Nord User Forum

If you are looking for more "body" in the piano sounds, you may try this: first of all no reverb (add it after, start with a blank Piano Init program) then with the EQ boost the Low (+8-10dBs) and Mid (Freq 838Hz, boost +5-8dB)
Try to apply that Royal Grand 3D for example,

Above all, you should also try to play it using an external weighted hammer action keybaord, the NS Compact waterfall keybed is not optimal for playing pianos properly; ensure also that you have the latest OS by the way, as at some point they changed the velocity curve to better suit the SW keybed so check also that velocity response of Piano section is in the zero position (all leds off).

My first Nord was a Stage 2EX 88. I don't have it anymore (sold it about 2 years ago) but I can't remember the pianos sounding bad, in fact I did not gave me any reason to complain and did not sound different from my current Stage 3 88. I never compared it to the sound of the demo videos though so I cannot tell if there are any differences between "the real piano" and the demos.

I have both a Stage 3 88 and a Stage 3 compact now and what I can tell is that the same pianos sound definitely different between these two, with all settings being the same. The only difference is the keybed and from my perspective the pianos are best in combination with the 88 hammer action of the NS3 88, they sound a bit "muffy" on the NS3 compact for my taste but that's highly subjective

Schorsch wrote:My first Nord was a Stage 2EX 88. I don't have it anymore (sold it about 2 years ago) but I can't remember the pianos sounding bad, in fact I did not gave me any reason to complain and did not sound different from my current Stage 3 88. I never compared it to the sound of the demo videos though so I cannot tell if there are any differences between "the real piano" and the demos.

I have both a Stage 3 88 and a Stage 3 compact now and what I can tell is that the same pianos sound definitely different between these two, with all settings being the same. The only difference is the keybed and from my perspective the pianos are best in combination with the 88 hammer action of the NS3 88, they sound a bit "muffy" on the NS3 compact for my taste but that's highly subjective

After this discussion, I'm almost sure that the difference in piano samples really in the keys(hammer action and Waterfall).

Berretje wrote:

Koss2003 wrote:Samples of the piano on my Nord 2Ex Compact (without EQ and effects) do not sound as bright as on demos from the Nord or demo from YouTube

Why compare? Just make the piano sound like the way you want it to sound! Grab those EQ settings and play with them until you find yourself the sound you're looking for

I chose this keyboard according to reviews and demo. Therefore, the comparison was natural. It was not possible to play in the store, because this keyboard is no longer sold. But now, when users tell me that they are actively using an equalizer with a piano, I will do exactly the same. It confused me a little, because it seemed to me that this section is mostly for EP, synths and organs

maxpiano wrote:If you are looking for more "body" in the piano sounds, you may try this: first of all no reverb (add it after, start with a blank Piano Init program) then with the EQ boost the Low (+8-10dBs) and Mid (Freq 838Hz, boost +5-8dB)
Try to apply that Royal Grand 3D for example,

Above all, you should also try to play it using an external weighted hammer action keybaord, the NS Compact waterfall keybed is not optimal for playing pianos properly; ensure also that you have the latest OS by the way, as at some point they changed the velocity curve to better suit the SW keybed so check also that velocity response of Piano section is in the zero position (all leds off).

Thank you for your advice. Today I will definitely try these settings!

Koss2003 wrote:But now, when users tell me that they are actively using an equalizer with a piano, I will do exactly the same. It confused me a little, because it seemed to me that this section is mostly for EP, synths and organs

To me, it's almost the opposite: I use the EQ mostly together with samples - be it pianos or strings. You may have noticed, that the different acoustic piano models (Rhodes as well) sound more or less bright. But they have other advantages and disadvantages, too. And sound differently in the highs and lows. So it's highly likely that you will find you favorite sound while using a piano sample of your choice together with some EQ tweaks. I manipulate the Bright Grand to sound even sharper and others to sound more neutral.

For organ and synth, there are other ways of sound shaping, too. So, there you need the EQ section only secondarily.

I experimented with the EQ section on piano sounds. The result was not very encouraging. When the high and mid frequencies are boosted, noise appears in the sound. And it is in the sound itself. When I don't touch the keyboard there is not noise. So is the equalizer working normally or should it not be? I'll post the audio a little later. Here is a photo of the equalizer settings at which the noise becomes unacceptable, imho. It is extremely, but should work fine if the manufacturer has provided this option for users

Your EQ setting is somewhat extreme: You didn't go to the full right on the highs, but set the frequency of the mids to the highs as well - so they are double emphasised.

The pianos should sound partially warm/earthy but natural. If you need a lot of brightness, you may experiment with some synth or EP sounds added on the synth engine, too.

Did you check with your headphones or a monitor box? And are you sure your amplification is capable of neutral response?

Koss2003 wrote:I experimented with the EQ section on piano sounds. The result was not very encouraging. When the high and mid frequencies are boosted, noise appears in the sound. And it is in the sound itself. When I don't touch the keyboard there is not noise. So is the equalizer working normally or should it not be? I'll post the audio a little later. Here is a photo of the equalizer settings at which the noise becomes unacceptable, imho. It is extremely, but should work fine if the manufacturer has provided this option for users

The Mids at 8KHz are wrong, I suggested 838 HZ (i.e knob between 600 and 1KHz), maybe you misread it? Anyway finding teh right EQ depends also on teh audio system (headphones/speakers), so you need to find the one that works with what you have and the search has to be done by small increments.

FZiegler wrote:Your EQ setting is somewhat extreme: You didn't go to the full right on the highs, but set the frequency of the mids to the highs as well - so they are double emphasised.

The pianos should sound partially warm/earthy but natural. If you need a lot of brightness, you may experiment with some synth or EP sounds added on the synth engine, too.

Did you check with your headphones or a monitor box? And are you sure your amplification is capable of neutral response?

If you increase the high frequency with one knob "treble", then the noise becomes even more noticeable. So I used part mids and part highs. High frequencies to the maximum - the noise becomes completely obscene. It the equalizer working properly or not? As for the audio monitoring, I can question the headphones, yet these are inexpensive headphones with limited features. But my passive monitors with an amplifier should be able to cope with this task. Today / tomorrow I will post audio with and without equalizer for clarity

maxpiano wrote:The Mids at 8KHz are wrong, I suggested 838 HZ (i.e knob between 600 and 1KHz), maybe you misread it? Anyway finding teh right EQ depends also on teh audio system (headphones/speakers), so you need to find the one that works with what you have and the search has to be done by small increments.

Yes, these are completely different equalizer settings. Not the ones you recommended. I also tried your settings and they really give more body, but I wanted to get more "brilliance". And those settings that in the photo bring the sound closer to this one, but give extraneous noise when I start playing.

Koss2003 wrote:

maxpiano wrote:The Mids at 8KHz are wrong, I suggested 838 HZ (i.e knob between 600 and 1KHz), maybe you misread it? Anyway finding teh right EQ depends also on teh audio system (headphones/speakers), so you need to find the one that works with what you have and the search has to be done by small increments.

Yes, these are completely different equalizer settings. Not the ones you recommended. I also tried your settings and they really give more body, but I wanted to get more "brilliance". And those settings that in the photo bring the sound closer to this one, but give extraneous noise when I start playing.

If you need more brilliance you should use only the High pot then, leave the Mids flat (0dB) or even with a little cut around 700Hz (-3dB to -6dB) + maybe add some Compressor (and even a little Drive, may help).

PS: or, before all the above, try a piano with more brilliance in its original sample, e.g. the Bright Grand.