Stage piano that allows you to play, split and layer sounds from both the Nord Piano Library and the Nord Sample Library and features a versatile effect section – all in a portable package sporting a premium 88-key Hammer Action key bed. Four selectable Dynamic Response Curves allows for further adjusting of the response of the keybed to user’s playing style, and these can be stored individually with each program. The piano comes loaded with a selection of amazing sounds from the Nord Piano Library – Nord’s specialized library for Grand, Upright and Electrical Pianos, Clavinet and Harpsichords. All the sounds have been recorded using the state-of-the-art sampling techniques to capture the extraordinary nuances and unique characters of the source instruments and covers everything from brilliant, factory new Grand Pianos to detuned upright bar pianos with tons of charm. The entire Nord Piano Library is included on DVDs and new additions can be downloaded free on the Nord Piano Library page. Replacing the sounds in your Nord Piano 2 is simply a matter of dragging and dropping files in the Nord Sound Manager for Mac and Windows. The piano provides unique features include the Advanced String Resonance that reproduces the intricate interplay of piano strings resonating at their fundamental or harmonic frequencies when other notes are played on the Upright and Grand piano sounds; the Long Release function that adds a slightly longer release to the tone, which can be suitable when playing legato; the Nord Triple Pedal that has Soft and Sustenuto Pedals in addition to a unique Dynamic Sustain Pedal enabling the use of half-pedalling and “release and catch” techniques; or the Pedal Noise that recreates the mechanical sounds of lifting and releasing the damper mechanism, producing the characteristic thomp and sizzle sounds. The Pedal Noise feature responds dynamically to the force/momentum used when pressing or releasing the sustain pedal on the Nord Triple Pedal. The Sample Synth section in the piano supports the extensive Nord Sample Library – containing over 1000 quality sounds from leading sample producers as well as the exclusively licensed sounds of the Mellotron and Chamberlin. The library is updated on a regular basis and new additions can be downloaded for free. The Sample Synth section has dedicated knobs for adjusting the attack and release and volume of the selected sound. Volume can also be controlled with an optional Volume Pedal and the Sustenuto pedal on the Nord Triple Pedal can be used as a separate Sustain/Gate Pedal for the Sample Synth section for advanced layering possibilities. With the included Nord Sample Editor software user can even create his own sample instruments: load the .WAV-files, assign them to keys on the keyboard and transfer them to the piano to play them instantly. The Nord Sample Editor can also assist in looping and mapping the sounds. The instrument has an extensive Effect section with great, tweakable effects. Each effect section can be assigned to either the Piano or the Sample Synth section and allows for instant adding of some dirt, glimmer or atmosphere to the sound. There are also 240 locations, organized in 2 banks with 24 pages with 5 programs each. The piano also has 5 Live locations that automatically save the current settings – ideal as a sketching pad at rehearsals when trying out new sound combinations in the search of the perfect sound. Dimensions: 1287 x 121 x 340 mm. Weight: 18.3 kg.