Nord User Forum

First - let me say right of the top that I LOVE my S3! Ive been playing piano since age 6 in 1968 and keys in bands since 1978. I've played in everything from country to classic rock, top forty, blues, horn band, jazz trio, sequenced dance band, and I'm probably forgetting something. I've done lounge lizard piano, taught piano, keyboard, improv, and keyboard programming lessons. I've owned 56 keyboards ( yeah I'm a nerd and have kept track) including Hammonds, clavs, minimoogs, the big analog synths from the day, digital synths, rhodes, digital pianos, vox, farfisa, DX Series, Motif, Korg M3, and more. The Nord S3 is my favorite performance keyboard of the whole bunch, and if I had to buy one keyboard to "start over" with, it would be another S3!

Having said that, it is not perfect. I've had it for about a year now, so I feel comfortable stating the things that are shortcomings and/or that I hope for in the next version (s4?) or perhaps some in a SW update. Maybe I'm missing something and it does do some of this! I realize that some of these are subjective and that the importance of certain features varies widely from player to player. This is my list and opinion, so here goes -no particular order.

1. Inability to split on any key. Everybody knows it, and yeah I deal with it best I can, but it has turned out to be a pain in the butt and made me find a "work around" a surprising number of times. I'd gladly give up the little lights to split on any key.
2. Lack of ADSR in synth - I mean ... come on!
3. Only one LFO and lack of routing in synth ....
4. Limited Effects routing .. .the effects themselves are fine - but what if I want Auto Pan and wah wah on the same panel? What if i want delay on organ and synth on same panel? what if i want reverb ONLY on piano and not organ on same panel?
5. Midi and output routing options - strangely enough, doesn't effect me personally as not using those features, but I've seen enough complaints and understand the issue enough to include it here.
6. Full palette of Organ settings per program. I would really like to be able to choose tone wheel type, key click, and other settings PER PROGRAM. In addition, more control over a lot of settings. My Korg CX3 had a ton more fine tuning type stuff and stored it per program. The Nord sounds better overall, but I miss that control.
7. The very limited arpeggiator. Even the arpeggiator on my little $500 Yamaha MX49 blows the Nord away, Specifically - needs last note entered pattern, chord mode, selection of rhythmic patterns or ability to "write" one for starters.
8. Polyphonic and step portamento - yeah I would actually use it - moreover, it really should be included in big boy synths.
9. An actual Librarian software package. No Sound Manager isn't it.
10. Yeah - i know this one is subjective and some people love it ... but gimme a frickin' wheel or joystick and get rid of that awful wooden pitch stick thing.

Ok - that's it. Sure other people have others or disagree with some on my list. I'll stress again that overall I LOVE my S3 ... so please don't beat me up too bad LOL!

I have my own, very different list. But...

kbmatson wrote:10. Yeah - i know this one is subjective and some people love it ... but gimme a frickin' wheel or joystick and get rid of that awful wooden pitch stick thing.

Really? I find this to be one of the Nord's best synth features! Have you tried different approaches to the stick? I don't know that there's a "right" way... some different techniques are shown in the video below, but personally, on my 73, I like to grab the entire side of the machine and put my thumb in the groove.

Your're absolutely right about a few points

(As you'll see in my info, I don't have a Stage 3, but the S2EX is very similar and I didn't get a S3 because of some of the shortcomings you mentioned)


4. The effects are limited because the layout is easy and essential. A more complex setup would require a more complex layout
... then we'd get a Kronos-type messy touchscreen (Kronos owners please don't misunderstand me, Kronos is awesome, but I just have to have a hands-on layout )

5. Totally agree, at least they could've kept all features from Stage 2 (2 EX).........
... the main reason why I won't get a Stage 3 anytime soon... waiting for an upgrade that'll bring back MIDI functionality from S2 (probably not gonna happen )

6. That'd be nice, indeed. That's why I have a Neo Vent II for my S2EX now

7. For some songs, I would've actually needed a custom Arpeggio pattern... So I just play them "live"

9. I think we can all agree that Nord Sound Manager is due for a true upgrade
... at least some better sorting options and drag and drop improvements for sorting would be nice

10. NOOO Nord's hopefully never gonna change that

MartinJ2EX wrote:Your're absolutely right about a few points

4. The effects are limited because the layout is easy and essential. A more complex setup would require a more complex layout
... then we'd get a Kronos-type messy touchscreen (Kronos owners please don't misunderstand me, Kronos is awesome, but I just have to have a hands-on layout )

Everybody says this but I disagree. They could take care of 90% w/o anything much more complex - just 2 things actually.

