Hi Marc. I have been watching your instructional videos for a number of months now, while I try to save my pennies to purchase a North Stage 3 Compact. I want to let you know that I have thoroughly enjoyed them all, and I know that I will be using them as important references down the road! Also, as someone who taught high school & 1st-year college-level Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, and Geology for 30+ years, I must let you know how impressed I am with your videos from an educator's perspective. I know how much work goes into learning a subject well enough to teach it in an organized & thorough fashion, and I am well-aware of just how much time it takes to prep for a lesson. So, I certainly admire your effort & commitment towards helping others get well on their way towards mastering a very complex keyboard & getting the most out of this musical instrument. Not only that, but (FWIW), your instructional videos are inviting, engaging, perfectly paced, clearly voiced, and have just the right amount of detail. The sequence (no pun intended) you chose for the topics works well, and the visuals you have included are helpful & never superfluous, e.g. I found your use of the Garage Band spectrum analyzer most helpful when you explained the different kinds of filters & modulation of the filter settings. In my humble opinion, your series of videos on Nord keyboards outclasses all other instructional videos I have seen on YT about any musical instrument...not just videos about Nord keyboards...I mean all how-to videos about any instrument. Kudos! One more topic...I did want to share a bit of info regarding the use of white or pink noise in synth sound design, which you discussed in a previous instructional video. (BTW, my sincere apologies if the followimg is redundant in any way, e.g you are already aware of what follows, and/or I missed you making the following points previously.) There are some very good reasons why a source of white and/or pink noise is found in some synthizers. The addition of a low but audible amount of noise to a signal from one or more oscillators will not do much for the sound if there is no ADSR envelope applied or there is no modulation of the filter settings, however as soon as either or both of those are employed, the noise can add a breath-like sound on top of the tone(s) created by the oscillator(s). As anyone who has tried to close-mic a brass/woodwind instrument or human voice quickly learns, the sound we hear from a brass/woodwind instrument or human voice is not the just the instrument's fundamental & harmonics, but also 'noise' from moving air. So, if the patch being created is intended to be similar to a brass or wind instrument, or has to mimic a vocal sound, then the noise component can give the listener a sense of air being moved prior to, during, and just after the instrument's/voice's fundamental & harmonics are produced. So, adding noise can enhance realism & even augment the emotional content of the sound we hear. A great example of this is the Japanese "Shakuhachi", which IMHO projects an atmosphere of mystery & perhaps tension, or even suggests spiritual reflection. A synth patch based on a sampled Shakuhachi that many people will remember well is the unique sound that opens the unedited album version of the Peter Gabriel hit, "Sledgehammer", then is reprised during the outro of the song. IMHO, the sound of the Shakuhachi invokes (or reinforces) an emotional undercurrent in the song that is more easily missed if the intro is edited out (as it was in some 'single' versions) Finally, noise on its own, or in conjuction with another brief tone, can be shaped by an ADSR envelope and/or a modulated filter to create very useful percussive sounds, e.g. the sound of a snare drum, open hi-hat, or cymbal produced by some drum machines. So, like beauty. the value of noise is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder. :)
Hi Derek! Wow... Well, I think you win the award for the most thoughtful and perhaps the most complimentary feedback on the channel to date! And according to my stats, we just surpassed 500 comments as of Jan 29th, 2019. So, that should let you know full well that what you wrote here sums up the distinction and sincere appreciation I have for your comments as well as your superior insight into the topic of white/pink noise! So, let me just say THANK YOU for this! It is gratifying (and humbling) to know that the effort is appreciated by you as well as so many others here on the channel who have boldly said as much. I'll keep this reply abbreviated and simply say that you've inspired me to consider making a video that will highlight the noise generation aspects of the Nord Stage 3 and how that relates to the fine art of sound creation and acoustic instrument imitation/enhancement. I'll have to put additional thought into the best examples and the best approach to take for this, but I think the "Shakuhachi" idea you have is a great place to start. Being a former alto sax player myself, I have a deep appreciation for acoustic instruments, and your perspective here makes total sense. There is a LOT planned ahead of such a video like this currently on my agenda, but I want you to know that I've added it to the list and I think it would be both unique (first of its kind perhaps), as well as enlightening for many (as it was for me just now). Much appreciated Derek and thanks for watching!
@@MyKeysToMusic Hi Marc, I am pleased that you appreciated the feedback & found my babbling-on about the value of white or pink noise interesting. Just so you know, I am not close to being an expert on sound design. I just wanted to share what I have learned from other sound designers, that's all. So you may want to consult with some people who know the ins & outs of sound design to get a better explanation. A few on YT who I follow are "GeoSynths", and "SynthMania". They're create patches from scratch for analog, digital, and hybrid synths, (especially ones that are under-appreciated or recently released), and they sell them as sets. They also publish sound design tutorials on YT. They do great work! I am looking forward to your next episodes! ttyl
@@derekbaker3279 Thank you for the additional info here. I'll be sure to check out those other channels as well when it comes time to prep for it. Thanks again for the support...
