Kawai Nord Grand User manual

USER MANUAL
Nord Grand
English
OS version: 1.0x
Edition: A
Part number: 50476 Copyright Clavia DMI AB
Edition: A

CAUTION - ATTENTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
RISQUE DE SHOCK ELECTRIQUE
NE PAS OUVRIR
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).
NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
ATTENTION:POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE, NE
PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE.
AUCUN ENTRETIEN DE PIECES INTERIEURES PAR L´USAGER.
CONFIER L´ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFE.
AVIS: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D´INCIDENTE OU D´ELECTROCUTION,
N´EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE A LA PLUIE OU L´HUMIDITET.
1) Read these instructions.
2) Keep these instructions.
3) Heed all warnings.
4) Follow all instructions.
5) Do not use this apparatus near water.
6) Clean only with dry cloth.
7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat
registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampliers) that
produce heat.
9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one
wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades
and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong
are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not t
into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.
10) Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched
particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point
where they exit from the apparatus.
11) Only use attachments/accessories specied by the manu-
facturer.
12) Use only with the cart, stand,
tripod, bracket, or table specied by the
manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus.
When a cart is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.
13) Unplug this apparatus during lightning
storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14) Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel. Servicing
is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way,
such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been
spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus
has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate nor-
mally, or has been dropped.
The lightning ash with the arrowhead symbol within
an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the
presence of uninsulated voltage within the products en-
closure that may be of sufcient magnitude to constitute
a risk of electric shock to persons.
Le symbole éclair avec le point de èche à l´intérieur d´un triangle
équilatéral est utilisé pour alerter l´utilisateur de la presence à
l´intérieur du coffret de ”voltage dangereux” non isolé d´ampleur
sufsante pour constituer un risque d`éléctrocution.
The exclamation mark within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the product.
Le point d´exclamation à l´intérieur d´un triangle équilatéral est
employé pour alerter l´utilisateur de la présence d´instructions
importantes pour le fonctionnement et l´entretien (service) dans le
livret d´instructions accompagnant l´appareil.
Instructions pertaining to a risk of re, electric shock or injury to persons.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
Trademarks: The Nord logo is a trademark of Clavia DMI AB. All other trademarks
mentioned in this publication are the properties of their respective holders.
Specications and appearances are subject to change without notice.
Copyright © Clavia DMI AB
No naked ame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on
the apparatus;
Do not use the apparatus in tropical climates.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of re or electric shock, do not expose
this apparatus to rain or moisture.
The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and that
no objects lled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the
apparatus.
The maims plug is used as the disconnect device and shall remain
readily operable.
Il convient de ne pas placer sur l´appareil de sources de ammes nues,
telles que des bougies allumées;
L´appareil n’est pas destiné á étre utilisé sous un climat tropical.
L´appareil ne doit pas étre exposé á des égouttements d´eau ou des
éclaboussures et de plus qu´aucun objet rempli de liquide tel que des
vases ne doit étre placé sur l´appareil.
Lorsque la prise du résau d’alimentation est utilisée comme dispositif
de déconnexion, ce dispositif doit demeuré aisément accessible.
Warning - When using electric products, basic precautions should always be followed, including the following:
Additional Safety Information

1. INTRODUCTION | 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 5
Thank you! ........................................................................................................5
Features .............................................................................................................5
Nord Online ......................................................................................................5
About the User Manual ..............................................................................5
Reading the manual in PDF Format ...................................................................5
Restoring the factory presets.............................................................................5
OS upgrades.....................................................................................................5
Free sounds ......................................................................................................5
Disclaimer..........................................................................................................5
2OVERVIEW......................................................................................... 6
The Nord Grand panel................................................................................6
Master section...................................................................................................6
Piano section – page 10 ....................................................................................6
Sample Synth section – page 13 .......................................................................6
Program section – page 14 ..............................................................................6
Effects section – page 17 ..................................................................................6
3GETTING STARTED................................................................. 7
Hooking it up...................................................................................................7
Panel controls .................................................................................................7
Dials and knobs ................................................................................................7
Buttons .............................................................................................................7
The Shift button ................................................................................................7
Master Level......................................................................................................7
Panel Lock ........................................................................................................7
Soft buttons ......................................................................................................7
Programs...........................................................................................................8
Select a program...............................................................................................8
List view .............................................................................................................8
Edit a program................................................................................................8
Select a new piano sound .................................................................................8
Turn off Memory Protection ....................................................................8
Store a program.............................................................................................8
Live Mode .........................................................................................................9
Activate effects...............................................................................................9
Layer with Sample Synth...........................................................................9
Create a split ..................................................................................................9
Set up a Split cross-fade (Split Width)...........................................................9
Turn on Panel Lock ......................................................................................9
4PIANO ...................................................................................................10
On/Off and Level .............................................................................................10
Octave Up/Down.............................................................................................10
Sustain and Volume.........................................................................................10
About the Piano sounds..........................................................................10
About Piano size .............................................................................................10
Piano Info ...................................................................................................10
Piano Select...................................................................................................10
Type and model...............................................................................................10
List view ..........................................................................................................11
String Res and Soft Release ................................................................11
String Resonance............................................................................................11
Soft Release....................................................................................................11
Nord Triple Pedal.........................................................................................11
Pedal Noise.....................................................................................................11
Half Pedaling ...................................................................................................12
Sostenuto........................................................................................................12
Soft Pedal .......................................................................................................12
Timbre...............................................................................................................12
Acoustic Piano Settings...................................................................................12
Electric Piano settings .....................................................................................12
5SAMPLE SYNTH.........................................................................13
On/Off and Level .............................................................................................13
Octave Up/Down.............................................................................................13
Pedals.............................................................................................................13
About the Sample Synth .........................................................................13
Selecting a Sample..........................................................................................13
List functions ..............................................................................................13
Shaping the sound .....................................................................................13
Dynamics ........................................................................................................13
Amp ...........................................................................................................13
Filter ...........................................................................................................13
Attack, Sustain and Decay/Release.................................................................13
6 PROGRAM........................................................................................14
Transpose On/Set.......................................................................................14
Mono...............................................................................................................14
KBD split..........................................................................................................14
Keyboard Split settings ..................................................................................14
Choosing a split position.............................................................................14
Split Width settings.....................................................................................14
Store ..................................................................................................................14
Storing a program ...........................................................................................14
Naming a program (Store As...) .......................................................................15
Shift / Exit button.........................................................................................15
Live Mode .......................................................................................................15
Program Buttons.........................................................................................15
What is a program?.........................................................................................15
Program dial .................................................................................................15
Program List, Abc and Cat ..............................................................................15
Numeric Pad Navigation mode ........................................................................15
Panel Lock......................................................................................................16
Organize .........................................................................................................16
Enter the Organize view...................................................................................16
Swap two programs........................................................................................16
Move a program .............................................................................................16
MIDI LED indicator......................................................................................16
Panic..................................................................................................................16
7EFFECTS.............................................................................................17
Activating effects ........................................................................................17
Effects 1 ..........................................................................................................17
Trem (Tremolo).................................................................................................17
Pan (Auto Pan) ................................................................................................17
RM (Ring Modulation) ......................................................................................17
Ctrl ped ...........................................................................................................17
Effects 2 ..........................................................................................................17
Phaser 1 & 2 ...................................................................................................17
Flanger ............................................................................................................17
Chorus 1 & 2...................................................................................................18
Vibe.................................................................................................................18
Deep ...............................................................................................................18
Delay .................................................................................................................18
Equalizer ..........................................................................................................18
Amp/Comp ...................................................................................................18
Amp models....................................................................................................18
Dist..................................................................................................................18
Comp..............................................................................................................18
Reverb ..............................................................................................................19

