| 0 | 0 | ||
After weeks of anguish, I've finally figured out how to get MIDI on the KORG NTS-1 to work. That is, MIDI via the 'MIDI IN' port, which requires a TRS to MIDI adapter to interface with most other instruments or MIDI controllers. A handful of other devices can use a standard Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) audio cable, more on that later. I haven't dove into MIDI over USB yet, so I won't get into that here.
Hardware
First off, the goal is simply to sequence the NTS-1 from an external sequencer, since it doesn't have one built-in. Or to play it live from an external keyboard or other MIDI controller. What hardware will you need for this?
From a 5-pin DIN MIDI source
The first thing you have to know is how your external sequencer/MIDI controller outputs MIDI. Most will use a standard 5-pin DIN MIDI connector (female) labeled 'MIDI OUT'. If your device has one of these, you'll need to buy a Type A TRS to MIDI adapter, as unfortunately it is not included with the NTS-1. The easiest one to find appears to be the Make Noise 0-Coast one, here are two good sources in the US:
https://www.perfectcircuit.com/make-noise-0-coast-midi-cable.html
Note that any cable/adapter that is compatible with Arturia, Novation, or 1010Music WILL NOT WORK, as those are Type B. Also I do not recommend shopping for these on Amazon, because most of the sellers do not label them as Type A or Type B or Type C, so it is very difficult to know if you are getting the right type.
From a TRS MIDI source
Some instruments and sequencers will use TRS (female) as their MIDI OUT port. Here's a short list of devices that I know use TRS for their MIDI OUT, all of which should be able to sequence the NTS-1:
KORG SQ-1 (Type A)
KORG Electribe 2 (Type A)
KORG Electribe 2 Sampler (Type A)
Elektron Model:Samples (Type A or Type B)
Novation Circuit (Type B)
(if you know of others, leave them in a comment and I'll add them to this list)
Of the above, all of the KORG instruments will work with a standard TRS stereo audio cable (TRS on both ends), since they are all Type A. The Elektron Model:Samples should also work, since it allows you to inverse the polarity of the MIDI out port in the device's settings (so it can be Type A or Type B), however I haven't gotten it to work yet. I'll update this when I do.
The Novation Circuit is the odd one, since it uses Type B. There are two options here. One is to use one of the Type B TRS to MIDI adapters that ships with the Circuit for the Circuit's MIDI OUT, then use the Type A adapter (linked above) for the NTS-1's MIDI IN. In between you'll connect a standard 5-pin DIN MIDI cable (male on both ends). That should work, though I haven't tested it personally.
The other option is to make your own custom TRS MIDI cable. Take a standard TRS stereo audio cable (it has to be TRS, a TS mono cable won't work). Cut it in half. Figure out which wires are connected to tip, ring, and sleeve on each end (you can use a multimeter with a continuity tester mode to accomplish this). Then, connect them like this:
Tip - Ring
Ring - Tip
Sleeve - Sleeve
So you swap the connections of tip and ring. Seal the cable back up. Note that it will only work in one direction, one end will be for the Circuit, and the other end will be for the NTS-1, so you'll probably want to tag them or color them. If you hook it up backwards, it won't work, but it won't hurt anything either. Again, I haven't tried this personally, but it should work.
If you want to make your own custom TRS to MIDI adapter cable, the pinout is as follows:
MIDI DIN Pin 5 - Tip (current sink)
MIDI DIN Pin 4 - Ring (current source)
MIDI DIN Pin 2 - Sleeve (Shield/ground)
See this article for diagrams and more details:
Software
OK, so now that we have the right cable adapters and cables that we need, how do we get the NTS-1 to respond to MIDI signals? By default, the NTS-1 is set to listen on MIDI channel 1. So if you set your sequencer or MIDI controller to output on MIDI channel 1, it should start working right away.