@Derek Baker - By now you may have noticed the latest video where we discover how to make a helicopter-like sound from the Nord Stage 3 found here: ua-cam.com/video/lTMl_o029dY/v-deo.html. In the back of my mind, I had your request to highlight white noise on the list and I think this is one video at least that highlights the power of white noise as it relates to this particular sound effect. Thanks again for your input over these many months. I hadn't forgotten our discussion in the comments.
Wow! Beginning a tutorial with the Cinema Show is a plus!!! I'm playing in a band covering Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Camel... And NOW I'm able for the fisrt time to build my own lead sounds from scratch!!! Thanks a lot for your videos. Very helpful and instructive! 👍🎹🍺
So glad to hear about this Albert! Keep up the good work! I assume you are enjoying your NS3 as well. I remember you received it about a month ago or so.
My first Nord Stage was 2005, and I’ve worked my way all the way through to the 3. I have however been lazy about the synthesizer section. I know enough about synthesis from the 70s with my ARP Odyssey, but not nearly enough to be honest. So I simply want to thank you for allowing me the chance to learn things correctly from the beginning. This is truly opened up so many windows and opportunities for sound creation. I recommend this series to even very experienced synthesizer players. It forces you out of your comfort zone by incrementally re-learning the basics. Thank you thank you thank you
So glad to have you watching this series William and for taking the time to say so. It means a lot. My hat is off to you and anyone else who has followed the series and benefited by it. The Nord Stage 3 brings everything up a level, especially in the synth area. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the videos. Really enjoying them and learning a lot about my Nord. Just to clear something up though; the solo you're playing whilst part of the In The Cage live medley is originally actually from The Cinema Show. Love the fact you are playing it and demoing it all the same though. Thanks again.
Hi Chris! Thank you. Yes, all my Genesis friends used to remind me that "In The Cage" is not really a song as much as it is a medley from the Three Sides Live album. And it's funny you mention this because when I first heard Cinema Show it was via In the Cage. So it's now permanently in my brain as "In the Cage" (and probably will be forever) haha. But this is good knowledge for those checking out this particular video. I go back and forth between which performance I like better. The original recording of Cinema Show is so pure but the live version as part of In the Cage has more energy (and a faster tempo I believe). Nice to have options to hear that song. Gosh, Tony Banks is amazing. That same Genesis friend of mine actually got to meet Tony: instagram.com/p/Bwo3fB0n3Ya/?
Marc, apologies for misspelling your name with a K instead of a C in a previous question!! I just wanted to mention that if you wanted to get even more Tony Banks effect on the organ, add some C3 (chorus) to it, turn Leslie rotor on but slow (rather than fast) and drive at 1. Percussion off. Best wishes!
Thanks Padlockigami! You can never go wrong with Tony Banks and there is enough material there to create an entire channel for sure. It would take a lot of woodshedding to master most of his solos but it would be a labor of love. So yes, that would make a heck of a channel. Maybe in a second life, I'll have time for that 🤔 But Genesis could definitely be brought up again in the future for sure. Thanks for watching!
@@MyKeysToMusic Hey Marc, to further the Genesis line of thought, I'm hoping to get a Nord Stage 3 in the coming months and I would love to put Nord's RMI Electra samples on it. However, they only seem to be in the Nord Sample Library Archive. Is it possible to use sounds from this library on the Nord Stage 3 line? Do you have to put them through Nord's sample editor first and convert them somehow?
@@Padlockigami @Padlockigami I've got some good news for you. I just tested all this right now and it works. They recently released the ability to convert the old style samples and use them on the Nord Stage 3. Here's a visual: www.dropbox.com/s/jbnkns0u7ois66y/Learn%20the%20Nord%20Stage%203%20Synth%20Engine%20%28Part%205%29%20Nord%20Stage%203%20with%20Electra.png?dl=0 Now, I have to do a video featuring these sounds because it sounds to me that the group "Yes" used this at the beginning of "Long Distance Runaround" for example. (Thanks for bringing this to our attention!)
Thanks for your last reply , Marc - after mentioning "In The Cage" in your last reply, you've provided a taster of it here. I have Genesis's studio albums, but not any of their live releases; I must investigate this further. Best wishes, Mark
Hi Mark! "Three Sides Live" released in 1982, takes the entire Genesis experience to a whole other level in my opinion. That was my first exposure to Genesis way back in high school (1986/87). Once I heard the "In the Cage Melody", I was hooked! Thanks for saying hello.
