Nord User Forum

Hi,

I was in the process of sampling my Novation KS5 when I started to think about the 'Sample Alt Start' function on the Nord Stage 2, which can be altered with the 'SKIP SAMP ATK' function (which I think is also available on the Wave but not sure about the Electro 3/4).

I started to think whether or not this could be used to create sample instruments with different sounds on the same slot - one using the original attack element and the other using an alternative start point. I experimented using Audacity software to make a multi-sample using two distinct sounds in order to test my theory. Using only Audacity and the Nord Sample Editor, I was indeed able to make a sample and a program which I was able to use with my control pedal as a morph source to switch between different sounds on the same Slot.

This really does open up some possibilities for the Stage 2 which, I am sure Nord where aware when they designed the skip function but it has never really been highlighted or explained in any way.

I am aware that there has been a request for a reverse piano sample so I had a quick go sampling the Bright Grand (only 1 note per octave) and again, using Audacity, made a multi sample with original and reversed waves. I then made a program and added a bit of velocity filtering etc and voila, a piano sample which you can play either forwards or backwards on one Slot using the Control pedal (without using the piano section).

I've attached the sample and the Stage 2 program and a very short demo which uses a little bit of compresion and reverb.

Have fun and lets see if we can get a collection of alternative start point samples on this forum to share.

Geoff

• Nord Bright Reverse Piano Demo.mp3

Awesome!!!
On other workstations I played I liked to play with the Filter, Envelopes etc. also for Piano sound, something that is not straigtforward on the NS2 at least in the Piano section.
But playing around in particular with the Attack of a Piano can get really interesting results, so definitively will load this one as soon as I get back to my NS2, sounds really awesome! Thanks Geoff for sharing!!

Bright idea
Thanks for sharing.

Fantastic!! Thanks man!

Oh... this is indeed interesting. Could you please explain a bit better how does the principle work?
I presume the original piano starts at time 0, but if you are reversing the piano on the same sample (I guess that the reversed sound starts after the normal one?), how do you prevent to hear the reversed version too? Is it by carefully using the decay so the sound ends before the reversed section starts?

Mr_-G- wrote:Oh... this is indeed interesting. Could you please explain a bit better how does the principle work?
I presume the original piano starts at time 0, but if you are reversing the piano on the same sample (I guess that the reversed sound starts after the normal one?), how do you prevent to hear the reversed version too? Is it by carefully using the decay so the sound ends before the reversed section starts?

I'll try and explain this in more detail tomorrow when I get back from work.

Essentially it's two samples placed one after the other (forward piano first, reverse piano after). 'Original' sample start positon is for the forward piano and the alternative sample start point is for the reverse piano.

You have to adjust decay time so that you you don't run from one sample into the other, although I think I can work round this but this will require the creation of individual samples for each ocatve rather than a multisample - multisamples are much easier and less time consuming to make.

My understanding is that the multisample algorithm on the Nord Sample Editor looks for gaps to determine the start and end of samples. the trick with running a multisample to create two samples with different start points is to not leave too big a gap or indeed any gap at all between the first and second samples.

I'll try and explain this all a bit better tomorrow but I am glad people can maybe see a use for this.

Geoff

phreaking brilliant

Good job !
Skip alt start not aviable on NE3....
Thanks for NS2 / Wave user.

Hmm... If the decay is shaping the sound and decays the "forward" section before it reaches the "reversed" one, when playing the reverse section starting at the alt start, I guess that it would not reach the "attack" of the reversed sample?
Do you change the relative lengths of these? or are there any tips to calculate exactly how to construct these samples?

Further to my post of 28 October I have now drafted a quick 'Unofficial Guide to Using the Alt Sample Start Point' which I have attached as a pdf document.

I hope this helps explain the process a little more clearly than earlier posts.

I shall contact Nord and see if they can posibly consider future improvements to the Sample Editor to make this process more effective and to open up even greater possibilties (I'm thinking velocity layers). It would be great if they would allow me access to their wav files so I can make some alternative start samples for them from their existing material.

Anyway, would welcome the feedback from others if this document is helpful.

Kind Regards

Geoff