Nord User Forum

I just wonder how the Nord Triple Piano works. I mean, linear (Expression Type, potentiometer) or Sustain (Switch) are pretty simple devices.
And given that the Nord Piano /Stage 2 have one single Pedal Input for EITHER a standard Sustain Pedal OR the Triple Pedal, they can't work too different.

So do they have a fancy Microcontroller in there to manage to work all the functionality or just a combination of switches & potis (or am I completely naive??)? Anyhow, I would love to take a multimeter to check out the Triple Piano to see what it tells, but for that first need a NP or NS2 and then the Pedal.. so its more a medium-term idea...

I am very interested too in how they made the pedal work.
I looked at the Nord Pianos pedal plug in a music store. It is a simple stereo TRS plug, which makes me wonder how they get the continuous damper pedal and the 2 other ones to work at the same time. Normally a continuos half damper pedal takes up a TRS plug by itself - like an expression pedal...

Well - I pre-ordered the Stage2 - so when I get It I may be able to find out more.

The dealer which sold me my NS2 a month ago now also has the Triple Pedal (which is NOT included with the Stage 2, by the way) for sale. I'm gonna get one for sure. But I'm interested in how this thing works. I'm hoping it will be possible to fix some Y-adapter cable extension that will allow me to separate the Una Corda or Sostenuto switch and plug it into the rotary speed pedal socket.

I really hope Clavia will make a single sustain pedal, that works with the half-pedaling and pedal-noise features soon. I don't think I will buy the tripple pedal(even though it's tempting). It's just too bulky, and I probably wouldn't use the other two pedals much anyway (at least for gigging).

A single sustain pedal would certainly be great for gigging!

I've got the NP88, and the NTP works really really well. For any of you Stage 2 guys, I'd strongly recommend getting one (though they're a bit steep in price at $299) if you play much piano.

kagamul wrote:I am very interested too in how they made the pedal work.
I looked at the Nord Pianos pedal plug in a music store. It is a simple stereo TRS plug, which makes me wonder how they get the continuous damper pedal and the 2 other ones to work at the same time. Normally a continuos half damper pedal takes up a TRS plug by itself - like an expression pedal...

Actually, most expression pedals, and half-pedalling damper pedals as well, are used as a variable resistor rather than a potentiometer in many instruments, e.g. Korg keyboards: the socket tip or the ring act as a current source (either "perfect", or approximately simulated by a resistor), its voltage is encoded.

So it is not necessary to use any signal multiplexing or modulation to encode 1 continuous + 2 switch data with a single TRS stereo jack. The circuits inside the triple pedal can be purely passive - no microcontroller, no IC, no transistors!

Just to demonstrate this, let's take an example:

1. The Sustain variable resistor (potentiometer part between an end and the cursor) is connected between T and S; the voltage between T and S (ground) is encoded, as usual.

2. An elementary 2 bit resistive ladder is connected between R and S; the voltage between R and S is encoded. The ladder consists of 2 resistors in series, of 1:2 ratio, e.g. 1K and 2K Ohms. Each resistor is shorted by one of the pedal switches (Sostenuto and Una Corda resp.). Assume R is a 1 mA current source. If both pedals are On, R voltage is 0. If only one pedal is On, the voltage is 1 or 2 V depending on the pedal. If both pedals are Off, the voltage is 3 V.

Of course, there can be many variations of this simple principle...

Alain

thanks for that explanation, so the actual values could probably easy be measured right?
and I second a simple sustain pedal would be nice!

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Johannes wrote:thanks for that explanation, so the actual values could probably easy be measured right?

Sure - a reverse engineering for beginners in electronics ;-) - assuming my hypothesis is true, however... That's what I intend to do when I receive my NS2.

a simple sustain pedal would be nice!

+ 1.

Regardless of how it sends/receives signals...the NTP works really well! :-) For a three pedal unit, it actually is rather light weight and gig friendly. Just another plus for it. If I was buying the NS2, the NTP would definitely be purchased with it, or shortly after it.