Nord User Forum

[thesuitelounge]

Please tell me what you think, mainly if there is different PIANO ACTION between the Stage 2 88 and Piano 2 88:

Option A: Stage 2 88:

Plus:
All in one elegant keyboard, paired down setup (I like that)
Synth (Which I definitely use)
More overall sample storage (not that important as I am using a lot in studio and swapping sounds often)

Minus:
Action on Stage 2 for organs not as ideal as Electro 4D
Not having single purpose "dedicated" instruments


Option B: Piano 2 88 + Electro 4D:

Plus:
Single purpose "dedicated" instruments
Possibly better piano action on the Piano 88 than Stage 2 88?
Better organ action on Electro 4D than Stage 2

Minus:
Not having an all in one elegant keyboard
No Synth
Less overall sample storage

Cost is a wash/not really a factor.

Is there anything I am missing? Also, would having a Stage 2 and Electro 4D be totally overkill/too much duplication or is there a real benefit in that as an option (much more $).

Thanks.

[JoeCool]

It depends on your needs, the Stage 2 has split and layer possibilities, don't know if the Nord piano can do that.
If you do not need to split and layer sounds and don't want synth sounds, maybe the combination of electro and piano is not bad at all. You can use the piano as lower manual for the organ also. Stage and electro is a bit of double everything. Perhaps than Stage 2 compact and an extern weighted keys midi controller board could do the same.

[anotherscott]

More advantages of the 2-board approach:
* better organ engine in the NE4D
* real drawbars

Other NS2 things you lose
* aftertouch
* EXT MIDI device controls
* some additional split/layer functionality

But assuming you don't care about losing the synth functions, I'd be inclined to go with the two boards. Flexibility, backup in case there's a problem, and really, I think having the two different actions for piano and organ is a huge advantage.

Once the decision is made to go with two boards, I can't argue with the choice of Nord PIano... I don't think anything beats it unless maybe you're willing to gig with something heavier. But for the organ above, I might be inclined to also consider a non-Nord, on the basis that the biggest thing the Electro 4D has over its competitors are its great Nord piano and sample library sounds, and you'd already have those in the Nord Piano 2 anyway. So I would consider the various drawbar organs, on their organ functionality (sounds, keyboard feel, interface), and whatever other unique capabilities they may have, and choose what you like best. Which might indeed still be the E4D. But you might prefer the Numa Organ, or Hammond SK1, or even Roland VR-09 which may be a little weaker on organ but would give you back your synth.

added: Or, as JoeCool suggested, a Nord Stage 2-73 on the top, and some other weighted 88 could be a good way to go too... very light, and you can trigger the NS2's piano sounds from the 88 (which could be a nice feeling lightweight board like the Casio PX-5S). This is actually a rig I'm thinking of going with, so it's funny that JC mentioned it first! (The NP2 itself is actually too heavy for me.)

[Vampidemic]

Please tell me what you think, mainly if there is different PIANO ACTION between the Stage 2 88 and Piano 2 88:

Option A: Stage 2 88:

Plus:
All in one elegant keyboard, paired down setup (I like that)
Synth (Which I definitely use)
More overall sample storage (not that important as I am using a lot in studio and swapping sounds often)

Minus:
Action on Stage 2 for organs not as ideal as Electro 4D
Not having single purpose "dedicated" instruments


Option B: Piano 2 88 + Electro 4D:

Plus:
Single purpose "dedicated" instruments
Possibly better piano action on the Piano 88 than Stage 2 88?
Better organ action on Electro 4D than Stage 2

Minus:
Not having an all in one elegant keyboard
No Synth
Less overall sample storage

Cost is a wash/not really a factor.

Is there anything I am missing? Also, would having a Stage 2 and Electro 4D be totally overkill/too much duplication or is there a real benefit in that as an option (much more $).

Thanks.

The keyboard action is different on the Piano vs Stage, so definitely play test if you can. However, I could not live with playing organ on any weighted keyboard myself, so that's definitely an important consideration.

As anotherscott said, if you go with two boards, look into other Hammond clone options as well. You might also look into getting a midi controller board to use with the Stage, though to be honest I don't know enough about what options the Stage has for external midi control to know if that would be feasible.

I already had a Hammond Xk-2 and some analog synths when I bought my Piano 2, so I didn't see much value in having the extra functionality of the Stage myself.

Pricing note: the pedal board comes with Piano 2, but is an add on for the Stage, so keep that in mind.

[whitenoise]

Hammond XK1c just has been announced. It' has the same organ engun ad Sk series but no extra voices.

