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.

4. PIANO | 11
ABOUT PIANO SIZE
Nord Piano Library sounds come in up to four different sizes. Below is
an overview of how they differ:
Sml Med Lrg XL
Stereo sampled 3 3 3 3
Detailed velocity mapping 3 3 3 3
Fully mapped keyboard 3
String resonance for entire range 3 3
String resonance for middle range 3
Extra Large (XL) versions are “fully mapped” across the keyboard,
meaning that each key on the Nord matches its equivalent on the
original instrument.
The Large (Lrg) versions have the pedal-down String Resonance
samples all across the keyboard.
The Medium (Med) versions include pedal-down String Resonance
samples for the important middle region of the range.
Small (Sml) piano files use the least amount of space in the piano
memory as they do not contain any pedal-down String Resonance
samples at all.
PIANO INFO
Pressing PIANO INFO (Shift + On) displays additional info about the
currently selected model, such as its version number and exact size.
PIANO SELECT
TYPE AND MODEL
Use the Piano Select TYPE button to choose the Type (category) of
piano sound to choose from. These are the six types into which all piano
sounds are placed:
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 and Layer piano sounds
Misc Non-piano/keyboard sounds
MPianos can not be moved from one category to another.
Use the Piano Select dial to browse the different models within the
selected Type. The name of the selected model is shown in the Program
section display, at the row corresponding to the focused Piano layer.
ABOUT THE CLAVINET
All original Clavinet D6 pick-up combinations are available on the Nord
Piano 5:
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 on but 180 degrees out of phase. The
fundamental 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 (“Grand” in this case),
the number of models of that Type (9), and the index of the currently
selected Model (3).
To change Type while in List view, use the PIANO SELECT button just as
in non-list view.
LAYER DETUNE
When both Layer A and B are active in a layer configuration, the
Layer Detune feature can be used to detune the two piano sounds.
There are three different degrees of detune, 1, 2and 3, ranging from
a subtle chorus-like effect to more severe detuning for instant saloon
atmosphere.
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 HEAVY setting facilitates playing softly yet expressively. With each in-
crement of the Touch setting (MEDIUM and LIGHT) less effort is required
to play loudly.
Grand 3/9
White Grand
Royal Grand
Velvet Grand
Silver Grand
Grand Imperial
XL
XL
L
L
L

12 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
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.
Also, when the sustain pedal is pressed down the fact that all dampers
are being lifted will further add to the resonance effect.
The sound level of the 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
Resonance 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 function will be
disabled.
NORD TRIPLE PEDAL
The included Nord Triple Pedal enables the following techniques and
features:
PEDAL NOISE
The PEDAL NOISE (Shift+Acoustics) feature recreates the mechanical
noise that occurs when operating the damper pedal on an acoustic
piano. The noise level dynamically reacts to the force with which the
sustain pedal is pressed. The pedal noise level can be set in the Sound
menu, see page 22.
HALF PEDALING
The sustain pedal on the Nord Triple Pedal can be used with half
pedaling 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
moment the pedal is pressed down are sustained, while succeeding
notes are 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 frequency content and character of the
selected piano sound – while keeping the EQ
unit of the Effects section free for other tasks.
ACOUSTIC PIANO TIMBRE SETTINGS
Unlike other Timbre options, the SOFT setting for acoustic pianos does
not apply filtering to the sound. Instead, the sample selection for the
current piano is adjusted so that a softer sample is selected for a given
velocity, giving the sound an 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 TIMBRE SETTINGS
When an Electric Piano is selected, the 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/treble, 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.
CLAV EQ SETTINGS
An original Clavinet is equipped with 4 rocker switches which control the
on-board EQ. Most of the combinations produced by these switches are
available on the Nord Piano 5.
Available settings are: Soft, Treble, Soft+Treble, Brilliant, Soft+Brilliant,
Treble+Brilliant, Soft+Treble+Brilliant.

