Nord User Forum

Hey folks- Just joined to ask this question...

I love my Stage2, but for years I've just been using the same sounds. So for this upcoming gig, I realized I needed some new samples and I was surprised that all I could find to download on the Nord site were just the raw samples, but not actual 'presets' to go with them. Does such a thing exist? Is there a place where you can download both the samples AND the program(s) that use them? I was looking for specific horn and string splits, or different layered sounds. Does the Nord site have any program/sample downloads? Or does 'new samples' always mean hitting "init patch'" and programming everything from scratch?

Thanks

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

Many Nord Stage users are pretty comfortable with creating their own programs from samples. However, if you explore this forum, you'll find collections of both programs and samples for your NS2. Enjoy!

Hello, and welcome to the Forum! The search function can be very helpful if you are looking for specific songs or sounds, and the sister site https://nordusersounds.com/ is often used as well for that purpose. Any NSMP sample you find (not NSMP3 or NSMP4) can be loaded into your Stage 2, and many are created to sound well without a lot of manipulation so starting from scratch and adding a little reverb is sometimes all that's needed. A program viewer capable of showing all of the settings of a Stage 2 or Stage 3 program can be found at -->Program Viewer if you happen to find a Stage 3 program you like and want to view the settings. Specific to your search for brass/string samples, I have several posted in the Sample section of this Forum at -->Brass/String Samples and a couple brass/string splits at -->Splits. Good luck to you.

Great suggestions above! One other idea for you, that I often do when I'm grabbing new downloads. I'll open up a Program where I have similar sounds and then select/add the new sample directly into the Program using the Nord Sound Manager - this is a good way to test and see if a different sample will work better or not, toggle over to the other panel and try a sample there, repeat, etc. Ultimately you will still need to save the new samples into your existing Programs or save them into a new spot, whichever works for you.

After you get the hang of the instrument, it's a lot of fun to do these things. Good luck to you!

Some excellent suggestions and tips above - thanks a bunch folks.

As for the programming aspect, I'm not too confused about 'how' to program the Stage 2 - I've been using synths since the early 80's. I guess it was more a case of feeling like I had to 'reinvent the wheel' by starting from 'init patch' every time I load a sample. I like the idea of swapping out the sample in a similar program -- and the upside is that this gig has forced me to re-acquaint myself with the Stage2's controls and parameters.

I think the only thing I'm having trouble figuring out now is how to add simple modwheel vibrato to rhodes or synth sounds. it seems like sometimes it's a morph using the FX section but is it possible that other times the piano sounds get vibrato/trem WITHOUT using the FX? Is there some sort of built-in routing for piano vibrato? Because I can't seem to find a control that changes the tremolo rate. I guess I have to do more digging and button pushing.

It's a very different beast from my old Super Jupiter or DX7...

The Rhodes (piano section) can only get vibrato from the FX section, but the synth engine has a separate vibrato function that can be applied to the synth sound.


Simply press the button up in the right corner numerous times till the light diode is dark, and voila the vibrato is removed.

NerdNord wrote:Some excellent suggestions and tips above - thanks a bunch folks.

As for the programming aspect, I'm not too confused about 'how' to program the Stage 2 - I've been using synths since the early 80's. I guess it was more a case of feeling like I had to 'reinvent the wheel' by starting from 'init patch' every time I load a sample. I like the idea of swapping out the sample in a similar program -- and the upside is that this gig has forced me to re-acquaint myself with the Stage2's controls and parameters.

I think the only thing I'm having trouble figuring out now is how to add simple modwheel vibrato to rhodes or synth sounds. it seems like sometimes it's a morph using the FX section but is it possible that other times the piano sounds get vibrato/trem WITHOUT using the FX? Is there some sort of built-in routing for piano vibrato? Because I can't seem to find a control that changes the tremolo rate. I guess I have to do more digging and button pushing.

It's a very different beast from my old Super Jupiter or DX7...

If I may, you need to do also some manual reading (NS2 manual is relatively small and simple) and then applying what you read to analysis and modification of existing Programs; in a few steps and hours (not days) you will get a much better grasp of your NS2 (if you could program a DX7 then it cannot be worse that that )

About the "vibrato", the Synth vibrato has a fixed rate set as a Global parameter, in all other cases for Synth you need to use the LFO (or an FX) and for Piano section you can only use the FX section (Tremolo or Auto pan). Morph is also very important to learn, but (repeating myself) it is easier and more effective to read on manual the 1 page about it and then try to do it do than to explain in writing here.