Can't split and layer ext section with another keyboard

[occmed]

I have connected my new Nord Stage EX 88 via MIDI out to my Yamaha Motif XS7 via MIDI in and set them both on MIDI channel 1. I can get the Yamaha sounds then by playing the Nord keys but the ext section will not allow me to control the Yamaha keyboard for example for split and layers or other ext control. Please help as the Nord sounds and effects and ease of split layer function are very cool and the ability to play the Yamaha sounds on a split and or layer would be very useful to my live playing with a band.

[Johannes]

Hi,

I stumbled over a simlar problem the other day. The basic question is how different keyboards deal with Splits&Midi together.
From what I found is that splits you set on one keyboard (e.g. the NS) will NOT work if you play them through MIDI (know for sure it is the case for the NS), dunno about the the XS. That is, no matter which split setup you choose on the "Slave", it will work only on the built-in keyboard and not on the connected Keys via Midi-IN.

So the only possibility is probably to assign the two External Sections to one or more of your split zones, setup the right midi channel on both the Stage and the XS, while ALL keys will at the same time submit MIDI through the standard assigned MIDI channel. That is, you probably can only have at most three Split zones and moreover, they willnot be completely seperated in that the assigned External Splitzone will trigger notes also on the standard MIDI channel.

Maybe an example to make it ore clear:

NS:
say, you are playing on Panel A, but have both Panels activated
Midi Channel A: 1
Panel A: External Section ON, MIDI Channel 5, assigned only to the upper keyrange.
Panel B: External Section ON, MIDI Channel 6, assigned only to the lower keyrange.

XS:
Program three patches to respond to MIDI channels 1 (Patch1)&5 (Patch5)&6(Patch6) in the Performance Mode (dunno how the multitimbral mode is called on the Motifs).

Result:
When playing on the NS on the lower keyzone, Patch6&Patch1 sound, middle: only Patch1, upper: Patch5&Path1 will sound.
Alternatively, you can mute Patch1 or just don't assign any sound to channel 1 on the Motif and wou will only have two split zones.
Regarding layers, that should be fairly easy but depends on the Motif capacities, just assign different patches to one MIDI channel (dunnno if that is possible though), but this does not at all depend on the Master Keyboard (in your case, the Nord Stage).

Now this is how I THINK the Stage will work, never tried it. But what I DID try is the reverse, i.e., playing the NS through another board. And in this case, no matter what split setup you choose on the Stage, it will NEVER work when played through an external Board (in my case, a Roland RD-100 which dos not have split functionality).

[cleito]

Hello,
Same problem with me
Even if I turn the Ext Section off, the NS will still control the other keyboard sound.
I think that the Ext Section should turn off the midi port, and the key zone turn off the midi signal of the keys.
This would make the split work right.
But, I don't think it work's this way.

[-Toro-]

Hi Cleito.
in your case, your NS is sending MIDI data all the time, independent of the EXTERN section.
see this thread for solution...

your-setup-other-gear-f8/limit-the-stag ... -t240.html

Hi Occmed.
have a look at the URL above. check your MIDI settings for your NS. your NS should both SEND and RECIEVE MIDI. you should also change the MIDI channels for both PANELS to "1" (or to "OFF" if you want to set the the MIDI channels per PROGRAM).

since you write you both send and recieve on the same midi channel i assume you're working in PERFORMANCE mode on your XS? have you tried out SONG mode? this mode will double your capability! in example, set PANEL A to send and recive on MIDI channel "X" and PANEL B to send and recieve on MIDI channel "Y" like Johannes is describing...

[occmed]

Thanks. I did solve this. I can split the nord to have one split play the motif xs7 but only using panel B. For some reason not using panel A.

[-Toro-]

I can split the nord to have one split play the motif xs7 but only using panel B. For some reason not using panel A.

this is definitive an issue of midi channels sending and recieving...

enter MIDI MENU by pressing [SHIFT]+[3].
[PAGE +/-] to following menu
MIDI PANEL A/B CHANNEL. press [PANEL A] and set channel to OFF. press [PANEL B] and set channel to OFF.
[PAGE +/-] to following menu
MIDI PROG CHANGE MODE. set this value to SEND.
[PAGE +/-] to following menu
MIDI CTRL CHANGE MODE. set this value to SEND.
press [SHIFT] to exit MIDI MENU.

enter EXTERN MENU by pressing [SHIFT]+[4].
[PAGE +/-] to following menu
EXTERN MIDI A/B CHANNEL. press [PANEL A] and set channel to "1". press [PANEL B] and set channel to "1".
press [SHIFT] to exit EXTERN MENU.

now your NS is setup to send MIDI to your XS on channel "1". setup your XS to recieve midi on channel "1" and the XS will respond on both PANEL A and PANEL B.
the settings made in the EXTERN MENU will be saved per PROGRAM in your NS! so it is possible to have one PROGRAM that sends midi data on channel 1 and another PROGRAM that sends on channel 2 (or any other channel)...

...if youre working in a MULTITIMRAL mode on your XS, you can have some PARTS recieving on say channel "1", and other PARTS recieving on say channel "2".
setup the Nord Stage to send midi on channel "1" (PANEL A) and on channel "2" (PANEL B). and here we go!
within one PROGRAM on your NS, you'll access a bunch of sounds in splits and/or layers when PANEL A is active. then you just switch to PANEL B and have a new bunch of sounds in splits and/or layers from your XS. and this happens without any notes cutting off! :-D