5. SAMPLE SYNTH | 13
5 SAMPLE SYNTH
LAYER A AND B BUTTONS
There are two independent Sample Synth 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 Sample Synth sounds can be combined by holding down the
button for the active Layer and pressing once on the other Layer button.
The Layer currently focused for editing is indicated by a blinking LED.
To turn off one of the two active Layers, hold down the button
corresponding to the Layer that should remain 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 Sample
Synth sound of the active layer is assigned to the entire keyboard.
Each Layer can be assigned to either the lower (LO) or upper (UP) side of
the split point, by pressing the Sample Synth 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 Sample Synth Layer is active. The Layer Init
operation also initialises each effect so that the active Sample Synth
layer is selected as its source.
LEVEL
The LEVEL dial controls the volume level of the Sample Synth 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 Piano section 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) or OCTAVE DOWN (Shift + Layer A) 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. In KB Split mode the available settings will vary,
but always provide access to the entire range of the synthesizer.
SUSTAIN AND VOLUME
SUSTAIN (Shift + Timbre) activates an attached sustain pedal for the
Synth section.
VOL PED (Shift + Dynamics) assigns an attached control pedal as a
volume control for the Sample Synth section.
Read more on how to configure attached pedals on page 23.
ABOUT THE SAMPLE SYNTH
The versatile Sample Synth section comes with a large number of
sample instruments right out of the box. Additional sample instruments
can be found in the Nord Sample Library section of the www.
nordkeyboards.com website, and are downloaded to the instrument
using the Nord Sound Manager software. Custom user sample
instruments can be created from any sound source using the Nord
Sample Editor 3 application, also found on the Nord website.
MONOPHONIC SAMPLE INSTRUMENTS
Some sample instruments, particularly in the Synth Lead and Synth
Bass categories are configured as monophonic legato instruments. This
means that they behave and sound as when played on a traditional,
monophonic synthesizer – with the envelope being triggered on
detached strokes only.
The monophonic legato configuration can not be turned off or on
manually. Similar sounds for polyphonic playing can for instance be
found in the Synth Classic category.

14 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
SELECTING A SAMPLE INSTRUMENT
The CATEGORY dial is used for navigating and selecting any of the
available categories, as hinted by the display.
When a category is selected, all sample instruments within that category
are available for selection with the SAMPLE dial. The position and name
of the selected sample instrument is shown in the Program area display.
LIST VIEW
Pressing SHIFT while turning the CATEGORY or SAMPLE dial allows for
browsing sample instruments in a list view. Use the Category and
Sample Select dials for navigation, just like in non-list mode.
ALPHABETICAL ORDER
At the end of the Category list there is an Alphabetical Order option.
When selected, use the SAMPLE dial to browse all sample instruments in
one list ordered by name rather than category.
SHAPING THE SOUND
There are several ways to fine-tune the sound and behaviour of a
loaded sample instrument, in order to make it more or less dynamic
and responsive. Each sample instrument comes with preset values for
the parameters below, which are automatically loaded when a sample
instrument is selected. All controls can also be adjusted manually.
DYNAMICS
The DYNAMICS control determines the velocity response of the amplifier
envelope (in effect the dynamic volume level) for the selected sample
instrument.
With each Dynamics setting; 1, 2and 3, the sample instrument has
an increased dynamic range. When Dynamics is turned off, all velocity
controlled parameters, including preset filter settings are deactivated.
ATTACK, SUSTAIN AND DECAY/RELEASE
These controls allow for setting the contour, or envelope, of the Sample
Synth sound:
ATTACK controls the time it takes for the sample to reach its full level
while DECAY/RELEASE determines how quickly the sound fades after
having been triggered. At 12 o’clock the sound is in SUSTAIN mode,
meaning that a sample instrument will sound as long as the key is being
pressed. Settings past 12 o’clock gives the sound an increasingly long
tail after the key has been released.
TIMBRE
The SOFT setting activates a custom filter which dampens high
frequency content in the sample instrument, useful for making brighter
sounds more subdued.
With the BRIGHT setting, high frequency content in the sample
instrument is emphasized. This can be useful for having a sound cut
through better, for instance in a layer configuration.
UNISON
The UNISON feature creates an ensemble-like sound by combining
multiple, slightly detuned and stereo panned, copies of the source
sample.
There are three different degrees of Unison, 1, 2and 3, each providing
an increasing degree of detune and stereo spread.
VIBRATO
Turn on the Vibrato to add a realistic vibrato to the selected Sample
Synth sound. There are three delay options; DLY1, DLY2 and DLY3, which
determine how quickly the vibrato is introduced after a note has been
played.
Press down on RATE/AMT (Shift+Vibrato) to show the Rate/Amount
display. The Vibrato rate can be set to values between 2 and 8 Hz.
The Amount setting, accessed by pressing its corresponding soft but-
ton, determines how much modulation is applied by the Vibrato, i.e. how
“strong” it is. This can be set to values between 0 and 10.
MWhen a sample instrument is loaded, settings for Vibrato Rate and
Amount are loaded as part of its sample instrument preset.
2
Mellotron
Solo Violin Mellotron
2 Violins Mellotron
3 Violins Mellotron
16 Violin Mellotron
String Section 1 Mellotron
1
2
3
4
5

