This 'unofficial' Forum is dedicated to the Clavia Nord Keyboards, including the Nord Stage, Nord Electro and Nord Piano. Discuss any issues around Nord's keyboards, share your favorite patches, samples, and music. We are not affiliated with Clavia!
Everything about Nord keyboards in general; which one to choose, the sound manager, sample editor, and general discussion about the sample and piano libraries.
Not sure on which, the NP2 or NS2, is gonna be best for me and any advice would be hugely appreciated!
I like to layer two piano's on top of each other to make a deep Keane kind of sound (often find adding cp70 samples to pianos yields nice results), way I figure you'd do this from what I've read on the stage 2 is assign each piano to slots 1 and 2 respectively, and activate them both - can you do this on the NP2? And could you then assign effects to each?
On the NS2, now this may be a completely noobish question, so please forgive me, but the synth section is where the nord sample library sounds are assigned, so do the synth adjustment knobs have any affect on sample library sounds, or is it solely the effects section?
Does the after touch on the NS2 really affect piano playability in terms of key action feel? I played both and thought they were pretty similar but can't double check really as the supplier is many miles away!
And then the Roland just feels amazing but doesn't have the sounds..
And then if anyone has any pop rock tracks on soundcloud that feature nord piano samples, I'd love to hear them!
Thanks so much!!!
Last edited by Bonzerelie on 16 Mar 2015, 20:17, edited 2 times in total.
Bonzerelie wrote:...On the NS2... do the synth adjustment knobs have any affect on sample library sounds, or is it solely the effects section?
Yes. You can apply filters to samples, and adjust the filter amount, you can apply envelopes to affect attack, decay, release, etc. Samples also have 2 start points, so you can switch between normal attack or 'skip attack'. This is adjustable in the sample editor software - it's quite handy for sounds like strings, so you can have a slower attack.
Bonzerelie wrote:Does the after touch on the NS2 really affect piano playability in terms of key action feel?
That's subjective tbh. The HA88 is a nice keyboard for an instrument in this class (IMHO), and the two sensing positions mean organs play nicely with a light touch. Bear in mind a lot of makers use the same Fatar keybeds - but there are different quality actions... Have a look at this thread nord-electro-forum-f9/type-of-keybed-us ... html#p2793
To answer your remaining question, you can only layer two pianos on the Stage models, the Nord Piano is strictly one piano at a time. I believe, however, that you could use a piano as your sample and layer it with the Nord's piano that way, but of course the sampled piano would be very simplified (one velocity layer only).
Ultimately your choice is down to personal preference and which piano sounds you prefer (nobody said it was going to be easy...), but the Stage 2 is an extremely powerful and flexible machine. If you can afford it, it is ultimately the best overall value of all the Nord models by a mile.
If you check out the forum section "Your Music & Keyboard Rig" you will surely find plenty of examples of Nord piano sounds - not to mention huge numbers of them being used on professional tours all over the world.
Last edited by RedLeo on 18 Mar 2015, 06:41, edited 2 times in total.
My view on the RD800:
- Easier to use, e.g. if you want a Slap Bass sound you just hit the 'bass' button, then scroll until you find the right sound. On the NS2 you have to scroll through 150 sounds in random order until you find the right one - unless you planned beforehand and got your sounds sorted using Sound Manager on your laptop. The sample section is very poorly implemented on NS2, imho.
- Piano sounds are also more straightforward, by which I mean that they sound good through most amps in mono or stereo and they cut through the mix well.
- Action is a little heavier - probably a bit more like a real piano.
- Layers and splits are versatile - you can choose any 4 sounds and split / layer as you wish.
- The RD800 has arguably better outputs, including a pair of balanced XLR sockets.
BUT here is why I bought the NS2:
- The richness and depth of the piano sounds is outstanding, it's hard to say why but I love playing it (and I play better, seriously) ... it is very expressive indeed. You will need decent amp / speakers (look at all the threads on this forum where people struggle to get a good piano sound), but when you get it right it's fantastic. Nord add new samples to their website occasionally too.
- The organ section blows the Rd800 away; it sounds way better and is properly controllable via virtual drawbars. The RD700 and RD800 800 tried this using section volume sliders to control drawbar settings but it is completely unusable in a live situation. The NS2 leslie sim and distortion are good too.
