PSA: Please do your research before buying a Nord!

[emelenjr]

I'll say it: Nord keyboards (and this forum) are really only for people who are buying their second etc. Nord keyboard. New to Nord? GTFO noob.

Tell me again how this forum isn't basically hostile toward new users. "Search the forum!" "Why didn't you do your research before you bought it?" "Why on earth did you upgrade the OS on your computer?"

That's not to say there isn't a strong community here of people sharing samples and gear recommendations and such. Not everyone here is being jerks to each other. But one thing I've learned from participating here is that if you don't ALREADY understand and love everything about your Nord and the company that made it, good luck to you.

[Quai34]

I'll say it: Nord keyboards (and this forum) are really only for people who are buying their second etc. Nord keyboard. New to Nord? GTFO noob.

Tell me again how this forum isn't basically hostile toward new users. "Search the forum!" "Why didn't you do your research before you bought it?" "Why on earth did you upgrade the OS on your computer?"

That's not to say there isn't a strong community here of people sharing samples and gear recommendations and such. Not everyone here is being jerks to each other. But one thing I've learned from participating here is that if you don't ALREADY understand and love everything about your Nord and the company that made it, good luck to you.

I truly disagree. I bought my Nord Stage 2 after having been out of music for 10 years.... And my first post was about how to make it connects to my computer via midi when I thought I knew enough about midi due to my former midi studio based on an Atari 1040!!!
There were 10 pages of people trying to help me to figure out it, taking pictures of their screen etc, even on stuff that were not even Nord.... And to discover that I had inverted a midi in onto a midi In.... On the patchbay...
I think it was my first post and the longest one too....

But for retailers, I don't know but here in canada, there is always 2 or 3 stores, big ones who have always the Nord.... I was just passing by long and Mac Quade tonight and they have a stage 3 compact, a Nord Grand, an electro and a Nord stage 88...All in display but all other versions are in stock!!! When I was in France, and I know it's still the case because I See the ads of store in French magazine that were existing 40'years ago, you have in every correct middle town, one or two retailers with a school... Like a local conservatory, at 75E the yearly rate to learn everything, dance and music included, plus free concert of Marcus Miller in a 250.000 habitants town, music day and several little stores specialized on pedals, or keys, or studio etc.... Like you have a butcher and a baker.... You have a music store....
In Edmontonv there is 6/7 Long and Mac Quade plus 3/4 other stores? In Winnipeg, 5 great stores... Etc.... So, don't put that on the retailers, put that on the general level of culture and willingness to give that music culture from the governments/institutions/habitants etc....
I could bet you that they is way more people stuck in front of their TV for a simple basket ball game or for a football game in USA than you have people going to a 20$ concert at the philharmonic orchestra....
Some countries are more barbecue, beer and football than dance, music and theatre, so, the level of the retailers and their professionalism is just following the tendency/trends of the country they are in....
And I don't speak about countries that I have visited like Germany or Austria.... Check the kids at 10 years old in any piano store on a Saturday afternoon who play like crazy good on a big 6/7' concert Piano.... They are at the music store, not in the mall on the Saturday afternoon and they are not "just browsin" and fighting for a TV during a Black Friday ....

[sweelinck]

Perhaps the OP is unaware that Clavia actually directs customers looking for technical support to unaffiliated user forums like this one as something to try before contacting them:

https://www.nordkeyboards.com/support

And if you do contact them, it is via an electronic message, not a phone call to actually speak to a knowledgeable person.

It is somewhat surprising to me that Clavia gets away with that level of support for products that target performing professionals. If you have an issue the day before a gig, you want help right away.

I had a lengthy conversation with a tech support person at Kawai America before deciding to purchase an MP7SE. It was easy to reach the person by phone, and I was able to discuss features and properties thoroughly and to my satisfaction. This included information above and beyond what can be learned by reading the owner’s manual cover-to-cover. Exactly how does one go about this with Clavia?

[analogika]

I’m not saying “do your research before coming to the forum”. I’m saying “come to the forum before you make your purchase.” Newbies welcome!

[Tracii]

I'll say it: Nord keyboards (and this forum) are really only for people who are buying their second etc. Nord keyboard. New to Nord? GTFO noob.

Tell me again how this forum isn't basically hostile toward new users. "Search the forum!" "Why didn't you do your research before you bought it?" "Why on earth did you upgrade the OS on your computer?"

I truly disagree.

So do I.

First of all, how is "Why didn't you do your research before you bought it?" hostile? There must be a reason, because nobody in their right mind would buy something that doesn't do what they want, right?

And secondly, well, maybe I'm an outlier, but when I ran into a problem with my first Nord, I downloaded and read the manual - it just seemed the easiest thing to do. When I didn't find an answer in there, I googled around, landed here and searched for answers. And after I didn't find them, I asked. I got friendly and helpful replies.

