Nord User Forum

[aureliopenna]

I was expecting new stage, new Xlarges grands pianos, new rhodes, New and at least Large Cp80, and new clavinet...

Honesty A1 is ok. Just Ok. Nord Wave is far better in terms of sound. My opinion.
I really expect more for namm 2014.

And Why not an opened piano library?? I'm sure east and West, native, quantum leap would create some new pianos...

[chimney chop]

Or buy a Mopho X4. Thats what I am considering. Would be with my Stage and G2.

I had the Mopho X4 for awhile. great sounds, great keyboard. I wish there were more synths with 44 keys. it's a perfect size for my uses.
in the end I got rid of it because of the polyphony (as many others have griped) if only it had 5 note polyphony instead of 4 it would still be in my possession rather then flushed off to eBay land. missed those LH doubled octaves. even if you keep it to 1 note in the LH the note stealing is criminal. add 4 extra voices via a Tetra for $800 and then have to deal with dual stereo outs?!! no thanks.

I'd suggest the blofeld kb

[chimney chop]

I was expecting new stage, new Xlarges grands pianos, new rhodes, New and at least Large Cp80, and new clavinet...

Honesty A1 is ok. Just Ok. Nord Wave is far better in terms of sound. My opinion.
I really expect more for namm 2014.

name was disappointing this round. hopefully Nord will have something else at Messe.
I'd also like a mew/large CP80

[davidlamb]

Nord is like a secta and they really make Keyboards more capable, powerfull like kurzweil pc3x.....
One year....one litel more think...
Its normal im paying 3500€ For a stage 2 and sounds cuts where im changing program???,,,....surrealista como Dalí!!!!
Only 370 mbs For samples!......500 mbs For piano section?.....yes but its red!!!and We Pray for "a new" in one year!!!
Nord stage 3 Will have 800 mbs For piano??,,,oohhhh!!! Qué maravilla!!!!iinnovacion sueca!!!!
Its like friki Apple secta.....i find much more flexible and sincerous kurzweil Keyboard.....

[analogika]

Nord is like a secta and they really make Keyboards more capable, powerfull like kurzweil pc3x.....
One year....one litel more think...
Its normal im paying 3500€ For a stage 2 and sounds cuts where im changing program???,,,....surrealista como Dalí!!!!
Only 370 mbs For samples!......500 mbs For piano section?.....yes but its red!!!and We Pray for "a new" in one year!!!
Nord stage 3 Will have 800 mbs For piano??,,,oohhhh!!! Qué maravilla!!!!iinnovacion sueca!!!!
Its like friki Apple secta.....i find much more flexible and sincerous kurzweil Keyboard.....

And, like with Apple, the compromises are outweighed by the fact that the thing has a user interface and experience like NO other machine out there.

Just transposing a patch on the Korg Kronos, for example, is a convoluted mess, with a separate setting for every single element of the program, and this setting being in COMPLETELY different places for every available sound engine. It's just horrific. It's like network configuration in Windows XP. On the Mac, you turned on Wi-Fi, selected the network, and entered the password, end of story — and this was fifteen years ago.
Yes, the capabilities are FAR beyond what the Stage can do.

But the difference is that, with the Stage, I actually *enjoy* doing what it can. I can do pretty much everything I need to within seconds. I can whip up a usable patch in a minute or two.

I have real controls on the interface.

And it sounds just awesome — easily (with the exception of the Rhodes pianos ).

The whole package works so much more nicely than any other box I've ever used — but it has its limitations, which can be frustrating.

Your priorities may be different, but your attitude, I do not understand. I never understood it about Apple haters, either.

[Mr_-G-]

Nord stage 3 Will have 800 mbs For piano??,,,oohhhh!!! Qué maravilla!!!!iinnovacion sueca!!!!

Unless you have some insider information, you seem to be complaining about something that does not exist.

[patrickdafunk]

Or buy a Mopho X4. Thats what I am considering. Would be with my Stage and G2.

I had the Mopho X4 for awhile. great sounds, great keyboard. I wish there were more synths with 44 keys. it's a perfect size for my uses.
I'd suggest the blofeld kb

I believe the 4 polyphonic is kind of a limitation IF you want to play 7th / 9th / 11th chords with one or two bass notes with your left hand. So I agree it would have made much more sense if Dave Smith made a 5 note polyphonic synthesizer to decrease limitations of complex harmonies. But I think he wen't for the 4 note polyphonic because it would be too similar to the Prophet 05. I have a Prophet 08, and I think 8 polyphonic is more than enough, also 6 note Juno 60 style is great. On the otherhand, a four note would be enough if you would ONLY play simple chords or voicings with your right hand while playing live, and use it more for solo's and leads.

As for dimensions: A BIG factor for gigging and traveling musicians is the width of a keyboard. In tight airplanes, vans, cars compactness is a big plus especially when you carry more instruments. Here is a quick comparison.

Dimension Comparison

Lead A1 width:
86,4 cm (?? not sure if this is right, seeing the Nord Lead 4 is the same width, even though the Lead 4 has wooden side panels?)

Nord Lead 4 width:
86,4 cm

Waldorf Blofeld Keyboard:
74 cm

Dave Smith's Mopho X4 width:
64 cm

Winner for me is Dave Smith in terms of compactness. But I am not sure if the A1 is the correct width, but I have taken the dimensions from Clavia's offical website, so it should be right...someone correct me if I am wrong please!
I really wished they had chosen a different case for the A1 that would improve portability and compactness. But it seems they have taken the 'old' case like all their other instruments unfortunately..

[Mr_-G-]

Hmm, compactness within those ranges of sizes and weights? They are all very portable.
I can't take seriously comparing a 4-note polyphonic synth with 28 notes...

For compactness, this is the winner. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_VL-1
AND! has a calculator too. Sadly it does not have a torch, radio or corkscrew, so I will not be getting one.

[patrickdafunk]

Hmm, compactness within those ranges of sizes and weights? They are all very portable.
I can't take seriously comparing a 4-note polyphonic synth with 28 notes...

For compactness, this is the winner. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_VL-1
AND! has a calculator too. Sadly it does not have a torch, radio or corkscrew, so I will not be getting one.

good one.

A few centimeters does make a lot of difference in tight spaces like DJ Tables or overhead hand baggage compartments in Airplanes.
So even though it doesn't look like much on paper, I think it does make a lot of difference if you take for instance a G2: 3 octave synth keyboard vs a 49 keys A1.

[Mr_-G-]

Well yeah, I understand, but really, how many people need to take a plane with a kbd that often?
Have you thought of getting a good MIDI module and a micro-keyboard? Those should be pretty portable.
Or build an arsenal of softsynths and just get a midi controller (which is most likely to weight less than one with the synth engine).
I can't see manufacturers rushing to make "airplane friendly" models, but who knows, I have been wrong before.