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Nord Drum 3P performance possibilities

Postby mpodonga » 24 Apr 2017, 20:19

Hi, I'm quite new on this forum things, so hopefully I will make myself clear enough so anyone can understand my point and eventually help me! Thanks in advance.

I'm not still a Nord user, but I'm really studying the Drum 3P machine. I'm a drummer willing to introduce some tech in my set. Upon that search I came across the 3P, and got really excited with it, specially with the price, for being honest. Anyway, when I started looking deeper on it I can't seem to completely understand the possibilities or the normal usage for it, so I will state what I understood so far and please guide me properly.

Seems to me that de 3P is just a digital live drum set with possibility for MIDI connection and playing through a PC. Of course, many sound editing options as described on website.

However, can't seem to find metronome available, nor the possibilty to have different output signals as per main output or headphones, so as to be able to listen to the click.

Can't seem to find neither how to loop sounds other than setting a long sustained delay, is that correct? So, striclty speaking, I would have to be hitting the pad continuously for adjusting parameters... Looping would have to be set via MIDI-PC, is that right?

Other thing I can't seem to find is the triggering sounds through pad/channels; i.e. I would like to trigger a rain sound with a pad impulse... Don't have an external memory slot, so again, via MIDI-PC, right?


I added an attachment for what I understand should be the connections requested for a proper usage. I don't have much idea on MIDI, so please, comment, correct or whatever you wish.

So, hope anyone can help understand the possibilities available with de Nord Drum 3P, if I am right or I'm just missing a lot of it. Can't seem to find extended manuals or how-to guides in order to be able to start using it... just a basic manual and some basic videos too.

Thanks guys!
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Nord Drum 3P performance possibilities


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Re: Nord Drum 3P performance possibilities

Postby wartaler » 24 Apr 2017, 22:47

Hi Mpodonga, welcome to the forum!
As you perhaps already read, the Nord drum 3P is a drum synthesizer, no samples, pure synthesis, sounds that you can sculpt into anything, - almost, you won't get realistic drum sounds. However, the way it responds to your playing is surprisingly realistic, dynamics control not only the sound level, but also the sound itself.

-It doesn't have a metronome on board, nor a sequencer, it's not a drum computer.
-Delay is not infinite, to make loops you'll need an external sequencer, like a hardware sequencer, app or software
-it doesn't have a separate output for each channel, it only has Left and Right outputs & you can pan each of the 6 sounds.
-the sound on main and phones outputs is the same, you indeed need a mixer to add a metronome to your monitor mix
-If you want to use the 3p to trigger a sample like a recording of rain shower, you can, but you'll need a sampler, either hardware or software, the 3p can't play back samples itself. It will send a MIDI note when you hit one of the pads, in this way you can trigger sounds on a computer or sampler.

I hope this helps,
Cheers,
Albert
Nord Drum 2, Drum (1), Lead 4, Lead 2x, Stage 'Classic', Micro Modular
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Re: Nord Drum 3P performance possibilities

Postby Nord-Drum-mer » 05 Jun 2017, 21:16

Hi mpodonga

Your setup diagram is spot on, except you'd need to add a sampler on the MIDI input to trigger that rain sample from a pad impulse:
On the cheap side, this is like Yamaha A3000 or Akai S1000 ( both cheap, out of production, and fully capable of what you wanna do... granted, there are like 40 other boxes that could do what you're asking of a sample, but it's VERY hard to point you in a direction without knowing your background and and idea of where you're trying to go )

As a live / studio drummer I would point you towards Roland SPD-SX or Yamaha DTX-Multi12 because they have everything you just asked about ( my personal choice would be the DTXM12, I have both, and as far as an all in one drum synth that has everything, the DTXM12 is as close to perfection on the market. )
Metronome, auxiliary input that can be routed to headphones only, output controls for headphones and mains, will load samples from a USB stick, and you can connect like 5 - 6 additional pads to it.

