Nord Piano 4 Stage Piano Demo
hey guys Jacob Duprey here in Sweetwater
I’m sure you already recognize this
bright red keyboard here they’re on
stages all over the world and a favorite
among professional pianists and this
right here is the nord piano for it’s
got some new features from the previous
model and I’m excited to tell you about
them one of the new features in the
nord-pas-de-calais gato and then I’ll
change it to a piano sound and you won’t
hear the strings drop out when I change
the program knob the strings will
continue to sound into the next sound so
here we go
the next new features in the keyboard
split and layer functions so let me just
take you through that real quick right
now I don’t have any of the sound on so
that’s one of the things about Nord says
you can turn the different engines off
so pianos off pianos on when they’re
both off you will get no sound if I turn
on piano now I’ll get the grand Imperial
sound that I have dialed up and then if
I want a layer I just simply turn the
sample synth and now I’ve got Orchestra
strings on top of that
now if I want to split it’s very easy
and I there’s two settings I can either
go between synth pianos so synth on the
left hand with it whichever sounds in
the sample synth section in the left and
then the piano and the right or switched
with pianos engine over here in the
synth appear so when I click keyboard
split first it’s on piano synth so now
the pianos down here
and the sample sent sub-top
and now if I want to flip them actually
I’m going to add some reverb here the
reverb section is very easy on the end
give it a little bit of from dry to wet
here it’s just a little dry it’s good to
hear the dry sounds as well but I want
some reverb in there so now I want to go
from I don’t want piano in synth of this
way I want to flip it so now I just
click this now I’ve got synth over here
which is the strings and I’ve got piano
on top more reverb
it’s very easy to set the split point
which you can see right now is set where
this green light is so that’s where the
sound split so it’s the right I have a
saxophone and then down here I have a
cloth and I’ve also engaged the wah
effect so I can change the rate like
this I love that sound so to change the
split point it’s very easy you have to
use the same button that you used before
to do synth piano or piano synth split
left and right so you click shift this
time and click that button and now you
have a new menu and so what you do is
you cycle over to split position and see
right now it’s set on f4 and as I change
it the split will change depending on
where I want it so if it’s here the
split points here now there’s a new
feature where you know some of you may
notice if you played keyboards
traditionally a lot of times that split
point you kind of got to be careful when
you play around that point right because
if you plan a melody that kind of goes
into the next instrument you know one
way or the other it’s gonna be kind of a
harsh transition like if you’re you know
you’re playing this well that sounds
kind of goofy so they’ve come up with a
way to remedy that and it’s by changing
the split with so what its gonna do is
if you do end up getting into a line
that goes plat pass that split point it
will be a little bit more of a gradual
change rather than so stark so the first
setting is small so I’ll start down here
and go up and you’ll see how the sound
down here so the klav sound will
transition into the saxophone sound
so see how that is opposed to when it’s
off here that it makes it so much more
musical and then especially like in the
context of a band or performance that
would be that would sound great
there is another setting if you change
it to large now the amount of time that
it takes for it to switch between one
sound the other will be longer it
extends the range so so I’ll just play a
scale again with it on small so you can
hear that and then the same thing on
large
so again that’s a really great new
feature if you’re new to Nord one of the
basic functionalities of it is the
ability to store programs right so this
wheel over here is your main program
menu which is all a program is is
different combinations of the two
engines your piano sample synth and
different combinations of effects if you
use the EQ you use the amp over here or
the compressor or the reverb and any of
the other settings that you do and you
then can store that as a program so for
instance if I go to a 14 which right now
is chamber strings but I want to change
it to something else
I can turn the synth off I can say I
want to be piano so I’ll make it this
upright sound
and I want Hall reverb and I want it
about right there
I want to EQ it I want it to be a little
bit brighter up top so I’m going to EQ
it and so on and so forth and maybe you
do turn the sim the synth section and
you create a layer with cellos then once
you’ve done that all you have to do is
go view here go over here to store store
program two and there it is so now if I
get away from it and then I go back to
that program a14 there’s my sound I just
set up and if you want to rename your
sound that’s very easy to do on the
keyboard as well shift store as and now
I can push ABC and I can go through and