4 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
8MIDI...........................................................................................................20
MIDI functions...............................................................................................20
MIDI Channel...................................................................................................20
Recording a Nord Grand performance to a MIDI sequencer or DAW ...............20
MIDI Messages.............................................................................................20
Note On/Off ................................................................................................20
Controllers ..................................................................................................20
Program Change.........................................................................................20
Local Control On/Off..................................................................................20
Panic..................................................................................................................20
9NORD SOUND MANAGER .............................................21
About Nord Sound Manager.................................................................21
System requirements ................................................................................21
10 MENUS..............................................................................................22
System Menu ................................................................................................22
1 - Memory Protect .........................................................................................22
2 - NumPad Program Select............................................................................22
3 - Global Transpose .......................................................................................22
4 - Fine Tune ...................................................................................................22
5 - Output Routing mode ................................................................................22
6 - Sustain Pedal type ....................................................................................22
7 - Control Pedal .............................................................................................22
Type............................................................................................................22
Gain............................................................................................................22
8 - Version and model info...............................................................................22
Sound Menu..................................................................................................22
1 - Piano Pedal Noise Level.............................................................................22
2 - Piano String Res Level ...............................................................................22
MIDI Menu ......................................................................................................23
1 - Local Control .............................................................................................23
2 - MIDI Channel .............................................................................................23
3 - MIDI Control/Program Change...................................................................23
MIDI Control Change .................................................................................23
MIDI Program Change ................................................................................23
4 - Transpose MIDI At......................................................................................23
11 CONNECTIONS........................................................................24
Audio connections......................................................................................24
Headphones ...................................................................................................24
Left & Right Out...............................................................................................24
Monitor In........................................................................................................24
MIDI connections ........................................................................................24
MIDI In ............................................................................................................24
MIDI Out .........................................................................................................24
USB connection...........................................................................................24
Pedal connections......................................................................................24
Sustain Pedal ..................................................................................................24
Vol/Ctrl Pedal...................................................................................................24
Nord Piano Monitor....................................................................................24
II APPENDIX: MIDI CONTROLLER LIST.................25
III INDEX ....................................................................................................26

1. INTRODUCTION | 5
1
INTRODUCTION
THANK YOU!
Thank you for choosing the Nord Grand. This stage keyboard has
been designed to present the user with an uncompromising piano
playing experience, as well as an easy-to-use interface with an elegant,
retro styling. The premium Kawai Responsive Hammer Action keybed
features triple, hammer tracking sensors for every key, giving an
unprecedented level of realism and dynamic control. Powered by the
free and ever growing Nord Piano Library – an extensive collection of
meticulously sampled piano and keyboard instruments – we hope the
Nord Grand will keep your playing inspired for many years to come.
FEATURES
The Nord Grand has the following main features:
Piano section with acoustic Grand and Upright pianos, tine and reed
based Electric pianos, Clavinet and Harpsichord sounds and a Dig-
ital category which also houses rich sounding Layer combinations.
The memory capacity for the Piano section is 2 GB.
88 key Kawai Responsive Hammer Action keybed with triple sensors
and Ivory Touch keys.
Sample Synth section with 512 MB of sample memory and intuitive
envelope and dynamics controls.
Comprehensive Effects section.
Seamless Transitions: Sustaining notes are not cut off when chang-
ing programs.
Keyboard split functionality with optional split widths, allowing
sounds to smoothly cross-fade over split point.
NORD ONLINE
On the website nordkeyboards.com you will find:
»Information about the Nord Grand and other Nord instruments
»Latest Operating Systems for download
»Free software: Nord Sound Manager, Nord Sample Editor and
drivers
»Nord Piano Library sounds for free download
»Nord Sample Library sounds for free download
»Nord World: Nord releated news stories and videos
»User Manuals for download
»Tutorials can be found at nordkeyboards.com/tutorials
Follow Nord Keyboards on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Feel free to tag your content with our official hashtag #iseenord.
ABOUT THE USER MANUAL
The manual is arranged mainly as a reference manual. In many cases
you’ll also get tips on how to practically use the various features in a
musical context.
READING THE MANUAL IN PDF FORMAT
This manual is available as a digital PDF file. It can be downloaded
from the Nord Grand section on our website.
RESTORING THE FACTORY PRESETS
The factory programs, samples and pianos are available as individual
Nord Sound Manager backup files for download from our website.
There is also a complete backup of the entire instrument and its factory
content, in case it needs to be restored to its original state at some
point.
OS UPGRADES
The latest OS (Operating System) version for the Nord Grand is always
available for download from our website. Please visit our website from
time to time, to make sure you have the latest version in your unit.
FREE SOUNDS
Since the Nord Grand is designed as an open system, each and every
piano and sample in the Nord Grand can be replaced. This is done
using the Nord Sound Manager application which is available as a free
download from our website.
The Nord Grand is compatible with the continuously expanding
Nord Piano Library and the Nord Sample Library. When new sounds
become available, these can be download for free from the Sound
Libraries section of our website.
DISCLAIMER
Any trademarks and brand names mentioned in this manual are the
property of their respective owners and are not affiliated or associated
with Clavia. These trademarks and brand names are only mentioned to
describe certain sound qualities reproduced by the Nord Grand.

6 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
2 OVERVIEW
THE NORD GRAND PANEL
The Nord Grand front panel is laid out with all related features and
controls logically grouped in individual sections. Let’s have a quick
look, from left to right:
MASTER SECTION
At the far left is the Master Level control for the overall volume level, as
well as the Panel Lock feature for protecting the panel controls while
playing. Read more about this feature on page 16.
PIANO SECTION – PAGE 10
The Nord Grand benefits from the ever-growing Nord Piano Library
and includes a wide range of piano and keyboard sounds including
Grand, Upright and Electric pianos as well as Digital piano and Layer
sounds right out of the box. New sounds are regularly made available
free of charge on the www.nordkeyboards.com website.
Among the Piano section’s panel controls are buttons for activating the
Advanced String Resonance feature (for acoustic pianos), adjusting the
keyboard velocity response or quickly altering the character of a piano
sound using the dedicated Timbre settings.
With the included Nord Triple Pedal connected, the dynamic Pedal
Noise feature – mimicking the sounds produced by a mechanical
damper pedal – can be activated. The Triple Pedal also enables half
pedaling techniques as well as using Una Corda and Sostenuto pedal-
ing to enrich the performance.
SAMPLE SYNTH SECTION – PAGE 13
The Nord Sample Library 3.0 gives Nord Grand owners access to a
huge free library of world-class sounds, including the famous vintage
Mellotron and Chamberlin sounds. A large selection of samples are in-
cluded from the start and the Sample Synth section is where these are
browsed and loaded. A number of functions for adjusting the character
and response of the sample are accessed directly via the panel.
PROGRAM SECTION – PAGE 14
A program on the Nord Grand contains settings for both the Piano and
Sample Synth sections, as well as for effects and any split or trans-
pose configurations. The middle area of the instrument – the Program
section – is where programs are navigated and stored, and various
performance features and settings menus are accessed. All this is
aided by the large OLED display, which also shows the name of any
selected Piano and/or Sample sound.
EFFECTS SECTION – PAGE 17
The Effects section puts a wide selection of classic effects at your
fingertips:
The Effects 1 and 2 units provide essential modulation effects such as
Tremolo, Chorus and Phaser – modelled after legendary stomp boxes
and effects units. The Delay effect can be used for anything from sub-
tle ambience or slap-back effects to almost endless soundscapes.
Classic amplifier simulations, tube-like distortion and a punchy Com-
pressor effect are found in the Amp/Comp section. A versatile EQ with
sweepable Mid range frequency can be applied to any of the Nord
Grand sound engines.
Finally, the lush Reverb – with an optional Bright mode – provides an
array of small and large room simulations for instant atmosphere.
PIANO PROGRAM
SAMPLE SYNTH EFFECTSMASTER
158
Studio Grand 2 Med
Piano80
A:45
Studio 80

