In retrospect: I was reviewing this as my ONLY synth. This would make a great addition to a synth collection if you just want a simple, beautiful instrument and it doesn't need to do everything.
No matter how they bash this synth over a nord lead 4 due to its limited modulation capabilities this sounds unique in its own way... I think it can do wonders for trance and house music producers if used the right way...
That's what I love about Nords - it's so easy to find those sweet spots. I actually re-bought the Lead A1 recently and it's been great exploring it again now that I have more sound design experience from other synths.
thanks for the review and demo, it's the best on youtube. it didn't show up in my search results, but was recommended on the homepage days after researching. Tossing up between this and lead 4 as my first and likely only synth. bored with and severely limited by guitar and moving on to keys. won't be performing live, just a hobby.
Sorry, but any Nord is way more inspiring than the Peak. I tried to love my Peak, but it just didn’t deliver what I wanted. I found a great deal on an almost new Wave 2 and replaced my Peak (no regrets). I also bought a used Lead 2X and it’s so inspiring. It sounds and behaves completely different from modern Nords. It also has like forty analog sounding drum kits.
I agree for the most part. When I did this review, I was limiting myself to owning only one synth at a time, and in that context Nord's limitations were frustrating. However, now I own 5 synths and the Nord Wave 2 is my favorite while my Peak is currently in a box in the closet. That said, the Peak can sound amazing when you do find the right sweet spots, especially with some modulated reverb.
I think it’s an excellent synth to compliment additional synths. Currently I have a Prophet X and Prophet 6, Tempest and ISLA S2400 Drum Machines however I’ve been listening to a lot of soundtrack work by John McCallum (Surf Nazis Must Die, Miami Connection, Terror Eyes) and was considering getting this myself and use it as part of a Nord Lead A1 with Sequential Pro 3 and ISLA S2400 Drum Sampler type setup to mimic his Pro One/Casio CZ500 setup. It’s kind of nice to have a purely cold digital synth to add a bit of different flavour alongside an analog synth.
Nice video. I have the Lead 4 which has a lot of the features you felt were lacking in the A1, but people say it has a "colder" and more "digital" sound. Well they're digital synths in the end :) Think I'll end up adding an analog poly or maybe swapping out the Lead. If I played more live it would absolutely make sense to hang on to it though.
I was definitely considering a Lead 4 for a bit, but now I've got a Wave 2 and I love it. It can sound just as warm to me as the Korg Prologue, so I'm not convinced it's really worth having another synth just to have analog covered.
I like the sound the A1 outputs (don't own a synth yet). Would you like to try a Wave 2 in a store? Seems to be more options to sculpt sounds, though a similar approach of course. It's a huge increase in price being a flagship - but morbid curiosity? I hadn't realised until now how powerful MODX/Montage synths are. The new OS updates for the Yamaha help make massive fat sounds too, with features added to help them sound more analague. There seems huge amounts of synth power in the menu's. Like the A1 and Wave 2, the Yam's have a real heft to the sound. You can go very deep. Hard to find videos of certain genres of music using the MODX/Montage though. So it's hard to see vids that truely show off its strengths from a pure "synth" point of view. Mind you, with its workstation design, that's not surprising that you don't see it being used in a traditional synth style.
The Wave 2 definitely has advantages over the A1, but it still doesn't have a mod matrix or equivalent as far as I can tell, so it's a tough sell for me at that price. I'm not in the market for more synths anyway at the moment; I ended up with 4 of them and still need to make some review/comparison videos.
Regarding the MODX, I don't get along with workstation synths well because I want as much hands-on control of the sound design as possible without going into menus and assigning knob functions myself. I could get an experience like that with much cheaper software synths and a MIDI controller. For me, a comfortable interface matters more than the raw capabilities; you can make music with practically anything, but tedium kills my creative flow.
@@Shadowbait I agree, there are great synths I wouldn't buy and not because of price - but because the menu's are a complete ball ache. I find the Quantum interesting, but not only because of the design and synthesis offered (and quality of its sound), but because it's hands on. Love the interface of the MatrixBrute as a Mono too. Too many synths lol. Indeed. I hate the interface of the Summit, switching between layers, and then delving in some options. I'm looking for more hands on instant creative noodling when I do buy. Cheers for replying.
@@H-4-D3423 Of all the synths I've tried, the best combination of hands-on control, well-thought-out interface, and versatility has been the Prophet 12. It's a bit harder to find now, but if you're looking for a recommendation I'd definitely suggest taking a close look at the Prophet lineup.
