Nord User Forum

[FZiegler]

Concerning DI boxes, I don't recommend no-name products. But I'm fine with the middle price range: My Palmer Pan-04 (not 04A which is active) should be superior quality already. Radial is quite expensive in continental Europe (but certainly top class concerning sound fidelity and signal-to-noise ratio as far as I could read or hear).

Concerning piano sounds in the big band: I almost everywhere use the "bright" piano EQ preset ("timbre"). As you may know modern big bands: I started to divert the piano sounds for the different genres - Jazz from the 60ies on often being played by some sort of EP; for latin, I created a sort of LoFi sound based on the Grand Upright together with some chorus, drive, high pass and reverb tail, rock is served with the Bright Grand (+ bright timbre, some compression and quite dry), pop still needs to be developed (probably with two settings for "normal" pieces and ballads). As the rock piano has compression on it, the basic sound level is lower, of course. And personally, I like the White Grand - just rarely use it in the band.

I'm not at ease while programming those sounds as a tinnitus seems to add some distortion to the upper harmonics in my ear; I don't think it's the speakers.

Somebody on the forum has spoken in favour of a single piano sound per performance to make life easier for the singer, but I feel variety is more important in our case as the band hasn't developed much expression yet.

And yes, I'm an absolute fan of stereo piano sound: My monitoring "needs" to be stereo, and I got the band PA to accept me in stereo, too. I just don't know if it's used - panning would be fine tuning which we haven't reached for the moment, being glad to practice at all during Covid.

[ericL]

I'll share a couple of videos here for you to see the kinds of things I do. I use only a Nord Stage 3 and no other instruments for my gig. The Ventilator is used for Leslie simulation on my organ channel. I have used Vents since about 2010 and it's the best sound other than a real Leslie. I do have a real Hammond and Leslie in my music room at home, but those never leave the house.

As for "normalizing" my volumes, I do all of this within the NS3 itself, just a matter of adjusting volumes per Program and each part in the Program. After years of programming a NS2 and NS3, this is part of my process when I'm working on new sounds.

Here's a thread I posted on this forum that shows one of the set lists for my '80s and classic rock cover band, plus several videos of me demonstrating the Programs I've created, all within the NS3. One of my main points in sharing this was to show how deep the instrument is and how one can use a single keyboard to cover a wide variety of sounds.

nord-stage-3-programs-ns3p-ns3pb-files-f32/ask-me-anything-ns3-earning-its-keep-t21504.html

Here's a video compilation of my original ska/reggae/world beat/rock band that toured heavily in the '80s and '90s. We do annual reunion shows and just had a really nice one the day after Christmas at the same venue as this video from a few years ago. This gives you an idea of how I play and move around on stage. In addition to these bands, I also am in a tribute to The Clash and sit in with other groups, all of this mostly for fun as I gave up full time touring a few decades ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i7DLesvEuI

On the topic of DI boxes, I recommend using Radial. I was using a Stereo JDI for years with a variety of different mixers in front of the DI. Now I use a Radial Key Largo in my rehearsal rig and a Radial KL-8 in my gig rig. They are the best in my opinion.

Hi Eric,

So you mean one of these?:

https://www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP/Neo-Instruments-Ventilator-II-Rotary-Effect/art-KEY0004102-000?campaign=GShopping/GB&ProgramUUID=5G_AqJarZwoAAAFl0FZyjI8V&gclid=Cj0KCQiAt8WOBhDbARIsANQLp96aauJYnaoeH_W027qcM1Yaorkwk01TdrO8IYhTZKvVD0Ww7CCicQEaAgs6EALw_wcB

I have honestly never heard of them before. So you don't use the Leslie Sim. on the Nord? Is it really that much better?

OK, I see; so setting you levels is performed entirely on the Nord. You do it at home and then tweak it before the gig (if it's a new preset)?

Is that you (wearing glasses) playing the Nord standing-up? Is the singer not boiling-hot wearing that thick black coat!

The second video is of very good quality, I'd say. I was surprised you had a trumpeter in the band. To help him sound less stark, did you ever consider doubling the brass-lines with him? I'm sure you could have created an appropriate preset.

Thanks a lot for the DI help. I am pleased to learn you also favour Radial. Is this the one you use (bloody hell, they don't come cheap!):

https://www.radialeng.com/product/kl-8

Thanks,

Paul

Paul, you have lots of questions, LOL. Let me try to answer them. Have you been gigging long?

Neo Ventilator = the industry standard for Leslie simulators. Yes, it is better than anything in Nord keyboards.

Yes, I set all of my Program volumes and normalize them before the gig. It is not very hard with a little bit of practice.

Yes, that is me with the glasses playing the Nord. The singer is a total badass rockstar and he changes wardrobe frequently. I don't know if he was boiling hot, but he is an amazing performer and has decades of stage experience.

As for doubling horns on keyboards, that is BIG NO for me. If I'm playing in a band with horns, then that gives me the chance to do keyboard parts, such as organ, piano, CP80, etc. and let the horns do what they do best. Playing horns on keyboards is never great. The only song where I'll do it is with my '80s cover band doing Sledgehammer or Let's Dance. My bands with horns have between 3-5 horn players and they need no additional support from keyboards, LOL.

Can you share some of your performances on YouTube, etc.?

