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Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 06:15
by davewhipple
Hi! I've been a Nord fan and owner for many years (Electro 5, Electro 2, OG Lead 1), and I'm considering investing in a Stage 4. My only gripe is that Nord's clavinet sound is totally uninspiring to my ears. Having played and owned a real clav for years, the lack of release samples and a mute option is a big drawback for me. Nord team: Is there any roadmap for Nord upgrading the clav sound any time soon? Has anyone successfully added a release sound to the current Nord clav by layering in the synth on the Stage? Thanks!
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 09:09
by FZiegler
The Nord User Forum is not affiliated to the Nord enterprise. You might open a support ticket on the Nord web site.
I highly support your two points: release sound and mute sound for the clav would be great. I don't see how you should be able to use the synth section of any Nord to add the former, unfortunately. It might be doable on an external platform.
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 10:48
by vojtech-h
Morphing could help with changing the volume on Stage, right?
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 12:08
by RNais
It probably is a good idea to contact Nord directly via the feedback page on their website. I recently sent them a message regarding the clavinet, Rhodes and other keyboard samples that haven’t been renewed/refreshed/upgraded in a fair few years.
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 18:05
by Gambold
>You might open a support ticket on the Nord web site.<
>It probably is a good idea to contact Nord directly via the feedback page on their website.<
Yeah, let us know how that goes (suppresses loud snort). You could also try a carrier pigeon, or smoke signals if you are in the Stockholm area. Both methods are just as likely to get a response from Nord as using the contact links on their website.
I would also suggest semaphore but I don't think anyone working at the Nord hideout looks out a window. The place looks like the Riddler might be hiding out there (the red building in the photo).
The Hohner sample is 14 years old...it's a pretty safe bet that if they haven't updated it by now, they never will.
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 18:32
by FZiegler
Gambold wrote: ↑27 Feb 2025, 18:05
The Hohner sample is 14 years old...it's a pretty safe bet that if they haven't updated it by now, they never will.
This is one interpretation. The other: They already have a new Clavinet sound, but it's based on physical modelling. Which isn't supported by the piano engine on Nord hardware yet. So something that is to come some day. Just my blue sky thinking.
(in reality, I'm on cphollis' side - see
below; and hope for the moment, we won't get one of those evenly polished sounds)
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 19:40
by RNais
Gambold wrote: ↑27 Feb 2025, 18:05
>You might open a support ticket on the Nord web site.<
>It probably is a good idea to contact Nord directly via the feedback page on their website.<
Yeah, let us know how that goes (suppresses loud snort). You could also try a carrier pigeon, or smoke signals if you are in the Stockholm area. Both methods are just as likely to get a response from Nord as using the contact links on their website.
I would also suggest semaphore but I don't think anyone working at the Nord hideout looks out a window. The place looks like the Riddler might be hiding out there (the red building in the photo).
The Hohner sample is 14 years old...it's a pretty safe bet that if they haven't updated it by now, they never will.
I'll let you know right now how that went - I received no response, unsurprisingly. I didn't particularly expect one though, and nor am I particularly expecting any updated samples, sadly. It doesn't seem like Nord are particularly active anymore in producing new samples, and I think you're correct that they're not keen on listening to customer feedback either. But the feedback page is there, so I gave them my feedback.
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 27 Feb 2025, 20:34
by cphollis
RNais wrote: ↑27 Feb 2025, 19:40
Gambold wrote: ↑27 Feb 2025, 18:05
>You might open a support ticket on the Nord web site.<
>It probably is a good idea to contact Nord directly via the feedback page on their website.<
Yeah, let us know how that goes (suppresses loud snort). You could also try a carrier pigeon, or smoke signals if you are in the Stockholm area. Both methods are just as likely to get a response from Nord as using the contact links on their website.
I would also suggest semaphore but I don't think anyone working at the Nord hideout looks out a window. The place looks like the Riddler might be hiding out there (the red building in the photo).
The Hohner sample is 14 years old...it's a pretty safe bet that if they haven't updated it by now, they never will.
I'll let you know right now how that went - I received no response, unsurprisingly. I didn't particularly expect one though, and nor am I particularly expecting any updated samples, sadly. It doesn't seem like Nord are particularly active anymore in producing new samples, and I think you're correct that they're not keen on listening to customer feedback either. But the feedback page is there, so I gave them my feedback.
The "killer samples" market is dominated by software instruments, not hardware ones. If you want a killer clavinet/piano/EP/etc. sound, start evaluating VSTs.
My personal metric: "is it good enough for the purpose at hand?" In our band, I use clavs on several tunes, and find with a little stroking I can get pretty close to the sound in my head, including an example I posted recently. That being said, I'm not after the ultimate perfect clav recreation -- as any nuance or subtlety would be lost in the mix.
I have zero expectations that Nord will somehow start investing in entirely new samples, as -- generally speaking -- the vast library of what they already have are pretty good for what I do.
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 28 Feb 2025, 04:55
by Gambold
>I have zero expectations that Nord will somehow start investing in entirely new samples<
Which means they've changed their business plan, which used to promise regular updates. It's sadly true - they have removed all language in that regard from their website. So...enjoy the Soft Grand, everyone...it just might be the Last of the Mohicans.
Re: Any chance of getting a new clavinet sound?
Posted: 28 Feb 2025, 19:26
by tsss27
FZiegler wrote: ↑27 Feb 2025, 18:32This is one interpretation. The other: They already have a new Clavinet sound, but it's based on physical modelling. Which isn't supported by the piano engine on Nord hardware yet. So something that is to come some day. Just my blue sky thinking.
That would be great, but there is nothing to suggest this will ever happen. I do hope that more companies include modeling for instruments besides organs and synths. Korg, Crumar and Viscount have experimented with EP's and clavinets. I just don't see Nord making a huge change like that. They seem to be perfectly content pushing out minor updates to what they already have.