Nord User Forum

[kevinashba]

Hello fellow Nords!
I am having some troubles that I am finding it difficult to overcome. There are some things I absolutely love about the NS3 compact that I just purchased. Unfortunately, there are also some problems and I am wondering if anyone else has noticed these things / has any suggestions.
I have been a Nord Stage ex compact user since 2009. When I purchased the 3 (compact) a couple weeks ago, I did so very excitedly, because I didn't imagine the differences that I would find. In fact, I was able to play them at Winter NAMM and was sure there would be no buyers' remorse at all. I am experiencing the following:
1. The acoustic piano samples- I am having a very difficult time with the response on all of these pianos. With the original Stage, I realized that the pianos were maybe the weakest link on the board, but I could still find some I liked. On the Stage 3, the pianos have a very strange response. It is as if I am simply playing push-button keys with no real expressiveness. The EQ (especially in the high mid range) sound off to me. Very "knocky" is the only way I can describe it. And muddy. Then, the high end is, like, wayyyyy too hot and shrill. I find some of this is improved when you take the string resonance off. Yes, I have tried all of the touch settings, the expression settings, and even messed with the on-board EQ. (which might I add, is very nice to have- I just can't seem to dial out the problem) This problem is less noticeable with electric pianos, but I find that it extends to them a little bit too. I am used to the original stage which, I confess, I never really created and saved patches. I just opened up a wurly, added the tremolo I wanted right there on the spot, and everything was perfect.
When I use the ep samples on the Stage 3, I find that the highs don't stand out at all. When I take a solo, it simply won't cut through at all. I don't want to have to push buttons mid-playing to correspond with the area of the keyboard that I am working in- ie solo on the highs or comping in the mid-range. That would be quite distracting. I just can't make this thing do what I want it to. Are there other users out there that are noticing this? Do I just have to tailor everything and save it? I have taken the lazy approach up to now with saving sounds (lack thereof really) because my old Nord let me get away with it. Also I notice volume levels across various patches are all over the place. It seems like this keyboard is made for people who understand the tinkering with sounds a whole lot better than I do.
2.- The organ. I like the organ, but again it seems like different samples entirely. The manual drawbars are really nice. I am getting used to it, but am finding that the rate at which the leslie switches from slow to fast is not quite right, or at least different from the last one. It seems like it isn't as noticeable a difference when you switch it slow to fast. The Nord Stage 1 seemed much better with this.

I love the split capabilities, and the synth section seems far improved. And the mellotron samples are amazing. Someone please help! I don't want to have to return this thing, but it seems that the bulk of what I use this keyboard for is inferior to my Nord Stage 1. Is there anyone out there overcoming these issues? And yes I am using mono output when I am in mono, which for solo gigs is most of the time. And no- I have not yet tried to download other samples from the website. I just can't get past the having to tweek every little thing to do what the old one did right out of the box.
In summary, Why would the last one have been so perfect at base-line, (just the naked sounds when you first pull them up) but this one have almost too many options, none of which really seem to make much of a difference?
If anyone read all of this, I appreciate your help! I am desperate here to have a keyboard that I look forward to gigging on and this one has been kind of a drag!
Thanks, guys!
Kevin

[kevinashba]

I should also add, after I posted this, I was lost for hours in reading countless other posts from people with the same problems. (which is a bit frightening) I now believe that I am noticing a what everyone is referring to as a difference in velocity curve..which is affecting the pianos the most, it would seem. I am going to try to change the velocity settings and see if that does anything for me, but I am assuming everyone else that is complaining has done this to no success.

Has Nord addressed this? (As I saw that at one time it was a known bug that they were aware of)

It would be funny if a simple software update will solve all of my problems. I wonder if the organ has been changed / fixed too?

[RichardG]

Hello fellow Nords!

Hello and welcome !
Did you update to 1.40 already ?

rg,rg

[baekgaard]

You are not the completely alone in liking the old velocity curves better (a few have complained here too) -- but it is not a universal problem; some of us (me included) find the waterfall keys and the curves used in the newer generation (NS3, NE6D) more suitable for playing piano, compared to the older generation equivalent keyboards. I don't know the ratio between the two groups, though But you may want to give it a try and see if you adjust to it.

As for the organ change rate, have you checked the settings -- how fast have you set the transition speed (rotary acceleration for both speakers, in the menu)?

[Schorsch]

Hi,

I am a new Nord User, having bought the NS3 Compact as my first Nord after decades of Roland and Yamaha, can’t compare it to the NS2 or earlier versions but agree to what Kevin wrote regarding the Piano and velocity curves. I’m an educated classical piano player and as such beeing probably somewhat spoiled from playing acoustic grand and upright Pianos. I haven’t expected a perfect feeling of playing Piano with the waterfall keyboard, but am missing a lot of expressiveness which I think is caused by the keys rather than the sounds.

I’m using a Roland RD-800 as well, connecting this to the NS3 and playing the NS3 pianos with the RD-800 keyboard is more than a huge difference, it sounds great that way. No problem though for me since I intended to use the NS3 for organs and synths primarily in my Rock/Pop band .... but would be nice if the velocity curves of the NS3 could be modified to some extend ...

[analogika]

As for the organ change rate, have you checked the settings -- how fast have you set the transition speed (rotary acceleration for both speakers, in the menu)?

Also worth trying the other Leslie mic'ing setup (change it to "close" for a more pronounced Leslie swirling — I much prefer it).


Also, just for a show of hands, I'm in the camp that much prefers the Stage 3 compact for pianos over the Stage 2 compact, after extensive side-by-side comparisons.

[kevinashba]

As for the organ change rate, have you checked the settings -- how fast have you set the transition speed (rotary acceleration for both speakers, in the menu)?

Also worth trying the other Leslie mic'ing setup (change it to "close" for a more pronounced Leslie swirling — I much prefer it).

Thanks for this tip. I do enjoy 'close" a little bit more.

[kevinashba]

Thanks guys for the responses. I just got off the phone with Pablo (he is the Nord tech support guy for anyone that doesn't know) It was (hopefully) a helpful conversation..he showed me a few EQ tricks (sweeping the mid with the frequency button) I am going to see if that helps tune out the mid problem I am experiencing with pianos. Still not completely sure I want to have to tweek as much constantly as may be required with this board. And I have like a week and counting to return this thing. How will I decide so quickly whether this is the keyboard for me or not?

[kevinashba]

Hello fellow Nords!

Hello and welcome !
Did you update to 1.40 already ?

rg,rg

I am doing that this evening. Pablo-tech support Nord- told me that the update would give me a new organization to my program banks to make them easier to navigate between. He didn't mention whether organ chorus or other problems were fixed with the new update. He didn't seem like he had heard any complaints on stage3's velocity change..which I am quite surprised about. Overall, a very helpful call. This company does have outstanding support.

[kevinashba]

Hello fellow Nords!

Hello and welcome !
Did you update to 1.40 already ?

rg,rg

I am doing this tonight!