Novation Nocturn Reviews

4.9/5.0 based on 5 customer reviews

Sweetwater Advice

Scott DeMarko

Novation is known for quality construction, components, and gear, and this is exactly what they deliver with this small, almost handheld MIDI controller. The Nocturn is absolutely perfect for programs like Ableton Live, M-Audio Torq, Native Instruments Traktor, Pro Tools, and many more. Its easy-to-see buttons and bright LEDs are a must have in dark clubs and studios. Most importantly, the Automap features on the Nocturn make this one of the best controllers in this price range hands down. Working with plug-ins, program parameters, and DJ software is a breeze with this MIDI controller. Its also very adorable!

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Customer Reviews

Randall Moon
from Central Alabama
October 13, 2011Music Background:
Audio for video/Post

Novation Nocturn

This thing is Great! The Automap software works perfectly with PT9. Easy to set up and convenient to use. I use this with a ProTools9, HD3 with a Control 24 to control plugins. Gives me a complete set of controls without having to switch between faders and plugins on the control surface. It really speeds the creative process up!

Bill
from Southern CA
January 27, 2010Music Background:
Musician and recording engineer, Simi pro

An unbeatable control surface for the money!

This is real bang for the buck and simply an amazing bit of engineering!. I was really getting fed up using the mouse. My otter option was a MIDI keyboard that is a few years old and a bear to program. Pushing buttons keys and more buttons and keys to do a simple bank switch to learn more settings and then no real way to template the thing to remember whats what. Finally I found the Nocturn price to be surprising. The price I must admit scared me a little. how could the be any good for this money. Well let me tell you I loaded up the latest software from the novation site and set it up for my DAW(which is Logic 9) and wow everything is mapped and labeled. All the instruments ,FX and mixing were there.I even downloaded a few freebies off the internet and to my surprise the Nocturn mapped those as well. This product has an onscreen GUI which you can size and make light or dark.The knobs are touch sensitive so when you touch, say in mix mode, the channel strip you are tweaking lights up.(at least in Logic), and pan or volume,arm what have you works! Want to tweak some parms in your AU RTAS, VST soft synths? Just do it! Its a LOT more pleasurable with the Nocturn. If you don't like the Novation map, you can change it to what ever you like. If you want to make an entirely new map you can do that as well. If you don't know the app that well click on the bottom of the GUI and all the parms for that app will appear for you to select from. All the knobs on the Nocturn unit are ringed with leds and the buttons light up as well. Great for dark environments. There is also a "speed dial" that will control anything the mouse can control. Simply mouse over the intended virtual knob or slider and twist the speed dial and your virtual whatever moves.
I absolutely love this product. It brings a higher level of accuracy to your DAW tweaking. I will never go back to the mouse again. You just can't beat what it does for the price!

David Miles Huber
from Seattle, WA USA.... no, really!
July 31, 2008Music Background:
pro musician, producer

They got it right this time...

The Nocturn truly rocks... The automap feature works with all of my selected plugins and I've configured it to work with my nuendo plugs. The on-screen display and ease of use makes this a transparent, easy-to-use, no-nonsense controller. Rock-on, Novation!

Rick F.
from St.Paul MN
July 10, 2008Music Background:
17 years Making and Producing my own music.

That Easy Huh?

I have never really had a good time trying to use a control surface, They are either difficult to setup or just plain flimsy and had parts break off.

The Nocturn and the Automap Universal software has solved all of those problems for me.

I actually spent time making music last night rather than trying to set it up and assign controllers and such.

Only thing it was missing was it doesn't have a Map for Ableton Live's Mixer controls or an Automap for my MOTU Symphonic Instrument, but it does Automap with every other plugin and plugin Instrument I have(even the freeware ones).

Get this if your tired of Programing you controllers.

Jay
from
April 2, 2012Music Background:
hobbyist

simplicity defined

the automap feature on this little puppy makes programming a breeze. picked up all but one of the dozens of controllable softsynths and processors i use.