extra piano

[MarkMol]

Hi all,

I am playing in a rock band and the Stage 3 works really fine for me.
Especially the Song option, switching between songs.

But, I'm originally a piano player. A pianist.
And I'm not really feeling that the Nord stage catches the real piano sounds.
Grand piano is close, but the upstand pianos are more cool in improvising.

What I would also like to do, is to couple a keyboard to my Nord Stage 3.
In a lot of songs I use the board A and B function, and it's fine, but I feel a bit less free being limited by the split.

What would be really good foor me is buying an extra keyboard thats better for piano, and also can be controlled by the Stage 3.
Would that simply be a Nord piano ?
Or does anyone have a nice other experience and option for me ?

best regards,
Mark

[FZiegler]

You mean, you have a Stage 3-HA88? Or what is it exactly?

Do you really want to play the Stage 3 keys and get the sound from another (better sounding) keyboard? That's what I'd understand by "be controlled by the Stage 3". Or rather use both key actions at the same time to play Stage 3 sounds?

My close-to-perfect setup is a Stage 3-SW73 being played from two key sets: internal keys (for organ and synth sounds) plus external weighted keyboard (for piano and EP sounds). A lot of keyboards should fit - at least if you can adjust the velocity curve. When I use DualKB in full-panel mode, I can use two sustain pedals and two control pedals independently.

[maxpiano]

My close-to-perfect setup is a Stage 3-SW73 being played from two key sets: internal keys (for organ and synth sounds) plus external weighted keyboard (for piano and EP sounds). A lot of keyboards should fit - at least if you can adjust the velocity curve. When I use DualKB in full-panel mode, I can use two sustain pedals and two control pedals independently.

Which is my current setup too (using various weighted keyboards for controlling NS3 piano and that can also provide some additional sounds (to be played from the controller or from NS3), last being a Roland RD88 but previously also others like a Yamaha CK88, a Studiologic Numa X Piano (and occasionally others and same setup also in the past with NS2 compact and Roland FP4 or a Casio PX5s as weighted controllers).

Bottom line: choose the weighted master or digital piano that you prefer in terms of touch, best if with configurable velocity curves and with the carrying weight you are OK with and you'll be fine.

[Nille]

I built my own “hammond”. Heavier (studiologic sl73) as lower manual and over that the Nord electro 6D) in a wood enclosure. That way I can have piano feel and lighter touch in the “same instrument”. When I play Hammond I usually only use the lower manual for bass so works alright.

Just note that the sl73 and sl88 have a heavy feel, might be other options.
If you want a great feel the kawai vpc1 has a good reputation, heavy and expensive for a midi controller thou!

[FZiegler]

I do have a VPC1 and like to play it together with the Stage 3 - sounds great. There's a little issue with the sustain pedal, but it can be sorted out. But: Nothing you want to use with a rock band when playing out: It's too heavy and big. And nothing you need within a rock band as well.

[cphollis]

Hi all,

I am playing in a rock band and the Stage 3 works really fine for me.
Especially the Song option, switching between songs.

But, I'm originally a piano player. A pianist.
And I'm not really feeling that the Nord stage catches the real piano sounds.
Grand piano is close, but the upstand pianos are more cool in improvising.

What I would also like to do, is to couple a keyboard to my Nord Stage 3.
In a lot of songs I use the board A and B function, and it's fine, but I feel a bit less free being limited by the split.

What would be really good foor me is buying an extra keyboard thats better for piano, and also can be controlled by the Stage 3.
Would that simply be a Nord piano ?
Or does anyone have a nice other experience and option for me ?

best regards,
Mark

So, I think you're saying you don't like the way your acoustic pianos sound in a rock band context?

I do know that you can get all sorts of great AP sounds out of a NS3 in a rock band, as I did it for years before moving to the NS4. You do have to pay attention to a long list of factors that can affect what you are hearing,

- Are you playing on a decent weighted controller? If you're playing on the NS3C, get yourself a weighted piano controller, it makes a huge difference. Also, make sure the midi response curves are aligned.

- Are you using the full NS3 capabilities [dual voices, detune, FX, EQ, reverb]? -- they can make a big difference.

- What are you hearing yourself through? Keyboard amp, PA speakers, IEMs -- something else? Also makes a big difference.

- Who is mixing your monitors when you're performing? Simply adjusting my monitor mix made a huge improvement in sound.

I guess what I'm saying is that I wouldn't go looking for another piano module (or VST) to control from the NS3, as what you've got is pretty darn good.

The only real step up would a laptop running software instruments, and there's a lot you can do before taking that step.