Playing/Controlling outboard gear
with the Extern section
It is best to consider the Extern A/B sections, as simply another pair
of onboard instruments, just like the Organ/Piano/Synth sections. As-
signing zones/layers, enabling pitch stick and sustain pedal response,
etc., are all done in exactly the same manner as with any of those other
instrument sections.
It is also possible to store desired “initial values” of things such as
Program Change, Bank Select, or Volume, for the Extern A/B slots.
Additionally, the Extern section provides a rotary encoder which is as-
signable to the MIDI CC# of your choice. You can optionally choose to
have data stored either on a global or per-program basis.
1
Select a Stage 2 EX program from which you wish to play external
sounds.
2
Set the Extern A section and the external device to the same MIDI
channel.
E
Make sure that the Extern channel is not the same channel as the
Stage 2 EX Global channel. If it is, set Global to another channel.
3
Activate the Extern Section and assign it to the desired zone(s).
4
Play in that zone on the Stage 2 EX and you should hear your
external device.
M
There may be settings/options on your external MIDI units that
affect how they react to incoming MIDI data; please check the
documentation you have for your other units.
5
Set Octave Shift, Sust Ped and P Stick as needed.
6
Press the Extern Parameter Select repeatedly until the Prog
Change LED is lit. Turn the Extern encoder knob until it has se-
lected the external device program, which you wish to use. If Bank
Select data is needed to access that selection, these data will
need to be manually entered into the Extern Menu.
7
Press the Extern Parameter Select repeatedly until the Volume
LED is lit. Turn the Extern encoder knob to adjust the volume of
the external MIDI unit by transmitting MIDI CC#7.
8
Store your new program to your Stage 2 EX.
By activating Send On Load in the Extern Menu, whenever this
particular Stage 2 EX program is selected, all of that data (program
change, bank select, and volume) will automatically be transmitted from
the Stage 2 EX to the external device. In fact, Nord provides an extra
continuous controller message in the Extern menu. Simply set the CC
number and the desired value and it will be transmitted along with the
rest.
For yet another layer of integrated control, set up a Morph to control
the Extern encoder via the mod wheel, aftertouch or a control pedal.
By assigning the CC address of your choice to that encoder, it is pos-
sible to generate MIDI data streams to the external device seamlessly
from the Stage 2 EX. And due to the flexibility of the Morph function,
the value range of those data streams can be limited to suit any need,
and also move in either a positive or negative direction.
Just like the other instrument sections, the A/B Extern slots are com-
pletely independent from one another and can be programmed to do
different things on the same or different zones at the same time.
M
If you use the Panel Transpose feature on the Stage 2 EX, the
MIDI output from the Extern section will be transposed.
Controlling the Stage 2 EX with an
external keyboard or MIDI device
There are several options available if you wish to use a second key-
board or other MIDI device to control one or more Stage 2 EX instru-
ments. Let’s have a look at the Dual Kb feature first.
Dual Kb
With this function, it is possible to use an external keyboard to control
the Slot B instrument sections exclusively.
1
Activate Dual Kb on the Stage 2 EX panel by holding Shift and
press the Slot B button.
2
Set the Stage 2 EX’s Dual Kb MIDI channel to the MIDI channel of
the transmitting MIDI device; this is done in the Stage 2 EX MIDI
menu, the default setting is MIDI channel 16.
3
Activate one or more instrument sections on Slot B of the Stage
2 EX.
E
The On/Off setting of the Dual Kb feature will be stored for each
program.
When Dual Kb mode is active, the Stage 2 EX’s keyboard will play
Slot A instruments, regardless of which Slot is focused on the panel,
and Slot B will be played from the external MIDI device. Any control-
lers (pedals etc.) that you operate on the Stage 2 EX will not affect the
instruments on Slot B.
With Dual Kb mode, it is easily possible to add a different keyboard
action to your rig. Perhaps you have a hammer-action Stage 2 EX, but
want waterfall keys for organ playing, or you have a semi-weighted
Stage 2 EX, but want a weighted action for piano playing.
M
If the Stage 2 EX is transposed using the Panel Transpose, the
incoming MIDI on the Dual Kb channel will also be transposed.
MIDI OUT
MIDI IN
MIDI OUT
MIDI IN
48 | NorD Stage 2 eX USer MaNUal oS v1.7X
Summary of Contents for NordStage2 EX 88
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