Nord User Forum

People needs are different, and people put money in different features; and sometime people (like myself) spend more money to have less, but clearer, features.

When i was researching around a new piano; i tried a Yamaha CP4, and as many people, i found the connection between fingers/keyboard/sound a lot better than
the NE5 and the global "piano" feeling a lot more natural.

But i tend to adjust the sound while gigging; depending where the solo is going i may add more saturation, or switch on chorus, add a bit of tremolo or even
go rotary, all this without any planning; i also love to technically master the instrument, to have a finger/panel/sound connection in parallel to the finger/keyboard/sound one.

Digging in menus while gigging is out of the question; the NE5 fit perfectly my approach.

Also, i am a Jazz/Jazz-funk player; i use a small number of sounds (organ, ep, sometime ap), that must be nice; having unnecessary complexity for useless features wound't do. I am also a public transportation gigger; need something to put on my back.

Putting every requirement together, it is pretty clear that the NE5 corresponded to the hot spot (even better, cost/needs wise, than a NS).

Yes, for the same money you can buy keyboards that do more complex things in more complex ways; i reserve complexity for my home studio, i want simplicity and direct control in my gigs. This is just me, and i suppose a large share of Nord customers.

Some keyboards are like computers: they offer a vast set of features, and can be adapted, mastering their complexity, to different purposes; other keyboards are oriented to specific use cases and specific set of needs, and are close to the idea of a musical instrument than to a computer.

So, do not buy a Nord if you want a computer-like keyboard; buy a Nord if it solve a specific problem you have, if it suit a specific musical/technical approach.

Maurizio

There's no question that the Electro has some limitations. But if you're comparing it to synths, you're talking apples and oranges. If I went onto a Minimoog site and started complaining that it had no serious Hammond emulation I would be laughed off the site.

From the start, it was called an "Electro" because it was designed to emulate certain keyboards, specifically Hammond/Rhodes/Wurly/Clav, ie. the "Electro-mechanical" keyboards. They threw in a not-great acoustic piano because every board should have one. But that's all the Electro did at first. Basically 5 sounds. But at the time, there was no other board that did a pretty-good job of Hammond while also doing EPs and Clav. The Hammond XK-2, Roland VK-7 and Korg CX-3 were the main competitors. In that context, the Electro was a revelation (for me, at least).

NE2 added a few downloadable EPs.
NE3 added Vox/Farfisa, better pianos, and a sample engine (note, not a synth, a sample engine). Arguably, the best use of the sample engine was Mellotrons, another electromechanical instrument. Also an optional hammer-action keyboard.
NE4 added better organ/leslie emulation, and physical drawbars on some models, with a bit more RAM for pianos and samples.
NE5 added some support for splits and layers, better organ/leslie sim, and more RAM.

Today, It's a competitor to the Hammond SK-1, the new Vox Continental, and perhaps the Roland VR-730 (I'm probably missing a couple). In that context, it's expensive but more than holds its own. You can make the argument that it also competes with Mojo, Legend, etc., and that's not unfair, but none of those boards have nearly as much support for EPs/Clavs/Pianos as the Electro, and as I said, from the start it was meant to emulate not just organs but all of the electromechanical instruments.

All that to say, the Electro was never meant to complete with your workstation or synth that does all the layering/arpeggiation/pitch bending/etc. that you want to do. There's a reason the main models are 61 or 73 keys - those are the Hammond and Rhodes keyboard sizes.

And, to be fair, your favorite workstation or synth can't complete with the Electro in providing a real-time controllable Hammond emulation with physical drawbars.

There are PLENTY of great boards out there these days. So many choices!! So it gets down to preferences and philosophy.

For most of us who play Nords it ends up being some basic fundamentals.

(1) We love the sounds. So many pianos and samples to choose from, accurately reproduced. Bring nice amplification, or have a good FOH person. I plug into a live or recording board, I always sound amazing.

(2) We love the real-time interaction. Everything useful has a dedicated knob. Very little menu diving. For some bands, I have 4-5 presets, and then just tweak in realtime. Can't do that easily with many boards. And it's fun.

(3) It exudes quality. They are built to very high standards, very few compromises. They last forever. They almost never break. They feel wonderful under your fingers. A bit exotic, like a Porsche. And they look amazing on stage.

Some people argue that there are better APs out there. Some people argue that there are better DPs out there. Some people argue that there are better B3s out there. They all might be right, but for a do-it-all board, very hard to beat.

If you're worried about $$$, call around for new stuff. I usually get meaningfully below MAP prices. And there's a ton of lightly used stuff out there, for even less. And resale interest is always very strong, even for 5-7 year old boards.

One thing the Electro has going for it is having one of the best organ sounds in the market, and a very good stereo acoustic piano sound, offered in the same box. The "D" models also include drawbars.

I own an Electro 3, and the 2 things I miss most on it are the lack of pitch bend and the lack of any split capability (except organ/organ). But I do appreciate its rugged construction, and I realize that part of its high cost is that the people who build it are paid enough to live. I love the organ sound and really like its EP and Wurli sounds. I will probably upgrade to a Stage at some point to solve the problem of lack of splits (the split capability in the Electro 5 and Electro 6 is not going to meet my needs).

Of course you are giving up Nord a fee pass, you have already even given them a paid pass to pass it to you the board, and yes, you have paid for it.... but seriously, with so much stuff you don't like about it, why did you buy it? You don't seem to be a stupid guy, I guess, so, how could have you made such a mistake....You should have already sold it right away and post stuff about your new board that is way better for YOUR needs....