A Full Novation Impulse 49 Review

The Novation Impulse 49 keyboard is a piece that often sparks curiosity and interest among musicians, from bedroom producers to stage performers. Its combination of playability, versatility, and affordability positions it as a noteworthy contender in the crowded MIDI controller market. This review dives into what makes the Novation Impulse 49 stand out, its benefits, and potential areas for improvement.

Introduction

Novation is a name that is synonymous with quality and innovation in the world of music technology. A British company founded in 1992, it has consistently delivered products that harness the latest in technology trends and design principles to redefine the boundaries of music production.

Among its varied catalog of synthesizers, MIDI keyboards, and drum machines, the Impulse 49 stands out not just by the sheer number of buttons, knobs, and faders it sports, but also its emphasis on providing a highly tactile, responsive, and enjoyable playing experience to musicians of all calibers. This keyboard controller promises to bring new levels of control and expression to your fingertips. Whether you are an upcoming producer looking for your first serious MIDI controller, a seasoned stage performer in search of the perfect mobile keyboard, or a professional studio engineer aiming for surgical precision in your mixdowns, the Impulse 49 appears to cater to a wide range of musicians.

At first glance, the Impulse 49 seems aesthetically designed with a keen eye on functionality and durability. Its well-spaced layout, fused with a semi-weighted keybed, optimizes comfort and reduces fatigue during extended play sessions. An array of control options, such as the Automap control software and drum pads, purportedly augments InsPulse 49’s compatibility with popular DAWs, thereby promising a seamless, creative workflow that strengthens the bond between the artist and the canvas.

As we delve deeper into the world of Novation Impulse 49, we hope to peel back its layers and uncover the true nature of its beast, its hidden strengths and shortcomings. A casual observer may see just another MIDI keyboard, but is it? Or is it perhaps, the missing piece in your music production puzzle?

Novation Impulse 49 Design and Build Quality

Music technology is about acoustics, but also about aesthetics and tactility — an aspect that the Novation Impulse 49 understands quite well. On first inspection, the device reveals a sleek design and solid construction that ensures durability amidst extensive usage. Sporting dimensions of 32.6 x 13 x 3.5 inches and a weight of about 5 kg, it falls on the larger and heavier end of the spectrum when it comes to MIDI controllers. But, it is the sturdy and substantial build that compensates for any concerns about portability.

The Impulse 49’s design aesthetics are modern yet understated, mostly black with hints of blue and grey, fitting nicely into different studio environments. The semi-weighted keys, much like most Novation keyboards, offer an enticing balance between synth-style and hammer-action keys. The piano-style keyboard boasts a very playable feel, while the backlit drum pads respond well to rhythmic taps.

Of particular note are the eight rotary knobs and faders that sit above the keyboard. The potentiometers provide firm but smooth movement for precise control, and the faders are long enough to allow for comparably refined adjustments. The variety of pressure-sensitive pads, knobs, and faders manage to avoid feeling cramped despite their abundance.

All these elements combine to form a MIDI keyboard that feels robust, responsive, and gratifying to play, meeting up, if not exceeding, the expectations of the Novation brand. The attention to detail in the build quality and design aesthetics of the Novation Impulse 49 makes it a compelling keyboard to explore for any aspiring or established musician.

Novation Impulse 49 Key Features

Delving deeper into the Novation Impulse 49 takes us to its most remarkable features, starting with its keys. The semi-weighted, full-sized keys provoke an authentic piano-like feel, with excellent response and aftertouch sensitivity. This sensitivity means the harder you press, the louder the sound, making it ideal for more nuanced performances. The addition of eight multicolour backlit drum pads adds an extra level of intuitiveness, offering tight control over beat production.

An aspect which truly sets it apart is Novation’s proprietary Automap 4 control software. The software maps the knobs, faders, and buttons to your DAW and plugins automatically. This reduces setup time and adds smoothness in command transitions within popular digital audio workstations such as Garageband, Logic Pro, and Ableton Live.

One of the keyboard’s extra features is its arpeggiator, a tool that automatically sequences your notes into an arpeggio, making it easy to dynamically change up melodies. The roll function locks drum rolls or string trills, and you can even control the speed of the roll with the pads.

Backlit pitch and modulation wheels add to the bundle of features, giving you control to bend notes and add vibrato in real-time with just a twist of a wheel.

The stand-apart feature, however, is its LCD screen. The small but handy screen makes it easy to navigate and adjust settings without needing to look at your computer. It shows the mapping of the controls and even the names of the samples that you are triggering with the drum pads.

The Novation Impulse 49 is developed with a focus on functionality, but with additional features that truly individualise it in a competitive market. In considering this MIDI keyboard controller, one is not merely purchasing a tool but an artifice for creativity, making each performance or production uniquely yours.

