nord piano 5 88 User manual

USER MANUAL
Nord Piano 5
English
OS version: 1.1x
Edition: B
Part number: 50511 Copyright Clavia DMI AB
Edition: B

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
Custom samples ...............................................................................................5
Disclaimer..........................................................................................................5
2OVERVIEW......................................................................................... 6
The Piano 5 panel.........................................................................................6
Piano section – page 10 ....................................................................................6
Sample Synth section – page 13 .......................................................................6
Program section – page 15 ...............................................................................6
Effects section – page 18 ..................................................................................6
3GETTING STARTED................................................................. 7
Hooking it up...................................................................................................7
Panel controls .................................................................................................7
Dials and knobs.................................................................................................7
Buttons .............................................................................................................7
The Shift button ................................................................................................7
Soft buttons ......................................................................................................7
Programs...........................................................................................................7
Selecting a program ..........................................................................................8
List view .............................................................................................................8
Editing a program..........................................................................................8
Selecting a new piano sound.............................................................................8
Memory Protection ......................................................................................8
Storing a program.........................................................................................8
Live Mode .........................................................................................................8
Activating effects ...........................................................................................9
Layering with Sample Synth ....................................................................9
Adding a second Piano sound...............................................................9
Creating a split................................................................................................9
Setting up a cross-fade (X-Fade)...................................................................9
4PIANO.....................................................................................................10
Layer A and B buttons.....................................................................................10
Combining Layer A and B...........................................................................10
KB Split...........................................................................................................10
Layer Init.....................................................................................................10
Level ...............................................................................................................10
Octave Up/Down.............................................................................................10
Sustain and Volume.........................................................................................10
About the Piano sounds..........................................................................10
About Piano size .............................................................................................11
Piano Info ...................................................................................................11
Piano Select...................................................................................................11
Type and model...............................................................................................11
Layer Detune...................................................................................................11
String Res and Soft Release..................................................................12
String Resonance............................................................................................12
Soft Release....................................................................................................12
Nord Triple Pedal.........................................................................................12
Pedal Noise.....................................................................................................12
Half Pedaling ...................................................................................................12
Sostenuto........................................................................................................12
Soft Pedal .......................................................................................................12
Timbre...............................................................................................................12
Acoustic Piano Timbre settings........................................................................12
Electric Piano Timbre settings..........................................................................12
5SAMPLE SYNTH.........................................................................13
Layer A and B buttons.....................................................................................13
Combining Layer A and B...........................................................................13
KB Split...........................................................................................................13
Layer Init.....................................................................................................13
Level ...............................................................................................................13
Octave Up/Down.............................................................................................13
Sustain and Volume.........................................................................................13
About the Sample Synth .........................................................................13
Monophonic sample instruments.....................................................................13
Selecting a sample instrument.........................................................................14
Alphabetical Order ......................................................................................14
Shaping the sound .....................................................................................14
Dynamics ........................................................................................................14
Attack, Sustain and Decay/Release.................................................................14
Timbre.............................................................................................................14
Unison.............................................................................................................14
Vibrato ............................................................................................................14
6 PROGRAM........................................................................................15
Store ..................................................................................................................15
Storing a program ...........................................................................................15
Naming a program (Store As...) .......................................................................15
Prog View........................................................................................................15
Transpose On/Set.......................................................................................15
Mono...............................................................................................................16
KB split .............................................................................................................16
Choosing a split position .................................................................................16
Split X-Fade settings........................................................................................16
MIDI LED indicator......................................................................................16
Program dial...................................................................................................16
Program List, Abc and Cat ..............................................................................16
Numeric Pad navigation mode.........................................................................16
Live programs ...............................................................................................17
Panic...............................................................................................................17
Shift / Exit button.........................................................................................17
Program Select Buttons ..........................................................................17
What is a program?.........................................................................................17
Organize...........................................................................................................17
Enter the Organize view...................................................................................17
Swap two programs........................................................................................17
Move a program..............................................................................................17
7EFFECTS.............................................................................................18
Activating effects .........................................................................................18
Mod 1................................................................................................................18
Trem (Tremolo).................................................................................................18
Pan (Auto Pan) ................................................................................................18
RM (Ring Modulation) ......................................................................................19
Ctrl Ped...........................................................................................................19
Mod 2................................................................................................................19
Phaser 1 & 2 ...................................................................................................19
Flanger ............................................................................................................19
Chorus 1 & 2...................................................................................................19
Vibe.................................................................................................................19

