Nord Drum 2 first impression and wishlist

[S Righteous]

Have been playing with and programming the Nord Drum 2, and it's a real treat.

I think the manual has parts from the Nord Drum 1, that haven't been updated properly. For example the DYN elements all say that you can set a second parameter (if you keep turning the knob to the right) that will be used when you strike the pad harder. However you access the second parameter like you do with all second parameters using the "lower parameter button", and the result is the opposite, the second value is used when you strike lightly and the first parameter is used when you strike harder.

The unit outputs midi note data when you use the pads, which is great if you want to blend the sounds with samples. However there is no Midi Through function, so if you use an Octapad to trigger the unit, the midi notes do not pass through and you can't blend the sounds with samples.

My wishlist item is simple and probably easy to implement - have a system parameter for Midi Through!

Currently there is a Local on/off parameter that works as expected muting the inputs of the triggers when OFF. However if you are using an octapad or other midi input, this is not enough - as that midi is never sent to the output to be recorded. So you have to have the octapad go to the computer and that signal back out to the unit. It's workable, but a midi through on/off would make the unit a little more flexible.

[wartaler]

However you access the second parameter like you do with all second parameters using the "lower parameter button", and the result is the opposite, the second value is used when you strike lightly and the first parameter is used when you strike harder.

Yeah, noticed this also, it is exactly the other way round..

[wartaler]

Apart from what I listed here: http://www.norduserforum.com/nord-drum- ... t5410.html

I was also thinking about the Noise section: you can do a lot of tricks with noise now, but despite the 3 different filter types, & cutoff, I'm unable to replicate some nice noise based sounds from my ND1, which has noise 'filter/type' and 'color' parameters. Also, with ND2 you get a filter sweep when you engage filter dynamics, the filter then becomes dependent of both decay time, and striking force at the same time, with ND1 you can set sweep time independently of decay time..
plus, with ND1 you can also increase the decay time of the Click, so that the click becomes more part of the overall sound, extra layer, with ND2 the clicks are all very short, can't set decay

I know it sounds a bit strange given all new noise features but perhaps adding a noise waveform to the Tone section could help making some nice noise sounds, -by layering- like gunshot type of sounds etc I used to do with ND1..

Cheers,
Albert