Nord User Forum

Hello forum,

I recently bought a nice MIDI keyboard (CME Z-Key 61) to use with my Nord Electro 3 HP. My idea was to use my midi device as the "top" keyboard while keeping the NE as the "bottom" keyboard (when using organ sounds). My problem is this:

When using the MIDI split mode that NE 3 (HP) has, the machine automatically assigns the MIDI device as the lower keyboard. This means that the percussion effects for the B3-sounds are active on the "wrong" keyboard (I find it much easier to play organ solos on semi-weighted keys than fully weighted ones).

So my question is whether it's possible to somehow reverse the sounds so that the external MIDI keyboard would be the one with the percussion effects?

I'm quite a newbie with digital instruments so enormous thanks for any help in advance!

Hi PFred,

I attempted this very set-up with my rig using an M-Audio Axiom and NE3HP. I contacted Nord directly and, unfortunately, got the news that (due to current software limitations) this setup is not possible with the Electro.

Best,
Chris

With regards to this issue: does anyone know what happens if you set midi split mode/dual manual and also set local control to off? If you then press a key on the E3, do you hear anything or not?

For bonus points, if you set it up like this and then plug a MIDI cable in the MIDI OUT port and the MIDI IN port (so from the E3 to the E3) does it make sound?

I'm wondering if it would be be possible to 'trick' the E3 into thinking the internal and external keyboards are swapped. This could be done by some external box that a) changes the MIDI channel on the MIDI generated by the E3 from channel 1 to channel 2 and b) merges the modified data from the E3 with that received from the external MIDI controller (on channel 1) and sends it back to the E3. I hope I'm making sense here.

Thank you for your answer sus_4. It's unfortunate if they aren't going to change this in the future either. It shouldn't be such a difficult thing for them to include the possibility in an OS update, or that's at least what I would think...

mjbrands, the thing that you suggested might very well work. with local control "off" there was no sound but with MIDI cable from MIDI out to MIDI in the sound was there. I just don't know what kind of system would be required to get the MIDI signals from both keyboards to the NE's MIDI in port (and be able to control the drawbars normally). Any suggestions are welcome.

A DMC MX-8 will do that (and one heckuva lot more) very nicely and can probably be had on eBay for less than $50. If you want one and don't find one, drop me a line.

I haven't yet tried it, but MJ is right on with the strategy and I have NO doubts that it will work just fine as he describes.

Pablo

Another thumbs up for the DMC MX-8. You can do just about anything, MIDI-wise, with one of those. Just make sure you have clean power to keep it stable

Second that -- if supply voltage drops too much it locks up, requiring reboot...

pablomastodon wrote:Second that -- if supply voltage drops too much it locks up, requiring reboot...

Sometimes those power issues in the US make me wonder if it is a 1st world country