Nord User Forum

Mr_-G- wrote:

UMCorps wrote:The remaining 2 pins are a mystery. I don't know if they are supposed to be ground or if that just floats and they are redundant. But I can't see anything coming out from them and they don't appear to have any input function.

Perhaps they feed some current to the pads?

Making measurements from the ND2 on this Cat5 line will reveal that the other two lines do indeed provide voltage to the Pad. I imagine that the actual current is pretty nominal.

Bless,

Pablo

Thank you Pablo.

I need a better meter.

OK, just to update where I'm at. I have an Intellijel Linix module which is basically 6 VCAs in one module. It has an expander header on the rear to connect it to other modules in that series so the 6 individual outputs on the module face are duplicated on this header. Only the +ve signal is present at the header.

I've adapted a standard cat 5 cable to bring the signal on those 6 pins out to the first 6 pins on an RJ45 to connect it to the ND2.

And it works.

Like this.




I can't use the 6th channel on the Linix because of how its normalised (it sums the other 5 channels) but its a proof of concept if nothing else. Should be fairly simple to make a small breakout module.

UMCorps wrote:OK, just to update where I'm at. I have an Intellijel Linix module which is basically 6 VCAs in one module. It has an expander header on the rear to connect it to other modules in that series so the 6 individual outputs on the module face are duplicated on this header. Only the +ve signal is present at the header.

I've adapted a standard cat 5 cable to bring the signal on those 6 pins out to the first 6 pins on an RJ45 to connect it to the ND2.

And it works.

Like this.

Watch on youtube.com

I can't use the 6th channel on the Linix because of how its normalised (it sums the other 5 channels) but its a proof of concept if nothing else. Should be fairly simple to make a small breakout module.

WOW! I just joined the forum so I could electronically pat you on the back. That's fantastic!

I've been messing with samplers, and more recently, the Nord Drum synths to add electronic sounds to my kit. Along the way I've been using homemade triggers, enjoying the flexibility of own designs and the endless tinkering. Right now my design uses repurposed electrical switch boxes for trigger housing, strapped to a scrap 1x3. It's gnarly looking, but works 85% of the time. I just sat down to make a more professional trigger pad and thought I'd see how difficult it would be to make use of the Ethernet cable on the ND2, and came across this.

SO, that's great that it's possible. For an amateur like me, do you have any instruction/advice/etc on how to connect the Ethernet cable to 6 drum triggers? I have the piezoelectric components ready to go, I'm going to get started on building the housing for the pad itself today. Any help would be appreciated, I'd love to use 1 cable instead of the 6 I currently have being vomitted out the side of my briefcase-pedalboard.

Hi, because this thread was very helpful I registered just to post the following, for future readers:

I have a Nord Pad but no Drum, so I wanted to adapt the Pad to trigger any drum module.

I can confirm the final two pins of the RJ45 are voltage and neutral. #8 is neutral, pin #7 is positive voltage.

The purpose of the voltage input (as in, electricity supplied BY the Nord Drum TO the Nord Pad) #7 is to amplify the signals from the drum pads. Inside the Pad there are two amplifier chips (Z974 see data sheet https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/slos467h/slos467h.pdf). You don't necessarily need this voltage, as without a power supply the output from the pads will still come out from wires #1-6, as long as you wire up all the triggers to the shared neutral #8. If your drum module is able to respond to the low voltage output without amplification you'll be fine without the amplifier chips and won't need to wire up #7.

If you do need amplification, you probably won't need much voltage. The Z974 chips are rated 2.7V - 15V for their input voltage but I found I was able to get a good signal boost just from a minimal voltage. I found the chips heat up with a higher voltage so it'd be best to use the minimum voltage you need to trigger your module adequately. When I wire everything up properly I will try installing two AAA batteries (3V) but you could also power by USB (5V).

I don't have access to a Nord Drum 2 so I don't know what voltage it outputs as standard.

The Nord Drum 2 is hard to find, even second-hand, but I was able to buy a Nord Pad brand new on clearance. So if you're willing to do a basic bit of electronics to wire it up, the Nord Pad is still an attractive and probably cheap option.