Nord User Forum

[cliffspencer]

I truly regret that Nord doesn't make the .npno format available. I love my NE3, I currently use it as my only keyboard. I now have need of very special samples and find the single-layer .nsmp format unacceptable. This deficiency is forcing me to shop other keyboards, I don't want another keyboard and moreover I don't want to bring two keyboards to the gig. Can someone from Nord please explain why this format must remain proprietary?
Cliff

[thom0720]

hi cliff,
i have got a Nord electro 3 (HP) - and a Nord Wave.. first I didn't even know I could use my own samples in the Electro, and find it a great bonus.
the Wave I bought specifically for sampling and creating my own patches.. it doesn't have velocity layers, but you can create patches with two samples layered (+ 2 analogue/FM/whatever synths).. you then can program the Wave to decrease volume on one sample while playing higher velocity, and programming the other sound to go up at louder velocity.. and programming the filters as well... so many possibilities.

may I ask, what sort of patch are you thinking to create that needs multi layer sampling?

and one more question: which third party sampler keyboard can actually load up velocity layered samples, apart from connecting your keyboard to a laptop triggering Kontakt?

[mjbrands]

and one more question: which third party sampler keyboard can actually load up velocity layered samples, apart from connecting your keyboard to a laptop triggering Kontakt?

I had a Roland Fantom G and it loads programs with up to four velocity layers, either based on built-in samples or ones you download to the Fantom yourself; the Yamaha Motif and Korg M3 do pretty much the same (also with four velocity layers I think). The Kronos might have more than four layers.

But maybe I misunderstood you here.

[JacksonP]

Hi,

This is a subject that people raise here once in a while. IMO it won't happen, Clavia won't give us access to .npno files. If they did it, it would give everybody chance to take benefit from their most valuable resourse: their piano library. I think this is justified. Also, this would make Clavia products too good: we would make our nord exactly what we want and would not buy their updated models anymore.

This been said, IMO Clavia should definetily raise at least their sample players velocity layer capacity in a way that you could use from 1 to 4 layers. Still when demanding this, some people here say that "sample player is just fine. It's just little extra for stage and electro owners". Come on, we are living on 2010s, acoustic instrument samples cannot be very convincing with just one layer...

[jazzystu]

I'm not interested in their poxy sounds. I already have them.

What I'd like to see is someone reverse engineer the format, so we can create our own New Rhodes Sounds.

I am, like many of you, totally capable of creating an accurate sample of any keyboard instrument. I am fed up with the lack of Rhodes sounds. I realise that they aren't going to get around to it any time soon and if they do, it'll probably not be compatible with earlier models.

I'll put the cards on the table. If any of you can get the file reverse engineered, I will buy an old Mk1 suitcase piano and set it up and sample it in many different ways as a thankyou.

I didn't buy the stage so they'd update every aspect of everything, apart from the bits I want.

The Rhodes is not good enough and I find myself thinking "Actually, I may buy another Rhodes" because they are too bloody idle to get around to the very simple exercise of setting one up in controlled conditions with a rig to trigger the key.

You would be fooled into thinking it is rocket science which needs to be paid £100000 per sound. This really really is not the case.

Come on Nord, FFS!

[anotherscott]

I'm hoping that Nord at least someday allows the NS2 to velocity-switch between Slot A and Slot B. Then you could at least create your own two-layered sound on that instrument, and it doesn't require any new format.

In the mean time, there is no single board that is great at everything, and I always like to use two boards anyway (for a weighted and unweighted action, among other reasons). So if your biggest issue is the Rhodes, my solution would be to make sure you have a strong Rhodes sound you like in your other keyboard!

[jazzystu]

The thing is that Nord set out to provide the ideal board for people who would otherwise have a studio full, or gig a truck full of classic gear.

They are spoiling this with "metering it out" gradually.

I'd rather just pay the price and have it all now, rather than this drip-drip BS.

[anotherscott]

They are spoiling this with "metering it out" gradually.

I'd rather just pay the price and have it all now, rather than this drip-drip BS.

I'm not sure I get your point, what are they "metering out"?

They do periodically come out with new downloadable sounds. I don't think that's metering, I think it's ongoing development. What are the alternatives? Don't release the board until they have completed all the sounds they ever intend to offer? Or don't offer any new sounds for existing boards? Those are the two alternatives if you don't like that they come out with a board and come out with more sounds for it later. I mean, you're not really complaining that they support their customers too well, are you?

[jazzystu]

They are metering out the features and sounds.

Instead of changing the Stage 2 right now to the latest organ and having the rhodes trem from the electro and the latest leslie from the C2D, they will gradually introduce them years later.

This is metering out of features designed to keep people upgrading.

I bet you 50p that the next Rhodes Sounds only work with the Stage 3 using NPNO2 format.

[anotherscott]

Instead of changing the Stage 2 right now to the latest organ and having the rhodes trem from the electro and the latest leslie from the C2D, they will gradually introduce them years later.

It takes time to do things! It's never going to be true that everything is done at the same time. Would you prefer that they simply did not release the C2D until they also had the reworked Stage available? What purpose does that serve?

(And what are they supposed to do with the already-manufactured NS2, while we're at it? A lot of things affect when companies introduce products... development time, existing inventory, and competitive moves among them.)

This is metering out of features designed to keep people upgrading.

I don't think so. You think people are selling their Stage 2 to get a C2D? And then they will sell their C2D to get a Stage 3? I doubt many people will do that. They serve different purposes.

I just can't see picking on Nord for this. Of all the companies, Nord is probably the BEST at coming out with free enhancements to existing systems, and offering software upgrades to new features when possible. Way ahead of Yamaha, Roland, and Korg. (Kurzweil does a pretty good job, though.)