From ccmacdon@rogers.com Wed Jun 01 09:00:41 2011
Subject:Re: Nord C2 as a Controller

Mitch that's exactly what I have been using as my gig rig for a while now, first it was a NORD C1 with a Roland Sonic Cell synth module, and I recently upgraded to a C2. It's a killer combination for the classic rock I play. Each manual, upper/lower, is capable of sending midi on separate channels (or not).. so if you want to transmit midi from the bottom manual only, just turn midi transmition off for the top manual OR simply set your external synth module to respond only to the midi channel that the bottom manual is transmitting on and voila you have organ on the top manual and some other sound from the synth module on the bottom manual.

The beautiful thing is that while the lower manual is transmitting to an external module, you can always mix in the organ using a combination of the drawbar (buttons) and the expression pedal..

There are many classic rock songs that I play with my 11STEPS band that start with me playing piano using my Sonic Cell and the lower manual and then when we hit the climax I introduce the organ sounds on top.. I play a number of Elton John songs like this, and you should hear us play Maybe I'm Amazed.. I play Sonic Cell piano on the bottom manual and 3rd time through the chorus when I kick the NORD C2 organ in (full ranks) on the bottom manual as well and it's fantastic.. just like the original record!!

I also have songs where I have the Sonic Cell responding to both manuals using different midi channels and I have different sounds mapped on each manual.. For "I Need Shelter", the first cut off our 11STEPS CD, I have church bells mapped on the top two octaves of my upper keyboard, piano/strings mapped against the lower 3 octaves, and on the lower manual I have a pipe organ.. and all of this I play simultaneously with the organ using the expression pedal to bring the organ in and out as appropriate through the song.

YES absolutely the NORD C1 and C2 work wonderfully with external modules (I've had both), and they have a solid midi implementation.. My only beef with the NORD C1/C2 is their lack of pitchbend and modwheels. I just find that annoying.

Craig