6. PROGRAM | 15
6 PROGRAM
The Program section contains functions such as loading and storing
programs, access to Live programs, 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.
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 Piano 5 is shipped from the factory its memory is
protected to avoid accidental overwriting of programs. 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.
2 To select a different store location use the dial and/or the PROGRAM
SELECT 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 location. The program at the selected
destination can 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 set a category for your program, hold down the Cat soft button
and select a category from the list.
4 Press STORE to bring up the Store Program To screen. Use the dial
and/or the Program Select buttons to select a location.
5 When a suitable location has been selected, press STORE again.
Naming programs can also be done with the Nord Sound Manager.
PROG VIEW
The PROG VIEW button switches between two distinct view modes for
the display. The default view shows only the Program name and number,
with the lower half of the display reserved for showing parameter hints
as panel controls are changed.
The second view mode shows the Program name and number in
smaller print and utilizes the lower half of the display to show the current
selection for each active Layer.
MThe lower half of the display will show parameter hints as panel
controls are adjusted in this view mode too, temporarily hiding the
Piano and Sampßle Synth Layer information.
TRANSPOSE ON/SET
The Nord Piano 5 can be transposed in +6/-6 semitone steps on a
per-program basis. Pressing TRANSPOSE turns this function on or off.
Hold down TRANSPOSE and set the value by turning the dial. Transpose
settings are saved and recalled as part of a program.
STORE PROGRAM TO
A:12
Amber Upright
A
qrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJK
STORE PROGRAM AS
ABC DelCat Ins
mber Upright
A:11
White Grand

16 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
In this example, the Program Select 1 button has been pressed. The
dash (-) indicates that another digit can be entered, to select program
11-15.
To set up a transpose that affects all programs, use the Global
Transpose parameter in the System Menu.
The Transpose parameter can be applied to MIDI in two different ways,
either transposing outgoing or incoming MIDI, based on the "Transpose
MIDI At" setting in the MIDI menu. Read more about this on page 22.
MONO
Press MONO (Shift + Transpose) to set the outputs of the Nord Piano
5 to mono. This is a global setting which affects all programs until it is
deactivated or the Nord Piano 5 is turned off.
KB SPLIT
When a KB SPLIT (Keyboard Split) is active the keyboard is divided into
two zones, allowing for a variety of split and layered configurations.
Layers are assigned to the lower and upper sides of the split point by
using the KB Split LO and UP settings in the Piano and Sample Synth
sections.
CHOOSING A SPLIT POSITION
Press KEY to move the split point incrementally be-
tween the 7 keyboard split positions, C3-C6, until the
desired location is reached. LEDs are provided above
the keyboard, indicating which split position is active.
Holding down the CLEAR button, as indicated by the
“6“ symbol, resets the KB Split setting for all active layers.
SPLIT X-FADE SETTINGS
Normally the transition between two keyboard zones is immediate, with
no overlap between the sounds selected for each zone. By activating
one of the X-FADE settings, sounds can instead be mixed or “cross-
faded” across the split point, creating a smooth transition between the
sounds. The three available options are:
When X-Fade is turned Off there is no cross-fade between sounds.
The 1setting represents a total width of 12 semitones. The sound below
the split point fades out across 6 notes above it and sounds above the
split point will similarily reach 6 notes below it.
The 2setting provides a width of 24 semitones, 12 below the split point
and 12 above it.
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 USB.
PROGRAM DIAL
The PROGRAM dial to the left of the Display is used to
select programs, to set parameter values and to enter
characters in program names. Pressing SHIFT while turning
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
presents two additional sort modes: Abc (Program Select 2) and Cat
(Program Select 3).
Abc sorts the list alphabetically while Cat will display 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“ symbol)
and use the dial.
NUMERIC PAD NAVIGATION MODE
There are two distinct options for how programs and banks are
navigated: The default "page based" mode and the Numeric Pad mode.
To enable or disable Numeric Pad mode press NUM PAD (Shift + Prog
View).
In Numeric Pad mode the Program Select 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 Select 1 (to select page 1) and then Program Select 2 (to
select program 2 within that page). Here are some additional points to
keep in mind:
• The Program dial can be used for switching programs incrementally,
just as in the default navigation mode.
• A “num” symbol at the top of the display indicates that Numeric Pad
navigation is active.
Program EPiano2
A:31 Grand Imperial
A:32 Ballad EP 1
A:33 Bambino Upright
A:34 Mellotron Flutes
Num Abc Cat
A:1-
White Grand
num

6. PROGRAM | 17
LIVE PROGRAMS
The Nord Piano 5 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 Store function. Conversely, a regular program can also be stored into
a Live program location.
PANIC
If hanging notes are experienced when using the Nord Piano 5 in a
MIDI setup, or if all sound should be terminated for other reasons, press
PANIC (Shift + Live Mode). This will execute an internal “All Notes Off”
message, and reset incoming CC messages.
SHIFT / EXIT BUTTON
Many controls have a secondary function which is accessed
by holding SHIFT and pressing the button or turning 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.
The value a parameter is set to can be monitored – without
changing it – by pressing down Shift and turning the knob
associated with the parameter.
PROGRAM SELECT BUTTONS
The PROGRAM SELECT 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
instrument, as well as all settings made on the panel except for Master
Level. A program does not store settings made in the System, Sound or
MIDI menus.
MNote that some programs are named after a particular Piano
sound or sample instrument, for instance “Silver Grand”. If you
were to store that program with a different Piano sound loaded,
the program name would not change automatically, as the name is
manually assigned to each program.
SYSTEM, SOUND, MIDI AND PEDAL MENUS
Press SYSTEM (Shift + Program Select 1), SOUND (Shift + Program
Select 2), MIDI (Shift + Program Select 3) or PEDAL (Shift + Program
Select 4) to enter the System, Sound, MIDI or Pedal menu. To read more
about all available menu settings, turn to page 22.
ORGANIZE
The ORGANIZE (Shift + Program Select 5) 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
computer application.
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

