Kronos with Korg Nanopad2

[hightech101]

Hi to all Recently purchased the incredible Kronos and a Nanopad2.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for instructions on how to program the pads for use in triggering combis - scenes etc

looked through manuals to no avail any help will be very much appreciated many thanks Philip

[tomto66]

You don't specifically program the NanoPad pads. They behave like the on-screen pads in the Kronos. So you program those. Search for "Using the Chord Pads" in the Op Guide (page 35 of the one I have but that's version 2.0). That'll tell you how to assign notes and chord to the pads.

[voip]

Out of the box, the nanoPAD2's top row of pads will trigger the 8 programmable chord pads that are associated with each Program and Combi, whilst the lower 8 pads trigger single notes. The nanoPAD2 is also useful for playing Kronos drum kits.

The nanoPAD2 pads can be programmed using the Korg KONTROL Editor software, downloadable from the Korg website.

http://www.korg.com/us/support/download/product/0/158/

The X-Y trackpad control surface can be mapped to changing Program or Combi effects parameters and, out of the box, sends Control Change messages 1 and 2 for X and Y, and can markedly affect the sound of a Program or Combi, and leave it altered, seemingly mangled. In many cases, the changes can be restored by tapping the trackpad at bottom left i.e. X=0 and Y=0 and will not be made permanent unless the Program or Combi is saved.

Install the Korg MIDI drivers before connecting the nanoPAD2. The Korg KONTROL editor can be used with several other Korg controllers, such as the nanoKEY, nanoKONTROL and Taktile deivces.

The editor allows customising the nanoPAD2 to make each pad transmit a wide range of note, control change, or program change messages.

It seems rather pointless to use the nanoPAD2 to change Karma scenes, since the buttons to do this are already to hand on the Kronos top panel. However, it might be a useful as an exercise to better understand the workings of the Kronos, in which case the front panel buttons on the Kronos can be assigned specific CC message numbers in the "Controllers" tab, and the Program Up/Down in the "Function Assign" tab. Both tabs are found in the Global "Controllers / Scales" tab. The nanoPAD2 pads will need to be programmed to match these settings. Care needs to be taken in selecting CC# messages, since some are already allocated to doing stuff, like damper pedal and modulation.

Playing big fat chords, spanning several octaves, is one very useful application of the nanoPAD2. The chords themselves can be set up e.g. for SGX-2 pianos the "Pads" tab under the "Common" "button", and for Combis the "Pads" tab can be found under EQ/Vector/Control, accessible from the main screens.

.

[GregC]

there are 100's of demo/instructional Youtubes on the YouTube.

You use the " Pads" tab on your Kronos for custom chords, for example.
Its great for big fat/wide chords.

Combis come to life using Karma and Nanopad2

[sj1]

Hi,

According to the Kronos docs, the Kronos is supposed to automagically detect a nanoPad2 which is plugged into one of the USB A ports. Simply by connecting the two devices, the nanoPad2 is supposed to be able to fire the Kronos chord pads.

This is not working for me. My nanoPad2 is perfectly fine. It works with the Korg control editor, and it sends the messages I've programmed into it (as verified with MIDI-OX).

The Kronos seems to be falling down on the job of detecting the presence of the nanoPad2 and configuring for it.

The Scene chosen on the nanoPad2 is also irrelevant - no joy for any scene.

I can add beyond the above is that my nanoPad2 scenes are NOT stock - they are custom (and working) for control of KARMA software via the PC. But, as I say, connecting directly to the Kronos does not work.

The docs say everything is supposed to be automatic, so there does not seem to be anything more I can configure, other than having both devices on MIDI Ch 1.

Also, the USB ports on the Kronos are not fried, as they read and interact with USB sticks fine.

So, I'm mystified. What could be happening, and what can I do?

Thanks to anyone who can offer support/enlightenment!

[GregC]

Hi,

According to the Kronos docs, the Kronos is supposed to automagically detect a nanoPad2 which is plugged into one of the USB A ports. Simply by connecting the two devices, the nanoPad2 is supposed to be able to fire the Kronos chord pads.

This is not working for me. My nanoPad2 is perfectly fine. It works with the Korg control editor, and it sends the messages I've programmed into it (as verified with MIDI-OX).

The Kronos seems to be falling down on the job of detecting the presence of the nanoPad2 and configuring for it.

