Watch: Why Launchkey is perfect for writing and composing music for TV and film
Novation retail partner Guitar Center sat down with film and television composers Jina An and Shirley Song to discuss their work on Netflix’s animated comedy Exploding Kittens — and to showcase how the new Novation Launchkey 49 is a powerful tool for writing and composing music for TV and film.
Jina and Shirley first met while studying Film Scoring at Berklee College of Music. After moving to Los Angeles together in 2017, they collaborated on a variety of scoring projects, including The Princess Switch 3, A Tourist’s Guide to Love, XO, Kitty, and most recently, Exploding Kittens.
Shirley explains, “Exploding Kittens is about God and the devil trapped in cats’ bodies… But despite the hilarious premise, we knew the music had to play very seriously in order for the humour to really come through. There’s a lot of big orchestral brass and choral music.”
With the fast-paced demands of scoring for television, composers like Jina and Shirley rely on feature-rich music equipment while taking up minimal space in their workflow.
“I personally don't like clutter on my workspace – it's very minimal and simple," Jina shares. "When I buy equipment, I usually look for things that have a lot of features in one body.” She adds, “The Launchkey was perfect for me, especially with the drum pads and faders built in. These were all so convenient when we have such a tight turnaround for these TV shows.”
Tweak your software
The new Launchkey enables hands-on control of all major DAWs and offers deeper integration with Logic Pro than ever before.
Shirley explains, “It integrates really well with Logic Pro. We’re both Logic users, and straight out of the box the faders and encoders sync up to your session. That makes mixing, panning, and everything else really fast when we’re writing.”
Launchkey’s mixer encoder mode enables seamless adjustments of volume, panning, sends, and EQ of your tracks in Logic Pro. With Launchkey 49 and 61, you can manage volume, select, and record arm tracks using the faders and fader buttons, giving you hands-on control when working under tight deadlines.
Our best-ever keys
Launchkey 49 and 61’s upgraded keybed is responsive for the most delicate melodies while being robust enough to endure the rigours of any performance. Semi-weighted, piano-style keys bring the feel of a premium instrument to Launchkey.
“The Launchkey is amazing with its semi-weighted keys and waterfall keybed, which makes playing feel so much nicer.” - Jina
Creative workflow, simplified
Efficiency is key. Jina and Shirley emphasise how the right tools can make all the difference in streamlining their workflow.
“We’re often working under tight deadlines, so having an intuitive controller like the Launchkey that lets us move quickly between ideas is huge,” Jina shares. “The built-in arpeggiator and chord modes help us sketch out ideas fast, and the Scale mode keeps everything in key — perfect for when we need to stay in a creative flow.”
For composers juggling multiple projects, being able to adapt to different styles quickly is essential. “Exploding Kittens has a very grand, orchestral sound, but we might be working on something synth-heavy the next day,” Shirley adds. “...Launchkey lets us switch between different sounds and workflows effortlessly, whether we’re recording MIDI parts or tweaking automation.”
The perfect studio companion
Whether scoring for television, composing for film, or producing music across genres, the Novation Launchkey delivers hands-on control and expressive playability in a compact, feature-rich package.
“The flexibility and ease of use make it a must-have for our workflow,” Shirley says. “It lets us focus on the creative process instead of getting caught up in technical roadblocks.”
With seamless DAW integration, enhanced playability, and intuitive controls, Launchkey is the ultimate tool for musicians, producers, and composers looking to bring their ideas to life — just like Jina An and Shirley Song did for Exploding Kittens.
Watch Exploding Kittens on Netflix, and follow Jina and Shirley on Instagram
