Midi track sequencing via external keyboard input

XanaX · 2013-12-06T08:28:31.000Z

ok i’m just getting into the midi tracks to sequence my nord rack but would like to input notes via midi controller, i’ve hooked up my Voyager to the OT midi in but i can’t seem to trigger notes from the Nord even though it obviously works from the OT by placing trigs/chromatic mode… any help on what settings to get this to work would be appreciated!

twardowski · 2013-12-06T08:56:38.000Z

i don’t quite follow - but if what you want to do is ‘play’ the octatrack’s internal channels from the nord keyboard,
first thing you’d need to do is check the midi channels - each of the OT’s internal tracks has its own midi channel + there’s the auto channel (by default 1-8 for the tracks and 11 for the auto), soo you need to set your keyboard to transmit on the appropriate channel.

nedavine · 2013-12-06T09:09:37.000Z

Yeah as stated the midi controller needs to be on channel 11 (or whatever you set the auto chanel to). Also you need the Nord midi track selected and open when you input the notes.

XanaX · 2013-12-06T12:31:30.000Z

@twardowski: no what i’m trying to do is sequence my nord rack (not keyboard version) from OT but instead of using the OT trig keys for note input i’d like to use an external midi keyboard (moog voyager in my case) using real-time record (rec+play) mode.

…but you seem to have given the answer, i will try setting up the voyager to send midi on channel 11 and have the nord midi track selected on OT… going to give this a try, thanks guys!

awkwardphase · 2013-12-06T12:46:35.000Z

This is correct and works like a charm.
I use my Yamaha Anx1 as midi controller sending on channel 11 to the OT that is ending on the seperat channels to Monomachine and P8.
I really enjoy using the OT this way

MK7 · 2013-12-06T16:30:23.000Z

I’d also like to use a Voyager as Midi keyboard!!

XanaX · 2013-12-06T17:31:46.000Z

heh… it’s actually a great controller, all the knobs and switches send CCs too which is pretty damn cool… anyways i got it working… pretty good sequencing too although the resolution is a bit coarse… chord notes have to be played really precisely to register it seems…

on a related note, is there way to “undo” or “clear” a recorded pass?
(i tried “function+clear” once… won’t be doing that again )

Ma-chew · 2013-12-06T18:45:57.000Z

You need to clear the trigs. Try Function>Edit first. then Function>Clear.

andajazz · 2014-12-17T20:35:01.000Z

Hi, resurrecting an old thread instead of creating a new one …

All this with auto channel works fine, got an axiom pro 49, I can play internal tracks, midi tracks, always the active track. fine. BUT:

In addition I want to have the ability to play other tracks (esp. midi channels) while playing around on other tracks,

For example: On Midi Track 1 , Midi channel 1, I have a Mono Lancet for Bass, so I want to play the Lancet Live on the Axiom and at the same time play around with some internal tracks/Scenes/thru tracks whatever.

So I set up a 2nd template on the Axiom which goes directly to Midi channel 1, but the Mono Lancet does´t play, the Midi signal doesn´t make it “thru” the OT.

I want both possibilities, auto channel and playing the lancet directly no matter where I am in the OT, just by changing the Axiom template/settings.

Any advice?

PeterHanes · 2014-12-17T20:51:13.000Z

""andajazz"":

Hi, resurrecting an old thread instead of creating a new one …

All this with auto channel works fine, got an axiom pro 49, I can play internal tracks, midi tracks, always the active track. fine. BUT:

In addition I want to have the ability to play other tracks (esp. midi channels) while playing around on other tracks,

For example: On Midi Track 1 , Midi channel 1, I have a Mono Lancet for Bass, so I want to play the Lancet Live on the Axiom and at the same time play around with some internal tracks/Scenes/thru tracks whatever.

So I set up a 2nd template on the Axiom which goes directly to Midi channel 1, but the Mono Lancet does´t play, the Midi signal doesn´t make it “thru” the OT.

I want both possibilities, auto channel and playing the lancet directly no matter where I am in the OT, just by changing the Axiom template/settings.