I can change it I can call it whatever I
want change the letters like that
click store and there it is another new
feature of the Nord piano 4 is an
enhanced organization mode or organized
mode which is easy to get to if you
click shift and you click the 4th
program button here which has organized
that gets you to organize and now I can
either swap or move different programs
around so essentially it lets me reorder
them this is really useful to you if you
know you have a setlist and you want to
put your sounds in order of your show a
lot of people including myself I use
Nords on a lot of my professional gigs
this Nord stage and being able to
reorder these programs and order them
all according to the setlist of the show
I’m going to play it’s really useful one
of the reasons why I like Nord and this
new feature is very cool for the Nord
piano 4 so if I want to go here and I
click swap now you see the little arrows
under program a 11 and if I take the
wheel and go down and then click OK now
I’ve moved it and swapped it now I can
also well I’ve swapped it now I can move
it
so if I click move I can go down I can
put it wherever I want it could go all
the way down to the D category and I can
click a
I can click swap swap that one just as
easy as that and then when I get out now
my programs are reordered a new feature
within the reverb section is the ability
to turn on the bright setting which is
exactly that it’s going to brighten up
the sound of the reverb so if I go over
here I have Hall set turn on the reverb
put it at about almost 12 o’clock at
about 4:00 now this is just the hall
reverb without any effect on it
now if I turn the bright setting on it’s
very subtle but listen to the difference
so you can hear the tale of that or the
reverb the effect of that has just this
a little bit more pop to it so that
might be something that’s useful to you
if you’re you know you want to have a
really noticeable Hall effect but it’s
not cutting through or the reverb just
not speaking you can use that to improve
the mix of the keyboard similar to the
bright setting in the reverb you can
also do something similar in the piano
section using the equalizer which will
either brighten or soften your piano
sound so for instance this is with the
equalizer off and no reverb so it’s
really dry now if I turn it to soft and
I’ll play about the same volume here
that now if I turn it to mid so what
that did was it equalized the sound took
a lot of the higher frequencies out so
it’s just really mellow sounding this
would be something you could do if you
want to do something that’s really
subtle maybe you’re playing a ballad you
know and you want it to be really really
lush and just warm
now if you do mid that will boost the
mid-range of the piano so it’s going to
make it a little bit thicker a little
beefier so again back to soft and then
mid and I was careful to try to play
with about the same velocity so that is
that was that change in the sound it
wasn’t me
now if you go too bright that’s gonna
amplify what you would think the higher
frequencies right so it’s gonna really
make it pop and you might want to use
this like if you’re playing a solo or
you’re doing something where you really
want to stand out right so again soft
mid and then bright
the sample synth section has a variety
of different sounds including several
strings with different articulations
like marcado Pizza kado it also has band
instruments like saxophone trumpets
trombones and different ensembles of
those two instrument types and it has
some synthesizers and bass sounds as
well just a great variety that you can
use
the i/o of the noir piano for includes
headphones here left and right out so no
channel one or two or three or four like
you might see with some of the stage
models it’s just left out and right out
monitor in which is eighth inch MIDI in
and out USB so if you want to use it
with a computer sustain pedal and it
does work with a volume or control pedal
now another thing to mention when I
mentioned USB is one of the hallmarks of
Nord and which is another reason why a
lot of professionals come back to this
keyboard love this keyboard as their
favorite is the way it works with a
computer right so everything I did
before with the programs where I went in
and renamed them or reorganized you can
download software from Nord and you can
customize all that from your laptop the
computer functionality also allows you
to add sounds onto the keyboard or take
them off and you can do that by going to
the Nord website and they have a very
expansive library of all the different
sounds that you heard here and even more
this has been a look at the Nord piano 4
if you have any questions about it or
you’re interested in purchasing it you
can call your Sweetwater sales engineer
and they’ll be happy to help you
thanks for watching
Nord Digital Pianos
There are many people who might wonder whether they need to buy a new or used Nord digital piano. Before answering this question, it would be better to know the difference between both the two pianos that are available in the market today. This will help you determine whether you should purchase a new or used one for your home.
