nadroj
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Posts posted by nadroj
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Edit: this link from Clavia is official, confirmed Stage 4.
This was just uploaded to the Nord Instagram page.
I see an organ section with hybrid drawfaders and physical drawbars, along with several sets of green LED faders as seen on the Wave 2. Couple of those blue (OLED?) screens too.
We can speculate all week about the screenshot, but it seems all will be revealed on Thursday.
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This was just uploaded to the Nord Instagram page.
I see drawfaders along with the new green LED faders seen on the Wave 2. Stage 4 probably.
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Update 2.0 for the Numa Compact 2/2x is now out, including much requested rotary updates! Will be interested to hear owner’s thoughts after the update.
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Really depends. If you’re a tribute act with the same lineup as the original artist, I’m going expect something different from the 3 piece jamming their own versions of covers.
If the solo is a key part of the song it needs to be nailed. Hearing a guy aimlessly wank away over a blues scale instead of playing the iconic part of a song makes me think he’s just lazy. Hearing a guy quote and reference a solo but make it his own makes me think he’s being creative.
In my old wedding band we did shut up and dance with me. It has a synth solo. Fairly simple, until the 4ths jumps at the end. To me that’s an integral part of the song and I did it note for note. I’ve heard other keyboard players mess around with a synth lead sound there instead and to my ears it just didn’t work. Sweet Home Alabama, on the other hand, is the kind of song where I’d sometimes get half way through, forget the rest and just improvise. Or I’d get to the end of the set solo and the singer calls on to keep going so I did.
Then there’s isn’t she lovely - as long as the soloist quotes the melody in their first round through they can play whatever the hell they want after it as far as I’m concerned. However, if during that song I never hear the melody from the lead instrument I’m calling the cops.
Not a solo, but I’ve subbed for a couple of bands who have been surprised to hear my play the actual riff from
superstition. On two occasions I’ve been told “usually our keyboard player just jams/comps on a clav patch until the singer comes in”. That’s just lazy to me.
Unless the audience will specifically be anticipating a certain part, I don’t think there’s a general rule of thumb. A good musician could mask the fact that he hasn’t learned something by making his improv suitable to the song. A poor musician will make it obvious.
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There is something very, very subtle about the feeling of fingers slipping off a key with a lip. I notice it but don’t think about it when playing piano on a weighted action, but certainly notice the lack of it when trying to play sensitive, expressive piano on a SW action.
And vice versa…except the torn finger hanging by a single tendon after glissing on a lipped leg isn’t quite as subtle feeling.
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In all honesty I’ll give it a shot when I’ve got some time this week!
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Jokes on you, the minor blues scale is all I know how to play!
😁
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I’ve been involved in recording with singers who have had potential. They’ve supported big acts, some have even been signed at one point. I’ve helped them write/record songs, and one thing that can frustrate me is the unwillingness to be open to new ideas, or simply be unaware of the concept of tension and release.
They could have a 3 chord song that has a great melody and groove but sounds boring and repetitive - there have been times in a session I’ve suggested “maybe make this chord minor instead just to change it a bit” or “if you put a diminished chord in right here it gives it a little bit of tension and really opens up the chorus”. If you know the genre youre working with you’ll know which non-diatonic chords not to use (the wrong one can date the song by several decades), but even with the “right” ones, some singers just don’t want to budge from their 3 chord structure. I’ve had times where the band and producers have agreed with me, but if the artist said no, that was it. That’s fine in sessions - as a hired gun you know your place.
In such cases the end product ends up sounding ok, but in my (ultimately unimportant) opinion ends up lacking that punch that similarly talented songwriters have. But hey, if it’s not my song and I’m just there to help, I’ll do what you say and leave without a word!
In my current band we’ll sometimes learn songs and the singer will come with a totally simplified version. Not intentionally - usually he’s just got it wrong. The band usually say “err, it actually goes here” but he’ll sometimes say “nah we’ll just keep it like this”. If it’s not important…well, we’ll just smirk at each other and get on with it. Again, if it’s a band where its generally established that the singer has the final say, and we all get on super well and put on a good show, the rest of us are happy to grin at each other and simply play away, getting paid the same as if we’d done it “correct”. That happened recently actually. We added a new song in that had several chord sequences, and at rehearsal the singer just played the same two sequences over and over. We made it our own and now it’s one of our best live songs!
