controlling my Nord with the PX-5S

[dama]

I've been using my PX-5S to control some of the sounds from my Nord Electro 3. I have assigned a few stage settings on the PX to do this. I've always noticed that when playing the Nord sounds through the PX, there is a very slight different sound quality that is noticeable to my ears. A bit of treble sharpness that is heard when playing the note on the Nord that isn't reproduced when striking the same key on the PX. A bit of dullness maybe with the PX as a controller.

 

I'm not sure why it is so, the cables are hooked up properly and the midi selection in the stage setting seems fine. I have tried turning of the High Def and also tried different touch settings. The difference is very minimal but it is there and it bugs me.

 

Any advice is appreciated?

[Joe Muscara]

Is the Nord through the same amplification in both cases?

[Brad Saucier]

What Joe said ^^^^.  All things being equal, nothing should affect sound on the Nord unless a filter cutoff or EQ is being altered, which is not possible without moving a controller.  

[dama]

Yes. Both keyboard have stereo channels in my mixer. I don't believe there is anything altered in this setup. There is just that slight brightness of sound that is missing when triggering the Nord note from the Casio. I should try to record it.

[Choppin]

It sounds like it could be a couple of issues:

1.  velocity issue.  The velocity the PX is sending isn't the same as when you play the Nord directly

2. sending multiple channels from the PX for the same note.  If multiple channels are being received by the Nord and all ending up on the same channel, you'll have multiple of the same event on the same channel and you'll get sort of a (lacking a better term) phasing situation.  The Nord tries to play the same event simultaneously (for the same note) and parts of the waveform may be lost in the reproduction.

 

Check number 2 first.  Check all of the zones on the PX and make sure NONE are transmitting midi.  Press the keys on the PX and you should get no sound from the Nord.  Next, turn on the midi for one zone on the PX.  Play it and see if that makes a difference.

 

After number 2, mess with the settings by turning off the touch and setting the no touch velocity to 127.  That should transmit the maximum velocity regardless of how hard you play the px-5s.  You should get the maximum velocity response from the Nord.  Try changing the velocity value to other numbers and listen to the response from the nord.

 

If it's determined that it's the velocity, you'll have to make adjustments to the velocity settings according to your taste.  By this I mean, turning the touch back on and then editing the tone/stage setting velocity etc.  Or if you like the static velocity, leave the touch sensitivity off.