The first difference among the two models is the price. You can find the used versions of the new and old models of the Nord pianos in the market. You will be able to find both the models of the new and used models of the keyboard in the online stores that specialize in piano supplies. You will also be able to find the models of the keyboards in the offline stores that deal with pianos.
The second difference that you will notice between the two pianos is the quality of these pianos. If you want a piano that can give you the same sound as the original keyboard, then you have to buy the new models. However, if you prefer a piano that has a good quality and a good design, then you can buy the used models. It will be easier to find the used versions of the models of the piano at a local store in your area.
When you decide to buy the piano, it is very important to consider its features. The feature that you need to look for in the digital piano will determine whether you will buy it or not. The features of the piano include the memory of the keys and the type of the keys that are included in the piano. The memory of the keys is the capacity to store the keys of the digital piano.
If you are going to buy the used models of the Nord digital piano, you should check the type of the keys that are present in the piano. The type of the keys is determined by the key of the keyboard that is being replaced. In addition, there are some models of the Nord piano that feature the ability to replace the notes on the keyboard. This feature is also present in some models of the original keyboard.
When you decide to buy the Nord digital piano, you should also consider the size of the piano that you are planning to buy. It will be better for you to buy a smaller keyboard that can easily fit in the room of your house. There are many models of the keyboards of the keyboard that are smaller than the bigger ones.
Nord Piano Buyer’s Guide
The Nord Stage Piano is the latest innovation in today’s piano industry and it represents an evolutionary shift in the piano product line. The Nord Stage 3 with a lightweight Hammer action portable keypad appeals to today’s piano player who wants a more portable and comfortable piano. The Nord Stage 3 continues the tradition of the original Stage series, with its revolutionary hammer-action lightweight keys delivering top-notch playability at a comfortable size.
In addition to a lighter piano, the new Nord Stage 3 has several new features and benefits including a deluxe illuminated design, a unique onboard memory, a larger and more functional key trunk, and a split point crossfade control. The enlarged polyphony (up to 96 tones) is accessed by pressing on the center key of each keyfellow while the onboard memory stores up to ten past sounds for use in recording and arranging music. Plus, a new onboard effect unit lets you instantly apply compressor and limiting effects to any incoming sample. Another useful function is the “split point crossfade” which allows you to change one key in the keyboard without pausing the playing sequence.
Other new innovative features of the Nord Stage include a new “Sample Synth Section” which allows you to manually control two different types of synthesizers in one section. The “Multi-effects Engine” includes two high-quality signal processing packages including a reverb and an attack delay. The Nord USB MIDI keyboard included with the instrument is also highly efficient and performs better than ever. The improved user interface, larger keyboard space, improved usability, and more expandable sample sounds with the new Oberheim Nordic Stage are just a few of the many new features of this keyboard.
Last update on 2023-01-21 / Disclaimer: as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
3 verified buyer reviews
In a nutshell, the sound quality and effects are outstanding. Although the keyboard lacks some functionality, the interface makes them more available than on most other keyboards with more power. Regardless of how happy I am with the sounds, effects, and interface, the keybed makes me regret buying the HP edition.
