Nord User Forum

maxpiano wrote: ↑19 May 2024, 17:13

cooltour wrote: ↑19 May 2024, 16:22 I am a little disappointed that the SONG MODE is no longer available. So I can only play the NS4 at home and the NS3 on stage. I will probably sell it again and switch to Korg. With Kronos/Nautilus you can organize the required sounds much better!

From what I read Ecaroh's disappointments are mainly related to unresolved MIDI related NS4 bugs, while the fact that Song mode was no longer supported on NS4 is not a bug but something anyone is able to get to know by consulting specs and documentation before buying (which is not a bad idea to do when spending such an amount of money).

If missing Song mode on NS4 was for you such a limitation and apparently you don't intend to use the available alternatives (like the ones discussed in many threads on NUF) + you already own a NS3, considering that there has never been any promise by Nord that it would be added later, I wonder: why did you buy it?

I regularly buy keyboards or equipment to pay less tax on my income as a musician. The NS4 has a few advantages over the NS3 (effects, 3 synths,...), overall it sounds a bit better... I also knew when I ordered it that it didn't have a song mode yet. But according to support, there will be an update soon with a way to organize the sounds better, similar to the song mode. Many users are still waiting for this to be implemented...

cooltour wrote: ↑19 May 2024, 18:42

maxpiano wrote: ↑19 May 2024, 17:13

cooltour wrote: ↑19 May 2024, 16:22 I am a little disappointed that the SONG MODE is no longer available. So I can only play the NS4 at home and the NS3 on stage. I will probably sell it again and switch to Korg. With Kronos/Nautilus you can organize the required sounds much better!

From what I read Ecaroh's disappointments are mainly related to unresolved MIDI related NS4 bugs, while the fact that Song mode was no longer supported on NS4 is not a bug but something anyone is able to get to know by consulting specs and documentation before buying (which is not a bad idea to do when spending such an amount of money).

If missing Song mode on NS4 was for you such a limitation and apparently you don't intend to use the available alternatives (like the ones discussed in many threads on NUF) + you already own a NS3, considering that there has never been any promise by Nord that it would be added later, I wonder: why did you buy it?

I regularly buy keyboards or equipment to pay less tax on my income as a musician. The NS4 has a few advantages over the NS3 (effects, 3 synths,...), overall it sounds a bit better... I also knew when I ordered it that it didn't have a song mode yet. But according to support, there will be an update soon with a way to organize the sounds better, similar to the song mode. Many users are still waiting for this to be implemented...

OK, I got your point: do you have an official mail from Nord support regarding that evolution, to share?

Regarding the complaints about midi implementation my impression is that the possibilities of NS4 are much enhanced from earlier models. It should be controllable from an auxilliary keyboard both via the global channel(opt1), per layer channels(opt2) and via aux channel(opt3) and even in a mix of these modes. What I am really missing is that the II Appendix: Midi controller list is refined to indicate which midi controller or NRPN is implemented/not implemented per option 1,2 and 3.

To those who complaint about midi implementation:
A) which midi CC and NRPN does not work, and for which options?
B) which external midi simulator or midi controller keyboards are available that have configurable midi CC and NRPN to utilize/test/be able to control the complete NS4 panel controls or features?

I gave up using external midi controller when I realized that in Aux kb mode I cannot use Pitch Bend, Aftertouch, Control pedal or Mod.wheel (bug id #11). I believe this is still unfixed. I would be glad if I was wrong. Some other midi issues which I have pointed out many times are more like "features" which are IMO very badly thought from Clavia. Limits usage of NS4 a lot compared to NS3.

The Stage 4 came with BIG improvements like
- Effects per layer (the big one I think !)
- Better delay (Especially the Space variation, which gives a lot of possibilities with the reverb)
- 3 synths (and adjustable PStick per layer? Cool !)
- better arppeggiator
- Dyn comp
And other great things
I enjoy them all !

But i'm a little disappointed and agree with what others said.
This keyboard is very expensive, and NORD should not be surprised if many users are not that satisfied.
- More than 10 months to make the full sample library available again (By this time we had less sounds than the Stage 3)
- Many Midi issues, after more than 1 year
- Still no way to organize songs (Even my old Yamaha PSR could name a bunch of programs to make a song)
- The worst possible way to set volume (if motorized fader isn't possible, do not put faders ! Nord Stage 3 was ok ! At least a Jump/catch would be good)
And they had the great idea to do a fake stereo with EPiano (and some other sounds), which makes phase issues, and if you listen in mono (try in a DAW) there is no more sound ! Nord what are you doing ?

Anyway, it's been a while since the last update, and it gives me hope !

Hello,

it is clear that with an instrument of this price range, expectations are and should be high - especially if you compare with the best.
My opinion is that the Nord Stage is a very specialised, niche instrument that does not fit everybody's taste. No 1000-patches Rompler or Logic Pro replacement like many others, the competition is tough.

Still, the success of the instrument shows that people do like it. And I believe that most people don't shell out 4000 $ just for red bling-bling, there is more behind. For me, it is the most inspiring instrument out there, and literally everyone in the bands I play are fascinated by its direct functionality and the quality of its sound. It just inspires me in a sort of "Less-is-more-but-better" way.

