Nord User Forum

I have a Stage 3 compact and am about to fly to Alaska for a fly date. They have a Stage 2ex in Alaska I can use so I don't have to fly with mine, but I have a bunch of my own tones I want to use. Can I use the Sound Manager to download my banks from my 3 and transfer everything to the 2ex? Does the 2ex have the 'song mode' that allows for multiple banks on one song? Does it have the 2-panel system where each patch actually has 2 separate patches that can be switched between?

Stage 3 Programs and Songs are not compatible with other Stage models. Here’s the FAQ for this forum:
nord-user-faq.php

Here’s a comparison chart for the NS3 and NS2EX from the Nord website:
https://www.nordkeyboards.com/products/ ... ison-chart

Good luck. Sound like a fun trip if you can get the board issue resolved.

If you end up working with the Stage 2 EX, I have quite a few basic programs that might help get you started at nord-stage-2-programs-ns2p-ns2pb-files- ... 16863.html. Good luck to you, take care.

Also note the 2ex does not have song mode. Fairly different instruments in many ways and no simple way to convert anything between them. If you can't get a NS3, hopefully you can get by on basic sounds.

The Stage 2 shares the same basic Panel A/B concept as the Stage 3, with an organ, a piano, a synth engine, and effects for each.

It differs in many, many details though. It can only use a single organ type in a program (no Farfisa on A and Hammond on B), no piano filters, the synth has a very different structure, and the routing is different, especially with regard to the rotary speaker.

Also, switching programs immediately cuts off the previous sound.

ericL wrote:Also note the 2ex does not have song mode. Fairly different instruments in many ways and no simple way to convert anything between them. If you can't get a NS3, hopefully you can get by on basic sounds.

If you have to work with the Stage 2 EX, you at least would have the capability to load or save programs in the order you want to use them in groups of five accessible from the panel - not song mode but better than searching across all the banks during a performance.

In the Stage 2 forum at nord-stage-2-programs-ns2p-ns2pb-files-f15/, there's a list of quite a few programs and the search function is great for entering a keyword and finding related posts. You might be able to find programs for some of your song list ready to be downloaded.

For the most part I think it gets down to how much time you're going to have to play around with the Stage 2 EX and what compromises you might have to make on some of the programs. I'd hate the idea of putting my Stage 3 on a plane, so I'd be looking on the Stage 2 forum too for what might work. Good luck!

analogika wrote:
Also, switching programs immediately cuts off the previous sound.

Hi, I'm starting to use our church NS2ex a lot more now.

I use a fairly small number of my favorite customised patches/programs which I've grouped together in a (hopefully:)) little used corner of Bank D, Page 20.

My issue, as implied by the above quote, is that, when playing live and I want to switch programs, as soon as I make the switch (as analogika mentions) my current output gets stopped. This is obviously crippling as we often play continuously for 2 hours or more with songs flowing seamlessly - well they might if I can get round this issue!

I've been using a Roland DS-61 on the streets and this lets me twirl the program dial and politely waits for me to play a different note before seamlessly making the program transition.

I don't believe that it can't be done on a NORD, costing 7 times as much, but I haven't been able to find out how in the manual.

Any clues would be very much appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

Seamless transitions were introduced with the Stage 3. You won't be able to do that on a stage 2.

However, there was a feature called pending load that if I understand correctly it would allow you to select the next program but not switch until you pressed the load button (or something to that effect).

This would allow you to setup the next program and not switch until your ready.

MikeFloutier wrote:

analogika wrote:
Also, switching programs immediately cuts off the previous sound.

[…]

I don't believe that it can't be done on a NORD, costing 7 times as much, but I haven't been able to find out how in the manual.

As mentioned, this capability was literally one of the major selling points for the Stage 3 over the Stage 2.

Perhaps pending load can at least minimise the effects of not having seamless transitions somewhat.

analogika wrote: Perhaps pending load can at least minimise the effects of not having seamless transitions somewhat.

Yes, thanks, it does mention this in the manual, trouble is that it involves a bit of fiddling rather than a simple click - also, I'm not convinced it would actually change anything in the situation where your favorite patches are adjacent. although I will test it.

I think that where Pending Load would be a benefit, on the NS2, would be a situation where you are playing live and suddenly realise that you want a Program that you hadn't already prepared in either the Live Bank or in adjacent program locations. Hence you could keep playing the existing program whilst hunting for the next one. Starting to realise that Nord should supply you with an extra arm or two along with the kb

Also, I'm guessing that all this also applies to the Live Bank programs, which really is defeating the object of the Stage being a Live keyboard. But again, I'm new to it so I do need to check.

I guess it's also unlikely that the Fix would be included in a firmware upgrade since it's such a selling point for the NS3.

Thanks again for your replies, most helpful!