Nord User Forum

Ugh..... is it really THAT bad on the Stage 3? Like, you can't get nice, quiet notes? How is response if you MIDI up a digital piano with a good velocity to the Nord? Any better?

Hesitating on the Stage 3 76..... miss my Stage 2 EX 76....

themixtape wrote:Ugh..... is it really THAT bad on the Stage 3? Like, you can't get nice, quiet notes?

Some of us don't think it is that bad.

There are some that think the NS3 has too light a touch (just look at this forum, and/or some of the comments above in this very thread); some of those play the compact and others may play other versions. Some claim it is mainly a problem with certain types of sounds, others see there is a general problem and some gross errors with the keyboard and the overall sound.

On the other hand, there are also some of us that have no problems controlling the keyboard; some even think the compact is greatly improved also for piano playing compared to the NS2 generation. I play the NS3 88HA and like it a lot; I also have a Roland RD700NX and initially thought I would bring that as the controller for the Nord, but have never done so as the Nord is easy to control for me (and I play mainly pianos -- acoustics and electrics).

If you read the latest review (for what it is worth) in Feb 2018 Future Music, looking at the compact, the reviewer likes the improved keybed as well as the improved sonic clarity. The quote is something like "... the keybed feels better ... overall sonics are clearer". I agree.

So there is no uniform agreement that the keyboard is bad; some of us like it better than the NS2 series. So it may possibly be a case of different personal preferences.

Of course it would be nice if Nord would offer a heavier touch option too; I think this would help at least some of those that don't like the keybed.

Yep. It’s actually really great, not bad at all.

Some people just don’t like it, that’s all.

It’s like how people are raving about the Waldorf Zarenbourg. I just utterly hated the feel of it.

Ah, thanks for clarifying. Yeah, I would honestly like a slightly heavier/more broad velocity curve... I liked to play REALLY soft stuff on my NS2EX before I sold it, and the only pianos that really offered this are like, Royal, SG2, and Velvet (and of course, the Mellow). The others are just too bright... just ONE more curve would help.. like a "shift+velocity" or something... like off, 1, 2, 3, then SHIFT+3 or something...

I'm one of the people who want the heavier curve but I love my Stage 3 88 overall. Such a fun instrument!

Jhbackingtracks wrote:https://youtu.be/SNkWBCcT3Yw

This is a similar one. He's doing such great runs/lines, and yes he's playing hard, but if he was on a real piano (or even the Nord Piano 2) playing with the same strength, there would still be another place to get to in the higher velocities, but here it just sounds so plastic like there's no where else to go dynamically, which is a real shame when we know what the actual piano sounds are capable of, with a better velocity curve.

That piano sound has the compressor way up, set to "fast", to REMOVE dynamics.

NAMM demos are not about expressing dynamics; they’re aimed at cutting through the utter cacaphony of thousands of people talking and dozens of instrument stands blaring out their own demos.

Add to that the fact that YouTube adds their own dynamic compression to all uploaded video.

NAMM Demo Videos are literally the WORST POSSIBLE EXAMPLE you could pick to make a statement about instrument dynamics.

themixtape wrote:How is response if you MIDI up a digital piano with a good velocity to the Nord?

There's a separate thread about that at nord-stage-forum-f3/velocity-problems-using-external-88-keyboard-with-the-ns3-t13962.html - Short version: some people reported it's a problem, there appear to be different opinions as to whether or not it has subsequently been sufficiently addressed.

analogika wrote:That piano sound has the compressor way up, set to "fast", to REMOVE dynamics.
...Add to that the fact that YouTube adds their own dynamic compression to all uploaded video.

As you can tell from my earlier post, I basically agree with your sentiment, that these kinds of videos are not sufficient for making these judgements. But do you know for a fact that compression on the board was turned up (wither from having been there, or talking to someone who was), or are you hearing some telltale sign that tells you that's how it's set? As you point out, youtube can compress, and the camera/phone that took the video can compress, so there are plenty or possible sources for compression to happen, which is why I'm curious as to how (or whether) you can be sure that the compression was up on the board as well.

anotherscott wrote:

themixtape wrote:How is response if you MIDI up a digital piano with a good velocity to the Nord?

There's a separate thread about that at nord-stage-forum-f3/velocity-problems-using-external-88-keyboard-with-the-ns3-t13962.html - Short version: some people reported it's a problem, there appear to be different opinions as to whether or not it has subsequently been sufficiently addressed.

analogika wrote:That piano sound has the compressor way up, set to "fast", to REMOVE dynamics.
...Add to that the fact that YouTube adds their own dynamic compression to all uploaded video.

As you can tell from my earlier post, I basically agree with your sentiment, that these kinds of videos are not sufficient for making these judgements. But do you know for a fact that compression on the board was turned up (wither from having been there, or talking to someone who was), or are you hearing some telltale sign that tells you that's how it's set? As you point out, youtube can compress, and the camera/phone that took the video can compress, so there are plenty or possible sources for compression to happen, which is why I'm curious as to how (or whether) you can be sure that the compression was up on the board as well.

It sounds different. When he plays together with Joey's organ, the camera or YT would compress the whole mix, however, it's just the piano that goes momentarily bright without affecting the rest of the mix at all. Also, automatic compression algorithms tend to be WAY slower and "pump", whereas that's a really fast compressor on the piano only.

It's possible that they have an external compressor on the PA, but it's much more likely that they're just slamming the internal one — after all, it's already built in for that purpose.

Hello Fellows!
I just got this thread now, but I have to say that I played NS3Compact through it self via this cool stuff that is SIPARIO. I'd like to share some thoughts.
1 - The dymanic hard 1 and 2 and my personal velocity curve simply change the game in terms of dynamic and playability, it's another keyboard, and I mean it!
2 - I didn't find a way to control the Pedal Noise and the string ressonance doesn't work with SIPARIO
3 - I realize that Claiva should really release a new HARD and a "NS2C LIKE" dynamic curve, because totally make sense to me after play it with Sipario Curves. At least for NS3C!! Please Guys!

aureliopenna wrote:Hello Fellows!
I just got this thread now, but I have to say that I played NS3Compact through it self via this cool stuff that is SIPARIO. I'd like to share some thoughts.
1 - The dymanic hard 1 and 2 and my personal velocity curve simply change the game in terms of dynamic and playability, it's another keyboard, and I mean it!
2 - I didn't find a way to control the Pedal Noise and the string ressonance doesn't work with SIPARIO
3 - I realize that Claiva should really release a new HARD and a "NS2C LIKE" dynamic curve, because totally make sense to me after play it with Sipario Curves. At least for NS3C!! Please Guys!

I absolutely agree! I wait for it as well