User Manual

7. SY N TH | 33
ESQUARE
The ESquare, or “extended square”, waveform differs from a square
wave in that it is brighter and more rich in overtones. The Shape param-
eter will alter the waveform to and from a sine wave.
WAVE
The WAVE category contains digital waveforms covering a wide range
of tonal characteristics. The waveforms have been carefully designed
and selected to provide rich and interesting timbres with great variety,
for those exquisite sounds that cannot be reached with the other algo-
rithms. Advanced wavetable synthesis techniques have been used to
reproduce the waveforms perfectly over the whole keyboard range.
A number of waveforms are distilled from various acoustic instruments
while some are combinations of several overlapping spectra. Yet others
are extremely bright, with a fundamental that is softer than the many
harmonics. Using these waveforms with the different oscillator configu-
rations and filter settings, an endless variety of timbres are possible.
F-WAVE
Sounds within the F-WAVE (“Formant Waves”) category in general exhibit
high energy resonant peaks at various frequency bands within the audio
spectrum, giving them a vocal and highly resonant character. Some of
the waveforms correspond to specific vowels, and some can be more
broadly described as being resonant within a certain spectral range.
S-WAVE
The Nord Stage 3 synthesizer provides a number of “super-waves”,
grouped within the S-WAVE category. These waveforms are created with
a large number of oscillators, and in general exhibit a very rich and full
sound.
M Some oscillator configurations; Pitch, Shape, Sync, Detune and
Dual/Triple FM, are not available when using S-Wave as source for
the oscillator.
SAMPLES
The SAMPLE option uses samples from the Nord Sample Library as an
oscillator waveform and process it with the other components of the
subtractive synthesizer architecture. This provides the synthesizer with
a tremendous flexibility. What’s more, custom samples can be created
using the Nord Sample Editor application, and loaded into the Nord
Stage 3.
 The Nord Sample Editor software is available as a free download
from www.nordkeyboards.com.
M Some oscillator configurations; Pitch, Shape, Sync, Detune and
Dual/Triple FM, are not available when using samples.
Samples are selected with the OSC1/WAVEFORM dial, or by loading a
Sample Preset from the Synth Presets banks.
The sample memory in the Stage 3 can hold up to 480 Megabytes of
sample files in the Nord Sample Library format, can be replaced as
needed. The sample memory is loaded with a wide selection of sounds
when the Nord Stage 3 leaves the Nord factory, and there are many
more samples to be found on the www.nordkeyboards.com website.
CATEGORIES AND SAMPLE PRESETS
Within the Synth Preset banks all samples are automatically displayed as
individual presets. Loading a sample from the Sample preset bank will
automatically set up a number of the Synth section parameters to values
suitable for that particular sample. Read more about this, and about
Synth Presets in general on page 34.
FAST ATTACK
With FAST ATK turned on, sample playback will begin
at a fixed, alternative starting point, bypassing most
of the original attack portion of the sample. As an
example, this can be used to remove the “build-up”
phase of a slow strings sound.
OSCILLATOR CONFIGURATIONS
The Nord Stage 3 Synth section features a broad selection of useful
oscillator configurations, giving quick access to all common (and some
uncommon) set-ups using one or two oscillators - referred to as “single”
and “dual” configurations below.
To select a configuration turn CONFIG dial (Shift + Osc2/Pitch). For any
configuration that has a pitch selection option for Oscillator 2 - for exam-
ple all the waveform mix configurations - the OSC2/PITCH dial is used to
select the specifc pitch, in semitone intervals.
 Your pitch selection will be retained when browsing configurations
using the Config dial.
OSC CTRL is used with all configurations except Basic to adjust either
amount or mix, depending on selection.
SINGLE OSCILLATOR CONFIGURATIONS
None of the single oscillator setups have any OSC2/PITCH settings, since
there is only one oscillator.
BASIC
The first configuration simply consists of one oscillator, corresponding to
the selected waveform, wavetable or sample. In this case the OSC CTRL
dial will have no effect at all.
PITCH
With the Pitch configuration OSC CTRL provides control of the pitch of
the oscillator. The range is 0.00 to 24 semitones.
M S-Wave waveforms and Samples have no Pitch configuration.
SHAPE
The Shape configuration has different effects depending on the selected
waveform. The Waveform table in the previous section illustrate how
Classic waveforms are affected by the shape parameter. Wave and
F-Wave waveforms are modified using a spectral shaping process.
M S-Wave waveforms and Samples have no Shape configuration.
DUAL OSCILLATOR CONFIGURATIONS
Dual oscillator configurations include both those where one oscillator
is used to modulate the other, i.e. Sync and FM, and those where two
generated sounds are mixed together.
The second oscillator, referred to as Oscillator 2, is shown in the right
half of the display.