4 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
Deep ...............................................................................................................19
Amp/Comp.....................................................................................................19
Amp models....................................................................................................19
Dist..................................................................................................................19
Comp..............................................................................................................19
Equalizer ..........................................................................................................19
Delay..................................................................................................................20
Reverb ..............................................................................................................20
8MIDI...........................................................................................................21
MIDI functions...............................................................................................21
MIDI Channel...................................................................................................21
Recording a Piano 5 performance to a MIDI sequencer or DAW......................21
MIDI Messages.............................................................................................21
Note On/Off ................................................................................................21
Controllers ..................................................................................................21
Program Change.........................................................................................21
Local Control On/Off..................................................................................21
Panic..................................................................................................................21
9MENUS.................................................................................................22
System Menu ................................................................................................22
1 - Memory Protect .........................................................................................22
2 - Global Transpose .......................................................................................22
3 - Fine Tune ...................................................................................................22
4 - Version and model info...............................................................................22
Sound Menu..................................................................................................22
1 - Piano Pedal Noise Level.............................................................................22
2 - Piano String Res Level ...............................................................................22
MIDI Menu ......................................................................................................22
1 - Local Control .............................................................................................22
2 - MIDI Channel .............................................................................................22
3 - Control/Program Change Mode .................................................................22
CC (Control Change) ..................................................................................22
PC (Program Change).................................................................................22
4 - Transpose MIDI At......................................................................................22
5 - MIDI Out Velocity Curve..............................................................................22
Pedal Menu....................................................................................................23
1 - Sustain Pedal type .....................................................................................23
2 - Control Pedal .............................................................................................23
Type............................................................................................................23
Gain............................................................................................................23
10 NORD SOUND MANAGER..........................................24
About Nord Sound Manager.................................................................24
System requirements ................................................................................24
11 NORD SAMPLE EDITOR 3...........................................25
About Nord Sample Editor 3.................................................................25
System requirements ................................................................................25
12 CONNECTIONS........................................................................26
Audio connections......................................................................................26
Headphones ...................................................................................................26
Left & Right Out...............................................................................................26
Monitor In........................................................................................................26
MIDI connections ........................................................................................26
MIDI In ............................................................................................................26
MIDI Out .........................................................................................................26
USB connection...........................................................................................26
Pedal connections......................................................................................26
Sustain Pedal ..................................................................................................26
Vol/Ctrl Pedal...................................................................................................26
II APPENDIX: MIDI CONTROLLER LIST.................27
III INDEX ....................................................................................................28

1. INTRODUCTION | 5
1
INTRODUCTION
THANK YOU!
Thank you for choosing the Nord Piano 5. This instrument combines
an uncompromising piano playing experience and inspiring sound
creation features in a portable format. The triple sensor keybed
coupled with our Virtual Hammer Action Technology provides an
unprecedented level of realism and enables a wide range of piano
playing techniques. Powered by the free Nord Piano Library, our
collection of meticulously sampled piano and keyboard instruments,
we hope the Nord Piano 5 will be a lasting source of inspiration.
FEATURES
These are the main features of the Nord Piano 5:
Piano section with acoustic Grand and Upright pianos, tine and
reed based Electric pianos, Clavinet and Harpsichord sounds and a
Digital category which also contains rich pre-layered combinations.
The Misc category is home to non-piano sounds, such as a Marimba
and a Vibraphone
88 or 73 key Triple Sensor keybed with grand weighted action
Nord Virtual Hammer Action Technology
Easy-to-use Sample Synth section
Piano and Sample Synth section Layers allow for using two different
Piano and/or Sample Synth sounds, in layered or split configurations
Comprehensive Effects section
Seamless program transitions
Keyboard split with cross-fade options, allowing sounds to smoothly
transition across the split point
NORD ONLINE
On the nordkeyboards.com website you will find:
Information about the Nord Piano 5 and other Nord instruments
Latest Operating Systems for download
Free software: Nord Sound Manager and Nord Sample Editor 3
Nord Piano Library and Nord Sample Library sounds for free
download
Nord World: Nord releated news stories and videos
Newsletter: Receive news about the Nord Piano 5 and notifications
when new OS versions or sounds are released
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 willl 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 Piano 5 section on our website.
RESTORING THE FACTORY PRESETS
The factory programs, samples and pianos as well as a complete
backup of the entire instrument are available for download from our
website.
OS UPGRADES
The latest OS (Operating System) version for the Nord Piano 5 is
always available for download from our website. Please visit our
website from time to time to make sure you are using the latest version.
FREE SOUNDS
Since the Nord Piano 5 is designed as an open system, each and
every piano and sample in the Nord Piano 5 can be replaced. This is
done using the Nord Sound Manager software which is available as a
free download from our website.
The Nord Piano 5 is compatible with the extensive Nord Piano Library
and the Nord Sample Library. As new sounds become available, these
can be downloaded for free from the Sound Libraries section of our
website.
CUSTOM SAMPLES
Using the free Nord Sample Editor 3 you can quickly and easily create
your own sample instruments. Whether creating a fully mapped
instrument or a simple FX sound this software opens up many
possibilities together with the Nord Piano 5.
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 Piano 5.

