Nord User Forum

[steverobert]

I have helped my step son get a Nord C2D. He is a good player (everyone says so) - and I totally agree. We recently bought a Yamaha FC-7 expression pedal to use as a swell pedal - it is one of the ones recommended by Nord - and listed in the C2D software.

So - the C2D has two manual keyboards - the upper (Swell) and the lower (Great). We were hoping he would be able to use the FC-7 to control the volume of the Swell Keyboard - without affecting the Great Keyboard - but we have not been able to accomplish this yet. Is there a way to do this - so that he can be finessing the level on the Swell Board - while the level on the Great Board remains constant (where he will be playing his bass lines - with his left hand)?

Thank you very much for any advice.

[Cornopean]

A side-note, this is not possible on the Hammonds these are modelled on, as the volume pedal works after all the inputs (pedals and both keyboards) have been summed.

This isn't a problem that would change with a different model pedal, as it would be a configuration option. Does anyone know how it works with the sampled pipe organ, where the behaviour should be as the original poster suggests? I don't have a C2 of any description so can't test this myself.

Al

[qtipcore]

The B3 model does not offer this option, but the pipe organ model works the way you described.
Both on the C2 and the C2D.

[steverobert]

Bummer - it IS the B3 model that he wants to be using.

[Cornopean]

If this is to develop typical Hammond technique, then it is better to learn how to do it in a way that will work on any Hammond or simulator he comes across. As the volume pedal is also a bit of a filter (on a real Hammond at least), it will tend to affect the bass less than the treble.

Back when I had a real Hammond I never noticed this being a problem - it seemed very natural for the volume of everything to increase and decrease together.

Al

[The Franchise]

I suppose there are any number of reasons that an organist may want a constant volume on one keyboard, and not on another (not that I can think of any). But your reference to "left hand bass" suggests he'll be playing either jazz or similar music styles. If so, I must agree with other posters; he'll want to develop stylings that emulate the use of a stock Hammond, i.e., single control of the entire organ. Here's a SWAG (silly wild a** guess); Could it be that your amplification of the C2D is a little weak, resulting with little or no bass "guts" at lower volumes ? Nuther words, the C2D is only going to sound as good as the amp you're running it through. If there is not much power, and/or the speaker cabinet is small with not much bass reflex, the organ will sound 'weak'. I run mine through some pretty killer systems, and I promise - that NORD does not dissapoint; Bass or otherwise. Just a thought.

[Mooser]

The Hammond "expression" pedal on a vintage 3 series console worked as a variable capacitor, which 'tuned in' the audio signal on it's way to the amp. Actually, it does work just the way you want it to, it will increase the volume of the highs and mids without increasing the volume of the bass too much, thus "expression" pedal, rather than volume pedal. You have to listen to what it does, and learn to deal with it. It's much, much better than a straight volume pedal. The Nord has a circuit which emulates the effect of a Hammond expression pedal as the pedal is depressed.
Many pipe and theater organ have more than one swell pedal.

[steverobert]

The Franchise - Hmm - Well - it is hard for me to know exactly - as regards your guesstimation - he is running through a Roland KC 550 Keyboard Combo Amp - and it seems pretty robust to me (pretty well thought out design actually). It is not a monster - but - indeed quite robust. I think he's pretty happy with the overall bass sound - he just was thinking that the swell pedal could be somehow set to NOT alter the "Great" Keyboard - that he's playing bass on - so the Bass line could be consistent - while he moves around of the other one? He IS prmarily interested in doing jazz work - such as in some of the jazz organ Trios - you are right about that. It certainly is true that the lower registers require more "power" - but I was listening to him last night - playing pretty quietly - even while the kids were doing homework and such - and the bass was still coming through pretty well - he was just playing some Christmas Carols - getting ready to do some "lighter music" at a local eatery.

[steverobert]

Mooser - thank you for your thoughts. Is there a chance that there is some "circuit" - that we need to activate somehow - on some menu?? That might get him closer to what we are hoping for.

Admittedly - he's only had the organ for about two months - and eventually - in time - we all adapt to "what simply IS" - don't we?

[Westside Ryan]

Go into the "System Menu" and find "Swell Pedal Type", then you simply select the type of pedal that you have connected. This optimizes the response of the pedal for the C2D.