3. GETTING STARTED | 7
3 GETTING STARTED
Let’s spend a few minutes getting acquainted with the most fundamen-
tal features of the Nord Grand, and go through some common tasks
and scenarios in a stepwise fashion.
HOOKING IT UP
1 Connect the power cord to the Nord Grand and a mains power
supply, connect the sustain pedal and a set of headphones or a
sound system.
2 Make sure to turn on the Nord Grand first, before the sound sys-
tem. Please be careful with the output volume!
For more information on all the connections of the Nord Grand, see the
Connections section on page 24.
PANEL CONTROLS
DIALS AND KNOBS
The dials on the Nord Grand are knobs without fixed
start and stop positions, used for navigating parameters
and settings. The PROG/MENU dial is one such example.
In this manual, dials are sometimes also referred to as
encoders.
Potentiometer-type knobs are used for many parameters
on the Nord Grand. When a program is loaded the
physical positions of these knobs will in most cases not
correspond to the actual parameter values. As soon as a
knob is turned however, its associated parameter value
will “snap” to the knob’s position.
Holding the SHIFT button while turning a knob allows for monitoring
the stored value of a parameter without changing it.
BUTTONS
Selector buttons are used to select one setting in an
array. They have a set of round or triangular LEDs to
indicate its current setting. Press the button several
times to cycle through the possible options.
ON/OFF buttons are used for activating a function
or a group of functions such as effects and have a
LED close to them to indicate the on/off status and
sometimes also the source or zone.
MThe On/Off buttons of the Effects also have a selector functionality,
as they can be “double clicked” (or pressed once with the Shift
button held down) in order to select the other source.
THE SHIFT BUTTON
Many panel controls on the Nord Grand have a sec-
ondary function, which is printed immediately below it.
These additional functions are accessed by pressing and
holding SHIFT while operating the control.
The Shift button is also used to EXIT a menu or to cancel an ongoing
Store operation.
MASTER LEVEL
The Master Level knob sets the overall output level of
the instrument, both for the Left/Right outputs and for
any connected headphones. Unlike most other panel
controls, its value is not stored with individual programs
but will always have the level to which it is physically set.
PANEL LOCK
The Panel Lock function deactivates all buttons, knobs
and dials on the panel except the Program dial – elim-
inating the risk of inadvertently changing any settings
during a performance. Note that the button needs to be
pressed down for one second, as indicated by the “6“
symbol, in order to turn the feature On or Off.
The 1-5 Program and Live Mode buttons can in fact still be oper-
ated, even with Panel Lock active. However, they also need to be
pressed down for one second to take effect.
SOFT BUTTONS
Menu and settings pages – as well as the Organize view, shown below
– may contain several related options in which case “soft buttons” are
used for focusing a setting or performing a task. Soft buttons are placed
at the bottom of the display and are controlled with the PROGRAM 1-4
buttons. As an example, pressing Program button 3 in the example
below will select Program A:12 for a Swap operation.
Program Organize
A:11 Royal Grand 3D
A:12 Nefertiti Mk I
A:13 Amber Upright
A:14 Orch Strings
Swap Move

8 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
PROGRAMS
The Program area is located at the center of the panel, with the OLED
display in the middle. One program contains complete settings of every
parameter on the panel and is stored in the program memory of the
Nord Grand, with enough room for 400 programs.
Programs are organized into 16 banks, labeled A-P. All programs can be
edited and replaced as you wish.
MA complete set of the factory programs is available on the www.
nordkeyboards.com website. This means that the program memory
can always be restored to its original state.
SELECT A PROGRAM
1 Programs are selected by pressing any of the five PROGRAM but-
tons located below the display, or by turning the PROGRAM dial. A
Program bank on the Nord Grand can contain 25 programs divided
into 5 program pages.
LIST VIEW
Any dial that has LIST written below it – such as the Program dial – can
be used to access a useful list view.
1 Press SHIFT and turn the PROGRAM dial to enter a list view of all the
Programs.
2 Browse to any program, using the PROGRAM dial. All 16 program
banks can be accessed when in List mode.
3 Try out the Abc and Cat soft buttons respectively. Note that in Abc
mode, all programs are shown in a list sorted by name and in Cat
mode as a list sorted by Category.
4 Press SHIFT again to EXIT the List view.
List views for the Piano and Sample dials work in a similar way.
EDIT A PROGRAM
Editing a program is as easy as turning a knob or pressing a button, to
change an existing setting. Let’s give it a quick try:
1 Dial up the first program (or any piano based program) for this
exercise.
The controls for the Piano instrument are located at the left end of
the front panel. Notice that the Piano section of the Program area
display shows the name of the selected piano sound.
SELECT A NEW PIANO SOUND
2 On the Nord Grand, piano sounds are grouped according to their
Type (for instance Grand or Upright). Press the PIANO SELECT
button until the desired Type is selected.
3 Now use the PIANO SELECT dial for selecting a specific sound
within the chosen Type.
MNote that changing any parameter on the panel causes an “E” to
appear next to the program number in the display. This is to show
that the program has been edited but not yet saved. If another
program is loaded before a Store operation is performed, any edits
are lost and the program will have its original settings the next time
it is loaded.
TURN OFF MEMORY PROTECTION
When the Nord Grand is shipped from factory its memory is protected to
prevent accidental overwriting of original programs. Memory protection
can be turned off by toggling a setting located in the System menu.
1 Hold SHIFT and press the SYSTEM (Program 1) button below the
display.
2 Memory Protect is the first setting of the System menu. If the
display shows a different setting, use on-screen soft buttons to
navigate to the Memory Protect setting.
3 Change this setting to Off by turning the PROGRAM dial.
4 Press EXIT (Shift button) to exit the System menu.
MThis setting, like most other System settings, will be permanently
stored until it is changed again.
Read more about menu settings on page 22.
STORE A PROGRAM
1 Press the STORE button above the display once, to begin the pro-
cess of storing the current program.
2 The STORE LED will begin to flash and the display will ask you for
the location to where you want to store the program.
3 If you want to store the edited version to the current location,
replacing the original, simply press STORE again. If not, use the dial
and/or PROGRAM buttons to select a different location.
The program in the selected location becomes active on the
keyboard, allowing it to be auditioned before it is replaced by the
program being stored.
4 When you have found a suitable location for your program, press
STORE again to confirm the store operation.
MPress Shift/Exit once to abort an ongoing Store process if you
change your mind.
Read more about Store and how to name a program in the Program
chapter, on page 13.
STORE PROGRAM TO
A:11
Royal Grand 3D
Program EPiano2
A:31 Grand Imperial
A:32 Ballad EP 1
A:33 Bambino Upright
A:34 Mellotron Flutes
Num Abc Cat

