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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby kirsty » 23 Nov 2017, 17:36

What a pity. I dont look glamourous anymore now haha. Least theres a Nord in the picture to make up for it ;)

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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano


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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby pedalb0y » 25 Nov 2017, 15:50

sorry to ask this but how do i start a new post i cant see any where on the forum where you can do it, hope you can help
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby Mr_-G- » 25 Nov 2017, 16:18

Hi, go to the right forum and press the button that says "NEW TOPIC".
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby danrv » 27 Nov 2017, 16:47

I look forward to trying the Royal Grand 3D. I've been using the Silver Grand as a general piano and the Grand Upright for more mellow stuff where the piano is more featured.
The upright has a nice top end whereas others can get a bit weak on high notes.

I play all styles but most of my playing at the moment is live band function/corporate gigs plus a tribute band.
For this type of playing I'd really prefer a Roland piano sound, coming from years on an XP80.
I'm getting there, monitoring with my 2 DXR10's and have eq'd the Silver Grand accordingly.
I hope the 3D will be better than the Silver for lively rock/pop. I feel the character and string resonance etc.. . of the Nord pianos is just not heard or noticed.
I hope to build up some more Jazz/low key gigs.That's where the Nord pianos really shine.
Last edited by danrv on 27 Nov 2017, 16:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby harmonizer » 27 Nov 2017, 17:28

I am a mono amplification user. I still use the acoustic piano sound from my old Roland XV synth on most songs where acoustic is needed, in rock/covers band situations. Standalone it sounds like crap, but Roland knows how to make it sit in a rock/covers mix, and they knew it 12 years ago.

For me, the thing that makes the Royal Grand special compared to other Nord acoustic piano sounds is that it works great in Mono. None of the other Nord piano sounds work in mono. Many of them sound spongy or dorky in the octave below middle "C". The only negative I have on the Royal Grand is that it does not really "cut" in a covers band situation. I play in a 7 person band, so I need the acoustic piano sound to get through in an aperature. Stereo amplification is not an option with our band's live sound setup - our audience in bars is not hearing us in stereo.

It is common knowledge that Nord acoustic piano sounds are not great in mono - I knew this when I bought my Electro 3, and I am very happy that Nord has since released the Royal Grand which solves the mono problem for solo/quiet songs. I did use it when we covered Adele's "Someone Like You". For me, it was a free product upgrade from Nord. Now if Nord can just take the next step and tweak this so it cuts, it would be a huge benefit for a segment of Nord users.
Last edited by harmonizer on 27 Nov 2017, 17:29, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby Gambold » 27 Nov 2017, 18:26

>Gambold, can I ask your thoughts on the Steinways from the Library.<

There is an embarrassment of riches with the pianos, and it's not always a good thing, since you can spend way too much time obsessing over which one is better. Unlike a lot of people here, I can't claim to hear all the minute differences between each one. In a live setting with an amplified group, most of those "character" differences fast become moot, except for a few notable exceptions like the Bright Grand, which remains the go-to, in my opinion, for cutting through the murk of a pop-rock combo. Jazz players and acoustic groups would likely want something like the Italian or the Lady D. The Bosie seems best attuned for thundering classical, especially in the low registers.

The rest of the Grands are older, smaller samples or misfires like the Velvet and the 3D. The Silver is a bright piano but doesn't cut like the Bright, in my experience. Yamaha does know what they are doing. There does seem to be a loyal following for the Studio Grand 2 - I don't know why, since I've played it and don't see the exceptionalism, but it's mentioned a lot, esp by the old-timers.

As for the Uprights - again, a plethora of choices that can vex the compulsives in the group (like me). I never use them, and don't see why anyone would. In a live environment you want the best samples possible and those are XL or L samples of the grands I just listed - why close yourself down sonically with a simulated upright? Oh you can have fun with one at home, I guess -- but I've found that despite loading one or two on my E4 because I thought I should, I never play them. If you must, the Amber is the one, and if space is a premium, the Black or the Blue. There's a lot of gimmick in this group, like the Bambino, Honky-Tonk, and Saloon.

As for file size, I'll be the contrarian and say that S and M are a waste of time - you paid for this technology, so you want to use it. I know the argument that "in a band no-one hears your resonance, etc" but half the time you might be playing a solo, or with low accompaniment - or at home by yourself. It matters, if it didn't they wouldn't bother making them, so load the large samples. You use the whole keyboard and want the resonance everywhere, and hell, you'll take the full mapping if you can stuff an XL on.
Last edited by Gambold on 27 Nov 2017, 18:31, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby Gambold » 27 Nov 2017, 18:37

It should also be pointed out that if you really want to play acoustic piano sounds live, you should play an acoustic piano. It's only been a few decades that we've had these acoustic emulators and I'm not convinced they are a good thing. Indeed, I often think they are a rather crummy thing. Back in the good old days, pop bands played Rhodes, Wurlis, Hammonds...or acoustic pianos. Jazz bands did the same.

Then along came the fake acoustic piano and here we are, dithering over two dozen different samples and spending a lot of money, usually without success, on trying to amplify them so they don't sound awful. We have players here who have invested in wholly separate PA systems for that purpose.
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby danrv » 27 Nov 2017, 22:09

Gambold wrote:It should also be pointed out that if you really want to play acoustic piano sounds live, you should play an acoustic piano.


I suppose I’d have to say that I don’t want an acoustic piano sound but rather a ‘super’ piano that’s optimised and cleaned up for live use.
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby danrv » 27 Nov 2017, 22:27

harmonizer wrote:I am a mono amplification user. I still use the acoustic piano sound from my old Roland XV synth on most songs where acoustic is needed, in rock/covers band situations. Standalone it sounds like crap, but Roland knows how to make it sit in a rock/covers mix, and they knew it 12 years ago.


Agree about the old Roland piano sounds. I’ve been a mono amplification user for over 25 years and I only take 2 DXR10’s so that I can hear my pianos more clearly.
Everything else on my Stage 2 is fine through one DXR10.
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Re: New - Royal Grand 3D Piano

Postby analogika » 28 Nov 2017, 17:33

danrv wrote:
Gambold wrote:It should also be pointed out that if you really want to play acoustic piano sounds live, you should play an acoustic piano.


I suppose I’d have to say that I don’t want an acoustic piano sound but rather a ‘super’ piano that’s optimised and cleaned up for live use.


Then you should play a Motif or a Kronos.

What you ask is the opposite of what Clavia has been doing since the original Nord Stage hit the market.

I'll say that the "instant" piano filters they added to the Stage 3 do a *great* job of quickly adjusting for a dull PA or cutting through a muddier mix.
Last edited by analogika on 28 Nov 2017, 17:43, edited 1 time in total.
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