Nord Lead A1 Analog Modeling Synthesizer Reviews

I've been a musician for 28 years, and I've owned every synthesizer worth owning and the potency of the Nord Lead A1 is what makes it stand out and shine above all others! Due to it's efficient Knob-Per-Function interface, 4-part multi-timbral layers & its ultra dynamic mod-wheel customization, the Nord's ability to sculpt & design a patch is beyond impressive. My favorite pastime is recreating famous patches of iconic songs like the rich rubbery synthesizer basslines from "NIN-Closer" & "George Clinton-Atomic Dog" or even the funky bass groove from "Zapp and Roger-More Bounce", all of which were performed on a Moog Synthesizer in the 80's. The Nord is able to recreate & dial in these sounds with a 90%-100% accuracy, a true testament of it's dynamic range & power. Combined with the sequencing, midi control & sampling power of the Elektron Digitakt, I'm able to literally create anything! The Nord is a Must-Have and may convince you to even downsize your studio or live performance setup!

The Nord Lead A1 is such a dynamic synthesizer, even though this model was released eight years ago, it is definitely a timeless piece of gear! There will always be a special place in any studio for a synthesizer like this. The 4-part multi-timbral capability is such an awesome element, allowing for so much dynamic creativity to occur via multiple layered parameters. Additionally, being able to assign multiple different parameters from multiple different patch layers is such an awesome feature! This synthesizer creates such warm, fat & juicy tones that it just begs to be turned on everyday! My only regret is that I did not purchase it sooner!

This is without question the most versatile synth I've ever used. I know they're a bit expensive, but the build quality is second to none and the features are amazing. I wouldn't recommend this if you're looking for out of the box presets and patches, of which this does come with. The main point of this synth is creation and forming your own patches/layered patches. If you can envision it, with some tweaking this box can create it. Even better, you can layer all sorts of custom patches for infinite possibilities. I frequently find myself accidentally creating some of the coolest sounds. I just this heavily in my DAW setup as well, with the synth being controlled externally. Implementation was easy and automation of the CC functionality was even easier.

In summary, even at the cost, you'd be hard pressed to find a better synth for the money.

I've been with Nord since I heard the first Nord Lead at NAMM. So many companies relied upon effect to get their tone close while Nord nailed it dry!

The newest line of Nord synths are as playable as ever and step boldly into new territories of sound and performance.

Well done for over 20 years!!!

Yes, five stars ("WOW! Blown Away"). In a compact, lightweight form factor, an incredibly powerful synthesizer. Like the lit says, can probably cover any genre, but my things are classic/prog rock and synthpop, and I can't imagine a better virtual analog for those. Its two main strengths, IMO, are the sound (a solid analog emulation in every way, extremely flexible filters, and kickass effects) and the physical design. The left hand landing area puts everything you need within instant reach... program change, prog/perf modes, layering, pitch and mod, octaves, and poly/mono/legato modes.

Like I said, main styles are classic/prog and synthpop, so I'll be doing a lot of Moog/Prophet/Jupiter, etc. emulations with the A1, and loving every minute of it. As always, the Sweetwater staff rocks, and... shipping candy! :-)

This synthesizer is something out of dream. I'm still only on first base working with just one system, but am hoping to learn more about layering. Some tutorials on line move a bit too fast. I wish there was a local class or on-line tutor that could walk me through some continued learning. I'm sure over time I'll discover more of what this bad boy can do.

I have 3 Nords -- the Wave, the A1 and a Stage 2. All of them have similar VA engines in them, the difference with the Stage and the Wave being that they can load the Nord Sample library sounds as an oscillator.

Apart from not being able to do that, the A1 has the best-sounding synthesis engine to my ears. The VA oscillators sound better, and the choice of three 24-db LPF filters (generic Nord, Minimoog Style, and Roland TB-303 style) adds a great amount of flexibility in creating subtly different sounds. (It also has other filter modes including of 12 dB LPF, which might be my favorite).

The synthesis architecture of the two oscillators is highly unusual. Instead of having two separate controls for OSC 1 & 2, you have only one oscillator section, and different "modes" with which to employ the two oscillators under the hood. For example if you want to create a sound that has two saw waves tuned a 5th apart, you put it in OSC 2 DETUNE mode, then turning the OSC CONTROL knob tunes the second oscillator. But if you put it in SINGLE OSC SHAPE mode, you only have one oscillator and the OSC CONTROL knob changes the shape of that one oscillator. In other words, the OSC CONTROL button does something different for every mode that you are in.

It is also extremely easy to modulate the OSC CONTROL knob with the LFO or envelope, as there are dedicated knobs to control the amount of that right above the OSC CONTROL knob. (If you are getting the idea that the OSC CONTROL knob is the most important on the synth, you're right.)

Fortunately all of the different modes are printed right on the case of the A1, and you will use that chart all the time, because there are so many modes and oscillators that unless you are a genius it's unlikely that you'd memorize them all, at least until you'd put 100 hours or so programming the synth in.

The downside of this system is that it can make it slightly more cumbersome to program simple 2 oscillator patches. The upside is that once you get into the the more complicated oscillator modes, you will have a simple way to create sounds that would otherwise require more complex programming.

I would hesitate to recommend this as a beginner synth only because the mode system does a lot of stuff for you in a way that wouldn't necessarily teach you what the two oscillators are doing as well as a more traditional analog or VA synth. And beyond that, because it's a different method of programming than almost any synth out there, the skills you develop with it are not going to fully transfer to future synths that use a more traditional programming interface.

I don't count effects as especially important on synths but the ones here are excellent, and I especially love the Ensemble effect, which convincingly recreates such effects found on early string machines and early polysynths.

In conclusion: some feature limitations compared to other similar synths (only one LFO, and to get a modulation envelope I believe you have to disable that LFO); an unusual architecture and interface that is not difficult to use but takes a bit of practice to get used to; wonderful sounding oscillators and filters in every mode. It's capable of producing a huge range of sounds from traditional analog, to FM, to otherworldly stuff. Great build quality (as always with Nord), and a great value for the price considering the quality of the sound and diverse features.

Very few things would make this synth better. Everything is cool on this synth. It's got it's own vibe to be sure but it sounds great, is built great and plays really well too. The key bed is one of the few things that I think Nord could have improved on here. It is still a great key bed but just a little different than I hoped. It's always hard knowing what will be right for someone's set up but this synth has proven to be a must have for me. Worth the money!

The Nord Lead A1 is a very easy Synth to use and the sound creation is beautiful. The patches are very nice, But the real results are when you start programming the sounds you want. This is my first Nord keyboard and when comparing it with others in the same price range, The Lead A1 is one of the best VA Synths on the market. I highly recommend it! It's just fun and exciting to use. Great FX built in. And the sound manager is quick and easy to use and very helpful organizing the sounds that you have programed. Also there are more programs and performances on the Nord web site for free! I have now owned and used this fine instrument for about a year and have had no problems with the key bed or the electronics' Keep calm and Nord on.

The bad news--I have barely begun to explore the capabilities. The good news--the presets are so useful I haven't really needed to. This unit is flexible, versatile, easy to use and has a ton of great live tweaks that make it a top-tier unit right out of the box. Sonic engineers wanting to build never-before heard sounds, studio performers needing high production value, and six-night a week gigging musicians will all find what they need.