BadDog1123

Yup, really important to use your MIDI controller "generically" so it can be swapped out (in case of failure) with another board. I originally went the same route as PianoMan51, embedding all of my patch, pedal and split logic in the keyboard. Big mistake. When it died, I had to rebuild everything but this time I let Gig Performer handle all of that stuff. Now my two keyboard controllers just send notes, velocity, aftertouch and pedal info.

I will second Dr. Mike's statement that there is a lot of prep work involved in making your setup bulletproof (or as close as one can get). I use two Windows 10 laptops, one primary and one "spare". I have spent MANY hours optimizing the laptops to remove "bloat", reduce latency, and improve overall reliability. If you go the Windows route, I recommend implementing the tweaks outlined in this guide: https://www.cantabilesoftware.com/glitchfree. I also run Process Lasso (http://bitsum.com) to optimize Gig Performer's priority and processor affinity settings. If you are uncomfortable or unwilling to get your hands dirty with PC/Mac operating system maintenance, you're better off sticking with hardware synths.

No, just Gig Performer. It doesn't come with any instrument or effect plugins, so you'll have to buy them separately. And it only supports 64-bit plugins. Here is the link for Gig Performer. Highly recommended and the developers are great to work with. https://gigperformer.com/

I gig with an 80's/90's band using two Studiologic MIDI controllers (SL88 and Numa Compact 2X) running through Gig Performer host software on a Windows 10 laptop. All of my instruments are virtual and include Arturia V Collection 7, Native Instruments Kontakt 6 (with several third-party instrument libraries), IK Multimedia Hammond B-3X, Air Music Technology Velvet, Xpand and Structure samplers, and some miscellaneous freeware synths and effects. I run the whole rig through a Steinberg UR22C USB audio interface into a Radial ProD2 stereo DI to FOH and to my Sennheiser IEMs. I've been doing this for only about 6 months, but the results have been excellent with only a very few live performance glitches as I perfect my setup. I can preset all of my patches into setlists within Gig Performer, so changing songs and song parts is a snap on a touch-screen laptop. Plus, I am carrying around WAY less gear. I have spares of almost everything in case something ever breaks.

Big shout out to uhoh7 for the spot-on instruction for setting up drawbars to send CCs over the 5-pin DIN MIDI out connection!! Works like a champ!! I had never explored that particular area of MIDI settings on the NC2X. I continue to be impressed by what this board can do.

Thank you, uhoh7!! I will try out your suggestion and report back. I only use one preset because I am using the NC2X as a MIDI controller, not using the internal sounds.

Haven't tried sending the drawbar MIDI through USB. Even if it works with USB, I need to send MIDI out through DIN to a MIDI Solutions merger.

Thanks for the info, but I still can't get the drawbars to send MIDI thru the DIN MIDI Out connection. Pedals and sticks send just fine, but the drawbars send nothing. Is there a setting or parameter on on NC2X that I am missing?

Does anyone know if you can send MIDI CC from the drawbars through the MIDI Out (DIN) connection, or is it only transmitted through the USB MIDI Out? I've asked this question on the Studiologic support site, but I never got a respone.

IK's B-3X plugin for Windows is an absolute resource hog. It's a known issue and I'm not sure it has been addressed in the latest release (v1.1). On my Dell E7470 i7 laptop, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD it consumes 35% of the CPU in Gig Performer constantly.

AFAIK, the Pedal 2 input can only be used to control volume, like Pedal 1. The reason for having an option to assign Pedal 2 as an expression pedal rather than a sustain pedal is to allow the use of separate expression pedals for the lower and upper splits.

Quick update... I updated my E-Mu Proteus 2000 operating system from v1.04 to the latest v.2.26. I did likewise with the E-Mu B3, all the way from v1.00 to v2.26. Now both units respond properly to CC11 expression pedal messages. That was it. Lesson learned, make sure the OS/firmware is up-to-date before beating your head against a wall!! Thanks again to everyone who chimed in with helpful advice and information.

Quick update... I updated my E-Mu Proteus 2000 operating system from v1.04 to the latest v.2.26. I did likewise with the E-Mu B3, all the way from v1.00 to v2.26. Now both units respond properly to CC11 expression pedal messages. That was it. Lesson learned, make sure the OS/firmware is up-to-date before beating your head against a wall!! Thanks again to everyone who chimed in with helpful advice and information.