Hi, Mark. I have a question for you. Why glide on NS3 has no always-on/always-off mode? In mono/legato mode I want to have flexibility when I use glide. For example, in mono mode i want always-off glide (when I'm playing staccato there is no glide). But in NS3 in mono mode is always-on glide, in legato mode is always-off glide. I have no flexibility in glide mode.
Hello @vanoter I hear what you are saying there. I think the thought is that if you want it "always off," you would turn the glide knob down to zero. But, I can see a point to be made by having a button for this so that you don't lose your glide settings by moving the glide knob. Alternatively, you could take the keyboard out of Mono/Legato mode altogether to remove the glide option during selected passages. However, this is not as elegant as it would be to have a dedicated button for it. If this was thought of by Nord, perhaps such a feature wasn't implemented since it's perhaps a small enough detail that they thought it wasn't worth the dedicated button. I like the way you think - very detailed!
@@MyKeysToMusic sorry, I was meant that "always off" is the mode when the glide is not working when I am playing staccato. "Always on" - is the mode when the glide is working always in legato/staccato. My question is - why glide in mono mode is working, when I'm playing staccato?
@@vanoter4327 Ah, I think I understand now. So, that's just the way they chose to implement it, and it's been this way for years, actually. I'm not entirely sure why they built it the way they did. I'd have to check back to see how this worked on their first Lead keyboard back in the day to see if the history reveals anything or if any additional details can be found in one of their earlier manuals.
Hi David! I had originally contemplated mixing in the arpeggiator with another lesson but I'm glad I didn't. The arpeggiator will likely be a monster of a lesson because it's fairly feature-rich on its own. Hey, I was pleased to finally discuss the "Fast Attack" feature which I know you've been asking for. My apologies that I couldn't find a better / stronger example to really bring the point home. I may discuss it again during the arpeggiator part and I think you'll gain a whole new perspective when you hear it in that context. Thanks for your support and for watching...
Mark, great you did this one which seemed to slip by me. A huge Genesis and TB fan, I bought the Stage 3 Compact for the sole reason that I could do Tony Banks’ keyboards or 2 different ones on one board. Very helpful. I have a question regarding a few tracks prior on that same album - Follow You, Follow Me. I take it you must be familiar with that track? If you notice after his ARP solo which for the duration of the song up to that point is monophonic (mono or Legato)with the right hand the song suddenly at the 3rd chorus switches to polyphonic. My question is two fold, can you still have glide when it is in polyphonic mode (legato/mono turned off)? It seems that the glide disappears if it isn’t in mono or Legato modes. 2nd - can a program foot switch change that parameter from mono/legato to polyphony because that change in the song occurs so quick that the hand would not be able to make the change in ample time? Thanks. PS - can the sample library be edited? I’m trying to organize my sample library with all the deletions and additions I’ve done and the rename button is grayed out. Thanks again Mark, Scott
Hello @Dr. Scott McGregor Thanks for your comment and questions here. (Very good questions by the way) and good listening on that track (Follow You, Follow Me). So, I just re-listened to the solo, 3rd chorus. Yes, it appears they added a keyboard harmony part and it's hard to tell if both notes glide or not for both notes, but it seems that at least one of them does. 1) In any case, the Nord keyboard doesn't support polyphonic glide/portamento. Sometimes you can spoof this however if you have one panel in Mono mode and a near duplicate of the sound in the other panel set in normal mode. You could have panel B waiting in the wings and turn it on at the 3rd chorus allowing for the second note harmony with Panel B while also still having some glide effect happening on panel A. The only problem with this is that there will be a noticeable timbre change when panel B is introduced. Hmm, perhaps you could play the entire solo with both panels on but give a bit of volume emphasis on panel A (the one that is providing the glide effect). 2) Technically speaking, a programmable footswitch controller could be pre-configured to send a CC# of 49 which is "Synth Voice Mode". Doing so would toggle between the three options of Off, Mono and Legato in a round-robin scenario I believe. If you know of any programmable MIDI footswitches, let us know because this is an interesting area that I want to potentially explore further. So far I've come up with this one from Behringer: (affiliate link: amzn.to/3j2zowD). I also hear this one is tricky to program. 3) The Sample Libraries from Clavia (for both the piano and the synth) cannot be renamed or recategorized in any way. Your homemade samples however can be named when you create them and categorized as well directly in the Nord Sample Editor 3.0 software. Hope that helps clarify a few things! - Marc
@@MyKeysToMusic yes it does Mark and thanks for getting back. It’s funny I seem to figure out the answer a day or two after posting the question. I realized I could not change the name of the samples or their category but was able to organize a lot easier which seemed to fit the bill. I will try those recommendations you mentioned Mark and thanks again. I would be completely lost on my Stage 3 if it weren’t for your extremely informative vids that you have painstakingly put together for our benefit!
