Troubleshooting
If you are reading this section, apparently Trouble has befallen you and so must be shot. This section
will guide you through the necessary steps.
First, let’s take a step back and look at the big picture. The DB-1 works by sending MIDI messages to
your Nord, and it also must be able to receive messages from the Nord for programming. If the setup
steps at the beginning of this manual didn’t get things going for you, any one of several things could be
the cause. In order for the DB-1 to function, the following conditions must all be met:
!
The DB-1 must have enough power to operate.
!
The Nord must receive the MIDI messages sent by the DB-1
!
The DB-1 must receive messages sent by the Nord.
So let’s work our way down the list.
1.
The DB-1 must have enough power to operate.
The easiest way to remove any uncertainty is to
connect a fresh 9-volt battery to the DB-1 and press the Power button in. When you move the DB-1
drawbars back and forth, you should see the LED flicker, indicating that the unit has power and that
it’s sending MIDI messages. If this isn’t happening, make sure the Power button is on (pressed in)
and that the battery is in good condition. Once you’ve verified the DB-1 has power, you can move
on to the next step.
2.
The Nord must receive the MIDI messages sent by the DB-1.
Your Nord has a MIDI indicator
LED of its own, and it should also flicker when you move the DB-1’s drawbars. If not, double
check your cable connections – the DB-1’s MAIN OUT should be connected to the Nord’s MIDI IN,
and the DB-1’s MAIN IN should be connected to the Nord’s MIDI OUT. You might also try
swapping the cables for different ones to make sure it’s not a cable problem. Also, if your Nord has
USB-MIDI capabilities (such as with the Electro 4), you must configure your Nord to use the round
5-pin DIN MIDI input and output connectors, not USB.
3.
The DB-1 must receive messages sent by the Nord.
Similarly, when you play note on the Nord,
move the expression pedal, or press the virtual drawbar buttons, you should see the DB-1’s LED
flicker, indicating that it is receiving those messages. If not, double check the cabling as described
above. It might also be a Nord MIDI configuration issue, the resolution of which is described
below.
If it appears that you have physical connectivity (cables are plugged into the correct places), you should
also verify that the Nord has been configured to send and receive MIDI Note On and CC information.
All of the Nord models have MIDI menu functions to configure this stuff, and to our knowledge the
default configurations work fine. But it’s possible at some point these menu settings have changed, so
you’ll want to bust out your Nord’s manual and go to the MIDI menu sections towards the back of the
manual. The things you want to look for are described on the next page.
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