Novation Impulse User Manual

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English

Novation
A division of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd.
Windsor House,
Turnpike Road,
Cressex Business Park,
High Wycombe,
Bucks,
HP12 3FX.
United Kingdom

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Web: http://www.novationmusic.com

Disclaimer

Novation has taken all possible steps to ensure that the information given here is both correct and
complete. In no event can Novation accept any liability or responsibility for any loss or damage to
the owner of the equipment, any third party, or any equipment which may result from use of this
manual or the equipment which it describes. The information provided in this document may be

modied at any time without prior warning. Specications and appearance may differ from those

listed and illustrated.

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IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Clean only with dry cloth.

6. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other

apparatus (including ampliers) that produce heat.

7. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

8. Only use attachments/accessories specied by the manufacturer.

9. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specied by the

manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

10. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

11. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel. Servicing is required when the

apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged,
liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been
exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

12. No naked ames, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.

WARNING: Excessive sound pressure levels from earphones and headphones can cause
hearing loss.

WARNING: This equipment must only be connected to USB 1.1 or 2.0 ports.

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ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION

Compliance Information Statement: Declaration of Compliance procedure

Product Identication: Novation Impulse Keyboard

Responsible party: American Music and Sound

Address: 5304 Derry Avenue #C

Agoura Hills,
CA 91301

Telephone: [phone]

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two

conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept

any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

For USA

To the User:

1. Do not modify this unit! This product, when installed as indicated in the instructions

contained in this manual, meets FCC requirements. Modications not expressly approved by

Novation may void your authority, granted by the FCC, to use this product.

2. Important: This product satises FCC regulations when high quality shielded USB cables

with integral ferrite are used to connect with other equipment. Failure to use high quality

shielded USB cables with integral ferrite or to follow the installation instructions within this

manual may cause magnetic interference with appliances such as radios and televisions and

void your FCC authorization to use this product in the USA.

3. Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B

digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio
communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver

is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

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For Canada

To the User:

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

RoHS Notice

Novation has conformed and product conforms, where applicable, to the European

Union’s Directive 2002/95/EC on Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) as

well as the following sections of California law which refer to RoHS, namely sections

25214.10, 25214.10.2, and 58012, Health and Safety Code; Section 42475.2, Public

Resources Code.

CAUTION:

The normal operation of this product may be affected by a strong electrostatic

discharge (ESD). In the event of this happening, simply reset the unit by removing and

then replugging the USB cable. Normal operation should return.

COPYRIGHT AND LEGAL NOTICES

Novation and Automap are registered trade marks of Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited.
Impulse is a trade mark of Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited.

VST is a trade mark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
Audio Units (AU) is a trade mark of Apple, Inc.
RTAS is a trade mark of Avid, Inc.

All other brand, product and company names and any other registered names or trade marks
mentioned in this manual belong to their respective owners.

2011 © Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited. All rights reserved.

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CONTENTS

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

For USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

For Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

COPYRIGHT AND LEGAL NOTICES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

What’s In The Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Power Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Hardware Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Top View – assignable and non-assignable controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Rear view – connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

IMPULSE SETUP EXAMPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Interfacing to a computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Automap mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Manual mapping mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Interfacing to MIDI hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Using external hardware and a computer together. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

MENU OVERVIEW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

LCD features and Menu Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

EXPLORING IMPULSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Loading and Saving a Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Help Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Conguring Impulse Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Setup Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Keyboard Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

MIDI Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Zones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Program Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Transport Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Arpeggiator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Arpeggiator Settings menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Setting the Arp/Roll Tempo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Roll Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Boot Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

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USING IMPULSE WITH AUTOMAP 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Installing Automap 4 on your computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Updating Impulse’s rmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Conguring your DAW for Automap 4 control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

The Plugin, Mixer and MIDI buttons. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Automap Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

The Automap Mapping Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Track Up/Down. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Bank Up/Down . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Learn Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

DAW GUIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Ableton Live and Clip-launch mode (Mac or Windows) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Basic Troubleshooting Examples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

FACTORY TEMPLATES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

ASSIGNABLE CONTROLS –

PARAMETERS AND RANGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

MIDI IMPLEMENTATION TABLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing the Novation Impulse MIDI controller keyboard. As well as the music
keyboard itself, Impulse is equipped with a range of controllers to allow the modern musician to
create great music in the studio, in live performance or on the move. Easy integration with your
music software has been a primary consideration of Impulse’s design team.

This guide will introduce you to Impulse and explain the various ways you can use Impulse with
your music software, either with or without other MIDI hardware, in your recording set-up.

Impulse is supplied with Novation Automap 4 software, giving you a powerful yet simple way
to control all your favourite music software applications. Automap 4 is compatible with other
Novation hardware so if you are already using Automap with existing Novation hardware

to control your software, you may only need to read the rst few chapters of this guide to

familiarise yourself with Impulse.