The most stress free musical environments Ive been in are the ones where there is an understanding that one person is the de facto leader. If everyone else is happy with that and you can still produce good music, I’m happy. If the leader doesn’t like your suggestion, who cares! If it’s not my band playing my music, and I’m still getting paid, the singer can do whatever the hell they want!
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Double the bass line with left hand, comping on the right. On a clav or EP, depends on band setup and what I feel like on the night. Occasionally throw wah in for fun. If I get a solo (depends on the band) I’ll just jump on an EP or organ. It’s a fun song to jam, so long as you don’t get in the way the guitars. Not that I care about guitarists, but you want to serve the song 😁
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Hey Alan, seems we play in similar bands. I’m also in an 8 piece with 3 part brass who cover the songs you mentioned.
Incidentally, I have a MODX-7 and a Nord Electro. Sonically the MODX will cover everything you need. It’s probably the only board I’ve ever owned where if I’ve been able to imagine it, I’ve been able to do it. It’s super flexible, and deep if you want it to be. The only thing that will let you down are the Hammond sounds. The Vox organ sounds (used in some of those tunes) are actually pretty good on the MODX, but the rotary sucks. It’s probably passable in a live context though. I don’t like playing my MODX-7 (long story, it’s a great board, just not one I enjoy) but if you like the feel of the keys and the feel of the instrument in general, the MODX will do you well - assuming you’re able to tweak the organs to a point where you’re happy. A lot of those tunes are organ heavy. An iPad with software would fix this. I’ve setup a programme on my MODX where I can just plug my phone/iPad in with a single cable and it will automatically play VB3 while ignoring the internal sounds. The MODX is handy and flexible like that. I wouldn’t do any heavy swipes or glissandos on the MODX keyboard, though! And if you’re anything like me you might not want to bring an iPad onto a stage with 8 people playing non stop up-tempo tunes!
If I was in your shoes I’d keep the Kronos 61. I’ve played that several times and would be more than happy doing this kind of gig on that alone.
Personally my Nord electro does the job for this gig. It’s a bit of a pain setting up custom splits and layers on a keyboard that technically doesn’t do that, but for me in this band, having the build quality and top-notch organs at hand trumps the sonic flexibility the MOD-X would bring me. YMMV.
Really, it depends how much you care about the organ sounds. Kronos will do you pretty well there. Kurzweil have a dedicated organ engine that gets decent praise around here with some tweaks. Roland’s offerings are perfectly ok too - incidentally I played a VR730 last week, and while it wasn’t for me, I think it would do a great job for what you want. The Fantoms have the same organ engine, but lack the feel. They have more flexibility though. The Hammond SK-pro is another contender - good organs and a surprising amount of flexibility underneath the hood. It’s the one I’d probably upgrade to if I had the cash.
We can give you a hundred answers, and the truth is each of them will probably be right - but at the end of the day it comes down to what you enjoy playing, and what suits your personal needs the most 😃
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53 minutes ago, JazzPiano88 said:
"Steve Nathan - Clarinet"
Laughed pretty good at that!
Listened tonight at the gym - that part made me laugh too!
Loved your insight Steve, especially about the difference between being a studio cat vs a live performer. Looking forward to pt.2!
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Found this live album by The Funky Meters on Spotify. Seems it just went up today. I don’t think it’s a particularly well known one (this video was uploaded yesterday and has zero views). Not the greatest recording, but it’s making me feel like I’m actually there at The Showboat Lounge in ‘77. Must have been a fun gig, seeing as this version of ain’t no use is 24 mins long. Some cracking off-key audience microphone stealing moments too. Glad to know that practice hasn’t changed in almost 50 years.
Art Neville giving a masterclass in funk as always. Rhodes, organ and clav featured heavily here. I think this would have been my dream band to be in…if I had the groove!
