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Convert Nord Electro 5D to mono signal


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Hi Folks,

 

Just picked up a Radial Mix 2:1 2 channel passive mixer.

 

My intention is to convert the stereo signal from my Nord Electro 5D into a good, usable mono signal. (The Nord has NO dedicated mono output)

 

Any tips or tricks for how to best make use of it?

It's dead simple - just plug in the left and right outputs of the Nord and then take the mono output of the box.

 

Anything I should be cautious of?

 

Thanks in advance!

Tom

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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Just summing the two stereo outputs could results in phase cancellations...

 

Even though the 5D doesn't appears to have a dedicated mono out when just using the "L" jack, using just one of either of the jacks seems to work fine if you use the Mono button in the piano section. Then the pianos come out mono, and the organs and (I think) most of the samples are mono. Some of the effects might be off, but then one wouldn't use those effects in mono anyway. Using only one output with the rotary sim seems to work just fine (maybe even better than if the two channels were summed?).

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Alternately, you could set the OUTPUT ROUTING MODE to the "PartL : L, PartU : R" setting. According to the manual, "With the PartL : L, PartU : R setting Part Lower is routed to the left output and Part Upper to the right, both being in mono." Then you could use the mixer to get a single output.
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I've had mixed results using the one output jack...in a pinch or at a rehearsal its good. But sometimes sounds a little "thin"...

 

Nowadays, I've been using the 5D's sample playback engine a lot and I wanna be sure I'm getting a totally accurate "mono" signal since so many of the samples are stereo in the Nord.

 

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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This all could have been cirumvented had Nord given us the "mono" output jack to begin with!

 

But yes, I do agree, that changing OUTPUT ROUTING MODE to the way you said, and then using the mixer, will give me a clean, true mono signal.

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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For an AP sound, many are reporting that the new White Grand AP sound is better in single speaker mode than previous AP sounds from Nord, which were weak in this regard. I have not tried the White Grand AP sound myself since I have an older Electro 3, but several have reported positive results.
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YES, I'd agree the White Grand is better in that regard. But I'm running a lot of stereo samples etc. and it would be nice to have a clean mono output when needed. (big disclaimer: the 5D sounds amazing in stereo! always the preferred setup).

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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All good advice here. Your Radial should do what you want pretty well. I'd probably start with hard routing for different voices.

 

The 5D has a "mono" button for piano voices, which also works pretty well. The implementation is much more limited than, say, my NS3, which has a global mono button which I use all the time. It's OK.

 

As I go back and forth between mono and stereo frequently (occasionally back-to-back gigs), I found it useful to have two versions of each go-to patch, one stereo and one saved with the mono button engaged. I append the letter "M" so I know which one I'm playing.

 

I don't obsess too much about how I sound in mono, because it's -- well -- mono.

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Agreed.

The Radial seems like a well made, simple device.

It should work, will let you all know after my gig tonight (unless the soundman deides to run me in stereo!)

 

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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Update: I got to the gig and the soundguy offered to run me in stereo!!!

 

SO, never tried the Radial.

 

Truthfully, I'm more interested in using it with a single small speaker like my Barbetta.

 

My feeling, after reading all the responses above, is that through a big PA system, using the Left output and setting the piano to "mono" would probably suffice.

 

But with a smaller keyboard amp, I'm hoping the Radial will make a difference.

 

To be continued....and thanks so far for all of the great insight!!! ;)

Tom

Nord Electro 5D, Modal Cobalt 8, Yamaha upright piano, numerous plug-ins...

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I have the 6D, and it has a "mono" button on it...not a fan of the pianos in mono though, so good to hear about the White Grand, which I haven't tried.

 

I'm considering making my life more complicated and going stereo, even if it's not panned out completely and despite issues with audiences only hearing one speaker etc. Mainly, our new console is simpler than our old (which left with our old bass player) and I can only get a mono monitor mix...I used to be able to pan things apart in my stereo mix, which helped a LOT in being able to hear everything (we have 4 vocals in a 5 piece rock band). I can use a submixer to monitor in stereo, which at least will let me get some spread on my keys and get them out of the congested middle. Also, I used to be able to control my mix from a tablet or phone and our new board doesn't have that unfortunately.

 

It also would help against what happened to me yesterday. We didn't use our PA, an in-house guy was there but (unusually) he let us use our in-ears. Fine, except he compressed the HELL out of my keyboards....to the point where it was actually hard to play and it felt like a delay was on them (the attack followed by the body, it was was a LOT of compression). If I'd had my mixer set up, I could have heard them the way they should be, and let him squeeze them to death if that's how he likes to mix....I think some of these sound guys don't realize that yes, there will be volume changes as I play dynamically with the band...this is ON PURPOSE...and NO, I'm not going to blow up your ****ing mixer with some patch out of hell that is way high in volume. Grrr.....

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