3. GETTING STARTED | 9
LIVE MODE
The five Live programs differ from other programs in that all edits made
to them are instantly stored, without the need for a manual Store
operation.
1 Press LIVE MODE and use the PROGRAM buttons to navigate the
five Live programs.
2 Make an edit, such as activating one of the effects sections, to one
of the programs.
3 Select a different Live program and then return to the one that was
edited. Note that the edit was automatically stored.
4 Press the Live Mode button again to exit Live Mode and return to
the Program banks.
If Live Mode is active and you wish to store the settings permanently
as a program in one of the Program banks, you can do so using the
standard Store methods (see above). Conversely, programs can also
be stored into any of the Live Mode memory locations by pressing LIVE
MODE and selecting one of the Live program locations.
ACTIVATE EFFECTS
1 Make sure the first program (or any piano based program) is
selected.
2 Activate the reverb by pressing the Reverb ON button.
3 Adjust the DRY/WET balance with the knob above the reverb
selector.
4 Activate the delay effect by pressing the DELAY ON/OFF button.
5 The LEDs above the button indicate which sound engine is routed
to the effect; PIANO or SYNTH. Press SHIFT and the Delay SOURCE
button so that the PIANO LED is lit, if it is not already.
“Double-clicking” the On Off / Source button is a shortcut for quick-
ly changing the source for any effects unit.
6 Try the TEMPO, FEEDBACK and DRY/WET controls, to alter the char-
acter and intensity of the Delay effect.
LAYER WITH SAMPLE SYNTH
1 Turn ON the Sample Synth section.
2 Use the two CATEGORY buttons to select the Strings Ensemble
category (the categories are alphabetically sorted).
Pressing down both Category buttons simultaneously presents a
list of all available categories. The desired category can then quickly
be identified and selected using the Sample Select dial.
3 Turn the SAMPLE SELECT dial and select a string sound from the
selected category. The name of the sample is shown at the bottom
of the display.
4 Use the LEVEL control to set an appropriate sound level for the
strings.
When a sample is selected, preset settings for the Sample Synth enve-
lope (Attack, Decay/Sustain/Release), Dynamics and Filter settings are
also loaded. These parameters can subsequently be adjusted manually
as desired. Descriptions of these controls are found in the Sample Synth
reference chapter, starting on page 16.
CREATE A SPLIT
1 Make sure that the Piano and Sample Synth sections are both
turned on.
2 Press the KBD SPLIT button. There are two configurations to
choose from: PNO/SYNT and SYNT/PNO. In this case set it to Pno/
Synt. This means that the Piano sound is placed at the left side of
the keyboard and the Sample Synth sound to the right.
3 To adjust the position of the Split point press SET SPLIT (Shift +
KBD Split button.
4 Make sure that the Pos setting is focused by pressing the Pos soft
button, corresponding to the Program 1 button. Set the split point
to C4 using the dial.
The keyboard is now divided into two zones, the split point being
indicated with a LED above the keyboard. Feel free to use the OCTAVE
UP/DOWN controls in the Piano and Sample Synth section for accessing
different ranges of the respective sounds.
SET UP A SPLIT CROSS-FADE (SPLIT WIDTH)
As a final step, let’s adjust the split point so that the split Piano and
Sample Synth sounds will transition gradually between one another:
5 Again, press SET SPLIT (Shift + KBD Split).
6 Press the Width soft button (Program 2 button). The Split width for
each split point can now be adjusted.
7 Set the width value to 12 by turning the dial. Let go of the KBD
SPLIT button.
Playing across the Split point will now “cross-fade” between the lower
and the upper sound. Note that the split LED above the keyboard is lit
with a red light, indicating that width is set to 12. When width is set to 6
the LED is yellow and with width set to 1the LED is green.
TURN ON PANEL LOCK
The PANEL LOCK function is found at the far left of the
panel and will when engaged protect the panel controls
from unwanted interaction. Here is how to turn it On and
Off:
1 Press down the Panel Lock button for one second, so that its LED
lights up.
2 Try turning a few knobs on the panel. Notice that they have no
effect and that the display reads “Panel Locked”.
3 Press down the Panel Lock button again for one second, to turn
the feature off.
The Program dial can still be used normally, even with Panel Lock
turned On. The Program 1-5 and Live buttons can still be used as
well, but also require being pressed down for one second in order
to have effect.
KEYBOARD SPLIT
Split Position
C4 1
WidthPos

10 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
4 PIANO
ON/OFF AND LEVEL
The Piano section is turned On or Off by pressing its ON button. The
LEVEL knob controls the volume of the Piano sound.
OCTAVE UP/DOWN
Use OCTAVE UP (Shift + Pedals) to transpose the Piano section up by
one octave (+12 semitones) and OCTAVE DOWN (Shift + Piano selector
button) to transpose down by one octave (-12 semitones). When as-
signed to the entire keyboard it can be transposed one octave up or
down. When a split is active the available transpose values may vary, but
always provide access to the entire range of the Piano.
SUSTAIN AND VOLUME
SUSTAIN activates an attached sustain pedal, such as the Nord Triple
Pedal, for the Piano section.
VOLUME assigns an attached control pedal as volume control for the
Piano section. The maximum volume available corresponds to the value
set by the LEVEL knob.
Read more on how to configure attached pedals in the Menus chapter,
on page 22.
Both the sustain and volume pedal can be active at the same time,
indicated by both LEDs being lit.
ABOUT THE PIANO SOUNDS
The Pianos in the Nord Grand are organized into six types. Each type
can contain several models. New piano sounds can be downloaded
from the www.nordkeyboards.com website and added to the Nord
Grand by using the Nord Sound Manager.
Right out of the box, the Nord Grand features a large collection of
acoustic and electric pianos, digital piano sounds and piano layers. A lot
of effort was made to ensure a nuanced response and sound, matching
the original models as closely as possible. The available memory size for
piano sounds is 2 Gigabytes.
MWhen piano sounds are downloaded to the Nord Grand using the
Nord Sound Manager, these will always automatically be placed
into their corresponding type/category.
If a program references a piano that isn’t currently downloaded onto
the Nord Grand, the display will read “Piano not found”. If this happens;
either navigate to another instrument model from the same or another
category (using the Piano Select button and dial) and select to use this
piano instead, or use the Nord Sound Manager application to download
the missing instrument to the Nord Grand.
ABOUT PIANO SIZE
Nord Piano Library sounds come in up to four different sizes. Below is
an overview of how they differ in functionality:
Sml Med Lrg XL
Stereo sampled 3 3 3 3
Detailed velocity mapping 3 3 3 3
Pedal down samples for middle range 3
Pedal down samples for entire range 3 3
Fully mapped keyboard 3
MThe pedal down samples only come into use when String Res
(String Resonance) is active on the panel. Read more about this on
the next page.
Small (Sml) piano files use the least amount of space in the piano mem-
ory as they do not contain any pedal down String Resonance samples
at all.
The Medium (Med) versions include pedal down String Resonance
samples for the important middle region of the range.
The Large (Lrg) versions have the pedal down String Resonance sam-
ples all across the keyboard.
Many pianos are also available in an Extra Large (XL) version. These are
“fully mapped” across the keyboard, meaning that each key on the Nord
now matches its exact equivalent on the original instrument. This natu-
rally imposes a substantial increase in size.
PIANO INFO
Pressing PIANO INFO (Shift + On) will display some addi-
tional info about the currently selected model, such as its
version number and its exact size.
PIANO SELECT
TYPE AND MODEL
Use the PIANO SELECT button for selecting the desired Type of piano
sound. These are the six types into which all piano sounds are placed:

