Nord User Forum

Hi,

the difference is whether you are in program mode or ´programming´ the programs. If you switch from one to another program (which is supposed to be your normal way when playing) then its transition is seamlessly. If you are programming a program and switch from one to another piano file or sample then it interrupts the sound without any sustain.

Cheers

Edit: I‘d like to add a personal thought. A nord is as much good for everyone as a Porsche or Ferrari is. From time to time I have a feeling that it may look fine to play one of the red machines on stage which seem to be owned by every top star. But if you desire a keyboard with all the capabilities of the top branded workstations, i. e. layering of up to 16 sounds, split over the whole keyboard in individual steps, multi-effects on almost every MIDI channel - I guess this is like going to your Ferrari dealer and asking for a cabrio, but for four passengers, plus a large trunk for the luggage. A trailer hitch could be a nice add-on.

I don‘t want to sound sarcastical, but I‘d recommend you to consider your true needs and expectations.

Cheers again

ddg874 wrote:I know this keybed topic is subjective and personal so I am sharing that I was not impressed with the keybed of the nord electro 6D. It was way better for EP/piano playing compared to my MODX but not super duper great feeling for my playing style.

Then, I realized I can try my piano playing on the Montage. It felt good to me. My fingers were instantly comfortable. I guess it is the same action as my Yamaha Motif ES6 from a couple of decades ago.

Yeah, finding non-hammer actions that are still not too bad for playing piano is a challenge, and yes, subjective. Since I also look for light travel weight, my pick for that is the Vox Continetntal 73, despite the board's general limitations. Probably my second choice would be the Yamaha YC61, though I like to have more than 61 keys if playing piano. Kurzweil has a new board about to ship, the PC4-7, I'm really curious to see what that one feels like. If you're also looking at heavier boards like the Montage 6/7, I think it might also be worth checking out a Roland Fantom if you can.

ddg874 wrote:Is it just me and how I was using it that the Nord Electro 6D’s seamless switching is between engines? I tried to go from an EP sound to the Royal Piano and back and even if I hold down the sustain pedal, the sound dies and gets cut abruptly when I switch to the other sound. Not as seamless as I expected.

Yeah, that is an unfortunate limitation of their implementation. You can seamlessly switch between programs, but you cannot seamlessly switch sounds within a program. The aforementioned Vox Continental is the same way. I'm not sure about the seamless implementation on the YC61. Every "seamless" board has its limitations, but some implementations are better than others (or better depending on what it is you're trying to do). The new Hammond SK Pro looks like it might be strong here, among these organ-focussed direct-control kinds of boards.

One more thing about playing pianos/EPs on the MODX6/7... velocity settings can make a big difference. Each Performance has its own settings. So for example, I altered the S700 piano to Offset 83, Depth 44. I dialed it in pretty quickly, I'm not claiming those are the best settings one may be able to find (or that everyone would even agree on what such settings would be), but maybe try that as a starting pointing, to get the idea. I found that pretty much eliminated the problems of notes either jumping out or disappearing as I played, and made the board much more piano-playable.

ddg874 wrote: Is it just me and how I was using it that the Nord Electro 6D’s seamless switching is between engines? I tried to go from an EP sound to the Royal Piano and back and even if I hold down the sustain pedal, the sound dies and gets cut abruptly when I switch to the other sound. Not as seamless as I expected.

The Montage and Modx can do this.

The Nord can do this as well, just create two programs with the different piano sounds you want and switch between them.

-dj

Or in short:

ddg874 wrote:Is it just me and how I was using it that the Nord Electro 6D’s seamless switching is between engines?

Yes, it was just how you were using it. No, seamless switching isn't only between engines. As all the others already stated: Seamless switching is a thing from program to program and won't work if you just select another sample within a given program.

I play in two cover bands. I have a Nord Electro 5D, a Roland synth workstation and a Behringer Moog Model D clone, and recently sold my Yamaha stage piano because I was never using it. The Nord is really the only thing I need, even though for convenience and effects I usually bring the Roland and Moog too. I could easily get along with only the Nord.

I don’t have an Electro but a Stage 3 and the combination of my Montage and MODX work very well with the Nord.

I have the same background. The answer is "it depends".
It depends on how much you are used to blend close as possible original sounds from coversongs into your playing.
Also depends on how much you used mutliple sounds on one keybed with lots of splitpoints and layers, even for one shot samples or just some keys with a special sound.
IT also depends on how much you consider yourself a "universal guy" that covers al lot of areas as good as possible.
This is all stuff the classic workstation-style instruments do better than the Nords.
When you are used to program a lot of stuff on your own, tailor things to your linking, you will be quite underwhelmed how little control and options you get with a Nord.
The Nords are usually better with Organs (right next to Kurzweil), because they are mostly crap on other instruments.
The Nords have a very good basic sound, but real flexibility is not their thing.
The software to manage your sounds/banks via computer is very good, and due to the limited functions they are very easy to program. You can get the job done with less time programming (since sometimes it is done fast on the instrument or with the help of the software or sometimes because there is nothing you can do on the Nord) but if you want precise control over your sounds, you will not be satisfied.

If you consider yourself mostly as "the piano or organ guy" with "sometimes a synth or string" you will be happy with it. And note that there is no pitchbend or wheel for control of your tone on the electro.

I'll just throw in my 2 cents here too.

I'm gigging with only a NORD Electro 5 HP 73 playing cover songs from classic basic rock to bruno mars , just like you .

In a nutshell , it's hard ,because once you need more then a couple of sounds, let alone something modern that might need to use 2 sample based sounds, you either make 2 programs and change during the song which makes it complex , ( and sometimes you can't even do that if the sounds should be used simultaneously , like brass and strings .. ) or you make your own version with compromises . That is important if you want to stay faithul to the material you're playing of course.

The HP is a poor keybed for the money. It's very light , and feels kind of like a hammer action , but is slow and unresponsive , and always makes me sound worse on certain occasions especially when I have to play repeated or staccato notes. Basically, you won't get an upgrade if you go that route.The 'D' synth action variant is OK, but it's similar to the MODX. That's a bad combo IMO , you should have a hard keybed for piano sounds.

The single keyboard route for me is only a STAGE or a MONTAGE.( MODX7 only is an option , but I don't think I will be happy with the poor synth action only, MODX8 keybed I heard is pretty poor too.) Maybe a MIDI master keybord is a good idea, if you have a STAGE COMPACT or MODX putting the synth action on top, with a good keybed on the bottom.

So , basically , there is no perfect keyboard. Also what works for me and you and somebody else might be totally different depending on many factors. Actually I'm looking for a MODX because of it's flexibility which I would appreciate, knowing that I love the simplicity of my NORD.

The seamless switching works when you switch between programs. If Program A1-1 was Royal Piano and and A1-2 was EP the sound would not cut off. Also Seamless Program Load has to be enabled in the System Menu.

As for the original post - I would only be thinking about an Electro if there were a lot of songs that needed organ and I didn't need to play many lead sounds. Sure you can play lead sounds but it's hard to really pull off a mono synth lead with no Pitch/Mod wheels, no Portamento and no Mono mode. The lack of a good 12/24dB filter as said earlier is also an issue.