Nord User Forum

by **romelio** » 15 Jun 2018, 04:36

Bright Grand = 5
Grand Imperial = 5
Italian = 4
Silver = 4
Royal Grand = 3
Velvet = 3
Grandy Lady = 2
Studio grand 2 = 2
Studio grand 1 = 1
Concert grand close = 1
Concert grand ambiente = 1

My user:

Bright Grand XLR
Italian XLR
Grand Imperial XLR
Electric Grand Amped

HonkyTonkUpright
Saloon Upright Baumgardt

EP2 MK I Suitcase, Close Ideal
EP4 MK V, Ideal Close
EP8 Nefertiti MKI
EP3 MK II, Shallow Close
EP7 Tines Amped
EP1 MK I, Low Deep
EP5 MK I Suitcase, Bright Tines
EP6 Sparkletop Vintage '67
Wurlitzer
Wurlitzer 2 Amped

CLAV D6

Ital Harpsich 1B Long Stri

DX7 FullTines
DX7 RubbaRhodes
Ballad EP1
Ballad EP2
Hybrid EP
Silver EP

DigiGrand 1 Sml
DigiGrand 2 Sml

by **Frantz** » 15 Jun 2018, 17:42

themixtape wrote:Hi! Can you guys and girls please rate each piano 1 through 5 (1 worst, 5 best), what styles/genres you feel each works best for, and thoughts on their live sound and recorded sound? Thanks!!

GRANDS

Royal Grand
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Velvet Grand
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Silver Grand
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Italian Grand
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Bright Grand
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Grand Imperial
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Grand Lady D
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Studio Grand 1
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Studio Grand 2
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Concert Grand Close
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Concert Grand Ambient
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

UPRIGHTS

Black Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

BlueSwede Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Rain Piano
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Bambino Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Mellow Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Grand Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Queen Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

HonkyTonk Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Saloon Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Romantic Upright
rating:
styles/genres:
live/recorded thoughts:

Also-- your absolute favorite Rhodes and any effects/amp sim settings?

Me personally, I haven't spent a lot of time with each yet.. but I find the Imperial or Studio Grand 2 are my favorites, usually. I like the Velvet Grand, a lot too. Not really feeling the Italian Grand, though I did at first, when I first got my Nord. Previously, I thought the Queen Upright (medium) was the most universally-appealing sound, but I've changed my mind since... and now go with the Black Upright, Blue Swede and Rain.... as far as most universally-appealing, it might be the Grand Upright. I usually run my Nord through a pair of JBL LSR305 studio monitors, or a Logitech Z2300 2.1 speaker system, and/or sometimes a PA (JBL EON 612's). Those sounds translate pretty well, live... no EQ at all, no amp sim, no reverb... I often keep the long release and string resonance settings OFF... the pianos sound better to my ears, without them. Maybe long release, sometimes...

Re: Rhodes.... I love the EP2 Suitcase, Close Ideal... I think that's the most universally-realistic Rhodes. I also love the EP5 Bright Tines. The Wurly is spot-on... I set mine with the Small Amp sim, drive set to 2.. some slight reverb and the key velocity set to 2 or 3, and I nail the "You're My Best Friend" Queen sound... perfectly.

The kind of music I play is indie/folk... Ida, Azure Ray, Gemma Hayes, L'Altra, The Album Leaf, that sort of thing. Nothing super fancy or technical... on the simpler side, musically.

Thanks, all!

As you explained in your first post, the piano sound preference vary with time.
Some sound may never please some ears. It's subjective, it depends on ... let's say "the mood", knowing that sound and its perception have rational/scientific models and characteristics, the psy / human factor matters/wins at the end imho.

A general question for a keyboard could be : "will it match your moods ?".
Nord provides a great choice of sounds, so there are great chances of "yes".
Compression and Eq settings are good friends too.
I was surprised how the Continental 's first piano sound can match so many musical moods / needs, using its 2 panel knobs : "dynamics" and "valve drive".

by **AllanH** » 30 Aug 2018, 23:21

themixtape wrote:So many choices.... each of these pianos really adds a certain something.

With Royal Piano, do any of you find the D, two octaves above middle C, recorded a little "hot"? Like the dynamics aren't soft enough? Random thought, when I was messing with all pianos last night.

I found this exact issue when playing with heavy velocity on my newly purchased NE6 D a week ago and a couple of keys around it.... initially I thought the key was "damaged" but after some noodling of octave shifts and programs realised it must have been the program... Royal Grand (Medium).

So, I dived into the Nord website Sound Library ( for the first time) and downloaded the Silver Grand also in Medium file size (Shigeru Kawai) to replace the Royal Grand. Success.. problem solved and now I have the bright sounding Silver Grand.
I have experience using Silver Grand with my NP3 playing in a big band and love the way it can cut through the mix.

greetings from Australia,
Allan

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