Thanks,
Eric

[Amaryllis]

Neo Ventilator = the industry standard for Leslie simulators. Yes, it is better than anything in Nord keyboards.

hi eric,

i hope this isn't wandering too far off-topic, but do you happen to know of any comparisons between the Vent II and the Nord sim? i've been looking around a bit on YouTube, but all i can find is people using them with guitars or other brands of keyboard...

[analogika]

Neo Ventilator = the industry standard for Leslie simulators. Yes, it is better than anything in Nord keyboards.

hi eric,

i hope this isn't wandering too far off-topic, but do you happen to know of any comparisons between the Vent II and the Nord sim? i've been looking around a bit on YouTube, but all i can find is people using them with guitars or other brands of keyboard...

A search for „Vent“ on these forums turned up this thread on the second page:

nord-stage-forum-f3/ns3-rotary-speaker-vs-neo-ventilator-ii-a-b-comparison-t21202.html?hilit=Vent

Note that the Stage 3 has a different (much better IMO) Leslie sim than its predecessors.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Hi FZ,

I will most definitely be going for Radial DI's because I did a bit of research last month. OK, a little expensive maybe, but seemingly durable and reliable (which you would want, of course!).

I 99% of the time use the Royal Grand D XL. I had to check which other grand was on there because I honestly never use it! Anyway, its' the Grand Imperial XL. Personally, I did not like the White Grand. As for the uprights, I have the Grand Upright XL and the Baby Upright XL. For uprights, I don't think I have ever used either of them in 18 months! I would be very interested to hear/play your "LoFi" upright though? I leave the EQ flat on my pianos and just tweak it on the gig, if needed - usually some bass-cut and some high-add.

I don't think switching piano present mid-performance in a big-band setting would be particularly noticeable (except to you). As you know, the more instruments you add in an ensemble the less the piano-role becomes important. Big-band fans tend to favour overdosing on sax-solis and drum-solos! But in a more intimate setting (eg. solo piano or piano/vocal duo) a significant difference will be experienced. In fact, I usually say to the bassist "I'm going to switch piano for the next tune" and then afterwards they give me their opinion (of which I respect).

I always insist on stereo (I always have done since becoming a Korg M1 owner back in the day). On larger occasions I take my two Yamaha DXR 10's, and on smaller a pair of Roland Cubes (which are surprisingly very loud!).

Paul

[ericL]

Can you share some of your performances on YouTube, etc.?

Hi Eric,

It's probably not your type of music (which is totally fair enough) but I'll link a couple of things. I had over 200 You Tube uploads up until this year (almost 100 of those were of my programming on the Yamaha 'DX7'!). But in January I deleted most of them and well as closing down about 20 forum sites I was on (sites of which I had no idea as to why I had even joined in the very fist place? - like 'Native American Ancestry'!!!). I'm not that big on social-media to be honest, and I hardly have any apps on my phone. I was forced to join FaceBook last year because I was not able to visit elderly friends, due to the unmentionable - I only have 3 friends and I upload zero content, ever).

Anyway, I digress, the music here are of an arrangement and a compositions I made many moons ago. I'm not playing. btw - I rather wrote all of the music and then conducted the band in the studio (as you would do). They are only excerpts (I never present the whole form unless it's less than 60 seconds long).

Thanks for your interest here!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w2bY3hAAGQ

[Berretje]

Can you share some of your performances on YouTube, etc.?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMJhpj294Do

[analogika]

Oy! That's pretty awesome!

[Berretje]

Hi again Eric,

Well, I'm interested in people if they have something interesting to say. But I don't really socialize much and most of my comms is through forums like this (eg. Avid's Sibelius forum). Actually I have been learning how to write music on the PC (ie. 'Sibelius) for about 4 years now and the learning curve has been very steep (for me at least). It has practically hijacked my entire life in the process! But I'm very slowly getting better at it (though it takes me about 12 weeks to produce a single song! lol ) I probably only use about less than 10% of it's capabilities. Ditto for Cubase_9.

The Ventilator does sound like a killer machine! I'm sure you can do a lot of serious damage with it! btw - I can play bass-pedals and used to own an L100. Obviously, being age 53, a physical Hammond has gone totally out of the window now! It was just an absolute mission to plan the transportation for every gig.

Was it the SAME lead singer in the club video and the showreel? And I don't think there was a Trumpeter in the club video? The reason I was asking if the singer was too hot was because most of my gigs have been in the freezing cold! I usually have to wear thermals (and this is in the summer also!). Reason being, not many venues seem to be 'heated', and solo/duo/trio units are always forced to set-up near the door (so there is a constant draft every time people come in and out).

Well, if you sometimes carry a real horn-section then there is little point in you duplicating, I agree. Some bands carry two keyboard players (one for Piano and Organ, and the other for Strings and Brass - as you will already be away of). I KNOW brass is difficult on the keyboard as I've been trying for the past fortnight!

Playing-wise: well, I have my own trio (Keys, Bass, Drums); Quartet (Sax, Keys, Bass, Drums); and Octet (Trumpet, Alto, Tenor, Trombone, Guitar, Keys, Bass, Drums) - however, zero gigs! Actually, I hardly play in it as I prefer to stand out front and conduct (hence my reason for including a Guitarist to ghost for me). We were rehearsing once a month until the first lockdown - so nothing for 18 months! I would like to expand the group (making it an 11-piece) by adding a: Percussionist, French Horn, and Tuba - this would truly represent the timbre (or chaos!) I am hearing in my head.

Much appreciated.

[monsterjazzlicks]

Oy! That's pretty awesome!

Sorry analogika - I missed this reply. Much appreciated mate.