Any advice?

Make sure your MIDI channels used for the MIDI tracks on the OT do not conflict with the MIDI channels used for the audio tracks.

I guess that the Axiom can do a keyboard split so that part of the keyboard transmits on channel 1 and part of it transmits on the same channel as the Auto channel of the OT?

glaciertree · 2014-12-18T14:54:15.000Z

@andajazz - As Peter said check for conflicts with the audio tracks. That seems like the most likely culprit to me as well. What you are trying to do should be possible. As long as the channels are setup right, you can play more than one synth at a time. I’m pretty sure you can only live record on the active track though.

andajazz · 2014-12-18T15:23:16.000Z

ok, thanks, I´ll try it out tomorrow and let you know.
great forum.

Offbeat · 2014-12-23T20:57:32.000Z

Glad I have found this thread. I am about to buy a synth to be sequenced by my OT. I consider Nord Rack 2X the most, but Blofeld is also in my range. I have question regarding multitimbral. Nord’s 4 parts is not much (comparing to Blofeld 16), but as the addition to OT’s internal 7-8 tracks it can be quite usefull. But before I buy it, I would like to know how this works with OT. Can I set up 4 midi tracks in OT to play at one time 4 voices from Nord? 1 track for 1 voice? MIDI cable will be enough to reach this effect or I need another solution? I have never been thrugh this before, so I will be really grateful for your advices…

PeterHanes · 2014-12-23T21:58:22.000Z

""Offbeat"":

Glad I have found this thread. I am about to buy a synth to be sequenced by my OT. I consider Nord Rack 2X the most, but Blofeld is also in my range. I have question regarding multitimbral. Nord’s 4 parts is not much (comparing to Blofeld 16), but as the addition to OT’s internal 7-8 tracks it can be quite usefull. But before I buy it, I would like to know how this works with OT. Can I set up 4 midi tracks in OT to play at one time 4 voices from Nord? 1 track for 1 voice? MIDI cable will be enough to reach this effect or I need another solution? I have never been thrugh this before, so I will be really grateful for your advices…

That is basically correct. One MIDI cable connected from the MIDI Out connector of the OT to the MIDI In connector of the external synthesizer is all you need to sequence the synthesizer. Of course you will need audio cables in order to hear the output of the synthesizer.

The Nord Rack 2X has four parts or slots: you can set up a sound on each one and assign a different MIDI channel to each. If you assign those MIDI channel numbers to four MIDI sequencer tracks on the OT, you can sequence the four NR2X sounds form the Octatrack.

The Blofeld can in theory do the same but with 16 different sounds (although the OT only has 8 MIDI sequencer tracks), although many people find that the Blofeld does not cope very well with 16 sounds at once.

Think carefully about what you want and look for a good deal for your synthesizer before you buy.

Offbeat · 2014-12-23T23:35:13.000Z

I would like to thank you very much for your helpful comment!
So, as you wrote, seems NR2X can be sequenced the way I need (4 voices/sounds separately to each OT MIDI track after assigning to different MIDI channels).
That’s really good information.

One question more regarding audio cables connection. Can I connect them from NR2X audio outputs directly to OT audio inputs, so OT will play them on it’s audio outputs (and headphones output as well) together with it’s internal tracks ? Or do I need external mixer gear to consolidate NR2X and OT audio outputs?
I have not much space for additional gear, so I want to set up OT as a main hub for sequencing, but also as a “mixer” with 1 audio output ( for internal OT + external MIDI tracks).

Do you have any other remarks regarding NR2X? I like it’s direct and simple access to all parameters, without menu diving and nice sounds. But, I am not experienced with this, so each remark will be priceless for me.

Thank you in advance!

PeterHanes · 2014-12-24T02:38:01.000Z

""Offbeat"":

…

One question more regarding audio cables connection. Can I connect them from NR2X audio outputs directly to OT audio inputs, so OT will play them on it’s audio outputs (and headphones output as well) together with it’s internal tracks ?