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I grew up learning on a mini-piano. It was an acoustic instrument, 7X keys that felt semi-weighted by traditional standards. I didn’t know that at the time.
When I moved to college and lay my hands on a Grand for the first time I felt like a fish out of water. That college had some gorgeous baby grands, and while I appreciated the feel I never felt at home on them.
Similarly, I’ve never set my hands on a real Hammond. Have played lots of clonewheels and cheap imitation consoles, but wouldn’t know what to do if I got to a gig and someone put the real thing in front of me.
Basically, I’m the opposite. I have no reference.
Saying that, I get a definite kick out of playing a solid, well built keyboard than I do a cheaper less premium one. Not sure it affects my playing, though.
What I’m trying to say is that I’ll find a way to suck at whatever you throw in front of me.
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5 minutes ago, Lou_NC said:
I admire your quick thinking.......I have to admit in a million years I would NEVER have thought about "pantomiming" and "playing along"! The type-A in me would have dismissed it as never having the slightest chance of fooling anyone. I think you've just proven yet again that most folks in the audience are oblivious to live musicians. Glad it worked out for you, you are truly a professional for keeping your cool. I would have melted down for sure.....
I think MOI has unlocked a whole new business venture for himself. Solo piano set, where he just mimes and makes people think he’s playing. Incidentally I did that once at a wedding. Mimed the whole of Claire de Lune. Worst 6 minutes of my life.
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Scary. Glad it worked out, and it’s good you had a guy to help! I’d have blamed the venue if they started asking questions though. Do you mean it was a fuse inside the Nord’s power supply itself?
My Electro was bricked for a gig a few months ago, I posted about that then too - this was because of water damage (again, the venue’s fault). Got it sorted the next day, but it meant someone from the crowd had to get me his son’s PSR to get me through the gig that night. Ever since then similar thoughts about bringing a spare have always lingered in the back of my head. Have still never done it, though.
i mean…what are the chances of our lovely red keyboards being bricked TWICE? 🙄😬
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That was probably the best final of all time. Hell, my dad, who’s been watching since the 50s, said it was probably the best game he’s ever watched. It had everything, and the stakes simply couldn’t have been higher. The last 20 minutes + ET were some of the best moments of Football I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing - and I was a neutral!
Not really a football (or soccer, whatever 😜) fan but that game had me hooked from start to finish. I’ve several friends telling me it will be one of those games still being talked about 50 years from now.
Glad Argentina won it - fairy tell ending for Messi. Though France almost won the World Cup after not playing for 80 minutes. That is impressive in itself!
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31 minutes ago, stoken6 said:
Do you need to be able to sample for the gigs you're lined up for? (Or was sampling a way round Electro's limited sound palette, or inflexibility on splits?)
Cheers, Mike.
The latter. For a piano/organ split I have to sample the piano, then the organ, then assign them together in the Nord sample editor and load it in as a single sample. Bit of a PITA for something so basic, and as you can imagine the sampled organ usually sounds like ass. Ok in a mix though.
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It should be a very good game, might even go to penalties…
…but in the end I think Argentina will clinch it.
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Reviving this behemoth thread to get some updated thoughts.
I’ve no gigs until February, but after that we’re out almost every weekend until the end of the year, all over the country in new venues doing bigger shows, including a couple of fly ins/ferry trips to mainland Europe. We’re slowly adding new songs to the set to make the show better, and the Electro limitations are becoming more and more annoying with every added song (sampling individual sounds, then throwing them into the sample editor, assigning them across the keyboard and then not having velocity on them live, etc). The MODX isn’t coming with me on this gig, as I’d end up schlepping too much gear for the travelling (we’re an 8 piece) and it would simply be over kill for 90% of the setlist. Besides, as I’ve said several times: I don’t like playing it 🤓
I’ve had a couple of interested parties in the MODX, and the VR-730 is one of the few keyboards in my budget, assuming the Yamaha sells (or gets traded in). The Vox Continental is a contender too, and while it’s probably more “pristine” and maybe even more enjoyable to play, it’s very limited in its capabilities, especially when you throw Franks VR editor into the mix. I also think I prefer Roland’s organ/latest rotary sim to Korg’s CX-3, which is a sentence I can’t believe I just wrote. How times change.