As far as a "digital drum kit" the Nord stuff is gonna treat you right if you're into Trap Music, Chip-Tune, "Techno", Devo-esque, and other arcade Pacman type sounds. I am being grossly overly simplistic when trying to describe drum synthesis here, but I want to make sure we're at least in "reading the same book" ( if not on the same page ) when we talk about the difference between drum synthesis and drum samplers / romplers.
The Nord makes its tones by subtractive synthesis, where the DTX / SPD / typical "drum machine" plays back sounds already recorded. The ROMpler may let you edit the sound in various ways like stretching it, EQkng it, adding effects, playing the sample backwards and things, but it's not "creating" the sound, only changing it. This method is good for making things that sound like a "mic'd drumkit", where the synthesis is good making other creative "what was that?"- type sounds like laser guns and stuff ( pew! pew! ) amongst others.

If I had to choose 1 pad that would cover all of the bases, where I could use just it and say, a kick trigger pedal, for every type of gig I do, it would be the DTXM12. I'd miss the inbuilt analog power of the Nord, but the DTX would let me import those sounds from a computer or USB drive; can't create them on the DTX, but can import those sounds then play them.

How I'd use 3P: ( I DO NOT have one of these, but this is how I use my Nord Drum 1 )

- Live
Nord Drum 3P connected to Ampeg 8x10" with a 1000w amplifier
Kick pedal and kick trigger
Acoustic snare drum
Acoustic HiHat
Cymbals
Sampler ( I've used iPad, iPhone, RS7000, laptop, E-MU Mo'Phatt, MV8000... anything MIDI works )
This setup lets you radically alter your drumset tone from moment to moment, while having typically sampled textures at the control of a live drummer... plus the ballsy 1000w kick drum will move some air!

- recording / writing
there are a lot of ways to think of the 3P in his regard; MIDI Controller, drum and/ or bass synth...or just the live thing tracked like conventional drums. If you're into sound design, it' could take months before you find it uninspiring or not useful.

Hopefully you find the board insight useful.

Ed
Last edited by Nord-Drum-mer on 05 Jun 2017, 21:28, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Nord Drum 3P performance possibilities

Postby antkn33 » 27 Sep 2017, 15:54

You mention you use an iPad, what apps do you use? Thanks

Nord-Drum-mer wrote:Hi mpodonga

Your setup diagram is spot on, except you'd need to add a sampler on the MIDI input to trigger that rain sample from a pad impulse:
On the cheap side, this is like Yamaha A3000 or Akai S1000 ( both cheap, out of production, and fully capable of what you wanna do... granted, there are like 40 other boxes that could do what you're asking of a sample, but it's VERY hard to point you in a direction without knowing your background and and idea of where you're trying to go )

As a live / studio drummer I would point you towards Roland SPD-SX or Yamaha DTX-Multi12 because they have everything you just asked about ( my personal choice would be the DTXM12, I have both, and as far as an all in one drum synth that has everything, the DTXM12 is as close to perfection on the market. )
Metronome, auxiliary input that can be routed to headphones only, output controls for headphones and mains, will load samples from a USB stick, and you can connect like 5 - 6 additional pads to it.

As far as a "digital drum kit" the Nord stuff is gonna treat you right if you're into Trap Music, Chip-Tune, "Techno", Devo-esque, and other arcade Pacman type sounds. I am being grossly overly simplistic when trying to describe drum synthesis here, but I want to make sure we're at least in "reading the same book" ( if not on the same page ) when we talk about the difference between drum synthesis and drum samplers / romplers.
The Nord makes its tones by subtractive synthesis, where the DTX / SPD / typical "drum machine" plays back sounds already recorded. The ROMpler may let you edit the sound in various ways like stretching it, EQkng it, adding effects, playing the sample backwards and things, but it's not "creating" the sound, only changing it. This method is good for making things that sound like a "mic'd drumkit", where the synthesis is good making other creative "what was that?"- type sounds like laser guns and stuff ( pew! pew! ) amongst others.