I've changed my perspective a bit, and I actually would love to have a Nord Wave 2. It just couldn't be my only synth. For too long I've been trying to find one synth to do everything, but there's a lot of value in something simplistic and beautiful for all the times you don't need or want to dive into a mod matrix.
@@Shadowbait does it deliver the same amount of result as any other on board ADSR envelope on an analog synthesizer.. It would be generous of you if you could post a video about it.. As I am planning to order an A1 I mostly produce house n trance music that heavily relies on filters...
Hi Shadowbait! This is a very well-made video, thanks! The patch you created at 10.10 is very good. Would you mind sharing how you got there? Thank you!
Thanks! This was improvised over a year ago so I don't remember specifics, but you can probably recreate it just by looking at the knob positions and LEDs. It looks like I turned every knob except arpeggiator rate (which isn't on) and possibly delay tempo, so everything else should reflect the values for what you're hearing at that point in the video. The one thing you can't see is I'm using an expression pedal to adjust the filter cutoff frequency. I don't remember what the range was, but if you experiment with that knob manually you can figure it out and then use the mod wheel for it if you don't have a pedal.
I have the NL A1 has great sound but for me its keybed is terrible. I am thinking of changing to ASM Hydrasynth. What do you think about the ASM vs A1 sound comparison? Does Hydrasynth also have a clear, crystalline sound? I am interested in a synthesizer to play melodies, not to create FX-like sounds etc. My bottom synth is Korg Kronos and I would like A1 / Hydrasynth to the top. The sound of the Roland JD Xi / Xa does not suit me at all - it is not very "clean" or "spacious".
It's certainly possible to get crystal-clear high end from the Hydrasynth, but I struggled to create any sounds I liked with it from scratch. It has a tendency to sound harsh, and the onboard reverb was disappointing. I'd recommend the Novation Summit instead if it fits your budget, or the Peak if you want to save money and don't mind using a MIDI controller. I've got a Peak and I especially love how it sounds when you modulate the onboard reverb with one of the global LFOs. It's probably the closest in sound to a Nord of any other synth I've tried, but with a lot more flexibility.
I want to also point out, one thing Nord does better than anyone else I've seen is making it easy to map performance controls to as many parameters as you want. I had no idea how much I would miss that until I sold my A1; you can still create the same kind of mappings on the Peak or Hydrasynth, but the effort required to do it through an on-screen mod matrix makes it a very different experience. I now have a Nord Wave 2, which is a good option if price isn't an issue. Annoyingly, it can't do everything the A1 can, but it adds a lot of other features and sounds just as beautifully clear if not moreso.
@@Shadowbait I am also thinking about the NW2 but comparing the side by side of the NW2 to the A1 for me the NW2 engine does not sound as good as the one in A1. But the handling, reverb and keybeds are great!
@@MrRafalSC The Peak can take some time to warm up to. I actually gave it pretty negative review a while back but took it down because I changed my mind. Maybe I'll make a new one soon
The only ones I know of are the Roland JD-XA (4 parts, with some limitations) and Access Virus Ti2 (up to 16 depending on how complex each timbre is), but I suspect there are more out there. I haven't use either of those personally.
Correction: I now own a JD-XA, and it's up to 8 part multi-timbral when you include the digital parts. However, I find myself menu-diving a lot with it and would gladly trade it for a Nord if I could.
Mutable Instruments Ambika/TubeOhm Tubika. DIY, up to 6 voices with digital oscillators and analog filters, up to 6 part multitimbral. Not very easy to edit though
How is the Peak working out for you? I was considering one to.. but it seems so generic and cliche sounding with a weak, slightly thin character. Are you doing ambient with the Peak or a more conventional style. I still use my A1. It sits beautifully in the mix.
To be honest, I find the Peak uninspiring. I think if you approach sound design like an engineer and know exactly what you want to do, it's capable of a lot, but I tend to improvise and experiment until I hear something that gives me an idea and hone the sound from there. Somehow, the Peak's interface just feels tedious to me and puts me in the wrong mindset. I'm planning to switch to something else soon, and I'll be making a video like this for the Peak when I do.
Oh, I missed the part about style of music - most of what I do comes out as 80s-ish synthpop, but I'm trying to move toward modern EDM without becoming generic.
