Piano release

[Ecaroh]

Hi Piano players,

I am lucky to have both Nord Piano and Nord Stage 2 (76). What I miss with NP is "piano release" function which NS2 has. It gives you much more natural response and more realism to piano sound. Nord Piano is Clavia's flagship piano model - IMO it's a shame that it does not have this "release" function. I really hope they can implement it in future updates...?

[Kaorin]

I completely agree. I would love to have this feature and it's a real shame it hasn't been added (yet...)

Of course it could be part of a master plan to hold features over for the next Nord Piano. For example, ever wondered why a flagship piano only has 500MB of flash when flash memory is cheap as chips (pun intended). If they included 4GB of memory then they wouldn't be able to do an incremental upgrade a few years down the line with double the memory.

I'm not knocking Nord for simple business and marketing decisions as they're company out to make money, but I'd really like this feature added to a product that's only a year old :)

Kaorin

[north]

Hi Piano players,

I am lucky to have both Nord Piano and Nord Stage 2 (76). What I miss with NP is "piano release" function which NS2 has. It gives you much more natural response and more realism to piano sound. Nord Piano is Clavia's flagship piano model - IMO it's a shame that it does not have this "release" function. I really hope they can implement it in future updates...?

I completely agree with you.
I did ask Nord, if they would include this long release function in a firmware update, but until now they did not bother to answer.

Of course one could buy the Stage 2 to get the best piano sound, but the price is too high for me, since I really don't need a synthesizer or an organ at this time.

[snerkler]

Yeah it does seem strange to not have this feature being as you're pretty much using th NP as a piano only, therefore you expect the NP to have the best piano function of the range imo

[Wolle]

I think that is because the Stage2 is much more recent than the Piano. So it features the Piano does not (yet) have. We will have it in the Nord Piano2, I'm sure.

[snerkler]

I think that is because the Stage2 is much more recent than the Piano. So it features the Piano does not (yet) have. We will have it in the Nord Piano2, I'm sure.

Is it not as straight forward as a software issue then, is it the hardware?

[north]

Is it not as straight forward as a software issue then, is it the hardware?

I cannot be sure, but I think, that the piano "sound engine" is the same in the NP88 and the Stage 2. However, on the Stage 2 there is a button to select the release function, and a LED that lits, when the function is selected.
I imagine, that they can make a firmware update, that makes the release function be switched on at all times, or perhaps it would be possible to put the activation of the release function into the sound menu.

Anyway, as it is now, the Nord piano is not fully compatible with the Nord Piano Library v5.3, which is rather strange, I think.

From the Nord Piano Library page:
"New in version v5.3: This latest update adds support for the Nord Stage 2 and Nord Electro 3 HP's Long Release feature on all Grand Pianos, Uprights, Electric Pianos and Electric Grands."

[Dave Ferris]

Is it not as straight forward as a software issue then, is it the hardware?

That's what I've been told unfortunately. I would really like to be able to hold out for an NP2 88 but I REALLY need an 88 lightweight board NOW. The NP is far from perfect but from everything I've tried , it's the best solution for me right now--build quality, size, weight, playability and sound. I haven't played anything in an 88 key at 40 lbs. or under that is as good.

[north]

Is it not as straight forward as a software issue then, is it the hardware?

That's what I've been told unfortunately.

Dave, did you get this information directly from Nord ?

[Dave Ferris]

They didn't say it couldn't be done for sure but that there were *hardware considerations*. I think that's basically what they told another NP88 owner friend of mine too.

Who knows, they might be able to implement it someway, somehow but fwiw I played the E3 HP & NP88 back to back the other day. I hadn't played the NP since last Dec. when I had to return Clavia's unit they were lending me to test out some new samples. So I was coming at this comparison with a totally fresh outlook the other day.

The NP in the store only had the Grand Lady D and Yamaha Studio Grand 2 samples in it while the E3 HP had the Bosie with the long release feature. I went back and forth at least a half dozen times and I still preferred the NP over the E3 HP in terms of overall playability--in spite of the lack of the long release feature on the NP88.

For me a lot of it was of course the NP's superior action and the fact it just felt like a more solid or substantial instrument. Not to say the E3 HP was "cheap" feeling, because for what it is, it's pretty amazing, but even if the E3 HP were 88 keys, I think I'd still buy the NP over it.

I have played the Stage 2 88 with the Bosie sample loaded in but at a different store and before I had re-acquainted myself with the NP88. I would be curious myself to be able to play them back to back like I did the other day.

So while I'd love for the NP88 to have the long release feature, for me, right now, needing something more portable then my CP5, there is still *enough there* on the NP to go ahead and take a leap of faith on it as is.
Like I posted over on the Piano World Forum--I haven't played an 88 key board at or below the 40 lb. mark that gives you same build quality, compact size, excellent sound and overall playability as the NP88.
Everything I've tried either sounds like a toy or feels like one......ymmv of course.