Novation Impulse 61

Impulse is a range of professional USB/MIDI controllers. As well as a precision keyboard, drums pads and a full control surface, it comes with a brand new version of Novation’s award-winning Automap control software – Automap 4 - which makes getting hands-on with your DAW/plug-ins fast and simple. Impulse also comes with Ableton Live Lite, Novation’s Bass Station synth and a Loopmasters sample pack.

The ultra-responsive keyboard is semi-weighted with aftertouch so it feels like a musical instrument. Impulse enables highly expressive playing styles due to its high scan-rate. This means it sends very accurate information about your playing style to your music software, translating subtle differences in dynamics extremely effectively. You can add further character to your performance with the pitch and modulation wheels. The 8 drum pads are perfect for sketching beats and triggering samples, but they do so much more: All 8 are back-lit with multi-coloured LEDs which means they can step through arpeggiator sequences, allowing you to warp and change the pattern in real time! There is also a beat roll function, which enables you to improvise with drum patterns on the fly. In addition to this, the drum pads can be used to trigger clips in Ableton Live. They light up yellow if a clip is loaded, green if it is playing and red if it is set to record.

Impulse is designed to give you full hands-on control of your music-making software. The knobs, faders and buttons give you control over your DAW’s mixer as well as plug-in instruments and effects. The included Automap control software has been designed solely to connect hardware controls to your software – even VST/AU/RTAS instruments and effects that don’t come bundled with your DAW. The large custom LCD screen shows important information about what you are controlling. Impulse has transport buttons that allow you to play, stop, record, loop and move forwards and backwards in your software.

Impulse can be USB powered from your computer or if you want to power it independently you can use a simple USB power adapter (not included). There are expression and sustain pedal inputs on the rear panel, and it has MIDI in and out ports so you can use it as a USB-MIDI interface. This means that you can control external MIDI instruments with Impulse, and you can also use it to enable your music software to trigger external MIDI instruments.

Sound Collective

Sound Collective is a community hub that brings you, Novation and the most innovative software brands together.

If you want to find great virtual instruments and effects, keeping up to date with the constant stream of new releases is essential, and Sound Collective makes it easy, with regular free software downloads and generous discounts on high-end plug-ins.

This month’s exclusive Sound Collective community giveaway is Yum Audio’s FX plug-in LoFi Pitch Dropout, for Mac and Windows.

LoFi Pitch Dropout is a plug-in that emulates a virtual tape getting stuck randomly and catching up again. It has six intriguing modes: Cassette Flux, Heavy Drop, Driplets, Broken VHS, Vintage Player and Pyramid, which will all add an extra layer of character to any track. The user can vary the rate of dropout — from very rarely to extremely often — or they can control it precisely through the dropout button, which can be automated to sync to the beat.

Sound Collective is a community hub that brings you, Novation and the most innovative software brands together. If you want to find great virtual instruments and effects, keeping up to date with the constant stream of new releases is essential, and Sound Collective makes it easy, with regular free software downloads and generous discounts on high-end plug-ins.