NL4 USB 2.0 vs 5-PIN DIN MIDI Connection

[Muziksculp]

Hi,

I have my NL4 (Rack) connected to my system via the 5-PIN DIN MIDI ports, instead of USB 2.0 port. Mainly because I ran out of USB 2.0 Ports on my system.

When editing the NL4 (Rack) , I frequently get hanging notes issues, which are quite annoying when I am trying to get creative with programming, which forces me to engage the PANIC button via Holding Shift and pressing the Panic button.

So.. I wonder if it would be better to connect the NL4 via USB 2.0 instead, to avoid this issue ?

Does USB 2.0 offer much faster midi data transfer than 5-PIN DIN MIDI ports ?

Anyone having hanging note issues with a NL4 or NL4 (Rack), when connecting it via USB 2.0 while editing it ?

Any feedback on this would be helpful.

Thanks,
Muziksculp

[pablomastodon]

What is happening when you get these hanging note issues? Are you perhaps changing midi channels on your controller? Or stopping a sequence from playing? It sounds like perhaps your Nord is receiving Note On messages and then not receiving the corresponding Note Off messages. If this is what is happening, it is not a consequence of the Nord and its design, but of the nature of midi data transmission and the same problems would exist in the same way when using USB.

Bless,

Pablo

[Muziksculp]

What is happening when you get these hanging note issues? Are you perhaps changing midi channels on your controller? Or stopping a sequence from playing? It sounds like perhaps your Nord is receiving Note On messages and then not receiving the corresponding Note Off messages. If this is what is happening, it is not a consequence of the Nord and its design, but of the nature of midi data transmission and the same problems would exist in the same way when using USB.

Bless,

Pablo

Hi Pablo,

I get the hanging note issues when I'm programming the NL4 (Rack), I will be triggering notes from my Keyboard (YAMAHA Motif XF 7), and tweaking the NL4 (R) while listening to a program, most of the time it behaves well, but then suddenly, I get a hanging note. Note that I'm not sequencing it, but manually inputting notes in real time while tweaking the NL4 from the knobs, and buttons.

I have not experienced the hanging notes issue when I trigger it from a recorded midi track in my sequencer (Cubase 7.5)

Thanks,
Muziksculp

[pablomastodon]

Perhaps long amp or mod envelope release setting is causing this? If not then I'm at a loss for a better idea at the moment. This is a mysterious report... I have an NR4 here and have not experienced this myself, nor can I really think of another reason for such a thing to happen. Perhaps when you next have that problem crank down on amp env and mod env and see if your hung note(s) go away.

Pablo

[Muziksculp]

Perhaps long amp or mod envelope release setting is causing this? If not then I'm at a loss for a better idea at the moment. This is a mysterious report... I have an NR4 here and have not experienced this myself, nor can I really think of another reason for such a thing to happen. Perhaps when you next have that problem crank down on amp env and mod env and see if your hung note(s) go away.

Pablo

Hi,

It is a mysterious issue. I will be looking carefully into this, and try to find out what is causing it.

I did notice that long release time for the AMP envelope could cause a hanging note problem, even when I turn the release knob down, the note still plays. But this doesn't happen always, just some times while editing, and triggering notes.

I will provide more feedback on this if I find the cause of the problem.

Thanks for your feedback.

Cheers,
Muziksculp

[NemoSynth]

BTW, generally speaking the USB-MIDI is much faster than conventional 5-pin DIN MIDI. This is a lot noticeable when you transfer large bulk data etc.

[Muziksculp]

BTW, generally speaking the USB-MIDI is much faster than conventional 5-pin DIN MIDI. This is a lot noticeable when you transfer large bulk data etc.

Hi NemoSynth,

Thanks for the feedback. I was expecting this, but was not sure.

I will temporarily test connecting via USB, to check if the hanging note/s issue still happens.

Cheers,
Muziksculp

[pablomastodon]

Transferring large bulk data and playing notes on your Motif are two different things, though. One has to have REALLY FAST fingerwork to choke up a midi stream just from playing notes. Even Czerny himself couldn't do that! This behavior is not expected...

Pablo