Nord User Forum

[joelrose]

Hey all.

I'm seeking advice on my first Nord purchase in a long time. I think I've narrowed it down to the Stage 2 HA 76 or the Piano 5 73.

Has anybody played both? Would love to know what you think.

My top priority is a solid piano-style keybed. I've read enough about the HP issues to be scared away, so I'm focused on the HA models.

I used to have an Electro 2. Loved the EP sounds, the waterfall action not so much. I mostly use piano, Rhodes and Wurlitzer. Probably won't need the organs that much -- but part of me still wants those killer B3 and Farfisa sounds anyway! So I'm leaning toward the Stage 2...

Thanks in advance,

Joel

[M1tsos]

Go for stage 3 ha 88 instead of piano 73… bro.. else compared to stage 2hpi would go for piano 5 is a lot better keybed

[Normski]

You clearly dont want an 88 note. Im the same, I gig a lot and find a 73 or 76 plenty and much easier to hump around.
I have had most model of Nord stage and electro. I have bought and sold any that i dont use, but i have kept my Stage 2 76 as its the last model with a 76 note fully weighted keybed. Its very nice. Im sure the Piano 5 73 is also very nice, but if you want organs get the stage 2 76, not the stage 2ex 76 that has a HP.
Cheers Norm

[cphollis]

"My top priority is a solid piano-style keybed" -- NP5, right there.
"but part of me still wants those killer B3 and Farfisa sounds anyway" -- and this is the part that gets you looking at a two-board setup.

Piano parts want a weighted keybed, organ parts want an unweighted keybed. Adding serious organ/synth sounds can send you in a new direction, so think about how much you really want them. You can put a few organ-y samples behind your pianos on the NP5, but you will want more before long.

Choosing between the NS2 76 and the NP5 for piano feel is no problem -- the NP5 wins by a mile. I sold my NS2 76 because I *didn't* like the piano feel. So think about priorities? Going NS2 because you want some extra sounds may results you regretting why you bought it in the first place, e.g. piano feel.

The popular setup for people who want multiple sounds? Unweighted keyboard on top, weighted below. My current incarnation is NP4 below, NS3 on top, with the NP4 serving solely as a weighted controller. Using this approach, I'd start with the NP5 and then evaluate your situation before going forward.

Things I avoid?
- Trying to play all parts from a single keybed, either weighted or unweighted. You can do it, it just really sucks after a while.
- Hauling around a single massive board, amp, etc. vs. multiple smaller pieces. E.g. avoid the NS388/Motion Sound keyboard amp syndrome.
- Buying and selling lots of "compromise" gear before finally buying what I wanted. Turns out it's cheaper to just do the right thing.

It is interesting to note how many people think "they'll be fine" with a single board, until they're not. Knowing this, you can plan ahead. It is also interesting to note how readily guitarists will grab multiple instruments, but for some reason many keyboardists think one and only one keyboard.

Best of luck!

[wtibbit]

I owned a Stage 2 EX with the same key bed as the Stage 2. I replaced it with a Stage 3 Compact. Finally, I replaced the Stage 3 Compact with a Piano 5 73. Throughout that time I've owned a dual manual Hammond XK-5 organ. I play Hammond, Piano and Synth parts in multiple bands (very busy up to the Covid interruption). I agree fully with what cphollis said above. I've only used a single keyboard when I've absolutely had to, and suffered through every one of those shows (or rehearsals). Nothing works as well as a great HA keyboard for piano and a great waterfall key synth or organ action for everything else. I'm playing about an equal amount of piano and organ parts with a bit of synth-based strings/pads/horns. I don't have a driving need for a pitch bend function or aftertouch or arppegios and the like on the synth material, so I have no need for a Stage for those functions. My current setup - a Piano 5 73 on top of my dual manual XK-5 is ideal for me. I knew I would rarely play my Stage 3 Compact so I sold it to someone who needed it and will use it; I hated to see it go....

