From bruce@ashbysolutions.com Mon Mar 20 16:07:59 2006
Subject:Re: Nord Electro as a controller

Hi Gene,

>Hi guys. Can a Nord Electro be used as a midi controller for a rack
>mounted synth? Most of what I play is organ based, but I have the
>ocassional need for a synth sound. If I can use the Electro as a
>controller for the synth rack I think I'd have my problem solved.
>
>Also, if its possible, any pros or cons about that?

As I mentioned earlier today, it depends on what you want to control. Here are two typical scenarios. As you can see, the Nord Electro is much better suited toward the first example than the second:

- If by "control a synth," you mean a module like a Motif Rack, Alesis QSR, Fantom XR, or other rack-mount synth that is primarily used on-stage a sound playback module (either pre-programmed, or using the factory sounds), and you mostly want to call up sounds and adjust the volume of the module, this will probably work OK. The Electro does not have Mod or Pitch wheels, but most of its other buttons, knobs, etc. send MIDI outputs, and some of them (volume, expression, sustain) are at standard locations.

- If you want to control more functions of the synth, or control something like a Nord Lead Rack or Access Virus, the Electro is not a great choice. The MIDI information that it sends from its knobs and switches does not follow the General MIDI (de facto) standards, and if you want to adjust reverb level, for example, the GM controller is CC#91, but the Electro doesn't send CC#91 on ANY of its knobs and switches. Some of the other functions may appear at strange places, too; ex: some synths use CC#71 for Attack, which is used on the Electro as the 16' drawbar for the lower (not the upper) manual. You will probably need a device that "maps" one type of MIDI message into another one, like the MIDI Solutions Event Processor, to sort things out.

So I guess that the answer is: The Electro can control a rack synth, as long as your needs are not complicated.

Regards,

-BW

--
Bruce Wahler
Design Consultant
Ashby Solutions™ http://consult.ashbysolutions.com
978.386.7389 voice/fax
bruce@ashbysolutions.com

At 06:32 PM 3/20/2006 +0000, you wrote:

>Gene in NJ
>
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