Piano Clips at a lower volume than Organ

[ElliotSW]

Hi, just a very quick question as I get my head around my relatively new NS3
Has anyone noticed that the piano sound clips (goes into the red on my audio interface) at a far lower volume than the Organ for example?

So I can play huge sounding chords on the organ with my audio interface gain fairly high! without triggering the clipping warning from my audio interface
BUT if I switch to a piano sound (grand) without changing any of the settings (both organ and piano are at full volume) the audio output will be deep into the red clipping zone
BUT NOT AS LOUD as the organ?!

To be honest my grand/upright piano sounds are really causing me dismay. Yes they sound far better through headphones but through my fairly decent speakers on top of the problem already described above;

Am I doing something wrong? Thank you, all the best,
Elliot

[WannitBBBad]

Hello, and welcome to the Forum! Can you describe how you are running the output of your Stage 3? Users have experienced the balance of the organ and piano being a little different when listening through headphones versus the CH1 and CH2 output, but not significant as you describe. Your output routing is important, as it's possible that the interface is receiving the signal correctly but the signal chain after that is causing phase cancellation to make the piano sound much lower than the organ. I'll check back tomorrow and I'm sure you'll have additional comments/suggestions from the members there in Europe especially. Take care

[Mr_-G-]

Hi. Check how is the equaliser section being used. Maybe you have high gains for the section that clips louder. Switch it off and try again? If you can post some sound samples/video it would be useful.

[ElliotSW]

Hi WannitBBBad (great username) & Mr_-G- (the OG?)
Thanks so much for getting back to me so quickly, glad to be part of the forum.

WannitBBBad - thanks for your reply. I am using two TS 1/4 cables from output 1 & 2 of the NS3 going directly into a Scarlett 2i2; from here I simply go out to my speakers using a TS cable for each monitor and also a USB into my MacBook. Not entirely sure I understand what you mean about the signal chain after the interface but I hope what I described above helps. I suppose it could be something to do with the fact the piano is a sample? But to be clear I am talking about the Grand Piano section in the Piano Engine (not samples in the synth section)

Mr_-G- - Thanks for your reply. It isn't related to the EQ section but I appreciate you pointing that out. My EQ is off and I was finding this large volume discrepancy and clipping situation after initialising my sound engines to start afresh so to speak. I will most definitely try and send a video of what I'm seeing in this topic.

Thank you both for your replies. All the best,
Elliot

[ElliotSW]

Hello I have been unable to re-create the problem. Maybe my EQ really was on and effecting the Piano sounds.
Sorry to have wasted your time repliers ! I would prefer to delete the post but can't seem to find a way to do so.
The piano is far quieter than the organ B3 with all it's draw bars out but I suppose that is perfectly normal. Thanks for reaching out Mr G and Wantitbad.

[Mr_-G-]

You need to make sure that by using the two inputs of the 2i2 the signals are not mixed. That is they have to be panned fully in opposite directions (so input 1 goes only to L speaker and input 2 only to R one). Some interfaces have software to adjust this. I have no idea about the 2i2.

[FZiegler]

You might find after a while that having the piano or organ engine on full volume isn't an appropriate starting point: If you want to level out a weaker sample, there is no headroom left to amplify a bit only that one. And they are not fully even one to each other.

[jonilikeskeys]

Did you think about the organ swell? Maybe your pedal is not plugged in and the organ is at „low volume“ all the time. So you turn up the whole keyboard with the effect of really loud Piano sounds?
If you don’t use a swell pedal, maybe check the settings about organ swell and so on…

[ElliotSW]

Hello, thanks for your inputs Joni and Ziegler. Going to add some findings below which might illuminate the poor audio output I was getting but my initial volume difference between organ and piano seems to be something I cannot recreate.

I appreciate what you mean about headroom Ziegler but I was being forced (I felt) to push my piano volumes way up to get a decent sound (comparable to the Organ which sounded brilliant immediately)
Joni, good idea! I'll research how to check my organ swell settings soon. I haven't plugged into that output as of yet but maybe it is having an influence. I only have a sustain pedal plugged in.

Just a quick update on some findings.
So I decided to remove the Scarlett 2i2 from the equation !!for the first time!! & go directly into my "Ayra Pro5" speakers
Output 1 - TS cable to left speaker
Output 2 - TS cable to right speaker

Firstly, so much louder!
secondly so much better! Piano sounding a lot nicer! and I am truly hearing and feeling the stereo now.

a bit concerning to think that my Scarlett 2i2 audio interface is having this deletorious effect.
I will do some research into how to attain the positive qualities of bypassing the A.interface whilst the A.interface is part of the chain. It would be preferable for recording on the fly.

Thanks everyone. Surely a stereo routing problem from the 2i2 2nd gen. not sure why the volume is so much lower though (maybe something to do with the A.interface's monitor wheel vs the speakers -6db output knob)

[maxpiano]

Uhm... Scarlett 2i2? You may want to read this thread then accessories-and-amplification-f8/how-to ... 22067.html