1. Add Piano/Organ/Synth button to reverb just like other effects (and one for compressor too would be nice)
2. have the selection buttons for effects toggle between the three engines P,O,S like now + any other combination P/O, P/S, O/S, and P/O/S - same sort of way the zone button works now on multiple splits.

very little extra hardware and no menu diving.

Good list and topic! Here are my thoughts on my preferred areas for improvement:

For: #6, 7, 8, 9

Against: #1 - I use so many splits on different songs that I need the lights to remind me where they are. Yes, I have to compromise sometimes on placement, but I'd rather put up with the limitations than lose the lights.

ajstan wrote:Against: #1 - I use so many splits on different songs that I need the lights to remind me where they are. Yes, I have to compromise sometimes on placement, but I'd rather put up with the limitations than lose the lights.

I think they should allow an advanced user the option to go into a menu that would let you set the split points wherever you want... and then the nearest light to the split point would blink. So you'd know, a solid light indicates a split point, and a flasging light tells you it's "somewhere around" there. This would be consistent with things like tuners or oscillator lights on some synths that blink when you're "close" to exact, but become solid when you're "right on."

anotherscott wrote:

ajstan wrote:Against: #1 - I use so many splits on different songs that I need the lights to remind me where they are. Yes, I have to compromise sometimes on placement, but I'd rather put up with the limitations than lose the lights.

I think they should allow an advanced user the option to go into a menu that would let you set the split points wherever you want... and then the nearest light to the split point would blink. So you'd know, a solid light indicates a split point, and a flasging light tells you it's "somewhere around" there. This would be consistent with things like tuners or oscillator lights on some synths that blink when you're "close" to exact, but become solid when you're "right on."

Yes, the user option would be nice instead of just one or the other. Not sure I'd like the flashing lights. Probably should be selectable per program. Something like If you use the preset/lighted split points, the lights work. If not, you can use any split point and the lights are off.

OK, having listened to the original post and I include the following to reference from, I'll give my take here.

1. Inability to split on any key. Everybody knows it, and yeah I deal with it best I can, but it has turned out to be a pain in the butt and made me find a "work around" a surprising number of times. I'd gladly give up the little lights to split on any key.
-- I agree here that there needs to be a finer control for key split. There's also a missing element here in terms of a "per instrument" transpose (not octave) - semi-tone transpose. Having flashing lights would not help a sighted user, they wouldn't help me either.
2. Lack of ADSR in synth - I mean ... come on!
-- ADR is there, but a full ADSR is missing, however you have to remember that the synth section is ported from the Lead A1 as a semi-complete system. For the price, you couldn't expect a full Lead A1 / Lead 4 hybrid to be loaded into the stage 3? Though I have suggested this.
3. Only one LFO and lack of routing in synth ....
-- As per last comment, this is a ported version of the Lead A1 and certain elements are missing. You do need to understand that part of the stage 3's system is processor based. look at the voice allocation as an example. More than a Lead A1 / 4 but could be increased further.
4. Limited Effects routing .. .the effects themselves are fine - but what if I want Auto Pan and wah wah on the same panel? What if i want delay on organ and synth on same panel? what if i want reverb ONLY on piano and not organ on same panel?
-- Per panel, you can route the 4 effects groups to particular engines by holding the shift key and pressing the effect on/off button to route the effect per panel to each component. OK there is no group all or send to master, etc.
5. Midi and output routing options - strangely enough, doesn't effect me personally as not using those features, but I've seen enough complaints and understand the issue enough to include it here.
-- MIDI routing is there to a degree but this is not a master control keyboard. I've used the stage 2 and now stage 3 for MIDI controlling particular hardware and I rely on this. Not concerned.
6. Full palette of Organ settings per program. I would really like to be able to choose tone wheel type, key click, and other settings PER PROGRAM. In addition, more control over a lot of settings. My Korg CX3 had a ton more fine tuning type stuff and stored it per program. The Nord sounds better overall, but I miss that control.
-- This is a sensitive spot for me... I'm an organist (English Church) and I am frustrated by the approach for how a "Pipe Organ" could be emulated this way. Nope, sorry that doesn't work. Anyone who works with pipe organs knows that you can't just partially pull out a stop, doesn't work, it's single on / off engagement, you can't change the volume of a stop, only as a swell or choir division in a cabinet. You turn stops on and off simple as that. What's worse, What could have been done is to take all the pipe organ stops from the C2D as has been suggested on a number of contact sessions with Clavia and load them into the Stage 3's organ engine, that way you actually have a decent pipe organ.
7. The very limited arpeggiator. Even the arpeggiator on my little $500 Yamaha MX49 blows the Nord away, Specifically - needs last note entered pattern, chord mode, selection of rhythmic patterns or ability to "write" one for starters.
-- I agree here but do remember that the Arpeggiator is only routed to the synth and not the rest of the instrument which would be a useful addition, such as using the arp on the Organ engine or Piano Engine. The ability of a custom arp mode you could program particular note patterns into is missing from a lot of systems, Native Instruments Komplete is one such headache and I'm thinking of ditching it completely.
8. Polyphonic and step portamento - yeah I would actually use it - moreover, it really should be included in big boy synths.
-- Yes I do agree there, that would be useful, but there is a charm and a character to this beauty I love.
9. An actual Librarian software package. No Sound Manager isn't it.
-- Nord Sound Manager does leave a fair bit to be desired, such as the ability to preview sound samples within your computer (this is missing), say you're like me and you need to grab particular samples and load them, you want to be sure you have the right files, why not listen to them from your computer so you know you have what you want. It would be nice to have a more editable system from the computer end such as accessing certain features not easily accessible from the Stage / Electro / Piano / Grand, etc. I rely on the stage as a completely tactile instrument as I'm fully blind, so know the layout, but using a mac with VoiceOver gives me spoken information and helps a hell of a lot. to go to a gig I most likely don't need a system with me, as long as I load data the day of or night before. makes it easier. It would be nice if there was. a full blown editor to utilise functions of each instrument and maximise efficiency. certain other developers have these tools produced.
10. Yeah - i know this one is subjective and some people love it ... but gimme a frickin' wheel or joystick and get rid of that awful wooden pitch stick thing.
-- NO! Sorry I have to disagree here. I love the wooden pitch stick. to me it gives me better feel of what I'm doing and feels more natural. Between the wooden pitch stick and the stone-like mod wheel, it feels right for me. I've owned virtually every nord instrument for synths and keys and what started me off was the tactile nature of the Lead series, from that, I stuck to this brand. Now a studio recovery job is under way, I just want my nord gear back, never mind any other brands, just my nord setup will do.