Marc, what exactly are the Attack, Decay & Envelope levels for the Amplitude and Modulation envelopes for the Genesis Cinema Show sound?? Any velocity on either?? Thanks as always!
Hello @Dr. Scott McGregor Great question! So, I had to recreate the synth sound again since I never saved the original. But I did recreate the keyboard part for the solo only and you can see the specifications here: www.dropbox.com/s/q85b5d9sbc0gftk/In%20the%20Cage%20Specs.png?dl=0 Feel free to adjust to taste.
@@luvjammin04 Glad to hear it. And upon further inspection, I think you can get away with a Glide of 2.0 which brings out the "stickiness" in some of the faster lines he does on that solo. Cheers!
Hi and thanks again Marc! I have a request about the piano. I bought a Yamaha mm8 eight years ago and no piano sound on the nord stage 3 isn't nearly as thick and clear as the ones on the mm8. So my question as a stage 3 owner, can you make the sound in the piano section thicker, more bottom, clearer and punch. I tried the soft, mid and bright filter but the sound is still pretty thin and I haven't had any luck with the eq section either.. Please please please make a video about this if you know anything about it.. All the best / Seb
Hi Seb. Give this a try and let me know if it makes s difference or not on your end: www.dropbox.com/s/q3yel301buzhvbo/EQ%20For%20Thicker%20Piano%20Sounds%20Comments%202019-02-05.jpeg?dl=0 . Leave the dedicated piano EQ off too for this experiment.
Hi Marc, another great video, thanks! Quick question - if someone sends you a Dropbox file with a sample in it, how do we get it on the keyboard? Do I drag to my comp, and upload to the keyboard through the USB? Or do I have to use the Nord library first?
Hi Mike! Longtime no hear. You can download the file to your desktop first. Then open the Nord Sound Manager application on your computer. With your computer connected to your Nord and the Nord turned on, drag the sample into the Sound Manager. You may want to watch my Sound Manager video training series (UA-cam playlist) if you haven't already: ua-cam.com/play/PLvND2qkkWygoQCy9WDSx3w6XBM-9e4Lkz.html . Good luck and report back, please.
Awesome, I knew you had a video on this somewhere! Do you think you will make a video on finding the fullest/wide piano sound? Most of the piano sounds seem to be thin or "tinny"....I've played with the EQ sounds but I can't seem to find a really strong authentic piano sound.
Mike, have a look at this EQ setting and let me know if this helps at all. It seems to on my end. I tried this with the XL pianos and without the piano EQ options in the middle. Just the EQ by itself in the effects area. Here is a picture for the settings: www.dropbox.com/s/q3yel301buzhvbo/EQ%20For%20Thicker%20Piano%20Sounds%20Comments%202019-02-05.jpeg?dl=0
@@mikecampbell4349 Ya, that may be a tad too much bass haha. My favorite pianos are the Royal Grand 3D and Italian Grand XL. At first, I wasn't crazy about the 3D, but it grew on me and now it's my favorite.
Hi Marc! First of all: big fan of your work here. Well, a few years ago I bought Nord Stage 3, but Revision B and since then, I've never been able to activate any glide, either mono or legato. When I press the button for that mode, it does not turn on. I've watched all your videos, but since mine is Rev B, I never found the answer to this question. Could you help me? Regards, Dan.
Hello @Dan Bordallo Thanks for your question here and for being a fan of the work. Did you try updating your OS yet? Sometimes this triggers things to start working again. I have a video on that here: ua-cam.com/video/bkPAmWBnF5c/v-deo.html
Hi Marc. I have been watching your instructional videos for a number of months now, while I try to save my pennies to purchase a North Stage 3 Compact. I want to let you know that I have thoroughly enjoyed them all, and I know that I will be using them as important references down the road!
Also, as someone who taught high school & 1st-year college-level Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, and Geology for 30+ years, I must let you know how impressed I am with your videos from an educator's perspective. I know how much work goes into learning a subject well enough to teach it in an organized & thorough fashion, and I am well-aware of just how much time it takes to prep for a lesson. So, I certainly admire your effort & commitment towards helping others get well on their way towards mastering a very complex keyboard & getting the most out of this musical instrument.
Not only that, but (FWIW), your instructional videos are inviting, engaging, perfectly paced, clearly voiced, and have just the right amount of detail. The sequence (no pun intended) you chose for the topics works well, and the visuals you have included are helpful & never superfluous, e.g. I found your use of the Garage Band spectrum analyzer most helpful when you explained the different kinds of filters & modulation of the filter settings.