Novation Impulse 49 Connectivity

When gleaming over the Novation Impulse 49, it’s important to take note of the myriad of connection points etched onto its structure, providing ample connectivity options for the contemporary musician. The Impulse 49 harnesses a plethora of options, with a USB port for seamless connection to your computer, MIDI In and Out ports allowing connection to other MIDI compatible equipment, and an input for a sustain pedal, offering broadened expressive potential pertaining to a more genuine keyboard playing experience.

Setting up the Impulse 49 is a breathtakingly straightforward affair. Upon plugging it into your computer through the USB port, it promptly gives life to your DAW, with minimum latency experienced. It’s basically plug-and-play, although downloading and installing the Automap software allows you to map your preferred DAW automatically, enabling you to take more granular control of your creative process.

The Impulse 49 lends a highly-acclaimed hand to musicians, regardless of whether you’re Mac- or PC-focused. It’s compatible with a huge range of operating systems – from newer dominant systems like macOS Mojave and Windows 10, right back to Windows XP, showing off its adaptability and commitment to long-standing users.

Its connectivity is underpinned by compatibility with a smorgasbord of popular DAWs, among which are Ableton Live, Pro Tools, Reason, Cubase, and Logic Pro. Such broad compatibility ensures that musicians of all strata, whether they’re ingrained in the Apple ecosystem or committed to PC, can garner value from the Impulse 49.

Fundamentally, such connectivity and compatibility features mean that the Impulse 49 can confidently inhabit almost any musical environment, aligning with the current digital music paradigm, and offering an enhanced music production experience.

Novation Impulse 49 Performance and Usability

Diving straight into the user experience of the Novation Impulse 49, it’s clear to note that the initial setup is pretty straightforward. The keyboard is Plug and Play compatible, meaning it doesn’t require any specific drivers to get started. Plug it into your computer, and your OS should detect it automatically. That being said, a bit of a learning curve can be expected while getting familiar with the Automap control software. It might take a while to figure out the ins and outs, but it’s an investment that pays off, offering immense versatility and control over your DAW and plugins.

In terms of its practical performance evaluation, the Novation Impulse 49 truly shines in both studio recordings and live performances. The keyboard grants fluid control, with its semi-weighted keys providing a great balance between a traditional piano feel and the agility required for quick synth runs. The aftertouch is a notable feature that allows for expressive play, giving the ability to modulate parameters post-press, which can lead to some dynamic performances.

The velocity-sensitive pads further add to the Impulse’s versatility. They’re pretty responsive and excellent for finger drumming or triggering loops and samples. However, true beat-making professionals may find them a but underwhelming compared to fully fledged MPC-style pads.

A bonus feature comes in the form of the software bundle that Novation includes with the Impulse 49. Among these offerings are Ableton Live Lite, Novation’s Bass Station software synth, and a Loopmasters sample pack – all of which can add significant value, especially for new producers just starting their music creation journey. For existing users, who may already possess similar software – the inclusion may not be as enticing, but the addition of new sounds and the synthesizer plugin is always a welcome addition.

In conclusion, the Novation Impulse 49’s performance and usability, while including a minor learning curve for beginners, are still noticeably user-friendly. The keyboard performs excellently in real-world scenarios both for studio use and live performances. The included software bundle also adds a nice touch to the overall offerings of the keyboard and can be particularly beneficial to new music producers.

Novation Impulse 49 Sound Quality and Expression

As the Novation Impulse 49 is primarily a MIDI controller, its sound quality is dependent on the synthesizers or software it’s connected to, rather than an innate quality of the controller itself. However, the way the controller interacts with these interfaces significantly impacts the resulting sound quality and expression.

The Impulse 49 shines in this area due to its semi-weighted keys with aftertouch and highly responsive pads. The keyboard’s response is crisp, allowing for expressive playability. This means when connected to your DAW or virtual instrument of choice, it will translate your performance nuances effectively, contributing to a more engaging and dynamic sound output.

Similarly, the drum pads on the Impulse 49 help define your beats’ character as they respond smoothly to varying degrees of pressure, influencing the strike’s velocity and volume. This provides a satisfying level of control over the rhythmic elements of your compositions or live performances.

Moreover, users have reported a broad dynamic range when using the Impulse 49, which is essential when dealing with software instruments that heavily rely on velocity sensitivity, such as grand piano or string samples.

These testimonials highlight the controller’s capacity for expressiveness, illustrating how effectively the Impulse 49 communicates every subtlety of the musician’s intent. The keyboards and pads’ sensitivity ensures that all dynamic variations and personal playing styles are articulated accurately in your music output, despite being a ‘middle-man’ between the musician and the DAW.

In sum, although the Novation Impulse 49 doesn’t produce sound independently, its superb ability to mediate between your performance and your virtual instruments significantly enhances the dynamic quality and expressive depth of your music, making it a musically enriching asset to your tech arsenal.

Novation Impulse 49 Pros and Cons

After a thorough exploration of the Novation Impulse 49, we’ve distilled its strengths and weaknesses into handy, digestible bullet points.