Sven, I saw the Sweetwater article as I was doing my research, prior to posting here. Following the instructions, I fiddled with the PatchCords on a preset, but couldn't find a combination to essentially reassign CC11 to control volume. If anyone knows the specific steps, please chime in! I will give it another try on my own, however. Dave, if I can't reassign CC11 to CC07 in the Emu's, I would then consider the MIDI Solutions Event Processor box. I have two of their Quad Thru boxes and they work like a champ! Thanks to everyone for the useful, on-point information and positive feedback! Great community we have here.

You're right, Sven! The B3 manual only lists CC's 01, 03, 04, 07, and 10 as standard mapped. I "believe" my MIDI controller is sending CC11 for the volume pedal, but I will verify. The Proteus 2000 manual does state that CC11 (expression) is mapped standard. The B3 is based on the Proteus 1000 architecture, so CC11 must have been added in the upgrade. Both the B3 and P2K are having this issue, so if CC11 is mapped then it doesn't seem to have any effect. The controller I use (Studiologic Numa Compact 2X) does not have the option to reassign the pedal to another CC. If that is the issue, is there a "MIDI box" that can sit in between my controller and rack synths to reassign messages from CC11 to CC07?

The manual is unspecific when it comes to which MIDI channel to use, The P2K actually has two sets of MIDI ports for up to 32 channels. Using the master menu setup, I can turn on or off each of the 32 channels for sending/receiving MIDI messages, plus I can select which channels to receive program changes on. It is so flexible that it gets confusing! I currently have the B3 set to receive on channels 8 and 9, and the P2K to receive on 10 and 11 (because I have other gear using the other channels). I can try good ol' channel 1 just to rule out the situation you mentioned, being fixed to channel 1.

Does anyone know what MIDI channel(s) and CC# the MIDI message is sent on the MIDI Out (DIN) when a volume/expression pedal is connected to Ped1? I am using my NC2X as a MIDI controller for a couple of E-Mu rack romplers, the B3 and Proteus 2000, and a Roland XV-5050. The Roland is responding to the volume/expression pedal changes but both of the E-Mu's are not. It must be a config setting on the E-Mu's, but I've tried everything I can think of.

Thank you for your prompt reply, Dave! The manual in your link is for the original Proteus, not the P1K (which the B3 is based on) or the P2K. Both the B3 and P2K manuals state: The following MIDI controls are automatically routed...: Pitch Wheel pwh Modulation Wheel 01 Pedal 04 Volume 07 Pan 10 Expression 11 So I assume that if I send expression changes on CC11, then I should be able to control volume. However, and your point is a good one, perhaps I need to somehow remap CC11 into CC07 to control volume on the B3 and P2K? As I said, my Roland XV-5050 is picking up the expression/volume pedal changes just fine using the same controller/pedal combination. The E-Mu's appear to be ignoring what is sent or more likely, it is not mapped properly through either global settings or on a per-patch basis. I just can't figure out where to begin!

I have two E-Mu modules in my rack, a B3 and a Proteus 2000. When I connect a volume/expression pedal to my MIDI controller, the E-Mu modules do not respond to pedal changes by changing the volume. I also have a Roland XV-5050 in my rack which DOES respond to expression pedal changes using the same MIDI controller and pedal, so I know the pedal and controller are working properly. I have tried using both a Roland Juno-DS88 and a Studiologic Numa Compact 2X as the MIDI controller, but the E-Mu's will not change volume when I use the pedal. However, I believe that the E-Mu's are "seeing" the MIDI expression pedal messages sent by the controller because the front-panel MIDI activity LED is lit constantly when I rock the volume pedal with no keys depressed. I am new to the E-Mu modules, having just purchased them within the past few months. Does anyone have insight into how I can make the E-Mu's recognize and respond to expression pedal changes? Since the architecture and settings on the B3 and Proteus 2000 are similar, I am guessing that it is the same configuration issue on both units. Is there a "PatchCord" setting that I can create on a per-patch basis to force it to respond to expression pedal changes by altering the amp or MIDI volume? I've tried everything that I can think of. Hoping you guys and gals can help me out. Thanks!