Nord User Forum

pauleway wrote:I DO NOT like the feel(touch) of the waterfall(Hammond B-3) keybed, even when I play organ songs. I much prefer the weighted (piano) touch.
I have a Yamaha CP-4 that I use for piano songs, and use my Electro 5HP for organ songs. I do have a Hammond XK-3c but prefer the feel of the 5HP over the Hammond!

It seems that we have different tastes. I love the touch of the SW keybed, although, I admit it needs some practice for piano playing. But I find it perfect for playing organs and samples.

Rusty Mike wrote:
The more I play the HP action, the better I understand it.

I think the biggest misconception is that it requires a heavy playing style. I have found that the exact opposite is true; the lighter I play it, the more expression I get out of it. I bought the Electro 3HP back when it first came out, and upgraded to a Stage 3EX 76 last year. Early on, I played it using a heavy handed approach, did not get the dynamics out of it that I wanted to, and had tired hands at the end of the night.

My hands and elbows used to hurt when I first got my Nord 3HP. I found that the key is to turn the volume up so that it is loud enough for chilled out passages when playing with the lightest of touch, and then increase velocity (not pressure) of the keys as you want more intensity/volume.

It has helped me to play with either 1) earphone monitors that let me 'overmix' my Nord feed or 2) having a small PA (I use a JBL EON 510) on a short stand right behind me as I sit playing. When the engineer asks me to turn up the volume in sound check, I turn down my little PA and turn up the piano at the same time. That way I'm just playing to a natural volume.

I do still prefer the action on my old Mason & Hamlin grand, but the Electro 3HP is far superior to my Fender Rhodes Stage 73