OG Nord Drum VS OP-1 (refereed by iPad Air)

[Kites]

1st post here, so please excuse me if this is a redundant question. Most of the info I've browsed through seems to apply to the ND2 and as a first time Nord owner I recently picked up the ND1 (huge sale).

Q) Does anyone know how to sync up a Nord Drum, OP-1, and iPad (Nord beat 2) via USB hub (non powered) and USB to MIDI converter adapter cable?

It seems like my setup is only allowing me to sync one or the other (ND and OP-1) and not simultaneously. The only time I got everything to somewhat sync up was when the ND would play random notes that were not entirely sequenced by the Nord Beat app. So if I selected several notes on the app to trigger a kick on the ND, it would play just one kick, or even worse, it would trigger a snare even though the notes sequenced are not even on that channel for the snare.

here is midi settings for the Nord Beat 2 app:

Nord Drum- CH 1
OP-1- CH 1

Outputs:
OP-1 Midi
USB 2.0 Port 1 (Nord Drum)

Clock Sync- Send

These settings will allow me to sync the OP-1 and will play the Tape from the Nord Beat app. On the other hand, when the Clock Sync is OFF it triggers the ND, but not the OP-1.

Thanks in advance, as I'm sure some of you have been repeating the same info over and over again...

[Stoat]

Im not familiar with the ND1 but I know for a fact that the USB-Midi converter cables are for the most part total poos. The majority I have used do not allow more than one midi channel being triggered at a time so perhaps try using an interface instead. I know that fixed all my midi issues when I was trying to sequence my ND2

[Kites]

Im not familiar with the ND1 but I know for a fact that the USB-Midi converter cables are for the most part total poos. The majority I have used do not allow more than one midi channel being triggered at a time so perhaps try using an interface instead. I know that fixed all my midi issues when I was trying to sequence my ND2

Thanks for the tip Stoat, I was a bit afraid that the midi converter would be the culprit. I've been trying to find the OG iConnectmidi
at a good price, but I keep missing them. I wonder if the iConnectmidi2+ would be a solution. What Midi interface are you using?

[Stoat]

No worries. Im using a focusrite saffire pro 24 interface and sequence ableton off a macbook. You could try a Camera Connection Kit (CCK) and then run the ipad via usb into your hub (but it needs to be powered as ipad power through 30pin is too small to power the setup) and then to an audio interface (like focusrite scarlett or any usb based audio interface), you then get far more i/o for your money which opens possibilities like effects pedals etc. You then plug the OP1 into the USB hub.

So its:
Ipad -> CCK -> USB hub -> interface
ND1 -> Midi cables (standard) -> interface
OP1 -> USB hub
Interface -> monitors/headphones/DAW

No guarantees it would work but I looked at the same set-up myself (with msequencer (great app) and Loopy on ipad) but you cant run multiple apps on ipad and get a stable midi clock sync due to ios issues (hence I use ableton/macbook).

Hope that helps

[Kites]

Thanks that makes sense, but I actually got it to work from a member on the Operator-1 forum. The key was to use the Midi Bridge app.
My setup:

iPad Air ->CCK->to unpowered USB hub
ND1-> Cheap USB to MIDI converter cables ->USB hub
OP-1-> Cheap USB to MIDI converter cables->USB hub

This setup seems to work, but I think the ND1 and OP-1 start going out of sync... (Running through Nord Beat 2 app)

Do you think the USB hub needs power, or are the converter cables just too damn cheap? Maybe both?

[Kites]

Hi,

Not sure where the timing errors come from that you mention, if I understand your post correctly there is a difference in total latency between your ND and OP-1 that also seems to vary, not sure whether it can be solved, some general ideas:

I tend to avoid USB hubs for MIDI and audio purposes, but the OP-1 doesn't seem have regular MIDI ports so you have no other option, not sure whether the hub is the problem here, but I don't think external power will make the difference per se,

Any good class compliant core 'driverless' MIDI interface should work, - b.t.w. the 'USB to MIDI cables' are in fact MIDI interfaces, - perhaps avoid the very cheapest because some can indeed cause trouble: http://www.norduserforum.com/nord-drum- ... t6063.html -

I use an EMU 1x1 MIDI interface, sometimes an ESI M4Uxl - both are decent quality and can be used with the iPad+camera connection kit without the need of external power supply,

Hope you manage to get it working properly

Albert

[Kites]

Thanks Albert, glad you recommend the EMU 1x1 cable because I had just received it around the time of your post. It's definitely improved, but I still feel they eventually run out of sync on occasions. I think it may be a matter of how I'm routing Midi Bus...If I have a device going MIDI IN, Clock SYNC IN, and the same for output of the same device; will that loop the routing and cause it to function erratically? (I've always wondered, but never inquired)

I have the itrack Dock coming in the mail and I hope to the gear gods that I don't run into further issues. Yikes

[wartaler]

Hi,
well I think you are ok now on the hardware side,
I am a bit unfamiliar with the OP-1 so I didn't quite understand your original post,
and just now figured out the OP-1 has it's own internal sequencer,

Correct me if I'm wrong: You're using both the Nord Beat app and the OP-1 as sequencers - right?
So on the OP-1 you have some patterns/songs, and on the Nord Beat app you also have some patterns/songs (this case the sound is coming out of your ND..)
And now you're trying to synchronize the Nord Beat app with your OP-1 internal sequencer - so that you'll have one concerted performance from your ND and OP-1 ...

I'm not an expert on this matter but some idea's:
- based on your remark: select only one device to send Sync signals, all other devices should only receive
- With tempo changes MIDI Sync may take some time to properly .. synchronize,
Sync seems to react a bit like tap tempo (see: http://www.norduserforum.com/nord-drum- ... t6721.html)

If indeed you trying to do the above, perhaps try a different setup altogether:
- use one sequencer (app) to compose your songs, and use your OP-1 and ND only as instruments to generate sound, - then you won't need the Sync function
if the Nord Beat app doesn't have enough tracks/options you should check others like Cubasis, Genome MIDI, StepPolyArp, or mSequencer

Hope this helps
Albert