Leslie and midi in Nord Electro 4 73 keys

[Danman]

Hi all
I wonder if the new Electro4 will record all the various leslie operation, percussion settings and possible changes via midi to my Digital Performer Sequencer.
To me this is a must as I only work in studio ...
Thanks a lot

[JiminWales]

Check the midi implementation in the manual .pdf (from clavia website). I think every button and digital value knob (I think the only analogue knob is the master volume) has a midi CC controller assigned.

[OBDave]

Yes, I concur. Just make sure the E4 is configured to send and receive Control Changes (it's in the MIDI menu).

Also, consider the following sequence of events:

1. You are ready to record, percussion is off.
2. Start recording the MIDI sequence
3. During the course of recording you turn percussion on.
4. Stop recording

If you were to play back this MIDI sequence, it would play back with percussion on. The event that turns percussion on would have no effect because percussion is already on. Most sequencers can "chase" common midi controllers such as sustain, but I suspect it won't "chase" many other controllers you'll be using. For this reason, I am guessing that at the very beginning of your sequence, after you've started recording but before you've started playing, you're going to want to turn percussion on and then off, move every drawbar one tick over and then one tick back, etc, so that you've recorded the act of putting each control in the place you want it to be at the beginning of your recording. Or maybe sequences have gotten smarter, but it's something to think about.

[Vampidemic]

Yes, I concur. Just make sure the E4 is configured to send and receive Control Changes (it's in the MIDI menu).

Also, consider the following sequence of events:

1. You are ready to record, percussion is off.
2. Start recording the MIDI sequence
3. During the course of recording you turn percussion on.
4. Stop recording

If you were to play back this MIDI sequence, it would play back with percussion on. The event that turns percussion on would have no effect because percussion is already on. Most sequencers can "chase" common midi controllers such as sustain, but I suspect it won't "chase" many other controllers you'll be using. For this reason, I am guessing that at the very beginning of your sequence, after you've started recording but before you've started playing, you're going to want to turn percussion on and then off, move every drawbar one tick over and then one tick back, etc, so that you've recorded the act of putting each control in the place you want it to be at the beginning of your recording. Or maybe sequences have gotten smarter, but it's something to think about.

Doesn't the Electro 4 save drawbar and Lesley settings in patches? If so, an easier solution may be to save a patch with the starting settings and then insert a patch change command at the beginning of the midi track. This way all of the manual adjustments get nulled out (I don't have an Electro, but do this with other keyboards).

Expression pedal may still need to have a midi value recorded though to ensure proper volume is used when restarting playback.

[mjbrands]

Doesn't the Electro 4 save drawbar and Lesley settings in patches? If so, an easier solution may be to save a patch with the starting settings and then insert a patch change command at the beginning of the midi track. This way all of the manual adjustments get nulled out (I don't have an Electro, but do this with other keyboards).

Expression pedal may still need to have a midi value recorded though to ensure proper volume is used when restarting playback.

This all sounds very reasonable and like it would work to me.

[OBDave]

an easier solution may be to save a patch with the starting settings and then insert a patch change command at the beginning of the midi track.

D'oh.

Of course. Yes, this is the right solution!