Advice please - Stage 3 or Roland or ?

[Skylight]

Hi all - Many thanks in advance for your input.

Here's my question: Why did you choose a Nord Stage 3 over other somewhat similar items? I'm shopping! My comparisons are generally centered on Roland products. In my future: gigs with surf & classic rock bands - so good piano & organ plus variety of other sounds (no desire to gig on my own). I don't have to have a prestige instrument; I just want it to work well, be relatively portable, and be easy to use. I currently play a great acoustic piano, but that's not meeting the new needs.

Thanks!

[Skylight]

Hi Skylight,

welcome to the forum!

To answer your question: I chose Nord because of

1) the ease of use since all settings are immediately at hand without any menu diving, making it a great instrument for live sessions and also very fast to create the programs needed
2) the quality of sounds, especially pianos and organ
3) the ability to create own samples and simply load whatever I need (as long as memory is available)
4) this forum ......

[Skylight]

Hi Skylight,

when I had to go for another instrument some months ago, I made a table with different candidates and a pattern of characteristics to compare. And had to change that pattern several times, because I changed my mind what this instrument would have to be for.

There was no flat "Roland" but only disctinct models of different brands (no matter which) - about a dozen, some of which I haven't seen in real life to the very day. So what do you want to compare the NS3 to - an RD2000?

And I did a second thing: Test those models I was most interested in. With different sorts of music and in different moods. Multiple times for an hour or two. And as I wasn't satisfied with the choice my dealer had for me, I sat in my car and made my way to another one two and a half hours away. And in the end, there was not only a small list of deviced that would have more or less met my needs, but also something I was in love with because I had the impression it would support my playing and push me further and make me more creative. It was a Stage 3 (Compact).

In that process, I found out that I wouldn't find a keybed to really play piano and organ with in a satisfying way. I had to decide which way I would want to go. I now play the piano via an older 2nd keyboard with my Stage sounds (via MIDI and DualKB mode).

But as you say you'd need quite a number of sounds: Please investigate yourself if you are willing to build/adapt sounds, too. Because you can buy instruments with 1000s of sounds onboard. Or you can buy a Nord with prepared raw material and some dozens of examples of sounds to manipulate and play with and create your own sounds with all the knobs and switches a Stage 3 has. Even with the pianos and organ sounds on the Stage 3, you'll have to play a bit until you'll be pleased. It surely will have to be modelled after being purchased until it's your personal musical tool (probably the same with others, too). But maybe then you'll be floating on your own acoustic stream like I am.

[Skylight]

Thank you both!

I did read that the controls are easy and the sounds are great (I listened to some also). Those two things are tipping the scales for me, too.

I appreciate your words about being sure to take the time to make any new instrument "mine" - this will be my first excursion into electronic keyboard/piano/synth and I'm expecting lots of learning.

Your idea about a table fits my logic-loving brain! I see reviews that make me think, yeah, a Roland FA-07 (or RD) will work fine - then I read some reviews that lead me to believe that the Nord 3 has a simpler layout. The nearest stores are 2-3 hours away and during our Covid times, I'm not excited about travel. Oh well, no rush!

Thanks again.

[cphollis]

Reading your requirements, the Stage 3 might be a lot more than you need. Surf and classic rock, mostly pianos and organs, keep it simple, sound good, etc. -- that's an Electro 6. The Electro doesn't have the full synth section, nor the dual A and B panels with three instruments each -- but it has most of the other great Stage goodness.

I've played mostly Nords since the Electro 3 was a thing. They are definitely performance oriented, but aren't slouches when recording either. You don't really "program" sounds on a Nord -- you usually start with a good basic sound and then tweak a handful of knobs until it sounds good to your ears. Save it if you like, and you're on to the next thing.

Where the Stage 3 works well for me (as compared to an Electro) is being able to handle just about anything a local bar band might want to play, and then some. One board to rule them all, so to speak. If the Stage can't recreate a particular signature sound, there are literally thousands of user-created samples available.

One example? We had to learn Uptown Funk and I was expected to bring all the flashy sounds (doh-dohs, handclaps, shouts, etc.). Sure enough, a kind soul on this forum had created just what I needed. I just had to remember what key to press when. We played the song live exactly once, and that was that.

I have tried the various Rolands over the years. They deliver a ton of sonic firepower cost-effectively. They have their ardent fans, as you'd expect. I've just never really connected with them so far.

