Nord User Forum

[grooveman]

Hi.

I've been playing with this a bit. I've piped my nord out to my Lucas nano, to my roland kc-600 and out my 2.1 rocket studio monitors, and of course, my headphones. It seems like no matter what I do, the piano samples all sound thin And "plinky" in the middle registers. Bottom sounds good, the top gets plinky by nature... but when looking at videos and listening to sound clips, they always sound great (youtube, music store videos, etc.). They seem to imply you just flip it on, pull up a piano sample and you are in auditory bliss--no layering or massaging. I have applied all os updates, but the only way I get a half way decent sound is to double the pianos, add reverb and a faint echo. I'm still not In love with it... but it is passable.

Am I doing something wrong? Are others experiencing this? Is there something g wrong with my nose?

Thanks.

[alex78]

Nord piano samples need stereo connection in order to be heard properly. If you connect in mono make sure you also enable mono mode, otherwise you loose half of the signal. However with the headphones you shouldn't have a problem.
Are you sure you are listening to the piano samples raw? If you chose a random program and just toogle between samples, they might be affected by the specfic programs settings. I would suggest you create an INIT program and audition the samples within this program, you can then start palying with eq and effects to optimize the sound. This applies to synth samples as well.

[Copia]

I second alex78. I had the problem you discussed when I was playing mono into a keyboard amp. I fiddled and fiddled with EQs and I could never get the mids to sound right, just like you. They were tinny and thin (this was the Stage 2 then). When I switched to stereo into proper monitors (Yamaha H8s), they sounded glorious ever since. In gigs of different kinds, it’s also sounded great, but always in stereo. I learned my lesson. Nord pianos need stereo.

[harmonizer]

On my old Electro 3, the Royal Grand is one of the few acoustic piano sounds which sounds good from a single amp/speaker (regardless of whether the Mono button is pressed or not).
There are some others which sound ok in mono, but have a weak low end (some of the recent upright acoustic piano sounds).

I cannot use the White Grand, since it requires that one have a newer Nord keyboard than the one I have. Others have reported that the White Grand works very well when used with a single amp/speaker.

I suggest that you try these two AP sounds with your Stage 3, with your Roland KC-600, and see if it improves things, and if so, by how much.

If I had a Stage 3, I would be trying out the White Grand.

[cphollis]

I really didn't appreciate how good the Nord pianos could sound until I started to invest $$$ in amplification. Stereo, yes, but quality matters. Never looked back ...

[StickyPhingahz]

cphollis,
do you run stereo directly into the main board when at a gig? I use IEM's with a ROLLS Personal Monitor Station but it has a one "intr. in" so hard to go stereo. What do you do?
Thanks

[CountFosco]

Make a cuppa ladies and gentleman, we're about to have some reading.

[grooveman]

Nord piano samples need stereo connection in order to be heard properly. If you connect in mono make sure you also enable mono mode, otherwise you loose half of the signal. However with the headphones you shouldn't have a problem.

Hi. Yes, I'm set up for stereo. The Lucas nano is a stereo PA system. My Rokit monitors are in stereo as well. Both have subwoofer too. The kc-600 receives in stereo as well, it just plays out one cone -- but it is getting both left and right signals. Left and right signals are attached to the appropriate jacks in all these scenarios. None of these systems are cheap -- bobbling around $1000 a piece.

Are you sure you are listening to the piano samples raw? If you chose a random program and just toogle between samples, they might be affected by the specfic programs settings. I would suggest you create an INIT program and audition the samples within this program, you can then start palying with eq and effects to optimize the sound. This applies to synth samples as well.

Yep. I'm sure. I clear out everything and start with a blank program and run just the piano sample.

I really didn't appreciate how good the Nord pianos could sound until I started to invest $$$ in amplification. Stereo, yes, but quality matters. Never looked back ...

How much money? I'm close to $3 in trying different systems, and I'm tapped.

If I had a Stage 3, I would be trying out the White Grand.

I have tried it. I've tried them all -- I've downloaded fresh copies of all the XL grand sounds as recently as 3 days ago. I've updated my firmware as well. It still sounds thin to me. The stuff I hear from others always sounds way fuller and more immersive.

[alex78]

The issue of piano samples not sounding good has been discussed countless times in the forum. Most of the times the cause turns out to be bad amplification system or wrong connections. But on almost every case there was no problem when listening through headphones. So, In your occasion that the sound isn't good even on the headphones, then maybe it's a factory issue and you can return the keyboard to be repaired (if it's still under guarrantee). Did the problem exist since you bought the keyboard or occured later on? did you buy it new or second hand? If so maybe it's an internal damage made by the previous owner.

[alex78]

In case you got it used, maybe there is dirt inside the inputs and they need to be cleaned. What about other sounds? is it only acoustic pianos that sound bad or it applies to ep's, organ etc as well?