Nord User Forum

Schulti wrote:@sus_4 and cphollis:
Would you mind to get a little bit into detail for the auto-settings - i own a waterfall stage, so that should not be a problem.
Thank you!

I won't be able to get back to you quickly, as all of my boards are at the rehearsal studio. I set up the preset a while back, I remember I had to fiddle a bunch with the auto-wah, roll off the high end with EQ, dial in some light compression, use an amp sim, etc.

I would say that this is impossible with any other than the waterfall keys.
The hammer action keys does not bounce back upp fast enough for this type of percussive playing.

Ok, so, that's why I thought I was never very good at Clavinet playing, well, not bad but not like the percussive sound I had in mind....
Then, do you think I should play the Clavinet sound of my stage 2 HA 88 from my D50 in dual Kb mode? Or when you say waterfall, you specifically think Hammomd/organ waterfall? Compared to "Synths" waterfall....

I think most synth plastic keys would be fast enough. Im just referring to the nords with the sw type of keys.

A real clav has an extremely light keyboard (lighter than most synths). Hacking at it as if one where playing congas is as much part of the distinctive playing style as smearing is for a Hammond.

NordPH wrote:I would say that this is impossible with any other than the waterfall keys.
The hammer action keys does not bounce back upp fast enough for this type of percussive playing.

Correct me if I'm wrong: There are only 2 parameters that determine what you hear: The midi velocity (128 discrete steps) specifies which layer of the multi-layer sample plays, and the duration (in seconds) between midi "note on" and "note off" signal determines how long the sample plays.

So even using the NS2-88 hammer action board, it should be possible to obtain these percussive non-tonal clav "slap" sounds when it is controlled via midi from a sequencer and the "right" notes are sent - or am I wrong?

Best regards, Alex

AlexNagel wrote:

NordPH wrote:I would say that this is impossible with any other than the waterfall keys.
The hammer action keys does not bounce back upp fast enough for this type of percussive playing.

Correct me if I'm wrong: There are only 2 parameters that determine what you hear: The midi velocity (128 discrete steps) specifies which layer of the multi-layer sample plays, and the duration (in seconds) between midi "note on" and "note off" signal determines how long the sample plays.

So even using the NS2-88 hammer action board, it should be possible to obtain these percussive non-tonal clav "slap" sounds when it is controlled via midi from a sequencer and the "right" notes are sent - or am I wrong?

Assuming you want to "play" the instrument rather than enter MIDI data into a sequencer, you still need a keyboard that gives you the right response. If that requires a non-hammer action, then you still need something other than a Nord Stage 88, whether it's an SW model of Nord or some other non-hammer board triggering the 88 via MIDI.

That said, the clav sounds on my NE5D played better than they would have from any external board triggering the clav sound over MIDI, because it provides a snappier release, sending Note Off at the lower sensor rather than the higher one, and that function is only available when playing it from its internal keys, not when triggering it from external keys. I assume that any Nords since then share that feature, I don't know about earlier ones. Unforunately, IIRC, the NE5D does not send the low trigger Note Off over MIDI, so it would not sound as snappy if you used a sequencer to playback what you had played in real time, maybe someone else can confirm.

As for the premise at the top, my feeling is that the SW actions will handle this better than the hammer actions, but not for the reason given, i.e. that the hammer action keys don't bounce back fast enough. No single note is being hit in such rapid succession tha the key would have insufficient time to return between hits. It might not feel as good, but technically, I don't see where the key return couldn't be fast enough. I think it may be more that the "slaps" on a hammer action wouldn't have the same velocity, and therefore wouldn't trigger as well. Not because it's no returning fast enough, but because it generally takes more force to generate the same sound on a hammer action board.

Nice vid. Hang Up Your Hang Ups, man.

I would echo what has already been said about clav in general: the action is like nothing else. It is so light and quick, once you touch one, you will understand.

The only other tip I have ever found to have any weight is that when you are trying to pull a funky groove on a clav, you have to get up and move your butt.

The Stage 2 has a preset called "Raw Funk" which has subtle clicks set up in the synth section. I cranked them up and got a little closer....so that may be a starting point for others.

On the video it looks as if he gets his clav sound from mainstage. Maybe there’s the key..