@@Shadowbait I think there are so many options in this age. It's so hard to find something deep and gorgeous sounding. I know the interface seems lacking but the sound of this Mutable Instruments with CEM filter is gorgeous and full of character! Check this guy out ua-cam.com/video/m4BW013bucI/v-deo.html or this guys setup seems deep and has some very sweet synth tones ua-cam.com/video/m1lUjWXPM1s/v-deo.html
I don't think I have enough experience to give you a good answer on that, but in case it helps: I didn't do any post processing other than gain adjustment on the Nord sounds in this video.
that's a great question... and honestly the A1 shines in this department. as someone who's used it live for 2 years in a touring setting, it shines through, but blends with backing tracks/drums/vox really seemlessly. in a studio situation? it just really sits so well in a mix. i think because of the unusual OSC architecture, it's easy to dismiss, and the lack of knobs mislead people in thinking it's a "first synth" kind of board. i'm pretty deep into sound design, i just have to play up this board's odd architecture to coax it where i want the sounds to go, and not approach it in the similar DSI/Korg/Moog type fashion.
Just curious what kind of music do you 'shadow bait' and the others in the comment section who feel the same way make, or do sound designing from. I'm just trying to see if there is any correlation between the kind of music you do and the fact that the A! is too limiting for you?
I have a hard time classifying my music, but perhaps this will help: I've often heard my music sounds "80s", without that being my intent. So, I'm trying to modernize my sound by taking inspiration from modern EDM but without trying to copy a specific style.
I haven't used a Lead 4 myself, but based on what I've read: Most people seem to prefer the sound of the A1, but the Lead 4 gives you more flexibility in terms of oscillator combinations and modulation. So, if you want simple, beautiful sounds I would go for the A1, but if you want more room to experiment with complex, evolving sounds I'd go for the Lead 4.
In retrospect: I was reviewing this as my ONLY synth. This would make a great addition to a synth collection if you just want a simple, beautiful instrument and it doesn't need to do everything.
No matter how they bash this synth over a nord lead 4 due to its limited modulation capabilities this sounds unique in its own way...
I think it can do wonders for trance and house music producers if used the right way...
that last patch finding bit had like 900 sweet spots
That's what I love about Nords - it's so easy to find those sweet spots. I actually re-bought the Lead A1 recently and it's been great exploring it again now that I have more sound design experience from other synths.
I guess since I didn't understand the cons of this synthesizer I'm classified as one of the beginners that will love this thing! :)
thanks for the review and demo, it's the best on youtube. it didn't show up in my search results, but was recommended on the homepage days after researching. Tossing up between this and lead 4 as my first and likely only synth. bored with and severely limited by guitar and moving on to keys. won't be performing live, just a hobby.
+1 for space ambience
Sorry, but any Nord is way more inspiring than the Peak. I tried to love my Peak, but it just didn’t deliver what I wanted. I found a great deal on an almost new Wave 2 and replaced my Peak (no regrets). I also bought a used Lead 2X and it’s so inspiring. It sounds and behaves completely different from modern Nords. It also has like forty analog sounding drum kits.
I agree for the most part. When I did this review, I was limiting myself to owning only one synth at a time, and in that context Nord's limitations were frustrating. However, now I own 5 synths and the Nord Wave 2 is my favorite while my Peak is currently in a box in the closet. That said, the Peak can sound amazing when you do find the right sweet spots, especially with some modulated reverb.
I think it’s an excellent synth to compliment additional synths. Currently I have a Prophet X and Prophet 6, Tempest and ISLA S2400 Drum Machines however I’ve been listening to a lot of soundtrack work by John McCallum (Surf Nazis Must Die, Miami Connection, Terror Eyes) and was considering getting this myself and use it as part of a Nord Lead A1 with Sequential Pro 3 and ISLA S2400 Drum Sampler type setup to mimic his Pro One/Casio CZ500 setup. It’s kind of nice to have a purely cold digital synth to add a bit of different flavour alongside an analog synth.
I have an Isla S2400 on the way and im on the lookout for a Synth/Piano/Organ to put some sounds in live. Any recommendations?
Nice video. I have the Lead 4 which has a lot of the features you felt were lacking in the A1, but people say it has a "colder" and more "digital" sound. Well they're digital synths in the end :) Think I'll end up adding an analog poly or maybe swapping out the Lead. If I played more live it would absolutely make sense to hang on to it though.
I was definitely considering a Lead 4 for a bit, but now I've got a Wave 2 and I love it. It can sound just as warm to me as the Korg Prologue, so I'm not convinced it's really worth having another synth just to have analog covered.