Case in point: My Electro 3 wasn't playing organ and samples at the same time and when I switched to a different sound, the organ would cut out. When I found this forum, it was virtually impossible to read a page without having the point hammered home that this is simply what the NE3 does.

[emelenjr]

Fair points. Of course, doing some research before you buy is wise. I did plenty of that before I bought my Electro 4 from someone for whom the features on the keyboard were overkill. My point is it would have been helpful for me to read some "buyer beware" type advice about Nord keyboards. Beware is a bit strong, sorry. What I mean is "Heads up: here's what the thing won't be able to do. instead of a used Electro 4, spend a little more on the newer model." Detractors of the Apple brand used to talk about the "reality distortion field" Steve Jobs would generate when talking up the latest and greatest Apple software and hardware at Apple keynote events. The Nord reality distortion field is pretty strong, too, if you ask me.

Tracii, how did the "hammering home" you encountered here regarding the limitations of your keyboard come across to you? That was an interesting word choice to describe helpfulness, but maybe that's just me.

As someone already mentioned, Clavia's web site directs everyone to forums like this. I get it—Clavia is a tiny company and the employees only have so much time. Still, it's an odd customer experience after dropping >$2K on gear made with the care that it is. Back in July, when I made the grave, grave mistake of touching my Mac before anyone in this forum said it was safe to do so, I contacted Clavia directly via their web site to see if I could get some official information rather than a "hammering home" of "Why did you do that?" Pablo was quick to reply (thanks for your response, Pablo!) having reached out to Sweden for anything helpful he could tell me. What he told me is that the month of July is vacation time at Nord. It's not like I was dead in the water with a non-functioning keyboard, but I was basically SOL if I was looking for help from the manufacturer for the problem I encountered. (Here comes somebody to relitigate that whole issue, I just know it.) Back to the friendly folks over here, I guess!

I know I'm in the minority here and honestly, I'm not that invested in changing anyone's opinion. I just think it's worth remembering that Clavia sends people here, and some of those people occasionally have purchased fewer red keyboards than you.

[cgrafx]

emelenjr... when people purchase any product, particularly one that is comparatively expensive and don't do any pre-purchase research, don't read the manual, and don't bother to ask for help beforehand and then their first post is a complaint about how that particular product has failed them, YES they are not going to get a particularly warm reception.

For those of us that have been in the engineering and computing trenches from before personal computers existed we might have a bit of knowledge to impart about managing OS and Software upgrades so not to cripple a working production environment.

NONE of these two statements has anything at all to do with Nord or even this specific forum.

You can choose to learn something from those around you or you can whine and complain and bang your head against a wall every time some critical piece of software/hardware fails because its your right to upgrade when you want and every manufacturer should be fully compliant, up-to-date and on your schedule.

For the rest of the new comers that actually show a little bit of humility and respect they are treated in kind and with a large abundance of people willing to help as best they can.

[Tracii]

"Heads up: here's what the thing won't be able to do. instead of a used Electro 4, spend a little more on the newer model."

I can't remember seeing such a statement from ANY manufacturer. But sure, it would be nice.

I understand that the hefty price-tag, coupled with the rave word-of-mouth, can lead to severe disappointment. But really, what is Nord to do? Imagine buying a Porsche and finding out that the stereo does not play MP3s. You can rage all you like, but at the end of the day, whose fault is it?

Tracii, how did the "hammering home" you encountered here regarding the limitations of your keyboard come across to you? That was an interesting word choice to describe helpfulness, but maybe that's just me.

There were and are two kinds:
1. Those who post "I can't seem to get it working - what am I doing wrong?" - I have not seen any hostility towards them. They usually receive helpful answers, albeit not sugar-coated ones.
2. Those who post "Why doesn't this work? What - it's not meant to? How stoopid is that?!?" They usually get what they deserve.

What I meant by "hammering home" is that beginning with the third or fourth time the same question gets asked, the answers go from [Hello!]+[required information]+[Bye!] to [required information]+[This has been answered so many times, please do a little research before you buy, it's not that hard to find]. If somebody is offended by that last sentence because they personally are only asking this for the very first time - well...

[musicaldudeist]

My area has zero stores in which I could go look at a Nord, or really, most any high end instruments. When I bought my Grand it was clearly based on information I gleaned from the internet. Fortunately, my expectations were pretty spot on. It is definitely a good idea to clearly research any prospective instrument when you can't find a place to put your hands on one.

[analogika]

This thread is utterly counterproductive. A forum needs a healthy mix of experienced users to give good advice, newbies to ask questions that others are too scared to ask, and idiots for entertainment. In the interest of a healthy forum....SHHHHHHHH!

This. So this.