Nord User Forum

After doing some thinking I finally understand that the NS3 sounds great when it's in a stereo setting! I've been so used to playing keyboards in mono only now I realise the NS3 needs a stereo setting to be at its peak! But now my question is.. what are some ways to setup a stereo setting in a live gig setting for example a band or three piece/two piece, so that the stereo setting is still realised but at the same time it's still audible to hear the rest of the band/musicians/etc.

So budgetwise I'm not really keen to spend so much since I already splurged on the NS3.. as long as the speakers sound good enough it should be fine.. I was looking at a pair of QSC CP8 or RCF Art 708-A MK IV as a start but is this feasible? So it would mean I need to place 2 of these left and right in a band setting for example correct?

I suggest you take a look at this FAQ which is the synthesis of the many discussion done in time about this topic nord-user-faq.php#amplification

You don't need to have the speakers on completely opposing sides in order to get a sufficient stereo soundscape. Simply placing the speakers a few meters apart, facing roughly in the same direction, will be all good. I guess a pair of CP8's is good enough.

You really just need to try different placements in various spaces, with and without your band. You have 3 goals when placing your personal monitor:
1. How does it sound to me?
2. How does it sound to other people on stage?
3. How does it interfere with sound going out to the audience?

You need to experiment in order to get anywhere with this.

PS. If you're bothered, change the original post title to "Basics of stage monitoring", as that seems most suitable to the topic.

Elias wrote:You don't need to have the speakers on completely opposing sides in order to get a sufficient stereo soundscape. Simply placing the speakers a few meters apart, facing roughly in the same direction, will be all good. I guess a pair of CP8's is good enough.

You really just need to try different placements in various spaces, with and without your band. You have 3 goals when placing your personal monitor:
1. How does it sound to me?
2. How does it sound to other people on stage?
3. How does it interfere with sound going out to the audience?

You need to experiment in order to get anywhere with this.

PS. If you're bothered, change the original post title to "Basics of stage monitoring", as that seems most suitable to the topic.

I guess you're right. Thankfully I have a gig coming up soon so hopefully I can experiment properly then

maxpiano wrote:I suggest you take a look at this FAQ which is the synthesis of the many discussion done in time about this topic nord-user-faq.php#amplification

I actually read it already through and through but some of the answers don't seem so clear cut hence the thread

Even a stereo keyboard amp with the speakers about a meter apart will sound better than mono. When I was using a pair of QSC K10's I would set them on top of my Leslie, touching each other but aimed about 20 degrees to the left and right; that worked very well to sound good and provide a decent stereo field in a small club where my sound wasn't in the FOH main PA speakers. I've tried arranging stereo speakers on opposite sides of the stage but, whenever my keyboards were not in the main FOH mix that usually resulted in volume complaints from the band members on the far side. Currently, I'm using a CPS Spacestation XL - a stereo keyboard amp - for my stage sound and also sending my signal to the FOH mixer in stereo but not fully panning the left and right channels.

Winds wrote:

maxpiano wrote:I suggest you take a look at this FAQ which is the synthesis of the many discussion done in time about this topic nord-user-faq.php#amplification

I actually read it already through and through but some of the answers don't seem so clear cut hence the thread

OK, sorry but you know... just in case you hadn't then I think the others already gave you some good hints meantime, in this thread.

Personally my idea is the same as wtibitt "stereo keyboard amp (or monitors) - for my stage sound and also sending my signal to the FOH mixer in stereo but not fully panning the left and right channels

wtibbit wrote:Even a stereo keyboard amp with the speakers about a meter apart will sound better than mono. When I was using a pair of QSC K10's I would set them on top of my Leslie, touching each other but aimed about 20 degrees to the left and right; that worked very well to sound good and provide a decent stereo field in a small club where my sound wasn't in the FOH main PA speakers. I've tried arranging stereo speakers on opposite sides of the stage but, whenever my keyboards were not in the main FOH mix that usually resulted in volume complaints from the band members on the far side. Currently, I'm using a CPS Spacestation XL - a stereo keyboard amp - for my stage sound and also sending my signal to the FOH mixer in stereo but not fully panning the left and right channels.

So that means u only have one SS on stage correct?

maxpiano wrote:

Winds wrote:

maxpiano wrote:I suggest you take a look at this FAQ which is the synthesis of the many discussion done in time about this topic nord-user-faq.php#amplification

I actually read it already through and through but some of the answers don't seem so clear cut hence the thread

OK, sorry but you know... just in case you hadn't then I think the others already gave you some good hints meantime, in this thread.

Personally my idea is the same as wtibitt "stereo keyboard amp (or monitors) - for my stage sound and also sending my signal to the FOH mixer in stereo but not fully panning the left and right channels

It's ok I'm still new anyways. I found this as well accessories-and-amplification-f8/nord-s ... 17834.html but considering the thread was 3 years old perhaps things have changed

Winds wrote:

wtibbit wrote:Even a stereo keyboard amp with the speakers about a meter apart will sound better than mono. When I was using a pair of QSC K10's I would set them on top of my Leslie, touching each other but aimed about 20 degrees to the left and right; that worked very well to sound good and provide a decent stereo field in a small club where my sound wasn't in the FOH main PA speakers. I've tried arranging stereo speakers on opposite sides of the stage but, whenever my keyboards were not in the main FOH mix that usually resulted in volume complaints from the band members on the far side. Currently, I'm using a CPS Spacestation XL - a stereo keyboard amp - for my stage sound and also sending my signal to the FOH mixer in stereo but not fully panning the left and right channels.

So that means u only have one SS on stage correct?

Yes, I have one Center Point Stereo Spacestation XL on stage. One is all you need! The Spacestations aren't typical stereo keyboard amps; They employ a special technique to generate a wide, expanded sound that is perceived somewhat like stereo. A key point here is that they work just like a classic stereo amp to make a stereo piano sample to sound much better than that sample sounds like with a monophonic amp. The Spacestation also has an extremely wide sound dispersion, approximately 270 degrees, so it sounds about the same throughout the room and makes it sound similar to my Leslie when I sometimes use it with my Hammond XK-5.