6 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
2 OVERVIEW
THE PIANO 5 PANEL
The Nord Piano 5 is designed to be a musically inspiring yet easy-to-
use instrument. Below is a brief overview of its panel sections.
PIANO SECTION – PAGE 10
The Nord Piano 5 benefits from the ever-growing Nord Piano Library
and includes a wide range of piano and keyboard sounds right out of
the box. New sounds are regularly made available free of charge on
the www.nordkeyboards.com website.
The two Piano Layers are easily turned On or Off, or combined, using
their dedicated panel controls. There are also controls 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. The Layer Detune feature
can be used for slightly, or more severely, detuning two Piano sounds.
The included Nord Triple Pedal enables the dynamic Pedal Noise
which mimicks the sounds produced by a mechanical damper pedal.
The Triple Pedal also enables half pedaling techniques as well as using
Una Corda and Sostenuto pedaling to enrich the performance.
SAMPLE SYNTH SECTION – PAGE 13
The Nord Sample Library gives Piano 5 owners access to a huge, free
library of world-class sounds, including the famous vintage Mellotron
and Chamberlin sounds, lush Symphobia string sounds and much
more. A large selection of samples are included from the start and the
Sample Synth section is where these are browsed and loaded. The
character and response of the sample can be adjusted in a variety of
ways, directly from the panel.
As with the Piano section the dedicated Layer controls are used for
combining two Sample Synth sounds or turning each Layer On or Off.
PROGRAM SECTION – PAGE 15
A program on the Nord Piano 5 contains settings for both the Piano
and Sample Synth sections, as well as all the effects. The Program
section, with its large OLED display, is where programs are navigated
and stored, and various performance features and settings menus are
accessed.
EFFECTS SECTION – PAGE 18
The Effects section puts a wide selection of classic effects at your
fingertips:
The Mod 1 and 2 units provide essential modulation effects such as
Tremolo, Chorus and Phaser – modelled after legendary stomp boxes
and effects units.
Classic amplifier simulations, tube-like distortion and a punchy
compressor effect are found in the Amp/Comp section.
A versatile Equalizer with sweepable Mid range frequency can be
applied to any of the Piano or Sample Synth layers – or to all of them –
for powerful tone sculpting.
The Delay effect can be used for anything from subtle ambience or
slap-back effects to almost endless soundscapes.
Finally, the lush Reverb, with its optional Bright or Dark modes and
a characterful “Chorale” setting, provides an array of small and large
room simulations for instant atmosphere.
PIANO PROGRAM SAMPLE SYNTH EFFECTS
A:11
White Grand

3. GETTING STARTED | 7
3 GETTING STARTED
HOOKING IT UP
1 Connect the Nord Piano 5 power cord to the unit 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 Piano 5 first, before the sound
system. Please be careful with the output volume!
For more information on all the connections of the Piano 5, see the
Connections section on page 26.
PANEL CONTROLS
DIALS AND KNOBS
LEVEL dials are surrounded by LED indicators. These
provide a visual indication of the current value for the
associated volume level control.
The dials on the Nord Piano 5 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 Piano 5. 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.
Hold the SHIFT button and turn a knob to view the stored setting 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
repeatedly to cycle through the available options.
ON/OFF buttons are used for activating a function or
a group of functions such as effects and have one
or more LEDs close to them to indicate the on/off
status and in the case of most effects also the Piano
or Sample Synth Layer assignment.
MThe On/Off buttons of the Effects shown here can also be used for
selecting the Effect source. Press once to turn the Effect on, and
press immediately again to select the “next” available source.
THE SHIFT BUTTON
Many panel controls on the Nord Piano 5 have a
secondary function, which is printed immediately below it.
These 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.
SOFT BUTTONS
A menu or settings page, 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
SELECT 1-4buttons. As an example, pressing Program Select button 3
in the example below will select Program A:12 for a Swap operation.
PROGRAMS
The Program section with its OLED display is located centrally on the
panel. One program contains complete settings of every parameter on
the panel and is stored in the program memory of the Piano 5, which
can hold up to 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.
Program Organize
A:11 White Grand
A:12 Nefertiti MK I
A:13 Amber Upright
A:14 Symphonic Strings
Swap Move