…

Yes, you can connect the NR2X audio outputs to the audio inputs of the OT and mix the NR2X sounds with those coming from the audio tracks of the OT. You could sample the sounds coming from the NR2X and play with them using the OT’s sample-mangling capabilities and effects.
You can listen to the whole mix via the OT’s audio outputs or the headphones output.

""Offbeat"":

…

Do you have any other remarks regarding NR2X? I like it’s direct and simple access to all parameters, without menu diving and nice sounds. But, I am not experienced with this, so each remark will be priceless for me.

…

I agree with you exactly that the NR2X is “nice”-sounding and it’s a very good instrument for someone who is just starting with synths, although I think its interface is not quite as easy to deal with as the Nord Lead/Rack 3 (where the user interface updates automatically when new match settings are loaded).

My favourite part of the NR2X is the percussion kit mode, where each of the four parts can have 8 synthesized drum sounds. Try using the OT’s MIDI arpeggiator to trigger these drum sounds, and then sample the resulting patterns.

The main thing with learning any new instrument is to spend as much time with it as possible, until you can use it by instinct without having to refer to its instruction manual.

nakedbob · 2014-12-24T08:03:10.000Z

I just want to than you Peter Hanes for your all-around amazing forum responses.

andajazz · 2014-12-24T16:18:07.000Z

@ Peter and glaciertree: thanks, that was it.

Audio Tracks is Midi 1-8, Midi Tracks 9-15, 16 as autochannel, and Direct connect ON!
Hooray, axiom 49 with Split or Template change Works Perfectly now to Play internal and Midi Tracks simultaneously.

@offbeat:

I thought about the lead 2x as well, but went with mono lancet, nanozwerg and dark energy instead for instant jammability. If you go 2x: Be sure to connect the individual Outs to the inputs of the OT and give every One a dedicated thru machine for individual effects.
And if you wanna sample, sample the thru Track instead of the Input, so you capture the identical audio with the effects! By the way: i think 4 Parts is enough, I never needed more, and theres still the internal tracks.

Greets
Andajazz

Offbeat · 2014-12-26T00:54:26.000Z

Dear Elektronauts Friends,
Things are getting more and more clear for me after your help…
Thanks a lot!
But, if you do not mind, new questions appear…

NR(L)2X does not have it’s own effects, as far as I know. Question; I just wonder, if sequencing and triggering live MIDI tracks can be affected by OT effects? I do not mean sampling, of course. It is about live sequencing mode. If OT could put effects on NR2X sounds in mixer mode, that would be great!
And “rookie” question (as I mentioned, I am new in this reality): To have played NR2X, I can use probably OT’s chromatic mode, what is working for sure, but sometimes external keyboard is simply better, of course…
So, if I would use MIDI keyboard, should it be connected as follows:
Keyboard MIDI OUT -> OT’s MIDI THRU,
OT’s MIDI OUT -> NR2X MIDI IN
(then I could probably play NR2X sounds using MIDI keyboard via OT, right?)

But, holding this connection mode; can I also play (trig) OT’s internal audio tracks using this same external keyboard?

Thanks in advance,
Greetings from Poland

andajazz · 2014-12-26T08:43:16.000Z

@ offbeat: Basically yes to all your questions.

For external Keyboard use: Keyboard Midi out to OT Midi in. OT Midi out to Nord Lead/Rack. check your Midi settings on both devices. For starting, I recommend the Auto Channel on the OT (normally at Midi 11).

It works great to put a synth like Nord thru the OT to add effects.

Easy way: Main Out from Nord to Input AB on OT. Set one track as a “Thru Machine”, Input AB, choose your effects and voila. You can add neighbor tracks if you need more than 2 effects.

More complex, but better way: Plug each of the individual outs from the Nord into a different input of the OT. Choose 4 tracks as Thru Machines, each one with a different input (A-D), so you can have different effect settings on all 4 voices from the Nord.

you then have 4 more tracks left for sampling your thru tracks, or play samples/loops in flex/static machines.

Good luck, and read the manual

Andajazz