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I'm interested to pre-order the new NS4 but I'm struggling with the user manual as I cannot understand how it will work the midi setting.
As far as I understood, we will be able to pilot each layer (basically each sound) using a dedicated midi channel. This means that in theory we should be able to connect for instance 3 further midi keyboard to pilot a different instrument with each one (E.G. 1 piano, 1 synth and 1 organ). Is it right?
And at the same time I should be able to use the rest of sounds directly from the NS4 keyboard?
This is something very complicated for me to understand, sooo ... not sure if you already have an idea about it.
Thanks for any feedback guys!
Last edited by JackD on 02 Mar 2023, 20:07, edited 1 time in total.
Nord Stage 4 manual, page 54 "CONTROLLING THE NORD STAGE 4 USING MIDI", it's all explained there, particularly the AuxKB feature which is the one you should focus on.
JackD wrote:I believe I would be more interested to the Layer Midi control... But as said... in the manual iOS not very well explained
There is not much to explain imho, Layer on NS4 it is just the same concept as Sections A/B MIDI Channels on NS2 (which was lost on NS3, alas), at least to me it looks just like that reading the manual.
If you will pilot the NS4 at a section's Layer MIDI Channel level you will play that Layer but without having it unassigned from NS4 itself (as it happens with AuxKeyb), so to your question This means that in theory we should be able to connect for instance 3 further midi keyboard to pilot a different instrument with each one (E.G. 1 piano, 1 synth and 1 organ). Is it right? the answer is yes, as it was on NS2
Last edited by maxpiano on 03 Mar 2023, 16:50, edited 6 times in total.
JackD wrote:I believe I would be more interested to the Layer Midi control... But as said... in the manual iOS not very well explained
There is not much to explain imho, Layer on NS4 it is just the same concept as Sections A/B MIDI Channels on NS2 (which was lost on NS3, alas), at least to me it looks just like that reading the manual.
If you will pilot the NS4 at a section's Layer MIDI Channel level you will play that Layer but without having it unassigned from NS4 itself (as it happens with AuxKeyb), so to your question This means that in theory we should be able to connect for instance 3 further midi keyboard to pilot a different instrument with each one (E.G. 1 piano, 1 synth and 1 organ). Is it right? the answer is yes, as it was on NS2
The manual suggests that 'each' layer can be assigned a midi channel. That would be a total of 7 independent layer midi receive channels, one global, one receive aux KB channel. Am I reading it wrong?
JackD wrote:I believe I would be more interested to the Layer Midi control... But as said... in the manual iOS not very well explained
There is not much to explain imho, Layer on NS4 it is just the same concept as Sections A/B MIDI Channels on NS2 (which was lost on NS3, alas), at least to me it looks just like that reading the manual.
If you will pilot the NS4 at a section's Layer MIDI Channel level you will play that Layer but without having it unassigned from NS4 itself (as it happens with AuxKeyb), so to your question This means that in theory we should be able to connect for instance 3 further midi keyboard to pilot a different instrument with each one (E.G. 1 piano, 1 synth and 1 organ). Is it right? the answer is yes, as it was on NS2
The manual suggests that 'each' layer can be assigned a midi channel. That would be a total of 7 independent layer midi receive channels, one global, one receive aux KB channel. Am I reading it wrong?
You are correct + Global
But Aux KB actually is intended to use an external keyboard for playing any combination of Layers on the Nord Stage 4. Aux KB settings are stored per program so it addresses a different purpose than the individual layers' and any layer assigned to it will probably not respond any more on their own channel (this maybe has to be checked actually and not clear from the manual, though it makes sense to me it should be like that, but I don't remember how it works on NS2 when using DualKB and per Section MIDI Ch, which should be the equivalent of AuxKB/Layers MIDI Ch on NS4).
In short:
- Layer MIDI: ability to play that layer via MIDI while keeping it connected to NS4 own keyboard and controls
- Aux KB MIDI: ability to play one or more layers via MIDI but "disconnecting" them from NS4 own keyboard and controls with some exceptions explained in the manual: The Nord Stage 4 pitch stick, and sustain pedal will affect the selected sound engine according to how the respective panel controls are set. If SUSTPED and PSTICK are turned off on the panel, these are only controlled by incoming MIDI on the aux KB channel.
A Swell pedal connected to the Nord Stage 4 also affects an externally played Organ in Aux KB mode.
Last edited by maxpiano on 03 Mar 2023, 18:41, edited 6 times in total.
That's what I'd say, too. And there is no hint in the manual that having an engine/layer in Aux KB and Layer MIDI at the same time isn't possible.
In Layer MIDI, you can have either every engine on another MIDI channel or combine organ, piano or synth layers controlled through one common channel. I have no idea about controllers and 'devices', but maybe they need to be provided through Global MIDI channel if they need to come from extern.
For Aux KB (per-program setting), the internal Nord sustain pedal, pitch stick and swell work according to the layer settings. I'd expect that external controllers work, too.
And of course you can combine that with internally played engines/layers (4 internal split zones).
Last edited by FZiegler on 03 Mar 2023, 19:14, edited 1 time in total.
- Layer MIDI: ability to play that layer via MIDI while keeping it connected to NS4 own keyboard and controls
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About Layer MIDI: as far I understands it means that I cannot pilot the NS4 (on layer base) only by an external keyboard, disconnecting the NORD one. This is not that useful as I will not be able to use the OWN keyboard for other sounds.
Or I am missing something?
From the manual:
"A second option for controlling parts of the Stage 4 from an external device would be to use its per-Layer MIDI capabilities, allowing for addressing any Layer on a different MIDI channel. All Layers can still be controlled “locally” from the Nord Stage 4 keyboard if desired."
Last edited by JackD on 03 Mar 2023, 19:30, edited 4 times in total.
That's why the in my first reply, based on how you described your use case, was that you should rather look at the Aux KB option, which is designed for what you are asking and has per Program settings on which layers to assign to external Aux KB and which to leave to NS4.
You can also pilot per Layer on individual channels from external only, if you don't touch the NS4 and treat it as an expander (but that's not your case, right?), that's the way I interpret that "if desired".
EDIT: unless as FZiegler added below it can work with the "No Zone" assignment, which is actually how it was on NS2... uhm... but in NS4 manual the "No zone" option is mentioned only for Extern, so it sounds like on other layers it is not available
Last edited by maxpiano on 03 Mar 2023, 19:50, edited 6 times in total.
This is an interesting question. I'd expect that you can assign a layer (the externally controlled ones) to NO keyboard zone (split section) even if it's on. But that's not for sure -- it would be what you'd need for taking advantage of the layer MIDI function together with the internal keyboard.
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