Nord User Forum

Hi Everyone!
I just got a Nord Drum 3P (Refurbished) from a music shop, with guarantee.

I really like it, but I am experiencing an issue that I can't fix.
I want to sequence my Nord drum with Ableton, it works but It doesn't play any sound simultaneously.
For example if I program a four on the floor beat with kick on every beat and snare on 2nd and 4th beat when there is more than one midi note on the same beat it only plays one the two sound(in my case the snare) but it never manage to play both at the same time. The same happen if I program an eight note hi hat patterns along with some kicks and snares it just doesn't play the hi hat if there is a kick or a snare in the way.
I tried this on the global channel and also send on two different individual channels. the result is the same.

Basically it cannot play more than one channel at once when sequencing. This happen only when sequencing of course while I play the pads there is no such a problem.

I wonder if it is a fault of the unit or some settings are not right. I tried changing Daw and even computer and I keep on having this issue.
Any suggestion? Thanks in advanced!!!

Hi Matlamar, welcome to the forum!

A couple of thoughts/ideas:

1) make sure there is no mute group active in the program of the 3p that you're using, but if you are indeed able to trigger the drum sounds at the same time on the unit itself, then this isn't the problem

2) I'd suggest to switch off the individual MIDI channel option for all 6 drum sounds on the 3p, this functionality may complicate things when trying to 'debug' the problem. So go through all 6 drum channels with the channel selection buttons, and make sure 'Ch OF' is selected in the MIDI menu for all 6 drum channels.

3) Make sure you program the drum pattern on a single MIDI track (one that uses the Global MIDI channel of the 3p as output MIDI channel) using the MIDI notes that are set in the MIDI menu of the 3p. Tip: You can record some notes on the MIDI track by playing the pads of the 3p, to see if you're using the correct MIDI notes to program the pattern with..

4) It might also be your USB-MIDI interface that is causing the problem, what MIDI interface are you using to connect your 3p to your computer?

Hope this helps,
Cheers,
Albert

thank you your reply Alfred!
Yes i think it could be the USB MIDI interface causing the issue indeed.
I tried to sequence a microbrute and I am also noticing an anomalous behavior. Not because more midi notes are not played at the same time, of course microbrute is monophonic, instead if you program a series of midi note right next to each other only the first one will be played. The same behavior was happening with the north drum so I am thinking the issue is the usb-midi interface. It is just a cable with usb one side and midi in-out on the other. There is no clear brand on it, I got it some years ago, maybe changing it will fix this issue.
thank you Albert!

Yes could very well be!

Clever thing to check it with other instrument(s) as well!

I've seen several posts here and elsewhere of people having weird issues with cheap brandless MIDI interfaces that look like a cable.. I own a MIDI interface that looks like a cable but of a reputable brand, it costed me 20 or 30 euros at the time, and still works just fine, so the size itself doesn't matter.. Ask a music store for a small good quality USB-MIDI interface that they know work, or check the forum here as well for some suggestions.

I found old threads where people mention successfully using smaller E-MU, ESI, Roland, iRig interfaces, not sure about current availability, and perhaps check recent user reviews using the same platform (mac/Windows OS version).

ESI midimate eX,
E-Mu Xmidi 1x1,
IK multimedia iRig MIDI 2,
Roland UM One mk2

Cheers,
Albert

wartaler wrote:Roland UM One mk2

I also had the experience of a malfunctioning cheap USB MIDI cable (problem when transferring sysex), then I bought the Roland... get one and you'll be happy @Matlamar