Nord keyboards are manufactured by Clavia Digital Musical Instruments (Clavia DMI AB), a Swedish company founded in Stockholm in 1983 by Hans Nordelius and Mikael Carlsson. The company's origins trace back to the ddrum brand — electronic drum pads developed by Nordelius that gained widespread use in the early 1980s. Clavia later sold the ddrum name and pivoted to keyboard synthesizers, introducing the Nord brand identity in 1995.

The 1995 Nord Lead was a landmark instrument that helped popularize virtual analog synthesis, delivering the warmth of classic analog circuits in a reliable digital package. This was followed by the Nord Modular (1997), a virtual analog modular synthesizer, and the Nord Electro (2001), which emulated the tones of classic electromechanical keyboards including the Hammond organ, Rhodes electric piano, Wurlitzer, and Hohner Clavinet. The Nord Stage, introduced in 2005, combined these capabilities into a single stage instrument and became the company's flagship product line. The Nord Piano (2010) offered an 88-key hammer-action option focused on acoustic piano reproduction.

Nord instruments are immediately recognizable by their distinctive red finish and have become fixtures on professional stages worldwide. The product range spans stage pianos, synthesizers, and organ instruments across the Nord Stage, Nord Electro, Nord Piano, Nord Wave, and Nord Organ series. All instruments are designed and manufactured in Stockholm, Sweden, with the brand known for its premium keybed feel and faithful emulation of classic keyboard tones.

Nord has 85 products cataloged on Equipboard, including Synthesizers, Digital Pianos, and Organs. Their gear is featured by 494 artists, with the strongest followings in Rock, Pop, and Electronic. Notable users include Jesús Molina, David Cook, and Mike Shinoda. Most Nord products sit firmly in the high-end, boutique range.