Do you really need a Nord lead ?

[@olliepsy]

My friend Jaratah who lent me his NR4 for the sake of this video is featured on @trancentral, go check him out and enjoy 1 hour of full quality hitech 👽 kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJyYc4eBl5eJrqc

[@fullkefka]

As always great video bro, I have 2 virus and a nord lead 4 but I love my nord 4 I put it as vst in cubase as external synth and you can program all de parameters and is so cool in that way you can program all as vst and I recommend you to try the mutator it’s so amazing to make unique sounds for me it’s just another tool that you can use I mean yeah not all people can have one but for my estudio is worth congrats for the video

[@fiddlestickzmuzik]

I have had so many synths over the years, you name it I've had it sometimes multiples of the same synths, they have all gone/sold on, but I still have my nord lead 4.

[@nilsheinen6724]

I love my Nord! although I have the a1 and its quite limited but sometimes the sounds that come out of it are just instant trip. like the reverb combined with the filter and delay and stuff, lovely. fun synth

[@kiko1935]

Seems like Nord's consistent design philosophy is to "keep it simple". Their synths cannot do half of what a Virus can do. But once you learn the limitations you can coax out some great sounds - sounds that would take a LOT longer on the Virus via menu diving. It forces you to problem solve. There's a freedom in that but it can frustrate people. And the price...I won't even pretend to know the logistics there lol. Excellent build quality!! Also regarding the sound, the Lead series is NOT the star of the show (IMHO). Great for basses, plucks, chords, weird FM, but I always use it in a "support" sense. Really good review and thanks for the warning about the low output!

[@Chimerical420_]

Discovery pro demo comes in handy as well

[@totopolo2379]

the only thing diacovery emulates properly of the nord, is color red...

[@genomenoid]

I use a 3 for psytrance among other stuff. Sometimes I feel it lacks some crisp and shine, but by sending it though a valve preamp, it sounds completely marvelous. Having no cpu ussage on the computer that I'm working on, no software issues and physical knobs and keys with aftertouch makes it great for my way of producing stuff. It has several oscilator modulation algorithms so the fm, am, ring, etc is covered as well. And let us not forget that they are multitimbral, so basically they are 4 synths in one package I know that there are more modern, versatile and handy tools nowadays, but it has been working great for me, and I believe that the more you use a tool, the better results you can get, instead of surfing arround a dozen of VSTi's

[@olliepsy]

I really think the hands on control are the main strength of these synthesizers, also the 4 parts is really good, personally I don't need the 4 parts but I do agree with you when you say "the more you use a tool, the better results you can get, instead of surfing arround a dozen of VSTi's"! I just think it's too bad you can't expand on the sound design possibilties of it, like the Virus (or many other synthesizers)!

[@genomenoid]

@@olliepsy The 3 has 4 morphing groups. It is a game changer. You should try one out mate

[@genomenoid]

@@becomenothing I use a simple behringer t1953, but with a couple of svetlana tubes. It could be almost any vale preamp, but with really good tubes. Svetlana. EH, etcetera

[@wayneb1152]

Nice video man! I had a rack 3 which I sold recently for pretty much the exact same reasons. It was nice to play around with but it didn't add anything that the virus can't do or indeed that software can't do. There is definitely value to working with a hardware synth and experiencing that workflow and most do sound pretty sweet. It's just a case of weighing everything up as you have done quite objectively 😀

[@olliepsy]

Totally agree even tho it really sounds amazing!!!

[@digidope]

Just got NL1 Rack. Added value: It's gritty and dirty and un-perfect and simple. There really is no plugin that sounds the same. But if you are not into that kind of sounds, then there is no value. For just FM sounds Ollie is right, there is no magic FM sound. Limitations and knob-per-function UI combined with very large sweetspot makes it quite inspiring in times when when have VSTis that can do everything and then some.

[@alexdiakov_ambient]

Last preset is just impeccable, wow ). So clean filtering of really juicy waves. Like it very much. Thank you for so detailed dive into fourth reincarnation of this red monster with kinda disabled limitations. Had two approaches to Nord Lead 2x and both were sold eventually. After your review I'm not sure I'll spend money on this model same as on A1. The only hope is for Nord wave, maybe you'll make a video once.

[@okyomusic]

Nice video bro ! Thanks for share your feelings ! Sooo true for the rooting of the synth is really limited ! For my part i use it mainly for the response filter of acid lines who is just amazing, and goes so well ! Good to see video like this one !

[@Astrounitmusic]

Congratulations on a great purchase

[@olliepsy]

Thanks dude, but I really didn't buy one, just exchanged if with my Virus to give it a test

[@atomicasounds]

The Nord Lead4 is one of my favourite synths, the user interface is one of the best, and it can get more complex with layering. Also I prefer to sound design on hardware over software and it makes a change from everyone using the same VST's.

[@holdnent]

Hello. Can you explain arpeggio setting of the first custom patch please :)

[@dieterrapitsch7700]

I own a used NL4R for two years now and underline every conclusion you make But I will keep mine because there is something in it's sound (escpecially in the oscillators and filters section) that I personally prefer to other synths (even my Virus TI2). ...But yeah...this synth has some stupid restrictions, even for the time it was released...

[@olliepsy]

I share the same thoughts with you, now that I gave it back to my friend, I re-listen to the patches I made with it and it does have something unique in it's sound, doesn't justify for me to buy it but I can't deny that !

