English Novation A division of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd. Windsor House, Turnpike Road, Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP12 3FX. United Kingdom Tel: +44 1494 462246 Fax: +44 1494 459920 e-mail: sales@novationmusic.com Web: http://www.novationmusic.com Disclaimer Novation has taken all possible steps to ensure that the information given here is both correct and complete.
English IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Clean only with dry cloth. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
English ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION Compliance Information Statement: Declaration of Compliance procedure Product Identification: Novation Impulse Keyboard Responsible party: American Music and Sound Address: 5304 Derry Avenue #C Agoura Hills, CA 91301 Telephone: 800-994-4984 This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
English 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.
English CONTENTS IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 ENVIRONMENTAL DECLARATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 For USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 For Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
English USING IMPULSE WITH AUTOMAP 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Installing Automap 4 on your computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Updating Impulse’s firmware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
English 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.
English 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 find helpful in navigating through the information to find what they need to know quickly: Abbreviations, conventions, etc.
English 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.
English Map/Mapping In Automap 4, mappings define 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 define which synth parameters (of the oscillators, filters, 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.
English Hardware Overview Top View – assignable and non-assignable controls 10 2 9 16 5 6 14 11 8 7 1 4 18 17 9 12 2 6 14 11 16 5 13 3 8 7 15 1 17 18 4 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.
English 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 finer 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.
English 13 Mute/Solo (Impulse 49 and 61 only) – this sets the nine per-fader buttons 3 to act as either Mute or Solo buttons for their respective mixer channel when this section is used in mixer mode only. 14 Data knob – this is a rotary encoder used for selecting options or altering values in the Impulse’s menu system. The knob includes a ‘press’ action which performs an ‘Enter’ function in the menus. 15 Roll and Arp buttons – these place Impulse’s drum pads into Roll and Arp modes respectively.
English IMPULSE SETUP EXAMPLES There are two basic ways of using Impulse: with or without connection to a computer. Interfacing to a computer If you are intending to use Impulse with your computer music software, the physical connection is a simple USB cable between Impulse and a USB port on the computer. Power Feedback - LCD Screen and LEDs Control information USB Automap mode The simplest method of interfacing Impulse to your computer is to use the Novation Automap software application supplied.
English Interfacing to MIDI hardware AC to USB power adapter (not supplied) MIDI Out USB MIDI In You can also use Impulse to directly control other MIDI-compatible hardware, such as sound modules, FX processors, and so on. To do so, use the standard MIDI ports on the Impulse rear panel and standard 5-pin DIN MIDI cables. As there is no computer to supply Impulse with DC power, you will need to use a separate AC-to-DC adapter designed for USB-powered devices.
English MENU OVERVIEW Most of the configuration and setting up of Impulse is carried out through the menu system and the LCD screen. The menu system is also used to modify templates. LCD features and Menu Navigation Whilst the menus themselves vary with function, there are a number of basic principles which always apply. The upper 8-character row of the display shows the Impulse parameter or setting being adjusted. The 3 large characters in the lower row show the parameter value or setting itself.
English EXPLORING IMPULSE Impulse is a fully assignable MIDI controller keyboard, whose operation revolves around the concept of templates. A template (see Glossary) tells Impulse ‘what to do’ – it defines how it is set up in terms of things like its MIDI parameters, keyboard zone limits, configuration of controls, and so on. There are 20 default, pre-defined templates available*; some of these have been created for use with specific software or hardware devices.
English Note that if you make changes to a template but do not save those changes, when you try to load a different template, Impulse will display a message: Discard? Use the Data knob to select either No or Yes, and press Enter to confirm. If you select Yes, your changes will be lost Help Mode Pressing + and – buttons 7 together enables Help Mode. It is confirmed by hLP in the display.
English Preview Preview mode is provided to confirm how a control is currently configured without actually transmitting any MIDI data to your computer or elsewhere. Enter Preview mode by holding down Shift and pressing the Controls button. The LED in the Controls button blinks to confirm the mode. Pressing or moving any of the assignable controls will display its MIDI message type. Pressing the Controls button again will exit Preview mode.
English Page 3: Tempo (Tempo) This sets the tempo of Impulse’s internal MIDI clock, in BPM. This can be useful in live performance for arpeggiator and roll timings. The range is 40 to 240, with a default value of 120 BPM. Page 4: Clock source (ClockSrc) This setting selects the source for Impulse’s clock synchronisation, which is used for the Arpeggiator and Roll functions. The options are: Internal (Int), USB (Usb), MIDI (Mid) or Auto (Aut).
