Nord User Forum

If you ever get a chance to come down to London, pop into any of the major stations, particularly St Pancras, and if a piano's free, sit down and play it. That station has at least three, I've seen one in Marylebone and one in Tottenham Court Road tube station. They're only uprights, and you can't flip a button to get a Hammond sound, but they are entertaining. My kids like having a bash on them too.

More here - https://stpancras.com/about-st-pancras/ ... sic/pianos

Ritchie333 wrote:If you ever get a chance to come down to London, pop into any of the major stations, particularly St Pancras, and if a piano's free, sit down and play it. That station has at least three, I've seen one in Marylebone and one in Tottenham Court Road tube station. They're only uprights, and you can't flip a button to get a Hammond sound, but they are entertaining. My kids like having a bash on them too.

More here - https://stpancras.com/about-st-pancras/ ... sic/pianos

Kudos to London for having these. I saw them last year when I was there. Didn’t get a chance to play because they were all occupied, but it was great to see them there, in tune and people having fun with them.

There are a few scattered about Heathrow as well. Nice touch!

Kirsty congratulations on the piano! There is nothing more inspiring than connecting with the the right instrument. May it give you and your family many, many years of joy.

By the way, what size is your baby grand? 1.80m?

Ritchie333 wrote: by Ritchie333 » Yesterday, 22:55

If you ever get a chance to come down to London, pop into any of the major stations, particularly St Pancras, and if a piano's free, sit down and play it. That station has at least three, I've seen one in Marylebone and one in Tottenham Court Road tube station. They're only uprights, and you can't flip a button to get a Hammond sound, but they are entertaining. My kids like having a bash on them too.

Ive had a tinker on those once or twice passing through. The one that Elton John donated was the one I played last

I also used to play a Yamaha grand piano when I worked in Leeds city centre most times on my lunch. They have one right in the middle of the Victoria Quarter which has a huge glass dome roof and the sound there was just beautiful.

Quai34 wrote:By the way, what size is your baby grand? 1.80m?

Its 1m57 or 5ft2in, and it actually has a very nice bottom end for a piano of that size. It sounds bigger than it is. There was a Yamaha G2 in the shop, similar size and that sounded very thin in the bass in comparison.

At 1.80 or 6ft i think that would be a bit big to be a baby grand anymore

What a beautiful story! Nothing surpasses the real thing but then you can always use your Stage 3 together with your new piano. I hope you you enjoy both!

Lovely home for a lovely piano! I’ve gone the other way as I started on acoustic - our family had a rubbishy Challen but in my early teens we replaced it with a 1934 model 2 Bluthner. I love it to bits - it’s been in the family for over 40 years now and I’m hitting retirement and moving into various digital keyboards. But there is nothing to compare with the real thing, is there? I’ll have a real Hammond eventually, but am gigging with my C2D and a Roland piano (and bassoon, saxes, recorders and so on). You did well to keep your Nord; the financial pain soon goes ...
Mind you, my son chipped a couple of ivories some years ago on the Bluthner and the polish needs re-doing. A bit less than perfect, but still a joy.

Thanks for the continued comments everyone and months on and I still play it every day. Love it.
As good as a digital instrument can be, it just can't compete with the sustain and resonance that comes out of a real acoustic piano case.

Me and Heidi (my daughter) did a little experiment a few days ago, and a strong mid C chord with a pair of C base notes rings out at over a minute when you hold the sustain pedal down. Digitals would be well into sample looping by a quarter of that lol.

Heres a very brief sample of how the piano sounds if anyone interested. Nothing serious, quick tinkle


K

Nice arrangement. That piano in that room is a weapon!

kirsty wrote: Digitals would be well into sample looping by a quarter of that lol.

Sample based digitals would, modeled wouldn't have a problem to reproduce that instead (but I still love my Kawai acoustic upright much much more that Pianoteq )

kirsty wrote:Thanks for the continued comments everyone and months on and I still play it every day. Love it.
As good as a digital instrument can be, it just can't compete with the sustain and resonance that comes out of a real acoustic piano case.

Me and Heidi (my daughter) did a little experiment a few days ago, and a strong mid C chord with a pair of C base notes rings out at over a minute when you hold the sustain pedal down. Digitals would be well into sample looping by a quarter of that lol.

Heres a very brief sample of how the piano sounds if anyone interested. Nothing serious, quick tinkle


K

Actually, the "quick tinkle" is where it's all at. Being able to sit down at an acoustic instrument when convenient, and have enjoyable sounds come out. I do this maybe 3-4 times a day. I think there's an inventory of 40+ songs/patterns I play. More would be good, but I still work for a living.

Right now, I'm in my summer place with a Yamaha AvantGrand N3. Super stiff action, it's like going to the gym. Sonically, it's a blast as it's always in perfect tune, well amplified, etc. It has a volume control, which is helpful when I don't want to blast. The EPs and harpsichords voices are fun as well. It does not suck as a capable instrument. No regrets with this baby.

In a few weeks, I'll be back to my main place in Florida. The Bosie 200 reigns supreme. I can't imagine a better instrument for the space. It helps to define the house. When people are visiting, I'll play something, and life edges into an alternate musical dimension. People are entranced by the sound and how it permeates through the house. When I don't play, there are quiet complaints.

Little ones will stop watching videos, and come watch me play, entranced. And then I'll invite them up for a duet!

My Nords are great, but it's not the same. Nail the AP thing in your home, happiness will result!