However, what if you need to use a different MIDI channel? The NTS-1 uses the characters 0 - F to indicate MIDI channels 1 - 16, because the 4 digit screen can't display the MIDI channel numbers 10 - 16. The following chart is not listed anywhere in KORG official documentation for the NTS-1, and sharing it is my primary reason for writing this article:
0 = MIDI Channel 1 (*default setting)
1 = MIDI Channel 2
2 = MIDI Channel 3
3 = MIDI Channel 4
4 = MIDI Channel 5
5 = MIDI Channel 6
6 = MIDI Channel 7
7 = MIDI Channel 8
8 = MIDI Channel 9
9 = MIDI Channel 10
A = MIDI Channel 11
B = MIDI Channel 12
C = MIDI Channel 13
D = MIDI Channel 14
E = MIDI Channel 15
F = MIDI Channel 16
See how that's confusing? If you see the CHn4 on the NTS-1's screen, you would assume you are on MIDI channel 4...but no! You are actually on MIDI channel 5. Seriously, KORG, WTF?!
Another important point to make here is that there is no such thing as MIDI Channel 0. Standard MIDI channels are 1 - 16, there is no channel 0. Some instruments and MIDI controllers will have an option for a channel 0, sometimes called a 'global' channel. This is something that is specific to that instrument or device, it is not part of standard MIDI. Sometimes 'channel 0' is an Omni mode, which sends MIDI data out over all 16 MIDI channels simultaneously, but again, that is something specific to that instrument or MIDI controller, so you'll have to dive into that device's manual.
Here's the steps to change the MIDI channel on the NTS-1:
- While holding down the REVERB button, power on the NTS-1 (by connecting the USB power source)
- Roll the TYPE knob until you see CHn (this stands for Channel)
- CHn will be followed by either a number or a letter, see the above chart
- Roll the B knob to change the MIDI channel, again consulting the above chart
- Press the ARP button to save your settings and reboot the NTS-1. If you press any other button the change will not be saved.
Other MIDI related settings you should check, using the same procedure as above:
ClK - MIDI Clock Source, set this to 1 if you want to accept MIDI clock from an external source, or 0 if you want to ignore external MIDI clock signals and set the BPM on the NTS-1 itself.
SHr - MIDI RX Short Message, I don't really know what this means, but leave it on the default setting of 1 (which is 'on'
.
Nrt - MIDI route - 0 means the NTS-1 will accept MIDI data from the MIDI IN port as well as the USB port, 1 means that it will accept MIDI data only from the USB port. You probably want to keep this on the default of 0.
No Omni mode
The NTS-1 has no Omni mode (meaning it can only listen to a single MIDI channel at a time, it cannot process signals from multiple channels simultaneously).
Syncing
The NTS-1 accepts the KORG standard sync signal (which is a KORG specific thing), same as that used by the Volcas and other KORG instruments, via the SYNC-IN and SYNC-OUT ports. Both TRS and TS audio cables will work for this. Teenage Engineering instruments can also understand this signal. Many other instruments cannot. If you need to sync the NTS-1 with an instrument or device that doesn't use the standard KORG sync signal, you will have to use MIDI. Also note that there's a setting to change the NTS-1's sync in/out from the default of 2step to every step. This may help it sync with other instruments, I'm not sure. There are also ways to generate the KORG sync signal from other instruments, it is a fair bit of work and generally not worth it, but google it if that interests you.
For the NTS-1 specifically, If anything is plugged into the sync-in port, the NTS-1 will set the tempo of the arpeggiator (ARP) to the sync signal. If no signal is present, the ARP won't make any sound at all. So if you plug a cable into the sync-in port but leave the other end of the cable unplugged, you essentially disable the ARP function on the NTS-1.
You can also sync the NTS-1 via MIDI, in this case you should unplug the sync-in port. Syncing is either/or, MIDI or sync-in, but not both. You can also sync the NTS-1 via MIDI over USB, which works with a DAW or with iOS instruments.
The sync-out port will output a sync signal no matter what the sync source is, internal, MIDI, or sync-in. You can leave a cable plugged into sync-out all the time, even if the other end it unplugged, it won't matter.
---------
Well, there it is. I hope this saves others from hours of frustration. If you know of a wiki or some place where I should repost this article, please let me know, I know it may just get buried on Reddit. Happy synthery...
[link] [comments]
![[-]](http://www.n01ze.com/synthwizards/Forum/images/Carbon/collapse.png "[-]")