I’ve tried the VR-730 out in store and I was able get the organ to a sound I’d be happy-ish with live. There were a couple of frequencies I didn’t like, but I didn’t edit too deeply. The APs and EPs are more than ok for band work IMO (the “GrandV” Pianos played/felt much better than the original VR09 ones), and the TP-80 felt pretty much identical to the TP-80 in the Electro 4. However, the cherry on top is the CTRL Editor V-Synth capabilities, which, with the additional splits and layers, are what makes it stand out to me. I spent years programming it on the FA06 and know that system very well. I also love the Roland Synth sounds. With the added depth of Frank’s editor, I could easily programme an entire set on the VR alone, which would make it super flexible any time I wanted to take an extra corporate/wedding gig for the cash (times are tight here in the UK!).
Anyone who still uses the VR09/VR730 - how does it hold up under heavy gigging? Is it still enjoyable to play? Any red flags to ward me away in 2022?
I swear by the FC-7 - am I right in saying that 2 paired Y-connectors will solve the issues the VR has with it?
I know NAMM is round the corner, but realistically I can’t see anything coming out that would be in my limited budget.
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Great thread. This is something I struggle with too.
My main gig is around 60-70% organ. I’m not an organist by any means. There are 7 other people in my band to compete against. A problem I’ve had a lot recently is my organ getting buried in the mix, and mate stubb’s points above are eerily relevant.
For the genre my band plays my usual setting is 808808XX8. I try to match the gain of that with my piano, with my master at around 1 o-clock. It always seems piano cuts through so much better, especially in monitors. Whenever I have to switch to a “flutey” registration (008X0000X et all) I have to crank the volume, and usually run out of room despite this. It’s also a PITA having to remember to adjust the master when going back to piano.
Historically I’ve soundchecked the organ at 888888888, with a similar mindset to when a sound guy asks the guitarist for his “loudest setting”. Maybe starting from 888 and taking it from there is a good thing.
I often speak to FOH guys and explain the settings/swelling thing and ask them to let me know how it is at half time, and they always say “fine”. Though the organ always seems to get drowned out in wedges. If the venue has crappy wedges that are bass heavy (fairly common here) I might as well not be playing! Depending on the tech, some guys will just roll your eyes at you if you ask for more of a certain frequency in your wedge. Touring venue to venue without your own sound tech is always hit or miss, though.
Some people say using the swell to compensate for volume increase when going all out on the drawbars, and that helps a bit when being too LOUD is the issue. My foot is always on or close to the swell pedal, and that seems to help.
I like mate stubb’s idea of using the swell pedal for expression only, and riding the master more with the overall gain set back a bit. Will have to try that.
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As a Scot I am bound by law to not care who wins, so long as England lose.
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Based on how many updates the CP has had I’m assuming the YC is due at least another 2 major updates.
It’s one of those boards I’m constantly keeping an eye on, because I think Yamaha ticked so many boxes with it - especially after 1.2.
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I’ve had an Electro 4 since 2014. It’s more limited than even the first £400 digital piano I bought when I was 15.
But if I’ve got a gig or a session, it’s always my first choice. I’ve taken it on gigs where my MODX would have been a better choice because I just love playing it. 8 years later it’s still the only keyboard I take out on all of my gigs.
Part of that is because I’m dirt poor and can’t afford to upgrade in this economy, and if I were to upgrade I’d probably go for another brand…
…But I love it. Frustrating in many regards, but my favourite keyboard I’ve ever owned.
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I still don’t know why I bought the MODX7. I didn’t need it. Still don’t. Now I can’t get rid of it.
At least doing that taught me that watching YouTube videos and reading specs is never a good alternative to getting hands on experience before putting down the cash. Lesson learnt!
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Nord Stage 4 Announced
in The Keyboard Corner
Posted
I don’t have much of a wish list as I could happily buy a Stage 3 today and be content for at least another 10 years…but if they add audio over USB that would be pretty cool. It’s such a handy feature to have in this day and age.