Nord User Forum

Does anyone know if I can use a single expression pedal to connect to both a Nord S2 and a Hammond XK3C ?? So that I don't have to keep changing my foot onto two different expression pedals when playing. I use an EV-5 on the Nord S2 currently.

No you can't just connect the same expression pedal to 2 inputs, but.... you may use the NS2 Extern section to send the expression pedal MIDI CC to the XK3c

EDIT: actually there is another option but not with the EV5; you may use a stereo volume pedal such as the Boss FV500L and use the L/R inout and output pairs connected to the EXP IN of each instrument using a pair of Y cables (2xMono to 1xStereo) connected this way (example)

A) Left IN + Left OUT -> NS2 CTRL Pedal

B) Right IN + RIGHT OUT -> XK3C EXP IN

So............... with a Y connector [two mono to one stereo] on the Boss FV500L, I plug one mono plug into the channel 1 input jack, the other mono plug into channel 1 output jack and then connect the stereo jack to the NS2 CTRL Pedal jack. Then repeat for channel 2 and plug the stereo jack into the XK3C EXP In jack.
Just wanted to make sure I understood correctly thanks.

Do you MIDI the keyboards together? If so, you could probably set it up so that the keyboard with the pedal could send the appropriate volume/expression information to the other keyboard via MIDI.

BobXK3C wrote:So............... with a Y connector [two mono to one stereo] on the Boss FV500L, I plug one mono plug into the channel 1 input jack, the other mono plug into channel 1 output jack and then connect the stereo jack to the NS2 CTRL Pedal jack. Then repeat for channel 2 and plug the stereo jack into the XK3C EXP In jack.
Just wanted to make sure I understood correctly thanks.

Correct. Just a warning: if the pedal behaves "upside-down" just swap input/output jacks on the pedal.

But I recommend to go the MIDI way as best option, as I and also RedLeo suggested.

Thanks to everyone for their input, it is much appreciated.

I am probably a bit older than you guys so I don't really understand how to set up midi between keyboards. If I could set it up this way that's what I would do. I have a midi cable that I can connect between the midi out on the XK3C and into the midi in on the NS2 [because I would probably prefer to control the volume from my Hammond pedal]. That I can do but I am sure there are settings at both end to do, but to be honest I don't know how to do these. So probably for me the new Boss foot pedal route might have to be the solution.

To conclude - to have both my Nord Stage 2 and Hammond XK3C operate via one expression pedal, I bought a Boss FV30L pedal [ two channel ].
I connected the Hammond mono output to the ch1 input on the pedal and then connected ch1 output on the pedal to ch1 on my amp. I did exactly the same with the Nord but using ch 2 of the pedal and ch2 of the amp.
The Hammond worked immediately but the Nord did not. I quickly realised that with this set up, I needed to cancel the morph 'ctrlped' button and then turn the relevant individual sections 'level' knobs up to maximum, the sound level is now only controlled by the 'master volume' control. In this arrangement the foot pedal worked fine and by balancing the master volumes on each keyboard and amp I now have a set up with just one expression pedal controlling both keyboards. Its brilliant.

What you now have is a (audio) dual channel Volume pedal, not dual expression (control) pedal, with that setup.

Having said that if it works for you, then all fine, but better be precise.

Not sure I can differentiate between a volume pedal and an expression pedal as both increase or decrease the sound level.
Still, precise or not, it works.

A volume pedal is connected to the audio outputs of the instrument. It is an attenuator of the signal that uses a pot that is grounded. It uses TS cables (two of those if it is stereo).
An expression pedal comes with a cable that is connected to the expression or control input of the keyboard. The cable has a TRS (or stereo) plug and it controls certain parameters that the OS of the instrument supports by adjusting a voltage (I think it is 3.3 volts?) that the instrument provides (hence the TRS cable). It might control volume, if the instrument is set to do so via morphing or a similar setting, but it does not act on the audio signal, It controls a parameter that adjusts the output volume.

They are different things, although at least the BOSS FV-500 H and L models are volume pedals and have an extra expression output to use as control pedal (if you use the right stereo cable to connect to the instrument expression input).