Nektar Impact LX mk3 88-Note Keyboard Controller

Impact LX mk3: The MIDI keyboard that goes beyond MIDI. Impact LX mk3 MIDI controller keyboards combine an expressive, redesigned keybed with 9 full-resolution encoders, 8 faders, 8 velocity sensitive pads and tons of buttons to give you instant access to performance or DAW integration features. New performance features include Scale, Chord and Hold with Nektar custom DAW integration bringing the best out of controls with innovative new features and a workflow tailored to compatible DAWs. Impact LX mk3 also supports Native Instruments NKS control standard which ensures compatibility with thousands of plugins even in DAWs not supported by Nektar DAW integration. With Impact LX mk3 the hard work is done, so you can focus on your creativity. FEATURES Available in 25, 49, 61 and 88 key versions all featuring redesigned keybeds. 9 full-resolution encoders with parameter control in one rotation. 8 faders, 8 velocity sensitive pads, 9 LED illuminated buttons, 22 additional buttons, 1/4" TS footswitch jack, USB-C connection and power. Nektar custom DAW integration for Ableton Live Suite, Bitwig Studio, Cakewalk/Sonar, Cubase (13 or higher), FL Studio, Garageband, Nuendo, Logic Pro (10.8 or higher), Reason, Reaper and Fender Studio Pro/Studio One (5 or higher). Native Instruments NKS support. Works in any DAW and is compatible with thousands of plugins. Software bundle includes NI Komplete Select 15 , Bitwig Studio 8-track DAW and MOK Miniraze plugin synth. HIGHLIGHTS Feel Every Note The newly redesigned keybed is truly worthy — smooth, responsive, and built for expressive play. With minimal friction and a firm touch, it lets you connect more deeply with your instruments. Paired with pitch bend and modulation wheels, plus a footswitch input for sustain, you’ve got everything you need to shape your sound with nuance and emotion. Effortless Control at full resolution The encoders are the foundation of control and constantly in use. So their solid and precise performance is important. You get near-enough a full resolution in one rotation without skipping a step. Working seamlessly with Nektar DAW integration you get relative control which means no parameter jumping or pickup functions to worry about. Precision at Your Fingertips: Global Encoder & Display Feedback If you had to pick just one control, the large global encoder would be it. Offering the same benefits as the other encoders but with added precision, thanks to its larger surface, it’s your ultimate tool for fine-tuning. The best part? It works independently of mode selection and has a bunch of powerful options with Nektar DAW integration. Faders - mix or envelope control Faders provide a truly unique control experience, evoking the satisfying tactile feel of mixing or adjusting envelope parameters. On Impact LX mk3 that’s exactly what the faders are designed for. Little is left to the imagination with silkscreen added above the faders to indicate their default assignments. MIDI programming right from the board Impact LX mk3 is a MIDI controller that augment functionality with Nektar DAW integration. It’s still a MIDI controller of course and you can program controls in Preset mode directly from the hardware. In Setup mode, use the large encoder to select menu options and program MIDI messages immediately. All settings are stored over power cycling with options to additionally store in 5 presets and 8 pad maps. Build your kits, non-stop! For groove and beat creation, 8 velocity sensitive pads make life easy. Calibrated to trigger at a light touch, finger drumming is a reality, with a nice and even velocity response. The “Pad Learn“ feature allows you build kits as you go. Hit a pad, play a key. It’s that easy. In fact, keep Pad Learn on and let your kit evolve with your music. Non-stop! Customized for your DAW Nektar DAW integration is beyond anything you have seen before. Innovative new features builds on Nektar's previous work and give you the best possible workflow with your DAW. With Nektar DAW integration you can: Create loops or navigate your DAW using the LED buttons. Record freely and have the looper automatically create your loop. Click any parameter and control it instantly. Full mixer control including channel volume, pan, sends, mute and solo. Control plugin instruments. Seamless switch to NKS control on track selection. Navigate tracks and DAW functions. Nektar custom DAW integration is designed for Ableton Live Suite (11 or higher), Bitwig Studio 5 (or higher), Cakewalk/Sonar, Cubase (13 or