Possible to use OB dBars with Electro 4 and HX3?

[Jon May]

Recently took possession of an HX3 organ module to pair with my Electro4(SW73). To try out just the E4's ability to drive the HX3; MIDI OUT from E4 to MIDI IN on HX3, select the Custom MIDI CC set (which is configured for the Nord C2 organ) and the HX3 responds appropriately to many of the E4's onboard hardware buttons; all the draw bars and C/V buttons work, plus percussion on/off and type (but not loudness & decay rate).

 

Flushed with success I wondered if I could add my Ocean Beach draw bars into the mix. They work superbly with the E4 when connected as in the diagram below (taken from the OB manual). The manual also showed how to add an outboard sound module from the DBar unit's Aux MIDI OUT.

 

http://www.propertyshoot.com/dev/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/DB1-HX3-E4-MIDI-diagram.jpg

 

Sadly the HX3 makes no sound nor responds to any draw bar moves when connected in this way. There is also no flickering of the HX3's blue light when Electro buttons are depressed or draw bars moved, so no MIDI data appears to be received by the HX3.(Not being passed thru the OBdBars?)

All cables are good.

 

Can anyone suggest a patch routing or MIDI variable change that might enable communication?

 

 

[Analogaddict]

I have a HX3 module too, IIRC it has two midi inputs..! If Youre not using the Electro as a sounds source, Id hook the E4 up to one of the HX3 inputs and the drawbars to the other.

[Tobias Åslund]

I don't think the OB DB-1 sends drawbar CC-messages to the Aux Out, so try to connect the Nord to the Aux in, and the Main Out to the HX3. Of course, now you will lose the ability to control the Nord instead... but I do believe it's one or the other. If you would like to control both, you will need a Midi thru box, between the Main MIDI out, and the inputs to the Nord and the HX3.

[Tobias Åslund]

I don't think the OB DB-1 sends drawbar CC-messages to the Aux Out, so try to connect the Nord to the Aux in, and the Main Out to the HX3.

 

Yes, I've confirmed this with my own DB-1 (and a MIDI monitor in my PC) - it only sends CC messages from the Main Midi Out, not the Aux.

Also, I tried your connection above, with the DB-1 and my Nord Stage 3 compact - using that, the Nords drawbar movements are sent through the aux out of the DB-1, but the Nord does not retransmit the CC information from the DB-1, through the DB-1 aux output.

 

If you would like to control both, you will need a Midi thru box, between the Main MIDI out, and the inputs to the Nord and the HX3.

...and when I think about this some more, you will need a MIDI merge box as well - I guess you want the MIDI note messages from the Nord, into the HX3 as well...

 

so connection would go as follows then:

 

DB-1 Main in <- Nord out

DB-1 Main out -> MIDI thru box in

Midi Thru box out 1 -> MIDI Merge box in 1

Midi Thru box out 2 -> Nord Midi in

DB-1 aux out -> Midi Merge box in 2

HX-3 MIDI in <- Midi Merge box out

 

So, it's makes a the MIDI setup a bit complex, I'm afraid...

[Jon May]

The Swedes have it! Thank you gentlemen. Both solutions work (see diags.). It would be nice to also have the Electro's dBar LEDs mirroring the DB1 but that MIDI solution does look rather complex.

 

http://www.propertyshoot.com/dev/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/DB1-HX3-E4-MIDI-diagram-working-option-1-4.jpg

 

http://www.propertyshoot.com/dev/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/DB1-HX3-E4-MIDI-diagram-working-option-2-2.jpg

 

[OB Dave]

Sorry, I was traveling today and then had a gig tonight, so I'm a little shot at the moment. But it looks like you have this all sorted out now....?

 

The other diagram from the manual that perhaps might be helpful is this one:

 

http://www.oceanbeach.com/temp/midi_data_flow.jpg

 

As you can see the main purpose of the Aux MIDI Out is to allow you to use your main keyboard to trigger another sound module, because the DB-1 gobbled up the main keyboard's MIDI OUT jack. That's why the DB-1 doesn't normally send its own drawbar commands out this port.

 

But in the configurator, you might try tinkering with this setting:

 

http://www.oceanbeach.com/temp/send_midi_out_aux.png

[Jon May]

Awesome! If the configurator can rejig the AUX OUT port to send drawbar data, that would be my favoured solution. It probably satisfies some OC of mine to have the Nord LEDs match the sliders when I'm using them. Another benefit is that the DB1 gets power over MIDI from the Nord so no need to shoehorn a 9v battery in there.

Thanks Dave.

[Jon May]

UPDATE: After Dave talked me through a couple of tests, it was apparent that my OBeach DB-1 had a fault preventing MIDI being passed through the unit from the Nord to the DB-1 AUX MIDI OUT. A tech traced the fault to a broken track on the circuit board, probably a result of me having dropped the unit several years ago. (As I'd never needed the AUX OUT all seemed fine).

But now the DB-1 and Electro 4 are paired nicely with the HX3.