Nord User Forum

[ajstan]

Word. The same goes for any laptop too. Anyone still plugging away on a 2012 computer?

2011 Mac Mini here. Not getting the new MacOS updates, but still getting app updates. More than enough horsepower for Windows/Office 365 under Bootcamp. Not great with processor-intensive stuff like rendering video, but for daily web browsing, work documents/spreadsheets and email, there's virtually no difference with a new computer. Great, I just jinxed myself, didn't I.

[cgrafx]

Word. The same goes for any laptop too. Anyone still plugging away on a 2012 computer?

Yes, I work daily on a 2012 Apple Mac Pro Tower. Granted its a beast of a machine (64gigs of RAM, PCI card SSDs, Dual XEON CPUs, and a decent Nvidia graphics card)

-- And I do edit video and do 3D modeling/rendering on it

[Schorsch]

Still using a laptop built in 2006 originally running on Windows XP, still running OK on Windows 7 with manual installation and tweaks of necessary drivers. Doing a good job in controlling our X32 Rack, but can’t be used for much more. Windows 10 does not work since the hardware is too old and also is missing performance, but I don’t complain not to be able to use the latest greatest on an old machine.

Fully agree with Gambold

[PScooter63]

Interesting topic about PCs, thanks Gambold.

My 2011 Mac Mini soldiers on just fine at the moment, even as an occasional live performance tool... but I know it’s on borrowed time. Much more so than my E4.

I was mildly disappointed a couple of weeks ago when the App Store refused to sell me something, because the new app required a newer model.

[harmonizer]

I am still running my Electro 3 purchased in 2012, with the sounds that were available for it then, but also with the bonus of the Nefertiti and Royal Grand (if you care about mono, Royal Grand was a bonus).

For my home computer I am running an old Windows 7 computer to access this forum. This PC had belonged to a family member, and as best as I can tell it was probably new in 2010.

It does not bother me that the new sounds are not supported on the Electro 3. The Electro 4 was already available when I bought it; I chose the E3 as a cheaper entry point into good organ sounds. It's probably a more difficult feeling for anyone who owns an E4, which is less obsolete and has more memory.

[kpr99]

Hello,

I'm Klaus P. Rausch and the developer of many samples you get from the Nord Sample Library download pages. So far I've contributed the most Vintage Synthesizers from Minimoog to Matrix 12 as well as the String Ensembles like the Godwin Symphony, all the Korgies and many more. Also I did the entire Fairlight sample library, the Sonatina Orchestra editing and formatting to Nord nsmp files, a couple of Stage internal samples and a huge part of the entire Ethnic Instruments content.

As a kind of White Label sound developer I'm working for many manufacturers. for references please check this page https://www.kpr-srd.com/factory-voicing/

Since a good while I am thinking about sound support for older Nord instruments, like the Electro 3, and I have several ideas including Split Programs with left hand Bass and Pads and right hand lead and chord sounds (all categories).

I am very familiar with supporting older instruments and I am the worldwide leading Alesis Fusion sound content developer. Although this instrument is now over 10 years old and out of production since long I am still developing new sounds which is appreciated by the Fusion owners who want to keep their instrument but still looking for new sounds. The current sound product catalog is here https://bitr-store.de/produkt-kategorie ... -soundware

So I find this Posting here quite interesting and perhaps there is a chance to get the things done. I would need to know following:

- What sounds you are looking for?
- What are the instruments you are playing (like the mentioned Electro 3)?
- As I am a commercial developer: Would you pay for the sounds?

Thank you for getting into that matters and any help to make it happen is appreciated.

Cheers

Klaus P. Rausch

P.S.: Please don't send PN here, instead of it you can use the contact form of my main website www.backintimerecords.de

[Spider]

My music PC is a 2008 Windows XP laptop, which I cleaned up of everything except Audacity and a few other music-related programs and drivers. Solid as a rock, still plenty of processing power for all my needs.

Same with my keyboards. Most of them never received any update, yet I can use them just as well as the day I bought them.
Korg and Novation have been quite good recently with new firmwares for the Minilogue and especially for the Bass Station II, which turned those boards into almost completely new instruments.
But in my experience, nobody beats Clavia in keeping their instruments as up to date as technically possible.

It's true, sometimes there is a big transition which puts the older instruments out of reach of the new updates (the old pianos in the Electro 2, older boards not compatible with Nord Sound Manager, etc). But it happened only 2-3 times in the 30-year history of the company, not too bad I'd say. And I imagine there will be technical reasons underneath, old instruments probably just don't have enough memory or processing power to handle the latest updates. Or maybe their code is written in such a way that it simply cannot be made compatible. Who knows.

I have a Stage 2, so I'm among the ones left behind. Not completely, as I can use 6.0 samples, but will never get advanced EQ, effect and filter options.
Still, my instrument is better, more powerful and more useful today than when I bought it with the 1.xx OS.

By definition, there will never be a winner in the race for latest and greatest. I try to make the most of the instrument I have, and will change when it no longer does what I need. But as of now, that moment still seems a long way in the future.

[ajstan]

I'm currently plugging away on a 2010 laptop (with an '8' button that I have to push really hard to work), and as I read your above response, I have to ask...

Where's Gambold and what have you done with him?

You don't see it? This is vintage Gambold. With one, brief question, the focus of the entire thread was derailed and taken in a completely different direction! (An entertaining one I might add.)

[Schorsch]

Hah, next up people will start bragging about how many miles their car has. "It's got 140,000 miles and it still runs fine." You've heard them, and all you can do is look out at their aging, dated rustheap forlornly parked on your driveway and smile politely at their penny saved, penny earned.

Old electronics are like old underwear - yes, you can still use them, and I'm sure they "meet your needs," but they are old, dated, and not up to the the challenges and opportunities of today. Yeah, I'm talking about underwear too, ask your lovers. No-one wants to see the jockeys you bought twelve years ago next time you drop trou.

SO - if you want to keep the wallet closed and keep playing last decade's technology, that's of course your call - but don't expect to keep up with the new innovations and options.

[Rusty Mike]

Gamboled, thanks for the laugh tonight. A very poignant analogy.

I’ve made this point in the past, but the release of a new product, sample or software update does not instantly make your older stuff sound like crap. Yesterday, before the new sample or update was released, I’m sure people were happy with their Nord keyboards. That lovely sound is no different today.

You have a choice, you can either make music with what you already own or trade up so your FOMO* itch is scratched.

* Fear Of Missing Out