Nord Wave Owners: Pros and Cons of the Wave?

I'm checking out a sound on sound review right now and I'm very interest in this synth. Seems that it can have two layers, and is very versatile when it comes to FM and sample manipulation. I process a ton of sounds and would really like the ability to A. Play them live mapped across a keybed, and B. Manipulate them even further.

It doesn't seem like this synth has taken off since its introduction so I'm really wondering what are some of the primary draws and drawbacks that I might not be seeing here.

Since buying my MEK I've developed a love for powerful but compact and portable synths. Stuff you can lug around your house or to gigs painlessly. Anyway, enough from me. I'll add more as we go here.

In case you missed it, here's my take on it including an audio demo:

http://www.carbon111.com/nordwave.html

I wonder how it compares to the Waldorf Blofeld (keyboard)?

Good question. The Blofeld's interface doesn't seem as immediate as the Wave's, but it is a really powerful synth. As long as the sample loading software was intuitive and the sample manipulation possibilities were equatable I would definitely be hard pressed to decide.

It sucks that I can't find either one of these synths in stores......

Which is precisely why I miss Petosa Music. That store had all the cool stuff.

Holy crap, I've never even asked you this. What are the best synth shops in Seattle?

(PS. drop me a line this week man, I still have to see the weirdness of the Origin )

I've tried both, and Blofield wins easily. To me Nord Wave sound plastic, and like a toy. It should fit in nicely in a digital pop/techno production, but as an expressive and dynamic lead instrument it fails pretty bad...to my ears at least.

Blofield has a more pronounced and punchy attack, and a more defined/clear and "analog" sound. I know many people like the Nord Lead/Wave thing, but to this prog/jazz/fusion-oriented person it's a very uninspirering sound. Blofield is really impressive considering the price, and it's certainly the better VA-machine IMO.

Personally I'm waiting for the John Bowen Solaris synth, now that's gonna be awesome synthesis power.

I've tried both, and Blofield wins easily. To me Nord Wave sound plastic, and like a toy. Maybe OK in a pop/techno context, but as an organic, expressive and dynamic lead instrument it fails pretty bad...to my ears at least. Blofield has a more pronounced and punchy attack, and a more defined/clear and "analog" sound. I know many people like the Nord Lead/Wave thing, but to this prog/jazz/fusion-oriented person, it's a very uninspirering sound. Blofield isn't fantastic either, but it's certainly better as a VA-machine at least. Personally I'm waiting for the John Bowen Solaris synth, now that's awesome synthesis power.

Yeah, we're pretty much talking "wave sample/manipulation synths" here. I have a Virus TI and that plenty good for the VA alone route. I'm looking for something that I can play and manipulate samples across a keybed in interesting ways with. I don't even remotely play in the same genre as you either. With me the sound design to chops ratio is more 10:1

Just looking for something to make some really unique sounds with after I've already processed some of the orginal waves in battery.

Ah....that explains whats wrong with you.

u are a synth player.

I thought so....

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They're really nothing like each other, in timbre or concept. There's nothing to "win". Both great boards.

The Wave excels at cool organic "hybrid" sounds involving phase modulation and samples. The Blo excels at swept wavetable sounds like the PPG/Microwave synths.

BTW - The OP should come visit Rusty Insects sometime and demo the Wave. PM me.

the wave is my only digital board atm and I really like it.

I had a G2 in the past and at the time I didn't like the "thin" clavia tone. However I've started to appreciate that sound. It is "thin" but that also brings a lot of detail in the high register. It adds sparkle to a mix, specially when you already have a couple of fat sounds in it.

I think the main advantage is really the sound quality of the board. The fx are also some of the best I ever found in a synth. Also, it allows for very cool tricks using the samples. You can use them as FM/PM sources so you can impart the dynamics of a sax sound to a sine wave for example. the sounds end up being really organic. I say the wave and the Ti are my two favorite digital synths and they are quite opposite in their sound. In a busy mix the wave can cut through and add a lot of "space" in the high frequencies. I can never got the virus to sound so good in these high freq sounds.

But, the wave in my opinion is far from complete, but I keep hoping that clavia will add some more features in the next OS revisions.

The main things I found to be lacking are:

- you can't pan sounds. this is a huge omission specially since you have two layers to work with. with all the spatial tricks you could do with this I think this is a terrible omission. Specially considering that you only have 1 stereo output.