If I had to choose 1 pad that would cover all of the bases, where I could use just it and say, a kick trigger pedal, for every type of gig I do, it would be the DTXM12. I'd miss the inbuilt analog power of the Nord, but the DTX would let me import those sounds from a computer or USB drive; can't create them on the DTX, but can import those sounds then play them.

How I'd use 3P: ( I DO NOT have one of these, but this is how I use my Nord Drum 1 )

- Live
Nord Drum 3P connected to Ampeg 8x10" with a 1000w amplifier
Kick pedal and kick trigger
Acoustic snare drum
Acoustic HiHat
Cymbals
Sampler ( I've used iPad, iPhone, RS7000, laptop, E-MU Mo'Phatt, MV8000... anything MIDI works )
This setup lets you radically alter your drumset tone from moment to moment, while having typically sampled textures at the control of a live drummer... plus the ballsy 1000w kick drum will move some air!

- recording / writing
there are a lot of ways to think of the 3P in his regard; MIDI Controller, drum and/ or bass synth...or just the live thing tracked like conventional drums. If you're into sound design, it' could take months before you find it uninspiring or not useful.

Hopefully you find the board insight useful.

Ed
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Re: Nord Drum 3P performance possibilities

Postby Nord-Drum-mer » 02 Oct 2017, 07:20

Apps Ive used with the Nord Drum1 and rental 3p include
iMPC
Korg iElectribe
Loopy HD
Sampletank
littlemidi
iRingFX
iRig MIDI ( for saving or reloading SYSEX dumps )
ADelay2
GarageBand
Magellan Jr
Alchemy

Most of these are older, there are more modern apps.

Apps i currently use, although not as a sampler triggered by my drumsticks are:
Blocs Wave
Launchpad
GarageBand
Loopy HD
SampleTank
iRingFX
SP Pro
Figure
M12 Touch
Cubasis LE
Strom
Gadget Le

I have used these in practice and gigging with iRig MIDI, Camera Connection Kit ( via USB on DTXM12), and with the Alesis I/O dock.
In addition, I've also used a MacBook Pro with either SPDSX as interface or a Focusrite Pro26;
A buddy of mine uses SPDSX + tablet PC & Reason or Ableton and rocks it! super compact, the PC fits in his stick bag!

Currently I'm using Elektron Octatrack along with my ND1, DTXM12, SPDSX. I plan on purchasing ND2 sometime in the future, just not a priority since I got Octatrack. SPDSX and DTXM12 handle my need for velocity sensitive use of custom samples.

After using iPad, iPhone, and my laptop for firing off samples from my ND1 initially, I've made the investment of the SPDSX, the DTXM12 and realized that for me, although it takes more initial setup to get the samples into these machines, I enjoy the stability, the immediacy, and the simplicity of one device... the computing devices require a midi interface and an audio interface, not to mention bringing a computer to the gig.

I actually still use the iPad with the DTX and the Camera Connection Kit, since it works as a midi interface and makes building kits much quicker with the M12 app.

To summarize, Apps will work: plan on budgeting for an audio / midi interface in addition as it will make things much easier.
Again, I like the DTXM12 here because you can get MIDI into a computer with a USB cable or an iPad with a USB cable and the CCK.

Its really going to depend on what you need it to do...
DO you need velocity responsiveness from your sampler? How often are you trying to change samples, or build kits? If its just one shots, don't discount things like Roland SP404, Korg ES-1 or Kaoss pad... there are a bunch of devices that will fire off any sample you input from a pad impulse via MIDI, and some of them will add more dimension to your rig.. Kaoss pad effects are super cool with synths, SP404 would let you record dog farts ( as an example ) and play em back... OP-1 would give you a 4-track, keys, and a sequencer.
It's a brave new world out here.

Ed
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Re: Nord Drum 3P performance possibilities

Postby antkn33 » 02 Oct 2017, 19:57

Thanks very helpful!
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