Nord Wave 2 introduced :)

Rusty Mike · Post by **Rusty Mike** » 14 Jan 2020, 14:50

Funny how we tend to have different perspectives! The waterfall action and five octaves makes this instrument very appealing to me. Granted, I'm not a traditional synth player, but There is a lot of potential here, depending on the some of the MIDI capabilities of this instrument to expand beyond its own sound set.

I've also read on other forums about the frustrations of 4-octave keyboards from other manufacturers being limiting, particularly when trying to split the keyboard.

I'm eager to dig into the user manual when it becomes available.

Post by **Schorsch** » 14 Jan 2020, 15:25

Spider wrote:Why do people keep saying it's a weighted action?

Because it's mentioned in the specs:

: Nord Wave 2 specs.jpg (41.19 KiB) Viewed 2412 times

Post by **cambe** » 14 Jan 2020, 15:34

Spider wrote:Why do people keep saying it's a weighted action?

It is a waterfall semi-weighted keyboard, which is hard to go to departing from a traditional synth action keyboard.

NoDirection wrote:cambe - 8,7 kg - gigantic? - 61 keys with hammond action bad ? - Well I like a keyboard that I can place on a normal X keyboard stand (Nord Leads are to short) , and that do not move around while I am playing... But different people - different views...

It wouldn't be a problem if I was a keyboardist bringing only one keyboard to the stage or living room

But I'm bringing a sequencer, drum machines, racks (Moogs, Nords etc...) and I normally use either my nord lead 4, nord wave or nord lead a1 as sole keyboard for playing the bits I do. So the added weight (4 kg compared to the nord lead a1) and length breaks my back (literally).

If I had a one keyboard setup it wouldn't be a problem, but that's just not the kind of music I do

Besides all that. The choice for this keybed surely contributed to the high price tag...

And I know I'm not the only synth player who advocates for space-friendly synth. Soon, nord may lose the grasp they have left on the synth community...

In the end I will probably end up buying the nord wave 2, but I will wait a lot to see if they release alternative formats...

ResonantMind · Post by **ResonantMind** » 14 Jan 2020, 15:39

Argh,

Definitely the reduced LFO section is a bit of a bummer and creative loss. The two LFOs PLUS the Mod Envelope with the routing options was key to creating some really interesting textures, great for ambient pads.

They should have just made the LFO a virtual menu/routing matrix thing, with cross-layer routing potential.

They seem to be under-valuing how important LFO modulation is to people, people really rely on them to create subtlety and individuality in their programming, even for just random exploration and unpredictable sound captures.

So, I sort of feel like, the programming coming out of this new version will always come out a bit canned.

Honestly, just a menu based LFO system and problem solved. I do this with my Pamelas New Workout no problem, manage 8 LFOs out 8 separate outputs, different shapes, offsets, subdivisions.... All from one push knob navigating an LED menu,

ResonantMind · Post by **ResonantMind** » 14 Jan 2020, 15:45

Also... MIDI 2.0????????????????

AdamStage2 · Post by **AdamStage2** » 14 Jan 2020, 16:19

Excellent move by Nord,Whilst the original was only 2 part it was still a great Synth I think this move of a 4 part Multi model will take the Wave Series to a whole new level, given each part can have its own effect chain too,think this will be capable of some awesome layers,and good that they have included the Ensemble effect from the A1,and bang on cue a new sample editor, for both this and the Stage 3

Is this the first Nord to feature Sliders!

I think the 5 octave keybed may appeal to more Non Nord fanboy synth players too,whilst I never had a problem with 4 octaves,I know A few live players who have turned their noses up at Nord Synths based on the omission of that extra octave,perhaps this might gain them a few more votes with Synth heads,and maybe even a new direction for the Synths in the future to have 61 keys,I do like the Waterfall keys on my Stage 3 Compact so welcome the synths being fitted with them too if this is the way Nord are going with the Synth Line.

I'm Curios to hear this Chorale effect,so am looking forward to the Upcoming Namm Video Demos.

Whilst its not on my immediate purchase list as I'm waiting to see/hear the Upcoming Roland Jupiter X and DSI Pro 3 first,but I'm sure it will be a future purchase,theres not much to dislike about it so far other than perhaps a lack of options with LFO mods but sure there will be workarounds like with the A1.

LewTheKeysGuy · Post by **LewTheKeysGuy** » 14 Jan 2020, 16:39

so you can lie back and watch your computer screen and dream of a nord wave 2, I decided to find the Nord Stock photos files, imported them in to some new filters and thought, what the heck. so, with your permission, I attach a zip file containing a nice (hopefully nice) selection of wallpapers to make you feel all cozy and nord-ish.

lew

Spider · Post by **Spider** » 14 Jan 2020, 16:54

cambe wrote:
Spider wrote:Why do people keep saying it's a weighted action?
It is a waterfall semi-weighted keyboard, which is hard to go to departing from a traditional synth action keyboard.

ah ok, I come from a piano background so honestly I can't tell the difference between "synth action" and "semi-weighted", I use them as synonyms (I use synth action referring to the shape of the keys, not to the weight).
Synth, organ, waterfall, semiweighted, unweighted... they are all too light for my playing

cgrafx · Post by **cgrafx** » 14 Jan 2020, 19:59

The primary difference between a semi-weighted waterfall keybed and a synth keybed is articulation. How fast can a key be pressed and return. If your playing fast lead lines or things like horn parts a semi-weighed keybed will be sluggish compared to a synth keybed.

Personally its an odd choice and one that is a pretty big check in the negative column.

The Wave2 is not an organ or piano, it will not function well in either of those categories so why cripple a synth with an organ keybed.

Spider · Post by **Spider** » 14 Jan 2020, 20:37

I don't know, I've never noticed that classical piano players or Hammond players were "crippled" and unable to play fast lines, even with their sluggish keybeds.

Actually, a real B3 action is considered probably the fastest possible, because there are no weights or springs. A synth action of any kind has springs (metal, plastic, or just the plastic of the key bending - which sounds horrific but is very common in cheap actions), so after being pressed it pushes back with some force, making it somewhat hard to press repeatedly the key at extremely fast speeds. Actually, a semi-weighted action can easily be faster to play than an unweighted one, because the weights help press down the key again and relieve some of the spring pushback.

Anyway this largely depends on the tension of the springs, even the same action (like the ubiquitous FATARs) can feel totally different if equipped with different springs, which is the most common customization done by the different manufacturers.
For example, the same TP-8o used in the Wave is also used in the Electros (pretty stiff keys) and the Crumar Mojo (very light keys), and most likely the only difference is in spring tension.

So we don't really know what to expect from the Wave 2, the only choice is wait until we can try it in person.

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