I love the videos your doing on the ND3. great stuff. My biggest gripe is no Midi USB on this thing. Its such a hassle when routing in a DAW just to get sequences triggered and needing to use 2 MIDI ports (albiet, easy but can be cumbersome) Its not fast and its annoying when I want to just jam some stuff out at my laptop but not in my studio with my interfaces. Very frustrating. Ive actually bout the Roland SPDSX PRO recently and have the ND3 under it on the same stand and sample directly into the Roland. I edit and create on the ND3 and sample it directly to the roland via audio cable and its an amazing set up. This way if im ever playing live I bring the Roland and theres no cross talk issues, outputs, triggers, the works! As a drummer first and synth and production second, this is the best set up ive found when it comes to Drum synths or any sort of percussion in the electronic realm.
Yes I have to agree the midi thing is cumbersome. I ended up getting a dedicated midi interface to deal with all the 5-pin midi devices I had. Too much. A great workaround is the iConnectivity mio usb midi interface. They are relatively cheap and it turns your 5-pin into usb-A or C. When I was mobile I used this to connect to the iPad.
The most important thing to emphasize about the Nord Drum 3p is that every design decision by Nord is purely oriented toward live performance. Then it all makes sense. Also, I used a MIDI Baby + expression pedal to make a pretty convincing hi-hat controller. It worked pretty well but you're right: it was too many extra cables and faffing about. It crossed the line to feel like I was hauling around a mini drum kit.
Ahh yes I’ve been some really cool things with external midi devices. My friend Artur did something similar ua-cam.com/video/wThDXuaHOdg/v-deo.htmlsi=SXFBi6k7m03d_ucH super cool ideas there for live performance
I meant to comment earlier on the hihat pedal situation. I have a box which takes input from a Roland hihat trigger pedal and can use that to modify midi messages, configured in a desktop app. So I can use one drum voice for both open and closed hihat sounds, and the pedal modulates the release parameter of the synth voice. I can’t find the box at the moment and forget who makes it, but hopefully someone else knows what I’m talking about.
Great video. I love my Nord Drum, and find it to be a tool unlike anything else. I don’t see it as having any limitations. My ability and imagination are all that I’m up against. The tactile nature of the unit is fantastic. The more I use it the more obviously genius the interface is. The built in FX work fine, and I don’t view it as six separate drums BC they don’t have separate outs. I am going to get a drum synth that has individual outs later, but its just not the same thing. The sounds the nord is capable of are massive and unique and awesome.
I have to agree with you! The pads are really organic feeling - doesn't feel like a static pad. You'll have to let me know what drum synth you end up going with? Putting some thought to this - a drumlogue might be a cheap way to go - trigger it with the ND - it has individual outs .... I might need a drumlogue now. Alpha Base looks sick. I wouldn't mind playing with a Tempest too - not sure if that has individual outs. I quite like the room + plate verbs on the ND and the distortion. I could take or leave the delay and ring mod distortion thing.
Hey again! Back to the output topic: Of course it works with these mentioned big productions because there is a high probability that there are techs checking patches in extended soundchecks on these bigger scale productions. If you are a smaller performer, smaller band whatever, this is a different story. You will not always have a good team around you that knows every little fragment of the show and helps you make it work. When you are a small touring artist that is on tour without a sound engineer, thats when things get kind of random.
I agree - large acts can likely just sit down and play for sound check and not really think too hard about it. However, as a smaller touring artist you can do a lot to control your situation - I used to have a little 6 channel mixer that was part of my rig. I’d handle as much as I could before I gave anything to the sound person and it seemed to mitigate a lot. I’d also say if a small venue engineer can’t handle two outputs they will likely do no better with additional outputs. Just thinking out loud here 😂 I’ve not had my coffee for the day. You are right though, I’ve been to some venues where they can really just blow it.
I just record my performance into Ableton as MIDI data. I split that up into multiple tracks so there is one note number per track. Then I can play the MIDI for one track at a time out to the 3P and record the audio back into Ableton audio tracks. It’s a slightly tedious process, but the end result is individually recorded audio tracks for each drum voice,.
Ahh yes I’ve done something similar. I have a bunch of external instruments nested in drum rack. I’ll mute all the notes but one of the track in the midi -> print to audio -> repeat that process 5 more times. Good workaround for sure but you are right - tedious 😔 😆
RE: Separating tracks in recording- Record your performance via MIDI. Pan odd tracks left, even tracks right. Playback the MIDI performance and record two tracks/pads at a time as audio. Do this three times...boom...6 isolated audio tracks of the 6 pads.
This is a great tip. I’ve even just duplicated my full midi track 6 times across the arrangement - muted all but 1 track for each copy, start recording that to audio and just go make a coffee or something.
I think the real issue, REAL users of the Nord drum have, is that there is no separate Trigger inputs. This limits the ability to split the pads over the drum kit or isolate each trigger/pad to its own pad as the ND3 has cross talk issues. The lack of outputs really is a non issue.
Separate trigger inputs would be nice - however, I haven’t had any cross talk issues. I’ll have to look and see what I have thresholds and sensitivity set to - but I think I got the perfect setting there!
Waaaaaay too much talking not enough demonstration of the product 👎🏾
lol that is fair I do talk too much
It says 5 reasons to get one not sound demo lol
I love the videos your doing on the ND3. great stuff. My biggest gripe is no Midi USB on this thing. Its such a hassle when routing in a DAW just to get sequences triggered and needing to use 2 MIDI ports (albiet, easy but can be cumbersome) Its not fast and its annoying when I want to just jam some stuff out at my laptop but not in my studio with my interfaces. Very frustrating.