higher), FL Studio, Garageband, Nuendo,, Logic Pro (10.8 or higher), Reason, Reaper and Fender Studio Pro/Studio One (5 or higher). Looper The Looper follows the play position and uses the 9 LED buttons to provide quick navigation of the timeline and setting of loop points. Press a button to move the playhead to that position. Hold a button and press another to set loop start and end. When ready, hit Loop Record. Loop record performs several tasks in one - removing the need for a mouse during composition. Loop record first triggers recording and then on the next press plays back your recording, looped and trimmed. Here, Loop Record is used several times to quickly create a performance with variety and interest. It would have been so much more work to stop, reset loops, adjust part lengths and play points instead! Global control With the global encoder you can adjust mixer channel volume and pan even when instrument mode is active or you can adjust filter cutoff and resonance while you are in mixer mode. Best of all, you can control pretty much any parameter, including insert/effect plugins by just clicking the parameter. Click, control! It’s that easy. Selected parameter control was first introduced in Nektar's Panorama CS12 channel strip controller which can also control at fine resolution (10 bit instead of 7 bit). So Nektar added that option to Impact LXmk3 integration as well. The Impact LX mk3 also displays the formatted parameter values directly from the DAW. That really comes in handy when you are in the detail with fine control. In the mix With a single button press, the Impact LX mk3 automatically maps the eight faders to the first eight channels of your DAW's mixer. You can quickly navigate through groups of eight channels using the Bank Up/Down function, while the large global encoder controls the currently selected track. The buttons beneath each fader correspond to their respective channels, allowing for easy muting or soloing of tracks. The eight encoders control pan for each of the eight channels and can be switched to control channel sends by pressing the page button. To optimize your workspace, the Impact LX mk3 also includes convenient shortcuts for opening and closing your DAW's mixer and instrument plugin windows. Control plugin instruments You probably already figured out that the yellow labels on LX mk3 are for use in instrument mode. Nektar mapped instrument plugins with parameters that correspond to the printed labels so you should near enough always get a result. If your DAW has quick controls, Smart Controls or macro’s Impact LX mk3 is set up to control them. If there is a parameter learn function, Nektar has you covered there also with neat shortcuts that ensure the process is fast. Controlling plugins using the NKS standard The Native Instruments NKS control standard is implemented in thousands of plugins with controller mapping ready to go. From Impact LX mk3 you can change presets, select map pages and of course use the 8 encoders to adjust parameters. All you need to do is insert NI Komplete Kontrol on tracks in your project and LX mk3 connects seamlessly. Nektar DAW integration automatically detects Komplete Kontrol whenever a track is selected. Performance Tools The Impact LX mk3 offers powerful performance tools that benefit both beginners and advanced players. Features like the Scale function allow musicians to explore adventurous melodic ideas without constant concern for key choices. With Scale acting as a creative safety net, notes are kept neatly within the chosen scale. The Chord and Hold features provide similar creative freedom. Let's look at performance tools in detail. Keep it within the Scale Even for experienced players, the Scale function provides comfort by ensuring you're unlikely to play a "wrong" note. If a key is played outside the selected scale, it’s automatically adjusted to play the nearest note within the scale. This isn't just useful; it's incredibly fun! Experiment with chromatic runs and discover unique note re-triggering patterns you'd likely never achieve without Scale mode. Crafting Chords and Intervals Whether you're a chord expert or just starting, the LX mk3's built-in Chord function offers endless inspiration. Think of it as an advanced interval feature that allows you to trigger more notes than your fingers press.You can play octaves, 3rds, or 5th harmonies, and even add a sub-octave (-1 or -2 octaves below the played notes) to create massive chords. Alternatively, keep it simple by selecting from the pre-defined chord menu. Two user