Nord User Forum

I played for many years in a Beatles tribute band, so I have a number of programs that may be useful to the community. I will share them in this topic, one for each post.

Recommendations:
1- these sounds were programmed on a NS2 88 HA: if you're using a 76 HP or 73 SW, you will sometimes run out of space for the splits, and/or you will have to adapt them.
2- most (maybe all) of the non-piano sounds make extensive use of morphs, always for volume and sometimes for several parameters. Make sure you have a control pedal connected!
3- we played 1 semitone lower to give the singers some breath. If you want to play in the original key, don't forget to turn off the Transpose button!
4- these sounds were programmed to be played in a full tribute band (we learned the parts note from note from the Sacred White Book with all Beatles' songs), with 2 guitars covering the original guitar parts and sometimes a second keyboard player for the most complex songs. So, no shortcuts! If you need a "generic" beatles patch that will allow you to go through a song without a full band, you will not find it here, sorry!
5- All the files are in .ns2p format, you will see the necessary pianos and samples once loaded in the Nord Sound Manager or even better, using the great program viewer app created by our fellow forum member florence ( nord-stage-forum-f3/ns3-program-viewer-t19939.html ). Anyway, if there is some obscure sample that you cannot find, just ask!
I'm not uploading mp3 demos because all pianos and samples are standard ones found in the main Clavia website or here in the forum/nordusersounds.

I only used this one file of sound effects I made myself (Jet plane for Back in the USSR, bubbles for Octopus' Garden, and various claps and cowbells), to be used in a split configuration on the bottom part of the keyboard. There are sounds only on some white keys, the others (and all blacks) only have silence, to minimize the risk of hitting the wrong sound. C1-D1-E1= 3 different claps (sound best when played all together, to give the sense of a clapping group). G1-A1= 2 cowbells, one brighter and one deeper (these have a higher volume than the other samples, careful!). C2=bubbles for Octopus's Garden. E2=jet plane for Back in the USSR (when used with the Hold function, it will loop endlessly).
These claps and bells can be loud, always mind the volume pedal!

I want to hold your hand.
A simple program with just piano and claps on the bottom octave. Also usable for Eight days a week, I saw her standing there and all the early rock'n'roll songs which usually had just piano (or not even that) and lots of claps, cowbells, etc. For Back in the USSR, use the jet plane on key E2 in combination with the Hold function: it will repeat ad libitum (if playing at the correct tempo, it shold be more or less in time with the song...not that it's really important)

All you Need is Love.
Harpsichord on the bottom left split, strings in the middle, trumpet on the right.

And Your Bird Can Sing.
Piano with the usual effects sample in the bottom split: this time use the cowbells (MORE COWBELLS!!! )

Birthday.
Another simple one: honky-tonk piano and organ. But for full effect, you also have to play the tambourine like I was doing!

A bright piano patch, very simple (just the Silver Grand with some EQ). I used it for the pure rock'n'roll songs, to better cut through the mix.

A Hard Day's Night.
Another simple "piano + fx" one.

A simple harmonica patch for "From me to You", "Please please me" etc. Volume by the control pedal, vibrato with the mod wheel.

Hello Goodbye.
3 splits with organ, piano and violins. On this one we also had the 2nd keyboard player playing the ostinato 1/8 notes piano part, so I was playing the organ and violin parts. The piano on the 3rd split was only to add some mess on the final fade out. Anyway, it can easily be used for the main part by extending the split zone to have a few more keys.

Ok, I have work to do now, will post others in the next days. I have many more to come!