Keybed: This is the first thing I’ll consider because it’s a BIG DEAL to me. I’ve long been a fan of Nord goods, and this was my first purchase. I have a 20-year-old Yamaha S80 with 88 totally weighted keys. The concept was that the Nord (which was significantly lighter) would replace the S80 and make it a simple choice for gigs. Because I studied on a keyboard rather than a piano, I am not a purist when it comes to keybed feel. The feel of the keybed when it was new was totally appropriate to me, particularly given that it only weighs about 20lbs (less than one-third the weight of the S80). Unfortunately, after a few months, I found that some of the keys had become loose. A few keys have a slight rattle that you can feel and hear. So I returned it to Nord, who replaced the keybed. I was pleased with how the keybed felt when I received it, but I was disappointed when it began to rattle again after a few months. Nord stopped responding to my inquiries and had previously told me that the HP keybed on the electros and some of the stages (I believe the 88 key version as well as their “piano”) had problems. My electro is no longer covered by warranty.
Sounds: The pianos, organs, and electric pianos are some of the best I’ve seen. The synth sounds are also very strong, and there are more sounds available online for free download via Nord’s library. This is a fantastic feature!
Effects: These work well and are simple to use. With the first impact selector, you can use a control pedal (e.g. wah-wah). I have no complaints about this at all. I also play on an old Korg Triton, which has more effects and power over them, but I’ve discovered that the menu-diving to edit the effects causes me to use them less. It’s worth noting that the electro lacks aftertouch (stage does). I don’t miss it much because it has a control pedal, and I’ve noticed that aftertouch is great for synth sounds, which I usually play on a different keyboard.
Interface: The Nords have a learning curve because the layout is different from most other keyboards, but once you get the hang of it, it’s very simple to use. It’s fantastic to be able to easily break the keyboard (and shift the split point) or change the balance between sound layers.
In the end, I wouldn’t suggest purchasing the HP model of the Electro, but I would recommend the waterfall keybed version if you’re okay with the keybed’s feel. I could consider a stage or piano, but only after polling some users to ensure that this problem does not occur on those models. More likely, I’d go for a Korg SV-1 and possibly a smaller keybed electro because the total cost would be about the same as the 73 key E5HP. Perhaps three stars is too harsh, but the E5HP is like buying a Porsche but being forced to put tractor tires on it…
After trying out the Kawai and Roland, I discovered that the Nord Piano 4 was my favorite. What I found is that the Nord sounds better by using dual driven speakers rather than keyboard amplifiers.
AWESOME keyboard. I upgraded from a Nord Stage 1 that I purchased ten years ago. This is almost the same keyboard, but the keys feel better and the sounds are better quality. I love Nords because all of the buttons are super accessible; I improvise a lot with my tone, and it helps because everything I want to modify is on a button or dial on the front, no digging through menus or pressing a button 10 times to get what you want.
Really nice organ and electric piano sounds. The onboard keyboard’s acoustic piano sound is the best I’ve heard from an onboard keyboard (Some Kontakt plugins can still beat it). I purchased the HX3 DBC Drawbar Controller and attached it to the left edge of the keyboard with velcro strips to give me a good physical drawbar feel. I was almost tempted to buy the new electro instead because of the physical drawbars, but the stage 3 with the HX3 works well, and I’m glad I went with that choice.
The synth section leaves much to be desired — mostly too many long list- and menu-oriented controls, it’s not really conducive to any kind of real-time tone design, and it’s still difficult to navigate to what I like. It’s fine if you know you want such-and-such piano on this song and then you want to turn to this predetermined synth sound; what I’m having trouble with is that while I’m playing, I’ve got some particular organ that I’ve tweaked my way into over the course of the song, and I want, say, a lead synth in my right hand while holding the organ patch on my left. It is *possible* to set a split point on the fly (pretty impressive), maybe 4 button clicks away, but then finding the correct lead synth from the synth section, rather than stored in a “key patch” (which would alter the entire setup, wiping out my organ) is difficult enough that I can’t really attempt something like that. Anyway, the synth section is perfect in the lab, and I’ve built some pretty cool patches.
Also, the pitch bend knob is the best in the business; I can’t bear those regular wheel knobs any longer; with this one, you can get some good sounding speech and vibrato.
So, yes, Nord is currently king of the keyboard business, and they deserve it.
* only verified buyers can leave a review.