Technics GA3 No midi output using sustain pedal

[stevehdj]

I am trying to understand why I cannot get midi sustain data, (control change 64) , to output from the instrument to be used as input signal to a piano VST. Using the midiox midi monitor I am not seeing any midi data when using either the expression pedal switch or knee lever set for sustain. I do however get a latched sustain data of cc64 , 127, when I turn on the panel sustain button. When I turn off the sustain button it returns midi data cc64, 00. So there is signal transmission when turning on the sustain feature of the organ but is is not triggered when using the knee lever or expression pedal switch. The instruction manual states that sustain data can be transmitted and received. All other transmitted data stated in the manual such as note on/off, expression , volume, after touch etc are showing up on the midi monitor as they should. Any thoughts on this appreciated.

[gregp]

Been a while since I had a GA3 but I still have the manual and there is no mention of the footswitches or knee lever transmitting midi data....they just control the buttons on panel which then send the data.

I do remember that when you assign sustain to a footswitch, it doesn't act like a damper pedal on a piano. It doesn't sustain while you hold the switch in and go off when released. Each press just turns sustain on or off on the panel.

I also seem to remember that the knee lever doesn't actually switch the sustain buttons on and off on the panel.....hence the reason no midi data is sent from the sustain buttons, when using it. (Page 53 in the manual appears to confirm this)
The knee lever (when operated) switches sustain on and off only for sound sections that already have the sustain function switched on, without the buttons on the panel changing. I guess this is so that sustain isn't added to every sound when the lever is pressed.

I don't think there is a way of being able to control the piano VST with a piano damper pedal style sustain function from the GA3, which is what it sounds like you are trying to do.
Hope this helps and isn't too confusing!

[stevehdj]

Thanks Greg this is exactly what I am thinking that knee lever or foot switches only act upon internal sounds and do not output a midi signal. And you are right when using the foot switch it does not act like a typical damper pedal at all. Wonder what Technics was thinking on this one. It's a shame as I have acquired some great piano VST like Pianoteq and some within Native Instruments programs. I can turn sustain on within the VST but without a damper type control sustained notes just keep running on and on. I have been able to assign the expression pedal midi output CC11 to act as a damper pedal and can then control sustain within the VST so I guess I may have to live with that. Stay safe.

[gregp]

Considering the GA3 is 26 years old and the rest of the midi spec is really quite sophisticated compared to many other organs (even some of the latest instruments) it's a shame they overlooked that feature. I guess they were looking at the sustain control as an organ type function rather than a piano damper pedal.
Clever idea using the expression pedal, but I imagine....far from ideal.

[andyg]

Bear in mind that although home organs had MIDI from the mid 1980s onwards, it was often pretty basic in scope. Some, like the GA3, did more than most. Bottom line is that most buyers just weren't interested in MIDI and those that were wanted it merely to drive something like an sound expander module, and the basic MIDI spec was enough for that. So although we may now think 'Why on earth didn't they do that?' it just wasn't a priority back then.