4. PIANO | 11
TYPE DESCRIPTION
Grand Acoustic and electric grand pianos
Upright Upright pianos
Electric Electric Pianos (tine and reed based)
Clav/Hps Clavinets and Harpsichords
Digital Digital piano and Layer piano sounds
Misc Miscellaneous sounds, such as mallet instruments
Use the PIANO SELECT dial to choose a piano sound within the selected
Type.
The triangular Piano Select LEDs indicate the type of the currently se-
lected piano model. The name of the selected model is shown in the
bottom area of the Program area display, indicated by a keyboard icon..
ABOUT THE CLAVINET
On the original Clavinet D6, different pick-up combinations were select-
ed by pressing a number of rocker switches. This functionality is faithfully
simulated by the Nord Grand, which means that all original Clavinet D6
pickup selections are available.
PICK-UP TYPE DESCRIPTION
Clav Model A: Only the “neck” pick-up; a warmer, less bright sound.
Clav Model B: Only the “bridge” pick-up; a bright sound.
Clav Model C: Both pick-ups on and in phase; a very full sound.
Clav Model D: Both pick-ups 180 degrees out of phase; the fundamen-
tal is almost cancelled out and the sound becomes thin.
LIST VIEW
Pressing SHIFT and turning the PIANO SELECT dial activates the LIST
view for piano sounds.
The Piano list top row displays the current type name (“Grand” in this
case), the number of models of that type (10), and the index of the cur-
rently selected model (3).
The Piano Select button can be used when in list mode as well, to in-
stantly switch between different piano types.
KBD TOUCH
Pianos from the Nord Piano Libary typically have a very
wide dynamic range, and their dynamic response can
be adjusted according to what fits your preferences or
the context of your performance.
The NORMAL setting represents a “middle ground” setting where both
soft and strong levels are accessed with relative ease.
The HEAVY setting simulates a heavier piano action, where more effort is
required to play strongly
The LIGHT setting simulates a lighter piano action where strong levels
are reached with only little effort.
STRING RES AND SOFT RELEASE
STRING RESONANCE
String Resonance refers to the acoustic phenomenon that occurs when
strings, or parts of strings, resonate at their fundamental or harmonic
frequencies when other strings are played.
When STRING RES is turned on, all notes you play will affect each other
to reproduce the wonderful acoustics that occurs inside an acoustic
grand or upright piano. This effect is referred to as sympathetic string
resonance.
When the sustain pedal is pressed down, the fact that all dampers are
being lifted will further add to the resonance effect. For this purpose
dedicated pedal down samples come into use. The range for which
these are available depends on the size of the selected piano. See the
table on the previous page for more details.
The sound level of the sympathetic string resonance effect can be set in
the Sound menu, see page 22.
MIf a piano is selected that is not compatible with the String Reso-
nance feature, this function will be disabled. This applies to e.g.
small (Sml) versions of the grand pianos and uprights, and the
electric, digital and layer pianos.
SOFT RELEASE
Activating SOFT RELEASE will add a slightly longer and less pronounced
release to the piano sound. This is equivalent to what happens when
you adjust the damper tension in an acoustic or an electromechanical
instrument. The added release is individual for every note and responds
dynamically to the force with which you play.
MSome Piano types, such as Clavinets and Harpsichords do not
support the Soft Release feature. In these cases the button will be
disabled.
NORD TRIPLE PEDAL
The included Nord Triple Pedal enables the following features:
PEDAL NOISE
The PEDAL NOISE feature recreates the mechanical noise that occurs
when operating the damper pedal on an acoustic piano. The noise level
dynamically adjusts to the force with which the sustain pedal is pressed.
The pedal noise level can be set in the Sound menu, see page 22.
Piano Grand 3/10
1 Royal Grand 3D XL
2 Velvet Grand L
3 Grand Imperial L
4 Silver Grand L
5 Studio Grand 2 Med
The list itself shows the currently selected model,
indicated by a rectangle, as well as the preceding
and following models.

12 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
HALF PEDALING
The sustain pedal on the Nord Triple Pedal can be used with half pedal-
ing techniques, meaning that the “virtual” dampers of the piano can be
held in positions that are not entirely lifted or lowered, resulting in a “half
dampened” sound.
SOSTENUTO
When the Sostenuto (middle) pedal is operated, notes held at the mo-
ment the pedal is pressed down will be sustained, while succeeding
notes will not.
SOFT PEDAL
To the left is the soft pedal, also known as the Una Corda. With this
pedal pressed, all played notes will be slightly lower in volume and also
have a more subdued tone quality.
TIMBRE
Use the Piano TIMBRE settings to quickly alter the char-
acter of the selected piano sound – while keeping the
EQ unit of the Effects section free for other tasks.
ACOUSTIC PIANO SETTINGS
Unlike other Timbre options, the SOFT setting for acoustic pianos does
not apply filtering to the sound. Instead, the dynamic response is adjust-
ed to give the sound a more intimate and subdued quality.
The MID mode de-emphasizes both high and low frequency ranges,
making for a focused and cutting sound with a prominent mid-range.
The BRIGHT mode emphasizes the high frequency range, producing a
very bright and brilliant sound.
ELECTRIC PIANO SETTINGS
When an Electric Piano is selected, all available Timbre settings are
tailored specifically to suit these sounds.
The SOFT setting reduces the treble and bell sound, while retaining a
focused and punchy sound.
The MID setting boosts the upper mid-range, adding “presence” and cut
to the sound.
The BRIGHT setting boosts the upper mid-range and adds brilliance/tre-
ble, giving both presence and clarity to the selected piano sound.
The DYNO 1 and DYNO 2 settings are both based on sounds produced
by a custom preamp and EQ, which was a common addition to tine
based electric pianos in the 70’s and early 80’s. Both settings greatly
enhance the inherent “bell” sound of the electric piano sound. The Dyno
2 setting also boosts the bass register, resulting in a distinctly “mid
scooped” sound.
MThe selected electric piano needs to be of version 6.0 or higher for
the Dyno Timbre settings to be available. Version 6 electric piano
files (in .npno format) can be downloaded from www.nordkey-
boards.com.
CLAV SETTINGS
An original Clavinet is equipped with 4 rocker switches which control the
onboard EQ. Most of the combinations produced by these switches are
available on the Nord Stage 3.
Available settings are: Soft, Treble, Soft+Treble, Brilliant, Soft+Brilliant,
Treble+Brilliant, Soft+Treble+Brilliant.

