Nord User Forum

[Ecaroh]

I have a long history with Rolands before I went to Nord: I had RD-600, RD-700SX, RD-700GX as a gigging piano. In my classroom (alonside with real Yamaha), I first had FP-7 and now FP-80. Then I have a long history with V-piano: I've checked it very carefully (some of my fellow musicians have it) and in one point I was close to buy it (thankfully I didn't after all ...)

To sum my view: all Roland pianos sound "Roland", including V-piano. In my opinion it's not very realistic piano sound. Clean, round and emphasizing certain frequencies. Don't get me wrong: SuperNatural piano sound is kind of a amazingly build; you don't hear any looping or velocity switching. Everything is smooth. I don't know it is processed or real-time generated, but side-effect is getting this "Roland sound" which is in my ears little artificial or "plastic". For example, FP-80 in my classroom is fun to play, everything comes out nicely (it has good keyboard and it matches perfectly to its piano sound) BUT I probably never took it to my recording. Also Roland sound can be difficult on stage too: it's often too "big" or "round" or "muddy" and you'll have to cut low and/or low mids to make it fit into mix. And usually if you start messing with EQ you'll get even more artificial rolandish character.

As a comparison (with decent sound system) with Nord Bright Grand I practically never need any EQ:ing. Nord pianos sound natural: some of them are more dark or wide some of them are more clear and narrower (like Bright Grand). But they all sound like real acoustic piano. Not over processed or modelled digital replicant.

Well that's my opinion about that... But it's an opinion based on years of practise with both Rolands and Nords. After all it's about taste. Some people seem to like "Roland sound", they think this is ideal piano sound.

[japzz]

I had an issue with the acoustic piano sounds,they all sounded not very well.For the moment I'm playng my nord stage 3 with headphones or with a small bassamp,a roland cube. As I have no stereo soundsystem I activated the "mono" option with the switch on the frontpanel.After a lot of tweaking to get a better sound I switched off the "mono" option,all acoustic piano's sounded much better although I still prefer the sound of my Roland HP piano.
Anyway,I learned that for having an optimal soundquality you'll have to use a stereo soundsystem,especially for the acoustic piano's as they are the most affected by switching the machine to mono.Hope this helps and inspiration for you

[AlexNagel]

I had an issue with the acoustic piano sounds,they all sounded not very well.For the moment I'm playng my nord stage 3 with headphones or with a small bassamp,a roland cube.

I doubt this bass amp will do your NORD sounds justice! You're missing much of the nice high frequencies that make the pianos shine

As I have no stereo soundsystem I activated the "mono" option with the switch on the frontpanel.After a lot of tweaking to get a better sound I switched off the "mono" option,all acoustic piano's sounded much better although I still prefer the sound of my Roland HP piano.

Try NOT to use the MONO option but connect only the RIGHT output channel to your mono amp. This is what I think sounds best. Great for mono playing are the "silver grand" and "amber upright" piano samples.

Regards, Alex

[Moongel88]

Well folks,

After several weeks with my new Nord Stage 3 and gigging in various types of situations and through top range PA systems of various sizes and playing through the small Yamaha Stagepass PA for church gigs, a couple of different amps and on stage monitors, I just had to sell it. It's a great gigging keyboard, there is no doubt about that and can do so much, however, from a piano point of view I just didn't like the pianos and I didn't get comfortable with the action.

I realise that it can't have the lovely action of the Piano 3 because it's trying to be an all round instrument covering piano playing, hammond and synth playing. I soon realised that it was best for me to just go for a no bull, basic, no bells and whistles high quality stage piano that was basically about piano, rhodes and clavs and a really good action and use a top board for everything else.

I bought the Yamaha CP4 and I love it, great piano that sounds pretty good through most amps and monitors so I don't need to re morgage my house to get very hi end monitoring in order to make the Stage 3 sound half decent. When one is spending the guts of 4 thousand euros on an instrument this is a problem you shouldn't have, period. If I was in the studio the Nord pianos would be fantastic but for all sorts of live situations which is 99% of my work the Yamaha has a great piano sound that just has that 'presence' and cut that the Nord didn't have. When I turned up on a couple of gigs with the Yamaha I had a couple of musicians say they preferred it. These are guys who are at the top of their game in terms of musicianship and experience and have gigged with named artists, they said they "just didn't feel the piano"! but didn't want to hurt my feelings having spent so much money on a new piano. I lost a few hundred on selling it but I'm a lot happier.