8 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
SELECTING A PROGRAM
1 Programs are selected by pressing any of the five PROGRAM
SELECT buttons, located below the display, or by turning the
PROGRAM dial. A Program bank on the Nord Piano 5 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 by turning the PROGRAM dial. All 16
program banks can be accessed when in List mode.
3 Try out the Abc and Cat soft buttons respectively. In Abc mode
all programs are sorted and listed by name and in Cat mode by
program category.
4 Press SHIFT again to EXIT the List view.
List views for the Piano Select and Sample Select dials work in a
similar way, except that categories are browsed using the on-panel
controls.
EDITING A PROGRAM
Editing a program is as easy as turning a knob or pressing a button to
change an existing setting.
1 Select a piano based program for use with the following steps.
The controls for the Piano instrument are located at the left side
of the panel. Press the “Prog View” button in the Program area
and notice that the Piano section of the Program area display now
shows the name of the selected piano sound for the active Layer.
SELECTING A NEW PIANO SOUND
2 Use the TYPE button to select the Type of piano sound that you
would like to use, for instance Grand, Upright or Electric.
3 Turn the PIANO SELECT dial to select a piano sound of the selected
Type.
4 Try selecting a piano sound from the LIST view, accessed by
pressing SHIFT and turning the PIANO SELECT dial. Use Shift again
to EXIT the list view.
Note 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.
MEMORY PROTECTION
The Nord Piano 5 is shipped from the factory with its memory protected
to prevent accidental overwriting of original programs. Memory
protection can be turned off in the System menu.
1 Hold SHIFT and press the SYSTEM (Program Select 1) button below
the display.
2 Memory Protect is the first setting of the System menu. If the
display shows a different setting, use the 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.
STORING A PROGRAM
1 Press the STORE button above the display once to begin the
process of storing the current program.
2 The STORE LED will begin to flash and the display will ask you for
the location to which 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 SELECT buttons to choose 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 to exit the Store process if you change your mind.
Read more about Store and how to name a program in the Program
chapter, on page 15.
LIVE MODE
The five LIVE MODE programs differ from other programs in that all edits
made to them are instantly stored, with no need for a manual Store
operation.
1 Press LIVE MODE and use the PROGRAM SELECT buttons to
navigate the five Live programs.
2 Make an edit, such as activating one of the effect 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.
STORE PROGRAM TO
A:11
White Grand
Program Bass
A:24 Ac Guitar Finger
A:25 Upright Bass
A:31 Velvet Grand
A:32 Bambino Upright
CatAbc
Num

3. GETTING STARTED | 9
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 the previous section). 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, at the “Store Program To” stage.
ACTIVATING EFFECTS
1 Make sure a 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 and Layer
is routed to the effect; PIANO A and/or Bor SYNTH A and/or B. Or
in the case of the Delay and EQ effects, all sources. Press SHIFT
and the Delay SOURCE button so that the PIANO A LED is lit, if it is
not already.
Double-clicking the On Off / Source button is a shortcut for quickly
changing the source for any effects unit, between any of the
currently active Layers.
6 Try the TEMPO, FEEDBACK and DRY/WET controls, to alter the
character and intensity of the Delay effect.
LAYERING WITH SAMPLE SYNTH
1 Activate LAYER A in the Sample Synth section.
2 Turn the SAMPLE SELECT dial and select a string sound from the
Sample bank. Use the CATEGORY dial to select the Ensemble
Strings category if not already selected. The location and name of
the sample are shown at the bottom of the display while browsing.
3 Use the LEVEL control to set an appropriate sound level for the
strings.
When a sample is selected, preset settings for the Sample Synth
envelope (Attack, Decay/Sustain/Release) and Dynamics 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 13.
ADDING A SECOND PIANO SOUND
Continuing on with the same example, let us now add a second Piano
sound to it:
1 Hold down the LAYER A button of the Piano section and press once
on LAYER B. Note that both Layer LEDs now are lit, but that the
Layer B LED is blinking, indicating that it is focused for editing.
2 With Layer B focused, select a different Piano sound using the
PIANO SELECT controls.
3 Adjust the Level of each Piano sound by focusing each Layer
respectively using the Layer A and B buttons, and turning the
LEVEL dial.
Feel free to try the Octave Shift controls (Shift+Layer A/B) to trans-
pose each Layer by octaves, as desired.
Adding a second Sample Synth sound is done the same way, except
that the Sample Synth LAYER buttons are used instead.
To turn one of two active Layers off, hold down the button for the Layer
that should remain active and press once on the other LAYER button.
If you would like to see what sound is selected for each layer at all
times, press the PROG VIEW button in the Program section.
CREATING A SPLIT
Each Piano or Sample Synth Layer can be freely assigned to either
side of the keyboard split point. This allows for various combinations of
layered and split sounds. Below is how to set up a split using a Piano
sound on the left side of the split point and a Sample Synth sound on
the right:
1 Make sure that both a Piano and a Sample Synth Layer is active.
2 In the Piano section press the KB SPLIT button until only the LO
LED is lit.
3 In the Sample Synth section press the KB SPLIT button until only
the UP LED is lit.
4 To adjust the position of the Split point, press the KB Split
KEY button in the Program section repeatedly to select one of
the available positions. The selected position is indicated by a
corresponding LED above the keyboard.
The keyboard is now divided into two zones, the split point being
indicated by a green LED above the keyboard.
Use the OCTAVE UP/DOWN controls in the Piano and Sample Synth
section for accessing different ranges of the respective sounds.
SETTING UP A CROSS-FADE (X-FADE)
With X-FADE enabled the sounds on either side of the split point
gradually transition between one another:
5 Press X-FADE (Shift+KB Split). X-Fade 1is now selected, which is
a shorter cross-fade of 6 notes below and 6 notes above the split
point.
6 Press X-FADE (Shift+KB Split) again to select X-Fade 2. This is a
longer cross-fade encompassing 12 notes below and 12 notes
above the split point.
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 a large X-Fade (2) is being used. With a
small X-Fade (1) the LED will be yellow, and with X-Fade turned off the
LED will be green.