5. SAMPLE SYNTH | 13
5 SAMPLE SYNTH
ON/OFF AND LEVEL
The Sample Synth section is turned On or Off by pressing its ON button.
The LEVEL knob controls the volume of the Sample Synth section.
OCTAVE UP/DOWN
Use OCTAVE UP (Shift + Dynamics) or OCTAVE DOWN (Shift + Pedals)
to transpose the Sample Synth section up or down by octaves (+/- 12
semitones). When assigned to the entire keyboard it can be transposed
one octave up or down. When assigned to only one zone the available
values vary, but will always provide access to the entire range of the
Sample Synth.
PEDALS
SUSTAIN activates any attached sustain pedal for the Synth section.
VOLUME assigns any attached control pedal as a volume control for the
Synth section. The maximum volume available corresponds to the value
set by the LEVEL knob.
Read more about how to configure attached pedals on page 22.
ABOUT THE SAMPLE SYNTH
The versatile Sample Synth section can hold up to 512 MB of samples
and comes with a large selection right out of the box. Additional sam-
ples can be found in the Nord Sample Library section of the www.nor-
dkeyboards.com website, and are downloaded to the instrument using
the Nord Sound Manager software. To further the possibilities, custom
samples can be created from any sound source using the Nord Sample
Editor application, also found on the Nord website.
SELECTING A SAMPLE
The CATEGORY 5/6buttons are used for navigating and selecting any
of the available categories, as hinted by the display. There is also a Nu-
meric option at the end of the Category list, which lists all available sam-
ples in the order of their actual location in the Sample memory.
When a category is selected all samples within that category are avail-
able for selection with the SAMPLE SELECT dial. The position and name
of the selected sample is shown in the Program area display.
LIST FUNCTIONS
Pressing SHIFT while turning the SAMPLE SELECT dial allows for brows-
ing samples in a list view. Use the Category buttons and Sample Select
dial (or Program dial) to navigate samples – just like in non-list mode.
Holding down both CATEGORY buttons simultaneously (LIST) presents a
list of all available categories. The Sample Select dial (or Program dial)
is used for making a selection from the list. Letting go of the CATEGORY
buttons allows for browsing the samples within the selected category.
SHAPING THE SOUND
There are several ways to adjust the sound and response of a loaded
sample. Each sample comes with preset values for the parameters
below, which are automatically loaded when a sample is selected. Of
course, all controls can still be adjusted manually as desired.
DYNAMICS
AMP
With the AMP setting turned off, samples will always play back at full
velocity. When active, the sound level of the Sample Synth responds to
the velocity with which you are playing.
FILTER
Activate FILTER to apply a velocity sensitive low pass filter to the Sample
Synth. The filter reacts to how hard the key is being played and gives the
sound a dampened quality when played softly and a brighter character
when played with more force.
ATTACK, SUSTAIN AND DECAY/RELEASE
These controls allow for setting the contour, or “envelope”, of the Sam-
ple Synth sound:
ATTACK controls the time it takes for the sample to reach its full level
while DECAY/RELEASE determines how quickly the sample fades after
having been played. At 12 o’clock the sample is in SUSTAIN mode,
which means that the sound continues as long as the key is being
pressed. Settings past 12 o’clock give the sample an increasingly long
tail after the key has been released.
OrchStrings Marc HiVib
OrchStrings Leg HiVib
OrchStrings Tremolo
OrchStrings Pizzicato
ChamberStr Legato
5
6
4
3
2
Sample String Ens

14 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
6 PROGRAM
The centrally located Program section provides access to performance
functions such as loading and storing programs, access to Live pro-
grams, keyboard split functionality and more. This is also where menus
containing System, Sound and MIDI settings are found. The menus and
their settings are covered in a separate chapter, starting on page 22.
TRANSPOSE ON/SET
The Nord Grand can be transposed in +6/-6 semitone
steps on a per-program basis. To set the transpose value,
press and hold down ON/SET and then use the dial to
choose a setting. Pressing ON/SET turns the function On
or Off. Transpose settings are saved and recalled as part
of a program.
To set up a transpose that affects all programs, use the Global
Transpose parameter in the System Menu.
MONO
In MONO mode (Shift + KBD Touch) all stereo sampled pianos will be
played back in mono, and stereo samples are summed to a mono
signal. The mono versions of our piano sounds are specially designed to
provide optimal sound, even in mono.
KBD SPLIT
The Nord Grand keyboard can be split into two zones.
Either with the Piano sound to the left and the Sample
Synth sound to the right – when set to PNO/SYNT – or in
the reverse configuration with the SYNT/PNO setting.
KEYBOARD SPLIT SETTINGS
Press SET SPLIT (Shift + KBD Split) to open up the Keyboard Split set-
tings page in the display.
CHOOSING A SPLIT POSITION
Make sure that the Pos setting is focused by pressing the Pos soft
button, corresponding to the Program 1 button. Use the dial to choose
one of the 7 keyboard split positions, C3-C6. LEDs are provided above
the keyboard, indicating which split position is active.
SPLIT WIDTH SETTINGS
Normally the transition between two keyboard zones is immediate, with
no overlap between the sounds selected for each zone. By setting a
Width, sounds can instead be mixed or “cross-faded” across the split
point, creating a smoother transition between the sounds.Pressing the
Width (Program 2) soft button allows for adjusting the width, or
"cross-fade" range of the split point. There are three different settings,
selectable by turning the dial:
1: With the 1setting there is no cross-fade between sounds.
6: The 6setting represents a total width of 12 semitones. The sound be-
low the split point fades out across 6 notes above it and sounds above
the split point will similarily reach 6 notes below it.
12: The 12 setting provides a width of 24 semitones, 12 below the split
point and 12 above it.
STORE
The STORE button is used for storing an edited program
to any location in the program banks. Storing a program
will overwrite the existing data in the selected memory
location.
MWhen the Nord Grand is shipped from factory its memory is
protected. To be able to store Programs the Memory Protect
parameter needs to be set to “Off” in the System menu. Read more
about this on page 22.
STORING A PROGRAM
Here is how to store a program without changing its name:
1 Press the STORE button once. The Store LED will start blinking, and
the display will show the name of the program and its location.
C4 12
WidthPos
Split Width
KEYBOARD SPLIT
STORE PROGRAM TO
A:13
Amber Upright
158
Studio Grand 2 Med
Piano80
A:45
Studio 80

