Nord User Forum

[ACCORDIONMAN]

I'm having a problem with a key on my NE5D 61, can anyone help? Mainly the Eb below middle C, but also sometimes on the Gb below middle C. When I play the key with a reasonable force, it sometimes cuts out straight after the note is triggered. Please see the video.

Watch on youtube.com

It is the key itself not the sounds- because when I transpose the sound up and down, whatever pitch is on THAT key exhibits the problem.

I think I have worn out the contact strip or something similar, which is disappointing as I'm don't think I play hard, and the NE5D is only around 18 months old.

HOWEVER something strange is going on because....

- It only happens on the CLAVINET sound no others.

- If I route the midi through the computer back to the NE5D (LOCAL OFF) it doesn't happen

- If I route the midi directly from the OUT to the IN socket (LOCAL OFF) it doesn't happen (please see video)


What is happening - anyone got an idea that explains this please? Did I break it? Would a new contact strip cure it?

Thankyou in advance!

[ACCORDIONMAN]

Just to add, I've opened the keyboard up and cleaned the contacts for those keys and.......


No difference! I'm confused.

[Mr_-G-]

Yes that is confusing, because the right MIDI message is sent out when you use Local OFF. And you say that it does not happen with any of the Piano section .npno samples?
What happens if you transpose the clav?

[ACCORDIONMAN]

Hey:)

It doesn't seem happen on any other sound, piano, Rhodes, samples, or organs. Just on the the clav.

When I transpose the clav, whatever pitched note that Eb key should play - exhibits the problem. In other words, it's the key, not the pitch. I can also make it do it on the Gb above and the Bb below with a bit of effort.

If I use a layered sound, ie clav and a sample, the clav will cut short and the sample will carry on.

Very odd - any ideas?

Any ideas?

[Berretje]

Hey:)

It doesn't seem happen on any other sound, piano, Rhodes, samples, or organs. Just on the the clav.

When I transpose the clav, whatever pitched note that Eb key should play - exhibits the problem. In other words, it's the key, not the pitch. I can also make it do it on the Gb above and the Bb below with a bit of effort.

If I use a layered sound, ie clav and a sample, the clav will cut short and the sample will carry on.

Very odd - any ideas?

Any ideas?

Hi,

Did you try to remove the clav sample from the electro en re-upload it? Then again: it doesn't make sense that with midi the problem doesn't occur.


Gr Bart

[ACCORDIONMAN]

Hi, Yes I did actually. No difference. I'm going to see if I can do some kind of factory reset - see if that works. I've also contacted Nord tech support.

I can't be sure if this was always an issue with my keyboard. I only noticed it when I tried to pay Stevie Wonder's - Superstition in Eb in a different octave!

If I get anywhere with it - I'll update on here. Cheers.

**UPDATE - Factory restore did not cure the issue.

[Berretje]

Please keep us updated on this. A truly bizarre issue.

I could only think of a hardware problem, where the key switch "bounces" at a certain velocity, triggering a note-off event within a few milliseconds (and possibly re-triggering, but very softly) locally, but due to the extremely short timeframe, the note-off gets filtered out or set to the same timecode (with Note-on getting the priority) when sent out (or received) via MIDI.

That wouldn't explain why it only happens with Clavinet, though. Unless it only affects the "high" trigger point (Clavinet uses that, right?)…

Have you looked at a tool like "MIDI Monitor" on the computer to check exactly what messages are being sent by the keyboard, and when?

[ACCORDIONMAN]

AHA! Thankyou Analogika!

The Clav has a 'low' release point, whereas other sounds don't. This must be a mechanical problem where the low release is getting triggered, but not the 'normal' release for other sounds.

Makes sense.

In fact I realise now, when I layer Clav and a Sample, I can gradually release the note and the Clav will stop first leaving the sample playing. This is the correct behaviour. Crucially, this low release doesn't seem to be transmitted via midi, hence the behaviour I experienced with midi connections.

The fault I'm getting must be a mechanical thing like you said with the key bouncing, or something like that. Ok, so I think I can fix this. I need to open her up again for surgery!

Thanks for your insight, and I'll update.

[ACCORDIONMAN]

Watch on youtube.com

Making progress. The culprit seems to be the rubber contact strip.

I moved the malfunctioning section of rubber to a lower octave, and the problem has moved with it. See video.


I want to now replace that section of the rubber strip. I called a UK Nord repair company, and they wouldn't sell me the rubber strip because this would ruin the calibration of the keyed. Anyone got thoughts on this?

[ACCORDIONMAN]

Each keyboard holds an individual calibration, that balances out any unevenness between the keys. If you change the contacts, you also may change the timing, which means the keys may become (somewhat) uneven. You may or may not be able to notice it...