Ive actually bout the Roland SPDSX PRO recently and have the ND3 under it on the same stand and sample directly into the Roland. I edit and create on the ND3 and sample it directly to the roland via audio cable and its an amazing set up. This way if im ever playing live I bring the Roland and theres no cross talk issues, outputs, triggers, the works! As a drummer first and synth and production second, this is the best set up ive found when it comes to Drum synths or any sort of percussion in the electronic realm.
Yes I have to agree the midi thing is cumbersome. I ended up getting a dedicated midi interface to deal with all the 5-pin midi devices I had. Too much.
A great workaround is the iConnectivity mio usb midi interface. They are relatively cheap and it turns your 5-pin into usb-A or C. When I was mobile I used this to connect to the iPad.
@@toskabyss woah never heard of this. Ill take a look at it!
The most important thing to emphasize about the Nord Drum 3p is that every design decision by Nord is purely oriented toward live performance. Then it all makes sense.
Also, I used a MIDI Baby + expression pedal to make a pretty convincing hi-hat controller. It worked pretty well but you're right: it was too many extra cables and faffing about. It crossed the line to feel like I was hauling around a mini drum kit.
Ahh yes I’ve been some really cool things with external midi devices. My friend Artur did something similar ua-cam.com/video/wThDXuaHOdg/v-deo.htmlsi=SXFBi6k7m03d_ucH super cool ideas there for live performance
Hell yeah 😎
My friend! I need to send you a text wall about my new couch synth endeavor. I ended up not selling the iPad and I'm glad for it!
I meant to comment earlier on the hihat pedal situation. I have a box which takes input from a Roland hihat trigger pedal and can use that to modify midi messages, configured in a desktop app. So I can use one drum voice for both open and closed hihat sounds, and the pedal modulates the release parameter of the synth voice. I can’t find the box at the moment and forget who makes it, but hopefully someone else knows what I’m talking about.
That is a sick workaround! You just gave me an idea to try something with a sustain pedal and abletons ability to route cc
Great video. I love my Nord Drum, and find it to be a tool unlike anything else. I don’t see it as having any limitations. My ability and imagination are all that I’m up against.
The tactile nature of the unit is fantastic. The more I use it the more obviously genius the interface is.
The built in FX work fine, and I don’t view it as six separate drums BC they don’t have separate outs.
I am going to get a drum synth that has individual outs later, but its just not the same thing.
The sounds the nord is capable of are massive and unique and awesome.
I have to agree with you! The pads are really organic feeling - doesn't feel like a static pad.
You'll have to let me know what drum synth you end up going with?
Putting some thought to this - a drumlogue might be a cheap way to go - trigger it with the ND - it has individual outs .... I might need a drumlogue now.
Alpha Base looks sick. I wouldn't mind playing with a Tempest too - not sure if that has individual outs.
I quite like the room + plate verbs on the ND and the distortion. I could take or leave the delay and ring mod distortion thing.
Hey again! Back to the output topic: Of course it works with these mentioned big productions because there is a high probability that there are techs checking patches in extended soundchecks on these bigger scale productions. If you are a smaller performer, smaller band whatever, this is a different story. You will not always have a good team around you that knows every little fragment of the show and helps you make it work. When you are a small touring artist that is on tour without a sound engineer, thats when things get kind of random.
the L/R thing is an interesting work around!
I agree - large acts can likely just sit down and play for sound check and not really think too hard about it. However, as a smaller touring artist you can do a lot to control your situation - I used to have a little 6 channel mixer that was part of my rig. I’d handle as much as I could before I gave anything to the sound person and it seemed to mitigate a lot. I’d also say if a small venue engineer can’t handle two outputs they will likely do no better with additional outputs.
Just thinking out loud here 😂 I’ve not had my coffee for the day. You are right though, I’ve been to some venues where they can really just blow it.
I just record my performance into Ableton as MIDI data. I split that up into multiple tracks so there is one note number per track. Then I can play the MIDI for one track at a time out to the 3P and record the audio back into Ableton audio tracks. It’s a slightly tedious process, but the end result is individually recorded audio tracks for each drum voice,.
Ahh yes I’ve done something similar. I have a bunch of external instruments nested in drum rack. I’ll mute all the notes but one of the track in the midi -> print to audio -> repeat that process 5 more times. Good workaround for sure but you are right - tedious 😔 😆
RE: Separating tracks in recording- Record your performance via MIDI. Pan odd tracks left, even tracks right. Playback the MIDI performance and record two tracks/pads at a time as audio. Do this three times...boom...6 isolated audio tracks of the 6 pads.
This is a great tip. I’ve even just duplicated my full midi track 6 times across the arrangement - muted all but 1 track for each copy, start recording that to audio and just go make a coffee or something.
Pretty cool, but I can wrap up something like in a basic Arduino, in fact you've given me an idea for my band 😂🎉
I think the real issue, REAL users of the Nord drum have, is that there is no separate Trigger inputs. This limits the ability to split the pads over the drum kit or isolate each trigger/pad to its own pad as the ND3 has cross talk issues. The lack of outputs really is a non issue.
Separate trigger inputs would be nice - however, I haven’t had any cross talk issues. I’ll have to look and see what I have thresholds and sensitivity set to - but I think I got the perfect setting there!
Are you capable of creating like Simmons drums sound with it?
For sure! I’m assuming you mean the big 80s toms? Totally doable.
Theres a stock kit that sounds pretty close. Ill have to see what number.