 49 mk4- not prior versions. There's scripts within Waveform for prior models of the Launchkey (I tried them all) that didn't seem to help.

I'm not expecting anyone to read through everything, but if you want an exercise in futility, this is where I started, and every page has at least a few links that take you outside- I had 15 tabs open, and when I finally got back to the Getting Started page, I just went full circle: https://id.focusritegroup.com/en/getstarted/begin/L4

I reset the the keyboard, Waveform, my Windows 11 system MULTIPLE times.

FWIW, the mk4 feels really solid, the keybed is nice. In contrast, my Arturia felt like a budget keyboard, but it worked. I just wanted extra pads. I really don't care about the other bells and whistles (splitting the keyboard, arp, scale, and chord modes, etc.).

I'm blathering. Sorry. I haven't been this frustrasted since the Windows 95 days, when trying to install a printer.

Novation actually has a tech support # I can call. TIA.

ETA: I don't even think I want this thing. Every button, knob, pad appears to have multiple functions, or "modes" and sometimes you have to depress a few to get to where you want to go. I may call Sweetwater, and if I can be assured I can get almost plug n play ability, I'll pay for the Keylab mk3. Or the Essential mk3. There's a few things nicer on the higher priced one, but foremost, I want the transport controls, and more than 8 pads.

[talby]

The Launcheky doesn't even appear in the Settings Surface Control, or Midi devices, but "Launchkey mk4" does appear as input/output options, when setting up a surface controller, and a midi device. "Launchkey mk4" appears as an option, when choosing an input device on a track.

Novation actually has a tech support # I can call. TIA.

If I understood your description correctly, then the 49 piano keys can currently be used as an input to your DAW, but no other input features are working. This doesn't appear to me to be a problem of WF (or any other DAW; test it also with another DAW!), but appears as if some restricted communication mode is activated in the keyboard.
Not an answer to your question, sorry, but motivating you to indeed contact the Novation support, or the store where you purchased the equipment, and ask them what in the Novation keyboard maybe has to be configured to expose it also as a control surface to any DAW, exporting all of its buttons and sliders, instead of exporting only its 49 piano keys, how to get out of the restricted communication mode.
Good luck!

[GuitarPlayerinNYC]

The Launcheky doesn't even appear in the Settings Surface Control, or Midi devices, but "Launchkey mk4" does appear as input/output options, when setting up a surface controller, and a midi device. "Launchkey mk4" appears as an option, when choosing an input device on a track.

Novation actually has a tech support # I can call. TIA.

If I understood your description correctly, then the 49 piano keys can currently be used as an input to your DAW, but no other input features are working. This doesn't appear to me to be a problem of WF (or any other DAW; test it also with another DAW!), but appears as if some restricted communication mode is activated in the keyboard.

You probably were replying, as I was editing my post.

Correct, the keys and pads work as input. Nothing else does.

I believe you're correct, that some other mode, blocks communication. Getting into other modes, can entail depressing 2-3 keys. I managed to enter into DAW mode, but, no go, but while in DAW mode, the keys and pads were silenced (this never happened on my old Arturia Essentials; it basically was plug n play).

Not an answer to your question, sorry, but motivating you to indeed contact the Novation support, or the store where you purchased the equipment, and ask them what in the Novation keyboard maybe has to be configured to expose it also as a control surface to any DAW, exporting all of its buttons and sliders, instead of exporting only its 49 piano keys, how to get out of the restricted communication mode.
Good luck!

Yeah, support basically told me I'm SOL, in a nice way. I get it. They cater to the "big boys" and probably have spent countless hours with people not in that club, to no avail. In a roundabout way, the tech implied I should just return the unit. She did say to contact Tracktion, but I don't believe it's Tracktion's responsibility to learn every midi device out there, and write a template for us. I'm surprised there's not someone out there, that knows how, hasn't coded a template. I have no idea who wrote the templates that appear in the midi menu on WF (there's a template for Novation mk3). However, I am a bit annoyed that the tech didn't even attempt to walk me through

Thanks for the encouragement. I should have simply re-boxed the Novation for return, but I thought, "if only I can get into x mode..."

I decided to get the Arturia mk3. It should arrive tomorrow. I just can't wait for the adventures that may lie ahead...