Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Everything about Nord keyboards in general; which one to choose, the sound manager, sample editor, and general discussion about the sample and piano libraries.
Alaskanulu
Posts: 34
Joined: 29 Sep 2020, 17:11
5
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 3
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Wave 2
Has thanked: 58 times
Been thanked: 3 times
United States of America

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by Alaskanulu »

Wow! I really hope Nord does something like this.. maybe the reason the stopped making C2D and added it to their legacy page?
Valpurgis
Posts: 297
Joined: 17 Sep 2011, 18:24
14
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 4
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 74 times
Norway

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by Valpurgis »

A lower manual in two versions, semi weighted and hammer action, to use with any Electro or Stage Compact? I think someone like Studiologic could find a niche market here. The only flat top controller I am aware of is the Crumar Mojo 61 lower manual. But even better if Nord made their own version.
Last edited by Valpurgis on 02 Feb 2022, 14:03, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Rusty Mike
Posts: 998
Joined: 08 Nov 2011, 21:57
13
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Piano 5
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Electro 6
Location: United States
Has thanked: 118 times
Been thanked: 582 times
Contact:
United States of America

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by Rusty Mike »

To me, the unique element on the SK/X Pro's is the mono lead synth. It's a handy thing to have, as I do use mono leads on occasion (but not a lot). However, the compromise in the piano samples and the very dear prices of the instruments are absolute show stoppers for me. The organ and Leslie models are arguably better than Nord's implementation, but the Nords still don't suck and I think we're splitting hairs about it.

The other (selfish) thing is that I'm personally bought into the Nord ecosystem. I have one accessories bag with cables, pedals, etc. I can take either my Stage or Electro without worrying about pedal incompatibilities. I'm reluctant to move away from that simplicity by adding another brand to the mix.

The thought I had was a "Duo" version of the next Electro that would be akin to the SKX Pro. It would be a dual manual 61/61 waterfall configuration with one or two sets of drawbars. Organ, piano or sample synth could be assigned to either manual, and there would still be keyboard split capability as well. In that regard, it would be a slightly expanded capability over the current Electro 6.

Despite being better for piano playing, I would not want a weighted key lower manual. It should keep the weight down.

In the Piano 5, Nord introduced some interesting features in the sample synth including a unison mode and a "true" vibrato. This goes a long way to enabling lead synth playing, and I would expect to see this feature in the next Electro (not really needed on the Stage, as it can do those things already). The addition of only a pitch stick or wheel would really complete the package.

Putting those features together with a dual manual configuration would be a great addition to the Nord lineup and good contender against the SKX Pro.
Mike from Central NJ, USA
Tools: Ten fingers, two feet, middle-age brain, questionable judgement and taste
Current Nords: Piano 5 73, Electro 6D 73
Ownership History: Electro 2, Electro 3-73 SW, Electro 3HP, Electro 4D, Stage 2EX 76HP
User avatar
Tracii
Posts: 167
Joined: 12 Feb 2018, 11:47
7
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Electro 5
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Electro 3
Has thanked: 299 times
Been thanked: 29 times
Germany

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by Tracii »

For me, there are two things that are disappointing about the Skx PRO, given that I am very much interested in a dual manual clone with bread and butter sounds:

I don't need the mono synth. That's just me, but the few times I really need synth sounds, it's going to be a pad or a DX7-like bell, so monophonic just won't cut it. And I have a nagging feeling that my other gripe is a direct consequence of this.

I'm used to having hands-on control over my effects. I find myself constantly tweaking tremolo rates and phaser depths and drive gains when I'm playing, to match the music. The Skx PRO hasn't got a single dedicated button for the effects so you might at least get to the right sub-menu more quickly... :wtf: Had they omitted (or at least de-emphasized ;)) that mono synth, I'm sure they would have found the space and resources.
Last edited by Tracii on 02 Feb 2022, 17:53, edited 1 time in total.
anotherscott
Posts: 3524
Joined: 07 Jan 2011, 04:50
14
Has thanked: 49 times
Been thanked: 1117 times

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by anotherscott »

Tracii wrote:For me, there are two things that are disappointing about the Skx PRO, given that I am very much interested in a dual manual clone with bread and butter sounds:

