Nord User Forum

Hi Guys,

Does anyone know how many velocity layers the large Boesendorfer piano (Grand 1 as default on the Stage 2) has?

I have never played anything like it! My Stage 2 is still quite new and I have recently been lucky enough to add a Kronos 73 to my studio, however the Nord piano is so much more expressive and alive. (Even though the Kronos grand piano samples are multi-GB files!)

I'm interested to know how many layers Nord have used. And is there any modelling involved in the piano section of the Stage 2, or is it purely sample playback? (I think I read somewhere that when you repeat the same note really fast and you get that weird resonance that happens when you repeat a note on an acoustic piano, Nord have used some kind of modelling there...)

Interested to hear any feedback!

Cheers,
Mike

Hi Guys,

Does anyone have any info to share about this?

Cheers,
Mike

Hi Mike,

AFAIK there is no official info about that. See also this older topic: http://www.norduserforum.com/nord-stage ... html#p5551

There is a pretty good analysis based on recordings from the Grand Lady D here: http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthre ... ost1515962
and the authors' best guess is around 30 strech zones (or recorded keys over the 88 key range) and around 7 velocity layers. Moreover, looping is obviously used to keep the file size in the range we see it.
But they also say that 7 vel layers might be too much given the small sample size but some filtering might be used instead etc. On top you have the string resonance, all the extras etc., so there are definitively some things going on beyond pure sampling (you could call it Physical Modeling even though it is very different from pure PM based on a mathematical model of an instrument).
After all, it's only numbers and if you like it it's good otherwise keep looking. I think that looping is also extremely important, and they have to take measures to avoid it being too evident. But agin, if you like it, just be happy