Nord Holiday Gift - to dream the impossible dream

[Gambold]

Remember when some of us (not all of us) convinced ourselves that Clavia released a "gift" every holiday season...usually a new, cool piano sample? Yeah, that's gone the way of the dodo, but we can still dream. Here's a list of things we won't see in our sock, come late December:

1) A new Grand piano sample. Now that the Stage 4 was released with the four-year old White as its flagship, it's safe to say there is no embarrassment in Stockholm over flogging aging keyboard samples as state of the art. So no Virginia, there is no Santa Claus, or if there is, he's still playing the Grand Lady D.

2) Something, anything, other than sound banks for the Stage 4. One of Nord's big marketing promises is (or was) a regularly updated piano library. While Clavia has quietly removed a lot of that language from its website, it's still present as a promise in the piano sample section (maybe someone forgot to yank it.) Sadly, the days of regular piano releases are over. But those Stage 4 sound banks just keep on a-coming, to help sell that $6000 beast.

3) An update for the Lead A1. Are they even making those anymore?

4) A sneak peak at the new Electro 7! Coming next Spring, with an exciting new price of $4500 for the one with a playable keybed!

5) Someone to answer a phone, respond to an email, or just put their name and face on the website so we can believe Clavia is not totally run by ChatGPT, with factory workers that no-one ever sees, living in the basement like Oompah-Loompahs.

[Gambold]

Frankly given how long some other companies have been re-packaging the same samples in their newer keyboards, 4 years is pretty tame actually...

In terms of acoustic pianos I have all my needs met, so I'm not losing any sleep over it. Now that they've released the Stockholm EP, I'm content with the Rhodes selection too. I'd like to see updated clavinet samples with a release layer and dampening control, and maybe a proper pianet sample. Perhaps a few more FM EP variations as these are really nice to layer with other timbres.

I really don't know what sort of acoustic pianos people still want. Granted, they could update the older ones (as they have done with one of the Studio Grands,) since those pianos clearly have more samples available as they were supplied by SampleTekk. That would be an easy job. Otherwise I'm at a loss to figure out what kind of piano is missing.

[Gambold]

I was wondering who would ask that type of question. No surprise.

For the early NS4 owners, I'd hope for an OS update. No use of piano samples and sound packs if basic functions don't work the way they are expected. As much as I understood, some MIDI features still wait for being repaired. And what about the FX tails?

[Gambold]

I updated the list of release dates for new pianos and major sample packs, which would include the "holiday gifts."

In lieu of reposting what is substantially the same list, here is a direct link. I don't think the link works correctly unless you are logged in. You can also search within my posts for the name of any one of the APs or EPs to find the thread titled, "Nord Christmas Gift ?"

Chronological List of Releases of Nord APs, EPs, and Major Sample Packs

[agcohn]

I feel like Nord has released a number of "gifts" recently between the Felt, Pearl, Stockholm EP, updated Studio Grand 2, etc. No, they have not a recently a brand new grand piano sample in quite a few years, but I'm sure they will eventually.

I do wish that they had released more sound banks for the Piano 4 besides the Ondre J EPs they release back in 2019, but I'm not holding my breath on that.

[ziozeus]

I'm a jazz pianist. Just to say, not to amuse.
I bought a GRAND.
It was very expensive.
A piano sound can have a thousand souls.
No way the current library can covers them all.
I hear records with piano sounds I would like to have and are very different from the ones covered by the library.
So why shouldn't I desire a new grand sound once a year?
I do and deserve to.
I'm with Gambols.
It's in the commercial concept of the product.
Still I can't understand how they could release the piano 5 without a new grand.

[tetra]

I wonder why people are desperately looking for new piano samples all time while I see others playing a Yamaha Motif 8 which was released in 2001 and are still more than happy with the sounds.

An even more extreme example: my grandfather bought a 50 year old grand piano in the 30’s of last century, played it until he died and then my father took it and played it until around 2002 when it got destroyed by a water pipe breaking, and none of them ever had a desire for another piano just because of a potential better sound or anything…

And regarding regular updates: once every 4-5 years is quite regular, isn’t it?

[Gambold]

>In terms of acoustic pianos I have all my needs met, so I'm not losing any sleep over it. <

We should all have your composure and acceptance of the things we cannot change.

> Otherwise I'm at a loss to figure out what kind of piano is missing.<

A Bechstein, baby! And how about a decent pass on the Fazioli? Everybody hates the Italian! Or an improved Bosendorfer with some treble? And maybe a big-ass Steinway, and not the Lennon parlor piano that is currently their flagship.

>I see others playing a Yamaha Motif 8 which was released in 2001 and are still more than happy with the sounds.<

Well we aren't THEM, are we? And thank the keyboard gods for that. Yamaha people - they are everywhere. Nordies are SELECT, and we treasure our boards for many reasons, but one very specific one above all others.

It's not the $$. It's not the reticent ownership. It's not even the red color. It's the PIANOS. That's right, the acoustic pianos, specifically the Grands.

Oh I know the knobs interface is wonderful, no drilling down or whapping a touchscreen, but if the pianos were average we wouldn't be cheering the interface. And the EPs and the Organs and all the silly sounds in the sample library - yeah, they are fun, but they are NOT the reason we buy Nord.

You all know this. You didn't spend top dollar just to play a fake organ or sound like a string section. And you didn't shell out mucho buckos to play their very adequate Rhodes samples, their less than adequate Wurlis, or their crap Clavinet. You bought your Nord for the piano library, and when your friends come over to admire and listen to it for the first time, you aren't pulling up the Pearl Upright.

You are playing a Grand Piano, from the best set of grand piano sounds out there. So yeah - like Ferraris we want new and improved models --- OFTEN.

Happy holidays, Gambold

[Gambold]

I agree with many of Gambold‘s thoughts. My decision for my first electro was based on top organ simulation and selectable piano sounds, both toppest quality. Not more. I play covers only and am in the Deep Purple, Journey, Toto, Bonjovi and even Adele fraction. I would appreciate if Nord was taking the benefits of increased memory spaces and would offer premium pianos at ca. 1 GB, could well be one Xmas gift every year.

Cheers from Germany

[Gambold]

I've got a NS3 Compact. For a reason. I didn't buy a Nord for the sake of acoustic 'Ferraris' - I even don't like grands very much. I bought a Nord for what you are laughing about: pianos with character (I don't mean sonic errors, but imperfections).

I'm not that much into elegance - but of course, a lot of pro Nord users might need that.

I was hoping that in time, the electric models like Wurly and Clavinet might get updated. Alas, there hasn't been a lot of work on them. I'm still in hope. But as said: I think Nord should get the NS4 OS issues sorted first.