6. PROGRAM | 15
2 To select a different store location use the dial and/or the PROGRAM
1-5 buttons. A program can also be stored to one of the Live
program locations by pressing the LIVE MODE button and then
selecting the desired Live program. The program at the selected
destination can always be auditioned by playing the keyboard.
MTo cancel an ongoing Store operation, press EXIT.
3 When a suitable location has been selected, press STORE again to
confirm the operation.
NAMING A PROGRAM (STORE AS...)
1 To store and name your program press STORE AS... (Shift + Store).
2 The ABC soft button brings up a row of alphanumeric characters.
Use the dial to set the character for the current position. Let go of
the ABC button to move the cursor ahead. The dial can be used to
move the cursor freely. The Ins soft button is used for inserting a
blank space at the cursor position and the Del soft button is used
for deleting the selected character.
3 To assign your program a category hold down the Cat soft button
and select one of the 20 categories from the list.
4 Press STORE to bring up the Store Program To screen. Use the
dial and/or the Program buttons to select a location. Note that the
sound at the selected location can be auditioned by playing the
keyboard.
5 When a suitable location has been selected, press STORE again.
Naming programs can also be done with the Nord Sound Manager.
SHIFT / EXIT BUTTON
Many controls have a secondary function which is ac-
cessed by holding SHIFT and pressing the button or turn-
ing the dial. Shift functions are always printed below the
corresponding control. For example, holding Shift and
pressing the Program 2 button will open up the Sound Menu. The Shift
button is also used to EXIT menus, or for cancelling Store operations.
LIVE MODE
The Nord Grand has five easy-to-access Live programs.
These programs are special in that edits to them are
automatically stored. When exiting a Live Program or
powering off the machine all edits are saved, without the
need for a manual Store operation. To select a Live Program, press LIVE
MODE and then any of the 1-5 buttons in the Program area.
A Live program can be stored to a location in the program banks using
the standard Store methods (see previous page). Conversely, a regular
program can also be stored into a Live program location.
PROGRAM BUTTONS
The PROGRAM 1-5buttons give you immediate access to a range of five
programs – a Page – within the current program bank. They are also
used as soft buttons when operating menu settings. Read more about
soft button functionality on page 7.
WHAT IS A PROGRAM?
A Program contains references to the selected piano and/or sample
sounds, effects settings and all other settings made on the panel except
for Master Level and Panel Lock. A program does not store settings
made in the System, Sound or MIDI menus.
SYSTEM, SOUND AND MIDI MENUS
Press SYSTEM (Shift + Program 1), SOUND (Shift + Program 2) or MIDI
(Shift + Program 3) to enter the System, Sound or MIDI menu. To read
more about all available menu settings, turn to page 22.
PROGRAM DIAL
The PROGRAM dial to the right of the Display is used to
select programs, to set parameter values and to enter
characters in program names. Pressing SHIFT while turn-
ing the dial activates the LIST function, which will display
all programs in a list.
PROGRAM LIST, ABC AND CAT
The LIST (Shift + Program dial) view provides great overview when
browsing programs linearly (Num selected in the display) but also pre-
sents two additional sort modes: Abc (Program 2) and Cat (Program 3).
Abc sorts the list alphabetically while Cat displays all programs of the
selected category. To select a specific character or category, hold down
the Abc or Cat soft button respectively (as indicated by the “6“
symbols) and use the dial.
MThe chosen sort mode is preserved until List view is entered again.
NUMERIC PAD NAVIGATION MODE
There are two distinct options for how programs and banks are navigat-
ed: The default "page based" mode and the Numeric Pad mode. Which
mode is used is determined in the System Menu (see page 22).
In Numeric Pad mode the Program 1-5 buttons are used for entering
any program number (11-55) within the current bank, rather than directly
switching between the 5 programs on a page.
As an example, to select program 12 within the current bank, first press
Program button 1 (to select page 1) and then Program button 2 (to
select program 2 within that page).
Note that the Program dial still can be used for navigating programs
incrementally, just as in the default navigation mode.
A
qrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJK
STORE PROGRAM AS
ABC DelCat Ins
mber Upright
Program EPiano2
A:31 Grand Imperial
A:32 Ballad EP 1
A:33 Bambino Upright
A:34 Mellotron Flutes
Num Abc Cat

16 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
A “num” symbol in the top right corner of the display indicates that
Numeric Pad navigation is active.
PANEL LOCK
The PANEL LOCK feature is found at the far left of the
panel and will – when engaged – protect the panel con-
trols from unwanted interaction. The button needs to be
pressed down for one second, as indicated by the “6“
symbol, in order to turn the function On or Off.
To allow for program changes even with Panel Lock active, the Program
dial is not affected by this function. Also, the Program 1-5 and Live
Mode buttons can still be used, but need to be pressed down for one
second to have effect.
ORGANIZE
The ORGANIZE (Shift + Program 4) view allows for moving or "swapping"
programs within the program banks.
ENTER THE ORGANIZE VIEW
1 Press ORGANIZE (Shift + Program 4)
SWAP TWO PROGRAMS
A Swap operation interchanges the positions of two programs.
2 Use the dial to select the program location which should be
swapped with another and press Swap.
3 Use the dial to select the destination and press Ok to complete the
Swap operation. Pressing Undo will instead cancel the operation.
MOVE A PROGRAM
4 Use the dial to select a program which should be moved to another
location and press Move
5 Select the destination location for the operation, using the dial and
press Ok. Pressing Undo will instead cancel the operation.
ENote that programs between the source and destination locations
are shifted one step up or down, changing which programs are
part of each page within the affected range.
MPrograms can also be organized using the Nord Sound Manager.
MIDI LED INDICATOR
The MIDI LED, located below the Master Level dial, blinks as
incoming MIDI messages are received by the MIDI In port, or
over the USB connection.
PANIC
If hanging notes are experienced when using the Nord
Grand in a MIDI setup, or if all sound should be termi-
nated for other reasons, use the PANIC (Shift + Program
5) function. This will execute an internal “All Notes Off”
message, and reset incoming MIDI CC messages.
158
Studio Grand 2 Med
Piano80
A:1-
Studio 80
num
Program Organize
A:11 Royal Grand 3D
A:12 Nefertiti Mk I
A:13 Amber Upright
A:14 Orch Strings
Swap Move
Program A:12
A:23 Mellow Upright
A:24 Nefertiti Mk I
A:25 Velvet Pad
A:31 Grand Imperial
Undo Ok
Program A:12
B:41 Rays Reeds
B:42 Nefertiti Mk I
B:43 Pop Piano
B:44 Organ Flute
Undo Ok
In this example, the Program 1 button has been pressed. The dash (-)
indicates that another digit can be entered, to select program 11-15.

7. EFFECTS | 17
7 EFFECTS
ACTIVATING EFFECTS
To enable an effect, press its ON/OFF button. The LEDs above the button
indicate which sound engine the effect is assigned to; PIANO or SYNTH.
Press SOURCE (Shift + On/Off) to change the sound engine assignment.
The effect source can also be changed by “double-clicking” the
Source button.
EFFECTS 1
The EFFECTS 1 unit offers six dif-
ferent types of modulation effects.
Use its Selector button to switch
between the available settings.
TREM (TREMOLO)
TREM (Tremolo) provides a volume
modulation that continuously varies
the volume of the output signal.
Tremolo is a very common effect to
use with electric pianos.
There are three intensities, TREM 1, 2and 3(1+2) to choose from.
PAN (AUTO PAN)
PAN is an automatic panning modulation that smoothly moves the signal
between the left and right sides of the stereo panorama.
There are three different intesities, PAN 1, 2and 3(1+2) to choose from.
WAH
The WAH (Wah-Wah) effect gives the sound a characteristic, “Quack”-
like character and can be extremely useful on electric pianos and
Clavinets. The Wah-Wah modulation is a lowpass type of filter that can
be swept across the frequency range using the Effects 1 knob. During
the sweep, the filter’s characteristics also changes.
The Wah effect uses the signal’s amplitude to control the filter sweep
range, making the effect “velocity sensitive” (technically referred to as an
“envelope follower”).
This effect can also be used as a traditional Pedal Wah with an
expression pedal connected to the Vol/Ctrl Ped jack, if the CTRL
PED mode for Effects 1 is engaged.
RM (RING MODULATION)
Ring Modulation (RM) is a type of modulation where two signals are mul-
tiplied with each other, resulting in an in-harmonic “bell like” sound. On
the Nord Grand the instrument signal is multiplied with a sine wave.
The Ring Modulation amount is fixed, and its rate is controlled by the
Effect 1s knob.
CTRL PED
All effects in the Effects 1 section can be controlled by a pedal connect-
ed to the Ctrl Ped input jack, achieved by pressing CTRL PED (Shift +
Effects 1 selector). For the Tremolo and Pan effects, the pedal controls
the effect amount – something which cannot be done from the panel.
For Wah and RM, the pedal mirrors the Effects 1 knob which in case of
the Wah makes it behave as a traditional Pedal Wah, and with the RM
effect provides pedal control of the modulation rate.
EFFECTS 2
EFFECTS 2 provides a selection of
modulation effects, including two
types of Phaser, a Flanger, two Cho-
rus types and a Vibe effect. Each
effect has its rate controlled by the
Effects 2 knob.
PHASER 1 & 2
The PHASER effect produces a char-
acteristic “sweep” effect, commonly
used with electric piano sounds.
The digital models for the phasers of the Nord Grand are inspired by
classic units such as the Bi Phase and the Small Stone.
FLANGER
The FLANGER produces a dramatic comb filter effect, giving the sound a
“swooshy” and resonant quality.

