Nord Lead

(1995-1997) The first Nord Lead sparked the Virtual Analog revolution in the 90s due to its combination of “warm” sound and an intuitive user interface with dedicated knobs for all functions. It was the first product to feature the patented Nord Pitch Stick. The Nord Lead immediately became a ground breaking success and set industry standard.

Specifications
Downloads

General

  • Polyphony 4 voices (12 expanded).
  • 4 part multi-timbral.

Special Features

  • Velocity program: each function, controlled by a knob, can be controlled to respond to keyboard velocity.
  • Performance controllers
  • 4 octave velocity sensitive keyboard with octave shift buttons (+/-2 oct.).
  • Modulation Wheel, the Pitch Stick (with no dead zone at zero crossing), 1 pedal input.

User interface

  • 2 digit display, 26 knobs and 26 buttons for program editing.

Oscillator section

  • OSC 1 generates triangle, saw- tooth or pulse with adjustable width, waveforms.
  • OSC 2 generates triangle, sawtooth, or pulse (with adjustable width) waveforms and can also generate noise with a color control.
  • OSC 2 can be hardsynched to OSC 1. Linear deep frequency modulation of OSC 1 from OSC 2.

Filter section

  • 12 dB (2-pole) low pass, 24 dB (4-pole) low pass, band pass or high pass.
  • Cut off, resonance, envelope amount, envelope amount controlled by velocity.
  • ADSR envelope.
  • Filter keyboard tracking, full or off.

Amplifier section

  • ADSR envelope
  • Gain control.

Modulation section

  • LFO 1 generating triangle, saw and random staircase routed to OSC1+2, OSC 2, filter or pulse- width.
  • LFO 2 produces a triangle waveform, routed to OSC 1 and 2 or amplifier.
  • It also controls the rate for the arpeg- giator.
  • Arpeggiator: Range: 1-4 octave. Modes: up, down, up/down, random. Hold function. Echo can be set between 1 to 8 repeats.
  • Modulation envelope (attack, decay) for OSC 2 pitch, FM amount and pulse width.

Performance

  • Play mode: Poly, legato, mono, unison mono, unison poly.
  • Manual mode: Four program slots for layering possibilities.
  • Portamento/auto portamento.

Memory

  • Programs (single sounds): 40 user, 59 Factory programs and 100 Factory Performances.
  • With the 8 voice expansion card, the Nord Lead can hold an additional 297 (99 x 3) user programs and 300 User Performance on a PCMCIA 128 kilobyte battery backed RAM card.

Audio Out

  • 2 outputs (stereo). Low noise 18 bit DACs.
  • Headphones out (stereo)

MIDI

  • All control knobs and switches for program editing send and receive control change messages.
  • System exclusive bulk dumps. One program or all programs. 

Dimensions

  • Width 865mm / 34"
  • Depth 265mm / 10.4"
  • Height 105mm / 4.1"

Weight

  • 6.7 kg /14.7 lbs