Nord User Forum

[anotherscott]

Stage are meant to be customised !
Therefore a computer IS needed to transfer and organize your sounds.
You can also create and transfer your own samples, but the computer is also required here.

OTOH, even if you never connect it to a computer, just out of the box, the Nord Stage 3 is arguably already among the best and easiest to use boards you can get, especially if you're looking for something specifically to do piano, organ, and VA synth. Connecting it to a computer adds nothing to its organ functions. The computer hookup does provide for alternate pianos, but even as shipped. it's already a better sounding piano than most boards, and any changes you'd make would merely be a matter of personal taste. For VA synth (using VA waveforms, as opposed to samples), connecting to a computer adds nothing, except maybe some user patches you can find on this forum. Patch organization is enhanced via the computer, but you can also do a lot of patch management perfectly well right from the board. I think the biggest thing you lose by not connecting to a computer is the ability to load alternate samples, e.g. if you want more of one type of sampled sound and less of another. But most of the "bread and butter" needs are well represented in the default set as shipped.

Though again, the Fantom-0 doesn't need a computer for much either. I wish there actually were more that you could do with the Fantom from a computer. But as it is, it is only used for adding new sounds. And similar to the Nord, the set of sounds that comes with it are likely to be plenty satisfactory for many users anyway.

[anotherscott]

And deletion IS possible on the machine itself by initialising a program.

Initialisation doesn't reset all parameters, but even if it did, technically that's not an empty program, in fact it will be considered as an existing program by the Sound Manager, and it will be bundled each time you make a full backup, potentially increasing file size if big piano samples are active.

The truly "empty" program you only get by erasing the current program via the Sound Manager, and the name will be <empty>. Note that normally the < and > aren't even possible to input. This kind of program is the only one that will be disregarded by the Sound Manager.

Whether or not the "blank" program locations are or are not truly empty still does not impede one's ability to use the keyboard without a computer.

[analogika]

Ah, I see. @anotherscott: we were nitpicking, and @Hlaalu had the better pick.

[PScooter63]

Depending on the types of gigs you do, there’s something to be said for keeping it simple.

With my first Nord (E4), I deliberately stayed away from swapping samples for several months… I wanted to not only learn the hardware, but also learn more about Nord’s approach to sampling and patches. It was important to me to establish a baseline before branching out.

Once I did that, I started optimizing for my playlists and backing up my work. There was a flurry of that activity, but it all settled in, only occasional tweaks since then. My S3 followed the same pattern. I now hook my computer up on average only every six months.