Nord Stage 2 oS VerSioN 1.30 releaSe NoteS | 1 Nord Stage 2 OS Version 1.30 Release Notes The 1.30 Stage 2 OS update contains several bug fixes and some functionality improvements. Update History General • Internal level adjustment, to make better balance options. Synth level have been raised and Piano have been lowered. Automatic conver- Internal Instrument levels sion is made when loading programs to compensate for this level We have adjusted the internal levels of the instruments to create better change. balance options. This will allow you to increase the level of the synth • Fixed a Mac/Sound Manager/USB-MIDI bug (caused the unit to compared to the piano and the organ. freeze if application was launched twice and USB MIDI was active). In order to maintain the balance in the programs already in your unit, • Fixed Organ/Piano/Synth Init bug (kbd split/zones etc didn’t work). there will be an automatic conversion made for every program that you • Sustain pedal now sends controller value zero when released. load in OS v 1.xx. You will notice that the synth level will be reduced but • Checksum calculation during startup to catch any rare errors in flash the overall output of the synth should be the same as before. It may be memory and report them to LCD. a good idea to go over your programs and make sure that the balance is correct, and to store them again in your unit. • Morph-control of parameters is now much quicker. • Stage 2 Master Clock can now be synchronized to incoming MIDI Clock. Organ MIDI communication • One single parameter hint for B3 vibrato mode and state. The OS v 1.30 has gone through a major overhaul in the MIDI com- Synth munication department. Most of the improvements are behind the • Optimized the overall Synth performance. scenes so to speak, but there is a new Global MIDI feature, a MIDI Soft Thru option for the External section and the Master Clock can now be • Glide range bug that prevented the glide to reach to correct note is synched to incoming MIDI Clock. fixed. • Fixed missing Parameter Hints for Arpeggiator Rate, Glide and The Sustain pedal has also been told to transmit CC64, value 0 via Clocked LFO Rate MIDI when lifted which will eliminate any forever sustaining notes on external units. The new MIDI chapter of the manual is included at the • LFO Mod span of Shape’d oscillator waveforms have been changed end of this document, with some setup examples. to produce better results. Users that have used the Stage Classic and Stage EX MIDI should not have any problems with the Stage 2. One significant difference is that Effects the previous Classic/EX Panel A and B MIDI, is replaced by the Global • Delay rate parameter text. MIDI in the Stage 2. • Phaser effect had a mix and pole issue that has been fixed, thanks to Previously made Stage Classic or EX MIDI recordings can be used, if Dan UK and Lars DK for finding this. the Stage 2 (receiving only) Slot A and Slot B is set to the same chan- nels as used in the recordings. MIDI • Big cleanup of internal and external MIDI operations, with the addi- Flash memory check tion of a Global MIDI channel. After you update the unit to OS v1.30, the first startup will be a little bit • New MIDI CC addresses: Gate pedal CC114, Slot focus: CC68. longer than before. This is the result of a memory health check that is • MIDI CC added for oscillator waveform CC 44, 0-127 performed. In the unlikely event that a sample or a piano is damaged in • Fixed Extern bug: In Send-on-Load mode MIDI was sent even the memory, there will be an alert in the LCD. If this happens, connect though Extern was off. the unit to a computer running the Manager where the sound will be highlighted. Deleting the sound and reloading it will restore the unit to • SysEx support: Programs and Synth Sound can be sent/received normal. (see MIDI menu). • Devices like control pedal and swell weren’t transmitted via MIDI. Fixed... • MIDI Soft Thru menu option for Extern Zone. 2 | Nord Stage 2 USer Manual oS V1.X Menus Range: MIDI 1-16, USB1-USB16, Off (Default off) • Auto-detection mode of pedal type in System Menu for Rotor and Sustain pedals. MIDI Piano A/B Channel • Fine Tune menu now also displays tuning in Hz. This sets the receiving MIDI channel for the Piano section A/B. If a channel is selected here, you can assign the corresponding instrument Programs to no KB Zone at all, that is make it active but available only through MIDI. • Automatic conversion