In my humble opinion, your series of videos on Nord keyboards outclasses all other instructional videos I have seen on YT about any musical instrument...not just videos about Nord keyboards...I mean all how-to videos about any instrument. Kudos!
One more topic...I did want to share a bit of info regarding the use of white or pink noise in synth sound design, which you discussed in a previous instructional video. (BTW, my sincere apologies if the followimg is redundant in any way, e.g you are already aware of what follows, and/or I missed you making the following points previously.)
There are some very good reasons why a source of white and/or pink noise is found in some synthizers. The addition of a low but audible amount of noise to a signal from one or more oscillators will not do much for the sound if there is no ADSR envelope applied or there is no modulation of the filter settings, however as soon as either or both of those are employed, the noise can add a breath-like sound on top of the tone(s) created by the oscillator(s). As anyone who has tried to close-mic a brass/woodwind instrument or human voice quickly learns, the sound we hear from a brass/woodwind instrument or human voice is not the just the instrument's fundamental & harmonics, but also 'noise' from moving air. So, if the patch being created is intended to be similar to a brass or wind instrument, or has to mimic a vocal sound, then the noise component can give the listener a sense of air being moved prior to, during, and just after the instrument's/voice's fundamental & harmonics are produced. So, adding noise can enhance realism & even augment the emotional content of the sound we hear.
A great example of this is the Japanese "Shakuhachi", which IMHO projects an atmosphere of mystery & perhaps tension, or even suggests spiritual reflection. A synth patch based on a sampled Shakuhachi that many people will remember well is the unique sound that opens the unedited album version of the Peter Gabriel hit, "Sledgehammer", then is reprised during the outro of the song. IMHO, the sound of the Shakuhachi invokes (or reinforces) an emotional undercurrent in the song that is more easily missed if the intro is edited out (as it was in some 'single' versions)
Finally, noise on its own, or in conjuction with another brief tone, can be shaped by an ADSR envelope and/or a modulated filter to create very useful percussive sounds, e.g. the sound of a snare drum, open hi-hat, or cymbal produced by some drum machines.
So, like beauty. the value of noise is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder. :)
Great Insight Derek
Hi Derek!
Wow... Well, I think you win the award for the most thoughtful and perhaps the most complimentary feedback on the channel to date! And according to my stats, we just surpassed 500 comments as of Jan 29th, 2019. So, that should let you know full well that what you wrote here sums up the distinction and sincere appreciation I have for your comments as well as your superior insight into the topic of white/pink noise! So, let me just say THANK YOU for this! It is gratifying (and humbling) to know that the effort is appreciated by you as well as so many others here on the channel who have boldly said as much.
I'll keep this reply abbreviated and simply say that you've inspired me to consider making a video that will highlight the noise generation aspects of the Nord Stage 3 and how that relates to the fine art of sound creation and acoustic instrument imitation/enhancement. I'll have to put additional thought into the best examples and the best approach to take for this, but I think the "Shakuhachi" idea you have is a great place to start. Being a former alto sax player myself, I have a deep appreciation for acoustic instruments, and your perspective here makes total sense.
There is a LOT planned ahead of such a video like this currently on my agenda, but I want you to know that I've added it to the list and I think it would be both unique (first of its kind perhaps), as well as enlightening for many (as it was for me just now).
Much appreciated Derek and thanks for watching!
@@MyKeysToMusic Hi Marc,
I am pleased that you appreciated the feedback & found my babbling-on about the value of white or pink noise interesting.
Just so you know, I am not close to being an expert on sound design. I just wanted to share what I have learned from other sound designers, that's all. So you may want to consult with some people who know the ins & outs of sound design to get a better explanation. A few on YT who I follow are "GeoSynths", and "SynthMania". They're create patches from scratch for analog, digital, and hybrid synths, (especially ones that are under-appreciated or recently released), and they sell them as sets. They also publish sound design tutorials on YT. They do great work!
I am looking forward to your next episodes! ttyl
@@derekbaker3279 Thank you for the additional info here. I'll be sure to check out those other channels as well when it comes time to prep for it. Thanks again for the support...
@Derek Baker - By now you may have noticed the latest video where we discover how to make a helicopter-like sound from the Nord Stage 3 found here: ua-cam.com/video/lTMl_o029dY/v-deo.html. In the back of my mind, I had your request to highlight white noise on the list and I think this is one video at least that highlights the power of white noise as it relates to this particular sound effect. Thanks again for your input over these many months. I hadn't forgotten our discussion in the comments.
