Nord User Forum

A new grand piano sample, while always welcome, isn't going to cut it. We need updated boards, specifically the two biggies - the Stage and the Electro. Or even a NEW model, priced competitively, which could really build excitement.

I'm not convinced it will happen. Since so many others are taking a positive tone (and rightly so - we need balance), I will take a negative one and suggest that the company is ossifying, that ownership is aging out, and there is no new generation of management in place to adapt to the market and be responsive not only to the long-standing customer base, but to the changing needs of all digital keyboard users.

The best thing that could happen for Clavia and us is for the company to be sold, soon, preferably to a keyboard company with deep pockets that can fund their R&D and reboot their marketing and customer service. Move or die, as they say.

Gambold wrote:A new grand piano sample, while always welcome, isn't going to cut it. We need updated boards, specifically the two biggies - the Stage and the Electro. Or even a NEW model, priced competitively, which could really build excitement.

I'm not convinced it will happen. Since so many others are taking a positive tone (and rightly so - we need balance), I will take a negative one and suggest that the company is ossifying, that ownership is aging out, and there is no new generation of management in place to adapt to the market and be responsive not only to the long-standing customer base, but to the changing needs of all digital keyboard users.

The best thing that could happen for Clavia and us is for the company to be sold, soon, preferably to a keyboard company with deep pockets that can fund their R&D and reboot their marketing and customer service. Move or die, as they say.

To be honest recently i sold a yamaha montage 8 and the client let me unbox it and try it for 1 day at my home.. i must say that the technology of it impressed me.. but still we see everywhere nord instruments in the big bands and gigs

maxpiano wrote:

sonicblue wrote:Especially that competition never sleeps. Let's take the Studiologic Numa X pianos. Such a modern product outperforming Nord current lineup in many aspects and... half the price!

Though a very good product I don't see Numa X Piano as a competitor of all Nord products, to be honest; first of all because it lacks a modeled Organ engine (so this cuts it out of comparison with Nord Electro/Stage) and also a VA (as the Stage has); if you compare it to the Nord Piano family instead I agree, it is a competitor.

Numa X Piano + Numa Compact 2x and you have almost all you mention with very nice stage capabilities

Indeed looking at history lineup of Clavia products one can see conservatism in everything. Does it reflect aging mangement? I wouldn't go so far, but eventually I also look for the product that I need and its price. Do I need to fall in love with the company and its staff? Not necessarely. Let they do what they should: make great pianos and ugrade them on time

Gambold wrote:The best thing that could happen for Clavia and us is for the company to be sold, soon, preferably to a keyboard company with deep pockets that can fund their R&D and reboot their marketing and customer service. Move or die, as they say.

Heavens, no!

The last thing we need is for Nord to become a tiny division of some massive conglomerate with six hundred bean counters in accounting. Where they’re just two numbers on a balance sheet.

Next, somebody will suggest that they could reduce prices and sell 100x the number of keyboards if they moved manufacturing to China.

Well yeah. Those things could happen. They would end Nord as we know it, and I’m not sure why the company — or we —would want that to happen.

Gambold wrote:We need updated boards, specifically the two biggies - the Stage and the Electro. Or even a NEW model, priced competitively, which could really build excitement.

*They*, maybe, need them to stay in business, but do "we" really need any of that?

Arguably the only big gap in Clavia's catalogue, hardware-wise, is a dual manual organ, a new iteration of which would certainly be desirable to some users (and maybe not even the majority). But as far as pianos and synths go, is there so much wrong with the current line of hardware?

No offense meant Gambold (and if you sense one I do take the blame), but there's often something in your wording that gives the gist that what you're doing is to be merely representing some shared common sentiment among people that's "finally time to bring out because someone has to do it", when it is in fact nothing but your personal point of view. Nothing wrong with having a point of view, but I would be a bit more careful in dressing that up as if it were an objective truth, especially when it concerns people's tastes and wishes, or the management of a keyboard company...

Those who are the most pessimistic usually end up being right. That said, although I don't think there's anything seriously wrong with their business right now, and I sure wouldn't want Clavia to be sold off to, say, Korg for the reasons analogika explained... I too hope for a few changes in their marketing: Gambold is totally right about that. With how many keyboards they sell and the average price they ask for, I'm surprised Nord are still such a relatively small company, personnel-wise. Hiring a couple people for marketing and PR, and/or an extra software engineer to speed development cycles up (the Sample Library 4 took so long despite being so underwhelming) wouldn't kill them!

analogika wrote:

Gambold wrote:The best thing that could happen for Clavia and us is for the company to be sold, soon, preferably to a keyboard company with deep pockets that can fund their R&D and reboot their marketing and customer service. Move or die, as they say.

Heavens, no!

The last thing we need is for Nord to become a tiny division of some massive conglomerate with six hundred bean counters in accounting. Where they’re just two numbers on a balance sheet.

Next, somebody will suggest that they could reduce prices and sell 100x the number of keyboards if they moved manufacturing to China.

Well yeah. Those things could happen. They would end Nord as we know it, and I’m not sure why the company — or we —would want that to happen.

+1

Nord was my first piano and I have a fondness for it, a sentiment. I think Nord and Apple share a similar brand fame & magic, must have factor or hype for. You want to spend a fortune on it, even though it is not the best you could buy with the money. You want to impress, show off in your community. I don't know what does it make. iPhone is manufactured in China, so probably not a production method. There is simply a huge commercial potential in Nord products and this brand. So in fact, there would be a lot of businesses willing to take it over. But probably it's not for sale... yet... how long?

> but I would be a bit more careful in dressing that up as if it were an objective truth<

i have no idea what that means. I'm just another poster on this board, as full of sh*t as anyone else here...

To "dress something up as an objective truth" would seem to call for statistics, or survey results, or a verified quote from a Clavia insider...something other than my own yakking.

If you are taking my posts as having the impact or air of objective truths, I suppose I should be flattered. However, I shant be "more careful" about expressing an opinion that may go against the stream. Certainly those opinions here that are fulsome in their praise of all things Nord are never accused of dressing up....