Nord User Forum

Hi.
I am new to keyboards and would appreciate some guidance.
Why are there both in/out ports and also a USB connection on the rear of the instrument? I am trying to get the Nord 5 through a Focusrite Scarlet 4i4 box and a PC. Focusrite say use two cables from the piano out to the in ports on the box and then a USB connection from the box to the PC. Which is correct please?
I also have a MIDI keyboard which works ok through a USB.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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Hi, Nords don't play audio through USB. It's just for midi and transferring data.

You want to run a pair L and R 1/4" audio cables to your Focusrite audio inputs. Don't forget to hard pan the L and the R.

Thanks cphollis,
I dont understans what you mean by "Don't forget to hard pan the L and the R."
Thanks

1072FxMGP wrote: 07 Mar 2025, 11:42 Thanks cphollis,
I dont understans what you mean by "Don't forget to hard pan the L and the R."
Thanks

Ideally, you have two signals coming out of your Nord, known as L (left) and R (right). Each one will plug into its own channel on your mixer or audio interface.

Each channel on your mixer or interface has a "balance" control which determines how much of that individual channel ends up on the left side or right side of your stereo audio.

Normally, these controls are left straight up, which means that each audio channel signal is split 50/50 across the stereo feed. Vocalists appear in the center, for example.

But that's not what you want with a stereo keyboard. You need to twist two balance controls on your mixer or audio interface so that one is 100% L(eft) and the other 100% R(ight) to preserve the stereo imaging, otherwise it'll sound like a mono instrument.

That's called a "hard stereo pan".

Hi,
Thanks again, I understand now.