Nord Lead A1 - Global Midi Channel(s)

[Bama77]

Hello,

Quick question: Is it possible to have different patches for different GLOBAL MIDI channels on the Nord Lead which play at the same time? MIDI-wise?

Or in other words:

1. I set my Global MIDI channel to 1 and my Slot MIDI channels to OFF, make an external MIDI track in my sequencer and record MIDI notes. Works.

2. Now when i set my Global MIDI channel to 2 and make another external MIDI track in my sequencer and again record some notes, i can only hear MIDI channel 2.

Why? Can the Nord only perform 1 global MIDI Channel?

[ricard]

I think the simple answer to your first question is "no".

However, if what you want to do is play multitimbrally, then use the slot MIDI channels. Set slots A, B, C and D to channels 1, 2, 3 and 4. When you select slot A, the Nord emit MIDI events on channel 1 when you play the keyboard. When you select slot B, it will send events on channel 2. All four channels with be active for reception at all time.

If you want to play different performance patches on different MIDI channels, no that's not possible. When you select a performance you set up a specific combination of patches and slot settings. The machine can only play one performance at a time. So you can't for instance have one performance play via MIDI and play another performance at the same time from the keyboard (or from another MIDI channel).

[kroffe]

The Nord Lead A1 always transmits on global channel so if global channel is set to 16, keyboard will output notes on midi channel 16.
Slotchannels are used for controlling the single program parts on those channels.
Performance mode receives on Globalchannel.

[pablomastodon]

To expand on the two previous (and correct) responses:

Most DAWs (ones I've used anyway) will allow you to assign an outgoing midi channel to any individual track regardless of what midi channel the track was recorded on. So, to combine the examples mentioned by Ricard and Kroffe, if you set Global to channel 16 and Slots A-D to channels 1-4, you will be able to record four independent tracks into your DAW and then play all four of them back into the Nord when in Program Mode.

Performance Mode is a slightly different animal as mentioned...

Pablo

P.S. -- I do not think the scenario you mention in your original post is possible on ANY keyboard. Global channel is global channel -- can't be running two global channels at once.

[ricard]

The Nord Lead A1 always transmits on global channel so if global channel is set to 16, keyboard will output notes on midi channel 16.
Slotchannels are used for controlling the single program parts on those channels.
Performance mode receives on Globalchannel.

Is this different from previous Nord Leads? I mostly have experience with the '2, and on that one the keyboard transmits on the slot channel. Can't remember though if there's something like it transmits on the global channel if the slot channel is set to 'off' or something.

[kroffe]

Is this different from previous Nord Leads? I mostly have experience with the '2, and on that one the keyboard transmits on the slot channel. Can't remember though if there's something like it transmits on the global channel if the slot channel is set to 'off' or something.

Yes, this different from how the Nord Lead 2 behave. On Nord Lead 2 you cannot set the global channel to "off".

[ricard]

Ok, so on the A1, if the global channel is Off, does it transmit on the slot channel then, and if the global channel is set to something else, it transmits on that one?

Was the behavior changed in the A1, or rather, how far back was this changed in the Nord Lead lineup?

I don't really notice it with my current setup, as I normally route everything through my sequencer and I've got channelization switched on so it doesn't care which channel the key data originates on.

[Marlowes]

Hej Ricard!

Off topic:

Are you having a boring day at the office? You seem to be even more active than me on the forum today.
I am really bored. Checking all the fixed assets at the factory and preparing stuff for the chartered accountant. Financial stuff ... and I'm an ENGINEER!
But the forum brightens up my day!

Anyhow, financial "work" ... I get money to buy more Nord stuff. Like the A1! Which you probably want to borrow soon, he, he ...

/Amicalement
Michael in Scania
(just like Ricard)

[ricard]

Yeah, some days I repeatedly have to wait a couple of minutes for a compiler to finish or a system to boot so I check out a forum with something familiar in order to keep my brain going instead of just staring at the screen or starting something which takes to long to finish.


Trying desperately to get back on topic... Would like to know what the difference is between the way Global Channel works on the A1 for instance, compared to earlier machines, owing to the fact that Global Channel can be set off on the A1.

[kroffe]

Chapter 4 - "Slots and Memory" in the Nord Lead A1 User Manual explains the essentials:
http://www.nordkeyboards.com/downloads/ ... rd-lead-a1