Nord User Forum

[jpardes]

I am thinking about purchasing the nord electro 5 D. I am looking for an all purpose keyboard for gigging. Right now I am playing with a Yamaha CP4 and Yamaha MX49 for organ and synth sounds. I cover the bass for our group. I am wondering if will be able to split with bass in the lower part and still layer piano/stings and piano/organ on the upper part. This is crucial for me. For our set list, the left part would stay constant bass and right part need to be piano, piano/organ, piano strings, organ, and occasionally, brass, clav, and woodwinds, I would really like to move to a 1 keyboard set up. I am ready to make a purchase now so prompt feedback is requested. I am going to for the hammer action keys because piano is still predominant sound.

[harmonizer]

I believe the Electro 5 supports only a single split, while the Nord Stage supports multiple. If you want to cover the bass with your left hand and still layer "piano/strings" or "piano/organ" with your right hand, I think the Electro 5 will fall short of what you want. Also, the Electro 5 is only available with up to 73 keys. There is the Stage 2 EX 88 with a fully weighted hammer action keybed, and also a 76-key version of the Stage that has a hammer action (Stage 2 EX HP76). I don't understand the difference between their types of hammer action, maybe someone else can elaborate. More info on the Stage models can be found here: http://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/nord-stage-2-ex

If you want hammer action keys, you will want an "HP" model. The "D" means drawbars for the organ, and all the Electro models with the "D" have a waterfall (non-hammer) keybed.

[Rusty Mike]

With Electro 5, you can run up to two sound engines at once, and they cannot be the same engine. This applies to splits and layers. The exception is that you can use an organ split. But you cannot do piano/piano or synth/synth.

The "synth" is actually a sample player with some variability. You can use the sample player for bass sounds in the left hand, but you can only then use piano or organ in the right. You do not have the ability to do a piano/synth layer in the right hand if you are using a split keyboard.

If you are looking for more versatility, you would have to step up to the Stage. You can probably find a decent deal on a used Stage 2-76 if you look around hard enough. The Compact has a 73-note waterfall keyboard like the E5D, but a whole lot more versatility. It can most definitely serve as a single keyboard rig, as I use a Stage 2EX 76HP as my only keyboard.

But the Electro 5 by itself won't meet the needs you described above.

*Edited as I just saw your preference for piano action*

[jpardes]

Rusty Mike - Now I think I understand - once I do a split, there is no layering functionality for the upper half - am I right? If so, I see that i need to keep searching for the best, one keyboard, option. I don't think I can afford a stage

[Rusty Mike]

Exactly.

OTOH, I recall seeing a You Tube video where some guy was doing amazing things with a CP4; all kinds of fancy splits and layers with synth sounds. Perhaps you can dig deeper into the stuff you already own.