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Controlling Kronos drawbars w XK2


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Getting serious about the need to control the Kronos CX3 engine drawbars from my XK2. I haul both boards to gigs most times as it sucks to try to play organ with the weighted keys of the Kronos. I prefer the Kronos' CX3 tones to the XK-2's, but the Hammond's feel is excellent and it's nice to "re-purpose" it as a controller. I'm using Combi mode almost exclusively for performance. All combi's are set so the organ program is set to Ch. 2, the XK2 is set to transmit on Ch. 2. Searching about, I found this thread Kronos external control of drawbars that goes into detail on how to accomplish this, but not specifically to the XK2. If I could just get some confirmation, and pointed in the right direction to accomplish this...it'd be most helpful. What I've gathered thus far:

 

-Since the XK2 sends MIDI CC's with drawbar movement, I'd need to convert these to SysEx. It would seem that the MIDI Solutions Event Processor (MSEP) box would do this. Correct? Are there other alternatives?

-The XK2 is simply MIDI'd out on Ch. 2 to the Kronos in. Using the MSEP, would it both trigger notes as well as handle the drawbar movement?

 

I realize it'd need to program the MSEP with the Sysex values that are contained in the thread above. It appears there's some software to do so.

 

Does that pretty much encompass it? Is there anything else I'm not seeing?

 

TIA for any input.

"May you stay...forever young."

 

 

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The MIDI Solutions box simply looks for specific messages to affect. Everything else (like note-on's) is passed through. How many settings you have to make will depend somewhat on the MIDI implementation of the XK-2. For instance, if a drawbar corresponds to a particular CC# and the values match the ones that Kronos uses in SysEx (i.e 0-8) then you can just map that controller to a specific SysEx string replacing the value in the string with XX. If it's not that simple (like the SK2 sends 0-127 and Kronos needs 0-8) then you might have to have a setting to map 8 values times 9 drawbars = 72 settings. Check to see which is the case and if you need Event Processor, or Event Processor Plus.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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The XK2 is heavy. I'm sure there are unavailable parts in it if it should go down but if you own it and want to use it go for it. But if you are a working player I would have a plan B in mind. I would not seek one out for purchase. But the action it fine.

 

Does Numa send CC from the tone bars?

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Thanks, Dan. Yep...the XK2 is heavy, but lighter than the Kronos. I've made my peace with carrying 2 boards to get an actual organ manual. Owned it since the start of the millennium. Never failed me once, and MIDI'd into the Kronos the sound is great. Having drawbar control will improve it greatly.

 

Thanks for the input.

"May you stay...forever young."

 

 

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Not as easy as you might think. Any HS pre XK5 sends drawbar midi as a 9 step zone on the same CC for multiple draw bars. VST/AU suppliers such as B5 and Apple's B3 have custom built maps to correctly translate drawbar midi sent by an XK3c and earlier. You will need to replicate this functionality first and then map this to the required input for the Kronos.

A misguided plumber attempting to entertain | MainStage 3 | Axiom 61 2nd Gen | Pianoteq | B5 | XK3c | EV ZLX 12P

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I was able to do this with my Kurz PC3 when I owned the XM2 module. It's a pain in the @ss. All 9 sliders control the same CC. drawbar 1 controls CC#x (and I think X =81?) 0-8 midi value, drawbar 2 was set to the same CC# and controlled midi value 9-17, etc. all the through the last drawbar controlling CC#x and midi value 72-81. And because hammond drawbars work backwards I had to create a formula so that the drawbars increased in value when pulled down rather than when were slid up. But once programmed correctly it did work. I also think that with the XM2 you had to send all drawbar controls on channel 1 even if the XM2 was set to receive upper keyboard control on channel 4, lower keyboard on channel 5 and pedal on channel 6, the drawbars changes had to be sent on Midi Channel 1. Fortunately, with the flexibility of the PC3 I was able to do this; but it took a while to figure out how to get it working correctly.

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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