NORD STAGE 4 officially announced for February 16th 2023

[tsss27]

Just had a brief scan through the manual...
Is it still seriously not possible to fine tune the synth oscillators? No I don't mean the detune or multi categories, or unison. I'm talking about using 2 synths and fine tuning one against the other like you can on, say, the Wave 2 or virtually any other synth. Yes detune category is cool but it's limited to specific configurations and as far as I remember it's only saw waves...

[Amadrius]

I would like to see more choices in the multi category. Give us a saw with a square an octave lower and some other useful configurations. As of now you have to use two synth slots to get that sound.

Even better would be user configurable oscillator combinations and mixes. This is another feature that was in the a1 and stage 3 synth but was removed for the wave 2 and stage 4 it seems.

[analogika]

I would not rent out my Nord. Who does that?

I have.

I’ve also rented one.

I sincerely doubt that the idea of preserving value by intentional hobbling the new version has even crossed any Nord engineer‘s mind, though.

[NiCoX]

Hi there

Just spent hours comparing my beloved NP4 and my brand new NS4 88, and I have to say the NS4 is a great keyboard with a ton of great features... I never played on a NS before, so to me feature-wise I'm just more than happy... it appears to me as the perfect mix between my NP4 and my NW2, with the organ as a bonus...

But anyway, I just wanted to write this short post to talk about the keyboard action, as to me as a piano player it is a very important topic. Indeed, after all, it is the main interface between us and the sound engine!

For my testing I recreated on the NS4 the exact same piano/pad program I'm used to play all the time on my NP4, so that I could compare apples to apples.

The result is that those definitely do not have the same keybed. Indeed, the NS4 88 action feels great, but... yeah, the NP4 one is just way more dynamic...

Now, I totally understands that the NS series has to accommodate both piano and organ playing, and so considering that, this is a smart compromise from Nord. But yeah, just wanted to let the ones who hesitate between a NS4 and a NP4/NP5, and who are "piano focused", know that definitely, the piano series is way more expressive, in my opinion...

Anyway, I'm very happy with my NS4 88 purchase, and somehow, I'm also very happy for my NP4 that will continue to be my companion of choice for solo piano playing

[Schorsch]

Hey, thanks for sharing this - how did you manage to buy and get delivered a NS4 already now??

[NiCoX]

Hey, thanks for sharing this - how did you manage to buy and get delivered a NS4 already now??

Actually I received an email from WoodBrass on Thursday last week, at the time of the official announcement, with a link to a preorder page, while the product was not already listed on the global page (I verified), and yeah, just placed the order, and I received it on last Tuesday... I guess I got one of the very few initial stock items...

[mozart999uk]

Hey, thanks for sharing this - how did you manage to buy and get delivered a NS4 already now??

Actually I received an email from WoodBrass on Thursday last week, at the time of the official announcement, with a link to a preorder page, while the product was not already listed on the global page (I verified), and yeah, just placed the order, and I received it on last Tuesday... I guess I got one of the very few initial stock items...

You lucky thing. I've been given an estimated stock date of the end of April

[mozart999uk]

Hi there


Now, I totally understand that the NS series has to accommodate both piano and organ playing, and so considering that, this is a smart compromise from Nord....

This is what I'm hoping to find when I get mine. I know many are hoping the action will be heavier and more piano-like but I'm looking for something that can work across many different sounds / styles. I currently have an old yamaha p80. Lovely weighty piano action but after doing a 2.5hr rehearsal where I'm also bashing out funky clav licks, organ glisses and other bits, my hands and fingers are knackered!

So does the NS4 feel lighter to you? Less effort?

[MuzakaEklekta]

Now, I totally understands that the NS series has to accommodate both piano and organ playing, and so considering that, this is a smart compromise from Nord.

Thanks for sharing your review! You're probably one of the first to receive the Stage 4!

I'm in a dilemma as I was dead set on the NS4 73 (weighted) but if this keybed isn't really that expressive, I'm wondering if it might be worth just going with the SW which would save money and weight. I do play quite a bit of piano though so I'm on the fence. I guess we need to hear hands-on reports of the SW keybed in comparison.

[FZiegler]

I do have the NS3 Compact which has the SW keybed. It's a spring type, no hammer action. And I really use it to play organ, clavinet or synth sounds. No piano at all -- even if it's possible to play EP sounds to some extent. It's hard work to make an AP sound with that action, though -- nothing you would want to do if not forced to. Buying a NS4 73HA or 73SW is not a question of saving money -- it's a matter of size, weight and use.

Besides, the NS4 73SW does not include the new sustain pedal whereas the NS4 73HA does.