when loading programs to compensate for the above mentioned level change. Range: MIDI 1-16, USB1-USB16, Off (Default off) • Program loading time has been significantly reduced. • When storing a Live buffer, bank/page buttons can now be used to MIDI Synth A/B Channel leave Live-mode. Previously you had to press Live Mode to be able This sets the receiving MIDI channel for the Synth section A/B. If a to store in the “normal” program memory from the Live buffers. channel is selected here, you can assign the corresponding instrument • Fixed slot load/copy bug where some parameters wasn’t copied to no KB Zone at all, that is, make it active but available only through properly. MIDI. • Program navigation using dial is now limited to range of focused Range: MIDI 1-16, USB1-USB16, Off (Default off) bank. • Fixed program category sort bug (programs using obsolete catego- ries where not sorted properly). MIDI Dual KB Channel This sets the MIDI channel for receiving MIDI from an external keyboard when using Dual KB mode MIDI Menu (from Owners Manual) Range: MIDI 1-16, USB1-USB16 (Default MIDI 16) Hold Shift and press Program 3/MIDI to access the MIDI menu set- tings. Use the Page 3 and 4 buttons to navigate between the various MIDI Ctrl Change Mode menu items on the MIDI menu. The Value Dial is used to change set- This allows you to set if you want Nord Stage 2 to transmit and/or tings, the Slot buttons to switch between A and B where applicable. receive MIDI Controller Messages or not on the Global channel. When you are done, press Exit (Shift) to exit the menu. Range: Off, Send, Receive, Send & Receive (Default) MIDI Control Local MIDI Prog Change Mode MIDI Local control determines if the Nord Stage 2 keyboard and front panel controls should control internal instruments and programs or only This allows you to determine whether you want Nord Stage 2 to transmit MIDI. Local On is the normal “play mode”. In Local Off mode, transmit and/or receive MIDI program Change Messages, or not on the the front panel and keyboard actions are transmitted via MIDI only and Global channel. do not control the internal sound(s) directly. M This applies to the “internal” Programs in the Stage 2, not the Range: On (Default), Off program change messages that the Extern section can be set to transmit. M Local always defaults back to Local On every time the Nord Stage 2 is powered on. Range: Off, Send, Receive, Send & Receive (Default) MIDI Global Channel Send MIDI Ctrl This sets the transmitting and receiving MIDI channel for the Global You can perform a dump of all parameters as their MIDI Controllers for Channel. The Global Channel transmits all keyboard, pedal and panel the selected Slot. Hit Store to perform the transmission. actions as MIDI signals. It can also be used as a receiving channel with Range: Slot A, Slot B full control of the entire Stage 2. Range: MIDI 1-16, USB1-USB16, Off (Default USB 1) Dump Program This allows you to do a MIDI System Exclusive dump of the currently MIDI Slot A/B Channel selected Program or of all the 400 Programs of the internal memory. This sets the receiving MIDI channel for Slot A/B. The Live buffers are not included. Press the Store button to start the transmission. Range: MIDI 1-16, USB1-USB16, Off (Default Off, Slot A and B) Range: One, All MIDI Organ A/B Channel Dump Synth This sets the receiving MIDI channel for the Organ section A/B. If a channel is selected here, you can assign the corresponding instrument This allows you to do a MIDI System Exclusive dump of the current to no KB Zone at all, that is make it active but available only through Synth settings in the focused Slot or of all the 300 synth sounds in the MIDI. Synth memory. Press the Store button to start the transmission. Range: Slot A/B, All Nord Stage 2 oS VerSioN 1.30 releaSe NoteS | 3 Slot A/B Using MIDI (new MIDI Chapter) The Slot MIDI setting is for receiving MIDI only and allows you to control an entire Slot with instruments that are active, from external devices. The Stage 2 is designed to be as flexible as possible when you use it Slot A and Slot B can be set to individual MIDI channels in the Stage 2 with its MIDI capabilities. You can use it as a master keyboard to con- MIDI Menu. trol other hardware or software sound sources, or as a set of individual sound engines to be played/controlled by outboard gear such as a sequencer. If you like, you can even do both these things at the same Extern time.