Nice! I don't know if it's me or if I'm hearing something in the stereo image that is the crossfade to the loops, particularly in the midrange notes? And around 3:50 there is some kind of low frequency "rumbling" noise accompanying the notes that seems out of place.

I do wish Nord (and everyone else) would dispense with looping already. However much I want to, it seems I'm incapable of letting my guard down with a looped sample set and just enjoying the overall sound and the playing.

I think what's spoiling it for you is not the looped sound itself but the fact you have discovered the sound from a Nord Piano is looped by the means of artificially crafted tests and consequent analysis with software tools Nothing personal against you but I am glad I am not in your position. It would be interesting though to compare this particular piece played by this wonderful pianist and musician David Beebee on Nord Piano and on Roland SN piano.

Thanks CyberGene for your kind words. Unfortunately I don't have a roland piano at my disposal to do the comparison but I did record the same piece (with some slightly different different impro sections) on my real piano to see what the difference was. I like the Nord a lot but when I hear the recordings A/B I can hear that it is quite different from a real grand.

nord version ...
http://soundcloud.com/david-beebee/em-braceable-nord-stage-2mp-3

real piano (yamaha C5) ...
http://soundcloud.com/david-beebee/embraceable-you-david-beebee-1

There is some slight phasing of the sound which doesn't sound particular realistic but I quite like it. The rumbling noise you hear I think is the pedal noise which is such a novelty on a dp for me that I tend to overuse it a bit. I love the way that I can hear the imaginary dampers leaving the imaginary strings as well.

David, I've already listened to all your recordings on Soundcloud I loved them all and of course a real piano will always be the real thing. Anyway, what you've achieved as a sound with the Nord Piano really impressed me. Is everything straight from the Nord Piano? I am especially interested in the reverb since it sounds very realistic. I'll be more than happy if you can post the settings you've used on your Nord and also the sound chain and post processing if any Not that I have a NP, but who knows

Beeboss that sounds amazing. I know it's the Studio 2 Grand C7, but EQ and reverb settings do you have in that recording? So happy I've got a Nord Piano! Best darn sounding DP!

The output of the nord goes into the mixer (mackie) and then into the computer (via motu ultralite). I can't hear any real change in the tone with these. I record in Logic and it is quite possible that I added a touch of reverb and eq there (or eq from the mixer) over that on the nord, but I can't remember. Usually I turn the treble down a bit on the nord (becasue I really hate the high frequencies of dp's) and probably a bit of bass boost. I am sure that most of the reverb comes from the nord. Sorry I can't be more precise.

Thank you for that information and keep on with the great music

If beeboss could provide a MIDI file I'd render it on our NX.


Interesting around 1:10 where the dampers buzz against the strings. Damper sounds in general lend realism, and the sympathetic resonance is very nice. To my unintentionally picky ears the low notes aren't holding the piece hostage by threatening at any point to start looping. Nothing like the real thing I guess.

Sorry I didn't record the midi, only the audio.

OK here's a live recording now with me using the Nord Piano 88. This is 'Studio Grand 2'. There maybe too much reverb. But the room was so frustratingly dry and the recorder (Zoom H4) was pretty close to the speaker. Also note that although the recorder records in Stereo, the NP was using Mono.


Nord Piano 88 Live Band Excerpt of 'Solar' (Jazz)



I cut out multiple horn sections at the beginning of the recording and leave only most of the piano portion of the tune.

For anyone else curious, the speaker is an EV ZXA1 on a stand.

Sounds good ! Really clear. Maybe just a tad too much verb for me but nothing extreme. Yeah they work well live. Like I mentioned somewhere else , I've probably used mine on close to 20 gigs since Nov. and on at least 15 of those gigs, someone has commented on the piano sound.

I got a lot of that with the CP5 though too...I know a lot of it is the speakers. But basically they both are good. It's just one's heavy and the other is light....

Good job JW.

Thanks Dave. I hope I didn't embarass myself among the better jazz players here...

Now here's another recording in the exact same place. This occurred right before the band started. This is our volunteer solo pianist who plays before the band. I was using him as a test so I was tweaking the sound while he played. So the settings are exactly the same (Studio Grand 2). It does sound a little over-verby close up but from the back of the large room, the reverb sounded realistic.

Solo Piano Live
http://www.box.com/s/qtmftatbduspbaqh6teu

.

I have to tell you that I shocked many people with the red keyboard.

I had to explain that that was part of being 'uber cool'...not sure they believed me. LOL.

One actually said -- "Did you paint your keyboard red?". They remember the black one (FP7F).

That's a SINGLE EV ZXA1, Dave -- Mono

No comment? It sounded fine to me as long as I switched the board to Mono mode.

I truly was debating if I wanted to carry an extra speaker. As it is, I've got to make 2 dolly runs...(I have to carry the mic, mic stands, vocalist PA (2 speakers), yada, yada...).

.

BTW - my master volume on the NP88 never got past 12 o'clock position. So lots of reserve power on the single EV ZXA1.

Thanks for all the equipment tips Dave. You've simplified my transition to gigging here...

>>As it is, I've got to make 2 dolly runs...
I carry
- 1 Kawai Mp6
- 2 JBL 12" speakers
- Speaker stands
- a mixer
- Suitcase with mics, cards, books, etc...
- Keyboard table stand
- One box with lots of cables
- Power conditioner
- Adjustable stool

1 trip, solo.

So additional items for me are Singer's PA, and Mic stands in a bag. That's enough to make it unstable, particularly the mic stands.