[cphollis]

Great comments so far, let me add mine.

I use all three boards being discussed: Stage 2 (hammer action), Piano 2 88, and Electro 4D.

I find myself gravitating to the two-board setup: Piano 2 below, Electro above. I use sampled synth voices (nice collection in the Nord library) but can't do bitch pends, .. errr ... pitch bends. I'm OK with that. If I ever feel the need to do a wailing synth solo, I'll get a keytar, a satin suit and big hair.

Just kidding!!! No offense meant to all you keytar players out there

One hard part of using a NS2 as your all-in-one board is programming: you either need to have your presets nailed or be very good at pressing buttons in the dark and not accidentally hitting the "transpose key" -- and wondering why the heck is everyone else is playing in a different key? I'd have to get the extended set list ahead of time, and make sure I had each song set up w/splits etc. vs. simply pushing a few buttons on each keyboard.

Second hard part is dividing up the real estate ahead of time, and staying within boundaries. I found that annoying, as I'm somewhat improvisational in some of the bands I play in. The top end of my piano solo would magically become an organ or a synth for a few notes, and then back again. Something else to think about when you're playing.

Third hard part is the lack of organ-weighted (or synth-weighted) keys. That can be overcome a bit by setting things to trigger at the top of the keypress, but it takes a while to get used to. And you can't easily go back and forth between weighted and unweghted -- or, at least, I haven't been able to.

Another consideration is redundancy. If one of my boards should fail for any reason in the middle of a gig, I can fake it with the surviving board. Not that it would ever, ever happen ... again! Besides, a stack of two matching red Nords looks GREAT in the stage lights!

Someone claimed there was a keybed "feel" difference between the Piano 2 and the Stage 2 with hammer action. If there is, it must be very subtle because I can't detect much of one. Then again, I have strong fingers and end up beating most pianos into submission.

I don't use the other features previously mentioned.

I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever you decide!

[thesuitelounge]

Thanks all. A reply question to cphollis:

What case do you use the Stage 2?

Did you buy all together or add a second and third

(ie if you had the Stage first would you add the Piano and Electro? Etc)

Trying to avoid too much overlap in sounds...would a Stage and Electro make any sense?

[cphollis]

So, if I've got a Piano 2 and an Electro 4D, where does the Stage 2 fit in?

One situation is smaller gigs and rehearsals. I can get all the sounds I need without a larger rack, second board, mixer, etc. And when you're showing up for that first rehearsal, sometimes it's better to keep it small and less intimidating.

I also occasionally play with bands that want a synth lead, bends and all. The Stage 2 replaces the Piano 2 in that setup. I love my Electro 4D, and would miss playing with it -- the Stage 2 does full piano duty as well.

I also enjoy experimenting with the Stage 2: new voices, new layers, etc. Great for fooling around.

Once in a while I play with a group that expects me to be the unpaid orchestra, and then I bring along all three boards and set up in an L-shape, although that's unwieldy and takes a boatload of stage space. In that situation, I'll split the Stage for a Rhodes EP below and synths above -- sort of doing dual duty for two discrete boards: full piano and organ on my left, Rhodes and synth on my right.

If I had to give one board up, it would be the Stage 2 -- doesn't get enough use, and I can't imagine not having either the Piano 2 or the Electro 4D.

Hope that helps?

[Frantz]

The morph (control) functions is an important mean of expression that I fear I would miss with an Electro4D + Piano setup.
Even as a monotimbral (organ only) instrument, for instance, I'm morphing the rotary speed and the drawbars to the control pedal or the wheel.
Having this automation is such a comfort.

[costaseglezos]

Dear friend,
There are many reasons I would take the NS2 option.

1. The economics...
NE4D + NP88 + a decent mixer = about 4300 Euros
NS2 + Doepfer PK88 Midi controller = about 3700 Euros

2. No synth section?
Another important issue is that if you decide to buy NE+NP instead of NS2 you get to lose the synth section.

3. The keys.
If you take the NS2 option, you get the heavy weight 88 controller to play the piano parts and the waterfall to play the organ and the synth/sample parts. You also have morph functions and a pitch bend. Complete!

4. The arrangement.
NP = 2-part-timbral
NE = monotimbral
That means 3 patches at the same time.
NS2 has a triple split per slot = 6 patches at the same time.

5. It is comfortable...
You don't have to move your entire home studio to the rehearsals, you just take the NS2 on your back (only 10 kg) and maybe connect it to another controller in the rehearsal studio, or even you play just with it. If you have a live situation, then you can take the weighted controller with you.