Nektar Impact LX Mini keyboard

Given its name, you’d be forgiven for thinking this keyboard is a downgrade or designed for beginners. Well actually, it packs an awful lot in on its tiny little frame! As well as the keyboard itself comprising of 25 keys, there are 8 knobs, 8 LED velocity-sensitive pads, a joystick (for controlling pitch bend, modulation and foot pedal control), 7 transport buttons (for dealing with MIDI software) as well as numerous buttons that do all sorts of things!

The transport buttons are all MIDI-assignable and the ‘shift’ button allows for 14 different functions to be programmed in. Speaking of which, the DAW integration package that Nektar supplies not only supports all the most popular DAW’s (It also comes with Bitwig 8-track by the way) but it also provides you with a third control level allowing you to have up to 21 different functions. Combined with each LED pad able to hold 4 ‘pad maps’ (allowing up to 32 note assignments) and the unique ‘part 2’ button that allows you to momentarily shift the octave up or down, transpose, layer another octave on top, switch to another MIDI channel (or all/any of the above if you want!), you really do start to see the potential with this keyboard.

Also of note is the Arpeggiator and Note Repeat functions which can be applied to both pads or keys giving you the ability to play around with synth and percussion lines and the Instrument Mode button that changes the knobs to be able to control instrument parameters with most DAW’s. There are even more functions on this thing but I’m running out of space! In conclusion, you get a huge amount of customisation for your money and you could do a lot worse than this, worth it. RRP £92

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