Nord User Forum

[agustinfs]

Hi,

I am a guitarplayer/producer / songwriter determined to learn to play keys/piano to write rock songs. I've been adviced to buy the Classic Compact Stage keyboard as I want a good sounding keyboard with good action and keybed for piano, organs and synths.
I found a good offer below the usd1000 bar but I am not sure this still stands out after all this years. I want to play athmospheric synths (Vangelis,Pink FLoyd), classic organs (Bob Dylan, Dire Straits, Peter Tosh) and have decent piano for jazz/blues.

Will it be enough?

I am between this one and the Numa Compact 2x

Thanks!

[whitenoise]

I'd say Numa looks interesting on specs. But you really need someone who is using it daily in a band to sed how it works.

Nord Stage Classic was a great instrument when it was released. It has only 128MB of internal memory for pianos (current version of Nord Stage has 2GB). That allows you to store just few sounds. It also doesn't support the latest piano sounds due to change of format. The organ sound is also inferior to the latest versions. I'd also check keys condition.

I suggest also to check Nord Stage 2. It is far more capable and you could try to find it at reasonable price. You may also consider Nord Electro 3, 4, 5 or 6. It could fit your needs. You might find OK to use preloaded synth samples.

[dmamfmgm]

I am just new to synths, having spent most my life playing piano. (So, if you have a desire to learn to play piano, I immediately see that as a fundamental step in music, specifically learning to play the 88-key instrument...)

I can already hear you shaking your head, no! Well, I just wanted to state my bias up front. You've named really great artists and then added jazz and blues too. Wow, I'm not even a good blues pianist yet... That takes some years of practice to develop beyond the core piano skills, to be a solid blues player that might do high end gigs. I guess I don't completely understand your question? But a perfect way to start is to pick a song by one of the artists you admire and work on it until you can play it well, then add another. That "realistic" practice is going to pay off big time.

As far as what to buy, there are Yamaha and Roland keyboards with 88 keys and a great synth for $400USD to $600USD that I would hope you would look at. The Numa Compact 2x may work fine for you, I don't have any experience with it. They all, every one, can connect to your computer and send MIDI to Ableton.

None of the Nord keyboards carry audio over the same cable as MIDI, so when you are editing sounds using Ableton, you'll need to solve the audio connections separately from MIDI. Now, Nord Sound Manager and Nord Sample Editor can load samples into the synth once you've got them on the computer (up to certain limits - that 128MB is going to be really limiting). But that isn't automated from within Ableton, of course. You'd have to export to .wav first.

So if you'll forgive my bias, I would ask you to consider getting an 88-key keyboard if you don't have access to one already. But that's just my hard won experience. I'm sure you'll be happy with your synth, you're doing it right by asking here.

[dmamfmgm]

Welcome to the Nord User Forums, by the way! There is a lot of good info here, hope you find what you need! (Hint: the search function was pretty useful for me.)

[agustinfs]

That takes some years of practice to develop beyond the core piano skills, to be a solid blues player

Hi, thanks for the reply. I mean in term of sounds, I know I am years away from being a good blues player, maybe some basic organ chord compimg is my year goal. I just want to learn basic technique to adquire more tools when writing music, I don't want to be a jazz blues pianist. I am inspired by atmospheric synths and beautiful arrangements with piano and organ comping.

The Numa ia a good option because of the 88 keys and, as you said, that is the best way to start. But currently I am working on a few rock song that requieres no more than basic atmospheric synths and organ arrangments (short melodies)
My concern is if the stage classic is a good invesment for the next few years during my first steps in learning piano/keys, I don't have money for a stage 2.

[agustinfs]

As far as what to buy, there are Yamaha and Roland keyboards with 88 keys and a great synth for $400USD to $600USD that I would hope you would look at.

Due to space constraits I can't get fully sizes 88 keyboard, just the Numa Compact will fit in the space I am adapting.

[agustinfs]

Nord Stage Classic was a great instrument when it was released. It has only 128MB of internal memory for pianos (current version of Nord Stage has 2GB). That allows you to store just few sounds. It also doesn't support the latest piano sounds due to change of format. The organ sound is also inferior to the latest versions. I'd also check keys condition.

Hi,

Thank for the reply! I know the Classic is not the best sounding of them all, just want to know if I can produce some quality sounding atmospheric synths and organs to cover the range I mentioned.

[whitenoise]

Thank for the reply! I know the Classic is not the best sounding of them all, just want to know if I can produce some quality sounding atmospheric synths and organs to cover the range I mentioned.

It's certainly capable to produce synths and organs.
Do you have a chance to check the instrument before you buy? Maybe take a friend who plays piano so he may check it for you.

[anotherscott]

I suggest also to check Nord Stage 2. It is far more capable and you could try to find it at reasonable price.

The newer models are definitely more capable, but if OP needs to stay "below the usd1000 bar", I don't think he'll find anything better than what he's found, new or used, whether from Nord or anyone else.

You may also consider Nord Electro 3, 4, 5 or 6. It could fit your needs. You might find OK to use preloaded synth samples.

The 3 or 4 might get down to that price range, and would be better for piano, and maybe for organ, but much weaker for synth... no editability at all (also no pitch bend or modulation, etc.). OP also mentioned other things in other posts elsewhere that he'd like to have, like splits, which old Electros also lack.

Nord Sample Editor can load samples into the synth once you've got them on the computer

That feature is not available on the original Nord Stage. It plays no samples except ones provided by Nord in its Piano Library.

[agustinfs]

OP also mentioned other things in other posts elsewhere that he'd like to have, like splits, which old Electros also lack.

I am willing to give up on the split feature. The first stage does not have that option right? I started considering the Krome 73, Kross 2, VR730, Juno DS, all of them have many feautures I don't really need or exceed my budget (VR30). Now I am back to basics: good sounds and keybed fo piano organ and synths (Reference: 80's music), good quality for 5 more years, not to far away from piano feel and below USD 1000

Nord Sample Editor can load samples into the synth once you've got them on the computer

How does this work?

That feature is not available on the original Nord Stage. It plays no samples except ones provided by Nord in its Piano Library.

So I cannot load any samples for synths?

Thanks for all the help!