Novation Impulse 61 Keys USB bus-powered MIDI Controller Keyboard – Robust, ultra-responsive, full-size piano keyboard with aftertouch and velocity-sensitive pads – works on Mac or Windows

Guys, I've scowered the internet, and my local guitar center, in search for the perfect MIDI controller.I grew up playing a Yamaha PSR learning keyboard, so I've learned to be proficient on synth style keys. In addition, I was a piano primary music composition major in college. I spent the majority of my youth locked in my bedroom recording tracks: rock, techno, ambient classical contemporary, pop, hip hop, etc. Now that I'm older, I work at a church where I like to explore different piano sample sounds for the worship service (mostly using Kontakt) and I like to layer many instruments to create these lush, cinematic sounds for when my band is slim. I'll put a bass guitar in my left hand and of course piano in the full range.So, I like that these MIDI keyboard have the faders and knobs to allow me to control the (mostly Low Pass Filters) of my pad sounds, to bring them in and out as I need to.So, the question is, why spend 400 bucks on this novation when I could spend nearly the same and get a keyboard that has BUILT IN sounds? Good question.The ideal situation would be to have a powerful, great sounding keyboard, like a Nord Stage, or Yamaha Motif, and use that to control my laptop sounds in Kontakt. I could even buy a MIDI controller with no keys, just knobs and faders, very cheaply. This is something I might do at some point, for my stage performances in MY venue where I can leave the stuff set up.However, a MIDI controller with the keybed, like this, allows for easy transportation and setup.As a professional piano player and recording guy, I know that keybeds action/velocity curve can either be preference, OR it can be straight up poorly made, like when a key stroke randomly jumps out more loudly than the others.However, I've seen young guys on youtube, playing a Novation, and they are awful keyboard players. Then, as they are playing, they say "Yeah, this velocity curve isn't that great". Umm..actually YOU are not that great. hahaSo on the this Novation.It is heavy and a bit bulky, compared to the Launchkey I own. But, that's not a terrible thing.The knobs and faders feel good. Not like an Allen and Heath soundboard, of course, but they feel decent and comfortable. not wobbly and loose.Drum trigger/pads...I don't do a lot of triggering/ableton stuff. If I play detailed sampled drum tracks, I use the keybed. So for me, the drum triggers are fine.Keybed - this is the big one for people. This keybed feels great. I seem to hit more notes when I do random, sloppy runs and scales. It's very forgiving. and again it just feels great. Some people have said they are annoyed at the velocity curve adjustment within this keyboard. I would advise them to not use it. Use the built in velocity curve adjustments in your virtual instrument. you have so much more control that way.It mapped itself to REAPER just fine. But I don'[t use it for mixing too much.So, this is a great keyboard/Midi controller. I'm very happy with it.I have the Launchkey 49 as my "throw around" keyboard. it's great, and it small. But for serious stuff, I use this. I've also just purchased the SL mkii off Ebay (why not on amazon? what's up with that?) So it will be interesting to see how it stacks up against this one.UPDATE 12-15-16SO I got the SL mkiithe knobs, faders, controls, etc feel great and professional. the unit is strong and heavy. However, the velocity curve simply has too much dynamic range and is too responsive to the smallest variation in playing strength. the impulse feels way better.

This is my second MIDI keyboard. My first one is a very cheap Behringer 49 and I already gave it as a gift to one of my friend. But Impulse 61 is a really fantastic MIDI keyboard + controller.First, the touch and feeling of the keys are good. The semi-weighted keys are excellent. Besides, pads and keys all have channel aftertouch, so that when you press the key or the pad down, you can push it even harder to create a series of channel aftertouch MIDI events, which is good if your soft-syn can support channel aftertouch.I use Windows 7 64bit and Sonar X1. I found the Automap 4 is very compatible with Sonar. Only one question is that you have to run Sonar as administrator. If you don't, Automap won't work properly and the keyboard cannot recognize the DAW. If you use other DAWs or use it on Mac, I cannot guarantee it will work perfectly. If you use popular VSTs, such as those from NI, you don't have to configure anything. For other plug-ins, you can create several pages for the mapping of the faders and encoders, so that they can actually control all of your plug-in's parameters. There are two switches to change the controllers from the plug-in mode to mixer mode, and, to traditional MIDI mode.I bought M-audio's sustain pedal and Alesis F2 expression pedal. Both of them can work perfectly with Impulse. If you want to use expression pedal for this keyboard, make sure to go to the website of Novation to check out which one is compatible, since not every expression pedal will be fully functional when used with Impulse.Overall, the quality is excellent. It is especially good and suitable when used in a music studio. I only create music at home and never go outside for live performance. 61-keys version may not be good for stage performance, since it is too heavy and bulgy.

I've only had the Impulse 49 for a couple of days, but I have spent a lot of time on it. So far I love it. Nice build quality. Keys feel great. Sliders and encoders work well. Nice appearance. Now I don't do much with DAWS so I can't really speak much to that. I use my ipad with it for Virtual Instruments such as: GSI's VB3m organ, Synth One, Korgs Collection, Sample Tank, Numa, Garage Band, etc. It works great with all of those and it was relatively easy to figure out the manual midi mapping. I was also pleasantly surprised that it could be powered by my particular ipad. Everything I saw and heard about it said that an ipad wouldn't provide enough power. So after a couple of days I'm very happy with it. I had a Samson Carbon 49 and an M-Audio Oxygen 49MKV and sent both of those back. Neither were what I would call horrible, but there is no comparison with those and the Novation Impulse 49.