Nord User Forum

Thinking about buying a midi keyboard to pair with my NS288. All the MIDI keyboards seem to be 'made' to control a DAW at home. Sometimes even the software is included. I did not find specific ones made for live gigging. Are there ones suitable for live use? (61 keys, waterfall). Any experience on specific models?

No one?

Hi,

the only controller I know that features a waterfall keybed is the Doepfer D3M
https://www.thomann.de/gb/doepfer_d3m_o ... chwarz.htm

Never played on myself though.

Other, more synth-keybed like boards may come from Arturia, M-Audio, Novation and Akai.
Personally I think, some of them are OK to play organ but they cannot compete with true organ keybeds (Nord, Hammond, Korg)

You're right, most controllers are designed to be DAW controllers.
To use them with your Nord make sure they have a DIN midi out jack as a I direct board-to-board connection over USB won't work.
AFAIK all controllers have a midi out jack.

In complex setups you may want to set the transmitting midi channel on the second board.
When just connecting to the Nord, just set the receiving channel on the Nord.

Bad thing about most controllers is, that they lack build quality, as they are sold at a relatively low price point.
You definitively want to check different models at your local dealer, there's a big variety in how the keybeds feel and respond.
Also check the ability to define velocity curves on the controller to make them work well with the Nord's sound engine (more important for weighted keybeds, that trigger the Nord's (E)-Piano sounds)

Thanks for your insight!
Really like the looks of the Doepfer, especially the inverted one
I will try a few at the dealer.