Produced in Sweden by the Clavia company, Nord synth units have been widely embraced by players since the first Nord Lead launched in 1995. Nords are known for their digital emulation of classic analog sounds, and the company continues to add innovative features with each new generation of synth.

The first iteration of the Nord Drum series was built with four synthesis channels and a sound engine featuring Nord's Resonant Synthesis technology for a wider palette of realistic drum emulations.