Also, and this was really important to me, the action on the CP4 is the best I've ever played on a stage piano.

[Streef]

Very well understand your choice. I would recommend trying the Stage 2 (88), You will directly notice the difference... I'm back from NS3 to NS2 because of the same issue.

[baekgaard]

Very well understand your choice. I would recommend trying the Stage 2 (88), You will directly notice the difference... I'm back from NS3 to NS2 because of the same issue.

I don't think @Moongel88 would be deliberating between a NS2 and a NS3; the Yamaha sounds are radically different and if there is a preference for that type of sound, no Nord would deliver it.

Yesterday someone played a piece of music for me -- and my FIRST thought was "oh, that's a Yamaha piano there"... I have it a bit similarly with the Roland sounds too (I've played both Yamaha and Roland before going Nord); they also have a certain signature/quality to them. I think that in some genres, Yamaha pianos have become part of the expected sound, at least around here it is so in e.g. some Gospel genres. If that is what you play and what your pals expect you to sound, then maybe you need a Yamaha to deliver that sound?

My personal preference is nevertheless towards the Nord sounds.

As for the NS2, the same discussion -- Nord vs Yamaha -- was there also earlier on, so it's not like NS2 is more like the Yamaha and the NS3 is less so. In fact, if we think the NS3 is brighter than the NS2, then the NS3 is possibly a bit more towards the Yamaha sounds, but it still is of a radically different character, I think.

[analogika]

Yep. The Stage 3 sits in the mix like a Yamaha, but actually sounds like a piano.

[baekgaard]

Yep. The Stage 3 sits in the mix like a Yamaha, but actually sounds like a piano.

Well said My experience too.

[wolferl]

I play Nord Stage since 2005 and I know the most (not every) piano samples from Nord as impressive and really good playable sounds. In a live situation it helps to do a little EQ on it and to set the right key action (for me 1..2 works good). The rest of the sound is in your fingers.

A Piano sound and a Multisample record of a piano sound includes a strongly velocity dependend frequency response - special in the mids. The way how you set chords and harmonies - the intervalls etc. determine you sound. Again, how it sounds is in your fingers. Thats 80% of the mystery for a good sounding Nord Stage (and any other good Acoustik and Electric Piano). Its so simple and simultaneously very complex.

[AlQuinn]

Well folks,

After several weeks with my new Nord Stage 3 and gigging in various types of situations and through top range PA systems of various sizes and playing through the small Yamaha Stagepass PA for church gigs, a couple of different amps and on stage monitors, I just had to sell it. It's a great gigging keyboard, there is no doubt about that and can do so much, however, from a piano point of view I just didn't like the pianos and I didn't get comfortable with the action.

I realise that it can't have the lovely action of the Piano 3 because it's trying to be an all round instrument covering piano playing, hammond and synth playing. I soon realised that it was best for me to just go for a no bull, basic, no bells and whistles high quality stage piano that was basically about piano, rhodes and clavs and a really good action and use a top board for everything else.

I bought the Yamaha CP4 and I love it, great piano that sounds pretty good through most amps and monitors so I don't need to re morgage my house to get very hi end monitoring in order to make the Stage 3 sound half decent. When one is spending the guts of 4 thousand euros on an instrument this is a problem you shouldn't have, period. If I was in the studio the Nord pianos would be fantastic but for all sorts of live situations which is 99% of my work the Yamaha has a great piano sound that just has that 'presence' and cut that the Nord didn't have. When I turned up on a couple of gigs with the Yamaha I had a couple of musicians say they preferred it. These are guys who are at the top of their game in terms of musicianship and experience and have gigged with named artists, they said they "just didn't feel the piano"! but didn't want to hurt my feelings having spent so much money on a new piano. I lost a few hundred on selling it but I'm a lot happier.

Also, and this was really important to me, the action on the CP4 is the best I've ever played on a stage piano.

I had exactly the same experience except it took me much longer (i.e., three and half years) to sell my Stage 2 HA88 and buy a CP4.