Using Keyscape / 3rd party VSTs in a Nord?

[magicgibbon]

Hi

I'm wondering if its possible to use VST instruments in a nord by loading them in?

I understand Nord has its sound manager, but is this exclusive for nord libraries with the option to, say, load a spitfire string library ?

Thanks

[maxpiano]

Of course not, do you know any other keyboard/synth that can do that (load any VST library inside it)??

The maximum you can do is sample a VST and create a Nord Sample (.nsmp) with Nord Sample Editor, then use it the Nord Synth section as a waveform (for the models that have that feature). Of course provided that the VST license allows you to do that, some libraries explicitly forbid sampling for reuse outside the original VST.

[magicgibbon]

Of course not, do you know any other keyboard/synth that can do that (load any VST library inside it)??

The maximum you can do is sample a VST and create a Nord Sample (.nsmp) with Nord Sample Editor, then use it the Nord Synth section as a waveform (for the models that have that feature). Of course provided that the VST license allows you to do that, some libraries explicitly forbid sampling for reuse outside the original VST.

This sounds like, even if you were going to do it, a totally impractical and time wasting solution?

[maxpiano]

This sounds like, even if you were going to do it, a totally impractical and time wasting solution?

I agree, in fact in my opinion VSTs and their libraries must be used where they are designed for and supposed to run: on a computer.

But still some people does what I suggested as that is the only way to get (a flavour of) those sounds on a Nord (or any other synth with sample playback capability), no other options... but, again, provided you are entitled to do that, which is usually not the case for commercial sample libraries (read Keyscape T&Cs for example)

[analogika]

Hi

I'm wondering if its possible to use VST instruments in a nord by loading them in?

I understand Nord has its sound manager, but is this exclusive for nord libraries with the option to, say, load a spitfire string library ?

Thanks

You can use an Autosampler (MainStage on the Mac includes one, but there are other commercial alternatives) to sample the VST instruments.

You can then convert those samples into Nord's own format using the Nord Sample Editor and load them onto the machine using the Nord Sound Manager.

[catosim]

I find the VST as the totally opposite of a synth, meaning that the whole idea is to have several possibilities merged into a computer.
I see many musicians using a computer (mostly laptops/macbooks) and a master keyboard, because it's easy, light and versatile when travelling by plane.
The "opposite" solution is hardware based synths. The Nord Stage offers good midi-controller functions, but it's a bit hassle to combine a laptop/DAW in a live-setting.

[docbop]

Only time I've seen Keyscape used in a Nord was in one those Anderton's videos and the guest pianist in video sideman for TV shows and big name artists. He played a sound or two that he had sampled some Keyscape sound and has them in his S3. As others are saying Keyscape and similar VST are meant to be used in a DAW they are designed to be used in a digital keyboard or from a MIDI controller. Which would explain why you see so many laptops as part of peoples rigs these days.

[anotherscott]

You can use an Autosampler (MainStage on the Mac includes one, but there are other commercial alternatives) to sample the VST instruments.

You can then convert those samples into Nord's own format using the Nord Sample Editor and load them onto the machine using the Nord Sound Manager.

Yes, that is an option, but I'll also mention that there are numerous limitations to that. For example, many VSTs incorporate different samples that are designed to play at different velocities, and Nord doesn't support that, you can only bring in a one sample per note. Also you are limited in the size of what you can create... you can't bring in anything close to a resampled 100 GB spitfire string library and expect it to fit into the half GB of sample space or whatever you may have available in your Nord. Also, even with the autosampling, it is not necessarily trivial to recreate something close to the original mapping (i.e. with the stretched key ranges and looping facilities). In short, while this can be a very useful function, it is not really designed to let you truly play your VSTs without running the VST. If you want to run VSTs portably, I'd look at putting them on a tablet PC, and connect that to your Nord (preferably the Stage 3 which is most adept in its MIDI functionality).

[FZiegler]

I'm wondering if its possible to use VST instruments in a nord by loading them in?

Dexibell seems to allow for SF2 import. No idea if that's a great feature. The difference there is that this platform has been developed when smartphones and tablets were already in the world. Expectations have changed a lot with that type of Jack-of-all-trades. But that type of hardware can only be pushed to the limits by using preconfigured programming routines. Where you never know how many bugs they contain.

The Nord architecture is clearly pre-smartphone world. No BlueTooth, no SD card slot, no cloud to connect to directly, neither programmable arpeggiators nor a sequencer or recording function. You will even have to cheat if you need a rhythm out of the keyboard. They are clearly made for performing live on stages. Thats not the place where you want to test if a VSTi fully complies with the standard implementation. And vice versa. The fewer functions are built in, the less can fail. The more if the content is 3rd party.

We will see if the future of Nord keyboards will still be the same approach. I'm curious about that. As far as I'm concerned: I'm happy the way it is. I love the 'simplicity' of the instruments. Which is already quite complex to me.

And in meantime, you can use Keyscape or a VSTi together with the Extern section of a Nord Stage, but not in a Stage.

[cookie]

You can play the VST and have it triggered using the External engine.
Or you can plug in the VST audio outputs to the Monitor In to insert it in your Main Outputs.

Fred