Nord User Forum

The following is a quick guide to getting a semblance of velocity layering on (probably) any Nord keyboard that supports 2 or more sample layers. This will produce more defined results than attempting velocity xfades using only your Nord's native tools.

I do not fancy myself a hacker or computer programmer, so if I can do this, you can do it too. Shame on Clavia for not just telling us, since it took me all of 10 minutes to figure out. That said, I assume no risk for your poor choices, yadda yadda yadda. If you brick your computer or your Nord Stage by screwing with Sample Editor projects, that's on you.

Now, I'm only going to say this once, so listen well, even though I know some of you won't listen: this procedure requires a Nord Sample Editor PROJECT. It must be as yet UNCOMPILED. IT WILL NOT WORK WITH FINISHED .NSMP3 FILES!!!! Presumably it will work with .nsmp and .nsmp4, but I've only tested it on the Stage 3, which is why I'm posting here. This hack is made possible by the quasi-human-readability of the Nord Sample Editor .nsmpproj files. In theory, if somebody with more knowledge could explain the .nsmpproj architecture, more developments into more customized sample patches could be made. There are MANY more parameters (such as one-shot mode, tuning per note independent of zone/sample tuning, dynamic EQ bands, and more) that are not accessible from the GUI of Nord Sample Editor. Some of these are probably used in creation of Nord Piano files. This suggests to me that there is a possibility of authoring a sample set with multiple velocity layers, but it is beyond my technical ability, and I fussed with Nord Sample Editor for a good 5 hours yesterday trying to make it happen. Today, I am here only for the task at hand: the level 1 sample velocity hack.

Without further ado, here's how to cook up a 2-layer sample patch on a Nord Stage 3.

1. Build your sample sets in Nord Sample Editor. If you want to remember which layer is which, you could do as I have done, appending p (piano) to one and f (forte) to the other. Save the projects, don't export yet.
2. Determine the point of velocity split. In the provided example, I am splitting at 95/96.
3. Open the .nsmpproj for both sample sets in your text editor of choice.
4. In the p file, find and replace all instances of "m_velocityMax = 127" with the 127 changed to your chosen split low value. Save the file.
5. In the f file, find and replace all instances of "m_velocityMin = 0" with the 0 changed to your chosen split high value. Save the file.
6. Open Nord Sample Editor and transfer both sample sets to your NS3.
7. Select (e.g.) panel A and load the p set to it. Repeat with panel B and the f set.
8. Make any desired modifications to FX, amp / filter, etc.
9. Save your program, et voilà: you have finally shunted your Nord's sample playback capability a shade closer to what it always should have been.

NOTE: since the 2 sample layers are on two different panels, they will not use the same FX unless you copy them 1:1 between panels. You may choose to view this as a pain in the rear or as potential for very expressive sound design with (for example) delay throws or a longer reverb on your f layer.

This process is fast and painless on the Stage 3. Experimentation could be rewarding, such as a timpani and piatti combo that only sound at high velocities layered with an orchestra patch. The implications for boards with 3 or more layers are vast. If you have a Stage 4 — lucky you, you could program the Kurzweil Triple Strike Grand if you wanted. A Wave 2? FOUR distinct layers. I'm salivating.

(For those curious: this demo uses Kurzweil PC2X vox samples.)

• msld-doo-dot.mp3

Very cool idea - can't wait to try it out.

Very interesting finding! So it seems the "seed" for managing velocity layers is already in the .nsmpproj, somehow; thanks for sharing!

PS: it would cost so little to Nord to at least give access to these already existing parameters from the GUI of Nord Sample Editor. Hope thy are considering that, let's see...

Using Stage 3 (and 2), very interesting for samples with 2 layer that will indeed "eat" both panels but will trigger on velocity ! Thanks !!
Thinking of some disco fall strings combination (post10627.html) or brass with swell based on velocity (post112632.html).


Do I understand correctly that Stage 4 or Wave 2 could have a 3 or 4 "velocity layers" per program ?

Fred

maxpiano wrote:Very interesting finding! So it seems the "seed" for managing velocity layers is already in the .nsmpproj, somehow; thanks for sharing!

PS: it would cost so little to Nord to at least give access to these already existing parameters from the GUI of Nord Sample Editor. Hope thy are considering that, let's see...

Yep, would be great if they do!
If they also add the option to read the loop points from the WAV it would make my tool (see footer) obsolete

New idea: Multi-velocity in one layer
Would'n it be possible to add multiple samples in the same range in the project files with different velocity levels? This way you don't need to have multiple layers.
It seems the velocity range change is not filtered by the Nord Sample Editor. Perhaps dual samples at the same keyrange, but different velocity ranges is also possible!
This would imply many new solutions!
The engine of Nord is capable of playing those setups as the piano section had multiple layers.

Nice finding

Eriknie wrote:...Perhaps dual samples at the same keyrange, but different velocity ranges is also possible!...

Worth the try for sure but doubt this would work
I remember having max 3 samples per zone in the NSE tool but Nord consider them as "takes" with in the end the selection of 1 take out of 3 (per zone).

Some digging in the structure (without Nord support) will be needed (m_Zone, m_GlobalID, m_id, ...) but I'm sure some experts here will test if it is possible to assign more than 1 sample to a zone assignment based on velocity.
Keep us posted !

Fred

Eriknie wrote: New idea: Multi-velocity in one layer
Would'n it be possible to add multiple samples in the same range in the project files with different velocity levels? This way you don't need to have multiple layers.

Actually that was one of my first tests. Unfortunately as has been mentioned, NSE treats these as round robins. My NE6/NS3 will only play one of the samples, even if I have them occupying different velocity ranges.

My suspicion is that the key to unlocking multiple velocities in a single file lies with the "map" class (… div? struct? param? var? I don't know what to call it) inside the NSE project file format. My best guess is that you can only have one sample (or set of samples all occupying the same velocity range if using NSL4.0-compatible boards) in a "map." You must therefore hack multiple "maps" into being within a NSE project file to get true multi-velocity sample playback. But the syntax of the NSE project file remains inscrutable to me. I do not have the brain for this.

Funny trivia: I made a short 20-second video about this on TikTok and the Nord Keyboards account liked my video. Wish they had said something. Maybe time to make a YouTube video taking them to task for their tight lips.

Sharing few things here, after few tests.
* the velocity hack DOES NOT WORK for nsmp (v2) format. This is bad news as I was expecting to feed my Stage 2 Didn't test the nsmp4 format but it should be compatible
* testing with a single WAV thrown in an NSMP3 : the values of velocity min/max are stored in HEX @0000-03ED and 03EE. Problem is there is a 4 digit value change @0000-018 to 0000-001B that I suspect to be some CRC calculation. BTW, the CRC value in the Project file ("m_crc") is not the same value as the one stored in the NSMP3..
* Appreciate Nord to at least include the velocity values in the NSE when creating our own samples !

Fred

Testing velocity split @63 for this DeepDrum sound made of 25 Hard and 25 Soft samples : File comparison from standard nsmp3 shows the 4 bytes of CRC (0018-001B) and the 25 bytes changed from 127 to 64 (respectively 0 to 63) (from 03ED onwards).
I'll make the ns3f and the mp3 when I get closer to my Stage 3.

Fred