Nord User Forum

Hello All,
I am pretty new to Nord and to Midi as well. I am playing a Yamaha CP4 via Midi through my Nord Stage 3 Compact (SW Version 2.10). I have not problems at all, setting it up according to the handbooks (CP4 & NS3).
I notice that the key sensitivity on the CP4 is by far to extreme. Even I hardly touch the Keys on the CP4 they sound really loud like I would hammer on them.
I also have connected the Yamaha Sustain Pedal to the CP4 (and a tripple Pedal connected to the NS3).
As soon as I step on the Sustain Pedal on the CP4, it sounds as if I would through the CP4 out of the window.
When I step on the Tripple Pedal connected to the NS3, all behaves fine. Key sensitivity on the NS3 also behaves as expected.
It looks like all the signals coming from the CP4 via Midi are interpreted by the NS3 as extremly loud.
Is here somebody with the same problem/topic? Am I doing something wrong?

Greetings and thanks in advance,
Bernie

As far as I understand, you intend to play the keys of the CP4 to control the sounds of the NS3, via MIDI?

Yamaha and Nord (and Roland and others) have different opinions on how to generate and translate velocity to sound.

On the Nord, you have the option to change the velocity scaling for transmitted MIDI when you use the extern section to do so (there are 3 settings in the menus, which are saved with each programs).

Maybe the Yamaha has a similar option for changing how it translates and transmits MIDI velocities? I know my previous Roland boards had such options. That would be the simplest and best option.

Since that particular option on the Nord only deals with transmitted MIDI and not received MIDI, it won't help on your particular problem. You can, though, on the Nord also change the velocity scaling for the piano section through the KBD TOUCH button, but if you have that already at 0, it only offers options to make it respond even stronger... There is a somewhat similar option in the synth section too.

Alternatively, you can use a dedicated MIDI hardware box or a computer to translate the MIDI velocity values; I think some people here have done either/both.

Thank you baekgaard for the reply. I guess I will use a dedicated MIDI box or computer in order to harmonize the velocity settings of my different devices.

Bernie999 wrote:Thank you baekgaard for the reply. I guess I will use a dedicated MIDI box or computer in order to harmonize the velocity settings of my different devices.

I've heard about some people successfully using this device: https://www.thomann.de/de/lab4music_sipario.htm

Bernie999 wrote:Hello All,
I am pretty new to Nord and to Midi as well. I am playing a Yamaha CP4 via Midi through my Nord Stage 3 Compact (SW Version 2.10). I have not problems at all, setting it up according to the handbooks (CP4 & NS3).
I notice that the key sensitivity on the CP4 is by far to extreme. Even I hardly touch the Keys on the CP4 they sound really loud like I would hammer on them.
I also have connected the Yamaha Sustain Pedal to the CP4 (and a tripple Pedal connected to the NS3).
As soon as I step on the Sustain Pedal on the CP4, it sounds as if I would through the CP4 out of the window.
When I step on the Tripple Pedal connected to the NS3, all behaves fine. Key sensitivity on the NS3 also behaves as expected.
It looks like all the signals coming from the CP4 via Midi are interpreted by the NS3 as extremly loud.
Is here somebody with the same problem/topic? Am I doing something wrong?

Greetings and thanks in advance,
Bernie

Yes, it's a known issue with the Nord Stage 3 (at least the Compact model), which Clavia doesn't seem willing to fix. The only way to deal with this now is to have some kind of a converter box, or a MIDI controller with adjustable velocity curve.

gg2212 wrote: Yes, it's a known issue with the Nord Stage 3 (at least the Compact model), which Clavia doesn't seem willing to fix. The only way to deal with this now is to have some kind of a converter box, or a MIDI controller with adjustable velocity curve.

In all fairness, I think it is a general problem between keyboards of different brands. There is, as far as I know, no well-defined way how actual key velocity should translate to MIDI velocity, and different manufacturers may adopt different standards. That is also why most master-keyboards allow you to tweak the MIDI velocity being sent (including the NS3, that offers 3 settings), so that you can find something that fits the receiving sound generators standards.

baekgaard wrote:

gg2212 wrote: Yes, it's a known issue with the Nord Stage 3 (at least the Compact model), which Clavia doesn't seem willing to fix. The only way to deal with this now is to have some kind of a converter box, or a MIDI controller with adjustable velocity curve.

In all fairness, I think it is a general problem between keyboards of different brands. There is, as far as I know, no well-defined way how actual key velocity should translate to MIDI velocity, and different manufacturers may adopt different standards. That is also why most master-keyboards allow you to tweak the MIDI velocity being sent (including the NS3, that offers 3 settings), so that you can find something that fits the receiving sound generators standards.

As baekgaard says, so in this case the solution has to be searched in the CP4 velocity settings, not on the NS3.

See for example this article https://www.yamahasynth.com/yamaha-synt ... ying-style

Hi Bernie, Were you able to figure this out without adding a separate device? I'm in the same boat here as well... I've tried adjusting the curves on both the yamaha and the Nord... It get's closer, but, still not able to play as soft on the CP4 as I can on the NS3. Curious to hear if you were successful!

See the link that @maxpiano posted. Did that work? Also, here is a link to the CP4 manual. Check out page 18. It looks like you can set and save different velocity curves per program, so when you are using the CP4 to play an external keyboard, you can use a different curve for that program.

https://usa.yamaha.com/files/download/o ... _rm_b0.pdf

@ajstan Thank. We might be on to something with that page 18 of the manual. The link that @maxpiano posted worked a little but still not perfect... I'll report back after I get a chance to set up and mess around with page 18.