Nord User Forum

Hi everyone,

I am interested in a Piano 4 (or maybe a Dexibell S7 Pro) but I am not sure if I will like the keybed. I have tried a Stage 3 at Guitar Center (only one available at mine) and did not care for the key action. I am wondering how different the Piano 4 key action is compared to the Stage 3. If I didn't like the Stage 3 would I not like the Piano 4 either? Are they pretty similar? I know the Nord Grand uses a Kawai keybed but I'm not sure I want to stretch my budget that much. I currently play on a Roland FP30. I'd mostly be playing piano, probably 80-90 percent of my playing is piano related, the other 10-20 is synth/e-piano/strings/etc. Thanks!

A lot depends on what Stage 3 you tried out.

The Stage 3 Compact has a semi-weighted waterfall style 73 key keyboard
The 76 has a weighted TP100 keybed
The 88 has a weighted TP40 keybed

Also, my experience with testing things at Guitar Center is that many keyboards get pretty thrashed. I tried a Stage 3 76 and an 88 and didn't love them, but now own a Piano 4 despite the action likely being the same as (or very similar to) the Stage 3 88.

The one that doesn't seem to get a lot of love is the 76 with the TP100 keybed. Which Stage did you test out?

In my feeling the action of the Stage 3 HA and the Piano 4 isn't the same. It's the same basic Fatar model, I think - but not with the same weight. The Piano 4 action is somewhat stiffer. And it doesn't have the 'problem' with the Stage's aftertouch strip - a less defined key stop.

Which made a vast difference to me while playing both instruments in a dealer's showroom. The Stage was too lightweight for me (piano player), felt like being born from a piano mama and a synth papa. The Piano feels much more like a piano keybed. But I'm not sure if it's closer to a grand piano than a Roland FP30 - will depend on your liking.

No Nord model has a graded hammer action - all keys have the same weight. But I've got to admit that I wouldn't care much on stage.

FZiegler wrote:In my feeling the action of the Stage 3 HA and the Piano 4 isn't the same. It's the same basic Fatar model, I think - but not with the same weight. The Piano 4 action is somewhat stiffer. And it doesn't have the 'problem' with the Stage's aftertouch strip - a less defined key stop.

Which made a vast difference to me while playing both instruments in a dealer's showroom. The Stage was too lightweight for me (piano player), felt like being born from a piano mama and a synth papa. The Piano feels much more like a piano keybed. But I'm not sure if it's closer to a grand piano than a Roland FP30 - will depend on your liking.

No Nord model has a graded hammer action - all keys have the same weight. But I've got to admit that I wouldn't care much on stage.

It's so subjective. I also tested out an RD-2000 but wasn't thrilled, and an RD-88..felt that the keybed was like mush - but many people love both of these.

I now have a Nord Piano 4 which has a piano touch that I like (I have a Yamaha U3 in the house as well), a Stage 3 Compact that gives me a good waterfall keyboard and a Wave 2 that also has a similar-feeling keybed. No real complaints with any of these but I wouldn't want to do day-to-day piano on the S3C.

MarkJames wrote:A lot depends on what Stage 3 you tried out.

The Stage 3 Compact has a semi-weighted waterfall style 73 key keyboard
The 76 has a weighted TP100 keybed
The 88 has a weighted TP40 keybed

Also, my experience with testing things at Guitar Center is that many keyboards get pretty thrashed. I tried a Stage 3 76 and an 88 and didn't love them, but now own a Piano 4 despite the action likely being the same as (or very similar to) the Stage 3 88.

The one that doesn't seem to get a lot of love is the 76 with the TP100 keybed. Which Stage did you test out?

Thanks for the info. I was a Stage 3 88.

FZiegler wrote:In my feeling the action of the Stage 3 HA and the Piano 4 isn't the same. It's the same basic Fatar model, I think - but not with the same weight. The Piano 4 action is somewhat stiffer. And it doesn't have the 'problem' with the Stage's aftertouch strip - a less defined key stop.

Which made a vast difference to me while playing both instruments in a dealer's showroom. The Stage was too lightweight for me (piano player), felt like being born from a piano mama and a synth papa. The Piano feels much more like a piano keybed. But I'm not sure if it's closer to a grand piano than a Roland FP30 - will depend on your liking.

No Nord model has a graded hammer action - all keys have the same weight. But I've got to admit that I wouldn't care much on stage.

So does "88-note Triple Sensor keybed with grand weighted action" on Nord's website for the Piano 4 not mean graded hammer action? I assumed those had the same meaning.

Oh, sorry, I forgot the triple sensor thing on the Piano 4. The Stage 3 doesn't have that - that's another difference.

But no, the hammer action isn't graded on any Nord instrument - which would mean having around 4 slightly different trigger weights for the keys from low (harder) to high (softer).

FZiegler wrote:Oh, sorry, I forgot the triple sensor thing on the Piano 4. The Stage 3 doesn't have that - that's another difference.

But no, the hammer action isn't graded on any Nord instrument - which would mean having around 4 slightly different trigger weights for the keys from low (harder) to high (softer).

Good to know thank you!

FZiegler wrote:But no, the hammer action isn't graded on any Nord instrument - which would mean having around 4 slightly different trigger weights for the keys from low (harder) to high (softer).

The keybed on my Nord Piano 3 is graded. It's definitely lighter in the higher octaves. I think Nord Piano 3, 4 and 5 have the TP/40GH: Four Zones Graded Hammer Action. I really like the keybed on my Nord Piano 3.

I've never seen a Piano 3 - but for the 4 and 5 I'm not very convinced you are right. In any case, I'm definitely very interested in that question.