Nord User Forum

[danrv]

Hi
I’ve been gigging my Stage 2 HA76 for about five years now and I think it might have me beat weight wise.
Not a problem carting it in the case as it has wheels but’s it’s lifting it from ground level to the stand. Stand to case
isn’t too bad.
Think I might need something lighter.
It’s so nice to play though being a pianist but most band gigs I do don’t really require the weighted action. Mostly pop,rock,soul...
For the odd solo piano and jazz gig though I much prefer weighted keys.

I notice quite a few owners have more than one Nord. This does get a bit expensive though.
Tempted by the new Yamaha MODX 7 or Roland FA-07 for a cheaper light weight lower board. The
hands on usability, quick editing and morphing capabilities of the Nord Stage are a real bonus though.
I recently managed to patch up three 80’s songs complete with arpeggiator pretty quickly so not sure I’d want to go back
to menu diving.
A Stage 3 Compact or HP76 looks just the thing so that could take the place of the HA76 which I’d probably have to sell.
Very bouncy keys though on the HP action.
There is the used older Nord option but the new generation SW keys do seem to be better on the Electro 6D and assume Stage 3 Compact too.
Just wondering if anybody else is rocking an HA76 and finds it ok to manage.

[Mr_-G-]

I tried a MODX7 a couple of days ago and did not like the keys.
The MODX8 is sonically identical but has weighted keys and it is quite light too.

[danrv]

Thanks. Useful to know about the MODX 7 keys.
Had a good go on an MODX 8 a a few days ago and thought the weighted action was very good.

[Mr_-G-]

The 6 and 7 seemed to have narrow and short black keys (no I did not measure them). Also (and this is only aesthetic) where the keys meet the panel are... rounded instead of going inside the panel, you can see a lateral extension of the plastic. They work fine, but look so odd to me. The 8 did not have this issue. Sound of the MODX is very good I must say.

[Hobster]

Hi Dan
I'd wholeheartedly recommend the Stage 3 Compact!
It's finally allowed me to retire my venerable Electro 2 (I'm sure you'll remember me using it regularly at the Kings Arms in Suffering Boredom) and my more recent Electro 5 which I used alongside said E2.
I've had it for around 10 months and absolutely love it!
Now I only need the one keyboard as it's got, for me, all the best features of the Stage 2 alongside the invaluable seamless transition which means using several patches per song is a doddle.
And although the SW keys may not feel very pianistic (as many here will testify), I've been using these waterfall keys for over a decade and can truthfully say that once I got used to them I feel I can make them sing just as much as any hammer-action style weighted keys.
But I'm aware that keyboard feel is just about the most personal aspect of playing piano/keyboards so...
Finally, in a soft case, it really is very light!

[danrv]

Thanks. I used my Roland XP80 for well over a decade. Nice semi weighted action and light to carry, just not great for piano specific styles.
Looks like it’s back to SW keys for band gigs. At least organ and lead playing will be easier than on the HA keys.

[NoDirection]

I just bougt a second hand Yamaha Montage 6 - and I understand the sounds and menus are more or less the same as on the new ModX - but the Yamaha user interface is very different from Nord. I really find it difficult to program. So if you have Nord Stage programming in your fingertips, then go for the Stage 3 compact.

[danrv]

I just bougt a second hand Yamaha Montage 6 - and I understand the sounds and menus are more or less the same as on the new ModX - but the Yamaha user interface is very different from Nord. I really find it difficult to program. So if you have Nord Stage programming in your fingertips, then go for the Stage 3 compact.

Thanks. I’m quite new to Nords but since owning one, it’s a revalation for programming coming from multi menu editing
on Roland and Korg workstations.
Stage 3 Compact ticks all the boxes. It maybe that I prefer the keys on a Roland FA-07 but it’s not easy finding everything
in one store to try out.

[danrv]

I think I need two Nords ££.
I can use the HA76 for solo and jazz gigs where weighted
keys are needed.
Also they're not that frequent and on those gigs, I don't need to take the PA so less lugging.
For band work an Electro would be cheaper but lead solos and arpeggiator stuff would have to be done on my Triton.

[anotherscott]

I found the FA-07 keys poorly suited to piano playing because the rear section of the keys require so much more force than the front of the keys.