Nord User Forum

Quai34, I haven't been around much because the admins of the board contacted me and told me my posts were offending other posters. They did not provide details, either on which posts or which posters, although given how sensitive some people are here whenever someone dares to criticize Clavia, I wasn't surprised.

Well, I for one miss reading your posts, Gambold. You have always explained the reasons for whatever opinions you may have shared = good posts!

I found your posts good as well, Gambold. I'm never offending by other opinions.

I'm 100 % with you Gambold.
I just bought a Nord piano 4 with the hope Nord soon will release a German Steinway D .
I would already be very happy with a 128 mb German D sample like in the Kurzweil Artis for example.
I also don't need Chris Maene and other character piano's etc...
For now i gonna load in the Yamaha Bright Grand L or XL...
I think you have very good ears Gambold !

Well, a new sampled grand would certainly be appreciated, but ...

I think our ears get bored with our piano sounds. Just like the guitarist who's always looking for that new pedal, we're always looking for something new, different and hopefully better.

Case in point? I've been playing Nord piano samples for many years. I know which ones work in which settings. All very familiar to me.

I just started up with this acoustic trio that plays what I'd charitably refer to as "cocktail music". My Nords through some decent amplification. Both of the new musos completely lost it over the rich, detailed piano sounds. They couldn't believe their ears. They wondered what strange juju I had, as they had auditioned tons of other keyboard types, none of which sounded half as good, they said.

My answer was simple: good boards through good gear.

My point is simple: just because you're not routinely blown away by your familiar piano sounds doesn't mean that other people won't be

That's a good point, and yes we are spoiled with an embarrassment of riches that is the Nord's library. But I feel that a continuous updating of that library is part of the price of the Nord, which is quite high and not competitive with some other brands. Clavia seems to have forgotten about that.

As for acoustic pianos, the only advantage of using a Nord or any other digital board as an acoustic piano is that you can carry it in from your car. There is no other benefit, period. We continuously battle the sound system, and find we must spend thousands to get something we can call decent. We moan about action, resonance, key length, digital sustain - all of it never as good as what we'd get from a "real" piano. When we walk on stage, if there's a well-tuned, nicely-miked grand or upright sitting there we would shout with glee and leave our Nords in the carry bags.

That can't be said for any other instrumentalist - when it comes to playing acoustic, we are the guys playing the second-best option. The imitation. That's why your guitarist's thirty-year old Les Paul is a collector's item, while your 30-year old digital piano is electronic junk.

Gambold wrote:That's why your guitarist's thirty-year old Les Paul is a collector's item

... as is your keyboarders 40-year old Fender Rhodes or Wurlitzer Piano !

That's different. Rhodes, Hammonds, Wurlis et al are a different kind of instrument. I'm talking about replicating the acoustic piano digitally.

Gambold wrote:That's a good point, and yes we are spoiled with an embarrassment of riches that is the Nord's library. But I feel that a continuous updating of that library is part of the price of the Nord, which is quite high and not competitive with some other brands. Clavia seems to have forgotten about that.

As for acoustic pianos, the only advantage of using a Nord or any other digital board as an acoustic piano is that you can carry it in from your car. There is no other benefit, period. We continuously battle the sound system, and find we must spend thousands to get something we can call decent. We moan about action, resonance, key length, digital sustain - all of it never as good as what we'd get from a "real" piano. When we walk on stage, if there's a well-tuned, nicely-miked grand or upright sitting there we would shout with glee and leave our Nords in the carry bags.

That can't be said for any other instrumentalist - when it comes to playing acoustic, we are the guys playing the second-best option. The imitation. That's why your guitarist's thirty-year old Les Paul is a collector's item, while your 30-year old digital piano is electronic junk.

All good points. And, yes, playing a well-miked, well-maintained grand piano at a gig would be a rare joy. I'll let you know when it happens. If ever.

Counterpoint? In this acoustic gig I'm doing, I can bring all sorts of interesting colors and textures to each and every song. Different acoustic and electric pianos. Layers with strings, vox and woodwinds. Harpsichord and clavinet parts. Subtle horn and string solos. And change it up for every verse/chorus if I want. When it works well, it's super tasty.

The Nords are very capable instruments. Rather than focus on the inherent differences with an acoustic grand (which I can't change), I work to exploit what they're really good at, and that's sonic variety.

Strictly my opinion and requirements, but I'm with Chuck on the sonic versatility issue. I'd WAY rather have a Stage 3 at the gig than a Bosendorfer, and I'd bet only a small % of the audience would know or care. Except they might notice that 'Riders on the Storm' doesn't sound quite right on the Bosey, but WOULDN"T notice something sounds wrong on songs that called for acoustic piano on the 3. Different strokes for different folks.