Nord User Forum

Trying to understand the difference between Patches, Programs, and Samples

I get Program and samples, but what is a Patch in the nord context? Is it a Program or a Preset?

The terms "patches," "programs," and "presets" are often used interchangeably, but they can have slightly different meanings depending on the specific instrument or software being discussed.

Typically, a "patch" refers to a specific combination of settings that determine the sound produced by a synthesizer or keyboard. These settings may include parameters such as oscillator types, filter settings, envelopes, effects, and more. Patches are essentially the configurations that generate a particular sound or tone.

A "program" is often used to describe a stored or selected patch on a synthesizer or keyboard. It refers to a specific sound or preset that can be recalled and played. Programs are usually organized and stored within a sound bank or memory location of the instrument.

On the other hand, a "preset" usually refers to a factory-default or pre-installed program or patch that comes with the keyboard or synthesizer. Presets are often designed by the manufacturer to showcase various sounds and capabilities of the instrument. Users can select and play these presets without having to create their own patches or programs from scratch.

KenNord4 wrote:Trying to understand the difference between Patches, Programs, and Samples

I get Program and samples, but what is a Patch in the nord context? Is it a Program or a Preset?

On the Nord Keyboards site, Nord uses "patch" and "program" somewhat interchangeably; I've done the same going back to the 80s with my Prophets.

KenNord4 wrote:Trying to understand the difference between Patches, Programs, and Samples

I get Program and samples, but what is a Patch in the nord context? Is it a Program or a Preset?

In Nord Speak Patches are called Programs which are sounds and settings made up of a combination of sections and parts i.e. Organ A, B, Piano A, B, Synth A, B, C and effects. The Synth Section has both synths and samples. Presets are factory sounds which can be loaded into the various sections/parts. The NS3 had Song mode which was a collection of programs, which has sadly been discontinued on the NS4.

In my eyes, the term 'patch' is rarely used by Nord themselves at present. May have been different in the past.

You probably know that a program is a sound configuration for your whole instrument, whereas a preset is meant to be a preconfiguration of settings in a section (piano, organ, synth). The meaning has slightly changed from NS3 to NS4 as the effects settings are now part of any preset (which wasn't the case with the NS3 that only had organ and synth presets). You know that you now have a preset library and can easily put together individual programs with presets from the different sections (from single and multi layer presets in case of the piano and the synth section, only dual layer in case of the organ section).

If you know that a patch initially was a storable and/or selectable bunch of settings for a specific synth to represent a sound and is now used for a storable momentary configuration of multitimbral instruments, too, it is up to you what you mean by 'patch'. In my eyes, this is not a precisely defined thing in Nord context. Probably, most users will think of the modern (multitimbral) version of the meaning in the first place. I tend not to use the term 'patch' in Nord context.

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses!

Not talking about Programs here. Patches in the Patch Library.

How many slots are in each "Patch Library"? Organ, Piano, & Synth.
Are they all set? Or are there empty slots for custom patches?