MIDI: Can I control an ext. synth with a section of the Wave2's kbd?

[Riboflavin37]

First post. Woopee.

Nice to meet you guys! I brought coffee and donuts

I've read somewhere in here that with the Electro 5D's midi implementation, one can essentially dedicate a portion of the keyboard to controlling an external synth.

If it's possible, I'd love it if I could make the top octave or whatever on the Wave2 be dedicated to controlling a Prophet Rev2 while the rest of the keys are doing their normal Wave 2 sorta thing. Is this possible?

For background, I'm a keys player and I'm on the lookout of a 61 key keyboard I can travel with (I'm frequently going back and forth between 2 countries) that I can play piano on and layer up some great sounds and possibly use in combination with synths. Piano and pads with some mono/polysynth goodness thrown in is my usual fair. This has led me to consider a handful of 61 key (can't be more cuz 61's can be taken into the flight cabin) kbds such as Electro 5/6, Wave 2, Hammond SK Pro, YC61, and Vox Continental 61. With the Rev2, controlling it with aftertouch is highly desirable, hence the Wave2 interest. If i can use a split zone (or whatever) on the Wave 2 like I mentioned above I could use a Rev2 desktop instead of having 2 boards, saving a lot of weight and bulk etc.

After reading all that, enjoy some more

[Ref54]

Yes you can do that.

The Wave 2 has a function in the midi section where you can assign midi channels to each layer (saved on a per patch basis).

On one of my patches for instance, I have some samples on the bottom split (Layer A). I then use layer B set to midi channel 3 to control my Oberheim OB3 organ module. I can then use Layer 3 & 4 at the top if required.

You can choose to have the layer that you are using for your external synth to play a sound on the Wave 2 or just turn it down so you only hear the external machine.

Another great plus point is that you can take your external synths headphone out and plug it into the Wave 2's Audio In. No need for a mixer!

I hope this helps.

One problem I'm running into for next years setup:
When using the Individual Layer Midi Channels function, it switches off the Global Midi Channel. As far as I can tell, you are then unable to send midi program changes. Worst case scenario, you might have to change patches on both synths.

Another option would be to connect both midi ins and outs on both synths (creating a loop) then use something like the CME U6MIDI PRO to filter out all except program change from your external synth to the Wave 2. Then you could use your external synth to change programs, but the wave 2 as the master board.

Good luck
D

[FZiegler]

The Electro 5/6 has a piano engine, the Wave 2 doesn't AFAIK.

[Animato]

Yes you can do that.

The Wave 2 has a function in the midi section where you can assign midi channels to each layer (saved on a per patch basis).

On one of my patches for instance, I have some samples on the bottom split (Layer A). I then use layer B set to midi channel 3 to control my Oberheim OB3 organ module. I can then use Layer 3 & 4 at the top if required.

You can choose to have the layer that you are using for your external synth to play a sound on the Wave 2 or just turn it down so you only hear the external machine.

Hi everyone,

I am also a new Wave 2 user and am quite grateful for the nice help and support content shared across this forum.
One thing that struck me immediately when using the Wave 2 MIDI controller to play one of my sound module (Yamaha MU) is that the velocity was pretty messed up. By means insufficient : I literally need to hammer the Wave 2 keys to barely reach the max velocity of the controlled module. I tried with several other modules (Volcas, other synths) and the same thin happens. This issue nevers happened to me with my previous boards (Motif ES) or MIDI controller (Keystep 37), velocity curves were always nicely gaged.
I did a bit of searching, this seems to be a known problem across Nord keyboard. I was apparently solved on the NS3 with firmware 2.60, but noboby seems to find a solution for the Wave 2.
Any experience to share on your respective setups ? How does velocity respond when triggering your OB3 for instance ?

Besides, is there a way to assign any control knobs of the Wave 2 to control i.e. cut-off / resonance / anything else on the slave module ?

Thanks a lot, looking forward !

[maurizio]

Besides, is there a way to assign any control knobs of the Wave 2 to control i.e. cut-off / resonance / anything else on the slave ?

Knobs send MIDI COntroller messages, but i do not think you can change the CC sent; if you can program the slave to accept the CC the NW2 send,
it should work.

Let us know

Maurizio

[Animato]

Besides, is there a way to assign any control knobs of the Wave 2 to control i.e. cut-off / resonance / anything else on the slave ?

Knobs send MIDI COntroller messages, but i do not think you can change the CC sent; if you can program the slave to accept the CC the NW2 send,
it should work.

Let us know

Maurizio

Hey thanks for the reply. Indeed, the usual problem is, that the slave unit must be programmable CC- and PC-wise. I am still kind of a MIDI noob in general and this forces me to get out of my confort zone ah ah.
Even the octave +/- button on the Wave 2 won't control the slave unit accordingly, without changing 3 parameters in the MIDI menu of the Wave 2, I don't get why Nord made it so complicated with this synth - which is awesome in many other ways.
I miss the easy Yamaha MIDI implementation from my ES7 sometimes, but well.

Quick update back to velocity issue of the Wave 2 I mentioned above : Mark from My Keys To Music gave me the way and recommended to use a Midihub box (in this instance from blokas.io) as middle man between the Wave 2 and the slave unit. This little MIDI box has - among others - a velocity filter allowing you to lower of increase by percentage, like an amplifier of sort. This is quite an inexpensive fix, and this box can do a lot more and bend MIDI messages in a ton of ways.
I ended up doing the same via a RK-008 from Retrokits, which can do the same velocity-wise. This is the way if you don't want to use a DAW to patch this issue.

I hope this can help someone else !

[Animato]

On one of my patches for instance, I have some samples on the bottom split (Layer A). I then use layer B set to midi channel 3 to control my Oberheim OB3 organ module. I can then use Layer 3 & 4 at the top if required.

You can choose to have the layer that you are using for your external synth to play a sound on the Wave 2 or just turn it down so you only hear the external machine.

May I ask if you can detail us the settings you entered in the MIDI menu of the Wave 2 to achieve this ? Do you manage to switch octave of the OB3 with the Wave 2 oct +/- buttons in this configuration ?

Thanks a lot !

[Ref54]

On one of my patches for instance, I have some samples on the bottom split (Layer A). I then use layer B set to midi channel 3 to control my Oberheim OB3 organ module. I can then use Layer 3 & 4 at the top if required.

You can choose to have the layer that you are using for your external synth to play a sound on the Wave 2 or just turn it down so you only hear the external machine.

May I ask if you can detail us the settings you entered in the MIDI menu of the Wave 2 to achieve this ? Do you manage to switch octave of the OB3 with the Wave 2 oct +/- buttons in this configuration ?

Thanks a lot !

Yes of course.

In the midi menu:

Local Control: On
Global Midi Channel:Off (Send on Layer Channel)

On the Program Channel page (the one after Global), set one of the layers to the midi channel that your external unit is set to receive on. My OB3 is set for channel 3, so I have Layer D set to channel 3. If you want to also hear the sound you have on Layer 3, you can turn it up, but if you only want to hear your external unit, pull the layer volume slider down. But make sure to keep the layer enabled.

Now, as long as that layer is the active layer (flashing LED) you can use the octave +/- buttons to change the octave. You can also save the active setting with the Wave 2 patch.

Something to remember though, and the thing that is driving me crazy in this years live setup:
When you are in the 'Send On Layer Channel' mode, you cannot send or receive program change messages.