- no midi syncable LFOs and delays. In this day and age this has no justification, specially when even the nord lead 1 had this. There is also no way to have a LFO reset with key on. You can have this but only when using the LFO in one cycle mode. Not so useful imo.

- No easy way to tweak both layers simultaneously- the prophet 08 does this really well- with the wave you can only tweak one layer at the time. you can assign parameters to the mod wheel and tweak both layers at the same time but from a programming point of view it'd be much better to have the possibility to do this. It'd allow for using both layers with the same sample for detuning etc for example.

- mod matrix. I know this is a obvious one and given the whole concept of the synth this probably will never be implemented. this is in part compensated by the morph function- you can easily assign any parameter to the mod wheel or velocity for example. I confess I haven't explored this very much. I've been in mod matrix mode for a long time (virus is guilty here for having such a great matrix) and this requires a different mind set when programming.

But don't let this discourage you, I'm really enjoying the sounds I've been getting with it. They have a clarity and an overall detail that really adds to my tracks.

Here are a couple of examples of the wave:

http://pixmusic.net/audio/wave%20away.mp3

http://pixmusic.net/audio/pharaodub.mp3

(wave is making the synth sounds except bass and beat)

http://pixmusic.net/audio/wavejmxdemo.m4a

(this is a rough sketch with a bunch of wave sounds. everything except the beat and bass is wave. It's really unedited and rough but it should be fine to hear the wave sounds)

I agree with Carbon. They are both completely different animals and great in their own way. I have owned both but sold the blofeld because it never fit my sound/style. Ironically enough I sold it to Pix who also sold it off rather quickly for the same reasons. Again, we both own the Wave and still own it which says something for how great it is for given styles of music. Myself I play in pop/rock style bands and the synth fits in perfectly in that style. The samples available from clavia are excellent. I am a mellotron addict and the wave hits all those notes perfectly. And for smashing/manipulating samples beyond their intended sound it is amazing. If it means anything. I run through synths partly because I like to try new things and partly because I am looking for that perfect sound for my style of music and the wave is one of the only three things in my studio I have purchased and will never sell (this short list also includes a 72' fender rhodes and moog source with midi kit) so for whatever that is worth that is my opinion on this awesome synth.

Thanks Pix and Bedroom. That actually helped alot. Admittedly the non-syncing LFO's is a concern, but beyond that it sounds like a win all around for my style. I'm into NIN, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Mogwai, Boards of Canada, Depeche Mode, and alot of other bands that put sound design and inventive processing next to songwriting, and this seems like a pretty ideal fit to go next to my Virus TI and MEK.

Oh, and Carbon, consider yourself PM'd

Well if that is the music you are into, in my opinion and from much use the Wave is a perfect fit for you. I would think syncing LFO's are right around the corner too. Tons of people have complained about this and Nord is really responsive to user input just send them an email. Just so you know, Noisebug has a used one right now in what they describe as "as new" condition for $1499 which is a killer deal for this synth. I just bought a couple of used things from them and they were as described at a great price. It is the store of the "other" Analogue Haven guy Chuck Oken before they split their business and went their separate ways. They are online at http://www.noisebug.net

Thanks for the heads up man

Sadly I'm not in any position right now to pursue it, but maybe if I scrouge and scramble I can work something out......

It's breaking my heart........

http://cgi.ebay.com/CLAVIA-NORD-WAVE-WAVETABLE-SYNTHESIZER-SYNTH-SAMPLER_W0QQitemZ370242434749QQcmdZViewItemQQptZKeyboards_MIDI?hash=item56342b36bd&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

It surprises me to say, but the Wave has become a must-have part of my kit.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/msg/1313231184.html

It's KILLING me

http://cgi.ebay.com/Clavia-Nord-Wave-barely-used-absolutely-MINT-NR_W0QQitemZ130335152962QQcmdZViewItemQQptZKeyboards_MIDI?hash=item1e58949b42

1 hour left and it's only 1100 bucks

Before you punch that 'buy' button, take a quick look at the Kurzweil K series.

Sample mangling extreme machines.

It went for US $1,233.00......

It's a really nice synth, definitely digital sounding to my ears but really capable in that regard. The filter is wonderful and very versatile, the interface is obviously fabulous, and the effects were really quite good. I bought and sold one, mainly because I had been dying to test it out and there's no stores around here that carry it, and I couldn't really justify the cost when I have so many other needs. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see another one in my possession when I have more money.