Index Introduction 3 Box Content SE49 Features Minimum System Requirements Getting Started 4 Connection and Power Nektar DAW integration Using SE49 as a Generic USB MIDI Controller Keyboard, Octave, Transpose & Controls 5 Octave Shift Transpose Pitch bend and Modulation Wheels Foot Switch Setup Menu 6 Control Assign 7 Setting the MIDI Channel Sending a Program Change Message Sending a Bank LSB Message Sending a Bank MSB Message 8 Transpose Octave Keyboard Velocity Curves 9 Panic Transpose Bu
Introduction Thank you for buying our SE49 controller keyboard from Nektar Technology. The SE49 controller comes with setup software for many of the most popular DAWs. This means that for supported DAWs, the setup work has largely been done and you can focus on expanding your creative horizon with your new controller. The Nektar DAW Integration adds functionality that makes the user experience more transparent when you combine the power of your computer with Nektar SE49.
Getting Started Connection and Power The SE49 is USB Class compliant. This means there is no driver to install to get the keyboard set up with your computer. SE49 uses the built-in USB MIDI driver which is already part of your operating system on Windows and OS X as well as iOS (via the optional camera connection kit).
Keyboard, Octave, Transpose & Controls The SE49 features a 49 note keyboard. Each key is velocity sensitive so you can play expressively with the instrument. There are 4 different velocity curves for the keyboard so you can chose a less or more dynamic curve to suit your playing style. In addition, there are 3 fSE49ed velocity settings. We recommend you spend a little time playing with the default velocity curve and then determine if you need more or less sensitivity.
Setup Menu The Setup menu gives access to additional functions such as selecting Transpose button functions, control assign, selecting velocity curves and more. To enter the menu, press the [Octave Up]+[Transpose Up] together (the two buttons in the yellow box, right image). This will mute the MIDI output of the keyboard and instead the keyboard now is used to select menus. When the Setup menu is active, the LED above the button will blink and its color is orange to indicate setup is active.
Control Assign You can assign the Modulation wheel, the fader and even the foot switch pedal to any MIDI CC messages. Assignments are stored over power cycling so the keyboard is set up the way you left it, when you next switch it on. Here is how it works: Press the [Octave Up]+[Transpose Up] buttons at the same time. The LED above the button will blink and the color is orange to indicate setup is active. Press the low C#1 on your keyboard to select Control Assign.
Sending a Bank MSB Message To send a Bank MSB message, do the following: Press the [Octave Up]+[Transpose Up] buttons at the same time. The LED above the button will blink and the color is orange to indicate setup is active. Press the low F1 on your SE49 keyboard. Enter the Bank number you want (from 0 to 127) using the white number keys spanning G3–B4. Press Enter (C5). This will send the message immediately and exit Setup. Transpose You can quickly set a transpose value in the Setup menu.
Keyboard Velocity Curves There are 4 different keyboard velocity curves and 3 fixed velocity levels to choose between, depending on how sensitive and dynamic you want the SE49 keyboard to play. Name Description Normal Focus on mid to high velocity levels Numeric number 1 Soft The most dynamic curve with a focus on the low to mid velocity levels 2 Hard Focus on the higher velocity levels.
Transpose Button Assignments The transpose buttons can be assigned to control Transpose, MIDI Channel, Program change, and for supported DAW’s, Track Select and Patch Select. The process of assigning a function to the transpose buttons is the same for all 5 options and works as follows: Press the [Setup] button. The LED above the button will blink and the color is orange to indicate setup is active.
Transport Control without Nektar DAW Integration The Nektar DAW Integration files automatically map the Octave and Transpose buttons so they can be used to control transport. If your DAW is not supported directly , you may still be able to control your DAWs transport controls using MIDI Machine Control. Here is how you set up the SE49 keyboard to send MIDI Machine Control messages Press the [Setup] button. The LED above the button will blink and the color is orange to indicate setup is active.
USB Port Setup & Factory Restore USB Port Setup SE49 has one physical USB port however there are 2 virtual ports as you may have discovered during the MIDI setup of your music software. The additional port is used by the SE49 DAW software to handle communication with your DAW. You only need to change the USB Port Setup setting if the SE49 setup instructions for your DAW specifically advises that this should be done.
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