Nord Electro 7, what features do people want?

[coldbuffetking]

Aftertouch

[anotherscott]

Aftertouch

As kind of discussed a few posts earlier, I can't imagine they'd build in a feature that is designed primarily to be either an LFO controller (on a board that has no LFO function), or as a MIDI controller modulation source (on a board that has essentially no MIDI controller capabilities). So aftertouch kind of makes no sense unless you're saying they should also add a real synth section or a real MIDI controller section to the board... and in either case, you're really back in Nord Stage territory. I think what it comes down to is that what some people really want out of an Electro 7 is a cheaper Nord Stage 3.

[Quai34]

"People want Cheaper Stage 3", yes, true....But it doesn't seem to be cheaper between the last 2 iteration of the Stage ...

[Venatt]

Hello all,
I just bought an Electro 5 a week before the 6 came along and decided against taking it back because the 5 has had time for the OS to develop. I prefer the original positioning of the drawbars (they've moved the interface further to the right) and specs wise the 6 is a disappointment to me. The only attractive upgrade is the music rest.
Where is half damper capability and compatability with the triple pedal? What about a possible 49 key version in the future to replace the godawful tp100 76? What else do people want from the electro?

The Electro 6 has the seamlessly transitions which the 5 doesn't, but what I would want from the 7 would be to have the Pitch joystick and the bender wheel.

[Rusty Mike]

I know this has been said before, but adding pitch bend, mod wheel and aftertouch is getting far far away from the spirit of the Electro product line. It's marketed as an electro-mechanical replacement. Period.

It's not a synthesizer in the strict sense of the word. The sample playback is rudimentary. To take advantage of things like aftertouch and mod wheel, it would have to be embellished with synth capabilities like a true filter, PWM, monophonic mode, legato, etc. All these things are not Clavia's intention for the instrument.

I would also speculate that adding these capabilities to the Electro line would price it higher and closer to the Stage, which makes it less appealing. If they put these features into the next Electro, it becomes half a Stage. But they can't sell it for half the price of the Stage.

But I've been wrong before.

[Venatt]

I know this has been said before, but adding pitch bend, mod wheel and aftertouch is getting far far away from the spirit of the Electro product line. It's marketed as an electro-mechanical replacement. Period.

It's not a synthesizer in the strict sense of the word. The sample playback is rudimentary. To take advantage of things like aftertouch and mod wheel, it would have to be embellished with synth capabilities like a true filter, PWM, monophonic mode, legato, etc. All these things are not Clavia's intention for the instrument.

I would also speculate that adding these capabilities to the Electro line would price it higher and closer to the Stage, which makes it less appealing. If they put these features into the next Electro, it becomes half a Stage. But they can't sell it for half the price of the Stage.

But I've been wrong before.

Let me ask you this, if you download an Electro Library like the 3.0 and you want to use the synth sounds there, is it possible you can rout them out via Midi and play them with another keyboard controller that has a joystick or bender wheel so you can pitch the sound, but at the same time keep playing piano and organs sounds on the Electro ?

[anotherscott]

Let me ask you this, if you download an Electro Library like the 3.0 and you want to use the synth sounds there, is it possible you can rout them out via Midi and play them with another keyboard controller that has a joystick or bender wheel so you can pitch the sound, but at the same time keep playing piano and organs sounds on the Electro ?

You're not "routing" the synth sounds over MIDI, you're *triggering* them over MIDI. Anyway, on an E5, you can trigger a synth sound from an external board (with pitch bend device) while playing piano OR organ (not both simultaneously) from the Nord's own keys. On the E6 I think you should be able to play the synth sound externally while playing both the piano and organ internally.

[Rusty Mike]

If that was how I wanted to play, I would use a Stage. Or put a real synth as a second keyboard with the Electro.

Again, it's not the point of the Electro.

For my own playing style, I only use pitch bend for solo synth, which the Electro does not support. Yes, you can load a synth sample into it, but it's very limited. There is no synth filter, no monophonic mode, no legato mode, no glissando, no LFO and very simple envelope control. It's not viable instrument as a synthesizer to me, nor would I ever expect it to be.

To use an analogy, you don't look at your motorcycle and hope that the next model includes three more seats and air conditioning. That's not its purpose. (apologies for my sarcasm)

It's an instrument that is accessible, immediate, simple and great sounding. And nothing more.

[Venatt]

Let me ask you this, if you download an Electro Library like the 3.0 and you want to use the synth sounds there, is it possible you can rout them out via Midi and play them with another keyboard controller that has a joystick or bender wheel so you can pitch the sound, but at the same time keep playing piano and organs sounds on the Electro ?

You're not "routing" the synth sounds over MIDI, you're *triggering* them over MIDI. Anyway, on an E5, you can trigger a synth sound from an external board (with pitch bend device) while playing piano OR organ (not both simultaneously) from the Nord's own keys. On the E6 I think you should be able to play the synth sound externally while playing both the piano and organ internally.

Thanks, that is exactly what I wanted to know.

[Venatt]

If that was how I wanted to play, I would use a Stage. Or put a real synth as a second keyboard with the Electro.

Again, it's not the point of the Electro.

For my own playing style, I only use pitch bend for solo synth, which the Electro does not support. Yes, you can load a synth sample into it, but it's very limited. There is no synth filter, no monophonic mode, no legato mode, no glissando, no LFO and very simple envelope control. It's not viable instrument as a synthesizer to me, nor would I ever expect it to be.

To use an analogy, you don't look at your motorcycle and hope that the next model includes three more seats and air conditioning. That's not its purpose. (apologies for my sarcasm)

It's an instrument that is accessible, immediate, simple and great sounding. And nothing more.

Ofcourse I would like to have a Nord Stage3, the problem is that it costs at least $1000 more than the Electro 73. and to pay that just for the joysting and wheel ? I dont think so.