With the multimode, you can get around the "one oscillator" limitation, I guess
The wave is more expensive but I think the lead sounds better
I like the sound the A1 outputs (don't own a synth yet). Would you like to try a Wave 2 in a store? Seems to be more options to sculpt sounds, though a similar approach of course. It's a huge increase in price being a flagship - but morbid curiosity? I hadn't realised until now how powerful MODX/Montage synths are. The new OS updates for the Yamaha help make massive fat sounds too, with features added to help them sound more analague. There seems huge amounts of synth power in the menu's. Like the A1 and Wave 2, the Yam's have a real heft to the sound. You can go very deep. Hard to find videos of certain genres of music using the MODX/Montage though. So it's hard to see vids that truely show off its strengths from a pure "synth" point of view. Mind you, with its workstation design, that's not surprising that you don't see it being used in a traditional synth style.
The Wave 2 definitely has advantages over the A1, but it still doesn't have a mod matrix or equivalent as far as I can tell, so it's a tough sell for me at that price. I'm not in the market for more synths anyway at the moment; I ended up with 4 of them and still need to make some review/comparison videos.
Regarding the MODX, I don't get along with workstation synths well because I want as much hands-on control of the sound design as possible without going into menus and assigning knob functions myself. I could get an experience like that with much cheaper software synths and a MIDI controller. For me, a comfortable interface matters more than the raw capabilities; you can make music with practically anything, but tedium kills my creative flow.
@@Shadowbait I agree, there are great synths I wouldn't buy and not because of price - but because the menu's are a complete ball ache. I find the Quantum interesting, but not only because of the design and synthesis offered (and quality of its sound), but because it's hands on. Love the interface of the MatrixBrute as a Mono too. Too many synths lol. Indeed. I hate the interface of the Summit, switching between layers, and then delving in some options. I'm looking for more hands on instant creative noodling when I do buy. Cheers for replying.
@@H-4-D3423 Of all the synths I've tried, the best combination of hands-on control, well-thought-out interface, and versatility has been the Prophet 12. It's a bit harder to find now, but if you're looking for a recommendation I'd definitely suggest taking a close look at the Prophet lineup.
I've changed my perspective a bit, and I actually would love to have a Nord Wave 2. It just couldn't be my only synth. For too long I've been trying to find one synth to do everything, but there's a lot of value in something simplistic and beautiful for all the times you don't need or want to dive into a mod matrix.
Since there is no Filter ADSR ENVELOPE ON THIS ONE SO IS THERE A POSSIBILITY TO ASSIGN A CUT OFF TO MOD ENVELOPE AND USE IT AS A FILTER ADSR...?
@@cnovasalmanhussain751 The mod envelope can be used for filter cutoff, but it is not a full ADSR envelope.
@@Shadowbait does it deliver the same amount of result as any other on board ADSR envelope on an analog synthesizer..
It would be generous of you if you could post a video about it..
As I am planning to order an A1 I mostly produce house n trance music that heavily relies on filters...
Hi Shadowbait! This is a very well-made video, thanks! The patch you created at 10.10 is very good. Would you mind sharing how you got there? Thank you!
Thanks! This was improvised over a year ago so I don't remember specifics, but you can probably recreate it just by looking at the knob positions and LEDs. It looks like I turned every knob except arpeggiator rate (which isn't on) and possibly delay tempo, so everything else should reflect the values for what you're hearing at that point in the video. The one thing you can't see is I'm using an expression pedal to adjust the filter cutoff frequency. I don't remember what the range was, but if you experiment with that knob manually you can figure it out and then use the mod wheel for it if you don't have a pedal.
I have the NL A1 has great sound but for me its keybed is terrible. I am thinking of changing to ASM Hydrasynth. What do you think about the ASM vs A1 sound comparison? Does Hydrasynth also have a clear, crystalline sound? I am interested in a synthesizer to play melodies, not to create FX-like sounds etc. My bottom synth is Korg Kronos and I would like A1 / Hydrasynth to the top.
The sound of the Roland JD Xi / Xa does not suit me at all - it is not very "clean" or "spacious".
It's certainly possible to get crystal-clear high end from the Hydrasynth, but I struggled to create any sounds I liked with it from scratch. It has a tendency to sound harsh, and the onboard reverb was disappointing. I'd recommend the Novation Summit instead if it fits your budget, or the Peak if you want to save money and don't mind using a MIDI controller. I've got a Peak and I especially love how it sounds when you modulate the onboard reverb with one of the global LFOs. It's probably the closest in sound to a Nord of any other synth I've tried, but with a lot more flexibility.