Love the Tony Banks example!
Thanks @Stephanie Casey Gosh I love Genesis, I simply have to do more videos on their stuff down the road. Long Live Prog Rock! 🤙🏻 🎹
Wow! Beginning a tutorial with the Cinema Show is a plus!!! I'm playing in a band covering Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Camel... And NOW I'm able for the fisrt time to build my own lead sounds from scratch!!! Thanks a lot for your videos. Very helpful and instructive! 👍🎹🍺
So glad to hear about this Albert! Keep up the good work! I assume you are enjoying your NS3 as well. I remember you received it about a month ago or so.
My first Nord Stage was 2005, and I’ve worked my way all the way through to the 3. I have however been lazy about the synthesizer section. I know enough about synthesis from the 70s with my ARP Odyssey, but not nearly enough to be honest. So I simply want to thank you for allowing me the chance to learn things correctly from the beginning. This is truly opened up so many windows and opportunities for sound creation. I recommend this series to even very experienced synthesizer players. It forces you out of your comfort zone by incrementally re-learning the basics. Thank you thank you thank you
So glad to have you watching this series William and for taking the time to say so. It means a lot. My hat is off to you and anyone else who has followed the series and benefited by it. The Nord Stage 3 brings everything up a level, especially in the synth area. Thanks for watching!
A great instructor. Remarkable. Thanks
Thank you very much Projective Sound. Appreciate it and thanks for watching!
Thanks for the videos. Really enjoying them and learning a lot about my Nord. Just to clear something up though; the solo you're playing whilst part of the In The Cage live medley is originally actually from The Cinema Show. Love the fact you are playing it and demoing it all the same though. Thanks again.
Hi Chris! Thank you. Yes, all my Genesis friends used to remind me that "In The Cage" is not really a song as much as it is a medley from the Three Sides Live album. And it's funny you mention this because when I first heard Cinema Show it was via In the Cage. So it's now permanently in my brain as "In the Cage" (and probably will be forever) haha. But this is good knowledge for those checking out this particular video. I go back and forth between which performance I like better. The original recording of Cinema Show is so pure but the live version as part of In the Cage has more energy (and a faster tempo I believe). Nice to have options to hear that song. Gosh, Tony Banks is amazing. That same Genesis friend of mine actually got to meet Tony: instagram.com/p/Bwo3fB0n3Ya/?
Very comprehensive and clear Marc .... Nice production values.
Hi Thomas. As always, thanks for your feedback here. It is always appreciated!
Marc, apologies for misspelling your name with a K instead of a C in a previous question!! I just wanted to mention that if you wanted to get even more Tony Banks effect on the organ, add some C3 (chorus) to it, turn Leslie rotor on but slow (rather than fast) and drive at 1. Percussion off. Best wishes!
No worries about the name - happens all the time. Great tips about Tony banks - thanks!
Full Tony Banks sound tutorials would be a great direction for the channel 😉
Great lesson as always!
Thanks Padlockigami! You can never go wrong with Tony Banks and there is enough material there to create an entire channel for sure. It would take a lot of woodshedding to master most of his solos but it would be a labor of love. So yes, that would make a heck of a channel. Maybe in a second life, I'll have time for that 🤔 But Genesis could definitely be brought up again in the future for sure. Thanks for watching!
@@MyKeysToMusic Hey Marc, to further the Genesis line of thought, I'm hoping to get a Nord Stage 3 in the coming months and I would love to put Nord's RMI Electra samples on it. However, they only seem to be in the Nord Sample Library Archive. Is it possible to use sounds from this library on the Nord Stage 3 line? Do you have to put them through Nord's sample editor first and convert them somehow?
@@Padlockigami @Padlockigami I've got some good news for you. I just tested all this right now and it works. They recently released the ability to convert the old style samples and use them on the Nord Stage 3. Here's a visual: www.dropbox.com/s/jbnkns0u7ois66y/Learn%20the%20Nord%20Stage%203%20Synth%20Engine%20%28Part%205%29%20Nord%20Stage%203%20with%20Electra.png?dl=0 Now, I have to do a video featuring these sounds because it sounds to me that the group "Yes" used this at the beginning of "Long Distance Runaround" for example. (Thanks for bringing this to our attention!)
Thanks for your last reply , Marc - after mentioning "In The Cage" in your last reply, you've provided a taster of it here. I have Genesis's studio albums, but not any of their live releases; I must investigate this further. Best wishes, Mark
Hi Mark! "Three Sides Live" released in 1982, takes the entire Genesis experience to a whole other level in my opinion. That was my first exposure to Genesis way back in high school (1986/87). Once I heard the "In the Cage Melody", I was hooked! Thanks for saying hello.
