Nord User Forum

Hello,

I just bought a Take 5 to complement my NS4 on stage.
Unfortunately, I can't use the MIDI the way I want, and I don't know if it's because I'm doing it wrong or because the NS4's MIDI is malfunctioning.
The Take 5 looks great, but I'm afraid I won't be able to use it live as easily as I'd hoped as a complement to my NS4.

I want :

- For some programs, use the Take 5 as an AuxKeyb to play the Nord Stage sounds, but for some other programs, play the Take 5 sounds on my NS4 with the External Section. The problem is that I don't seem to be able to set both the AuxKeyb and the External Section to the same MIDI channel to be able to use either one. Am I wrong?

- When I use the Take 5 in "Extern Section", I can use the sustain and expression pedals connected to my NS4 to act on the sounds of the Take 5, it's perfect! But I would also like to be able to use the sustain and expression pedal connected to my NS4 to act on the sounds of the Take 5, even when the "Extern Session" is not active. Possible?

- Finally, when the External Session is active, I would like to be able to act on the volume of the Take 5 sound by using the NS4 volume slider. But when I touch it, the Take 5 suddenly starts to scream (the sound level jumps and suddenly becomes very loud!). How can I do this?

Thanks for the help.

Hi.

I have the same arrangement of NS4 and Take 5. It is a brilliant combination. But a bit of a pain with MIDI.

What I have set up is this. The Take 5 on MIDI RX - all channels. Then it automatically TX on Ch 1.

The NS4 has AUX KBD channel as ch1. And EXTERN A TX on MIDi 12 (anything other than 1).

That way you can use both keyboards as you describe, with Program Changes from the NS4 to the T5 for each song. These are transmitted even if EXTERNAL is not active. I have a program called ‘off’ on the T5 with the oscillator volumes set to zero, so I can use it as a dumb controller for the NS4 on solos etc.


There is no way I’ve found to also then use the pedal on the NS4 to control the T5 if EXTERNAL is not active. It is a feature I’ve requested. I just use a separate foot switch and control pedal. It is annoying.

Hope this helps.

Sorry. The volume thing is annoying. The levels always jump. Another commonly requested feature on this forum is to have it pick up or something similar (like the T5 does). I try and set the levels in the program on the T5 so that when the NS4 external layer fader is at about 90%, the balance is right. That way there are no massive increases in level even worst case.

Great, it's starting to work as I'd like. Thanks for that.

I still have a few questions:

- I also set the NS4's global MIDI to "Off," otherwise each program would control the Take5.
Except that this seems to make Program Changes impossible ...
Indeed, I'd like to control program changes via my iPhone and the SetlistMaker app. At this point, I had managed to get the app to work with either the NS4 alone or the Take5 alone, but with my new MIDI settings, it no longer seems to work.
How do I do this?


- I don't touch the Take5's master volume, and yet I have the feeling that certain program changes on the NS4 sometimes cause significant jumps in the Take5's volume; this seems a mystery to me...

Program changes using the NS4. Use the EXTERN SETTINGS, PROGRAM CHANGE. Use the LSB for EXTERN A to select the T5 bank (0 is bank1, 16 is factory bank 1), and the PC value as the program number on the T5. Make sure SEND ON LOAD is set to ON. These values stored per NS4 program. They are transmitted even if the EXTERN layer is not active. So you should be able to have the ipad do a PC on the NS4 and have the T5 follow. (I have GLOBAL set to OFF)

But I think if your ipad is on usb MIDI, then the global PC should not make it through to the MIDI DIN connection of the T5, so you could use a GLOBAL PC from the ipad to do a PC on the NS4, without an unwanted effect on the T5.

I haven't found a solution to the volume thing, if the EXTERN layer is not active and you are playing on the T5, because the CC7 for volume is not transmitted with a PC by the NS4.So the T5 retains the setting from the previous program. Keep the T5 layer volume pretty much constant on the Nord, and adjust with the PROG VOLUME in the T5 program menu?

Let me know how you get on.

Heatha05 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2025, 16:46 Program changes using the NS4. Use the EXTERN SETTINGS, PROGRAM CHANGE. Use the LSB for EXTERN A to select the T5 bank (0 is bank1, 16 is factory bank 1), and the PC value as the program number on the T5. Make sure SEND ON LOAD is set to ON. These values stored per NS4 program. They are transmitted even if the EXTERN layer is not active. So you should be able to have the ipad do a PC on the NS4 and have the T5 follow. (I have GLOBAL set to OFF)

I don't think this will work because the NS4 can only receive PC messages on its Global channel.

For the OP to achieve their goal it may be necessary to use an external midi processing gizmo - something like the CME H4 Midi.

1. Set the T5 midi channel to the same as the NS4 Aux channel.
2. Connect all devices to the H4 and have Setlist maker send 2 PC messages, one to the NS4 on it's Global channel and one to the T5 on it's channel.
3. Use the H4 to map the NS4 External channel to the T5 channel.
4. Use the H4 to map Sustain Pedal (cc64) messages from the NS4 Global channel to the T5 channel. Ditto for Ctrl Pedal (cc11) etc. This will enable you to control the T5 from the NS4 sustain pedal even when ext section is off. It might be best to turn the Sustain Pedal etc. Off in the External section to avoid sending duplicate messages which could cause problems.

Some of the Volume problems may be a caused by an unwanted Midi cc7 message being sent with a PC message from the NS4. As Setlist Maker will be doing all the PC work switching Send On Thru to Off in the external section may help.

Smoother control of the T5 volume from the NS4 may be possible by setting one of the External cc encoders to cc7 with an initial value that matches the T5 patch. Because they are Endless Encoders they will always be 'in the right place' unlike the sliders which may not match the LED value.

Something to think about

It works great! Thank you so much.
The Program Change trick via the external session, even when it's turned off, is brilliant!

I understand how the volume works, in fact it retains the settings of the previous program. A little annoying, but knowing that, I will try to standardize the volumes when programming. Indeed, I saw that the Take5 could save a volume level per program, this could surely be useful!

I'll now be able to dive into sound design with the Take 5; I think it's going to sound lovely.