First
shown in early 1995, the Nord Lead virtual analog synthesizer took the keyboard
world by storm. It has since become a classic and a new standard of the industry.
The warm analog sound coupled with today's technology moved the Nord Lead
up to a leading position on the synthesizer scene. All around the world, musicians
praise the simplicity, the smart design and the music power of the Nord Lead
"Virtual analog" concept.
With the Nord Lead 2, a great concept is being improved upon in many new ways. The Nord Lead 2 is actually 4 synthesizers in one. It has 4 multi-timbral channels, each with its own fully assignable output. This is an essential feature for musicians who need to access sounds independently for further processing and mixing.
Nord Lead 2 comes with a 16-voice architecture, a highly beneficial feature when creating layered sounds, "power pads", awesome leads and booming basses .16 notes are also very useful in an instrument containing 4 independent MIDI channels. The keyboard can be split into two sections.
The sound generation of the Nord Lead 2 is called "virtual analog". This innovative technique for producing analog sounds was first developed by Clavia, in Stockholm, Sweden, and then debuted in the classic original Nord Lead, the world's first "Virtual analog synthesizer". To further expand upon the analog performance of the original Nord Lead several new features have been implemented in the Nord Lead 2. A Sine wave is added to the already powerful Oscillator section. The filter section in the Nord has been appreciated for its warmth of sound character and "unique" filter types. Another exciting new addition to the filter section is the Distortion button. Try it! It will do fun things along with your filters, adding even more excitement to your patches.
The Filter keyboard tracking choices have been added to in the new Nord Lead 2. Now you can choose between Full, Half or Off. From all of the classic features of the analog concept Nord Lead 2 now adds an old favorite editing parameter: Ring Modulation as well as a wealth of new digital waveform possibilities created by using the "synchable noise" feature. In the Nord Lead 2 you are able to sync Noise and Oscillator one to create sounds unlike any you've heard before.
We're not through yet. In the modulation area several new features have been added. The LFO 1 section receives two more waveform choices and one more destination. The Arpeggiator has been redesigned and Pulse Width has been added to the destinations in the Modulation Envelope section .
Finally, to expand the Nord Lead 2's live performance abilities, a second pedal input has been added. One pedal is available for Sustain and the other for Expression.
Special features
- Velocity programming: Each function, that is controlled by a knob, can be programmed to be controlled by velocity.
- Morphing: Each function, that is controlled by a knob, can also be controlled by the modulation wheel / pedal to continuously fade between two sets of values.
- Performance controllers: 4 octave velocity sensitive keyboard with octave shift buttons (5 oct.). Keyboard split, two sections. Modulation wheel, the "Pitch Stick" (featuring no dead zone at zero crossing), 1 pedal input for sustain and 1 for expression pedal. Patent pending for the "Pitch Stick".
- User interface: 3 digit display, 26 knobs and 27 buttons for program editing.
- Oscillator section: Oscillator 1 generating sinus, triangle, sawtooth or pulse with adjustable width, wave forms. Oscillator 2 generating triangle, sawtooth or pulse (with adjustable width) wave forms and can also generate noise with a color control. Oscillator 2 can be hard "synched" to oscillator 1. Linear deep frequency modulation of osc 1 from osc 2. A wide range of new waveforms with a strong formant character is achieved with the new synchable noise, where noise can be synched to Osc. 1.
- Filter section: 12 dB "2 pole" lowpass, 24 dB "4 pole" lowpass, bandpass or highpass. Cut off, resonance, envelope amount, envelope amount controlled by velocity. ADSR envelope. Filter keyboard tracking can be set to full, half or off. Filter distortion.
- Amplifier section: ADSR envelope, gain control.
- Modulation section : Lfo 1 generating triangle, saw, pulse, LF filtered noise and random staircase routed to Osc 1+2, Osc 2, filter, pulse-width and FM amount. Lfo 2 produces a triangle waveform, routed to Osc 1 and 2 or amplifier. It also controls the rate for the arpeggiator. Arpeggiator: Range: 1 - 4 octave. Modes: up, down, up/down, random. Echo can be set between 1 and 8 repeats. Modulation envelope (attack, decay) for Osc 2 pitch, FM amount and pulse width.
- Performance section: Play mode: Poly, legato, mono, unison mono, unison poly. Manual mode. Four program slots for layering possibilities. Portamento / auto portamento.
- Percussion kits: 10 analog drumkits. Each percussion kit holds 8 independent sounds, configurated in 8 zones across the keyboard.
- Memory: 40 user-programs, 59 factory programs and 100 factory performances. An additional 297 (99 x 3) user-programs, 100 user-performance programs and 30 drumkits can be saved on a PCMCIA 64 (or more) kilobyte battery backed RAM card.
- Audio Out: 4 outputs. Each slot have its own output. Modes: Stereo, mono and multitimbral mode. Headphones output. High resolution low noise 18 bit DAC.
- MIDI features:
All control knobs and switches for program editing send and receive Control Change messages.
System exclusive bulk dumps.
One program or all programs.
MIDI clock synchronizing LFO 1 and LFO 2/arpeggiator
Triggering of the filter and amplifier envelopes and velocity control from separate programmable MIDI channel and note numbers.
