Just picked mine up! I half to say, just watching you for 5 mins ,…I’ve already learned more than other videos combined!!!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻what a great service your providing your audience!! Your a great teacher!!
Wow, I just got myself a Nord Drum and I already love how much fun it is and how easily you can create your own weird sounds. And now you give me an idea what to waste another two and a half grand on (that I don't have). Nord does awesome stuff, I'm pretty much convinced of that now!
With such a versatile instrument, what's really on display here is Cuckoo's imagination. The synth is basically just a blank canvas and a bunch of paints. It's nice, but what makes it interesting is the person holding the paintbrush.
Nice tutorial. Thank you. It's like the Korg Wave State with the 4 layers. And it's like the Prophet X with the combination of samples and synth waveforms. The Nord though has 48 voices vrs the 16 voices on the Prophet X. While the Prophet X has 50GB of user sample storage memory while the Nord has 1 GB only. So Nord has the voices and PX has the sample memory. With new Nord lower pricing this synth would be my choice. The Poly chord arp, and effects make it very useable in a pop application. I like the sound.
Thanks for the great video. I thought the stage was awesome. But as a « synth » person, the wave appeals to me a lot more than I thought. The 4 layer system is super cool. I would love to see more aftertouch controlling the layers. This looks like a really cool synth for performing live.
Thanks for the w2 walkthrough. Hadn't used FM on it yet quite how you showed here, which actually makes a lot more sense! Very cool and expansive sounds you often seem to uncover. Ive just been doing FM with only one layer. It almost sounds like theres more operators or carriers or whatnot, when you add more layers to that. One thing I love about this synth, is how, like you said, basically it's really easy to get to everything, very intuitive interface. One thing I love is how quick you can get to a dedicated vibrato section - also compared to other keybeds, the feel of this one is just amazing, and I can really feel the responsiveness of aftertouch, specifically, feels just really nice. One thing I've tried doing so far, is crossfading layer levels with an expression pedal, between the layers, so for example, id have 4 different static wavetable tones per layer, then morph from one, into another to get that kind of 'moving' wavetable sound, a little bit more [since you can't sweep or shape those using osc. control]. If I also include a filter on some of the layers, and some increased attack, it really starts to sound more animated. I maybe could apply aftertouch to crossfade levels, haven't tried that one yet. awesome content! eager to see whats going to be in your next w2 video
Loved your explanation at the beginning about the simplicity of Nord keyboards. It became more meaningful at the end of the video. To me, the Arp control possibilities should be applied to any synthesizers nowadays. The rest is only about the characteristics of every brands. Well done👌
i don't have the nord wave . nor do i have any synths you make tutorials on . but boy you make intrstinig and may i say intertining tutorials and video that i watch it and really enjoy it. and really wait for the next one 👍🏻. keep up the good work man , 🙏. 😁😁😁😁😁👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Underrated synth. It's too bad Nord charges so much for it because it deserves more traction in the market. If it were priced right at $1900 it would be such a compelling option.
Yeah I hear you. Nord is a small company in Stockholm. I think they assemble themselves, making it hard for them to compete with prices of bigger factory runs.
I found a used one for around 2k. Since it’s four complete synths in one, would I pay 500-600 bucks for just one of them? Ya, I think that’s fair for a sampling synth workhorse with killer effects, etc. Great video, look, forward to many more!
Not sure if I'd go for Nord Wave 2 or Nord Lead A1, if I didn't already have an A1. Some neat features unique to both. Honestly, as someone fairly new to synthesis (7 years?) I just like seeing a big synth RU-vidr using Nord hardware. I'm mostly Moog semi-modular now with Arturia Keystep Pro (and Microfreak!), but my A1 is what I reach for when I need dramatic pads, every time.