I will say this now. I genuinely love my Stage 3, love it more than any other synth, piano, etc I've ever owned and I mean that with absolute conviction. This instrument offers me tools I've never had from other synths, stage pianos or workstations and to me, this is my "Lady In Red". Now if only I could find a woman as sexy and unique as my stage 3, then I'd be married lol.

Still, today's my 35th Birthday and a busy day ahead of me.

Last night I had that one moment I never thought possible.... Whilst working on a library set for my stage 3 from the Nord Sound Library, I found a particular ns3p file that got me back to my roots.. I'm a Yorkshire lad, born and bread, proud of it, a former York Minster Chorister. I grew up within the Armed Forces (sadly never had the chance to serve due to sight loss) but am still connected with the Army as a serving musician and work in connection with a few charities as well. I digress a touch there. This particular NS3P file brought back working with a Yorkshire Brass Band and listening to Army marching bands just set me back. The most emotional and captivating sound I heard and felt last night from these keys. No other keyboard I've owned, Not even Native Instruments could pull this off, the sample of a full brass section with velocity layers, JUST PURE PASSION, POWER and romance... As an organist having performed with brass bands, it just sets me free. I've been without a stage piano or workstation for over 21 months, I'm the recent proud owner of my stage 3-88 and as a musician , losing my business, career, etc due to a family tragedy, this Stage 3 has saved me and set me free.

LewTheKeysGuy wrote: ... I found a particular ns3p file that got me back to my roots.. . This particular NS3P file (has) the sample of a full brass section with velocity layers.

Please could you tell us which program file (I believe they actually have an NS3F extension) you're refering to. Is it a factory program, Forum program or one you've programmed yourself?
If the latter, which NSMP3 sample file did you use?
Thanks.

Kbmatson, I am a carbon copy of what you just said, and who you are... Started playing music at the age of 6. Had multiple keyboard, and right before the age of 56 bought a NS3C which I truly love, but for the price of this board Clavia could have gave thought splits on any key instead of sections, step glide, effect routing so on and so forth! I guess what really brings me back to the love this board though is the fact that I went from three boards to just one, and because of the weight, great sounds, etc. I only need this 1 & only Red machine on stage! I'm done talking now...Lol...