Novation SL MkII Explained

The Novation SL MkII keyboard controller is one of the most popular controllers available today, but it can be confusing, as it can do so much. No worries, let Novation pro Eli Krantzberg take you on a guided tour of this power packed controller from Novation and help you to control your instruments and DAW like never before.

Working With The SL MK ll Hardware

• Introduction (00:51) - Eli welcomes you to this series of videos on the Novation SL MK ll keyboard controller.

• The Big Picture (04:49) - Overview of the SL MK ll signal flow, and it's two modes of operation: Advanced Mode and Automap Mode.

• Global Keyboard Options (05:33) - The Global Menu is a set of options that affect the operation of the whole unit. In this video, the Options submenu setting are explained.

• Start Up and Routing Settings (03:37) - Learn how to set the SL MKll's start up stat, and various routing options between the USB and MIDI ports.

• Splitting the Keyboard Into Zones (05:08) - Discover how to globally split the keyboard into zones, so that it can trigger different sounds in different ranges.

• Working with SysEx Data (02:22) - Learn how to backup and restore customized templates and/or global keyboard settings to either a computer or external MIDI device, by sending or receiving system exclusive dumps through the various ports on the SL MKll.

• Drum Pad Calibration (02:23) - See how to set the sensitivity of the 8 drum pads to match your personal playing style.

• Calibration Sub Menu (03:31) - Learn how to calibrate the pitch bend/mod wheel joystick and how to adjust the sensitivity of the aftertouch response, which affects the range of MIDI aftertouch values that the keyboard sends as pressure is applied to the notes.

• The Quick Menu (03:41) - Learn how to access a variety of useful transposition, tempo, and MIDI message functions directly from the SL MKll's Quick Menu display.

• Selecting Advanced Mode Templates (03:47) - Learn how call up, navigate, and select, the thirty two built in advanced mode templates.

• Template Edit Mode (05:44) - Learn how to edit and save the template wide parameters pertaining to each of the thirty two Advanced Mode Templates stored in the SL MKll.

• Editing the Sliders (05:34) - Learn how to program the sliders to generate various types and ranges of MIDI messages.

• Programming the Encoders (03:04) - Explore the unique display type settings available when editing the encoder knobs, and learn how to program them to send 14 bit MIDI messages.

• Programming Buttons (03:41) - Discover how to set and control the messages sent when buttons are pressed and/or released.

• Additional Button Messages (04:36) - Explore the MMC, program change, bank change, drum note, template, and system real time messages that can be sent from the various buttons and drum pads on the SL MKll.

• The X/Y Pad (03:58) - Watch how the X/Y Pad is programmed and used to send and control two MIDI messages simultaneously.

Working With Automap

• Setting Up Automap (06:05) - Learn how to launch the Automap Server software and configure it for your software by enabling plug-ins for control by Automap, and then configuring your DAW [Logic Pro X in this video] to recognize Automap.

• General Automap Concepts (06:31) - Learn about the basic concepts used when mapping controls, and see how, with Automap, the SL MKll controls are mapped by default to various mixer, instrument and effects parameters in Logic Pro X.

• The Edit Mapping Window (04:24) - The Edit Mapping Window is the main software interface between the SL MKll and your DAW's mixer and software plug-ins. See how and where mapping files are saved, opened, and managed.

• The Mapping Window GUI (04:18) - Discover the layout of the Edit Mapping Window, learn how to change a Thing's default Group assignment, explore Automap's Browser View, and see how to re-order parameter assignments using simple drag and drop.

• Creating Your Own Mappings (03:55) - Learn three ways to create your own mappings. Manually assigning them in the Edit Mapping window, using the Learn button, and using Learn Latch mode.

• Pro Tools and Automap HUI (03:39) - See how Automap works in HUI mode, and how Pro Tools parameters are mapped to the SL MKll hardware controls.

• Automap Virtual MIDI (04:00) - This is a way of using Automap, instead of the hardware controls on the SL MKll, to generate and receive standard MIDI messages. See how it is used to control software (Battery by Native Instruments) not directly supported by Automap.

• QWERTY Assignments (01:44) - Learn how to program Automap to have your Novation hardware controls send key commands to your DAW.

• Additional Mapping Parameters (09:36) - Explore how the various range setting options for encoders, buttons, pots, and sliders are used to modify their performance and response.