Nektar Impact Gxp 49 Ableton tutorial - connect, setup & midi map

The Nektar Impact Gxp 49 is a highly versatile midi controller and is a powerful instrument when used in combination with Ableton Live. This midi keyboard has a great selection of features that make it perfect for your Ableton Live setup.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Impact Gxp 49.

Article Contents

Does the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 work with Ableton Live?
Does the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 come with ableton Live included?
How to connect the Impact Gxp 49 to ableton
How to midi map the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 in Ableton Live
The Limitations of midi mapping the Impact Gxp 49
Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 work with Ableton Live?

In a nutshell, the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 is able to work fully with Ableton Live.

The lack of a MIDI remote script in Ableton Live does not restrict users from midi mapping the Impact Gxp 49 to multiple functions inside the program.

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Impact Gxp 49 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

You can create your own custom Ableton midi mappings easily, which allows you to control much of the functionality in Ableton Live with your Impact Gxp 49.

Does the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 come with ableton Live included?

Ableton Live Lite is not provided with the Impact Gxp 49, so it needs to be purchased separately.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison to Standard's 10GB.

Ableton Live Suite includes many more Audio and MIDI effects compared to Standard, so if you want to ensure you have everything, we recommend going with Ableton Live Suite.

How to connect the Impact Gxp 49 to ableton

Linking the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 to Ableton Live is a simple process, and when you have them connected you can control the software's parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Impact Gxp 49 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Impact Gxp 49 and your computer.
2. Launch Ableton Live and open the MIDI preferences.
Double click the Ableton Live icon to launch the software. Then, in the top menu of Ableton, go to the Preferences menu by opening the ‘Live’ menu and clicking ‘Preferences’.
3. Select the Impact Gxp 49 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Impact Gxp 49 are checked.
4. Ensure that the ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are all checked.
In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Impact Gxp 49 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Impact Gxp 49 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the Nektar Impact Gxp 49 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within Ableton Live by doing the following:

1. Select the MIDI Map Mode button in the top right corner of the Live window. The button should turn orange, indicating that the MIDI Map Mode is enabled.
2. Select the parameter you wish to control in Ableton by clicking it with the cursor, the parameter will become highlighted.
3. Move a control on the Impact Gxp 49, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Impact Gxp 49.
5. Moving the physical control on your Impact Gxp 49 will now move the position of the corresponding parameter in Ableton.
6. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for any other parameters you wish to map.
7. When you’re finished mapping, press the MIDI Map Mode button again to disable it.

The Limitations of midi mapping the Impact Gxp 49

For the fastest way to map your Impact Gxp 49, you can't go wrong with Ableton's midi mapping system, but make sure you take into account these limitations...

Saving your Impact Gxp 49 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each button or knob on your Impact Gxp 49 can only be assigned to control a single parameter in Ableton Live.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

When using Ableton's internal midi mapping mode, unfortunately now all options are available, controls such as selected track and selected device control aren't currently possible. View a full list of Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you're looking to get the most out of your Impact Gxp 49, our Ableton Midi Script Creator tool 'Control Surface Studio' is exactly what you need!
With it, you'll be able to:
- save and re-use your Impact Gxp 49's mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
- map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Impact Gxp 49,
- access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Impact Gxp 49, than Live's internal midi mapping mode allows.

Learn more about Control Surface Studio and see how it can help you by clicking here!

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Why can't I hear my Impact Gxp 49 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Impact Gxp 49 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Impact Gxp 49 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Impact Gxp 49.
4. Make sure that the Impact Gxp 49 is selected as the input device in Ableton's MIDI Preferences.