No sound from Nord Lead 4 rack :(

[mobodcubism]

Hey guys, I just recently bought myself a nord lead 4 rack but am having trouble getting any sound out of it.

My set up is: Nord lead 4 rack, AKAI Mpk25 midi keyboard, M-Audio M Track plus and ableton live on my macbook.

So far, I have:


1. Midi cable from akai midi out to m audio midi in
2. Midi cable from m audio out to nord lead 4 rack
3. 1/4" TRS stereo cable from nord rack to m audio line input
4. usb cable from m audio to macbook

However, I hear no sound from my nord lead 4

I have also just tried:

1. Midi cable from M Audio Out to Nord lead in
2. Midi cable from Nord lead out to M audio In
3. USB from M audio to Macbook

In this scenario, the midi light blinks as i send midi but still, no sound

I am new to this external hardware stuff so is there anything I am missing??

Any help is greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[gecko zzed]

So far, I have:


1. Midi cable from akai midi out to m audio midi in

yep

2. Midi cable from m audio out to nord lead 4 rack

Double check this. You probably meant to write "cable from m audio midi out to nord lead 4 rack midi in" In any case, that's what it should be.

3. 1/4" TRS stereo cable from nord rack to m audio line input

yep

4. usb cable from m audio to macbook

I have also just tried:

1. Midi cable from M Audio Out to Nord lead in

This is what you should have in your step 2 above

2. Midi cable from Nord lead out to M audio In

This will allow midi outpuit from Nord to go to macbook

3. USB from M audio to Macbook

Try some very basic things first:

1. Midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in
2. Plug headphones into Nord, then see if playing the Akai will generate audio through headphones.


If that's ok, then try:
1. Midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in
2. 1/4" TRS stereo cable from nord rack to m audio line input
3. 3. USB from M audio to Macbook

What software are you using in the mac to listen to audio? You may have to do some setting up there.

In any case, if you have speakers hooked up to M audio, you should be able to hear something whether or not you are connected to the mac

 

[Seidy]

Hey! Lets try this:
1) Connect Nord audio outputs (I belive Out 1&2 are the main outputs) to M-Audio inputs and check that input switches are set to Mic/Line. Turn up the gain, maybe 12'o'clock position would good for testing
2) Connect midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in
3) Try to play something on midi keyboard and see if anythings happening (input light on M-Audio flashing, midi light on Nord when you press keys)

 

[mobodcubism]

Try some very basic things first:

1. Midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in
2. Plug headphones into Nord, then see if playing the Akai will generate audio through headphones.


If that's ok, then try:
1. Midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in
2. 1/4" TRS stereo cable from nord rack to m audio line input
3. 3. USB from M audio to Macbook

What software are you using in the mac to listen to audio? You may have to do some setting up there.

In any case, if you have speakers hooked up to M audio, you should be able to hear something whether or not you are connected to the mac

Appreciate the help!

Even when I just plug in the headphones, and have a midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in, I head no sound. However, I do see the red "MIDI" signal on the nord flashing.. its receiving the midi just not playing any sound.

The volume is turned up, my speakers are on like usual as well.. perhaps its something with my midi keyboard then?

Edit: I'm using ableton as my software.

 

[mobodcubism]

Hey! Lets try this:
1) Connect Nord audio outputs (I belive Out 1&2 are the main outputs) to M-Audio inputs and check that input switches are set to Mic/Line. Turn up the gain, maybe 12'o'clock position would good for testing
2) Connect midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in
3) Try to play something on midi keyboard and see if anythings happening (input light on M-Audio flashing, midi light on Nord when you press keys)

Thanks for your reply!

I did exactly as you said.. However, there is no input light on the M-Audio flashing when I do this. The midi light on the nord however, does light up when I press keys on my akai keyboard.

 

[gecko zzed]

Even when I just plug in the headphones, and have a midi cable from Akai midi out to Nord midi in, I head no sound. However, I do see the red "MIDI" signal on the nord flashing.. its receiving the midi just not playing any sound.

The volume is turned up, my speakers are on like usual as well.. perhaps its something with my midi keyboard then?

Edit: I'm using ableton as my software.

It looks like the Nord is receiving midi ok.

That means that the akai is doing its thing ok.

The next step is to look at the nord and figure out how it assigns voices to midi channels.

Most midi devices (i.e. the akai), when first turned on, will transmit midi through channel 1 as a default. Can you see if this is the case? Likewise, the Nord will need to receive midi on this channel.

 

[mobodcubism]

Do you know how to check the transmit channel on the the keyboard and the receive channel on the Nord? The fact that you're get a receive indication on the Nord says the MIDI is getting there, but just maybe not the same channel.

The manual and factory restore procedure is at the link below..
Downloads for Nord Lead 4 | Nord Keyboards

I wouldn't say I would exactly know how to do that, no :/ I guess I need to play around on the nord settings somehow.. Il give it a try thanks

 

[mjbphotos]

I see advice going both ways above. You are trying to send the AUDIO signal from the Nord to your computer, right, not the MIDI signal? If so, keep trying wiht headphones into the Nord until you can hear something. Sounds like you need to get your MIDI channel assignments done.

 

[mobodcubism]

I see advice going both ways above. You are trying to send the AUDIO signal from the Nord to your computer, right, not the MIDI signal? If so, keep trying wiht headphones into the Nord until you can hear something. Sounds like you need to get your MIDI channel assignments done.

I believe i'm trying to get a midi signal to my computer, which means using midi with ableton live.

I'l keep trying it with the headphones until it works... I might also try a different midi controller other than the akai mpk25 to see if thats where the problem is.

Thanks

EDIT: I got sound to my headphones now, thanks to everyone who replied and helped

 

[mobodcubism]

It looks like the Nord is receiving midi ok.

That means that the akai is doing its thing ok.

The next step is to look at the nord and figure out how it assigns voices to midi channels.

Most midi devices (i.e. the akai), when first turned on, will transmit midi through channel 1 as a default. Can you see if this is the case? Likewise, the Nord will need to receive midi on this channel.

Thanks, il need to figure out the channels somehow I think, might need to assign channels on the nord. Il have a look through the manual again