Lead2x and electro2rack for wave?

[namahshaman]

I currently use a Lead2x as the main board in my rig, the electro2rack sits on top and I use midi to control it. I mainly use the electro for organs and e-pianos. So, I've considered simplifying this by replacing the two of them with the Wave, but I want to make sure I can still do certain things. The main reason I want the Wave is for the Mellotron sounds and updated Rhodes and Wurlies, which could easily be solved if they'd just release a rack version of the latest electro...(hint, hint)

Anyway, once you load an organ sound onto the Wave out of the Library is there anyway to adjust the drawbars once its in the Wave? If not, can you do it inside the editing software before you load the sound onto the Wave?

Also, the main thing holding me back from the Wave is that it only has 2 program banks, whereas the Lead has 4. Having 4 banks makes it much more convenient to use the Lead as my main board, controlling other modules (electro2rack & slim phatty). I've noticed subtle price drops on Waves recently, and I've heard whispers on the wind of discontinuance. If we get an updated model (please!) can it have 4(+) banks, PLEEEEASE. If so, I'd be a guaranteed sale (another hint).

[mjbrands]

The Wave could replace most of what the Lead 2X does for you (and adds a lot of extra stuff), but not the Electro. It does not have an organ emulation nor does it do pianos. However, I do think you would be able to recreate something 'simple' like the harpsichords (instruments that don't require more than one sample per note). You could sample an organ and it would sound fine, but it is static, you can't change the drawbars, etc.

The way to get an organ with different drawbar settings on the Wave would be to upload more sampled instruments (either made by you or from some other source, like the Nord Sample Library). The software can't help you here, that's only for creating 'samples' or 'sampled instruments.'

A Stage makes a much better MIDI controller than a Wave (or a Lead 2X for that matter), but it still has less features than a dedicated controller keyboard. I've had a Lead 2X, Wave and Stage 2 and as far as synthesis goes, the Wave is the most powerful of the three. The biggest difference between the synth section on the Stage 2 and the Wave is the fact that it only has one oscillator (though it does have a sub-oscillator you can detune when using saw wave, etc.) and much less modulation options (i.e. the LFO on the NS2 is rather lacking in what it can be used for).

It is probably best to think of the Wave not as a sampler (rompler), but a synth that can very flexibly use a (set of) samples as a sound source (oscillator); this is in additional to the traditional virtual-analog stuff the Lead 2X can do (though you only have 2 instead of 4 parts, as you say). To create dynamic behavior (i.e. have it respond to velocity, etc.) you would use morphing and/or modifying filter settings. You can't do velocity switching which you would need for some complex sounds, such as pianos. Note that the Nord Sample Library gives you a starting point (the samples) for a new instrument; both on the Wave and the Stage 2 you still need to do the work to turn it into something that sounds nice; the term synthesis very much applies here.

It is not impossible to replace both your Electro and Lead 2X with a Wave, but I think it is fairly likely the results might not be what you hoped for (i.e. no dynamic behavior on organs, etc). Using a Stage 2 to replace both the Electro and the Lead 2X sounds more probable, but then you'd loose something in the virtual-analog department. If you already have a Slim Phatty, that might not actually be an issue because the NS2 can definitely do the 'bread and butter' VA sounds, though you might need to revert to the use of samples in some cases.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

[namahshaman]

wow, MJ. Lots of helpful information. Thank you. You pretty much talked me out of the Wave . . . and I didn't need any help talking me into the Stage2, haha. My reservations about the Stage are primarily with space-issues. I really like the compact size of the Lead for my rig (where the Lead sits above my DJ case of modules/mixer/effects. the Voyager is off to the side. I suppose I could move the Moog to the Lead's spot and put the Stage in the Moog's...) guess I've got a while to think about that/save up money, haha.