Nord User Forum

Unfortunately Nord Stage 4 without song mode is almost useless on Stage. LOL

Your signature indicates an NS2 which does not have a song mode either... Just out of curiosity, do you consider it 'almost useless' as well?

It wasn't useless, but in my Nord Stage 2 days my needs were basic, using few programs dedicated to specific songs. With the Nord Stage 3 I was able to create a new tone pattern. A new life without this magnificent tool called Song Mode would be a big problem. In addition, song mode is quite usefull for stage musiccians. I'm hoping the developers will reconsider this in a new version or in Nord Stage 5.

If you don't mind burning a lot of patch space, you can organize patches similar to Song mode (albeit without naming each Song).

On the NS4 we have 8 programs per bank.
I've never needed more than four patch changes per song... so I arrange each song like this:

"Song 1"
1-2-3-4 (patch buttons)

"Song 2"
5-6-7-8 (patch buttons)

Instead of using the Program dial to select the next Song, I use the Bank Button.
Each bank contains two songs.

At a gig, this method is pretty close to the NS3's Song Mode.

I was initially worried about the lack of song mode on the NS4, but what replaces it works better for me than song mode on the NS3.

Each section (organ, piano, synth) has its own preset memory along with its FX. I do most of my programming at the section preset level.

When it's time to put together a NS4 program (or NS3 song), it's as easy as picking a few go-to presets and hitting save.

There is also the "Layer II" feature which is like a different slider preset for the same program. That simple feature can cover a lot of songs that require a distinct A and B voicing.

For the more complex stuff, I just embed a number in the sequence and it's a few extra steps to reorganize. There are 512 program slots, so room for many setlists that way.

Jim Roseberry wrote:If you don't mind burning a lot of patch space, you can organize patches similar to Song mode (albeit without naming each Song).

On the NS4 we have 8 programs per bank.
I've never needed more than four patch changes per song... so I arrange each song like this:

"Song 1"
1-2-3-4 (patch buttons)

"Song 2"
5-6-7-8 (patch buttons)

Instead of using the Program dial to select the next Song, I use the Bank Button.
Each bank contains two songs.

At a gig, this method is pretty close to the NS3's Song Mode.

Thank you Jim to expose your solution. It looks reasonable, even than song mode sounds more natural.

cphollis wrote:I was initially worried about the lack of song mode on the NS4, but what replaces it works better for me than song mode on the NS3.

Each section (organ, piano, synth) has its own preset memory along with its FX. I do most of my programming at the section preset level.

When it's time to put together a NS4 program (or NS3 song), it's as easy as picking a few go-to presets and hitting save.

There is also the "Layer II" feature which is like a different slider preset for the same program. That simple feature can cover a lot of songs that require a distinct A and B voicing.

For the more complex stuff, I just embed a number in the sequence and it's a few extra steps to reorganize. There are 512 program slots, so room for many setlists that way.

Great cphllis, this is another way to minimize the lack of song mode. I'll research about this, maybe try to find a video that explain this option.

Zivanovitch wrote:

Jim Roseberry wrote:If you don't mind burning a lot of patch space, you can organize patches similar to Song mode (albeit without naming each Song).

Thank you Jim to expose your solution. It looks reasonable, even than song mode sounds more natural.

Song Mode is a more elegant solution... but this works similar.

If the layer II feature would allow selecting completely different settings/patches, that would be magnificent. I rely on Bandhelper on my iPad and/or smartphone to manage setlists, but switching between chorus and verse is easier using the layer II button

Graspieper wrote:If the layer II feature would allow selecting completely different settings/patches, that would be magnificent. I rely on Bandhelper on my iPad and/or smartphone to manage setlists, but switching between chorus and verse is easier using the layer II button

Unfortunately it's very limiting, especially if using just the Organ section where you can't even switch on or off the various effects. I was hoping for much more.