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.
jeffkeys wrote:I have my Classic in addition to the 3. I started using the Classic again in the house and leave the 3 set to go for gigs. I uploaded the L version of the Amber Upright as now my only acoustic piano in the Classic, and it wonderful, and piped the organ through a Vent, and it too is wonderful. I had room for one ep, chose the large Nefertiti sample, which is excellent. I miss the clav and the samples, but if they’re not your staples, it such a playable instrument, and you can upload the clav as needed. It’s all about how much you need the majorly upgraded synth and samples.
Thanks for this. I was hoping someone who had (or has) both would chime in as well with thoughts. I am going to load up those two sounds and try them.
One thing I did realize when upgrading the OS on my Stage and resetting the factory sounds/patches -- Windows 10 does not work (even with the Windows drivers on Nord's site) for the Sound Manager or the OS upgrade. So, I had to pull out my 2011 iMac from the closet to get this to happen. It makes it a pain to change sounds frequently, unless I re-do the room where I can set up the old Mac more permanently. I was just about to donate this Mac as it can't even load the latest version of Mac OS. (My other computers are Windows 10 and Linux currently.)
The next step for Nord will likely be a Stage 3 EX with expanded memory and perhaps some minor tweaks, but in my opinion not worth waiting for except for the possibility that older models may drop in price a little further. For playing at home, besides going the software route, another option would be to go with a Stage 2 or Stage 2EX, as the additional piano memory, new synth engine, and ability for the synth to use samples, add a lot of flexibility without as big of chunk out of your wallet as a Stage 3. Take care.
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WannitBBBad wrote:... another option would be to go with a Stage 2 or Stage 2EX, as the additional piano memory, new synth engine, and ability for the synth to use samples, add a lot of flexibility without as big of chunk out of your wallet as a Stage 3. Take care.
Very good point on the pre-owned Stage 2/EX option. Thanks for your thoughts.
Just a follow up... I ended up going VST for piano and a Prophet 6 for synth. Nord Stage Compact is up for sale, and when it goes I'll get an 88-note controller. Thanks for all the advice, especially to reconsider the VST option. I had one of those in the earlier days, but they are much better now. That said the Royal Grand does compare pretty well, but lacks on the more realistically longer sustain of the VST.
mon8169 wrote:which VST for piano, please? Just curious...
Ramon
I bought the Garritan Abbey Road CFX. I like it, but it doesn't move me beyond words or anything. It's still just a sampled piano. The one thing that it has over the Nord sounds is that it has a more realistically longer sustain. That said, if I were gigging, I would want a Nord still.
Thought I would just do a final update here. I always wonder when I read things historically on a site if people ended up going another way.
After living with a VST piano only, and upgrading my computer to make it work pretty much flawlessly now, I have decided that I am really a hardware kind of guy. I like to just flip a switch on the one keyboard and play through headphones, etc. I can't always keep this room fired up with everything on and the computer set up for music, as it is a multi-purpose room in our house not a dedicated studio. Now that the Nord Stage classic is sold, I'm either going to get a NS 3 or a Nord Grand to pair with my Prophet 6.
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WannitBBBad wrote:.......another option would be to go with a Stage 2 or Stage 2EX, as the additional piano memory, new synth engine, and ability for the synth to use samples, add a lot of flexibility without as big of chunk out of your wallet as a Stage 3.
This is excactly what i did. I sold my Stage classic compact and bougth a Stage 2EX compact . Payed double the price of the classic but it is worth. Additional piano memory and most important the abiltiy to use samples.
I didnt bought the Stage 3 compact, because it is the triple of price of a classic. Also the physical drawbars was a reason not to buy the Stage 3 compact, i prefer the leds more.