[Skylight]

Thanks! That definitely was one of my thoughts - the Nord Stage 3 is probably absolutely fantastic but way above my ability and needs. That said, I do want quality sound - so maybe I'll take a look at the Electro. And your example of Uptown Funk was great.

[tetra]

I bought a Nord Stage 3 (HA88) a few months ago. My situation probably has little in common with yours, but it’s another data point for you perhaps. The primary alternative competition for my money was the Korg Kronos. I am totally a hobbyist and only use the keyboard for practicing and for enjoyment, so I don’t fit a profile that is very helpful to you. My only playing outside of the home is at church where I play prelude once or twice a month and play the synth in the worship set every second week or so. The church has a very nice 7 foot Yamaha grand that I use for prelude and a Yamaha S90XS that serves as the “make big fat stringy/synth sound to fill in the gaps” machine. As a minor/secondary data point, it is worth pointing out that I am the person who chose that S90XS a few years ago. If I had to make that choice now, I would absolutely choose a Nord Stage (ignoring the potential price point issue).

So why did I pick the NS3 for my home purchase? I certainly didn’t “need” it. I have a 6 foot acoustic grand that I bought 20 years ago that I am still absolutely in love with. It has a wonderful touch and tone and attracts a lot of my spare time. But I’ve had a love for synthesizers that started when I was 12 years old (which was a really really long time ago). After living as a genuine and gainfully employed adult for many years, I realized I didn’t have to just love synths as a vague hands off affair. So I bought a Korg Karma synth when it was new (must have been close to 20 years ago?). I still have it and still think it is more fun than it should be. That is the main reason that a Korg Kronos was the primary alternative in my search; I think that the KARMA engine is still in those new Korg keyboards. And, holy smokes, KARMA is a fun bit of work.

About 3 years ago I purchased a Sequential Circuits (Dave Smith) Prophet 6. After the Karma, that was the only synth I had purchased/owned. The Prophet 6 was a pretty big driver in leading me to get the Nord Stage. I have learned so much in terms of synthesis from that Prophet. The simplicity and hands-on programming ability with all the knobs is just fantastic. I’m sure it is not at all a fair comparison in terms of the Korg Kronos, but I never did learn how to make new sounds on the Korg Karma. It was like trying to write a user interface in assembly vs. a high level language made for that task (and I truly understand that analogy being a software developer of old and still making a living at it). I find that the Nord Stage has that same simplicity and hands on “make cool sounds with me” vibe.

A few months ago I decided to replace the Yamaha P90 keyboard that I used for driving soft synths (and the Prophet and the Karma). Given my location and the lack of realistic travel options in these stupid times, I really had no way of doing any hands on testing. So I did lots of “google” research. Using the data I gained as well as the driving forces mentioned above (and the previously unmentioned fact that I fell in love with the Nord Lead 3 when it came out due to pictures and the worlds’ best demo song that I can’t find any more on the interwebs), I decided to get a Nord Stage 3.

And I absolutely love it. It is truly a “musical” instrument. The sensitivity and touch of the keyboard, the amazingly beautiful sounds, and the human/machine interaction is so far beyond anything I have experienced on any other instrument. I would imagine that it cannot produce as many different sounds and do as many wonderful things as some of the big name keyboards made by Roland, Korg, etc., but I suspect that it leads the pack in terms of sheer musical beauty.

[Skylight]

Thank you!

I also am many many miles from a piano store. All the forum and other online advice and videos have really been great. I appreciate your thoughts about the ease of use; I'm not super tech oriented and I'm a bit concerned that I'll take too long to change things up in a gig, even though I'm in a very casual community.

Now I just have to figure out - Electro 6D or Stage 3 Compact!

Thanks again.

[alex78]

Now I just have to figure out - Electro 6D or Stage 3 Compact!

Depends on how imprtant is a real synth engine for your music style. If your basic sounds is piano and organ and you are ok with a sampled synth then the electro will save you some money.
On the other hand if your budget allows you a stage, why not get the best?

[Schorsch]

I appreciate your thoughts about the ease of use; I'm not super tech oriented and I'm a bit concerned that I'll take too long to change things up in a gig, even though I'm in a very casual community.

You‘ll find it super easy to change things on the flight once you get familiar with the general concept of the Nord, which also will not take long since it’s really very straight forward