Morph - What am I doing wrong?

[bmcmanus]

Please forgive the guitarist Nord noob with a new Rack 2X...

First question: I want to modify several parameters in multiple patches in a performance simultaneously with an Expression pedal. Is it reasonable to expect this functionality?

If this functionality is achievable, please provide some guidance. This is what I'm doing (that doesn't seem to work):
* The Exp Pedal function is set to E.of (off?) for all slots, which I understand will make it mirror the Mod Wheel. Correct?
* I select a slot in a performance.
* I set the MWD (Shift) button so that only the Morph LED is active.
* The Exp pedal is fully down (front down)
* I set up the initial patch
* I press the Exp pedal to fully up (back down)
* I press the Velocity/Morph Assign (V/MA) button. The Assign LED flashes.
- side discussion...for some patches, this Assign LED is solid on, and some patches have it off. I have not found anywhere in the manual that explains why it may be on or off. Am I missing something in the manual? Can anyone explain?
* While the Assign LED is flashing, I try to modify parameters, but nothing happens. When I play a note, no matter what I do, the knobs and switches have absolutely no effect while the Assign button is flashing. Regardless, I change a few parameters, without knowing exactly what they sound like, just so that SOMETHING is different.
* When I press the V/MA button again, it goes either solid on, or solid off.
* I play a note and change the Exp pedal position, but no changes occur.

I'm sure there's something simple I'm missing, but can't fathom what it could be. The manual seems overly simplified on this point (doesn't provide LED indications, doesn't state the functions that can be changed) Some feedback/suggestions/explanations?

One other point - are there parameters that CANNOT be modified with the morph function. Obviously MIDI channel would be one. What about Arpeggio range? The LFO2 MIDI clock sync parameter (to slow or speed up an arpeggio rate by various note values)? VCA gain? What can - and cannot -be modified with the Morph feature?

Thanks for any support you can offer that might help me understand the capabilities, limits, and operation of this valuable feature.

Best Regards,
Bud

[bmcmanus]

Hi Bud,

And welcome to this forum!

Some of the detail you are asking about is actually covered earlier in the Nord manual for your NR2X relative to programming velocity sensitivity. Specifically, on page 24 under "Setting the Parameter Ranges," section 3 in pertinent part, "you can set ranges for as many parameters as you wish." The section on Morph a few pages later reduces this mention to "adjust the knobs." How many knobs? As many as you want. Which knobs? Any, except Master Level. Yah. Portamento Rate, no problem. Arpeggiator Rate, no problem.

A quick note about pedal discussions: it is customary to refer to min and max positions as "heel down" and "toe down", although simple "min" and "max" work well, too.

As for getting the whole mess to work, you have several links in your chain. You may find it useful to start simple and work your way up from there. So, for starters, what brand/model pedal are you using? Note that the EV-5 has an adjustment pot on the side which can make or break the whole situation. Assuming that your pedal is compatible (resistance range 10kOhm-50kOhm), why not try using it for something other than Morph first, just to confirm that the Nord and the pedal are being friendly toward one another. For maximum obvious results, try setting the pedal on Slot A to control Osc 2 Pitch. Make sure that the Osc Mix is set hard right (to Osc 2) and move the pedal while playing. You should be getting a pitch bender effect from the pedal, with toe down frequency probably beyond human hearing. If that works, then reset the pedal to E.OF. Your problem is elsewhere.

Another place where confusion could be entering your picture is that you are running multiple slots at once. The rack unit does not behave exactly like the keyed unit. On the keyed unit slots are active only when lit. On the rack unit they are always active. Response is determined by midi channel setting. Let's say, for example, that your performance has sounds loaded into all four slots and that all four slots are set to channel 1. Even with only the Slot A LED lit, the other slots will still respond to any midi incoming midi signal on channel 1. Yes, when you turn knobs while Slot A LED is blinking, regardless of the condition of any other slot lights, you are editing the program in Slot A. But as you play notes on your midi controller you are hearing all four slots, and the parameters on the other slots are not being edited. Those three static slots can easily drown out knob movements on the slot being edited.

To further simplify your scenario, set midi channels A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4. With your midi controller set to channel 1, repeat the procedure as you wrote it (you had it correct).

With regard to your side note: "for some patches, this Assign LED is solid on, and some patches have it off"

...some programs have Velocities and/or Morphs programmed into them and some do not, just like some organ programs have vibrato on and others have it off. There's really nothing to explain there.

Chances are that if you take this a step at a time, first to confirm pedal function, then to isolate a single slot for initial testing purposes, you will find success.

Bless,

Pablo

[bmcmanus]

Thanks for your responses Pablo.

I guess a little explanation of the rest of the setup will help. I'm using a Roland PK-6 foot controller, with a MIDI Solutions Event Processor Plus on the output to filter out all of the excess garbage that Roland dumps into the MIDI stream. A Boss RC-50 loop station provides MIDI time code.

The expression pedal is a Moog EP-3. Currently, the knob on the side is set to fully clockwise to give me the maximum effect while I work through setting up the patches I need. It works fine in other modes (e.g., filter). If it's relevant, the EP-3 is plugged into the back of the NR2x, and is not connected to the Roland pedals.

One simple modification I'm trying to achieve should be easy to reproduce. The standard performance A4 provides a techno beat. I'd like to reduce the amplifier gain on slot A (kick drum) when I heel down on the pedal. As you indicated, in perf mode it gets confusing, so I set slot A as the active MIDI channel (2) and all other slots to channel 1 while adjusting parameters for that slot. Slot A is flashing.

When I follow the instructions on p.27 of the manual and I get to step 5, "...adjust the knobs so that the Program sounds the way you want...", the amplifier gain knob does absolutely nothing. I would also like to modify the filtering in that position, but I'm not going to try that until I can resolve the issues with simply reducing the level.

Does this work for you?

Thanks for your expert and courteous help.

Best Regards,
Bud