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Index Introduction 3 Box Content Impact GX Features Minimum System Requirements Getting Started 4 Connection and Power Nektar DAW integration Using Impact GX49 as a Generic MIDI USB Controller Keyboard & Real-Time Controls 5 Octave Shift Transpose Pitch bend and Modulation Wheels Foot Switch Transport Buttons and Potentiometer 6 Assignable Buttons Potentiometer Setup Menu 7 Cancel 8 MIDI CC Assign Program Assign Setting the Global MIDI Channel Sending a Program Message Sending a Bank LSB Message
Introduction Thank you for buying our Impact GX controller keyboard from Nektar Technology. The Impact GX controllers are available in 49 and 61 note versions and come 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.
Getting Started Connection and Power The Impact GX49 is USB Class compliant. This means there is no driver to install, to get the keyboard set up with your computer. Impact GX49 uses the built-in USB MIDI driver which is already part of operating systems such as Windows, OS X and iOS (via the optional camera connection kit). On Linux you may need to install a MIDI package such as JACK.
Keyboard & Real-Time Controls The Impact GX49 features a 49 note (61 note on GX61) 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 fixed 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.
Transport Buttons and Potentiometer The Transport and navigation buttons are located above the Octave and Transpose buttons. The buttons are used for DAW control in conjunction with the Impact GX DAW integration files. If you plan to use your Impact GX49 with a supported DAW, make sure to download the files you need, by first creating a Nektar user account as described on page 4.
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 [Setup] button which is illuminated in blue when active. This will mute the MIDI output of the keyboard and instead the keyboard now is used to select menus. The chart below provides an overview of menus assigned to each key.
Cancel You can cancel any value entry by pressing Cancel (C1) as long as you have not already pressed Enter (C5). MIDI CC Assign You can assign the Modulation wheel, the potentiometer, any of the 14 MIDI buttons (when not used for DAW integration) and even the foot switch pedal, to any MIDI CC message. 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 [Setup] button.
Sending a Bank LSB Message To send a Bank LSB message, do the following: Press the [Setup] button. The LED button is illuminated blue to indicate setup is active. Press the low F1 on your GX keyboard. Enter the Bank number you want (from 0 to 127) using the white number keys spanning G3–B4 (G4-B5 on GX61). Press Enter (C5). This will send the message immediately and exit Setup. Sending a Bank MSB Message To send a Bank MSB message, do the following: Press the [Setup] button.
Panic Panic sends out the all notes off and reset all controllers MIDI messages on all 16 MIDI channels. Press the [Setup] button. The LED button is illuminated blue to indicate setup is active. Press the A#1 key on your keyboard to select Panic. The reset will happen immediately and Impact will exit Setup mode. Changing Transpose Button Function The transpose buttons can be assigned to control Transpose, Global MIDI Channel and Program change.
Transport Control without Nektar DAW Integration The Nektar DAW Integration files automatically map the transport and navigation buttons to their respective functions in supported DAWs. 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 Impact GX keyboard to send MIDI Machine Control messages Press the [Setup] button. The LED button is illuminated blue to indicate setup is active.
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