Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

Everything about Nord keyboards in general; which one to choose, the sound manager, sample editor, and general discussion about the sample and piano libraries.
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ZeroZero
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Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

Post by ZeroZero »

The Nord Stockholm 9 EP, is the very best digital EP "Rhodes" I have ever played. I speak as a player, a studio owner since 1993 and a mad hoarder of keyboard VSTs, I can say this with certainty. This sound so impressed me that I even bought a real Rhodes because of that Nord sound! I have more or less given up piano now and only play Rhodes. If you think this is insane, you would be right, but then I am a musician.

The Stockholm 9 has that essential factor - touch and playability. It is truly expressive and it is nuanced. Since I discovered it, a year ago, I have hardly touched the piano. I now stick to Rhodes and Hammond. I can play moonbeams on this sound.

You don't have to believe me on this? I challenge you. Try the sound, or hear it in Nord Demos below. You can download the Stockholm 9 on Stage keyboards and on Electros - maybe more.


We know that even though this sound is excellent, it's never going to be a real Rhodes. This is OK. It's because it does not have the same controls or analogue circuitries, but even so, as a digital instrument, it is so very impressive and our Stockholm Rhodes has other, Nord based, opportunities.

One can use the Nord keyboards in many ways:
  • You can play in a multicolored way, letting one multilayered note ring out for a few bars - like Omnisphere. As a player, personally, I find that about as interesting as lift music, though it must be said that this was done masterful in the New Romantic period.

    You can play any sound and totally mangle it.

    You can also play a set in such a way as to use one program per number.

    These approaches are, of course, totally valid.

Yet it is also possible, with an excellent, performative sound such as the Stockholm 9, to just focus on that one sound and play it into your organism. Make it part of your DNA. The Stockholm is certainly worthy of becoming your goto.

To these ends, I am working on devoting a whole bank to the Stockholm.

If you did this, what sculptured Stockholms would you use?

Can you emulate any of the sounds demoed on the link?

I list there names here:

Stockholm EP Basic*
Stockholm EP Phunked
Stockholm EP Soft
Stockholm EP Spin*
Stockholm EP Long*
Stockholm EP Slow**

Do you have any tips on getting the best musical and characteristic sounds from the Nord Stockholm?

Perhaps you may know how these demo sounds were created. I certainly don't. They are so wonderfully nuanced.

I am dreaming about using control pedals to morph assign effects, (which ones?) but so far have not dipped into this. Perhaps even more can be done, more beautiful moods.

So in conclusion I this particular sound warrants a thread of it's own - take a listen...

If you have any patches, can you post them here?

https://www.nordkeyboards.com/sounds/pi ... stockholm/

Stockholm EP Basic*
Stockholm EP Phunked
Stockholm EP Soft
Stockholm EP Spin*
Stockholm EP Long*
Stockholm EP Slow
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maxpiano
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Re: Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

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Re: Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

Post by Communityoldman »

you are actually right is the best digital
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Re: Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

Post by daniel70 »

Sorry, I don't want to spoil the good mood here, and it's all very subjective, but compared to my real Rhodes, I always find the Stockholm sound rather thin and artificial. The old Mk1 Deep Timbre comes much closer to the original, with some EQ, even if it's actually too "deep." But in my opinion, the Stockholm sample is definitely not the best Rhodes sample. I find the newer Rolands (V-Stage) and Yamahas (CP/YC/Montage M/MODX M) far superior.
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Re: Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

Post by Rusty Mike »

I like the Stockholm very much and use it a lot. I also am still very fond of EP II (Ideal), as it reminds me of the Rhodes I used to own way back when.

I was originally not a fan of EP I, but the Nord EP filters really bring it to life.

And the Nord EPs are far more realistic to my ears compared to my Yamaha YC. The YC EPs sound contrived and processed, whereas the Nord EPs just seem more organic and raw.

It’s all subjective though. I tend to like a less processed Rhodes sound, to which the Nord EPS fit very well. The YC’s take effects very well, but that’s not really how I use them. To each their own.
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Current Nords: Piano 5 73, Electro 6D 73
Ownership History: Electro 2, Electro 3-73 SW, Electro 3HP, Electro 4D, Stage 2EX 76HP
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Re: Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

Post by ZeroZero »

daniel70 wrote: 08 Nov 2025, 17:59 Sorry, I don't want to spoil the good mood here, and it's all very subjective, but compared to my real Rhodes, I always find the Stockholm sound rather thin and artificial. The old Mk1 Deep Timbre comes much closer to the original, with some EQ, even if it's actually too "deep." But in my opinion, the Stockholm sample is definitely not the best Rhodes sample. I find the newer Rolands (V-Stage) and Yamahas (CP/YC/Montage M/MODX M) far superior.
I have a real Mk8 here too. i think your right, but for gigging I don't want to drag this around. Of course a Rhodes is the best rhodes. I am talking of digitals and of course others prefer soemthing else - always the way. However this is a fine sound, it's less two dimensional to my very fussy ears, that the other sounds. It is also very responsive. IMO
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Re: Homage to the Nord Stockolm 9 - how far can you musically take it.?

Post by daniel70 »

ZeroZero wrote: 07 Nov 2025, 21:57

Can you emulate any of the sounds demoed on the link?

I list there names here:

Stockholm EP Basic*
Stockholm EP Phunked
Stockholm EP Soft
Stockholm EP Spin*
Stockholm EP Long*
Stockholm EP Slow**

Do you have any tips on getting the best musical and characteristic sounds from the Nord Stockholm?

Perhaps you may know how these demo sounds were created. I certainly don't. They are so wonderfully nuanced.

No problem, you can find at least three of them, „Basic“, „Spin“ and „Long“ in the „Preset Library“ on your Stage 4. These are patches made by Ondre J. Pivec.
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