Thursday, April 9, 2026
Tore apart the desk thinking about simplification and new gear. Arrived at a state of “nothing is a great solution.. but I think I want a Novation 49SL MK3”.
Simplicity is important, but so is the accessibility to my 8 lanes of software voices, 8 lanes of hardware voices (7, since I have the Cobalt hooked up in stereo), extra lanes of samples/stems from old stuff. Getting a 49SL gives me updated script integrations with Ableton. I could pare down to 1 LaunchPad again, and the 49SL integration may take one or two of the knob controllers off the desk as well.
I’m installing a keyboard shelf under the desk that the 49SL would sit on.
Gear would need to move forward. I’m thinking about moving the Tascam interface and USB hub under the desk on top of the subwoofer.
…later that day…
I just realized the 49SL only lets me select from 8 channels at a time. That means I’d have to collapse my entire set into 8 lanes, instead of the 16 I normally run with. Bummer. I guess I have a good setup so far.. maybe I’ll replace the Akai MPK mini with something else.