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Did Nord Wave 2 fix AMP VEL/Velocity issue from NL4/NLA1?

Postby Awac835 » 06 Apr 2020, 00:55

I'm considering a Nord Wave 2 but is wondering if they fixed the velocity issue from earlier models.

If you don't know what i'm talking about take a look at this thread:
https://www.norduserforum.com/nord-lead-rack-forum-f12/nord-lead-4r-morph-velocity-sensitivity-way-too-limited-t14127.html

The following features are pretty bad on the NL4/A1:
  • ENV VEL for AMP
  • ENV VEL for MOD
  • AMP VEL

The velocity scale is kind of exponential, meaning to get anything you have to bang the notes with a hammer.
Playing soft to medium get you nothing or its even just plain broken.
Example from my NLA1 if i morph velocity to pitch ctrl 0.0 to 10.0 i properly never go above 3.0 or 4.0 before im afraid of slamming the keys any hard in fear of breaking something.

Is the general velocity morph more linearly scaled on the Wave 2 for things like filter cutoff, osc ctrl and output level?

Also how do the 3 AMP VEL settings compare next to the Release Knob in the AMP ENV section on the Wave 2 do they have any noticeable effect allowing one to play a bit more dynamically using the sample library or are they useless like ENV VEL and AMP VEL on the NL4/A1?

Thanks for your input!
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Did Nord Wave 2 fix AMP VEL/Velocity issue from NL4/NLA1?


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Re: Did Nord Wave 2 fix AMP VEL/Velocity issue from NL4/NLA

Postby Spider » 06 Apr 2020, 16:22

I have no experience with the Wave 2, but I have the NL2X which has the same (horrible) keybed as the NL4 and NLA1, and I agree that it's quite hard to use velocity for accurate control of anything. In fact, I almost never use it, and when i do I program it more as an on/off control.
I believe it's not so much a issue in the synth engine, but it has more to do with the low-quality FATAR TP7 keybed that Nord inexplicably used in most of its synths.

The FATAR TP8 keybed in the Wave2 is MUCH better, I used it in lots of keyboards and it's much easier to control velocity with it.
So my largely uninformed guess is that even if everything in the sound engine stayed the same (which is probably not true), the Wave2 will have better control of velocity, just because of the keybed.
Last edited by Spider on 06 Apr 2020, 16:24, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Did Nord Wave 2 fix AMP VEL/Velocity issue from NL4/NLA

Postby missoundscape » 07 Apr 2020, 09:34

I morphed the filter control to the velocity (50 - 100%) on the Wave 2. To get the filter opened up to 100%, you still need to use some power. For me it's the same as on my NS2EX.
I never really enjoy the velocity morphing, but it works. To say that it's much better..., I think that's personal.

The 3 AMP VEL settings I find the same, I don't go the setting 2 or 3. With setting 2 or 3 you still have to use quite some hammering force. I just don't like to play that way.

It is better than on the NLA1. To find out if you like it, it's best to try it in the store.
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Re: Did Nord Wave 2 fix AMP VEL/Velocity issue from NL4/NLA

Postby tsss27 » 09 Apr 2020, 09:08

I'm guessing the Wave 2 does not have some sort of global velocity curve setting? This would seemingly solve the issue.
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Re: Did Nord Wave 2 fix AMP VEL/Velocity issue from NL4/NLA

Postby hector space » 07 Jul 2020, 12:15

tsss27 wrote:I'm guessing the Wave 2 does not have some sort of global velocity curve setting? This would seemingly solve the issue.

Looking through the manual and reading the responses to my questions elsewhere the answer is no!

Major opportunity missed by Nord here. In my view since the NW2 provides menus for adjusting the master vibrato speed and depth, it could easily provide the same for after touch and velocity sensitivity and offset. I mean the NW2 even provides calibration for foot pedals! - most competitors don’t include this but do provide user velocity curves And after touch calibration. Come on Nord! Lol

Basically just having on/off for velocity control of the filter is extremely poor and similarly the limitations of the settings for VCA (equivalent) are really not where you’d expect a top quality synth to be in 2020! Even with morph the effect is limited by the overall sensitivity of the source.
The NW2 engine is clearly capable of some very subtle, beautiful, musical creativity, it deserves a musician's interface that truly allows their skills to be articulated. After all why did Nord choose the keybed they did? It is capable of much more precise velocity and AT control than the previous NL A1/4. So let’s have it!
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