TAETRO’s Novation Rave Rig: A Controller Setup That’s Smoother Than a Surfboard on Wet Sand

TAETRO’s setup is like a festival lineup—each Novation controller gets its own headline slot. The Launchpad X sits up high on an XTS stand, ready for clip launching and track arming, while the Launchkey Mini handles all the melodic action and drum duties. There’s even a custom-mapped encoder for lead synth filtering, so you can sweep those frequencies like a DJ at sunrise. The Launch Control, meanwhile, is the new kid on the block, bringing performance FX and hands-on tweakability to the party.

What’s clever here is the division of labour—no controller is left standing around like a wallflower at a bush doof. Each one’s got a job, and TAETRO’s mapped them so he can flow between playing, looping, and effecting without missing a beat. It’s a modular approach that’s as flexible as a tent in a windstorm, and it means you can scale up or down depending on how wild you want your set to get.

Custom mapping is where the magic happens, mate. TAETRO doesn’t just settle for factory settings—he dives into Novation Components and sculpts every knob, button, and LED to his liking. Want a momentary beat repeat on the drums? Sorted. Need a toggle for that white noise riser? Too easy. The ability to switch between momentary and toggle modes on the Launch Control’s buttons is a game-changer, letting you pull off FX stunts on the fly.

With Components, you can even name your controls and colour-code the LEDs, so you’re never left guessing what you’re about to tweak mid-set. It’s like labelling your eskies at a BBQ—no more surprises, just pure, focused fun. TAETRO reckons this level of customisation is what lets him perform with confidence, and honestly, it’s hard to argue when you see how slick the workflow is in action.

The heart of TAETRO’s set is a rain sample, but don’t expect a sleepy ambient wash—he runs it through Ableton’s resonator and turns it into a lush pad that’s as dreamy as a sunrise after a long night out. By controlling the dry/wet mix on the Launch Control, he morphs field recordings into musical textures, blending nature and electronics in a way that’s pure festival magic.

It doesn’t stop there: spectral keys, chunky bass, and a drum loop that’s been hunted down from the depths of old sample packs all get their moment. There’s even a chopped vocal effect, rebuilt from scratch after the original buffer shuffler plugin went rogue. If you want to hear how all these sounds come together, you’ll have to watch the video—words can’t do justice to the way this rig transforms simple samples into a full-blown dancefloor journey.

After a decade of tinkering, TAETRO’s biggest lesson is simple: don’t overcomplicate things. The gear’s gotten better, cheaper, and more accessible, and there’s a whole online community ready to help you get started. It’s not about chasing the latest shiny box—it’s about loving the process and sharing your music with the world.

TAETRO’s approach is all about embracing the chaos, building a setup that fits your style, and joining a global crew of music makers. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been at it since the days of dodgy buffer shufflers, there’s never been a better time to dive in. So grab your controllers, fire up your DAW, and remember: it’s all about the music, not the drama.