I don't need the mono synth. That's just me, but the few times I really need synth sounds, it's going to be a pad or a DX7-like bell, so monophonic just won't cut it. And I have a nagging feeling that my other gripe is a direct consequence of this.
SK Pro/SKX pro have those poly synth sounds too, the difference is that (unlike the mono synth sounds), instead of editing them through the front panel synth controls, they are only editable through the on-screen menus. And also, the sounds are samples, rather than synthesis per se, but that's generally true on the Nords as well.
Tracii wrote:I'm used to having hands-on control over my effects. I find myself constantly tweaking tremolo rates and phaser depths and drive gains when I'm playing, to match the music. The Skx PRO hasn't got a single dedicated button for the effects so you might at least get to the right sub-menu more quickly...
True that it does not have the dedicated buttons for effects (well, except for reverb), but it DOES have a way to get to the right sub-menus more quickly. The ten patch select (favorites) buttons also function as shortcuts to pretty much whatever ten pages you want to be able to get to quickly. You can define them to the pages you want, and then hold the shift button with the numbered button to get to the desired page, so you can make some of these your effects pages if you want. The shift button is right next to the number buttons, so it's still a one-hand operation.
User avatar
cphollis
Posts: 1934
Joined: 01 Mar 2013, 20:56
12
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Stage 4
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Piano 5
Location: Vero Beach, Fl
Has thanked: 75 times
Been thanked: 874 times
United States of America

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by cphollis »

I always look closely at new boards (don't we all?) and would offer the following: looks like a killer B3-centric experience, piano and synths play a supporting role. It's Hammond, so that's expected.

Given that I use both pianos and synths heavily, that would be a non-starter for me, e.g. I would not give up those two to get a 10% or so better B3 experience. With the NS3C (I use a nicely weighted controller), I get a very realistic piano experience in addition to a fairly rich and deep set of synth capabilities. I would agree the Hammond B3 engine is incredibly tasty, though -- I am *this close* to bringing an iPad to gigs just to run the software version of their engine. Nord, I hope you're working on something, as I'm getting thirsty ...

To answer your question: maybe you should have asked what goes BELOW a SKX Pro? A weighted controller for me :)
Last edited by cphollis on 02 Feb 2022, 23:58, edited 1 time in total.
I think I have gear issues ....
Farfisameister
Posts: 35
Joined: 01 Aug 2011, 22:02
14
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord C2
Your Nord Gear #2: Nord Electro 3
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 16 times

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by Farfisameister »

I received my Hammond SKX Pro in early May after pre-ordering it in January. Let me say that I have a Nord C2 updated to C2D specifications, a Nord Electro 3, and a Hammond SKX (three years old). I have previously owned a Crumar Mojo as well. The Hammond SKX pro is all a dual manual Nord could be. The SKX pro features the newer XK-5 sound engine, the MTW1, which (my opinion) blows our beloved red boards out of the water with key contact simulation, transformer simulation, and more. It also has what the XK-5 does not have - a new Leslie simulation. In addition, it features many different cabinets. For example: 122 gentle, 122 wild, 147 gentle, 147 wild, 145 gentle, 145 wild, 760, rock type, and PR40 tone cabinet. Also, I should mention the action. For organ it's perfect. For acoustic piano, you'll need to play with some technique and finesse. For electric piano it seems fine. By contrast, I owned a Nord Stage 2EX HP I had to sell because the action was a major problem for me.

Though I am very fond of my Nord C2 organ, it has many limitations. The action is extremely non-organ like (very hard and springy better suited to electric piano), the organ engine needs to be updated, and the Leslie sim seems generations removed. Plus, it's 35 lbs of just organ.

