Nord User Forum

[Spider]

this means that future versions of the Electro and Stage will either have the same old C2D, as it is now, or no organ at all.

Why should that be? Nord developed its Hammond emulation well before the C organ line, for use in the original Electro. Then, given the success of the Electro 1 and 2, they decided it was worth to put that emulation into a dedicated two-manual chassis.
If for the moment it's no longer worth it to produce a cumbersome and expensive double-manual organ (which btw is only our guess, we have no idea what Clavia is thinking/doing about that), I see no problem at all in Nord continuing to refine their organ emulation for the Electro and Stage line.

After all, it's what many major manufacturers (Yamaha, Roland, Korg, Kurzweil) are doing: they all have well-developed Hammond emulations but don't produce any double-manual clonewheel. The 2-manual portable organ sector is a VERY niche portion of the market, and I doubt it's very profitable nowadays with all the options available.

Personally, I want to see Clavia keep pushing its Hammond emulation forward, because presently there are better-sounding clones out there. Especially for the Stage and Electro lines, they need the best possible emulation to keep competing with the various YC61, Vox Continentals etc.
I loved the idea of the C2D when it came out because it was the best sounding, most portable 2-manual-4-drawbar-sets clone available. But it was really too expensive even back then, and now I'd simply buy something else. I had a C2, I currently own a SK2 and I think its emulation is noticeably better than Nords and much more customizable and versatile. It suits my needs and I'm not looking to upgrade, but if I was on the market now, I'd buy a Legend for the most faithful combination of tone and physical layout.

[cgrafx]

Nords future depends on them doing a complete ground up redesign of their entire product platform. The DSP chips that they use in all of their exiting/current products are officially discontinued and no compatible replacement is being developed (that DSP product line is dead). This is an unfortunate circumstance, but one that has been known about for a very long time (5+ years).

The upside is that it is an opportunity for new possibilities.

Technology has changed radically in the last 15 years, general purpose processors, memory, storage, etc have all become orders of magnitude faster and ultimately much cheaper, potentially paving the way for not only more powerful instruments but also lower cost options. This would also be the perfect opportunity for Nord to co-develop software-based alternatives that could be used to both enhance the hardware but also offer better software management and integration tools.

[Mr_-G-]

I wonder if one possible area for further market expansion is pipe organ emulation.
Are there any other charismatic electronic organs worth modelling?

[n0rdy]

I just think dual manual keyboards would be more popular if the extra sounds were more assignable/customizable. I know I don't like lugging around two separate keyboards.

[jeffkeys]

I agree with the above! Even two different keyboard actions, one better suited for organ and one that works for piano or organ (TP-40 like)!

[fieldflower]

But that's more like a Super Stage.
Lower manual weighted, upper manual waterfall.
Perhaps lower manual 88 which perhaps leaves room to the left of the upper for physical (motorized) drawbars.
And possibility for MIDI pedals as a "third manual".

I have to stop writing now - i'm Homer-drooling into my computer...

[Spider]

That would probably cost upwards of €5K, be totally non-portable, and sell a grand total of about 16 units across the whole world.

[Mr_-G-]

I wonder how reliable (long term) are motorised pots/drawbars.

[fieldflower]

That would probably cost upwards of €5K, be totally non-portable, and sell a grand total of about 16 units across the whole world.

Myself and 15 more. That's plenty enough for me...

[n0rdy]

I wouldn't even want such a keyboard... I'd like a dual manual *organ* that does just what it is supposed to, and does it well.
I don't know what to say other than I strongly hope Clavia has not discontinued this section of their products range.

Other manufactures are already winning in this category though (Crumar, Viscount, Hammond). IMO Nord's strength is their extra sounds. The entire sound library is worlds above the extra sounds found in the Hammond SKX. The Hammond SKX stands alone in this category of dual manual organ-style stage keyboard. I just have severe reservations of the subpar extra sounds and the fact that they are charging $3000 for something made in China.