General Discussion of the Nord Stage (EX), Nord Stage 2 (EX), Nord Stage 3, and Nord Stage 4 Synths, FAQ, Troubleshooting etc.

How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3 88?

Postby bjavor » 19 May 2022, 00:26

OK. So the age old question: Stage 3 88 or Compact... but from a slightly different angle.

I've read all the posts I could find on the subject but they all end up stating the obvious:
The 88 is better for piano and the Compact is better for organ. So if you are primarily a pianist, get the 88, if you are an organ player get the Compact...

But what if you want both? What if you primary interest is piano, but you want to get into organs and clavinet. If you already have a Kawai MP11 and the main areas of interest in the Stage 3 are the organs, the clavinet the EPs, the Mellotron samples and the potential to use it as a midi controller for external synth modules? All the while the different pianos are still a nice cherry on top...

From what I read while the keys on the 88 are _better_ for playing piano than the Compact and the others, they are still nowhere near great. They certainly would not replace the MP11. Still, the MP11 is really heavy for moving around and having the full 88 keys might be useful for controlling external devices.

So what I'm trying to figure out is if the 88 would still make sense even if organs are a priority...

For those who have experiance in the area: How does it feel to play organ, clavinet, EPs and synths on the 88's keys?
Sure, it's worse than the compact but how bad is it?

On a related note, some prefer the digital drawbars on the 88 for their ability to reflect the current patch. I can see that argument. But others hate it...
How easy is it to make quick, on the fly drawbar adjustments using the digital drawbars? Especially when trying to change several of them at the same time?
This seems to be the biggest uncertainty for me compared to the physical ones...
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How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3 88?


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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby ericL » 19 May 2022, 00:41

If you are keeping your Kawai and will use it for a lot of gigs, I would add the NS3 Compact and control pianos from the Kawai. Play organs (with drawbars) and synths from the NS3 Compact.

I started my long-term Nord Stage gigging journey with the NS2 88 way back in 2011 (I had one of the first if not the very first one in the USA) and I used that for 6-7 years as my sole solution for piano, organ, EP, synth, etc. and loved it. It is a very fluid and pleasing action. Later I got the NS2 EX 76 and Compact, which were easier to move around and that became a priority for rehearsals and lots of gigs where I simply didn't feel like carting a big 88 note board.

I got so comfortable playing everything on the Compact action that I now have a pair of NS3 Compacts that are the heartbeat of my rig - one for gigs, one for rehearsal/gig backup. I love that keyboard. I still have my original NS2 88 and will bring it into the fold on some things. It sits above my Hammond A101 and is still a very relevant and musical instrument after all these years. Hope this helps!
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby WannitBBBad » 19 May 2022, 01:53

bjavor wrote:...On a related note, some prefer the digital drawbars on the 88 for their ability to reflect the current patch. I can see that argument. But others hate it...
How easy is it to make quick, on the fly drawbar adjustments using the digital drawbars? Especially when trying to change several of them at the same time?
This seems to be the biggest uncertainty for me compared to the physical ones...

You can't grab the drawbars and quickly make an inverted "V" shape for example with the Stage 3 88, however you can morph the drawbars to the mod wheel to get the same thing. It depends on whether your "on-the-fly" changes are different all the time, or more prescribed where you know for each song what you are after and can be programmed. With morphing you can have 4 organ settings per panel with the mod wheel also allowing changes in between.
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby catosim » 19 May 2022, 08:03

It's quite simple; The compact is made for "organists" and the 88 is made for the "pianists". Both the kay-action and the physical drawbars on the compact makes the organ-feel better.
These details aren't possible to achieve on the 88, but the sound is still the same though.
No matter what you try to adjust on the 88 to get it closer to the compact, you can't alter the tactile differences related to the key-action and drawbars.
I've had the 88 for several years, and added midi-drawbars in order to get closer to the "real-thing-feel", but now I've accepted and settled with the differences.
Been thinking of adding a compact (NS2 or NS3), but come to realise it's really not THAT important for me, I'll manage with the 88.
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby Tasten-Bert » 19 May 2022, 08:25

Hi bjavor,

no matter if you decide on an 88 HA or on the Compact‘s keybed - it will remain a compromise only in any one of the directions. Your organ and synth expectations may also depend on how fast you play or what kind of music you make.

If it organwise comes to solo playing for Deep Purple tunes or Bands like Uriah Heep, Kansas and so on, I could not imagine doing so on a keybed other than a semiweighted one. Some years ago I had a studiologic master (with HA Fatar keys) only, but a „Highway Star“ or „Easy Living“ or Bonjovi‘s „Runaway“ was tremendously painful.

On the other side if it comes to piano ballads my favourite keybed would be a Kawai or nord Grand with no aftertouch ribbons, but so far I‘ve managed quite good on a semiweighted, if I set the volume lower to enable me playing with great dynamics without running the risk that the piano sound gets barking.

So from your words, with a little more priority on organ, I‘d recommend the Compact.

Cheers from Germany
Last edited by Tasten-Bert on 19 May 2022, 08:27, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby FZiegler » 19 May 2022, 09:35

Is there no way to get a NS3-HA88 and a NS3C or NE6D (which feel quite the same) under your fingers to see yourself? In my eyes, it's absolutely worth spending some hours on that.

I won't be able to give any advice in your direction as you seem to want either or. But as a piano player, I went for a dual keyboard setup with a NS3C expanded by a weighted 88-keys controller: I wasn't at ease with the NS3-HA88 key action. I'm fine with my solution and carrying around both instruments every couple weeks. And wouldn't know what to do if it needed to be only one instrument.
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby bjavor » 19 May 2022, 12:30

OK. Many thanks for the replies. The Compact it is then :)
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby WannitBBBad » 19 May 2022, 13:21

Good luck!
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby LeftyBass68 » 19 May 2022, 20:40

I have both the HA88 and the Compact.And a C2D.The old C2D still better than either Stage3 organ.I still use either a Leslie or Neo Ventilator simulator.Gain staging on the Stage3 organ is wimpy compared to the StageEX organs.Not improved over previous models is my opinion.Still in need of a decent Leslie sim,Nord just never gets me there.
The C2D gets more love from me than the Stage3 organs.
The 73 Compact does play EP's just fine.Synth too.Falls short on acoustic piano sounds though.Used the 88 for rehearsal,played 'organs' on it without destroying my hands.Palm smears and swipes drew no blood so they are quite safe to mash B3 swells etc on.
Have already replaced the pitchstick on the Compact that is now three years old.And cleaned key contacts when the pianos would not respond to 'light' playing.The 88 has had NO issues!
The C2D has never had an issue.Tonight at Blue Frog Studios I am using the 88 and the C2D,the Compact not needed.
Enjoy your 73 Compact!

Edited my spelling.
Last edited by LeftyBass68 on 19 May 2022, 23:33, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: How does it feel to play organ and synth on the Stage 3

Postby JackD » 20 May 2022, 21:03

I had the same doubts, but finally I went for an HA88.
Didnt like the HA action at the beginning, as it is not the best piano action you will find out there, but it is sufficient to play well both piano and organ.
I also considered to buy an external master with Piano action, but I hate to bring 2 keyboard with me when with 88 key I really can do whatever.
3 split points and 2 panels are more than what I would be able to play.
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