Nord Grand Firmware Differences And Some Possible Problems

[M1tsos]

I want you opinion guys.. (please hear it with headphones) because i am not proffesional pianist.. i am just proffesional bouzouki player and sound engineer

Are all this normal?? Can you please test it at your nord grands and let me know?? Is it possible to be because of the limits of voice polyphony?? Or sample convertion??

Regards

[Hlaalu]

Hi, I think you'll have more chances of getting replies if you specify what the alleged issue is, or at least indicate the exact point of the video in which the issue comes up.

[FZiegler]

1. Your first issue is absolutely OK. Any acoustic grand piano lacks dampers in the most upper part, so there is a natural sustain - depending on the sampled model, it's the same with the digital versions. On any serious digital piano, be it Nord or not.

2. I don't have a Nord Grand, so I can't tell anything about the velocity change in the firmware. But you are not the only one who complained. And it sounds reasonable to me: As I play my Stage 3 from an external keybed, I originally encountered a mismatch in the velocity behaviour between the two which has been addressed in the latest firmware updates. I was pleased about it but wondered if others would complain, because originally, the Nord velocity curve wasn't linear, but somewhat bent - which allowed for more control in the softer parts at the cost of the louder range. This has been settled a bit - probably the same on the Grand.

3. Repeated notes: Yes, they may sound a bit different. But it sounds natural to my ears. If you want, you may search for "double escapement" to understand, that a (acoustic) piano will always have a different movement of the hammers with fast repetition.
Concerning fast repetition in general: Like keybeds of acoustic pianos, digital keybeds often have problems with fast repetition of single notes - it's one of the things I always test before buying. In my eyes, the Nord Grand isn't bad at it at all - thanks to the triple sensor technique. But there are always limits you wouldn't want to have if you advance in playing.

For someone who plays only for 1 year, you don't play bad at all! You seem to have advanced a lot. Don't worry about the limits any piano has - and also those digital ones who try to replicate the acoustic ones.

[M1tsos]

1. Your first issue is absolutely OK. Any acoustic grand piano lacks dampers in the most upper part, so there is a natural sustain - depending on the sampled model, it's the same with the digital versions. On any serious digital piano, be it Nord or not.

2. I don't have a Nord Grand, so I can't tell anything about the velocity change in the firmware. But you are not the only one who complained. And it sounds reasonable to me: As I play my Stage 3 from an external keybed, I originally encountered a mismatch in the velocity behaviour between the two which has been addressed in the latest firmware updates. I was pleased about it but wondered if others would complain, because originally, the Nord velocity curve wasn't linear, but somewhat bent - which allowed for more control in the softer parts at the cost of the louder range. This has been settled a bit - probably the same on the Grand.

3. Repeated notes: Yes, they may sound a bit different. But it sounds natural to my ears. If you want, you may search for "double escapement" to understand, that a (acoustic) piano will always have a different movement of the hammers with fast repetition.
Concerning fast repetition in general: Like keybeds of acoustic pianos, digital keybeds often have problems with fast repetition of single notes - it's one of the things I always test before buying. In my eyes, the Nord Grand isn't bad at it at all - thanks to the triple sensor technique. But there are always limits you wouldn't want to have if you advance in playing.

For someone who plays only for 1 year, you don't play bad at all! You seem to have advanced a lot. Don't worry about the limits any piano has - and also those digital ones who try to replicate the acoustic ones.

I didnt say that its a problem that the upper range notes have sustain… i said it already in the video that acoustic pianos having more sustain in the upper range some samples having it from E some others from G and … i also demo you and show it very clear about the pedal down in these upper ranges..

Please use headphones if you didnt

My friend.. dont you hear the sustain pedal sound that keep sounding after i take my foot?? At the v1.62?… i play the high notes with pedal down then i take my foot from pedal and still sounding for 1-2 seconds… at 1.54v doesnt sounding.. please use headphones and listen again…

Did you used headphones??

[M1tsos]

I made a second video to show more deeper the sustain issue i was talking on the first video

Use headphones please

[ziozeus]

I can definitely hear the problem and 1.62 is simply wrong.
I don't want to load any post 1.54 firmware because I don't want to risk in any way to be forced to stick with post 1.54 velocity curve. So I won't try.
But these are computers and I think that it is very likely that the problem is in the firmware, not your nord.

[M1tsos]

I can definitely hear the problem and 1.62 is simply wrong.
I don't want to load any post 1.54 firmware because I don't want to risk in any way to be forced to stick with post 1.54 velocity curve. So I won't try.
But these are computers and I think that it is very likely that the problem is in the firmware, not your nord.

Thank you very very much for your comment because many people didnt hear these details and they call me insane… i guess you know the feeling of people believe you are insane and they are not notice what your ear notice

[Benny]

There's no question there is a difference. And the new firmware is definitely problematic and I believe that Nord will likely issue a correction for this as it's clearly not the way the keyboard should behave.

Yes, we all understand how a normal piano behaves when it comes to dampers. The poster also understands this. He is not arguing that dampening in a normal scenario does or does not happen at the top end - he is pointing out that the new firmware has incorrectly applied sustain to the top end relative to the engaging of the pedal and when it is released.

I hope they fix this.

B

[ziozeus]

I'm not sure anymore. I'm on 1.54 and I hear resonance (not sustain only) when i play high notes with pedal down. But if I better think about it this should be correct. Even if higher notes don't have stoppers, it's still true that the act of pressing the pedal frees all other cords to resonate with the sound of those high notes that you play. So mytos... Do you have more or less resonance volume or all and nothing with the two firmware? Becouse I definitely have resonance sound with 1.54 and playing high notes with pressed pedal.

[M1tsos]

I'm not sure anymore. I'm on 1.54 and I hear resonance (not sustain only) when i play high notes with pedal down. But if I better think about it this should be correct. Even if higher notes don't have stoppers, it's still true that the act of pressing the pedal frees all other cords to resonate with the sound of those high notes that you play. So mytos... Do you have more or less resonance volume or all and nothing with the two firmware? Becouse I definitely have resonance sound with 1.54 and playing high notes with pressed pedal.

At 1.54 when you release the pedal the pedal resonance stops.. at 1.62 when release pedal the resonance keep continue for almost 2 seconds more.. while it doesn’t continue at the other octaves