@@josesoto2342 It truly is. Grew up playing piano and multiple school band instruments. Only in the last few years have I really gotten a solid grasp on the differences in hardware synthesis. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Cool. You obviously really like the Wave 2. I have 2 of the original Waves. 😛 Been playing around with a breath controller applied to morph. I think this is the best modern hardware sampler currently available and the software makes it really easy to create custom libraries.
Hey, is there a way to have smaller steps for entry with the encoders? The filter frequency, for instance, is very coarse-grained (goes from 87Hz to 92Hz). I tried to hold down shift etc., but I couldn't find out how to enter more precise values. Any hints?
Hi Cuckoo! beautiful tutorial as usual, you are a point of reference. Do you think that the NW2 is more suitable for playing live or for studio sound design?
Thanks so much for posting! I've been interested in the Wave2 since release, in part because I had an og Wave a while back. Funny you settled on the mellotron samples in your one patch, as I always found they sounded so good - rough and crunchy - as underlayers. Are the envelopes snappy enough to make nice kicks? I'm imagining using the custom arps to build drum line accompaniment.
Yeah, I love that thing. But the software editor isn’t running in 64-bit, so I don’t know how to use it creatively anymore. Run some sort of old Mac emulator on the Mac? Or a Windows emulator?
I know the Nord stage models have incredible piano samples but how are the Nord wave 2 piano samples? Are there decent ones that come out of the box? or would you have to buy additional sample packs from nord to get a decent one?
There are very decent ones out of the box. But the biggest difference is that the Nordwave 2 does not support the advanced piano libraries that the Nord Stage, Nord Piano, or even Nord Electro plays. It only supports samples in the Nord Sample 3 (and 2) format, which is the format that we creators are given to work with when it comes to making custom samples for all Nord instruments. We do not have access to the much richer format, which is an in-house proprietary format allowing for velocity layers and more delicate stuff. These higher quality instrument formats are not supported on the Nordwave 2, which is a shame. The keybed is inspiring to play like a piano, so it would've been great.
@@truecuckoo thanks for the reply! I'm really considering getting one of their keyboards but for that very reason I'm really conflicted on which one. I'd like to have the synth capabilities of the wave but id also really like to have the incredible piano capabilities of the stage models. For their price I feel like they should have both. I guess it is always be a midi keyboard for digital synths so maybe the stage model is the better option? Idk. Thanks again!
I don’t believe it sends arp midi out, but it does send key note midi out and you can control four different midi channels using four zones. Maybe future update will have arp sending midi out?
Thanks. Yeah. Each of the four layers can use its own synthesis of choice, with an individual patch. So 4 x FM is totally possible. Or 3 x FM, and 1 sample layer. It’s up to you.
Have you felt the keybed in person? This is the best keybed that I’ve ever felt out of everything that I’ve tried. I think it’s the perfect sweet spot.
For similar (ish) features, I see a couple others which might be worth comparing to... Prophet X for $3500, or the Korg modwave for $800. The Korg is only 3 octaves though, with a fairly cheap build.
I've been thinking the same thing. I sold my A1 a few years ago and recently got the NW2, but there's a LOT the A1 can do that the NW2 can't. I'd switch back in a heartbeat if I wouldn't lose so much money reselling the NW2 used.
@@lucasmartin7845 I don't mean to say the A1 is universally better, the Wave 2 does add a lot of valuable features (i.e. aftertouch, customizable arpeggiator patterns, easier layer management, and samples as you mentioned).
@@lucasmartin7845 The main reason I want the A1 back is just the ability to combine any of a long list of osc mod modes with any starting waveform. I got a lot of fascinating sounds that I can't recreate on the Wave 2, and with an all digital synth I can't imagine why Nord didn't just make their new expensive flagship do everything the A1 can do. In theory they still could with a firmware update, but I'd be shocked if they do.
When you walk through in my eye views with that machine, I thought you will throw it away, the purpose was show you will do that: it is Not good... I will drop it away from my room..., so I have a suggestion for you: When you ready to introduce some new to us, do it in Serious and formal. yes, that is important. in my opinion, just.