I literally do not care so much about Midi, the Aux KB function is enough. If I wanted a Midi Monster I would have stayed with my Kurzweil PC3K. If you have a special need here, it may not be your solution, and this is okay. There is something out there for everybody. I know fellow keyboard players that still happily use Korg Tritons from 20 years ago. Not because they can't afford a new instrument, but because they're happy with what they have.

I did not care much about Song Mode as from the NS3, because I use BandHelper (or SetlistMaker) with my three bands, there is no better solution than plugging in a USB cable and let a specialised App do the work (including Hints, Lyrics, Chords, other Notes, synchronising with the Band). No shame with that. There is no possible scenario where I would wish the Song Mode back, it would all come with compromises, I would really not care.

Of course there are flaws. I would sometimes wish for more Synth slots, multisample instruments, better brass or synth strings sound. Online Cloud synchronisation and maybe the possibility to make changes "online". But there is always better and more, and nothing will ever be 100% enough. The next version will solve some of those topics but will open up other wishes, and so forth.

The NS4 challenges and inspires me at the same time. And being a live musician this is what I am looking for. It makes me want to play with it. It makes me want to tweak sounds directly and without layer-deep menu digging. I needed to check the manual maybe 2-3 times in total. It is quite intuitive, although the learning curve since the NS2 got steeper - the price of more functionality.

People have spoken, thanks for everyone putting their vote!

As an originator of this poll I might say few concluding words. My personal interest was just to see how satisfied people are with their NS4s. Obviously they are - 54% said that they are happy. People like me - being very unsatisfied - are clear minority (7%). In general about half of users seem to have at least something to complain.

What I've been complaining about is problems with MIDI. To sum it: NS4 performs much worse with MIDI gear than its predecessor NS3. Because I see this a major issue I read my poll in a way that majority of users do not use it like that. Probably most of them use it "standalone". To me this of course a sad thing because all those happy users do not put pressure to Nord to fix these issues. Why bother? I don't blame anybody - I would not ask for something that I don't need either. In addition to whining about it here I have sent many emails to Nord and filled support forms but very little or nothing seems to happen. In fact I haven't got any answer to my latest question. As said earlier I'd really like to know if there's some hope to get this midi stuff done in somewhere near future. If not, I must concider selling my NS4 for some better option.

But this is how it is and I am happy that most people are happy with their instrument.

I absolutely love mine. I would say my one big complaint is I feel like there are better pad presets on other keyboards. Then I go and blend some together and adjust them a bit and it all sounds incredible. I'm not much of a "make it from scratch" kind of guy so more my fault

The ease of use and incredible sound effects, layering ability, and overall sound quality are just superb. Just for the piano samples alone it can't be beat.

Valpurgis wrote: ↑19 May 2024, 20:11 Regarding the complaints about midi implementation my impression is that the possibilities of NS4 are much enhanced from earlier models. It should be controllable from an auxilliary keyboard both via the global channel(opt1), per layer channels(opt2) and via aux channel(opt3) and even in a mix of these modes. What I am really missing is that the II Appendix: Midi controller list is refined to indicate which midi controller or NRPN is implemented/not implemented per option 1,2 and 3.

To those who complaint about midi implementation:
A) which midi CC and NRPN does not work, and for which options?
B) which external midi simulator or midi controller keyboards are available that have configurable midi CC and NRPN to utilize/test/be able to control the complete NS4 panel controls or features?

  I've already talked about it in other posts. If I use the NS4 with an external MIDI keyboard, via the aux KB function, the NS4 does not receive midi controls of: modulation wheel, aftertouch, resonance, cutoff, etc... In the organ section, again using the aux KB mode, the NS4 does not receive midi controls: on/off vib/chorus, on/off percussion. There are probably still others, but these are some of the fundamental midi CCs for me, since I often use my NS4 with an external midi keyboard, I want to be able to control some layers as I have always done in the past with NS2Ex and with NS3 . These are really basic things that will probably be resolved with an update as they always have been, at least I hope so, but the serious thing is that after more than a year and the many reports this has not been taken into consideration and resolved.

christianjwagner wrote: ↑28 May 2024, 15:28 Hello,




I literally do not care so much about Midi, the Aux KB function is enough. If I wanted a Midi Monster I would have stayed with my Kurzweil PC3K. If you have a special need here, it may not be your solution, and this is okay.

Given that I am also quite satisfied with my NS4, I really love the Nord concept and the sound of Nord products. I have been a Nord user for 15 years now, my first Nord was NE3 in 2009, then continued with NE4 hp, NS2ex hp76, NS3 hp76, up to NS4 73. Since I switched to NS 2ex, I have used to connect a master midi keyboard, a setup that has always satisfied me, I could also have the sounds of NS on the upper keyboard. Now I get to the point, what is the point of connecting NS4 via aux KB if you don't have the possibility to control some basic midi CCs such as "modulation wheel", "aftertouch", or be able to act on some modulation sections of the synth such as "resonance" or "cutoff", or being able to activate or deactivate the "percussion", "vib/chorus" of the organ section; What's the point of all this? Furthermore, these are things that I could easily do with NS2ex and NS3. We have been waiting for more than 1 year for an update that can solve these problems.