The Nord Piano 4 is considered the most popular instrument and belongs to the fourth iteration of the classic pianos. The piano was originally released in the year 2010 and is compatible with the Nord sample library and is considered the best substitute for grand acoustic pianos when it comes to staging shows.
The piano features a stripped-back interface that helps in rendering the right amount of control over the piano sound. The piano encompasses the best selection of sounds from the piano library of Nord. The piano also has a great memory to help with tonal flexibility. This is just a short list of what the Nord Piano 4 holds for its pianist. Let us discuss the other inherent features of the piano here.
Nord Piano 4 Review 2023
| Features | Rating |
| Performance and sounds | 9.7 |
| Connectivity | 9.2 |
| Build Quality | 9.1 |
| Value for money | 9.6 |
Table of Contents
The external design of the Nord Piano 4
Almost all of the pianos from Nord seem to follow the same trend when it comes to their design. All of them are made of bright red and solid metal construction and are easy to recognize on the stage and even in the crowd. The Nord Piano 4 features premium construction and its body are made of metals. The piano features heavy-duty construction and is slightly heavy.
There are dedicated knobs available in this piano for every single piano function, and thus the players need not rely on mere screens and menus. Even the controls are made simple and organized with the piano 4 version, helping budding pianists with efficient playability. The knobs of the piano offer significant resistance, helping with precise changes. Its buttons also feature a distinct yet silent click on each press.
The Nord Piano 4 Keyboard
The piano encompasses the Italian-made Fatar triple sensor keybed with the virtual hammer action technology. The keys on this piano are completely weighted and thus render a real acoustic and grand piano feel. The keys are great for stage performance and carry the required depth and heft to feel like real keys. They are highly responsive and make use of three sensors to detect repetitive key presses. The hammer action keys are velocity-sensitive and are also precise in playing music. The black keys in the keybed feature a matte finish and are thus great to touch and are textured to stay anti-slippery.
Piano sounds
The Nord Piano 4 comes with two sound engines, namely the piano and the Sample synth. The piano engine is the same as the ones we see in other Nord pianos but helps in expanding the sound palette to include sounds that are beyond the standard pianos. Users are free to include the other piano sounds using the USB connector and the Nord sound manager software. The 1GB memory of Nord Piano 4 helps in this process. The default sound presets of this piano are from the Royal Grand 3D YaS6 XL grand piano.
Clavinets are also available with about eight pickup combinations. Harpsichords are also included in both Italian and French variants. The piano also features 120-note polyphony, which is good enough to create diverse genres of music, from classical pieces to modern tunes. You should buy this piano for its piano capabilities and it is indeed a capable machine.
Program management
Program management is very easy on the Nord Piano 4. It is possible to save one’s music and sounds on the piano bank and also swap the sound positions. Navigation is easy on this piano, and it is very easy to find sounds on the go. The Nord Piano 4 is capable of saving up to 400 programs in its 16 banks, making it easy for the pianist to organize the presets.
Connectivity features
The Nord Piano 4 comes with all the required connectivity options. There are two ¼” out ports for the main stereo outs. Which help in connecting the piano to the amplifier or external sound system. There is a ¼” headphone jack and a jack to connect with the triple pedal system. In addition, we also get a USB type B port that supports USB MIDI that connects the piano with DAW and other supported music programs.
Nord Piano 4 vs Stage 3
Nord keeps releasing new additions and variants to its piano range and strongly holds its position as the titans of the piano world. The selection of pianos from Nord is known for their immersive playability and authenticity. Let us compare the two world-class variants here in terms of piano feel, piano sound, and piano features.
| S. No | specifications | Nord Piano 4 | Nord Stage 3 |
| 1. | Key bed | Features a grand weighted action with virtual hammer technology with 88 keys | Weighted hammer action keyboard with 88 keys |
| 2. | Piano Sounds | The Nord piano library encompasses sounds from grand, electric, digital, and layer pianos along with clavinet and harpsichord strings. | The Nord piano library includes samples from grand, electric, and digital pianos with clavinet and harpsichord sounds. |
| 3. | Organ Sounds | No special organ sounds | Tones of pipe organs, B3 tone wheel, vintage transistor, etc. |
| 4 | Connectivity features | Connects with a sustain pedal, USB, MIDI in/out, stereo output, headphones | Connects with a sustain pedal, rotor pedal, program pedal, organ swell, Midi in/out, and headphones. |
| 5. | Pedals | Comes with Nord triple pedal unit | No pedals included |
| 6. | Memory | 1 GB piano memory and 512 MB sample library memory | 2 GB piano memory with 480 MB sample library memory. |
Is the Nord Piano 4 really worth it?
The fourth generation of the Piano series from Nord combines rich voice polyphony, a triple sensor keybed, and the proprietary Nord virtual hammer action technology. This piano undoubtedly offers the ultimate piano experience. The piano is also known for its performance features, piano filters, and split point crossfades that render an exceptional and authentic piano feel.
The only downside of this piano according to me is its price, but it is still worth the price, after all, your piano is going to be your lifetime investment. Its price is worth its features. The piano features a top-notch keybed and hardware. There is an astounding level of expression and depth in the piano tunes. In short, the Nord Piano 4 is a versatile and professional instrument that is suitable for all contexts. It looks great and extremely professional, feels great, and sounds extraordinary.
Pros and Cons of Nord Piano 4
Pros
- The Nord Piano 4 features a 88 note weighted action keybed.
- It features advanced triple sensors for accurate response and dynamics.
- Its numeric pad and organized mode help in seamless sound adjustments.
- The piano offers the best sounds from the Nord Sample Library and piano library.
Cons
- The piano is relatively expensive
- The split points in the piano are limited.
Alternatives of Nord Piano 4
These are some great alternatives you can consider.
Note: You can check more alternatives in our list of Best Digital Pianos Under $3000.
Bottom Line
We can clearly see that Nord wanted its stage pianos to stand out from the rest of the crowd. There are ample options in the market, but Nord Piano 4 is quite different from the rest of them. It renders seamless transitions in performances, adding new layers of split functions for exceptional playability and dynamic sounds. Its enhanced organize mode and numeric pads make real-time tweaks much easier and better than ever. Piano 4 in short, makes the musical journey of the pianist as extremely enjoyable and intuitive as possible.