- Electric pianos are a little better, I think. It is much easier to add and customise effects, which transforms them. Same for Clav etc.
- Layers and splits are good enough, allowing up to 6 instruments at once (2 piano, 2 synth / sample, 2 organ); but the morph feature is great... many of my setups have 2 different voices and splits etc and I morph between them using a control pedal. For example, on Billy Jean I have the synth for the riff, split with strings for some of the other parts, but when I push my control pedal forward it changes to elec piano (for the pre-chorus). I do this sort of thing a lot. Similarly being able to use the pedal to fade strings or organ over the top of a piano sound is great (possible on RD800 too but harder to set-up).
- The Nord makes it clearer what's happening *in real time*; for example if you fade the strings in using a pedal, you see the volume level light spin clockwise - you can see exactly what you're changing (most of the time). Same with drawbars. I thought the limited pre-defined split points was a bad idea until I got the keyboard, but now I love it because when I change to one of my set-ups, I can see where the keyboard splits instead of trying to remember. You can change most of the other controls in real time too, including the effects.
- This forum, really awesome bunch of helpful people. I have downloaded dozens of samples and patches from here, some are brilliant.
- Size and weight; I've forgotten the differences (and I know the RD800 is a lot lighter than the RD700 I replaced) but the Nord is smaller. Have a look at the wasted space where the pitch bender is on the RD800.
- Feel; they action is lighter but that means I can get away with pretty extreme organ gliss etc.
After touch doesn't change the feel when playing piano, it is used to change the sound while the key is already depressed. E.g. you can have a synth sound and push the note harder to add some modulation (vibrato) to the sound. The RD800 has 'escapement' which is a small flap of rubber on the back of each key, designed to change the pressure on the key as you depress it. Meh.
Here's a vid of NS2 being played for some blues/pop:
That's probably enough for now. You get the idea.
Mike.
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Last edited by spradders on 18 Mar 2015, 16:34, edited 2 times in total.
I just purchased an RD-800 to use in my home studio. But I agree with everything spreaders wrote above.
I play an Electro and not a Stage. If I were a Stage owner, I would probably not have purchased the Roland. I wanted to upgrade my studio with a better keyboard action than the Electro to practice and record with. I had considered the Stage 2 and Nord Piano as well, but decided on the Roland to expand my sonic palette. It was also more affordable. But there is a 99% chance it will never leave the studio.
I decided to hang onto the Electro to gig with, as it is literally half the weight of the RD-800, much easier to transport and sounds great. The live front panel accessibility during a gig is beyond value. If you're looking for a gigging keyboard, you will not go wrong with the NS2.
Mike from Central NJ, USA
Tools: Ten fingers, two feet, middle-age brain, questionable judgement and taste Current Nords: Piano 5 73, Electro 6D 73
Ownership History: Electro 2, Electro 3-73 SW, Electro 3HP, Electro 4D, Stage 2EX 76HP
Wow, genuinely chuffed at the responses here, very helpful and insightful, thanks very much, will let you know which one I go for, organ sounds are not hugely important to me and I have a nice Roland sound box I can use for the rare times I may need organ sounds, so will have to weigh up the other options and see what seems logical!
I own both the NP2 and the NS2 with weighted keys. Also a NE4D, but not relevant here.
Creating cool, layered piano sounds? NS2 wins. I haven't hit the limit of what's possible between all those great samples, synth sweetening, filtering, effects, etc. Somewhere out there is the ultimate mind-blowing stage piano sound ... but I think I'm getting close!!
Other times, I just want to relax and play my heart out. Digging into a great acoustic piano feel, maybe with a bit of layering? NP2, baby. Great keyboard feel (for me, anyway) and a realistic acoustic piano experience -- if your amplification can match what it can do!
The NS2 includes the full-boat Nord organ experience, which I love. On weighted keys, it isn't the same, but it's still pretty darn good. Layering pianos and organs has proven useful on more than a few tunes.
No experience with the RD-800. I'm sure it's a fine board as well.
Last edited by cphollis on 21 Mar 2015, 03:37, edited 1 time in total.
