NS3 88 with synth controller or NS3 C with 88 controller?

[GeeDeWee]

It seems to me a lot of NS3 users combine it with a controller.

What's your preference and why? A NS3 HA88 with a synth action controller or a NS3 Compact with a 88 keys hammer action controller?

What's the best option in terms of functionality and portability?

[maxpiano]

Discussed many times, there is not a single answer and the usual conclusion is that it all depends on what you play most and what the genre(s), if the idea is to be able to gig also with just one keyboard (when possible/needed): if you are a pianist i.e. play mainly pianos (particularly acoustic ones) you will 99% want a HA action, otherwise if you are mainly into Organs/Synths the SW is a better fit (and OK also for ElPianos and "basic" AcPiano playing)

Of course, if instead you are OK to gig always with 2 keyboards, then even as a pianist you may prefer the SW73 and pair it with a HA master keyboard of your prefererence.

[eibinger]

Just these days I try to solve the same problem!
My current combination is a Kurzweil Forte7 and a Nord Stage3-compact. After years of using Kurzweil I have to say, that Nord piano-sounds are better making music as a solist.
So I connected both via MIDI (the Nord-Piano-Sounds are played with the Kurzweil). I have to say, that they sound much better.
Though I decided to buy a Stage3-Compact, I think, the springs are to soft. I am very sorry, but the "improvement", that CLAVIA made, is only the "second best" solution!

Years ago I used a Yamaha-Keyboard in combination with a Doepfer LMK-2+ Great experience, but much weight!
Now I consider to sell the compact and buy a Stage3-88.
If I would need a second board (e.g. for organ or synth), I would use my hammond xk-1 oder buy a m-audio keystation, a electro5 or a Hammond sk-1.
But I do not think, that this will be neccessary, because the 5 favorite-buttons and the splits in combination with an 88-key-board will be enough.

[FZiegler]

1. What NS3 type you buy often depends on what you already have. As I had a good 88-keys hammer action keyboard, I bought a NS3C as companion. Sometimes, it's that easy. Plus, I didn't like the HA88 action very much and was pleased by the waterfall action. Contrary to eibinger, I didn't find my action too soft, but it was stiff enough for fast repetition. Interesting thing.
But it's a bit bizarre: That way you get an organ/synth beast if you are a pianist, and a versatile stage piano if you are the organ or synth mate. Like maxpiano indicated: If you want to be able to go with only one instrument, it could then be the "wrong" one.

2. There are much more MIDI master keyboards with hammer action on the market than waterfall controllers. It might be easier (and/or less expensive) to find something that suits your demands. But of course you could use a full organ or synth keyboard as external MIDI controller as well.

3. But if it's not 2 Nord instruments you connect, you might have to adapt the velocity curve of the MIDI controller heavily - either by setting a custom curve if possible or by inserting a MIDI velocity converter into the connecting cable. Which of course wouldn't be necessary for organ use - only for piano and maybe synth sounds.

4. A Stage has 6 sound engines which indeed is often enough to drive two "instruments". But in practice, you don't have free choice for attribution. The MIDI modes on the NS3 aren't flexible enough for independently driving any combination of engines (seems as if each engine could have its own MIDI channel on the NS2ex, but not on a NS3). For me, the best mode to use is DualKB, but then I only have the choice to externalise any 1 panel B engine or full panel B. I haven't found a way to assign both piano engines to an external hammer action controller (would be the same with both organ or synth engines for an external keyboard).

5. What I like most is sharing the foot controllers for both "instruments" - no need for 2 sustpeds and 2 control pedals. But that only works in DualKB mode (not for General MIDI mode, I think) when only using 1 engine via external keyboard (not for sharing a full panel because then, the controllers are expected to be used externally, too). As mine is a NS3C, I can use the expression pedal and the half moon switch internally on the organ. Which makes 4 controllers in total for most needs. Not everybody will have that many additional controllers even for 2 separate instruments.

6. You can even morph the sound of an externally played engine - but will need to use an external controller. If you want that, you might need an extra control pedal on your second keyboard anyway. But I haven't done that yet - not much need to morph a piano engine. Morphing volume, drive or EQ settings could be interesting for soloing in your band, though.

7. I like the idea to be able to play a soft synth via the Extern section with my NS3 waterfall action. Wouldn't much want to play it via a hammer action keybed. But won't do it within the next year, I think - if ever.

As a piano player with a NS3C, I'm quite happy. If ever I want a better hammer action, I can choose a new controller with triple sensors (I hope that's of some use if played externally - I'm not sure). And I have a unit to really play organ (well, one manual only, but with real drawbars to control). However, I will always have to carry both keyboards around for band use (the only "pianos" I would really prefer to play on the NS3C are Clavinet and Harpsichord - and electric pianos are quite feasible, as well).

As I only know that way round, I can't give any direct advice on your question, though. Sometimes, I dream of having a Nord Piano as external controller to my NS3C - would allow for playing Nord piano sounds independently, too. But that's not a cheap solution - not far from using 2 Stages. Both solutions exist within the forum. If you are more into synth than organ, things could easily change: The combination of Electro (maybe not for a classically trained pianist) or Stage + synth is widely used, too.

[Hlaalu]

2. There are much more MIDI master keyboards with hammer action on the market than waterfall controllers. It might be easier (and/or less expensive) to find something that suits your demands.

+1 on this.

So to the OP, I'd say, if you make your mind for the HA NS3 and for a waterfall/synth type of controller, before actually buying the NS3, try actually isolating a *specific* MIDI controller that suits your needs. As FZiegler says, you'll find that there aren't so many reasonably priced, especially if you need organ as well as synth playability.

[Tasten-Bert]

A NS3 HA88 with a synth action controller or a NS3 Compact with a 88 keys hammer action controller?

I‘d say NS3 Compact with a good hammer action master like
https://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Kaw ... 004258-000 or
https://www.musicstore.de/de_DE/EUR/Stu ... 004388-000

That‘ll be my next testing candidates as soon as the stores get back to normal.
Cheers

[anotherscott]

True that there are more hammer action controllers than waterfall, though for many (most?) players, the literal waterfall shape is not crucial (even numerous "real" Hammonds didn't have them), and organ can play very nicely from other-shaped non-hammer actions as well.

The reason I'd pick adding a hammer controller to a Compact is that I don't like the action of the HP models, and the HA is too heavy to carry around. A Compact combined with, for example, a Casio PX-5S (22 lbs and 24 lbs respectively) is much easier to move around than a 42 lb NS3-HA and whatever synth action board you'd want to pair it with.