Nea Rhodes Chroma Aftertouch System Installation Manual
Nea Rhodes Chroma Aftertouch System Installation Manual
Nea Rhodes Chroma Aftertouch System Installation Manual
Kit Contents
• Aftertouch Sensor PCB (2)
• Foam Balance Rail Punchings (70)
• 3/8” #4 wood screws (80)
• 14-Pin DIP Connector Cable (1)
• Nylon Cable Tie (2)
• 12-Pin 1” FFC Connector (1)
Tools Required For Installation
• Phillips Head Screwdriver
• Awl, Center Punch, or other tool for starting screw holes
• Soldering Iron
• Solder
• Ruler
• Pencil
Installation
To begin the installation process, start by removing the lid and the 4
screws that hold the front panel in place. Flip the lid up to allow ac-
cess to the keys. Remove all of the keys and set aside.
You will see two sets of guide pins, each with a different type of felt
ring (Fig. 1). The thick, green piano felts are the front rail punchings,
and the thin felts are the balance rail punchings. Remove the felt
balance rail punchings, being careful to leave any paper punchings
(used for key leveling) behind (Fig. 2 & 3). Replace the felt punchings
with the punchings contained in the aftertouch kit (Fig. 4).
Figure 5 - Lower Sensor PCB With 14P DIP Connector Cable (Note that trim-pot is only populated on Lower Sensor PCB)
Place the aftertouch assembly onto the base of the keybed as shown
in Figure 9. Do not screw the assembly into place yet. The assembly
should be oriented so that the sensors are closest to the front rail, and
the back edge of the PCBs is flush with the balance rail. Fold the DIP
connector cable as shown in Figure 10, and be sure to secure the cable
so that it will not be in the way of anything such as other keys or the
lid. Plug the 14-pin DIP cable into J22 on the Chroma I/O Board.
Take note of the pin numbering on the DIP connector (Fig. 11). Pin 1
on the J22 on the Chroma is indicated with a small dot. Be sure that
you orient the connector correctly.
Figure 11 - 14 Pin DIP Cable Plugged Into Chroma I/O PCB J22 (Note pin number markings on PCB and Header)
Note that now the active portion of the sensors is located directly
underneath keys at the same point on all of the black keys (Fig. 16).
This is typically 1.5” from the key front (Fig 17 & 18), but can vary
slightly, so measure this distance on your keyboard to make sure it’s
the same. Mark the black keys as shown in Figure 19. Use an awl to
mark the center point of the key, then screw a #4 screw into the key.
Be sure to drive the screw all the way up to its head as shown in fig 18.
APPROXIMATELY 1.5”
CENTERED
APPROXIMATELY 3.75”
Now place the key into the keybed and play that note. Apply
aftertouch pressure. Notice that the screw under the key comes into
contact with the protective foam strip over the aftertouch sensor.
Adjust the height of the #4 screw so that it only comes into contact
with the aftertouch sensor when aftertouch is engaged. If it comes
into contact with the sensor too early in the keystroke, aftertouch will
engage too early, and will engage when playing notes at high velocities.
Both of these are undesireable. If the screw comes into contact with
the foam too late in the keystroke, then too much pressure will be
required to engage aftertouch. The height of the screw determines the
point in the keystroke that the aftertouch starts. You want this to be
the same on every note. Adjust this on every black key.
Now place a white key into the keybed. Find the correct distance
for the location of the screw for the white keys, about 3.75” from key
front (Fig. 20 & 21) Apply the #4 screws to the white keys as shown in
Figure 20. Repeat the aftertouch calibration procedure described in
the previous step.
Figure 22 - Black Key at Rest
Test all keys to be sure that the pressure response is even from note to
note.
If you would like more “squish” to the feel of your aftertouch, we also
have custom foam front rail punchings that replace the green felt
front rail punchings. The Prophet T8 and Synclavier both used foam
punchings on the front and balance rails. It is a matter of taste. The
foam punchings have the added benefit of making the action quieter.
If you need a set of foam front rail punchings for the Chroma, they can
be purchased separately on our website.
When you feel that the aftertouch response is uniform across the
keyboard and the sensitivity is to your liking, you are ready to close
the lid and play the Chroma.
Please contact us with any questions regarding this product.