Keyboardpartner-Forum

I recently updated the FW and FPGA in my HX3 Expander Module. Last night I did my first gig, which was a jazz trio (i.e., organ, guitar, and drums), with the updated HX3 Expander and Nord Electro 4D. My rig sounded great and the drawbars worked in a linear fashion. For amplification I used a Spacestation V3 and Behringer B1200D subwoofer. I've decided there's no need to buy a Ventilator as the HX3 internal Leslie sim sounds great.

Thank you Carsten for developing a great sounding product!

- Al

Thanks Carsten. It's good to know that I should save my CC settings before updating. I probably would have missed that and not enjoyed going through the mapping process a second time. I have to say through that I think it's more than a cosmetic issue as I currently can't select drawbar settings 2 and perhaps 3 with the drawbars on my Nord Electro 4D, which to me is a functional issue. I can get around this in the short-term with the presets I've saved. I don't doubt that it's time consuming for you to keep up with all that's out there but, on the other hand, I think that's the nature of selling a MIDI module and the Nord Electro is a popular keyboard.

All in all, you've done a great job. To me, the main event is the sound and the HX3 does sounds great. You're innovative approach to the Hammond Clone is most welcome. I'm just wondering if I should have waited a little longer before purchasing the HX3 Expander Module to avoid some of the inevitable growing pains. I plan on using it tomorrow with a band for the first time. It should be fun!

Al,

the change in drawbar display was made a few days ago as it turned out that most MIDI controllers send linear controller position data. This is more or less a cosmetic/convenience issue. Sorry for the hassles.

I confess the custom CC assigning for keyboards not supported in the standard CC sets (NI B4, Voce, Hamichord etc) is a time-consumpting process. Anyway, people are glad that it [b]is[/b] possible so one may adapt every keyboard that sends standard CC controllers. HX3 cannot support every controller assignment on the market as CC assignments differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Sometimes they even differ significantly in the product range of one manufacturer, too (like Hammond or Nord).

If you found your correct Nord CC assigment, make sure to save it ("Export MIDI CC data") so it can be re-imported after update if something fails. Otherwise, it is sufficient to check the "MIDI Custom" box in section HX3 Firmware and FPGA update so your custom CCs are re-installed after update.

You won't have problems if you use a versatile masterkeyboard with its own assignment ability and use the standard NI B4 set on HX3. The NI B4 assignment in HX3 can be found in this document:

https://github.com/keyboardpartner/HX3/blob/master/DOCS_PDF/HOAX3_MIDI_nib4_voce.pdf

I received my HX3 Expander Module a week ago and am disappointed that the drawbar interaction with my Nord Electro 4D is uneven. Am I to understand that I need to update the firmware already? After a rather unfriendly (and time-consuming) experience mapping my Nord Electro 4D drawbars and buttons (percussion, chorus/vibrato, Leslie fast/slow, Leslie stop) I can't bring myself to do the firmware upgrade. I want to play music, not fiddle with technology an unreasonable amount of time. I don't struggle with technology, nor do I dislike it, it's just that my focus is on playing music. I suppose I'll just use is as it until I find the motivation to dive into the firmware upgrade process (i.e., I'm too busy to do it anytime soon). I guess it's the price I pay for being an early adopter of new technology. All that aside, I very much like how it sounds.

M.G.,
Thanks for the tip - the licenses now work; I entered them on the advanced page. The SK1 and Nord Stage seem to be much more responsive now to the drawbar movements. I will test them more later but this fix seems to be a winner. Thanks Carsten.

But for some reason my Voce V5+ is now not working with the HX3 via midi. It's not a problem with the Voce. The HX3 is not even receiving midi from the Voce which is strange, as it does work via midi with my other keyboards. I'll also test that more later tonight when I have time and will also try the new FW out with my DB1 drawbars.

Hi Dave,

had the same problems when updating.
I just ignored the integer error.

I had to input the serial numbers manually too.
But it worked only in the "advanced" sheet not on the main remote page.
(you find your ser numbers on your invoice)

Then everything worked fine.

Markus

Hello Carsten,
i Downloaded the beta 3.812 last night and noticed the drawbars positions 1-8 were more even with my Hammond SK1 drawbar movements but also heard an audible 'stepping up' for each stop. The midi CC in the remote software lists:
16, 32, 48, 64, 80, 96, 112, 127 etc for each drawbar movement.

However I have a few new problems. First I downloaded the latest 3.812 FW that you uploaded earlier today and after updating, my license numbers were not transferred. Furthermore, for some reason the Remote software won't allow me to manually input my name and license numbers. So the unit is currently producing no sound and now the drawbar movements on the SK1 are moving the pedal drawbars on midi CH 1. I also just attempted to re-install the same 3.812 FW and got an error message: 253 ist kein gultiger integerwert. If I can sort this out I will teszt the Unit tonight with my Voce and Nord keyboards as well.

My MK4 unit is serial number:13820386

Thank you for your assistance,
Dave Osoff

Hi Carsten,

just checked the 3.812 with MK4 Expander and Midicontroller (keyboardpartner ZR) mit
NI4 CC set:

Worked Fine !!
Drawbar Values correspond to Display Values (in and out movement!)

Preset/Percussion-Bug solved !

For "hardcore distortion lovers":
Vol Amp full, and trim swell full and all drawbars out and so on.
you could have clippimg in the last octave, I reduced parameter #607 Leslie input level from
145 to 100, this solved the clipping.
But thats an extreme setting.... maybe not that relevant under "normal" playing.
;-)

Now that my setup works fine:
NEVER touch a running system!
;-)
cheers
Markus

Just for your information, I have monitored Nord C2, Nord Stage 2 and Korg CX3:
Drawbar steps 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
All three sends the same discrete step values: 0, 16, 32, 48, 64, 80, 96, 112, 127

Another areas of confusion/inconsistence I have experienced and therefor monitored:
Percussion parameters:
Soft on/off: Nord 0/127, CX3 127/0
Fast on/off: Nord 127/0, CX3 127/0
Third on/off: Nord 127/0, CX3 0/127
Chorus/Vibrato:
V1, C1, V2, C2, V3, C3:
Nord: 0, 26, 51, 77, 102, 127
CX3: 0, 26, 51, 76, 101, 127

The Nords also sends drawbar information in the midi channel dedicated for the manual, typical midichannel 1 for upper manual drawbars, channel 2 for lower manual drawbars and channel 3 for pedal drawbars. This means that to make a custom cc set on the Expander adaptable for any midi keyboard controller it should be programmable for "channel associated signalling" ie allow to allocate midichannel to the different cc settings. As you see on above monitoring on percussion settings some manufacturers use inverted toggling of on/off (some use 127/0 and sometime 0/127).

To adjust all this I ended up by using a midi translator device to adapt the Nord C2 to the HX3 expander. Would be happy if this translation could be handled by the HX3 directly.

Pls try out new firmware #3.812 in github repo with linear drawbar MIDI CC mapping and linear display. It does logarithmic scaling close to B3 drawbar loudness curve in a final stage which does not affect display.

No need to update FPGA, just "FW update" and "Finalize".