!

I think your 1st step are the ' virtual ' pads ( tab) on your LCD.

Disconnect any other USB devices, DAW, etc from Kronos and test the on screen Pads.

Could be a midi channel oops.

[sj1]

Hi. The virtual pads on the LCD work fine.

Also, FWIW, this is a Kronos X, updated to v 3.1.2.

[GregC]

Hi. The virtual pads on the LCD work fine.

Also, FWIW, this is a Kronos X, updated to v 3.1.2.

Just to be thorough, try another USB cable

what about scenes for factory karma combis ?

[sj1]

OK, for the sake of trying the suggestion I have tried a 2nd USB cable. Unf. no joy. That makes 2 different USB cables, both working fine in other contexts, but with this problem working with the Kronos X still manifesting.

FWIW, here is a picture of the 16 pads of output of my nanoPad2 Scene 1:

http://www.screencast.com/t/VWdr8iVD

My understanding from the docs is that the Kronos is supposed to communicate with the nanoPad2, understand the setup and work with it.

Maybe that is not really true? Maybe the Kronos is expecting a specific "default" nanoPad2 setup?

[GregC]

OK, for the sake of trying the suggestion I have tried a 2nd USB cable. Unf. no joy. That makes 2 different USB cables, both working fine in other contexts, but with this problem working with the Kronos X still manifesting.

FWIW, here is a picture of the 16 pads of output of my nanoPad2 Scene 1:

http://www.screencast.com/t/VWdr8iVD

My understanding from the docs is that the Kronos is supposed to communicate with the nanoPad2, understand the setup and work with it.

Maybe that is not really true? Maybe the Kronos is expecting a specific "default" nanoPad2 setup?

humor me

what about scenes for factory karma combis ? Does the Nano work properly for those ?

[sj1]

I did manage to make partial progress by doing:

Controller, Page Menu > Reset Controller MIDI Assign = CC Default

The CCs had been null on this page before. Now that they have the default numbers, 8 pads on the nanoPad2 will sound the Kronos chords as per the LCD pad setup (chord note definitions).

However, when now sounding Kronos pad chords from the nanoPad2 these chords are not passed thru to change the tonality of running KARMA modules. This is unlike the LCD pads themselves, which do pass thru to change the tonality of running KARMA modules.

Is there some other setting that will allow the nanoPad2-originated chords to pass thru to change the tonality of running KARMA modules?

[sj1]

OK, new info -

Critical difference seems to be whether I have KARMA Kronos (KK) software running at the same time (on PC connected to Kronos via USB) or not.

With KK not running, the directly connected nanoPad2 commands the chords and the KARMA tonality as expected and desired.

I would like to have this functionality also with KK running, if possible.

[GregC]

I did manage to make partial progress by doing:

Controller, Page Menu > Reset Controller MIDI Assign = CC Default

The CCs had been null on this page before. Now that they have the default numbers, 8 pads on the nanoPad2 will sound the Kronos chords as per the LCD pad setup (chord note definitions).

However, when now sounding Kronos pad chords from the nanoPad2 these chords are not passed thru to change the tonality of running KARMA modules. This is unlike the LCD pads themselves, which do pass thru to change the tonality of running KARMA modules.

Is there some other setting that will allow the nanoPad2-originated chords to pass thru to change the tonality of running KARMA modules?

Good you made progress. I don't understand your post exactly. It sounds like
you are getting the default note settings to play or sound in Combi/program mode

Is Karma doing its thing with offering different scenes ? If not, that might be
a Karma setting in Global.

[voip]

The Kronos Parameter Guide page 1144 gives fairly detailed information on the way the Kronos responds when a nanoPAD is connected.

Scenes on the nanoPAD do not correspond to Karma scenes.

[sj1]

The Kronos Parameter Guide page 1144 gives fairly detailed information on the way the Kronos responds when a nanoPAD is connected.

Scenes on the nanoPAD do not correspond to Karma scenes.

Yes, I've read that, and yes I understand clearly the difference between NP2 scenes and KARMA scenes. Thanks.

I am interested in using 8 buttons on a directly connected NP2 to call up the 8 KARMA scenes if that is possible (which I'm now suspecting it is not), just as I use 8 buttons the NP2 to call up KARMA scenes in KARMA Kronos and Karma Motif software.