Using HX3 with MIDI controllers

Obsolete - for older boards reference only. See HX3 Expander user manual for newest information.

Settings

Obsolete - for older boards reference only. See HX3 Expander user manual for newest information.

HX3 may be remoted completely via MIDI. If no drawbars/pots/knobs/switches attached to HX3 board, make shure you have disabled all analog controller inputs with MenuPanel "ExpanderMode ON" entry, by HX3 Remote application or serial commands:

wen=1
521=255
(477=255 on FW #3.5 and up)

HX3 firmware supports Native Instrument B4 (0), Voce MIDI Drawbars (1), Hamichord (2), Hammond XK (3), Hammond SK (4) and italian KeyB (5) MIDI CC sets. Default is NI B4 (supported by Doepfer d3c drawbar controller and Böhm/Keyswerk d4b controller). MIDI CC set may be changed by menu on XB-2 retrofit kit, by MenuPanel "MIDI CC" entry or serial commands:

wen=1
531=X
(435=X on FW #3.5 and up)

with X = the number shown in MIDI CC list above. The MIDI CC sets will only support those controller functions that HX3's sound engine offers; in some cases, controllers are remapped/renamed for convenience. For example, "key click" on Doepfer d3c is remapped to pedal sustain on HX3.

HX3 accepts and sends key on/off events on three consecutive MIDI channels 1 (upper), 2 (lower) and 3 (pedals). HX3 does not send own controller messages, only key on/off events. Default base channel 1 may be changed by MenuPanel "MIDI Channel" entry or serial commands:

wen=1
511=X
(433=X on FW #3.5 and up)

with X = desired MIDI channel minus one: 511=5 yields upper on 6, lower on 7 and pedals on 8.

For serial command description, see HX3 Board Installation#Connecting Serial USB cable, HX3 serial syntax table and Inbetriebnahme der Bausatz-Platine (sorry, german only) for details.

MIDI implementation tables can be found in our Github Repository, see folder DOCS_PDF.

Important note: Firmware #3.6x and FPGA #20072014 or newer provide a secondary MIDI input (merged with other) and also sends MIDI CCs from all local controllers (drawbars/buttons/switches). FW #3.6x also has a "custom MIDI CC" set which may be altered to your needs by using HX3 Remote application. By factory default, it is set to accept Nord C2 MIDI data (also compatible with Ocean Beach DB-1 controller).

General

Obsolete - for older boards reference only. See HX3 Expander user manual for newest information.

Please connect MIDI out of your MIDI controller to HX3 MIDI input. Some controllers have MIDI merge inputs. Your keyboard connects here. If your keyboard supports MIDI merge, the MIDI controller should be first, routed to the keyboard and from keyboard to HX3. This may avoid a few milliseconds of latency. Please note: HX3 does not introduce any audio latency.

As MIDI being a one-way interface, HX3 cannot determine the setting of any MIDI controller value until you touch/use it once. As default, all HOAX controllers are OFF. Do not use any controller button or drawbar unless HOAX is ready to accept its data; it is a good idea to power up HOAX first and later your MIDI master keyboard or master controller.

A valid MIDI CC received will override HX3's own analog controllers and switches until they are touched again. If you use your HOAX-attached swell pedal, any MIDI expression message will be overwritten. Otherwise, by not touching the attached swell pedal, MIDI expression messages are accepted.

Note: Some MIDI controllers as well as organ keyboards (like Hammond KX and SK series) allow 2nd and 3rd harmonic percussion ON at same time. HX3 implementation regards "2nd ON" as "percussion ON" tab in this case.

Volume Control

Organ's volume is controlled by an expression pedal or MIDI CC #11 (may also be another CC number on various MIDI CC sets to retain compatibility). HX3 resembles a "loudness" curve exact of Hammond B3's swell pedal, so volume will not reach zero.