And yes, this is exactly what I was talking about (Genesis) in my previous post when I mentioned it.
Hi, Mark. I have a question for you. Why glide on NS3 has no always-on/always-off mode? In mono/legato mode I want to have flexibility when I use glide. For example, in mono mode i want always-off glide (when I'm playing staccato there is no glide). But in NS3 in mono mode is always-on glide, in legato mode is always-off glide. I have no flexibility in glide mode.
Hello @vanoter I hear what you are saying there. I think the thought is that if you want it "always off," you would turn the glide knob down to zero. But, I can see a point to be made by having a button for this so that you don't lose your glide settings by moving the glide knob. Alternatively, you could take the keyboard out of Mono/Legato mode altogether to remove the glide option during selected passages. However, this is not as elegant as it would be to have a dedicated button for it. If this was thought of by Nord, perhaps such a feature wasn't implemented since it's perhaps a small enough detail that they thought it wasn't worth the dedicated button. I like the way you think - very detailed!
@@MyKeysToMusic sorry, I was meant that "always off" is the mode when the glide is not working when I am playing staccato. "Always on" - is the mode when the glide is working always in legato/staccato. My question is - why glide in mono mode is working, when I'm playing staccato?
@@vanoter4327 Ah, I think I understand now. So, that's just the way they chose to implement it, and it's been this way for years, actually. I'm not entirely sure why they built it the way they did. I'd have to check back to see how this worked on their first Lead keyboard back in the day to see if the history reveals anything or if any additional details can be found in one of their earlier manuals.
Fantastic smart to separate voice and arpeggiator
Hi David! I had originally contemplated mixing in the arpeggiator with another lesson but I'm glad I didn't. The arpeggiator will likely be a monster of a lesson because it's fairly feature-rich on its own. Hey, I was pleased to finally discuss the "Fast Attack" feature which I know you've been asking for. My apologies that I couldn't find a better / stronger example to really bring the point home. I may discuss it again during the arpeggiator part and I think you'll gain a whole new perspective when you hear it in that context. Thanks for your support and for watching...
@@MyKeysToMusic no it makes sense with samples with long attacks
Mark, great you did this one which seemed to slip by me. A huge Genesis and TB fan, I bought the Stage 3 Compact for the sole reason that I could do Tony Banks’ keyboards or 2 different ones on one board. Very helpful. I have a question regarding a few tracks prior on that same album - Follow You, Follow Me. I take it you must be familiar with that track? If you notice after his ARP solo which for the duration of the song up to that point is monophonic (mono or Legato)with the right hand the song suddenly at the 3rd chorus switches to polyphonic. My question is two fold, can you still have glide when it is in polyphonic mode (legato/mono turned off)? It seems that the glide disappears if it isn’t in mono or Legato modes. 2nd - can a program foot switch change that parameter from mono/legato to polyphony because that change in the song occurs so quick that the hand would not be able to make the change in ample time? Thanks. PS - can the sample library be edited? I’m trying to organize my sample library with all the deletions and additions I’ve done and the rename button is grayed out. Thanks again Mark, Scott
Hello @Dr. Scott McGregor Thanks for your comment and questions here. (Very good questions by the way) and good listening on that track (Follow You, Follow Me). So, I just re-listened to the solo, 3rd chorus. Yes, it appears they added a keyboard harmony part and it's hard to tell if both notes glide or not for both notes, but it seems that at least one of them does.
1) In any case, the Nord keyboard doesn't support polyphonic glide/portamento. Sometimes you can spoof this however if you have one panel in Mono mode and a near duplicate of the sound in the other panel set in normal mode. You could have panel B waiting in the wings and turn it on at the 3rd chorus allowing for the second note harmony with Panel B while also still having some glide effect happening on panel A. The only problem with this is that there will be a noticeable timbre change when panel B is introduced. Hmm, perhaps you could play the entire solo with both panels on but give a bit of volume emphasis on panel A (the one that is providing the glide effect).
2) Technically speaking, a programmable footswitch controller could be pre-configured to send a CC# of 49 which is "Synth Voice Mode". Doing so would toggle between the three options of Off, Mono and Legato in a round-robin scenario I believe. If you know of any programmable MIDI footswitches, let us know because this is an interesting area that I want to potentially explore further. So far I've come up with this one from Behringer: (affiliate link: amzn.to/3j2zowD). I also hear this one is tricky to program.
3) The Sample Libraries from Clavia (for both the piano and the synth) cannot be renamed or recategorized in any way. Your homemade samples however can be named when you create them and categorized as well directly in the Nord Sample Editor 3.0 software.
