Transpose button on any Nords?

[gtrick82]

First time user! Just got off the phone with GC and the keyboard salesman told me you CANNOT transpose on the Electro3. You can transpose octaves but not half steps! Has anyone actually transposed down a half step?? Last 2 projects I've played in tune a half step down. This seems to be more and more popular in bands these days! I just need to be able to do it globally in the beginning of the night. Set it and forget it! Thanx :O)

[Mr_-G-]

Maybe you missed this in this same thread:

The Electro 3 does have a transpose feature, but it requires a few button presses. I happened to download a copy of the manual because I'm in the market for the 3HP.
Use the System menu to transpose:

• Hold Shift and the System button.
• Select Transpose function with the Up/Down buttons.
• Change the tuning up/down by half steps by pressing and holding Shift and the Up or Down button.

[shiggins9]

I've been playing professionally for 20 years, I have never used a transpose button. Kind of seems like cheating to me, like a capo for guitarists. I guess some people would want it though.

[DanielD71]

Transpose is a good thing to have IMO.
When you're playing a song for many years and the new singer cannot sing the song, you transpose it and voilà.

I always play the song in the original key...

Regards,

[thinkerbill]

I like having the Octave Shift buttons on the Electro 3, but I wish they also had a sub-function of transposing by half-steps so one doesn't need to go into the SYSTEM mode to do so. For example, by just holding down SHIFT while tapping either the up or down OS button. Unfortunately, one of those actions is already taken by the PANIC function, so SHIFT isn't available as a modifier button. Perhaps the Nord folks could think of an alternative way of getting the OS buttons to transpose by half-steps.... I know I'd appreciate it.

[cutmyearoff]

The reason none of the Nord products have a transpose button is that they're professional instruments built for professional keyboardists. And, professional keyboardists can play in all keys.

The Nord Electro DOES have splitting for Hammond, so you achieve a dual manual situation similar to what you'd have on a real Hammond but on a single manual.

Respectfully, this is incorrect. I'm professional. I've been hired to play with (Duane Eddy, Wanda Jackson & Barbara Lynn and others) and I personally know keyboardists for Dwight Yoakam, Johnny Rivers, Asleep at the Wheel and many other serious acts. Transposing is used infrequently, depending on the situation. Playing in as many keys possible is always a good thing especially to simplify things, but when I hear people suggest that professionals don't do this they are mistaken.

Imagine performing where different singer is asked on stage and they want to sing something in a different key. Moving a 4 or 5 chord song to a different key is easy but some tunes have many more changes and chords. Try playing Georgia on Mind in a strange key on stage on the fly without a chart. This isn't common but these things can and do occur. Or imagine if you're on tour with a singer who has voice trouble and wants to drop all the songs down a half step or more - and this is done toward the end of the tour. Transpose function is part of the survival kit for a keyboardist.

The NS 2 is a professional instrument yet it has a convenient transpose feature.

[michael_C1]

Just a slight digression regarding singers on clubdates, and the keys they choose. A clubdate is not a concert. Many of us have worked with singers who, depending on how they feel that night, will raise or lower their key a half or whole step. Okay. But then we'll occasiionally get a singer who'll walk into a gig and there's a standard song that they want to move a diminished 5th away from it's normal key. The song might be 'Sophisticated Lady' for instance.

Now granted, it's good to be able to transpose anything, and it's something many of us work on. But COME ON singers, get real! If the back up band drops the ball, the singer comes off sounding bad, so a little common sense picking a key would be in order. Since it's not a concert, I contend that a half step one way or another shouldn't be a big deal to a singer. However many singers are very insistent. Crazy stuff

[Arjan P]

I contend that a half step one way or another shouldn't be a big deal to a singer. However many singers are very insistent. Crazy stuff

As a singer, I partly agree with you. On the one hand, a singer should be flexible enough to shorten or change the difficult (high or low) notes of a song. However, I also know that the instrument of a singer is what makes them inconsistent - because it is not something you can always rely on. On those days, it is just this half note lower that can make a world of difference in how confident a song can be sung.

[michael_C1]

Well, I preceeded that comment with 'Since it's not a concert', meaning it's a clubdate or the like, and you took me out of context. But I can't argue with you- we sometimes have those transpose buttons as a last resort, and a singer certainly doesn't. However, on most gigs it's pretty important to have the band be solid behind a singer, so rather than move a song down a half step if it's too high, it's sometimes better to lower it a whole step instead, rather than ending up playing in F# on a complicated song for instance.

Usually the drummer doesn't mind though

[johnacoustic]

The reason none of the Nord products have a transpose button is that they're professional instruments built for professional keyboardists. And, professional keyboardists can play in all keys.

The Nord Electro DOES have splitting for Hammond, so you achieve a dual manual situation similar to what you'd have on a real Hammond but on a single manual.

Just for any players out there who happen to listen to this fella. PLEASE DON'T!!! If you are using Hammond Organ ESPECIALLY for Marley .... it is almost impossible to decorate in a similar fashion in terms of a key such as Amaj for No Woman No Cry for example.

J.S Bach himself created the system of 4 part harmony based around the fact that you should always find the simplest way in music without jumping or streching too much. And the best musicians can perform any task but will find a way to make it sound as good but make it easier to play. It's not about showing off or learning how to read sheets in a million different keys.... Miles Davies proved that one when he introduced modes into popular music.

It was hard for me not to use the word dickhead really in this situation when I read the post. Anyway ... in my situation, the song I need to transpose to originated in C Maj but the band need it in Amaj. Therefore the organ parts are completely unworkable in the same style in Amaj as the black keys restrict shreading and smoothness of switching between 3rds