Grand Piano sounds disappoints

[elektromin]

Stefanie, I'm sorry to hear that you're not happy, and that you have really tried.

Personally, I'm too used to playing on my real grand piano (a 1960 Bechstein), and compared to that anything sounds flat, so on the Nord I prefer playing on the electric piano sounds. But when I really need an acoustic piano on the Nord, I use the upright grand, because it sounds and feels like a real instrument. Have you tried that one?

[Stefanie]

Hi tomzi,
the Grand-Piano Sound mp3 demo is better than my NS 2 output. Both over the same equipment.

[Stefanie]

Hi elektromin,
this is my experience too. One of the upright pianos ist thes best (grand) piano sound of ns2. But the grand piano sound are ...

[RedLeo]

Hi Stefanie

It is one of the things about the Nord Grand piano sounds that they are very different from other brands like Yamaha and Kawai, and people tend to like or dislike the Nord piano sounds very strongly. It is often people who are used to the Yamaha piano sound who often dislike the Nord sound most. The Yamaha pianos are refined and polished, so the Nord pianos often seem dull and rough by comparison. This is not anyone's fault, it's just the way it is.

It is a shame that you have spent a lot of money on a keyboard where you don't like the piano sound, but it is ok that you don't like them, of course. Everybody has their own likes and dislikes of different pianos.

What you can't do is to "improve" them to sound more like the Yamaha sound. They are what they are, and they will keep their distinctive Nord character whatever you do.

Ok, so you might ask, "but why do they sound like that in the first place?"

The answer is that they capture the sound of a piano just as it really is, without any "enhancement". That is what pianos actually sound like in real life. The problem is that many digital pianos from other brands refine and process their piano sounds so they sound "nicer" but it's not the "real" sound of the piano any more. After you have used these types of sounds for a while, it becomes a surprise to hear the natural sound of the Nord pianos.

You have basically two choices, which is to sell the Nord if the piano sounds are not for you, or to spend some time getting used to them. Most people who don't like the Nord sound at first gradually get used to it and eventually start to realise just how good they are, but it takes time to get over the initial disappointment of how plain they sound compared to other brands.

[Gibbon]

I have no experience of Yamaha keyboards but having spent the last 35 years playing dozens of different acoustic pianos I have absolutely no issues with the Stage2 factory samples. I think they sound great.

I do not not use a keyboard amp, I've had lots of experience with them in the past and they were all crap. That's why I bought a powered mixer and speakers when I "invested" in the Nord.

[pablomastodon]

having spent the last 35 years playing dozens of different acoustic pianos I have absolutely no issues with the Stage2 factory samples. I think they sound great.

many, many people say the same

I do not not use a keyboard amp, I've had lots of experience with them in the past and they were all crap. That's why I bought a powered mixer and speakers when I "invested" in the Nord.

+2 on that observation, except that I use unpowered mixer and drive my boxes with QSC PLX2 1804 amps. They weigh only 13 lbs,, are shallow enough to fit in a effects rack, and most importantly kick some serious booty.

But to get back to OP, it does seem to be true that for as many people who find Nord's pianos to be fabuloso, the occasional person will come along whose tastes run in a different direction. Just the way it is...

Bless,

Pablo

[cphollis]

Once again, i would encourage the OP to seriously consider her amplification. I am *in love* with the Nord piano samples. Then again, I've invested in a great sound system to help all those great sounds come out and reach the audience. A Yamaha Stagepass system is not the answer.

There are plenty of digital pianos that are engineered to sound reasonably good through a sub-standard sound system. If you're bound by your amplification, the answer might be one of the usual DPs out there. But if you're looking for something that transcends the norm, the Nord samples coupled with great amplification does it for me.

[Stefanie]

The demos on the homepage sounds better than the original NS2 Sound (Headphone, Digitalrecorder, Stagepasse, and other amps.) A live gig will be in few month. But it is easier to work with EQ-Euipment for a live performence when you using a good sound as you have a not so good sound. Agree?

[with657]

There are plenty of digital pianos that are engineered to sound reasonably good through a sub-standard sound system.

I am trying to understand the secret of such engineering, but I cannot imagine and it does not make sense either..
I had a chance to play Kwai MP series, also chance to listen someone playing the NI VST piano sound... all are very realistic and impressive...
So, let's face it..NORD is not always the best.

[spradders]

I have had this same struggle since moving from Roland RD700. I found a lot of advice on this forum, but some tips:
1. Pick your favourite, probably the Bosendorfer or Fazioli grand, then spend time on the EQ. Try something like:
treb 4
sweep 4.7
level 5
bass 0.2
Maybe with a little bit of compressor and room reverb.
The EQ makes a MASSIVE difference to the sound. I am compensating for my keyboard amp so experiment with your own settings; I need to make far fewer adjustments through headphones. Also try changing the Dynamic to 1 or 2, it helps bring the sound to life at lower velocity.
2. Try creating a split with the Bdorf in the left and Faz in the right; then you get the best of both sounds. Not sure what the ideal split point is - experiment with the sounds.
3. Post back here when you've found something you love, which I'm sure you will....

It took me a while and I found that the live sound was different again, but now when I play my Roland the sound is bland and lacks expressiveness (even though it cuts through well in all registers through any old amp).