Nord User Forum

Have since yesterday the north stage 3 76HP and am of the sounds a little disappointed. The piano and orgel section is already quite neat but the synthis are one of a lead a1 not worthy. Is to hope that the next update also times the potential of the leadboard consideration finds. How do you find the current selection of sounds?

NAKATOMI wrote:Have since yesterday the north stage 3 76HP and am of the sounds a little disappointed. The piano and orgel section is already quite neat but the synthis are one of a lead a1 not worthy. Is to hope that the next update also times the potential of the leadboard consideration finds. How do you find the current selection of sounds?

The Nord isn't really a "preset machine," though they do include a bunch of presets which I'd mostly look at as "examples" or "starting points." The real purpose of the A1 synth section is for you to create your own sounds with it. This was discussed a bit in the thread at
general-nord-forum-f29/will-i-be-disappointed-w-synth-patch-selection-t13509.html

Many of the boards from Yamaha, Korg, Roland, Kurzweil are less oriented toward the average user creating their own sounds from scratch... They are more likely to provide tons of nicely programmed presets, and average users will find something close and maybe tweak it a little, with only more advanced users typically creating sounds from scratch. I'd say Nord comes at it more from the other side.

Don't forget that Nord (Clavia) was primary a vitual analog synthetiser constructor (the first one !). And analog synth sounds are often begining from scratch. You have to learn what's an oscillator, an LFO, an enveloppe, and make your experiments !

Personally I'm really digging the synth. Granted, I don't have an actual A1 here to compare it to.
The last couple of days I've been making all sorts of programs for my coverband and it's really holding its own for the billboard top 100 type stuff. Sounds rich, crazy when it needs to be and just very versatile.

Previous synth engine I worked with a lot was on the Kronos; which was also great and had many options, but I really like the hands on approach on the NS3 so far.

I have an A1 and I don't think the presets are all that great but it's a nice synth engine (with a really crappy keybed)...

The A1's strength is in it ability to build your own sounds. I've had mine since they came out and have never used a factory sound in it. I believe the Stage III will be the same. Can't wait!

You have to use the instrument to get the most out of your Nord. Read the manual, learn how it works and I promise you you'll discover the huge potential of the synth engine. A preset ROMpler it is not.