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Nord Electro 2 as Controller?


akliner

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Hey y'all...as you know, my rig is in the process of being updated.

 

Buh bye: Motif 8, Triton Extreme 61.

 

Hello: PC3x.

 

However, I'm going to need something unweighted to play organ parts and general ROMpling. I figure I could pick up an Electro 2 for a pretty reasonable sum seeing as though the Electro 3 is gaining lots of preliminary popularity.

 

Has anybody used the Electro 2 as a controller for a ROMpler like the Motif XS Rack (for example)?

 

Is it any good?

 

:wave:

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I use it for playing soft synths, but I don't use any of the knobs. In theory though, it would work. They do send midi. You could also only split two sounds by putting it in split organ mode with no drawbars out.

 

 

Thanks for the info. Essentially, I just need it to control one ROMpler rack (for horns, and such). Not much keyboard tweaking...just really basic MIDI crap.

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If you are using it on one channel as a remote keyboard its fine. Its not multitimbral so midi is limited but useable. And you do get to use that superb waterfall keyboard for your non-piano sounds!

 

Why not download the Electro2 manual and check out the MIDI spec.

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I found one MIDI quirk in a Nord Stage that I never bothered to fix in Logic -- moving the leftmost Electro drawbar globally muted everything in Logic, so it was pretty weird.

 

That all being said I didn't use Logic+MIDI enough to bother with it and mostly just played with audio.

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Electro 2 73-note is very limited in the MIDI realm, but I do like the feel for things OTHER than piano.The 88 key is weighted but sluggish and mushy for my taste.

If you dont need your controller to be USB or generate internal sounds, check out the Roland A-33, its semi-weighted and great for piano and synth soloing.

I have one for sale $200 with a Flight case.

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You could just use the NE to control a rack without any problems, no? I mean, if you're going for a modern rack, like Motif XS, you could program that from the front panel and just use the NE on a midi-channel to play the sounds coming from the rack :confused:

 

Since you're no tweaker (at least from what I remember reading) you wouldn't need extensive midi-controlling capabilities, or do you?

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You could just use the NE to control a rack without any problems, no? I mean, if you're going for a modern rack, like Motif XS, you could program that from the front panel and just use the NE on a midi-channel to play the sounds coming from the rack
:confused:

Since you're no tweaker (at least from what I remember reading) you wouldn't need extensive midi-controlling capabilities, or do you?

 

Nope. Not even a little tweaky.

 

I could even edit patches on the Motif XS (or ES, since I need to be budget-minded) using the controls on the PC3x ahead of time, and then just use the NE2 when I'm playing out.

 

RETARDED QUESTION:

 

Can I save patches on the NE2 that know when to use the soundset on the NE2 and when to "activate" the rack?

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Nope. Not even a little tweaky.


I could even edit patches on the Motif XS (or ES, since I need to be budget-minded) using the controls on the PC3x ahead of time, and then just use the NE2 when I'm playing out.


RETARDED QUESTION:


Can I save patches on the NE2 that know when to use the soundset on the NE2 and when to "activate" the rack?

 

 

You can turn local off: shift + prog 3. I don't think you can save that as a patch.

 

I use the Electro to play 61 keys on my Indigo all the time. I've never bothered to turn local MIDI control off.

 

Instead I just turn the volume on the Electro down. I have a little home made midi switch box - it's just a female connector that switches between two other female connectors with a three position 6-pin switch. Two female MIDI connectors with an on/off toggle will do as well. Parts will set you back less than $10.00 and it's ten minutes of soldering (and I suck at soldering).

 

I connect the Electro to the Indigo using the box. When I want to play the Electro without triggering the Indigo I simply break the connection and turn the volume back up.

 

Crude but effective. And folk'll sometimes mistake the switch for something that required talent and/or intelligence to make.

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Something you should consider: The Octave Shift keys on the Electro 61 do not affect outgoing MIDI note messages. I have no idea why. Just something I discovered on my 61 whilst using it to play a softsynth.

I have a PC3x too. Reckon it'll exceed your expectations for years to come!

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