Upgrading from Grand to Stage 4 or Yamaha Montage m8x

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

I am mostly an at-home musician playing for myself, family and friends and I don't regularly play with a band.

Thanks to everyone for chiming in.. Unfortunately I'm not going to have the opportunity to get my hands on a piano 5, but that really wasn't an option for me as I do think I really want a synth engine... I don't need the total flexibility of an analog synth, but I do want to play with a couple of oscillators and have realtime control over

I'm heading back to the store and I'm going to play for about a half hour on each one and make a decision. It still feels like a tossup, but I'm taking headphones and picked some better songs to try out. I'm excited either way to be getting an upgrade. Right now, I'd say I'm leaning stage 4. I just think that setting up layered sounds is easier.... I did run into an issue with the Yamaha where I got stuck editing a sound, and couldn't figure out how to get back to the performance selection. I'm sure its just a learning curve, but also an annoyance when you just want to play and not troubleshoot their operating system.

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

To me the Montage is as Yamaha calls it a synthesizer, everyone calls it a workstation, but it really a synthesizer. So it's main focus is sound design and rest is secondary. The Stage is a utility knife of a stage keyboard, it cover all the main functions piano AP & EP, organ, synth samples, basic synth, and effects. So the two keyboard have different users in mind, but could be used for performance keyboard. So what is your focus is synth then Yamaha, If performance and need organ, pianos, and synth samples and creation then Nord. I have a Stage 3 and I think the Yamaha YC is more of a apples to apples comparison. Now I'm not considering the keybeds in this comparison, keybeds are too personal of a decision.

I'm kind of going through the same and thinking of selling my Stage 3, but what to move too. I've decided not to go to a Stage 4 partly price, but more of what I do is just AP, EP, synth samples so a lot of whats on a Stage 4 I wouldn't be using. Also thinking of the Yamaha YC and CP and Nord Piano 5. My issue with CP and Piano 5 is the effects and how they are routed isn't has nice as on the YC and Stage. So it's not an easy decision and haven't even talked about sounds or keybeds.

I've looked at the Yamaha YC, and I think its a quality instrument, but I think I wouldn't consider it... I think the real thing for me is that I'm inbetween. On paper, I think you would say that I'm looking for a synthesizer to make a bunch of sounds, but if I'm honest with myself, most days I just like to play songs for about an hour, and not really working on creative projects.

[MrLeoMadrid]

I am mostly an at-home musician playing for myself, family and friends and I don't regularly play with a band.

Thanks to everyone for chiming in.. Unfortunately I'm not going to have the opportunity to get my hands on a piano 5, but that really wasn't an option for me as I do think I really want a synth engine... I don't need the total flexibility of an analog synth, but I do want to play with a couple of oscillators and have realtime control over

I'm heading back to the store and I'm going to play for about a half hour on each one and make a decision. It still feels like a tossup, but I'm taking headphones and picked some better songs to try out. I'm excited either way to be getting an upgrade. Right now, I'd say I'm leaning stage 4. I just think that setting up layered sounds is easier.... I did run into an issue with the Yamaha where I got stuck editing a sound, and couldn't figure out how to get back to the performance selection. I'm sure its just a learning curve, but also an annoyance when you just want to play and not troubleshoot their operating system.

I was in the same situation as you. I play at home and for friends, and I bought a Yamaha CK61. I loved the speed and the connection with an instrument with such a straightforward interface; it's very inspiring. So, I thought about taking it a step further and tried the Yamaha YC73, but I wasn't entirely convinced by the keybed feel, although I liked its sounds. Then I tried the Nord Piano 5, and I loved the feel of it (Fatar TP40H(hard) keybed). I also tried the Numa Piano X, and I quite liked it, but I ended up buying an NS4 73 HA (Fatar TP40M(medium) because with the Piano 5, I knew I would miss something...

[docbop]

I've looked at the Yamaha YC, and I think its a quality instrument, but I think I wouldn't consider it... I think the real thing for me is that I'm inbetween. On paper, I think you would say that I'm looking for a synthesizer to make a bunch of sounds, but if I'm honest with myself, most days I just like to play songs for about an hour, and not really working on creative projects.

That's the same as me and how I ended up with a Stage 3 and why I'm thinking of moving to a Piano 5 or a Yamaha CP88.

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

Welp, after another hour playing, I pulled the trigger. Welcome home to my new Stage 4! Have it home and unboxed (see attached image)

I had an amazing improv moment in the store with a piano/saw wave patch, and just decided that was it. Also, I played around with the Yamaha some more, and while I continued to be impressed with the sounds, I got stuck several times again.

[craigt]

Nice!

[docbop]

Welp, after another hour playing, I pulled the trigger. Welcome home to my new Stage 4! Have it home and unboxed (see attached image)

I had an amazing improv moment in the store with a piano/saw wave patch, and just decided that was it. Also, I played around with the Yamaha some more, and while I continued to be impressed with the sounds, I got stuck several times again.

Congrat's Sure you won't be seen for days while you play your new axe.

[StuartR]

I've had both the previous Montage as well a MODX and they are not nearly as intuitive to program as the Nord. Not to mention the lack of ability to easily add samples. All things considered, the Nord ecosystem is the gold standard for on-stage performers.

[Valpurgis]

If you are gigging I would also consider the 19.6kg of the NS4 88 against the 28.1kg of the MX8.

[Eriknie]

I also looked at Yamaha, my main issue with Yamaha is that I use lot's of sample based sound. I now use a mix of Nord library and samples that I made myself from previous synths and some VST.
Also the Hammond part of Nord feels better.
I could go fully or partly software (did that is several variations), but want to keep my setup small and without the update hassle of a laptop (had an issue with a Mainstage update just before a gig)

My current setup is:
- Bottom: Nord Stage 3
- Top: Nord Wave 2

Worked and sounded great. Some minor issues:
- I had to midi the hammond on the Stage 3 (to have piano below, hammond on top), works, but need to take care of matching programs on both synths
- Playing piano on the stage compact is ok, but once I got the Nord Piano 5, I just like that keyboard so much more and can play the piano much more dynamic

So I swapped:
- Bottom: Piano 5-73
- Top: Stage 3

The stage 3 is a little bit more restricted than the wave, but I could get 95% of the sounds from the Wave 2 converted to the Stage 3. Some programs (4 splits) needed an extra program of a split on the Nord Piano
I can use many of the sample sets that I have on both the Piano and Stage. Great keyboards! Topboard now has 73 keys.
On the Piano board I have more space to put the iPad for controlling my in-ear mix.
The Piano 5 is easier to on the fly select layers (two piano's and 2 sample based sounds), some restrictions in effects (especially the reverb is global.. and besides the deep setting I would like a less shallow version of the effects, like Chorus)
Little bit heavier to transport, but I got the HP bag, that fits perfect.

Hope this helps to get some insights in selecting you next setup!