Nord User Forum

[jfenton]

I've been toying with the idea of developing a program to run on my Raspberry PI to control midi but doubt if I will have time anytime soon. The thought is to take simple midi input messages from my FCB1010 and converting them to more complex output messages to my NS2 and/or Hammond SK2. Of course I would need to find or build a midi I/O for the Raspberry PI first. Once done, I could then use the input from any midi device and map it to any output I would like. Maybe someone already thought of this before. Again, it won't happen any time soon. Maybe after I retire from my day job. Of course you could probably also do this with a PC or Mac but I was thinking raspberry PI because of it's small size.

[jfenton]

I'm now using Bome software and a PC to expand the functionality and limitations of the FCB1010 but and I will likely purchase a Bome box when it releases so I will no longer need a PC.

http://www.bome.com

[ToniKlein]

Hey everyone. Thanks for the great options here. I am trying to get my FCB1010 working with my NS2. I want to have an sound up and down button but I can’t find the exact midi message I have to program in the FCB. Can someone help me how to set it up? Thank you!!

[RichardG]

I don't think such a message exists ?
IIRC I've seen similar requests in this forum (do a search here).
The main problem is that MIDI is 'stateless', so any message send stands on itself and doesn't have any relation or knowledge about a previous message.
I think even on the NS3 that only works with a dedicated footswitch, not with MIDI.

It *could* be possible if the keyboard itself implements such a message.
But then again what to do when at the end of the programs, go back to the first or switch banks ?

[FZiegler]

I'd say it differently: Of course you can send a program change and a bank select message, but there is no message for a relative program change (+1, -1), only absolute addressing. So if you want to send a +1 message, you would have to know where you are and calculate the address of the next program.

The NS2 only handles those messages if MIDI Prog Change Mode is set to <Receive> or <Send & Receive>.

[ToniKlein]

Ok thank you guys! That's pretty sobering for a keyboard in that high class... Then i'll have to do it with absolute addresses.

[anotherscott]

Ok thank you guys! That's pretty sobering for a keyboard in that high class...

Are you aware of any keyboard that works otherwise? No matter what, I think you are likely to run into the issue that there simply does not exist a standard MIDI command for "program up" or "program down."

I suppose a manufacturer could implement such a thing via NRPN or sysex... has any manufacturer done that?

AFAIK, as RIchard alluded to with the NS3, keyboards that allow you to use foot switches to move up and down through patches are doing it locally, not via MIDI commands.

[FZiegler]

MIDI is a standard published in 1982, I think. Some big manufacturers tried to expand it - but they didn't find a common path. Nord isn't a big player, so they aren't in the position to set new standards.

Indeed, people expect more from a modern instrument, but MIDI isn't iOS nor USB. It's still far from plug and play. And we will see what MIDI 2.0 will bring in terms of 2-way-communication etc. I'm looking forward into it, but fear complications at the same time.

[anotherscott]

The purpose of NRPN and sysex was specifically to let manufacturers implement their own extensions to MIDI for their own gear. I'm not aware that anyone tried to add to the spec (i.e. to create new standards) for others to follow, but mfrs implemented commands specific to their own gear all the time. I'm not aware off-hand of any manufacturer who use that facility to implement a program up and program down function, though. Probably the thing sysex was most often used for was to support software editors (which, naturally, required access to a far greater number of parameters than those included in the standard MIDI spec).

[FZiegler]

What I was alluding to was Yamaha MIDI XG and Roland MIDI GS which looked like a fight some time ago; and of course little things like power over MIDI which isn't part of the standard as far as I know.

@ToniKlein: You might want to have a look into the inoffical Nord MIDI manual here in the forum:
The Nord Stage MIDI Tutorial
It covers the original Stage and NS2 features.