Don't send your NUMA Nero back before you've read this!!!

This might help with your diagnosis (see the paragraph about failure modes): http://www.proaudioe.com/pages/nord-tec...eybeds.php

Thank you very much for the link. Very interesting!

Regards,

Chris

Have played for a short while this morning (GMT) and found no problems whatsoever, neither in staccato nor dynamic play modes.

Further thought. The main trouble yesterday with the sudden 127 velocities and delayed notes occurred whilst playing fast single note repetitions. I did the same test today and, as stated, found no problems whatsoever. The problem did not occur on only certain keys but seemd to me to be completely random. This suggests to me that the problem does not originate with dirt on/in the electromechanics, but rather, from a completely different source. If it were a dirt issue (and I've used a Gator stretch keyboard cover from day one!) I would expect consistency in certain notes exhibiting the problem. This consistency does not present.

One thing people have noticed is inconsistent pedal and aftertouch velocity values (although John Rule (see Numa/Numa Nero posts) states that as he's used the keyboard, he's noticed an inprovement in the aftertouch values.) I also have noticed a great improvement since I first played my NUMA.  Back then it shot loads 127 velocities and other stuff (which, unless the Fatar factory is particularly dirty, would not appear to be due to dirt/dust etc.).

One thing to remember with the Studiolofic line is that they are hand built and crafted. They spend time meticulously callibrating etc.. Quality control has improved (you can see with the NUMA Piano and NUMA Organ an aesthetic improvement.). In fact, they have invested in this quite extensively (or so they say). What I mean to say is that it is extremely suprising to me that after all their callibrating and so forth, there are still these strange things going on with their keys/boards.

Lastly, the dynamic play mode has, as it's name would suggest, a much greater dynamic range than the staccato play mode. Far greater. This is desireable when trying to eek out as much dynamic range from PianoTeq. as possible. This also allows for much more nuace and expression.

Regards,

Chrs

p.s. glad I didn't pay more and buy a NORD!!!

Hi Feline,

I copied the following from the studiologic site:

Technical Specifications

• 88-KEY wood keys Graduated Hammer
action Keybed (TP4OWOOD)
• TOUCH SENSITIVE control panel
• large LIGHT BLUE graphic display
• 2 assignable stereo jack pedal INPUTS
• 1 assignable FLUORESCENT wheel
• 16 independent MIDI channels assignable to all   
   controllers
• 4 KEYBOARD ZONES for splits and layers
• 3 factory DYNAMIC curves
•15 memory user locations for VELOCITY DYNAMIC
   COURVES saving
• 64 memory locations for PATCH saving
• 2 MODE operation
   1st EDIT to create patches with all MIDI
    parameters
   2nd PLAY to play keyboard and controls, and
    some fast MIDI changes ( program change, midi
    channels, transpose, mute...)
===================
• assignable AFTERTOUCH
===================
• PANIC buttons
• YOU PLAY feature is the best and fastest way to
    create a dynamic curve in REAL TIME
• MIDI out
• USB class compliant - to connect with PC to
    load/save FIRMWARE UPDATES presets
• XP-VISTA- MAC compatible, no drivers required
• POWERED via USB (cable not included) and/or
    power adapter included

Hope this helps

regards,

Chris

Feline

You are absolutely right. I read 'Aftertouch Pol.' on the LCD Menu to mean Polyphonic Aftertouch rather than what it actually means which is 'Aftertouch Polarity'!

Sorry for causing confusion.

Regards,

Chris

How is your after-touch working Chris? I was back and forth with the Fatar engineer regarding the range of my after-touch...he stated "that is the way it should work". Basically, I find it hard to get consistent data in the 0-40 range. My after-touch seems to kick in at about 40. It's been behaving a bit better lately as I have been using the keyboard more, so maybe it just needed to be 'broken in'.

By the way, I read all of your 'Numa' posts, so they are appreciated!

Yes, Pianoteq supports aftertouch. You need to add it as a controller in the Options/Midi section:

- Choose 'Insert" (at the bottom)
- Click on 'Invalid' to change it to 'Channel Pressure (aftertouch)'
- Click on the blank field and select 'Set Parameter/Tremelo Depth' (or something useful)

You can also watch the aftertouch values come in using the midi monitor in that same section. See if you can get a linear response between 0 and 40.

If you don't feel like messing with this just ignore...

John,

just tried your suggestion. Everything worked after a fashion, but getting some kind of smooth response from the aftertouch on the Nero was almost impossible!!!

I'm happy with or without this feature on my keyboard of choice as for playing piano repetoire, I don't see why I'd need it? After all, aftertouch on the Nero DOES require alot of pressure to get the higher/lower values (higher or lower depending on polarity).

I don't want to put my fingers through that kind of abuse! There probably are proper techniques on executing aftertouch as with anything else, but as I said, I don't need it for the time being.

How is your NUMA Nero performing in general? Any problems with extreme velocities whilst playing normally? Any other problems with it?
Also, are you still getting good range with the Roland DP-8 Pedal? I got one of those because of your description of using one with the Nero. Mine works very very well. Actually I bought the new model, the DP-10. It has the flip out rubber heel platform to stop the pedal waltzing of during performance.

When all is said and done concerning the NUMA Nero, no-one would deny it has such a good touch. My piano teacher saw it for the first time a month or so ago. He examins all over the world for the associated boards (ABRSM). One of the first things he said about it was 'It's good a very good action'. That coming from him is worth heeding!

Anyhow, I love the touch of the Nero, and in actual fact, I bore your words on your experience with the NUMA (White) and NUMA Nero when choosing to purchase the latter.

Thank you,

Kind regards,

Chris

I'm going to isolate mine further to see if the little things i mentioned improve. The issue that I need to sort the most is the random high/max velocities when playing fast repetitions. John, so you don't have this problem on your rig? It may be that I still have too much electrical interference. I'm going to hook it up to my laptop via usb and stick headphones in my laptop phones socket running PianoTeq through the PC's internal soundcard run with ASIO4ALL. I shall make sure the laptop is as far from the Nero as the USB cable will allow.

I'll report results soon.

p.s. Do you have any idea how I could magnetically sheild it if need be?

regards,

Chris

John,

I too can run USB without power adapter no problem. Asio4all is fine too. I tested in isolation. Only problem experienced was the odd high/full velocity random shoot whilst playing... wait for it... sloppy repetitions!!! Must practice those eh!

No other problems to report.

regards,

Chris

Chris,
So I now, for the first time, have been playing with my laptop and Presonus audio interface sitting on top of my Numa Nero and have started getting random velocity increases on single notes, maybe one or so every half hour on average. I'm going to try moving them off to a table and see if this fixes everything.

Hey, have you ever updated the firmware on your Numa? Did that do anything for you?

-Chris

I have not played very much since posting the above but so far no more velocity problems have occured. I did play for about 30 minutes last week and had no issues whatsoever. And the problem I had only showed up once or twice, I would get maybe one or two weird velocity increases in, say, a 30 minute stretch. My keyboard is in transit now as I've moved overseas for two years so I won't be able to do anymore tests until mid September. I will say that if, by chance, my keyboard get's lost at sea, I would not let this issue keep me from buying another Numa.