Nord User Forum

[Drewa]

Hi.

I play in a hip hop / ska / funk / synth pop band. phew.

Anyway. I have a Nord Electro 4D at the moment but am considering buying either a Nord Wave or a Nord Stage 2 compact.

I know that the synth has more options on the Nord Wave so I am already sold on that aspect over the Stage 2.

However, I am wondering what piano, electric piano and organ sample sounds are like on the Nord Wave ?

Thanks.

[RedLeo]

I wouldn't think of trying to replace your Electro with a Wave for piano and organ sounds. Any piano and organ sounds for the Wave will be simple single layer samples and not nearly up to the quality and versatility of the pianos and organs in the Electro's or Stages. If you are looking to add synth sounds but want a more fully-featured synth than on the Stage 2, I would suggest keeping your Electro and adding a synth like an A1 or a Lead 4 (or indeed a Wave) to it.

[Drewa]

To be honest I don't like the draw bars on the Electro 4D as they show no indication of the original settings for the organs after I change them.

So I really would like to offload the Electro 4D.

My decision lays between buying either the Nord Wave or the Nord Stage 2 compact.

I see what you're saying about playing simple single layer samples of piano and organ sounds - as the Stage 2 would have velocity layers.

But I am wondering if the Nord Sample Library for the wave has any decent piano / organ samples to load in ?

[Drewa]

Or does the wave have a velocity feature ?

[Drewa]

When you say single layer what do you mean ?

[RedLeo]

Your best bet would be to go to the sample library section at the Nord site and audition the piano and organ sounds you find there. But remember that you can't alter the organ samples like on the Electro or Stage - no drawbars real or virtual, no way to switch percussion on and off, and the Wave has no Leslie simulator.

Single layer just means the same sample every time you play the same note, no matter how hard or soft you play it. Not so important for organ sounds, but your pianos would sound very samey and simplistic. Velocity control of the filter or filter envelope can help a little, but it would be a pale imitation of what the Electro and Stage pianos sound like.

Honestly, a Stage 2 is a far better bet for your needs than a Wave.

[neolithic]

Or keep the 4D and buy something 'non Nord'.... (Gulp - there I've said it. Now I'll be ejected from this forum for heresy!)

[RedLeo]

Not heresy at all. This is an independent forum and not affiliated with Nord at all. It's always OK to discuss or recommend any keyboard from any manufacturer. In this case the poster clearly wanted to get rid of his Electro and wasn't interested in a two board solution, so the Stage seemed the obvious suggestion. But keeping the Electro and adding a dedicated synth, Nord or otherwise, is in fact a very good solution.

PS There's also a section of the forum dedicated to discussing non-Nord gear.

[RedLeo]

And to Janeway - Happy Australia Day!

I'm currently holidaying in Sydney's northern beaches and it's the first rainy day we've had in ages - typical...

[neolithic]

In this case the poster clearly wanted to get rid of his Electro and wasn't interested in a two board solution, so the Stage seemed the obvious suggestion.

The OP didn't say that....? Maybe I misunderstood.

Either way, as a NS2 owner I recommend it wholeheartedly, but I would agree with you RedLeo about a more fully featured synth in addition. That bumps up the price, but maybe the OP has deep pockets?
Worth adding, with the NS2 you have an 'external' section along with Organ, Piano and Synth which means you can plug in a little desktop synth via midi (or a rack unit, or another board, or even a laptop running VSTs if you trust software more than I do!) and control it from the NS2 with patches changes, volume, params etc. It's a really useful feature IMHO. In fact, this alone could make me live with a one-board solution were it not for my preference to have both weighted and non-weighted keyboards at hand.

Cheers!