Full information about installing, setting up, and operating Automap 4 software can be found in
the separate Automap 4 User Guide. It can be downloaded from our website:

www.novationmusic.com/support

For additional information, up to date support articles and a form to contact our Technical

Support Team please visit the Novation Answerbase at: www.novationmusic.com/answerbase

Key Features

• Available with 25, 49 or 61-note semi-weighted piano-style keyboard

• 8 rotary encoders

• 9 faders (49/61 note versions)

• 8 drum pads with tri-colour backlighting and roll mode

• Large (75 x 32 mm) multifunction LCD displaying DAW data directly

• Standard transport control set

• Arpeggiator with pad-based rhythm editor

• Integrated with Automap 4 for seamless control of plug-ins and DAW mixers

• Buttons with QWERTY support via Automap (49/61 note versions)

• Very simple installation procedure

About This Manual

We don’t know whether you’ve got years of experience with using MIDI, or if this is your very

rst keyboard controller. In all probability, you’re somewhere between the two. So we’ve tried

to make this manual as helpful as possible for all types of user, and this inevitably means that
more experienced users will want to skip over certain parts of it, while relative novices will want

to avoid certain parts of it until they’re condent they’ve mastered the basics.

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However, there are a few general points that are useful to know about before you continue
reading this manual. We’ve adopted some graphical conventions within the text, which we hope

all types of user will nd helpful in navigating through the information to nd what they need to

know quickly:

Abbreviations, conventions, etc.

Where top panel controls or rear panel connectors are referred to, we’ve used a number thus:

6

to cross-reference to the top panel diagram, and thus: 1 to cross-reference to the rear

panel diagram. (See page 12 and page 14).

We’ve used BOLD to name physical things like top panel controls and rear panel connectors,
and also to name on-screen buttons which you need to click, and LCD dot-matrix text
to denote text which appears on the LCD.

Tips

These do what it says on the tin: we include bits of advice, relevant to the
topic being discussed that should simplify setting up Impulse to do what you
want. It’s not mandatory that you follow them, but generally they should make
life easier.

What’s In The Box

The Impulse has been carefully packed in the factory and the packaging was designed to

withstand rough handling. Should the unit appear to have been damaged in transit, do not

discard any of the packing material and notify your music dealer.

Save all the packing materials for future use if you ever need to ship the unit again.

Please check the list below against the contents of the packaging. If any items are missing or
damaged, contact the Novation dealer or distributor where you purchased the unit.

• Impulse MIDI controller keyboard

• Getting Started Guide

• Installation DVD, containing:

• Automap 4 software installer which includes drivers

• Impulse User Guide

• Xcite+ pack (Novation Bass Station soft synth, Mike the Drummer samples,
Loopmaster samples, Ableton Live Lite music software)

• USB Type A to Type B cable (2 m)

• Ableton Live Lite authorisation card

• Bass Station authorisation card

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Power Requirements

Impulse is powered via its rear panel USB connector. Normally, DC power will be supplied by
the computer to which Impulse is connected through a standard USB cable. We recommend
that you connect Impulse directly to a computer’s native USB port, and not via a USB hub.

Correct operation cannot be guaranteed if a hub is in use.

If you wish to use Impulse as a stand-alone MIDI controller for other hardware MIDI sound

sources (or other devices) without a computer – as you might in live performance, for example –
you should obtain an AC-to-DC USB mains adaptor, which you should plug in to Impulse’s USB
port in the same way as a standard USB cable. When using this method, please ensure that

your local AC supply is within the range of voltages required by the adaptor BEFORE you plug
it into the mains. Please contact your Novation dealer for advice on suitable mains adaptors if
you are in any doubt.

A word about laptops:

When powering Impulse from a computer, you should be aware that although

the USB specication agreed by the IT industry states that a USB port should
be able to supply 0.5 A at 5 V, some computers - particularly laptops – are

unable to supply this current. Unreliable operation may result in such a case.

When powering Impulse from a laptop’s USB port, it is recommended that the

laptop is powered from AC mains rather than its internal battery.

Glossary

Certain terms are used throughout this User Guide which may be new or unfamiliar to some
users. We have listed a few of them here to help you understand the Guide more easily.

Arp

Short for Arpeggiator, an Impulse feature. Arp mode lets you set up rhythmic patterns of notes
using the drum pads, and modify them in real time (great for live performance!), changing the

pattern length, the pattern itself and the way certain notes are accented.

Clip launch

This is a term specic to Ableton Live including the Lite version supplied with Impulse. Within
Ableton Live Lite, a Clip is essentially a sound le (of any duration) which can be assigned

to any DAW Track. Provision has been made for launching Clips directly from drum pads on
Impulse.