[@SoundProtocols]

Hello Ollie, if you could only use NL or Virus for hardware trance which would you prefer? Thanks

[@adirsab]

it sounds great.

[@alexoxygen2509]

Cool video, please tell me where you can buy modern kick and bass like in your video?)

[@psytronic5049]

i have nord2x and have better sound for my virus ti2, more analog sound. but you have right for the details...

[@alexambientreverb5087]

But how you build your sound on sequencer?just one line?

[@MetalTerrorist]

Great review.

[@reflekshun]

This looks like an incredibly fast synth to program, kinda impressive actually. Very limited, but fast. Thanks for the awesome, clear overview!

[@Spithonio]

This is what I'm saying,that's the whole point.they had to add things but there was a balance they had to keep so it stays so quick to program as you perform indeed.back in 2003 when I bought my NL2x the guy who demonstrated it for me at the store played it like for real he showed its full potential using all 4 slots and splitting them and morphing the sounds and after 20 years I am using it I still never played all the notes and sounds he played in 10 minutes !

[@olliepsy]

IT IS REALLY, a long patch takes 5 minutes to programme, but yeah wayy too limited FOR ME

[@JohnSmith-pn2vl]

@@olliepsy since we have basically no limits in a daw, limitations can be considered a feature i guess :)

[@digidope]

The performance patches on NL1 are simply amazing for a even simpler synth and even more impressive is that it's first VA ever from 1995.

[@Paulsmusik28237]

Thank you Olly for not pushing my gas at the end.

[@kisho2679]

Which alternative is advisable nowadays for live performance?

[@rabbit_noize]

Id say minifreak

[@alexambientreverb5087]

Hey bro,very nice video

[@Magnuslanglete92]

Roland bk9 works

[@totopolo2379]

deal breaker ollie loves the nord filter cause that is exactly the main reason synths/vsts stand out from each other, filters bring the character. Filters are not trivial to design and code properly, specially in brand synths or some unique vsts like sylenth/diva. There is absolutely no way to emulate an analogue filter by stacking vsts. unless you are a developer yourself and know how to design digital filters, which most vst users are not.

[@olliepsy]

I totally agree and I also think the filter can make or break a synthesizer, like even if the oscillator is avrage and doesn't have anything special, a good filter can make up for that !

[@cosinussangoma4983]

or Discovery Pro solves the money problem

[@KYTHERAOfficial]

but but but but knobs!!

[@olliepsy]

Agree, knobs are life 😍

[@digidope]

@@olliepsy I'd try to find cheap NL2 as it auto-maps knobs to Discovery Pro. That said: Discovery keeps crashing Live on my Mac and there seem to be no fix for that other than switch to Bitwig :)

[@i.balazs]

Sound-wise it is still not there unfortunately.

[@cosinussangoma4983]

@@i.balazs honestly if it sounds to 95% like the real thing thats fine to me - if i would use it

[@justauseruknow]

yes

[@KYTHERAOfficial]

Yes!

[@olliepsy]

no

[@Astrounitmusic]

maybe 😂

[@olliepsy]

I don't know

[@stelthtenau]

I dont use mine... or my ti..

[@2112jonr]

Congratulations. 🙄 x

[@KYTHERAOfficial]

lolz yeah congratulations :D

[@DJANGO-FakeShaman]

heavy!

[@СИНТЕЗВУКА]

Fungus Funk have 4 nordleads… Thats why you need more than one. 🤭 P.S. Interesting to know how you think about deepmind series of Behringer analog instruments.

[@olliepsy]

loool also I have 2 Viruses, you should get two Viruses too 😅 I actually would really love to get my hand on a deepmind 12, I'll make sure if someday I get one to do a full tuto about it !! too bad, unlike a nordlead, non of my friends has one :(

[@fungusfunk4619]

I have Nord lead 2x only right now:) Nord Lead 4 was in my studio for a few month in 2014 or 2015 i think. It sounds really cool and that time there was not many alternatives (Virus, some Waldorfs and Supernova i think). Now days we have lots of software synths like Vital, Serum, Phase Plant, Falcon, Pigments where you can upload any wavetable. Also many hardware synths with WT option. Nord Lead 4 today is for Clavia fans to have special sound color and quality (which actually software synths haven't reach yet, especially in "Filters", but it's getting better every year)

[@olliepsy]

Nice to see you here Fungus Funk :) I do agree with everything you just said and share the same point of view but for the software synths not reaching the sound quality of a NL4 specially when it comes to fitlers, I on the contrary think software is as good and imho it only needs some time & practice to find a filter that matches (as close as possible) the characteristics of the NL4 filter!

[@howardhutchinson1631]

Verdict: had a NL3 for years, totally overhyped, too brilliant with no balance in sound. Good by that time it was multitimbral with outs respectively, but even old plugins were way better. I used Advent and Vanguard with some Wave Plugins these days. Will never get a NL again, Vital, Phase Plant and Pigments do so much better. All these 3 sound different in different hands. If someone loves his NL, no offense, its totally OK! 👍

[@worldsstongeststrains983]

No. The answer is no. For a gigging synth all you need is a Fantom 06. Don’t get me wrong the Nord is a great synth company but they are sorely behind the times when it comes to a full blown workstation.

[@fuzzupuzzu]

sex man, this video is just what i needed, i have this bad boy here for a good bir :D

[@KYTHERAOfficial]

So juicy