Pros

1. Versatility : With its array of keys, pads, faders, and knobs, the Impulse 49 is designed to provide a broad variety of input options. This adaptability positions it as an excellent option for multi-instrumentalists and producers alike.

2. Automap Control : Novation’s Automap control software sets it apart from its competitors. Easy integration with an array of popular DAWs enables quick custom mapping of its controls.

3. Keyboard Touch Sensitivity : The trademark semi-weighted keys with aftertouch is a distinct advantage. This enables dynamic playing, enhancing the overall experience.

4. Inclusion of Software Bundle : Bundled software is a major plus for new users or those looking to expand their existing sound libraries and tools.

Cons

1. Size and Portability : The Impulse 49 isn’t the lightest MIDI controller on the market. Its size and weight could make portability a bit of a hassle, especially for on-the-go musicians.

2. Learning Curve : The breadth of features available might be daunting for beginners. The initial setup and DAW integration could pose challenges even for more experienced users.

3. Drum Pads Sensitivity : While offering a fair level of responsiveness, there were a few user reports indicating that the pads might not be as sensitive to subtle input as some alternatives on the market.

From these points, it’s clear that the Impulse 49 brings a significant amount to the table for the savvy music producer or performer. However, it’s also apparent that, like any product, it has its drawbacks. The suitability of the Impulse 49 will depend on your specific needs, and notably, your willingness to invest some time learning its features and quirks. Whether you’re a bedroom producer or a stage performer, these factors can influence your decision-making.

Stay tuned for the final verdict on this versatile piece of equipment!

Novation Impulse 49 Price Point and Value for Money

To truly understand the value of the Novation Impulse 49, it’s important to frame its price point within the context of its feature set, build quality, and overall performance. Priced at around $300, the Impulse 49 is an affordable solution relative to many other MIDI keyboard controllers at a similar caliber.

When articulating the value-for-money aspect, one must highlight the balance it strikes between functionality, build quality, and affordability. The keyboard nails the basics – it provides a semi-weighted, expressive keyboard, 8 drum pads, 9 faders, and 8 rotary knobs. All these features are beautifully wrapped up in a robust and compact design that is ideal for both stage performers and studio producers.

Moreover, the software integration and bundled software package further enhance the value proposition. The seamless integration with popular DAWs saves time and eases the music production process, while the inclusion of Ableton Live Lite, Novation Bass Station, Loopmasters sample pack, and the free Melodics lessons brings additional value and tools for creativity.

When comparing the Impulse 49 to similar MIDI controller keyboards within its price range, it stands up remarkably well. Some competitors may offer additional features, such as more keys or drum pads, but they often fall behind in terms of build quality, ease-of-use, software integration, or customer support.

So, what’s the bottom line? The Novation Impulse 49 offers excellent value for its price. It strikes an impressive balance between affordability and functionality, providing a rich features set and good build quality for beginners and professionals alike. However, it’s always important to consider individual needs and workflows when choosing any music gear. For musicians seeking a controller that’s equally at home in the studio and on stage, with capabilities for composing, beat-making and mixing, the Impulse 49 presents an outstanding return on investment.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

After an in-depth exploration of the Novation Impulse 49, it’s clear that this MIDI keyboard controller offers a well-rounded package. It balances playability and a feature-rich design with an affordable price point, which makes it a strong contender in the market.

The standout features of the Novation Impulse 49, in my opinion, are its semi-weighted keys with aftertouch, realistic drum pads, and comprehensive Automap control software. All these elements work together to provide a more intuitive and tactile experience, setting it apart from other controllers in the same price range. It aids in nudging your creativity and performance to newer heights while ensuring a smooth workflow, whether you’re a bedroom producer or performing on stage.

However, the product isn’t without its limitations. The size and weight could deter some mobile producers, and the learning curve associated with some features may intimidate novice users. Furthermore, while the Automap control software is a major selling point, it might seem somewhat complex to users who are new to the game.

In terms of who would benefit the most from the Impulse 49, I would say it’s ideal for intermediate to advanced music producers and keyboard players looking for a reasonably priced, well-equipped MIDI controller. It provides an excellent balance of performance, control, and quality that will meet their needs without breaking the bank.

As for the future of MIDI controllers, the Novation Impulse 49 stands as a testament to the exciting trajectory ahead. As technology evolves, the line between the digital and tangible in music production is becoming increasingly blurred. The Impulse 49, with its accessible interface and wealth of features, not only follows this trend but augments it, pushing the boundary of what one can expect from a MIDI Keyboard controller.

In conclusion, the Novation Impulse 49 impresses in more ways than one, proving its worth among the slew of MIDI keyboard controllers available. Ultimately, whether this piece of gear is right for you boils down to your personal needs and preferences. With its robust functionality, ease-of-use, and respect for your wallet, it makes a compelling option for those seeking to level up their music production game.