DAW

Digital Audio Workstation. An alternative term for your music creation/recording/editing
software.

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Map/Mapping

In Automap 4, mappings dene how the assignable controls on Impulse relate to the various

controls on the Thing you are controlling. Mappings will generally have multiple pages.

For example, with a software synth, the various pages of the map will dene which synth
parameters (of the oscillators, lters, envelopes, etc.) are controlled by which rotary encoder.

Automap 4 has a Mapping Editor window which lets you change the mapping assignments to
suit your particular requirements.

Plug-in

A Plug-in is a software add-on which gives a DAW additional functionality and is typically used
to either generate or process sounds. Many are emulations of hardware devices. A plug-in may

be ‘native’ – supplied as part of the DAW application, or ‘third-party’ – purchased by the user

separately to work within the DAW.

Roll

A variant of Arp mode, Roll is another mode suited for live performance, and lets you repeatedly

trigger specic sounds from the drum pads, with velocity sensitivity.

Template

A Template denes how your Impulse will operate. When you load a template, all Impulse’s

own settings and parameters will be set to whatever the template dictates. If you subsequently
change settings, you can resave the amended set of data to the template, and your
amendments will be restored next time you load the template. Impulse is supplied with 20

‘factory’ templates which congure it for use with particular DAWs and/or Things.

Thing

A Thing is anything that can be controlled by Impulse and/or Automap. A Thing may be
hardware or software. Examples of Things are the plug-ins you use in your DAW, your DAW’s
track mixer and external, MIDI-controllable synths or FX processors.

Zone

It is possible to split Impulse’s keyboard to create four keyboard ‘zones’. You have full control

over where the split points are. This is a useful feature in live performance, as it allows you to
use different parts of the keyboard to wwcontrol different instruments, or layer one sound on top
of another.

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Hardware Overview

Top View – assignable and non-assignable controls

3516 13

516 17

7 17

2 4

1

1

6 1114

910 2

6 111412

9

4

78 18

18

15

8 15

Each of Impulse’s controls is either assignable or non-assignable. Assignable controls are

‘free’ – their function will vary according to which plug-in, DAW mixer or additional piece of MIDI

hardware is being controlled. Their assignment to a particular parameter of the Thing being
controlled will either be made automatically by Automap, or manually by you. Non-assignable

controls are ‘xed’ – their function will generally always be the same regardless of what sort of

setup you are using Impulse with.

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Assignable controls:

1

8 x rotary encoders. These are ‘360°’ controls with no end stops, and are used to control

plug-in parameters. These controls have speed-dependent resolution, so turning the encoder

slowly gives ner resolution than turning it quickly.

2

9 x 45 mm faders (slider controls), used to control volumes in your DAW mixer.

1

3

9 x press-buttons.

2

4

8 x pressure-sensitive drum pads. These can be used to trigger sounds (i.e., drums) in your

music software, and also to control Impulse’s “Arp”, “Roll” and “Clip Launch” functions

5

Mod (Modulation) wheel.

1

Impulse 49 and 61 only. Impulse 25 has one assignable fader.

2

Impulse 49 and 61 only. There are no assignable buttons on Impulse 25

Non-assignable controls:

6

Multifunction LCD display. Shows information contextually – i.e., will give you the most useful

data depending on which controls you’re currently using.

7

+ / – buttons. These are used in conjunction with the various menus, to scroll through

available options, etc. Precise function varies with menu. Pressing these buttons together
enables Help mode.

8

Template Edit buttons. A set of four buttons (Keyboard, Controls, Zones, and MIDI Chan),
which select the different menus used when modifying templates. A fth button, Setup, permits
global settings, and a sixth, Shift, enables secondary functions for some of the other buttons.

9

Octave > / Octave < buttons – shift the notes played from the keyboard ‘up’ or ‘down’ in
octave steps. Pressing the two buttons together lets you transpose the keyboard in semitone
increments. The number of octaves over which the keyboard can be shifted varies with Impulse

model; the smaller models have a greater shift range.

10

MIDI/Mixer button (Impulse 25 only) – sets Impulse 25’s single fader to be either a control
for a DAW mixer level, or an additional assignable MIDI control.

11

Plug-in/MIDI buttons – these determine whether the eight rotary encoders vary specic plug-in
parameters, mixer controls, or act as general purpose MIDI controllers. Pressing Plug-in or MIDI
while holding down Shift will step between pages in the Automap Mapping Edit window. Pressing
both simultaneously will map the encoders to the Automap mixer.

12

Mixer/MIDI buttons (Impulse 49 and 61 only) – these determine whether the nine faders
act as volume controls for individual tracks within a DAW mixer, or as general purpose MIDI
controllers. Pressing Mixer or MIDI while holding down Shift will scroll the set of DAW mixer
faders being controlled through eight channels at a time.