Nord User Forum

[DJKeys]

I just wish they would do bug fixes. There are already more samples available than I would ever use.

-dj

[Gambold]

I sense corporate senescence setting in.

[Spider]

I was just taking a look at the dates of the latest releases (both hardware and software).

Stage 3: Apr 2017
Electro 6: Jan 2018
Piano 4: Apr 2018
Nord Grand: Apr 2019
Marimba & Vibraphone: Jun 2019
White Grand: Jun 2019
Wave 2: Jan 2020
Piano 5: March 2021
Nord Sound Manager 4: Jul 2021

What worries me a little is not so much the hardware release schedule, which has been pretty consistent with one new model per year, even during the pandemic.
But it's true that the software side has slowed down dramatically.
Apart from a few artist sound banks and a couple of licensed sound libraries, the last original Clavia sounds were the White Grand and Marimba in 2019.
The Wave 2 is now 2 years old and has received very little updates.
More alarmingly, the Piano 5 came out almost a year ago and the new sample format is still not available and unsupported.

I would expect that in times of pandemic, the hardware releases would slow down or stop, but they could dedicate all their time to software development. This appears not to have happened, and I'm wondering why.

[afroskully]

it would actually be nice to get some sort of status from Nord. I love the current piano lineup they have and have no complaints whatsoever with their offerings (except for maybe a nice big new rhodes sample we've all been clamoring for)... but just to give an acknowledgement like "hey everyone, here's where we're at" would go a long way in the customer service realm considering the notable decrease in frequency of sample releases.

[neomad]

it would actually be nice to get some sort of status from Nord. I love the current piano lineup they have and have no complaints whatsoever with their offerings (except for maybe a nice big new rhodes sample we've all been clamoring for)... but just to give an acknowledgement like "hey everyone, here's where we're at" would go a long way in the customer service realm considering the notable decrease in frequency of sample releases.

I guess that Nord is still working in Samples Library 4.0… otherwise, I can’t get it

[st2ex]

I guess Nord is working on a 64 Bit version of there OS to overcome the memory limitations.

[Gambold]

>it would actually be nice to get some sort of status from Nord.<

It's a privately-held company, so you won't get anything. Only if their sales start to dramatically slip will the drawbridge be lowered.

But I agree, the old way of doing things is...getting old. Nord's product line is starting to look a little fusty. The Electro 6 is an underwhelming upgrade, and many have pointed out problems that weren't present in previous versions. The Nord Grand is, well, really niche and really expensive. The Nord Piano is coming against ever-better competition from Yamaha and Korg. That leaves the venerable Stage. Which is also really expensive.

That dramatic drop in sales can happen without a lot of notice.

[cphollis]

I would be the first to agree that competition is fierce from the bigger companies, not to mention incredible-sounding iPad rigs. And, yes, the technical underpinnings are looking a bit long in the tooth. No quibble with that. Audio over USB anyone?

I bought one of the early NS3Cs (2017?) and did think long and hard about my second one last year. When people ask me why that vs alternatives, I tell them it's not just about features and firepower, it's how much of it you can use when making music -- especially when performing. And the way Nord does things, you can easily use a lot of what's there, and with a bit of practice you can make it sound exceptional. Other manufacturers have certainly taken note: more knobs, less menus.

Outside of the Stage and the Electro -- which I am seeing many more of than I used to -- the rest of line appeals to more narrow audiences. The Piano line still stands up well against the alternatives for many, including me -- but I gig and wouldn't use it at home. I think Nord has abandoned the dual-manual market to Hammond, who does it quite well. I looked at the Wave closely when I was playing different music, it was appealing compared to alternative synths.

I think we all have our list of features we wish Nord would address. Note that we're doing this on a Nord forum, and not a Yamaha, Korg or other forum. The best part is that there's little downside of buying a Nord as there's always someone who will buy it off you when you're done with it. Just like Porsches.

[StrangeAeons]

I guess Nord is working on a 64 Bit version of there OS to overcome the memory limitations.

32 bit OSes can't address more than 4 GB of RAM, but the same limitation doesn't apply to storage. Nord's has been using NOR memory, instead of regular SSDs which are based off NAND. NOR memory is more expensive because it guarantees higher read speeds, which means no slowdowns in any given situation and extremely high reliability (on the other hand, write speed is considerably lower, whence the Sound Manager's incredibly long loading times). Nord could definitely provide us with more memory: NOR chips are surely more expensive than NAND, but it's still only a fraction of the total cost of the keyboard. Nord's business model revolves around small and incremental upgrade throughout the years: that's the main reason why we don't have (yet) 10 GB of NOR memory on the Stage.

[Gambold]

>Nord's business model revolves around small and incremental upgrade throughout the years<

Do you know that for a fact or is this a personal observation? I've seen very little information (read: none) on Clavia's business model, sales figures, corporate governance, business code of ethics, staffing numbers, leadership bios, or anything other than product marketing on their website. There is almost nothing in the "about us" section of that website other than a mailing address and a company history that is a string of press releases. They don't even have an employment opportunities link for anyone who might want to work there, so one has no ideas on what KIND of people and positions make these keyboards.

I suppose this "walled garden" helps keep them mysterious and lightly cultish. But it too is growing old in a global economy that is requiring ever-increasing transparency and accessibility from corporations. Once upon a time, Pablo Mastodon was on this forum as a designated "go-to" between customers and the company. He wasn't an official employee but Nord had a page about him on their website and their Facebook account. He suddenly left, without explanation, and he hasn't been replaced. But even Pablo, if I recall, was kept very much in the dark about about plans Clavia might or might not have had.

https://www.facebook.com/nordkeyboards/ ... 861634531/