Having owned 5 real Hammonds in the past I think the Hammond SKX Pro is actually better than the real thing for me. I do want the ability to play piano, electric piano, and anything else on the lower manual and always had an electric piano or clav on top of my real Hammonds. There are new pianos in the SKX pro that were not on the previous SKX and they're good. So are the electric pianos. Are they Nord good? Obviously that's subjective, but the Hammond ep's have been updated since the predecessor, the SKX, and I like them a lot. On the SKX pro there's Rhodes 1 and 2 plus those models modified with a lot of different effects added like pan, phase, chorus. There are 3 Wurlitzers the 3rd of which is very buzzy and sounds very much like a Hohner pianet which I also like very much. There are FM ep's which I never really cared about but they're good and there's electric grand which I also never really cared about and they're good. I sold my 1976 Hohner D6 clavinet to pay for the Hammond SKX pro. The clavs on the Hammond are extremely usable and just as good as the Nord IMO.

There's a guitar section if you like to play rhythm with your left hand on swing tunes like Freddie Green used to do. The nylon guitar, which is my favorite, is incredible. I play a lot of jazz standards and now instead of just left hand bass I can be a rhythm guitarist as well.

The user combination menu on the Hammond is very confusing but might become a little more intuitive once you get used to it. The monosynth on the Hammond seems like a gimmick or afterthought that doesn't need to be there. There are about 8 really good presets from this section that are very usable right out of the box and you can program the rest like a synth. It's not something I particularly care about. Some people like to add synth to organ bass to fatten it up but the SKX pro comes with an entire bass section as well so you'll have lots of choices.

Significantly, there are separate volume control knobs for each of the 4 sound engines which is critical in achieving the sound you want and mixing the two keyboards to your liking. The Crumar Mojo, for example, had one Rhodes sound that could not be adjusted relative to organ volume without deep menu diving - certainly not on the fly as you can with the Hammond SKX pro.

I know the dual-manual, organ-focused, do-it-all keyboard is a niche market that's not for everybody. But, you really could do a gig with just the SKX pro. Just one thing to plug in and play at 37 lbs.

I hope this is helpful as there are no reviews of the SKX Pro out there by civilians like me. Also, supply chain shortages have made these very hard to get.
Last edited by Farfisameister on 29 Jun 2022, 16:31, edited 4 times in total.
These users thanked the author Farfisameister for the post (total 3):
Schorsch, Spider, Tracii
Stage 2 Ex, Nord C2, Electro 3, Yamaha C7, Vintage Vibe 73 piano, Crumar Mojo, Leslie 3300, Wurlitzer 200A, Rhodes 73 Suitcase, Clavinet D6, Hohner Pianet T, Vox Continental, Vox Super Continental, Gibson K-101, Yamaha YC25D organ
User avatar
wtibbit
Donator
Posts: 116
Joined: 05 Dec 2016, 01:22
8
Your Nord Gear #1: Nord Piano 5
Location: DFW Texas
Has thanked: 18 times
Been thanked: 87 times
Contact:
United States of America

Re: Nord to top Hammond SKX Pro?

Post by wtibbit »

Some background... I own and play multiple Hammond's and have owned a previous Hammond Sk-x. The XK-5 is, in fact, all but the real thing and I love it; my Nord P5-73 takes care of the piano sounds and some "other" instruments I need for my work.

To address this post's subject, A Nord to Top (a) Hammond Skx PRO, I put my Nord on top of my Hammond XK-5, but the way the Skx PRO's user controls cover it's entire upper surface you can't set another keyboard direct on top of it or directly over it. You'll have to use a dual tier stand and push the Nord well back from the Hammond. It would be a long reach to play both simultaneously. It would be better to put something under it.

If I didn't already have a dual manual XK-5, I'd strongly consider a 73 key Hammond Sk PRO (not the two manual Skx PRO) and set it up with my NP5-73 underneath for gigging. I'd have an incredible Nord piano that can serve as the lower manual for the Hammond, the Hammond sound engine from the XK-5 and an interesting and tweakable mono synth, plus another set of "other" sounds including a OK pianos (that - at least in youtube demos - sound far better than the earlier Sk series did) to complement the synth section on the Nord. In a pinch, I could play a show with just one or the other keyboard (probably the Sk PRO but I wouldn't enjoy playing pianos on it).

Sadly, Nord's organ engine (I traded NS3 compact for the P5) is doesn't sound good enough for me. Hopefully, they are working on that, otherwise Nord will become less and less able to compete in the serious Hammond clone market.
Post Reply