English Keyboard Settings Primary keyboard parameters can be set in Keyboard mode, which is entered by pressing the Keyboard button 8 ; the LED in the button confirms the mode. Keyboard settings are per-template, so be sure you are working with the correct template before entering this mode. Keyboard settings pages can be selected by pressing the +/– buttons 7 with the settings in each adjusted with the Data knob 14 .
English MIDI Channel MIDI data can be sent on any one of 16 channels, and will only be received and interpreted correctly if the receiving device is set to the same channel. Press the MIDI Chan button to set the channel number. Use the Data knob to change the MIDI channel number from the default of 1. Note that MIDI channel numbers are part of the template, and therefore any changes must be saved to the template as described above (see “Loading and Saving a Template” on page 18).
English Page 3: Zone 1 End (Z1 End) You can set the upper note of the Zone in the same manner as the lowest. Page 4: Zone 1 Octave (Z1 Octav) This enables you to change the octave that the keys in the zone will play. A setting of 0 (the default) means that the notes in the zone will play at their normal pitch. Note that the range of octaves available varies between the three Impulse models.
English Transport Controls Impulse is provided with a standard set of six ‘transport’ controls 18 , which can be used to start, stop, relocate, etc., within your DAW’s timeline. They act as a convenient remote control for the software and duplicate the on-screen buttons. The transport buttons are always active, but your DAW will need to be set correctly to respond to their commands.
English Arpeggiator Settings menu Various parameters controlling the Arpeggiator’s operation can be set in the Arpeggiator Settings menu, which is entered by holding down the Shift button and pressing Arp; the LED in the Arp button flashes in this mode. Page 1: Sync (Sync 1/x) This parameter effectively determines the beat of the arp sequence, based on the tempo rate (see “Tempo” on page ).
English Page 4: Arp Mode (Arp Mode) The Arpeggiator will play all notes held down in a sequence which is determined by the Arp Mode setting.
English Roll Mode Roll mode gives you a convenient method of repeatedly triggering a single note – typically a percussive effect such as a drum sound. Enable Roll by pressing the Roll button 15 . The Roll button LED illuminates and the drum pads glow red. Pressing a drum pad will now trigger the sound assigned to it for as long as the pad is pressed. The pads’ velocity-sensing is still active – the volume will be proportional to the pressure applied to the pad. See also “Pad Curve” on page 20.
English Page 3: Version (Version) Pressing Enter shows the firmware version of the Boot Program; press the + button to see the version number of the main firmware program. A long press on the – button (Cancel) will exit this level. Page 4: Restore Factory defaults (Fac Rst) This will restore all Impulse’s internal settings to their original factory values. Any changes you have made will be lost.
English Configuring your DAW for Automap 4 control Automap 4 has two separate tasks to perform in your DAW, and needs to be correctly configured to enable full control by Impulse. Firstly, you need to enable your various plug-ins for use with Automap 4. This will not affect their normal operation in any way, however, once enabled, you will be able to alter their parameters from Impulse. Secondly, you need to configure your DAW so that its audio mixer can be controlled by Impulse.
English The Plugin, Mixer and MIDI buttons These buttons are central to the main mode of operation of Impulse. The buttons provided differ on the Impulse 25. Buttons adjacent to encoders Mixer and MIDI buttons adjacent to faders - Impulse 49 and 61 Mixer/MIDI button - Impulse 25 The encoder buttons 11 The two buttons adjacent to the rotary encoders control their function: • Plugin – this mode is used with Automap 4; the encoders become physical controls for parameters of your plug-ins.
English Automap Mode Normally, selection of Automap mode on Impulse will be completely automatic. When you first connect Impulse to your computer, before you launch your music software, you will see that the LED in the MIDI button [11] is lit. This means that Impulse is in ‘manual’ mode, and ready for use as a general-purpose MIDI controller. When you launch your music software, Automap 4 will also auto-launch, the MIDI LED will go out, and the Plugin and Mixer LEDs will illuminate.
English 2. Faders – Impulse 25 only Clicking the fader area of the Impulse image in the Mapping Editor window will cause the display to change to a set of nine faders (initially Tracks 1 – 8 plus the Master fader). As Impulse 25 has just one physical fader, it will initially be assigned to Track 1.