Hope that helps clarify a few things! - Marc
@@MyKeysToMusic yes it does Mark and thanks for getting back. It’s funny I seem to figure out the answer a day or two after posting the question. I realized I could not change the name of the samples or their category but was able to organize a lot easier which seemed to fit the bill. I will try those recommendations you mentioned Mark and thanks again. I would be completely lost on my Stage 3 if it weren’t for your extremely informative vids that you have painstakingly put together for our benefit!
@@luvjammin04 Thank you Dr. Scott for your comment and support!
Awesome tutorials! One question: do you know how to (if it's possible) to have PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) in the Stage 3, somehow?
I think I found it --> by applying to the SQUARE wave, the Shape funcion as 2nd OSC. It that correct?
@Alessandro Bizzarri Sorry for the delay here. Yes, that is correct. And you can modulate the shape too through the LFO as well (of course).
@@MyKeysToMusic thanks a lot!
@@MrAlessandrobizzarri Happy to help!
Marc, what exactly are the Attack, Decay & Envelope levels for the Amplitude and Modulation envelopes for the Genesis Cinema Show sound?? Any velocity on either?? Thanks as always!
Hello @Dr. Scott McGregor Great question! So, I had to recreate the synth sound again since I never saved the original. But I did recreate the keyboard part for the solo only and you can see the specifications here: www.dropbox.com/s/q85b5d9sbc0gftk/In%20the%20Cage%20Specs.png?dl=0 Feel free to adjust to taste.
@@MyKeysToMusic thanks so much Marc. Sounds perfect now!!
@@luvjammin04 Glad to hear it. And upon further inspection, I think you can get away with a Glide of 2.0 which brings out the "stickiness" in some of the faster lines he does on that solo. Cheers!
Hi and thanks again Marc! I have a request about the piano. I bought a Yamaha mm8 eight years ago and no piano sound on the nord stage 3 isn't nearly as thick and clear as the ones on the mm8. So my question as a stage 3 owner, can you make the sound in the piano section thicker, more bottom, clearer and punch. I tried the soft, mid and bright filter but the sound is still pretty thin and I haven't had any luck with the eq section either.. Please please please make a video about this if you know anything about it..
All the best
/ Seb
Seb Arrow I agree. We need a video on the creating the most full piano sounds
Hi Seb. Give this a try and let me know if it makes s difference or not on your end: www.dropbox.com/s/q3yel301buzhvbo/EQ%20For%20Thicker%20Piano%20Sounds%20Comments%202019-02-05.jpeg?dl=0 . Leave the dedicated piano EQ off too for this experiment.
Hi Marc, another great video, thanks! Quick question - if someone sends you a Dropbox file with a sample in it, how do we get it on the keyboard? Do I drag to my comp, and upload to the keyboard through the USB? Or do I have to use the Nord library first?
Hi Mike! Longtime no hear. You can download the file to your desktop first. Then open the Nord Sound Manager application on your computer. With your computer connected to your Nord and the Nord turned on, drag the sample into the Sound Manager. You may want to watch my Sound Manager video training series (UA-cam playlist) if you haven't already: ua-cam.com/play/PLvND2qkkWygoQCy9WDSx3w6XBM-9e4Lkz.html . Good luck and report back, please.
Awesome, I knew you had a video on this somewhere! Do you think you will make a video on finding the fullest/wide piano sound? Most of the piano sounds seem to be thin or "tinny"....I've played with the EQ sounds but I can't seem to find a really strong authentic piano sound.
Mike, have a look at this EQ setting and let me know if this helps at all. It seems to on my end. I tried this with the XL pianos and without the piano EQ options in the middle. Just the EQ by itself in the effects area. Here is a picture for the settings: www.dropbox.com/s/q3yel301buzhvbo/EQ%20For%20Thicker%20Piano%20Sounds%20Comments%202019-02-05.jpeg?dl=0
My Keys To Music wow, it looks like you really cranked up the bass! Which piano XL do you prefer?
@@mikecampbell4349 Ya, that may be a tad too much bass haha. My favorite pianos are the Royal Grand 3D and Italian Grand XL. At first, I wasn't crazy about the 3D, but it grew on me and now it's my favorite.
Hi Marc! First of all: big fan of your work here. Well, a few years ago I bought Nord Stage 3, but Revision B and since then, I've never been able to activate any glide, either mono or legato. When I press the button for that mode, it does not turn on.
I've watched all your videos, but since mine is Rev B, I never found the answer to this question.
Could you help me?
Regards, Dan.
Hello @Dan Bordallo Thanks for your question here and for being a fan of the work. Did you try updating your OS yet? Sometimes this triggers things to start working again. I have a video on that here: ua-cam.com/video/bkPAmWBnF5c/v-deo.html