Nord Stage 3, replacing an E-MU sampler?

[awi64]

Hi everyone,

I own a good old E-MU e64 rack sampler (64 Megabtyes of RAM) and a huge collection of beloved sample libraries "made by myself" - for instance my Fender Rhodes 73 sampled in single-note-interval, 2-keystroke-alternating, 3-velocity-layers, 44.1 kHz 16bit mono - in short: 6 samples per key.

Having read the Stage 3 User Manual before I'm going to buy it possibly, I cannot really tell if it's possible to convert my E-MU libraries (or, at a minumum, the uncut .WAV files, one by one) into an adequate Nord Stage 3 custom sample library.

Would that work?
Which specs would I be losing?
The E-MU has not only Envelopes, Filters, loop start/end, but also some other stunning processing features (being a full-fledged sampler of its era) - how does a Nord compete? I'm not saying I need everything, but I have no idea how good a sampler the Nord is.

Replacing my decrepit E-MU would be a very good reason for me to buy a Stage 3 over an Electro 6.

Thanks for your thoughts,
Andreas

[dhbp-nord]

Nord users sample are one velocity layer only, max one sample per key if I am not mistaken.

DH

[Leo Castro]

Hi, the E-Mu specs as a sampler, and despite his age, are very advanced compared with the sample player cappabilities of the Stage 3 (only one sample stereo per key!).
The only positive point is the loading time. I'd owned an E-mu esi32 with scsi cd rom, and know it very well.
IMHO the Stage 3 is a wonderful keyboard, the best pianos, ep's, and organ emulations(at least for my ears), aftertouch, all controls on the front panel, good fx, lightweight, nice design, lot of memory space, fast start, and many more.
Try to play one and judge yourself.

[analogika]

You use the Nord Sample Editor to convert WAV files into .nsmp3 files for use on the Nord Stage. Check out YouTube for some great tutorials/overviews over its capabilities.

LIMITATION: The Nord Stage synth does NOT allow for multi-layered samples, so velocity switching is out. That is unfortunate and a long-standing gripe for many of us, but at present, it doesn't look like it is going to change for existing hardware.

On the Stage itself, the sample can be used as just another waveform, so you have access to the multiple filter modes including overdrive, the two envelopes (which ARE velocity-sensitive), all the effects plus EQ, overdrive, amp simulation, Leslie, compressor, plus layering with a second synth on the other panel, and/or layering with organs and pianos.

My guess is that you will be *very* happy with the synth/sample-playback engine of the Stage 3, despite the lack of velocity layers.

[SOULidarity]

If you used slot a and b, can you set the velocity of the same sample differently so you would essentially get 2 velocity layers?

[awi64]

Very helpful, thank you.
Bummer, nevertheless

The old samplers are just leaving a huge gap...
Although it seems the Nord is like the best replacement available on the market, if it wasn't for carrying a laptop with me on stage

[dhbp-nord]

If you are carrying a laptop, loads of software samplers out there you can import your emu stuff into, with lots of layers available - Kontakt would be one.

DH

[anotherscott]

If you used slot a and b, can you set the velocity of the same sample differently so you would essentially get 2 velocity layers?

No... the whole point of velocity layers is to be able to employ different samples. (You'd want one sound to trigger if you played softly but not loudly, and the other to do the reverse.)

I've wished Nord would let you switch between the slots' synth sounds by velocity. It could have been done if they brought over the morph-by-velocity feature of the Nord Wave. Or they could have had a synth parameter that could affect volume by velocity in a more complete way than you can now (i.e. minimum and maximum velocities that could trigger the synth sound, which you could set differently for your slot A and slot B synth sounds). Or a parameter that simply enables/disables a sound above/below a certain velocity. None of these things require fundamental change to the Stage architecture. Alas, nothing like that has been implemented.

[maxpiano]

Very helpful, thank you.
Bummer, nevertheless

The old samplers are just leaving a huge gap...
Although it seems the Nord is like the best replacement available on the market, if it wasn't for carrying a laptop with me on stage

I would not agree at all that “Nord is like the best replacement available on the market” for an Emu sampler, rather I would consider workstations which can load user samples, such as Yamaha Motif/Montage (or even MoxF), Korg Kronos, Kurzweil PC3k or Forte, ... as the best fit replacement (talking about HW gear, so excluding a computer with Kontakt or any other SW sampler, which would be my personal first choice.)

[analogika]

If you used slot a and b, can you set the velocity of the same sample differently so you would essentially get 2 velocity layers?

No... the whole point of velocity layers is to be able to employ different samples. (You'd want one sound to trigger if you played softly but not loudly, and the other to do the reverse.)

I've wished Nord would let you switch between the slots' synth sounds by velocity. It could have been done if they brought over the morph-by-velocity feature of the Nord Wave. Or they could have had a synth parameter that could affect volume by velocity in a more complete way than you can now (i.e. minimum and maximum velocities that could trigger the synth sound, which you could set differently for your slot A and slot B synth sounds). Or a parameter that simply enables/disables a sound above/below a certain velocity. None of these things require fundamental change to the Stage architecture. Alas, nothing like that has been implemented.

Using the existing architecture, it would suffice to just allow velocity as a morph source. You could assign it to synth volume and have velocity-dependent cross-fade. You wouldn't be able to set velocity cross-fade levels or width, of course, but it would be immensely useful, given that a skilled player can adjust his technique as the sound requires.