Nord User Forum

Hello forum! I’ve been using a Stage since the Stage EX thru the Stage 3 as a 2 manual organ (upper/lower) with the stage on top of a second external keyboard. The Stage as the top manual and the bottom external keyboard as the lower manual. This has been easy as pie to set up in the past. But, for the life of me, I cannot get the Stage 4 to do this properly. I have tried every which way, with and without the Ext KB function, midi settings, and the closest I can come is to have the lower manual play the A layer on the bottom external keyboard as I wanted but with the S4 playing both the A and B layers simultaneously on top. The S4 organ works fine with the split function when played on the S4 keyboard. I’m at my wits end. Am I missing something obvious? Can anyone refer me to a tutorial or a guide on this specifically (yes I’ve read the manual and researched this forum, although I’m not certain my search skills (like my tech/midi skills) are the best either. Thanks so muchfir any help you can toss my way, everyone!!

I am using a setup with an external keyboard controlling the lower manual while playing the upper on the NS4 all the time, working as a champ. Setup is explained in detail in the user manual, version K, page 54: Just follow the text headed by AUX KB (AUXILLIARY KEYBOARD). This make you play layer A on the NS4 keybed and layer B on your external lower manual.

Hello Valpurgis! Thank you for taking the time to help me! I read that AUX KB section and followed the instructions previously but tried again to no avail. One curious thing about that section is that it says we are trying to set up the aux keyboard to “just control layer B of the Organ section”. But instruction #4 of that section instructs to set the Aux Keyboard Layers “organ” tab to “-B”. But it seems that this doesn’t actually let me control Layer B. However, if I set the “organ” tab to “A-” it lets me control Layer B from the external keyboard as we intended. Also in this configuration Section A is also playable through the Stage’s own keyboard and section B is not playable from the Stage’s keyboard as well. When I set the Aux Keyboard Layers to “- -” then the external keyboard still controls only Layer B but the Stage plays both layers A and B.And of course, my aim is to control organ only layer A with the Stage and only layer B with the external keyboard.
My Nord Stage 4 settings are:
Aux Keyboard Enable= On
Aux Keyboard Layers= A-, -B, - -, AB (I tried all combinations)
MIDi Settings- Organ Channel= A=(1) B=2

External keyboard MIDI out= channel 2

I hope I’m being clear with my description of the problem!
Many thanks again!!

EDIT: I just realized that my S4 is loaded w OS 1.08. Im not sure if that will or will not have any bearing on this problem but I will update today

Your external keyboard should be sending midi on the Nord's Aux Keyboard Channel.

It looks like you have your AUX KB settings correct, but it sounds like your MIDI controller is set to CH 2 which is your Organ A channel.

Go to MIDI Setup P2 and set your AUX KB to MIDI Channel 1 and Change your Controller to send on MIDI Channel 1.

You should now be able to control all parts (per program) and section using the AUX KB = ON and then turn on the appropriate part.

Your problems are due to mixing up two different ways of controlling the organ. Your setup is a mix of Aux kbd control and Layer control of the organ. Try this to ensure you are only using the Aux kbd mode:

Aux Keyboard Enable= On
Aux Keyboard Layers, range organ: -B
MIDi Settings- Aux keyboard channel=2, Organ Channel= A=Off B=Off,

External keyboard MIDI out= channel 2

Also remember to activate Aux mode for organ layer B on the panel.(Edit: Sorry, probably not necessary, will be automatic actived when you set aux kbd range organ to -B, my NS4 is not here now so I can’t confirm 100%)

Hello Valpurgis and SuperStage. I had to turn my attention away for a minute during Mother’s Day weekend but I’m back at it . Thank you so much for attempting to help me out with this!

So I tried the settings as you both prescribed but they didn’t do the trick. The end result was the same for both ways.

The issue that I can’t seem to get around is that when I set Aux Keyboard Layers to -B then Layer B Organ is muted for both keyboards. So there is no way to have A and B Layers both active and be played on separate keyboards. The closest I can get is to have the bottom external keyboard playing only Layer A and the Nord Stage on top sounding both Layers A and B simultaneously. If I set the Aux Keyboard Layers to -B then that mutes Layer A on the top NS4 board.

I forgot to mention that if I set the Aux Keyboard Channel to A-off and B-off as Valpurgis payed out then no sound triggered at all from bottom ext keyboard.

Valpurgis you said that you use the Nord and and external board the same way I’m intending. Could I possibly trouble you to verify your setting your settings when you are near it again?

Thank you again!!

My NS4 currently is on repair due to a faulty display. It definitely should work perfectly, are you 100% sure your external keyboard are sending on midi channel 2? Also no chance your external keyboard send on more than one midi channels? Would also set global midi channel to OFF to ensure the NS4 not is played via the global channel.

Or is there any issue with the output routing?

I think the issue is that you have the AUX KB MIDI channel set to the same channel as your ORG B layer

Here are my settings to control my NS4C from my Korg D1

1. Set your external keyboard to output on MIDI CHANNEL 1

2. SHIFT + PROGRAM 7 (MIDI MENU) Set the incoming MIDI Channels on the NS4
GLOBAL = 16
AUX KB = 1
ORGAN A = 2
ORGAN B = 3
SECTION = OFF
PNO A = 4
PNO B = 5
SECTION = OFF
SYNTH A = 6
SYNTH B = 7
Synth C = 8
SECTION = OFF
EXT A = 9
EXT B = 10
EXT C = 11

3. SHIFT+PROGRAM 4 (AUX KB MENU) Turn on AUX KB mode and select the layers
AUX KB = ON
ORG B
PNO B
SYNTH C

With the above settings, you should be able to play all Organ A, Piano A and Synth AB from your NS4 and Organ B, Piano B and Synth C from the lower controller. The parts will still need to be ON on the active scene you are using to be able to play them.