So, as cphollis said, go for the Piano 5 (and 73 is enough unless you play classical works) and add the second keyboard of your choice for the organ. As a bonus, you can midi-connect the Piano 5 to serve as a lower manual for the organ, if needed.

That second keyboard could be a straight up organ (as opposed to a Stage Piano with organ functions) if your synth needs are like mine, and - perhaps I'm ruffling some feathers - the organ sounds in the Nords are a third or fourth choice in that case, after the Hammond XK-5, Crummar Mojo (and maybe Mag if custom is your thing). If you do play a lot of complex synth-heavy material along with organ parts the Stage 3 Compact is an incredible stage instrument. I wouldn't have sold mine if I didn't have the XK-5.

[anotherscott]

"My top priority is a solid piano-style keybed" -- NP5, right there.
..
Choosing between the NS2 76 and the NP5 for piano feel is no problem -- the NP5 wins by a mile. I sold my NS2 76 because I *didn't* like the piano feel.

I'm surprised at this... AFAIK. the NS2 76 and the NP5 are supposed to have the exact same (TP40) action. Maybe you had the NS2EX 76 and not the NS2 76? Because that (TP100) action is not as good. I think the only difference in feel between the NS2-76 and NP5 would be in the software, i.e. whatever it is their "Nord Virtual Hammer Action Technology" does, or any differences they may have made to the velocity curves over the years.

Although the NP5 has the advantage of more piano memory so you can load in more different piano sounds to switch among, AFAIK, for any given piano sound, the sound and feel of the NS2-76 and NP5 should be pretty similar (same action, same samples, though as I said, possible software differences). I can't be definitive about this, because I haven't played the NP5, but my inclination would be, if you care about organ at all, go for the NS2. I suspect the difference in organ between the two will be much bigger than the the difference in piano feel between the two.

[maxpiano]

"My top priority is a solid piano-style keybed" -- NP5, right there.
..
Choosing between the NS2 76 and the NP5 for piano feel is no problem -- the NP5 wins by a mile. I sold my NS2 76 because I *didn't* like the piano feel.

I'm surprised at this... AFAIK. the NS2 76 and the NP5 are supposed to have the exact same (TP40) action. Maybe you had the NS2EX 76 and not the NS2 76? Because that (TP100) action is not as good. I think the only difference in feel between the NS2-76 and NP5 would be in the software, i.e. whatever it is their "Nord Virtual Hammer Action Technology" does, or any differences they may have made to the velocity curves over the years.

I think also the weighting is different, NS2 uses a TP40L while NP5 should use a TP40M at least (if I remember well from other discussions), however for sure velocity curves and software (Virtual Hammer Action and usage of third sensor) probably make the biggest part of the perceived difference (if any)

[anotherscott]

I think also the weighting is different, NS2 uses a TP40L while NP5 should use a TP40M at least (if I remember well from other discussions), however for sure velocity curves and software (Virtual Hammer Action and usage of third sensor) probably make the biggest part of the perceived difference (if any)

NS2 used the TP40M... or at least definitely not the TP40L, a lighter action that Kurzweil has often used. Though it is possible that the NP5 uses a heavier-than-M version of the TP40. (And thanks for mentioning the third sensor, which I forgot about, though is still not something that has an impact on feel per se.)

[cphollis]

@anotherscott -- my NS2 was a while ago, and I don't remember precisely what model. What I found was that any sort of aftertouch strip really affected my playing (didn't get that hard bounce I expected), and it made percussive material difficult and unpleasant to play. While the action itself was sufficient, the experience was not. Lesson -- piano-centric players like me should think very carefully before assuming an aftertouch strip won't affect them much. Nothing to do with Nord specifically.

Also, if you go with a two-board setup (weighted below, unweighted above), there's not much of a reason to have aftertouch on your bottom board, as all the expressive stuff is usually played on the top board.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

[anotherscott]

Oh yes, I forgot about the variable of the aftertouch strip, which could alter the landing, good point.