User Manual

20 | NORD PIANO 4 USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
8
MIDI
MIDI FUNCTIONS
The Nord Piano 4 can be used as a master keyboard to control other
hardware units or software sound sources, and it is also possible to
control the Nord Piano 4 from a separate keyboard or MIDI device.
MIDI CHANNEL
The MIDI channel is used both for transmitting and receiving MIDI infor-
mation, at the same time. It allows for external control over every aspect
of the Nord Piano 4 – much like playing its own keyboard – and is used
for sending keyboard, pedal and panel actions to another MIDI device or
sequencer.
 MIDI messages are sent and listened to on both the USB and MIDI
In/Out connections simultaneously.
RECORDING AN PIANO 4 PERFORMANCE TO A
MIDI SEQUENCER OR DAW
Here is how to record a Piano 4 performance including any pedal ac-
tions and parameter adjustments to a DAW or MIDI sequencer.
1 Set the DAW or sequencer to use the Nord Piano 4 USB MIDI
driver, if connected through USB, or the appropriate MIDI interface
if connected through the 5-pin MIDI connectors.
2 Set the DAW or sequencer track to route back incoming MIDI on
the MIDI channel set on the Nord Piano 4.
3 Set Local in the System menu to Off on the Nord Piano 4.
4 Select the Program on the Nord Piano 4 that you wish to use.
5 Start the recording on the sequencer.
M If a Transpose value is set, either by the panel Transpose function
or the Global Transpose setting in the System menu, its effect on
MIDI depends on the “Transpose MIDI at” setting – see page 23.
MIDI MESSAGES
The following MIDI messages can be transmitted and received by the
Nord Piano 4:
NOTE ON/OFF
• Note On and Note Off messages including velocity are transmitted
and received.
CONTROLLERS
• From the System menu it can be determined whether the Nord Piano
4 should transmit and/or receive Control Change messages. See
• If a Control/Expression pedal is connected to the Control Pedal Input,
this is transmitted and received as Controller 11 (Expression).
• If a sustain pedal is connected to the Sustain Pedal Input, this is trans-
mitted and received as Controller 64 (Sustain Pedal).
• Almost all other controls (knobs and buttons) on the front panel are
also transmitted and received as Control Change messages. This can
be used for recording front panel actions into a MIDI sequencer. For a
full list of MIDI Control Change messages, refer to page 25.
PROGRAM CHANGE
Loading a program, Live program, Piano or Sample will send a Program
Change message on the global MIDI channel, each content type iden-
tified by its Bank MSB value. Conversely, incoming Program Change
messages will select the corresponding content on the Piano 4. The
message consists of three parts, as defined in the table below:
Program Piano Sample Live
Bank MSB (CC# 0) 0 3 4 6
Bank LSB (CC# 32) 0-15 0-5 0-X 0-1
Program Change 0-24 0-X 0-49 0-3
X = the amount of relevant values depends on the number of pianos/
samples in memory.
M A Program Change message that reaches the Nord Piano 4
unaccompanied by Bank Select messages will take effect in the
currently selected Program or Live bank.
In the System Menu, you can select if the Nord Piano 4 should send
and/or receive Program Change messages on the Global channel. See
page 23 for further details.
LOCAL CONTROL ON/OFF
If Local Control is set to Off, the keyboard and the panel on the Nord Pi-
ano 4 will be “disconnected” from its sound engines. Use the Off setting
when the instrument is set up in a MIDI loop, for instance when using
it in conjunction with a DAW or seqencer. Local Control On/Off is set in
the System menu, which is described on page 22.
PANIC
If hanging notes are experienced when using the Nord Pi-
ano 4 in a MIDI setup, or if all sound should be terminated
for other reasons, use the PANIC (Shift + Program 5) func-
tion. This will execute an internal “All Notes Off” message,
and reset incoming CC messages.