10 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
4 PIANO
LAYER A AND B BUTTONS
The Nord Piano 5 has two independent Piano Layers. They are turned
ON or OFF using the LAYER A and Bbuttons.
If one Layer is active, pressing the other Layer button toggles to that
Layer.
COMBINING LAYER A AND B
Two Piano sounds can be combined by holding down the button for the
active Layer and pressing once on the other Layer button. The Layer
that is focused for editing is indicated by a blinking LED.
To turn off one of two active Layers, hold down the button
corresponding to the Layer that should stay active and press once on
the other Layer button.
To turn off both Layers, press once on both Layer buttons
simultaneously.
KB SPLIT
When none of the two KB Split LO and UP LEDs are lit, the Piano sound
of the active layer is assigned to the entire keyboard.
Each Piano Layer can be assigned to either the lower (LO) or upper (UP)
side of the split point, by pressing the Piano KB SPLIT button.
Read more about KB Split options on page 15.
LAYER INIT
Press LAYER INIT (Shift+KB Split) to initialize the Nord Piano 5 so that
only the currently focused Piano Layer is active. The Layer Init operation
also initializes each effect so that the active Piano layer is set as its
source
LEVEL
The LEVEL dial controls the volume level of the Piano sound for the
currently focused Layer.
Press SHIFT and turn the LEVEL dial to change the Level of all sounds
that are layered with the focused Layer, including Sample Synth layers.
MWhen a Volume Pedal is present the Level dial reflects the current
volume level as the pedal is operated. When the pedal is inactive,
the dial returns to showing the set “max” level.
OCTAVE UP/DOWN
Use OCTAVE UP (Shift + Layer B) to transpose the Piano section up
by one octave (+12 semitones) and OCTAVE DOWN (Shift + Layer A) to
transpose down by one octave (-12 semitones). When assigned to the
entire keyboard it can be transposed one octave up or down. When a
split is active the available transpose values will vary, but always provide
access to the entire range of the Piano.
SUSTAIN AND VOLUME
SUSTAIN (Shift+Layer Detune) activates any attached sustain pedal,
such as the Nord Triple Pedal, for the focused Piano Layer. Read more
on how to configure an attached pedal in the Menus chapter, on page
23.
VOL PED (Shift+Touch) assigns an attached control pedal as volume
control for the focused Piano Layer.
ABOUT THE PIANO SOUNDS
The Pianos in the Nord Piano 5 are organized into six types (categories)
Each type can contain several instrument models. New piano sounds
can be downloaded from the www.nordkeyboards.com website and
added to the Nord Piano 5 by using the Nord Sound Manager.
Right out of the box, the Nord Piano 5 features a fine collection of
carefully selected acoustic and electric pianos, digital piano sounds and
piano layers.
MWhen you download piano instruments with the Nord Sound
Manager, these will always automatically be placed into their
corresponding category.
A program “knows” which piano to use by referencing to the category
and the model number. If a program references a piano that is not
currently downloaded onto the Nord Piano 5, 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 dial)
and select to use this piano instead, or use the Nord Sound Manager
application to download the missing instrument to the Piano 5.