18 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
CHORUS 1 & 2
The versatile CHORUS effect gives the impression of “widening”, or with
more extreme settings severely detuning, the sound – achieved by
blending a number of modulated copies of the audio signal. There are
two Chorus types, the second being more bold in character.
VIBE
The VIBE effect draws its inspiration from a classic foot pedal effect and
produces a sound with both pitch-bending and phasing qualities. The
effect is created through a digital model of a staggered series of phasing
filters, unlike the usually aligned filters of a normal phasing effect.
DEEP
Engaging DEEP mode (Shift + Effects 2 selector) increases the modula-
tion amount for any Effects 2 selection.
DEL AY
The DELAY unit produces echo/repeat effects. The Delay time is set
by tapping the TEMPO button, or by pressing down on it and SET the
tempo using the Program section dial.
With the Tempo button pressed down, the Delay Dry/Wet control
can also be used for adjusting the tempo, making for a neat, “one
hand “ short-cut for setting a value.
The FEEDBACK button determines the number of delay repeats, or taps.
At the lowest setting (LED unlit) only the initial tap is heard, while the 1, 2
and 3settings give an increasingly long feedback tail.
The DRY/WET knob adjusts the balance between the dry signal and the
delay repeats.
TEMPO TAP
Use TAP to set a delay time matching the tempo of a song. Simply tap
the Tempo button in the tempo you wish the delay to sync to a number
of times, and the delay time will be adjusted automatically.
EQUALIZER
The three band equalizer features bass, sweepable midrange and treble
controls.
The BASS frequency is 100 Hz, the TREBLE frequency is 4 kHz and the
MID frequency can be set between 200 Hz to 8 kHz, using its FREQ
knob.
The boost/cut range is +/- 15 dB for all bands.
AMP/COMP
The AMP/COMP unit includes sophis-
ticated amplifier and speaker cabinet
simulations, a versatile tube distortion
setting and a useful compressor ef-
fect. The amount of drive or compres-
sion is controlled with the DRIVE/COMP
knob. The LED indicates whether any
overdrive is active, and will light up
whenever the compressor is working.
AMP MODELS
There are three different amplifier/speaker simulations, each with its
distinct character:
SMALL: A simulation of the built-in tube amp and speakers of a reed-
based electric piano.
JC: A simulation of a classic solid-state amplifier and speaker cabinet.
TWIN: A simulation of a classic twin speaker tube amplifier and cabine
DIST
The DIST setting provides a tube style overdrive effect which can be
used for anything from subtle saturation to screaming distortion.
COMP
The COMP (Compressor) effect reduces the dynamic range of the sound,
making low level signals louder and high level signals more quiet. This
produces a tight, punchy sound and makes the overall level easier to
control in a live mix situation.

7. EFFECTS | 19
REVERB
The REVERB unit simulates the natural
sound reflections in various acoustic envi-
ronments. The Reverb is a “global” effect,
which is to say that it is always applied to
all active sound engines.
The HALL reverb has the response and
character of a spacious hall, with a long
decay. The STAGE reverb has a medium
decay time while the ROOM reverb is a
smaller ambience with a short decay time.
In BRIGHT mode (Shift + Reverb selector)
more high frequency content is preserved in the Reverb signal.
The DRY/WET control sets the balance between the unprocessed and
the processed signal.

20 | NORD GRAND USER MANUAL OS V1.0X
8 MIDI
MIDI FUNCTIONS
The Nord Grand can be used as a master keyboard to control other
hardware units or software sound sources, and it is also possible to
control the Nord Grand from a separate keyboard or MIDI device.
MIDI CHANNEL
The MIDI channel is used both for transmitting and receiving MIDI infor-
mation, at the same time. It allows for external control over every aspect
of the Nord Grand – much like playing its own keyboard – and is used
for sending keyboard, pedal and panel actions to another MIDI device or
sequencer.
MIDI messages are sent and listened to on both the USB and MIDI
In/Out connections simultaneously.
RECORDING A NORD GRAND PERFORMANCE
TO A MIDI SEQUENCER OR DAW
Here is how to record a Nord Grand performance including any pedal
actions and parameter adjustments to a DAW or MIDI sequencer.
1 Set the DAW or sequencer to use the Nord Grand USB MIDI driver,
if connected through USB, or the appropriate MIDI interface if
connected through the 5-pin MIDI connectors.
2 Set the DAW or sequencer track to route back incoming MIDI on
the MIDI channel set on the Nord Grand.
3 Set Local in the System menu to Off on the Nord Grand.
4 Select the Program on the Nord Grand that you wish to use.
5 Start the recording on the sequencer.
MIf a Transpose value is set, either by the panel Transpose function
or the Global Transpose setting in the System menu, its effect on
MIDI depends on the “Transpose MIDI at” setting – see page 23.
MIDI MESSAGES
The following MIDI messages can be transmitted and received by the
Nord Grand:
NOTE ON/OFF
• Note On and Note Off messages including velocity are transmitted
and received.
CONTROLLERS
• From the System menu it can be determined whether the Nord Grand
should transmit and/or receive Control Change messages. See
• If a Control/Expression pedal is connected to the Control Pedal Input,
this is transmitted and received as Controller 11 (Expression).
• If a sustain pedal is connected to the Sustain Pedal Input, this is trans-
mitted and received as Controller 64 (Sustain Pedal).
• Almost all other controls (knobs and buttons) on the front panel are
also transmitted and received as Control Change messages. This can
be used for recording front panel actions into a MIDI sequencer. For a
full list of MIDI Control Change messages, refer to page 25.
PROGRAM CHANGE
Loading a program, Live program, Piano or Sample will send a Program
Change message on the global MIDI channel, each content type iden-
tified by its Bank MSB value. Conversely, incoming Program Change
messages will select the corresponding content on the Nord Grand. The
message consists of three parts, as defined in the table below:
Program Piano Sample Live
Bank MSB (CC# 0) 0 3 4 6
Bank LSB (CC# 32) 0-15 0-5 0-X 0-1
Program Change 0-24 0-X 0-49 0-3
X = the amount of relevant values depends on the number of pianos/
samples in memory.
MA Program Change message that reaches the Nord Grand
unaccompanied by Bank Select messages will take effect in the
currently selected Program or Live bank.
In the System Menu, you can select if the Nord Grand should send and/
or receive Program Change messages on the Global channel. See page
23 for further details.
LOCAL CONTROL ON/OFF
If Local Control is set to Off, the keyboard and panel on the Nord Grand
are “disconnected” from its sound engines. Use the Off setting when
the instrument is set up in a MIDI loop, for instance when using it in
conjunction with a DAW or seqencer. Local Control On/Off is set in the
System menu, which is described on page 22.
PANIC
If hanging notes are experienced when using the Nord
Grand in a MIDI setup, or if all sound needs to be termi-
nated for other reasons, use the PANIC (Shift + Program
5) function. This will execute an internal “All Notes Off”
message, and reset incoming CC messages.