Korg Forums

[Melted Goldfish]

My rig (for live playing) consists of a Nord Electro 5D and a Korg Kross. As well as playing them independently, they're connect via 2-way MIDI so I can 'cross-play' or layer them when required, and use just one keyboard (the Kross) as the Master to control all the programme changes. My control pedals (incl volume and damper/sustain) are all plugged into the Kross, and are transmitted to the NE5 via MIDI. The MIDI setup I use to achieve all this is listed at the end of this post.

My problem: the sustain/damper & volume pedals works perfectly fine when just playing the Kross, when just playing the NE5, or when playing sounds on the NE5 triggered by playing the Kross keybed. However, it doesn't work on notes played on the NE5 keybed but generated on the Kross.

The short way of summarising the problem is that the Kross doesn't seem to be applying the sustain or volume pedal commands to note data received externally via MIDI. For a longer explanation, read on!

Has anybody got any idea how to fix this?

MIDI Setup:

Nord Electro:
Lower Rx: Channel 2
Upper Rx: Channel 3
Upper Split: Channel 4
Global: Channel 5

Kross:
Global: Channel 1

Timbre 16 of EVERY Combi I use is set to:
Status: EXT
Channel: 5 (the NE5 Global channel)
Sound: [Programme number to correspond with the NE5 programme I want to select]
Key Range: C-1 to C-1 (i.e. unplayable)

Every other Timbre of the Combi is either OFF or set to:

For sounds to be generated internally on the Kross:
Status: INT
Channel: 1/Global
For sounds to be generated by the NE5:
Status: EXT
Channel: 2, 3 or 5 as required
For sounds to be triggered by the NE5:
Status: INT
Channel: 4 or 5 as required


Diagnostics already tried: I've checked that the Pedal and Sustain MIDI commands are not filtered on Timbre 16 (or any other timbre). It doesn't seem to matter whether Timbre16 is set to MUTE or PLAY, and it doesn't make any difference whether I change the key range to a playable range or not. It also makes no difference if I activate/deactivate the two different parts on the NE5, or activate/deactivate the NE5 SUSTPED and CTRLPED lights for each part. When I press the sustain pedal, the little MIDI light on the NE5 flashes so it is definitely receiving the signal from the Kross, but it's not being applied to note data sent back to the Kross (and equally, the Kross is not applying the Sustain/Volume commands to the note data received). Since the MIDI settings on the NE5 are very basic (i.e. what you see above, plus a transpose and programme change filter), then any settings need to be made on the Kross.

Why do I want to do this? I could just do it the other way around and play the sounds on the Kross (and trigger any extra layers on the NE5 if required), but I prefer the NE5 keybed and my keyboard stand has a minimum height for the upper tier which makes it awkward to play for any length of time. Weak, I know! The only way around it at the moment is to use a second sustain pedal into the NE5.

Sorry for the long post, but grateful for any ideas, thanks.

[Shutoku]

Did you ever figure this out?

I have been playing kross piano sounds from a midi keyboard.
The midi keyboard on ch 4 and kross on ch 1

I would like to use the Kross damper pedal, but as it is now I need to use the midi controllers damper.

So I too would like to find a solution for this.

EDIT
So here is what I have found. Basically it appears the answer to my question is "it is not possible"
The damper function follows the global channel. If I set the Kross to global 4, then yes I can play from the midi controller and use the damper, but the problem with that is I want to play other sounds within a combi from the kross. Typically I play piano on the midi keyboard, and organ from the kross.
Now I can use the kross damper to trigger effects, like speaker rotation speed, or a stereo limiter or something, but that is an effect, and dampering is not an effect.
I even tried running two pianos, one with release and one without, and using the pedal to switch between the two pianos in the combi, and it sort of works, except if you press the pedal, release and re-press it, you will still get the release from the previous time you triggered those sounds.

So as far as I can tell, I cannot do what I want to do. I can come close if I play piano sounds from the Kross and the organ sounds from the midi keyboard, however a big part of why I'm using the midi keyboard is that the kross 61 key bed sucks, and while I find it ok for organ playing, it is pretty terrible for piano.
I am actually using a roland arranger keyboard from the 90's as the midi keyboard. It has a synth action, but it is nice and firm because it was made when manufacturers didn't limit quality key beds to the top of the line models.

Anyway I'm not sure this helps with the OP's question, and if someone knows something I don't I'm all ears.
_________________
Stage: Korg Krome 88
Home: above plus Korg Kross 61, Korg m1, original Korg Mono/poly, Yamaha Reface CS, Yamaha KX-5

[Melted Goldfish]

Thanks for the reply Shutoku.

In short, no I didn't figure it out, and your post seems to confirm what I thought, that it's not possible.

I've just tried what you said and changed the Kross Global Channel (to Ch 5 in my case) and the damper pedal on the NE5 worked. However, as you say that has other implications and means everything I play on the Kross also gets sent to the NE5. Even if I could make it work for the 1 or 2 songs I need it on, I don't want to be delving into the MIDI menu to change the global channel mid-set.

I've also tried plugging all the pedals into the NE5, but can't that to apply to notes played on the Kross for the same reason.

I'll keep playing around, and if I manage to find some way around it then I'll post it here. Did think about getting a Y-splitter cable for the pedals so I can plug it into both boards at once! In the meantime, I'm stuck with 2 separate damper pedals....

Cheers.

[Shutoku]

I literally thought about trying a Y cable last night. Haven't actually tried yet though. I feel like it won't work, but I just don't know.
_________________
Stage: Korg Krome 88
Home: above plus Korg Kross 61, Korg m1, original Korg Mono/poly, Yamaha Reface CS, Yamaha KX-5

[Shutoku]

So I tried a splitter.

It worked!
For me there is a secondary issue with pedal polarity on the midi controller keyboard, but I may just use my old m1 instead. The only reason I haven't is it is heavier to pack.
So I either accept a bit more weight but do everything with one pedal, or travel lighter, but with two pedals. (or find another controller with either switchable or korg standard polarity)
_________________
Stage: Korg Krome 88
Home: above plus Korg Kross 61, Korg m1, original Korg Mono/poly, Yamaha Reface CS, Yamaha KX-5

[Melted Goldfish]

Sorry, only just seen your reply!

Glad it worked for you...I couldn't get it to work (on either board) - but my splitter is quite old so not sure its's working properly, and had to run in through 3 female-female connectors and a 20ft jack lead to each board...so maybe there was just not enough signal left at the end of the cable run! If yours worked though, I might buy a new splitter. Though realised the same problem applies to the volume expression pedal, so that's 2 splitters needed.

As for the polarity - does your pedal have a polarity switch on it? I'm pretty sure you can also change the polarity setting in the Kross global menu, so if you reverse both of them then it might work with your controller keyboard?

Cheers.

[Shutoku]

Yes the Kross can change polarity, but the Roland arranger keyboard cannot.
The thing is my Korg pedal has this notch that fits over the leg on my ultimate Apex stand keeping it in place. I have a Yamaha pedal that has the same polarity as the Roland, but it doesn't work as well with the ultimate stand.

However your post served as a lightbulb and I realized I am stuck with the Yamaha pedal anyway, and I really like controlling both keyboards with one pedal, so I changed the polarity on the Kross, and now use my Yamaha pedal to control both the Kross and the Roland.
_________________
Stage: Korg Krome 88
Home: above plus Korg Kross 61, Korg m1, original Korg Mono/poly, Yamaha Reface CS, Yamaha KX-5