Nord User Forum

Let’s try to figure out a great way to control the stage 4 from an external controller. It’s not going to be the same as the stage 2 so we need to get out of our own way and figure out how to do it easily, reliably, and for a number of different use cases.

I am trying to buy a ns4compact but I’d really like to know the following before doing so. Can someone confirm:

the morphable functions for each instrument panel set to aux kb mode can be morphed via the Nord stage 4’s internal control pedal and mod wheel? This allows you to still morph from the ns4 for aux kb instruments and the ns4 panels simultaneously.

Octave +1/-1 for any panel set to aux kb mode will receive incoming midi notes and transpose them by +1/-1 octave. This allows the aux kb to stay in a static octave range and not need to transpose octave or set splits on a per patch basis.

I’d also assume that internal keyboard after touch on the ns4 does not affect sounds controlled by the aux kb panels. This would be strange if so… just trying to figure out the logic of the design.

Thanks in advance to the person who tests these things for me )

Just an update to allow a panel to be assigned to no zone would solve many of the problems I’m hearing on this forum… we’ve been asking for that since the ns3 lost this.

One potential (albeit weird) work around that I posted in another thread could be to set a split on the ns4sw that was only the very top/bottom of the keyboard and assign the panels that wanted to be controlled only via external keyboard and on a midi panel basis (not aux kb) to that zone only and avoid playing that zone on the ns4’s internal keybed. If my memory serves me right from ns2, the external keyboard midi panel assignments don’t see zones or octave shifts when assigned via midi panel to a particular instrument’s panel. It just takes the incoming midi notes and plays the assigned engine without zone, octave shift. A hack but maybe a viable temporary work around?? Sorry for posting twice, I don’t know if anyone is still reading the older thread…

mtier0067 wrote: ↑21 Jun 2024, 13:47
the morphable functions for each instrument panel set to aux kb mode can be morphed via the Nord stage 4’s internal control pedal and mod wheel? This allows you to still morph from the ns4 for aux kb instruments and the ns4 panels simultaneously.

Octave +1/-1 for any panel set to aux kb mode will receive incoming midi notes and transpose them by +1/-1 octave. This allows the aux kb to stay in a static octave range and not need to transpose octave or set splits on a per patch basis.

I’d also assume that internal keyboard after touch on the ns4 does not affect sounds controlled by the aux kb panels. This would be strange if so… just trying to figure out the logic of the design.

Great questions. I'm quite interested in the answers, too.

NS4 not reacting to external MW, CP and PB commands should imply that the AuxKB layers need to be controllable from the internal controllers. Which makes the AuxKB layers less independent, less versatile and less complex (maybe also less complicated) than they were in the NS3 ExtKB 'panel' mode. Of course, there isn't a panel separation on the NS4s anymore, anyway.

Concerning Octave +/-: The MIDI menu item 'Transpose MIDI At' [In/Out] is said to control any transpose setting - global and per program. Would be interesting to know if Octave +/- is affected by this setting as well - but I don't suppose so.

Hi everyone.
With this idea, I think I interpret what every Nord Stage 4 owner would like to have as MIDI management.
OK means it's fine as it is.

SHIFT-MIDI
Local Control (On-Off) OK
Global - OK
AuxKB - (OMNI or selection of one or more midi channels)
Organ Channel = A (e.g. 1) Internal or External
Organ Channel = B (ex:2) Internal or External
Sect (OK)

Piano Channel = A (e.g. 3) Internal or External
Piano Channel = B (e.g. 4) Internal or External
Sect (OK)

Synth Channel = A (e.g. 5) Internal or External
Synth Channel = B (e.g. 6) Internal or External
Synth Channel = C (e.g. 7) Internal or External
Sect (OK)

The next section, that of the External Channel, is no longer needed at this point.

The KB ZONES would remain assigned for both INTERNAL and EXTERNAL, and if multiple AUX KEYS are connected to the NS4, the zones could all be assigned without split points.
Thus, the NORD STAGE 4 would be the TOP for LIVE performances, given that the Nord 4 is called "STAGE".

Sorry again for my bad English, but I used an online translator.

IMO chance to put individual parts to local off (or ”no keyboard zone”) would solve many problems. In my opionion Aux KB mode is fine as it.

But I would like to add a one crucial MIDI feature:
Extern midi channels on program level. Now those are set on global level. (For comparison, NS3 extern midi channels were set on program level so again NS4 is a step backwards midiwise.)

100% agree that the main/only thing needed would be to allow aux kb panel to be assigned to no zones as long as the splits and octave shifts of the panels that are assigned to aux kb are controlable via the stage 4 front panel.

mtier0067 wrote: ↑24 Jun 2024, 00:41 100% agree that the main/only thing needed would be to allow aux kb panel to be assigned to no zones as long as the splits and octave shifts of the panels that are assigned to aux kb are controlable via the stage 4 front panel.

THIS is the basic Stage 3 functionality I have been waiting on for more than a year, almost 18 months (and using in the Stage 2, EX and 3). I have no idea why anyone thought to leave this out from the factory. They've been coding this in from the beginning.

Can someone please confirm if the octave and split points are "received" and "transposed" at input on the NS4 for panels assigned to Aux KB midi?

The aux kb function already assigns the panels to "no zones" but I'd like to know (before purchasing with the hope that Clavia will release a midi update that addresses the countless concerns here!) if this works or not.
Please someone test this : )
Thanks in advance!

mtier0067 wrote: ↑25 Jun 2024, 05:04 Can someone please confirm if the octave and split points are "received" and "transposed" at input on the NS4 for panels assigned to Aux KB midi?

The aux kb function already assigns the panels to "no zones" but I'd like to know (before purchasing with the hope that Clavia will release a midi update that addresses the countless concerns here!) if this works or not.
Please someone test this : )
Thanks in advance!

Just to be sure I understand your question:
Are you asking that If you make split points or octave shifts to parts you put in Aux Kb mode those split points and shifts are there with your external controller as well? If that's the question then answer is YES.

One more word about Aux KB mode:

I updated my NS4 to newest 1.32 firmware and tested once more this Aux kb functionality. It's a total mess to be honest. If anything Nord should really fix this. There's no excuse that Aux kb does not work after over year of waiting.

For testing let's say you have Aux kb on midi ch1 and you put Piano B to Aux Kb mode.

This works:
+ You can play this Piano B with external controller (on midi ch1)
+ Pitch bender works with it

This DON'T work:
- If you make wheel to control Piano B's volume (or other parameter) it won't work. Strangely NS4's own wheel does affect to Piano B's volume. To me this latter is beyond any logic. If you give Piano B to external control you don't want NS4 to control it. Same is with NS4's bender: it also bends Piano B's sound. I surely hope that this is not intended behavior.
- I assume that similar problems are there with Control Pedal or other midi CC messages.