2nd board recommendations - Electro 5d 61

[Psiblast]

I'm a new Nord owner, currently loving my Electro 5d 61.

I'm looking for a second board to be able to do sounds from EDM and 80s music. I'm only interested in synth sounds (leads, strings, saw, etc).

I need to do stuff from Van Halen to Lady Gaga. I'm not experienced at all with sound creation, so I rely a lot on presets, and I may tweak a parameter here and there. I also need the ability to pitch bend.

I looked at the Roland Juno DS88 as a bottom board. But I'd like to be able to use the nice and fast Electro keybed for solos. I'm not too familiar with midi so I'm not sure if it's possible to play sounds from the Roland on the Electro (while still being able to fully use the Roland). Is this overcomplicating things?

Optionally, I could use the Electro as the bottom board and get another 61 or 49 key synth on top to do all these synth sounds.

I know the Electro has a synth engine with many sounds, and granted, I have not gone through all the patches yet. Maybe I can keep the Electro as my synth/organ board and a stage piano on the bottom for piano/EP sounds.

This is going to be purely for live play, not in studio.

Any advise is appreciated! Thanks!

[CountFosco]

The electro doesn't have a synth engine as such, it just has the ability to play samples. See over yonder (------------>) for how I addressed basically the same problem as you have - I put the A1 over the Electro 5d73. There are a lot of synth options, and everyone has their preferences, but the A1 works for me. I use it in a funk cover band, and I've been able to reproduce every sound I've needed to so far. And also in an originals band where I'm starting to get a bit more experimental. I've found 2 boards necessary, especially in the cover band where there tend to be a few different things going on in each song, but if one board works you could also consider a synth module. Just wait til our mate Scott gets here and he'll give you plenty of options.

[doctor ego]

I play and love the NE5D 61 as well and have had it in several combinations, be it a big piano feel 88 masterboard or a roland fantom or the korg x50 which I still play. This really cheap board often surprises me with nice synths and pads. I mean, it's by far not comparable to a real synth, but if you just play and don't need to have lots of filter or amplitude real time modifications I would take a look at its successor korg kross 2. Less than 700 euro, about 4 kg weight, a very easy to use additional board.
Even nord's synth sound samples are only second choice for me. My 10 year old korg almost always gives me better pads, leads, lovely strings, even a better-than-average saxophone. I'm close to changing to the kross 2 myself, only the necessary work of programming everything new keeps me away from this step. Having said that I mean changing my second board. My NE5D is and will be my organ and piano supplier - I love it.

[anotherscott]

I also need the ability to pitch bend.

I looked at the Roland Juno DS88 as a bottom board. But I'd like to be able to use the nice and fast Electro keybed for solos. I'm not too familiar with midi so I'm not sure if it's possible to play sounds from the Roland on the Electro (while still being able to fully use the Roland).

Yes, you should be able to play Roland sounds from the Electro, even while playing other Roland sounds from the Roland's own keys, but I don't think you'll be able to pitch bend them. The Nord can't send pitch bend, and the Roland's pitch bend lever presumably only works for the sounds you play from its own keys.

I know the Electro has a synth engine with many sounds, and granted, I have not gone through all the patches yet. Maybe I can keep the Electro as my synth/organ board

he korg x50 which I still play. This really cheap board often surprises me with nice synths and pads. I mean, it's by far not comparable to a real synth, but if you just play and don't need to have lots of filter or amplitude real time modifications I would take a look at its successor korg kross 2...Even nord's synth sound samples are only second choice for me. My 10 year old korg almost always gives me better pads, leads, lovely strings, even a better-than-average saxophone. I'm close to changing to the kross 2 myself

Right... the Electro is so minimal as a synth, that even anyone else's bottom of the line boards will generally do better. Electro has no pitch/mod controls, no mono mode or portamento, very minimal envelope/filter controls. It's just not what the board is designed to do.

[Psiblast]

Thank you for the recommendations. So I think I am best off selling this Electro and getting the 73 key version and use a smaller synth on top (be it a Korg Kross 2, Lead A1, Juno DS61, etc.).

[Tasten-Bert]

Yep, that's nice. I wish I had the NE5D 73 myself, I often need a deep G or even E. Only because the trunk of our Fiat Panda is as large as the 61 version I keep playing with that. Okay, another small but emotional reason: the bag for my 61 was a present of my wife, deeply from her heart. I'm not in the constitution to switch it. Regards from Germany. By the way, I saw Roger Hodgson last night - great! And two Stage 2 on stage.

[eibinger]

I combine my Nord5d/73 with my Kurzweil pc3/61 (this is a real synthesizer - but 14 kg!) and/or my Hammond sk-1 or my Hammond xk-1.
It depends on the music, you make. I play in a cover-band and we have a very colorful repertoire. the best setup is having all these machines on stage! but sometimes/often there is not enough space.
And in this cases, I only (!) use the Nord5d/73 - in some cases a compromise, but a very good one. there are many samples in the library, which have to be tweak. But the Nord has a great "stage-ability".
If you need a 2nd board. you could deal like this: a simple m-Audio keystation 61 (upper Manual) or a studiologic sl73 (lower manual with tp100L/R)

[jiimjo]

I use my Electro 6 SW73 with a Yamaha MOX6. The Electro is the main board and controls the MOX. Volume pedal on the MOX to bring in additional sounds that complement the Nord. Great portable set up. Light and compact. An MX49 or 61 could do the trick as well.

[theGman]

Fwiw, I use a Roland Jupiter 50 76 with a 5d 73. Playing in a cover band, it's fine for me.

[Tracii]

I use my Electro 6 SW73 with a Yamaha MOX6. The Electro is the main board and controls the MOX. Volume pedal on the MOX to bring in additional sounds that complement the Nord. Great portable set up. Light and compact. An MX49 or 61 could do the trick as well.

Just like that! I have an MX61. The Electro is my main board (because the pianos and the organ are stellar and they are the sounds I use most of the time) and the Yamaha a) acts as the lower organ manual and b) adds strings, brass, wood, pads etc.