locations are available for capturing and recalling your custom chord creations. Smart Chords: Scales and Chords combined Combine the Scale and Chord functions for "Smart Chords" that ensure you never play notes outside the selected scale. For instance, if a major chord type is selected with a C tonic, playing an A key will automatically trigger an A minor chord, keeping everything harmonically consistent. By combining Scales and Chords, you can be playing lead parts with harmonies including entire chords that change whenever you play a new note. Creative sustain with Hold The Hold feature is like having an extra hand and there are both a simple and a more advanced option. In its default mode, playing one or more notes on the keyboard will sustain them until the next note is played. The second hold option allows notes to be sustained while you continue to play the rest of the keyboard normally. You can add or remove notes from the held sustain so your drone or chord can evolve over time. Road-tested by the pros When Midge Ure of Ultravox and Band Aid fame contacted Nektar to see if at short notice they could help by providing a few keyboards, Nektar jumped on it with open arms. Nektar delivered an Impact LX88 and LX61 mk3 to the rehearsal studio in Los Angeles with fingers crossed that they would survive the tour of America from coast to coast. Both keyboards came back without a scratch after making the final trip in soft keyboard bags, from the east coast to the west coast via Fedex. Thank you Midge and Charlie for road-testing Nektar's products and they look forward to equipping you for the next tour. Native Kontrol Standard The Native Instruments NKS control standard is implemented in thousands of plugins with controller mapping ready to go. From Impact LX mk3 you can change presets, select map pages and of course use the 8 encoders to adjust parameters. NKS works in any DAW, with or without Nektar DAW integration. NKS ensurs virtual instruments are precisely and consistently connected to Impact LXmk3. This means immersive and expressive playability with no disruptions to your workflow. There’s no need to waste time mapping plugins, everything is ready to go, the moment you switch on. Your existing library of NKS compatible plugins will work immediately! Or check out the included Komplete Select bundle - an extensive selection of curated instruments from Native Instruments ready to give you your first NKS experience with Impact LXmk3. INCLUDED SOFTWARE Choose your free Komplete Select 15 bundle Nektar and Native Instruments teamed up to give you NKS control from Impact LXmk3. And to get you started Nektar also includes the Komplete Select 15 bundle so you can start experiencing NKS control straight away. Komplete Select 15 is a bundle of synths, sampled session instruments, and quality effects with everything you need to create. Chose one of three curated editions: Beats, Band, and Electronic – each designed to suit specific genres and workflows. Learn about your Komplete Select bundle options on the NI website. Miniraze synth by MOK - included The Miniraze plugin by MOK is gaining momentum for its ability to generate unique and "out-of-this-world" sounds, blending modern wave-slicing technology with classic subtractive synthesis. Create new exciting sounds from aggressive, complex evolving textures to beautiful expressive instruments. Miniraze is a step towards the future with a nod to the past. And it’s set up to work perfectly with Impact LX mk3. Miniraze is delivered digitally following registration of your Impact LX mk3. Bitwig Studio 8-track included Bitwig 8-Track is included with Impact LXmk3 so you can start producing, performing, and designing sounds like a pro from day one. Bitwig 8-Track gives you a over 50 software instruments and effects along with a great selection of loops, clips and samples. Nektar DAW Integration supports Bitwig 8-Track, so using Nektar Impact LXmk3 and Bitwig 8-Track together is a fantastic combination. If you are just starting out, you will find it’s the perfect way to take your first steps in the world of digital music creation. SPECIFICATIONS Keys: 88 Key type: Semi-weighted piano style Pitch bend and mod wheels: Yes - 2 wheels Encoders - full resolution: 1 large encoder and 8 regular Faders: 8 faders (30mm) LED fader buttons: 9 LED buttons (4 colors) Scale, chord and hold:Yes Pads: 8 velocity sensitive Pad maps: 8 Foot swich input (1/4" ts): Yes MIDI output socket: No NI NKS compatible: Yes Nektar DAW integration: Yes Dimensions: 128 x 27.3 x 7.7 cm Weight: 7.7 kg