We recommend connecting an expression pedal Yamaha FC-7 or similar (1/4" jack, 10k to 47k total resistance) directly to the module, as it has a higher resolution and acts faster than MIDI control by MIDI CC #11. Anyway, instead of the ORGAN MAIN output you may use the simulated Leslie Amp 122 output instead which has a separate volume pot (for example by MIDI CC $4C hex, 76 decimal in NI B4 MIDI CC set). It may be also be changed by MenuPanel entry "LeslieVolume" (to be reached directly by pressing DATA ENTRY knob after power-on).

Note: On firmware up to version #3.44, despite the swell/expression pedal (or MIDI CC #11) there is a "simulated" total volume control by MIDI CC #7. But: It only reduces "travel" of swell pedal, it is not intended as a volume pot substitute (would reduce resolution and S/N ratio due to internal 16 bit audio handling). On firmware #3.45 and newer, MIDI CC #7 controls the Leslie amp volume which only affects the LESL/AMP Leslie Sim and Leslie Amp output jack.

Example 1: Voce MIDI Drawbars

Using your HX3 board with Voce MIDI Drawbars is straightforward, as the Voce module supports only one MIDI channel (i.e. upper manual) at any time. Please note that Voce MIDI Drawbars does not send drawbar data unless you press the “Drawbar/Save” button, so it’s LED lits up.

You may change the Voce MIDI Drawbars send channel (back rotary HEX switch) at any time to lower (2) and bass channel (3), although this is somewhat inconvenient. Have your technician install a toggle switch on the back side so channels may be changed easily.

Example 2: Doepfer d3c or other NI B4 drawbar controller

The Doepfer d3c drawbar controller is a very nice and rugged piece of gear, so we recommend it for use with our HX3 board. It has support for foot controllers and foot switches.

Upper, lower and bass drawbars work as usual. It is a good idea to set all to zero before switching on as this is a “known state” for HOAX. Also the Percussion and Vibrato buttons work as described in d3c manual. There is a small drawback, anyway: Default HOAX Vibrato setting is V1 (but upper/lower vibrato OFF), while the V1 LED will not light when powering up the d3c (there is no “V0” on a real Hammond!). So pressing the V1 button will not change the sound – just it’s LED turns on.

The "Body” and “Brightness” knobs control AO28 equalization in HOAX, not in a Leslie. There is no key click emulation in HOAX (it is just there!), so you may not adjust key click (a real Hammond does not have key click adjustment, either). The “Key Click” knob controls the bass sustain instead. You may argue “a real Hammond does not have a bass pedal sustain, too”. Right, but many aftermarket kits are installed, so this is OK (for me). Do not use the “Harmonic content” knob as it sends the “Percussion” button’s controller number like a continuous controller. Why that? No idea. This is definitely of no use.

Preset buttons may be used, but in a restricted way. First, HOAX yields 15 presets per manual, not 127 like NI B4. When selecting “Bank 1”, all 12 available preset buttons work on upper manual. When selecting “Bank 2”, all 12 preset buttons work on lower manual. Doepfer d3c resends the program change message when changing the bank, which may be annoying. Choose bank 2, lower preset first, then bank 1, upper preset. BTW: Bank buttons do not send bank select messages, they just add an offset to the preset buttons. Blame Doepfer for that.

Doepfer d3c preset 1 is the HOAX “Live” position. It will be saved automatically when switching to a preset sound (2 to 12). If you return to preset 1 “Live”, your last drawbar/button setting will be recalled. Please note: HOAX tracks drawbar and button changes even when in preset position 2 to 12, so it keeps itself updated all the time.

There is no way to save a upper or lower preset/program remotely. You have to use the local HOAX “Save Upper” or “Save Lower” buttons instead (or use the MenuPanel Save function). To create a sound, choose the preset button you want. Set upper or lower drawbars and buttons to your taste. Press HOAX “Save” button for at least 2 seconds. The “Memory” LED will blink a few times, showing that your preset has been saved. It is not possible to save a sound to preset 1 as this is the “Live” preset.