Aux KB with Layer Scene

[abroyles]

Hey everybody. The sense I got from the manual and from watching things on YouTube is that layer scene lets you move between two completely independent configurations of the keyboard. I've been fairly successful with that, but in this one application, I need the secondary keyboard my bandmate is playing through aux kb to be different between the two layers. I can change all the parameters on the stage for itself. But the same aux KB sounds load up for the secondary keyboard. Am I missing something, or is this just a limitation of aux KB? Is it the case that aux KB can't be different between the two layers of layer scene?

And if that limitation is true, any ideas on how to switch my second keyboard player's sounds along with my layer scene switch?

Thanks!

[Heatha05]

The layer scene function is quite useful, and I use it all the time. It allows you to switch between different combinations of layers within the same program. So layer scene 1 could be Piano A, Synth B and C whilst layer scene 2 could be Piano A and Synth A. It doesn't allow changes to any other parameters like the AUX KB routing or volume level. It just turns layers on and off.

So often, I'll have two identical sounds on Synth A and Synth B, but set at different volume levels, and have Synth A active on layer scene 1, and Synth B on layer scene 2. You could do similar, and have the AUX KB control two synth layers and switch between them, with your own keys part active in both.

But this is quite wasteful in terms of synth engines/layers. It might be better in your case to just switch between two complete programs, which will obviously give you a lot more control.

I prefer the 'safety' of using a footswitch to toggle between layer scenes when playing live, rather than risk moving to a completely different program mid song by hitting the wrong program up/down button or footswitch and having to think on the fly about exactly how to recover. With layer scenes you've only ever got one button to press.

Hope this helps!

[FZiegler]

I don't have a Stage 4, but I'd expect that the layers active should change within a song as much on your keyboard as on the external AuxKB if you switch between layer scene I and II.

Layer scene II does not mean that you almost get two Stage 4s for the price of one under the hood: "The Layer Scene functionality allows for creating two independent Layer configurations where individual Layers or Sections can be turned On or Off as desired in each. [..] Note that the contents of each Layer is always the same in both Layer Scenes." (manual p. 42)

And be aware that you can't use a full independent second set of pedals for AuxKB: The swell pedal attached to the Stage 4 will also affect the swell of an organ layer played from an external KB. Only an externally attached sustain pedal should work for the externally played notes if SustPed is set to Off on the Stage 4 for that layer.

[abroyles]

I don't have a Stage 4, but I'd expect that the layers active should change within a song as much on your keyboard as on the external AuxKB if you switch between layer scene I and II.

Layer scene II does not mean that you almost get two Stage 4s for the price of one under the hood: "The Layer Scene functionality allows for creating two independent Layer configurations where individual Layers or Sections can be turned On or Off as desired in each. [..] Note that the contents of each Layer is always the same in both Layer Scenes." (manual p. 42)

And be aware that you can't use a full independent second set of pedals for AuxKB: The swell pedal attached to the Stage 4 will also affect the swell of an organ layer played from an external KB. Only an externally attached sustain pedal should work for the externally played notes if SustPed is set to Off on the Stage 4 for that layer.

Thank you! It turns out that the Aux KB is the same for both of the layer scenes, but my work around for the song I was struggling with is to create two programs next to each other and I switch mid-song. Works fine, though I wish they had allowed the Aux KB parameters to change with the layer scene feature.

[abroyles]

But this is quite wasteful in terms of synth engines/layers. It might be better in your case to just switch between two complete programs, which will obviously give you a lot more control.

this was what I ended up doing. thanks for the thought!

[FZiegler]

... my work around for the song I was struggling with is ...

That's exactly how I think the Nord Stage works: It has only a set of some basic feature, but by those it shows a legendary versatility. Everything on a Stage consists in some sort of workaround - or better call it a way to handle your challenge. You mostly will find one.