Nord User Forum

Hello

I recently had a request to share some insights into how I achieved some sounds on my new album, so I've decided to post them here for other users to freely use too.

Here's some Nord info from a few songs on the album:
* Song 07 "Defining Moments"
I created an arpeggio rhodes sound on one of the tracks in this song. This sound uses the EP3 Mk11 Shallow rhodes.

* Song 11 "Rustic Road" -
PIANO: is the Studio Grand 2 YaC7 with onboard EQ set to: Treble -5.5db, Mid 0db, Bass +1.5db, Reverb: Stage, Dry/Wet 2.5, String Resonance: ON.
ORGAN: is the B3 with various settings (attached 14.3 Organ - MASTER)
PAD: this was a sound within Logic using the EXS24 "Big Pad MW" plugin

* Song 13 "Resonance"
* LEAD: (attached 16.2 Lead&Chords)
* PIANO: this was the Studio Grand 2 YaC7 with above EQ settings + arp settings (attached 13.2 UROG)
* ORGAN: same as above (attached 14.3 Organ - MASTER)

Overall, I used plugins on the album to achieve the smooth pad sound. However, I've attached another sample (19.6 Pad ATMOSPHERE), which is the best smooth pad I've been able to achieve on the Nord.

We had to do some EQing within Logic, to mix the album and pull down some of the MIDS and LOW MID frequencies. On top of that, the album has been professionally mastered, to smooth out some of the harsh top ends and bellowing bottom ends.

I've learnt a lot through the recording process and still have many things to learn ahead in future projects.

You're able to check out the 13 x track album samples at: http://www.traceychattaway.com OR you can listen to full length samples at http://traceychattaway.bandcamp.com/.

Thanks for allowing me to share and I hope some of you find the samples helpful.

Kind regards

Tracey Chattaway

wow...

Sounds awesome. Bravo, and thanks for sharing.

Was going to ask you how you made some of the sounds and this is How!You know what I what I was thinking!

Great sounds & music.
Nice looking website 2.
I´ll dowload these right away and hope the studio´ll B as turned on by it as I am!
TNX a lot!

Hi Paul

I've just seen your message today, so apologies for only responding now.

I hope you've enjoyed some of the patch samples and managed to use them all ok on your Nord Classic.

99% of what you hear on the album I created note by note, including the subtle background arpeggio-type sounds, using my Nord EX. I did route everything through MIDI, in order to save and create loads of ideas whilst composing songs. This way I was able to quantize the arpeggios and experiment with different sounds, before finalising each individual recorded track. The pianos were "live" but were also recorded via MIDI. I changed my mind several times about which pianos samples I wanted to use and was also able to use the smaller file samples loaded on my EX while composing. When outputting final recordings I uploaded the XL file sizes to my Nord, one by one

My first Nord was the classic, and then I upgraded to the EX a few years later, so I currently have enough memory to load some of the XL pianos. Mind you, it still doesn't seem like enough memory any more, as I have to continually delete and upload the Nord piano samples (depending on the song I'm writing). I don't regret buying the EX, as it was the best that Nord had on offer at the time. It's only now, that they're creating bigger file samples, I'm beginning to feel the age of my EX. However, I bought it with the intention of keeping it for decades .......in 50 years these original Nords will be sought-after classics

It would be brilliant if there was a way to connect an external hard-drive/flashdrive directly to the EX/Classics, so that the memory capabilities wouldn't be an issue.

Can you load any of the XL files onto your Nord Classic? Are you doing some recording yourself?

Kind regards

Tracey

An NS2 would be brilliant....especially for that extra memory!

Hey there,

I find that the difference in sound is so small from LRG to XL that I'd rather have several LRG than only two XL. Seriously, I believe it may be only something psychological than something real. I think it affects you more the action you have (HA or SW) than the size of the sample. When I play with my NS2 SW with XL samples it sounds less real than with my NS88 classic with a LRG one.

Saludos,
Gustavo

I seem to remember reading somewhere (in the Nord site?) that in L and XL the quality of the recording and layers are the same, there is a difference in where string resonance is mapped to.

I believe that what Mr G says is almost correct. From the Nord Webpage:

The Extra Large versions are fully mapped accross the keyboard which increases the size a bit. The velocity layers are the same as on the other sizes.
The Large versions have String Resonance samples all across the keyboard, providing you with a very full sound.

Meaning that the XL really has one sample per key. But if the mapping was done correctly and the piano was in tune, you shouldn't really tell the difference.

Still the upgrade to NS2 is definitely worth it. I went from 1 YamBright SML, 1 QueenUpright SML, 2 EPS, 1 Wurly, 1 Clav, 1 Harpsichord to 3 LRG Grands + CP80, 2 Med Uprights, 6 EPs, 1 Wurly, 1 Clav and I still have some mb to spare.

Saludos,
Gustavo