Swell/crescendo pedals connection with C2

[Yoshi]

Hi guys,

I’m a complete novice in the field, and I realise I’m asking something so basic to most of you guys.

Basically, I’m trying to hook up my Nord C2 organ with a pedalboard and swell/crescendo pedals I purchased recently.

My problem is that the swell pedal and crescendo pedals on the pedalboard aren’t working though the pedalboard itself is working fine and producing wonderful sounds.

I’m sure all the components (Nord/MIDI devices) with cables are connected properly.

I have no idea whatsoever how to set the MIDI channel(s) on the organ or MIDI devices behind the pedalboard for the swell/crescendo pedals.

I’d really appreciate if anyone out there could help me on this so that I can start practising, at least.

I’ll attach a photo of the MIDI device on the pedalboard for swells.

Cheers,

Josh

[tacitus]

So the 1/4" TRS socket left of centre in the picture is for the swell pedal? If your swell pedal has a TRS plug on it that fits that socket then try plugging into the back of the C2 in the socket marked, wait for it - swell pedal. You need to plug in the swell pedal that way; the midi connection is purely for the notes you hit on the pedalboard. I'm assuming that socket on the photo is to convert the swell pedal to a midi output?

Does that make sense? I've typed that in a hurry and it makes sense to me but then I know what I'm trying to say ...

[Yoshi]

Hi tacitus,

Thanks for your reply. To be honest, I've already tried what you said; hooked up the 1/4" TRS socket with the swell socket behind C2 using a cable, which didn't work - that's why I'm puzzled.

> the midi connection is purely for the notes you hit on the pedalboard.
I didn't realise this; I was hoping that I could somehow adjust the MIDI channel setting on my C2 for swell/crescendo pedals... (Obviously, there's a signal communication error between the MIDI device for swell/crescendo pedals and my C2.)
The pedalboard builder (who doesn't know much about Nord keyboard) in Germany told me that he would set up the MIDI device on my pedalboard/swell pedals in a certain way because I told him that I would like to use Hauptwerk sofwtware later.

I've tried discussing this matter with the builder, but, his English seems limited (though his products are splendid) and my German is non-existent, which makes our communication rather difficult - a daft situation, isn't it?

Josh

[Yoshi]

Hi tacitus,

Thanks for your reply. To be honest, I've already tried what you said; hooked up the 1/4" TRS socket with the swell socket behind C2 using a cable, which didn't work - that's why I'm puzzled.

Did you use a stereo cable? TRS is the stereo type (3 connectors).

[Mooser]

If you are using the "pipe organ" emulation in the Nord, the swell pedal acts like a pipe orghan swell pedal. It will vary the volme and tone of certain stops on the swell manual. The effect can be subtle. Try the swell pedal on either the "B3" "Farf" or "Vx" model. Hope that helps

[Yoshi]

Could you let us know exactly what model this pedal is, or at least give us some useful information about it? It's clearly not designed for a Nord and without some precise information about it, we're all just guessing in the dark.

> the midi connection is purely for the notes you hit on the pedalboard.
I didn't realise this; I was hoping that I could somehow adjust the MIDI channel setting on my C2 for swell/crescendo pedals... (Obviously, there's a signal communication error between the MIDI device for swell/crescendo pedals and my C2.)

There's no communication error, it simply doesn't work that way.

[tacitus]

I wasn't as clear as I thought: I assumed the socket on the board in your photo was to plug a normal swell pedal in and then convert that into midi. That isn't the way the Nord works: you need a standard swell pedal - Nord, Boss, Yamaha, whatever and the pedal plugs directly into the back of the Nord - in the swell pedal socket. It sounds as if you were trying to connect the socket on your board to that socket on the Nord with a TRS to TRS lead. Is that what you did?

If the swell pedal is built into your pedal board, you need to be able to get the potentiometer wired directly to the Nord's swell pedal socket. Of course, if the socket in your photo IS supposed to connect ike a standard swell pedal, then there is a wiring problem or something isn't working properly. BTW, when you buy the Nord pedalboard, you get a swell pedal, but it's just an ordinary one screwed to the top of the pedal board, with its own TRS lead to plug into the organ.

Is all that any help?

[Yoshi]

And I though (perhaps wrongly?, I do not know) that the pedalboard had an expression pedal and that socket should be connected to the expression input. But now I am doubting that as well.

[tacitus]

Yes the Nord pedalkeys 27 does have an expression pedal, but as I say, it's effectively just a separate swell pedal that screws on to the pedalboard casing. There's a captive lead with a TRS plug that goes straight into the swell pedal socket on the back of the C1/C2/C2D. The midi lead from the pedals only sends the pedal actions to the organ via the 'bass pedal' MIDI-in socket on the back of the organ. MIDI and swell are completely separate. So a third-party pedalboard that sends everything as MIDI won't be able to alter the volume on the Nord unless it has an appropriate 'analogue out', for want of a better term, with the right characteristics to connect to the swell input on the organ. You need two cables, period. Which is sort of messy, but it does give more flexibility to use off the shelf swell pedals and pedal keyboards.

I was kind of hoping that the 1/4" socket on the board in Yoshi's photo does provide a 'proper' swell control compatible with the C2 but, unless there's another problem somewhere, it looks as if it doesn't. If only we had some tech info on the circuitry ...

[Yoshi]

Hi guys,

I really appreciate your help; I'm sorry that I'm just not tech-savvy.

The thing is this pedalboard and swell/crescendo pedals are custom-made and doesn't have a model number as such.

I'll contact the organ builder and ask for the details of the MIDI device for the swell/crescendo he used for me.

Thank you, guys.

Josh