18 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
7 EFFECTS
ACTIVATING EFFECTS
To enable an effect, press its ON/OFF button. The LEDs above the button
indicate which sound engine and layer(s) the effect is assigned to; PIANO
Aand/or Bor SYNTH A and/or B.
MThe Delay and EQ units can be set to have effect on all layers,
indicated by all Source LEDs being lit.
Press SOURCE (Shift+On/Off) to change the sound engine assignment.
With Source pressed down, as indicated by the “6“ symbol, the PROG/
MENU dial can also be used for selecting the source.
Apart from the above method there are two alternate “short-cut”
methods for assigning an effect source:
1 Pressing down one or more Layer buttons and clicking an effect
Source button. The reverse also works; i.e. pressing down an effect
Source button and clicking one or more Layer buttons.
2 Double-clicking the Source button. In this case only layers that are
active on the panel can be selected.
MOD 1
The MOD 1 unit offers six different 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 RATE knob. During the
sweep, the filter’s characteristics also changes.

7. EFFECTS | 19
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
a control pedal connected to the Nord Piano 5 if CTRLPED is
engaged.
RM (RING MODULATION)
Ring Modulation (RM) is a type of modulation where two signals are
multiplied with each other, resulting in an in-harmonic “bell like” sound.
On the Nord Piano 5 the instrument signal is multiplied with a sine wave,
and a fixed modulation amount is used.
CTRL PED
All effects in the Mod 1 section can be controlled by a pedal connected
to the Ctrl Ped input jack, achieved by pressing CTRLPED (Shift + Mod 1
selector). For the Tremolo and Pan effects, the pedal controls the effect
amount – something which can not be done from the panel.
For Wah and RM, the pedal mirrors the Rate 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.
MOD 2
MOD 2 provides a selection of modulation effects, including two types of
Phaser, a Flanger, two Chorus types and a Vibe effect. Each effect has
its rate, or speed, controlled by the RATE knob.
PHASER 1 & 2
The PHASER effect produces a characteristic “sweep”
effect, commonly used with electric piano sounds.
The digital models for the phasers of the Nord Piano
5 are inspired by classic units such as the Small
Stone and the Bi Phase.
FLANGER
The FLANGER produces a dramatic comb filter effect,
giving the sound a “swooshy” and resonant quality.
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 + Mod 2 selector) increases the modulation
amount for the selected effect.
AMP/COMP
The AMP/COMP unit includes sophisticated amplifier and speaker
cabinet simulations, a versatile tube distortion setting and a useful
compressor effect. The amount of drive or compression 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 cabinet.
DIST
The DIST (Distortion) 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.
EQUALIZER
The 3-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.
MThe Equalizer unit can be set to have effect on all Layers, indicated
by all source LEDs being lit.

20 | NORD PIANO 5 USER MANUAL OS V1.1X
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 Set button pressed down, the
Dry/Wet knob can be turned and used as a
short-cut for changing the tempo.
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, 2and 3
settings give an increasingly long feedback tail.
PING PONG
In PING PONG mode (Shift + Tempo) delay repeats
alternate between the left and right channels. If
short delay times are used, these repeats will be
“asymmetrical” and produce delays that are more like early reflections in
reverb units.
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.
MThe Delay unit can be set to have effect on all Layers, indicated by
all source LEDs being lit.
REVERB
The REVERB unit simulates the natural sound
reflections in various acoustic environments. The
Reverb is a “global” effect, which is to say that it will
always be applied to all active sound engines.
The Reverb unit is turned On or Off by pressing ON.
The five available reverb types; BOOTH, ROOM, STAGE,
HALL and CATH (Cathedral) represent increasingly
larger environments – from a short, reflective
ambience in Booth mode, through more natural
sounding rooms in Room, Stage and Hall modes to an
extremely large and immersive reverb in Cath mode.
CHORALE (Shift+Type) is a distinctly modulated
variation of each Reverb type, useful to give the
Reverb signal more movement.
With the BRIGHT option active, more high frequency
content will be preserved in the Reverb signal. In DARK
mode, high frequencies are dampened.
The DRY/WET control sets the balance between the unprocessed and
the processed signal.