English The faders will normally be assigned to Channels 1 to 8, plus Master, and this will be confirmed by the labels below the faders. Higher-numbered channels and additional mixer features (such as Send levels) can be found on additional pages. You can use the Bank buttons (Shift + MIDI, Shift + Mixer by the faders) to scroll ‘sideways’ and select a further set of eight consecutive channels.
English Learn Mode Impulse has a Learn function which simplifies the process of parameter assignment. Learn Mode lets you map additional parameters to controls, or to overwrite existing parameters with new ones. In Automap mode, Learn is activated with the Shift button 8 on its own. 1. On the plug-in itself, click on the control for the parameter you wish to assign, and alter its value slightly. This is now the last used control. 2.
English Button Session View Arrangement View Rwd Steps up one scene Rwd; Shift+Rwd = return to start FFwd Steps down one scene FFwd; Shift+FFwd = go to end Stop Stops Stop Play Play Play Loop Play Selected Scene Enables/disables Loop function Rec Starts Arrangement Recording Records • Impulse can be placed in Clip Launch mode by pressing Roll and Arp buttons simultaneously. This redefines the function of the drum pads, which now trigger the Clips in the currently selected Scene.
English TROUBLESHOOTING For the latest information and assistance with your Impulse please visit: www.novationmusic.com/answerbase Basic Troubleshooting Examples • Impulse will not power up properly when connected to a laptop computer via USB. When a USB connection is used to power the Impulse from a laptop computer the Impulse may not power up successfully. This is due to the Impulse not being able to draw enough power from the laptop computer.
English FACTORY TEMPLATES No. Template Hardware name (8 chars) 1 Basic MIDI template for standard control and MIDI learn. Avoids commonly used MIDI CCs BascMIDI 2 Controls send commonly used MIDI CCs UsefulCC 3 General MIDI Mixer Template.
English ASSIGNABLE CONTROLS – PARAMETERS AND RANGES Faders, encoders and Mod Wheel: Subsequent presses of the + button will offer the following parameter setting pages: Type: CC (Continuous Controller) CC#:(Controller number, 0 to 127) Max: (Maximum parameter value, 0 to 127) Min: (Minimum parameter value, 0 to 127) Channel: MIDI Channel to be used (1 to 16, or tPL) ; tPL is as defined within the template Ports: MIDI port to be used (tPL, USb, MId, ALL) Type: rPn (Registered Parameter Number) MSB: (Most Si
English within the template Ports: MIDI port to be used (tPL, USb, MId, ALL) Btn.Type: Mty Press: (0 to 127) Release: (0 to 127) Channel: MIDI Channel to be used (1 to 16, or tPL) ; tPL is as defined within the template Ports: MIDI port to be used (tPL, USb, MId, ALL) Btn.Type: Tgl On: (0 to 127) Off: (0 to 127) Channel: MIDI Channel to be used (1 to 16, or tPL) ; tPL is as defined within the template Ports: MIDI port to be used (tPL, USb, MId, ALL) Btn.
English Channel: MIDI Channel to be used (1 to 16, or tPL) ; tPL is as defined within the template Ports: MIDI port to be used (tPL, USb, MId, ALL) Type: nrP (Non-registered Parameter Number) MSB: (Most Significant Byte, 0 to 127) LSB: (Least Significant Byte, 0 to 127) Btn.Type: sgl Value: (0 to 127) Channel: MIDI Channel to be used (1 to 16, or tPL) ; tPL is as defined within the template Ports: MIDI port to be used (tPL, USb, MId, ALL) Btn.
English Btn.Type: Tgl On: (0 to 127) Off: (0 to 127) Channel: MIDI Channel to be used (1 to 16, or tPL) ; tPL is as defined within the template Ports: MIDI port to be used (tPL, USb, MId, ALL) Btn.
English MIDI IMPLEMENTATION TABLE Function Transmitted Recognized Basic Channel Default Changed 1-16 1-16 X X Mode Default Messages Altered Mode 3 0 ***** X X True Voice 0-127 ***** Velocity Note ON Note OFF 0 X X X After Touch Key’s Channel X 0 X X Pitch Bend 0 X Control Change 0-127 X 0-127 X Note Number Program Change True # System Exclusive 0* 0* X X X X X X System Pointer Common Song Position System Real Time Clock Commands 0 0 0 X Aux Messages Reset All Co
