nord stage 4
program file decoder
(website last updated on 2025/02/14)
Introduction
The Nord Stage 4
(NS4) is a digital keyboard made by
Clavia Digital Musical Instruments AB.
The associated
Nord Sound Manager
software can be used to upload
Program files (ns4p files) and Preset files (ns4o, ns4n, ns4y) from your NS4
to your computer.
This webside provides ns4decode, a tool that can read those binary files
and decode (most of) their content into a human-readable form.
Key facts about ns4decode
- It's free.
-
ns4decode and the User Manual are provided below as separate downloads.
-
The
development history page
summarizes its history.
- It doesn't come with any customer support, but:
-
It can't be used to modify Program/Preset files, only to decode them.
- It provides two output modes:
-
It can display the outputs in a GUI window
(example).
-
It can write
CSV files,
which are plain text files that can be viewed either with a plain text editor or with a spreadsheet app.
An example CSV output file (synth section) is shown
here.
- It extracts many of the parameters
encoded in Program/Preset files, but not all of them.
- It works on MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
-
Using it on Windows requires installing
Python.
-
Using the GUI output mode on MacOS also
requires installing a suitable version of
Python.
-
MacOS users who only need the CSV output mode don't need to install Python,
because the version that comes with MacOS is sufficient for that.
(This might be true for Linux users, too, but flavors of Linux are more diverse.)
Downloads
| Download |
Size(ish) |
Notes |
|
ns4decode_pkg.zip
|
70 kB
|
|
Downloads ns4decode (not including Python).
Installation instructions (including Python)
are given in the User Manual.
(link to revision history)
|
|
|
ns4decodeUserManual.pdf
|
2.9 MB
|
|
Downloads the User Manual (a pdf file), which
gives instructions for installing and using ns4decode on MacOS and Windows.
The usage instructions for MacOS should also work for Linux.
(link to revision history)
|
|
regressionTest.zip
(for developers)
|
10 kB
|
|
Contains a single ns4p file that spans a variety of parameter values
for regression testing,
the associated CSV files generated by ns4decode,
and a text file with the commands to run the regression test.
The example CSV output file linked above
shows the synth settings from this ns4p file.
|
|
Disclaimer
The developers of ns4decode are not affiliated, associated, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected
with Nord Keyboards / Clavia DMI AB, or any of its subsidiaries or its affiliates.
The official Nord Keyboards website can be found at
https://www.nordkeyboards.com.
The names Nord and Clavia as well as related names, marks,
emblems and images are registered trademarks of their respective owners.