I want to also point out, one thing Nord does better than anyone else I've seen is making it easy to map performance controls to as many parameters as you want. I had no idea how much I would miss that until I sold my A1; you can still create the same kind of mappings on the Peak or Hydrasynth, but the effort required to do it through an on-screen mod matrix makes it a very different experience.
I now have a Nord Wave 2, which is a good option if price isn't an issue. Annoyingly, it can't do everything the A1 can, but it adds a lot of other features and sounds just as beautifully clear if not moreso.
@@Shadowbait I wonder what you write ... I sat down to the Novation Peak once and he disappointed me ... maybe I didn't have enough time for him ....
@@Shadowbait I am also thinking about the NW2 but comparing the side by side of the NW2 to the A1 for me the NW2 engine does not sound as good as the one in A1. But the handling, reverb and keybeds are great!
@@MrRafalSC The Peak can take some time to warm up to. I actually gave it pretty negative review a while back but took it down because I changed my mind. Maybe I'll make a new one soon
Are there alternatives for easy 4+ multi-timbral split layer ? Roland xm and.... novation summit is bi-timberal
The only ones I know of are the Roland JD-XA (4 parts, with some limitations) and Access Virus Ti2 (up to 16 depending on how complex each timbre is), but I suspect there are more out there. I haven't use either of those personally.
Correction: I now own a JD-XA, and it's up to 8 part multi-timbral when you include the digital parts. However, I find myself menu-diving a lot with it and would gladly trade it for a Nord if I could.
Mutable Instruments Ambika/TubeOhm Tubika. DIY, up to 6 voices with digital oscillators and analog filters, up to 6 part multitimbral. Not very easy to edit though
How is the Peak working out for you? I was considering one to.. but it seems so generic and cliche sounding with a weak, slightly thin character. Are you doing ambient with the Peak or a more conventional style. I still use my A1. It sits beautifully in the mix.
To be honest, I find the Peak uninspiring. I think if you approach sound design like an engineer and know exactly what you want to do, it's capable of a lot, but I tend to improvise and experiment until I hear something that gives me an idea and hone the sound from there. Somehow, the Peak's interface just feels tedious to me and puts me in the wrong mindset. I'm planning to switch to something else soon, and I'll be making a video like this for the Peak when I do.
Oh, I missed the part about style of music - most of what I do comes out as 80s-ish synthpop, but I'm trying to move toward modern EDM without becoming generic.
@@Shadowbait I think there are so many options in this age. It's so hard to find something deep and gorgeous sounding. I know the interface seems lacking but the sound of this Mutable Instruments with CEM filter is gorgeous and full of character! Check this guy out ua-cam.com/video/m4BW013bucI/v-deo.html or this guys setup seems deep and has some very sweet synth tones ua-cam.com/video/m1lUjWXPM1s/v-deo.html
Another question, how does a1 sit with other instruments in a mix? Seems like A1, lead4 sound great in a band
I don't think I have enough experience to give you a good answer on that, but in case it helps: I didn't do any post processing other than gain adjustment on the Nord sounds in this video.
that's a great question... and honestly the A1 shines in this department. as someone who's used it live for 2 years in a touring setting, it shines through, but blends with backing tracks/drums/vox really seemlessly. in a studio situation? it just really sits so well in a mix. i think because of the unusual OSC architecture, it's easy to dismiss, and the lack of knobs mislead people in thinking it's a "first synth" kind of board. i'm pretty deep into sound design, i just have to play up this board's odd architecture to coax it where i want the sounds to go, and not approach it in the similar DSI/Korg/Moog type fashion.
Just curious what kind of music do you 'shadow bait' and the others in the comment section who feel the same way make, or do sound designing from. I'm just trying to see if there is any correlation between the kind of music you do and the fact that the A! is too limiting for you?
I have a hard time classifying my music, but perhaps this will help: I've often heard my music sounds "80s", without that being my intent. So, I'm trying to modernize my sound by taking inspiration from modern EDM but without trying to copy a specific style.
nord lead A 1 or nord lead 4 .... ??? better choice ?
I haven't used a Lead 4 myself, but based on what I've read: Most people seem to prefer the sound of the A1, but the Lead 4 gives you more flexibility in terms of oscillator combinations and modulation. So, if you want simple, beautiful sounds I would go for the A1, but if you want more room to experiment with complex, evolving sounds I'd go for the Lead 4.