Sometimes I love Nord

[erik_nie]

Prophet Brass pad patch

is that a preset of a sample set? Where did you find this?

 

My Nord Stage 3 / Nord Wave 2 was expensive and not as powerful as my previous Kurzweil and Mainstage setup. But so much more fun to use and quick to get the sounds I need.

Althought there are limitations, I'm always able to do what I want.

There is a very useful forum with many sounds, also the online Nord sample library will almost always deliver.

[AWkeys]

 

Very cool to hear about how you use the Nord Sound libraries and dialing in patches on the fly. I love my Nord Stage 3 Compact, as others have said above it's not the best at any 1 sound ( except maybe APs, I LOVE the White Grand sample) but it's the best combo of gigging keyboard sounds IMO . I am curious as to why you miss the "pending loading" function so much. With Seamless Patch Changes in the Nord Stage 3 I can't think of a reason you would use a function to delay loading the next patch, unless you were getting the next sound pulled up, but then couldn't you just use the built in setlist feature to order your patches accordingly? What am I missing?

 

While my reasoning was explained effectively after your post, I just wanted to underscore that I play with so many different bands/projects, from everywhere to bar gigs to arenas (before COVID), and while the big gigs naturally all had set lists, many times I'm playing smaller gigs with changes on the fly. I use my iPad for lyrics/charts, and to have to connect it to the Nord Stage 3 to have access to all patches is a real PITA. Clavia really missed the mark here, and that's why I haven't gigged the NS3 yet.

[pinkfloydcramer]

I have an Electro 6D 73 under a MODX7 and I can't envisage needing anything else for my classic rock band. Organ speaks for itself but also the 'Bright Grand' piano cuts so much better than the Yammy's CFX

 

Bright Grand is what I miss the most about the Electro 5D I had. It worked better, for me (and bandmates in charge of FOH sound) than the other samples for live.

 

RE Yamaha, the CP300's CF3 ("Live CF3" on the YC88 and updated CP73/88's) holds it's own with the Bright Grand IMO. Before the CF3 sample became available I was more likely to use the S700 sample.

 

I loved the 5D but couldn't get past the crappy action that Nord has had 20 years to fix, yet refuses to do so. For me, the dream is an Electro with the semi-weighted action of the Roland VK7 (and some Phantoms) that uses metal strips on the underside of the keys.

[synthizen2]

For me, the dream is an Electro with the semi-weighted action of the Roland VK7 (and some Phantoms) that uses metal strips on the underside of the keys.

 

If they do this, they'd better use a higher quality Epoxy than the one Roland used to use... or else this infamous issue...

 

http://matevzpesek.si/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WP_20170225_004-300x169.jpg

[analogika]

My Nord Stage 3 / Nord Wave 2 was expensive and not as powerful as my previous Kurzweil and Mainstage setup. But so much more fun to use and quick to get the sounds I need.

Althought there are limitations, I'm always able to do what I want.

I use the Stage 3 for everything I can get away with, and add Mainstage for the things where I can't.

[Art-0252]

 

Very cool to hear about how you use the Nord Sound libraries and dialing in patches on the fly. I love my Nord Stage 3 Compact, as others have said above it's not the best at any 1 sound ( except maybe APs, I LOVE the White Grand sample) but it's the best combo of gigging keyboard sounds IMO . I am curious as to why you miss the "pending loading" function so much. With Seamless Patch Changes in the Nord Stage 3 I can't think of a reason you would use a function to delay loading the next patch, unless you were getting the next sound pulled up, but then couldn't you just use the built in setlist feature to order your patches accordingly? What am I missing?

 

While my reasoning was explained effectively after your post, I just wanted to underscore that I play with so many different bands/projects, from everywhere to bar gigs to arenas (before COVID), and while the big gigs naturally all had set lists, many times I'm playing smaller gigs with changes on the fly. I use my iPad for lyrics/charts, and to have to connect it to the Nord Stage 3 to have access to all patches is a real PITA. Clavia really missed the mark here, and that's why I haven't gigged the NS3 yet.

 

Gotcha, yeah in context that makes more sense. For the kind of gigs and jams that I have done it's always either a fixed setlist with a variety of patches, or the type of music that only requires half a dozen bread and butter sounds that I can load up in the 5 live sets ( with different patches on each pannel) . It wasn't until I was at a Blues Jam last night with my NS3 that I wanted to switch to another patch mid song and realized the one I wanted was quite the scroll away! I never had a NS2 so I didn't have anything to compare mine too, but being able to delay loading the patch while comping on the original sound would be a good feature to have.

[MrVegas]

I'm not a gigging musician, only play Sundays at contemporary church. I bought the Stage 3 about 2 years ago because I was dissatisfied with the AP's in my Kronos and wanted more options and saw that most worship bands (Bethel, Elevation Worship, Hillsong) were using the red boards. I was surprised to find out that it was seriously lacking in the area of pads, synth sounds and other atmospheric patches. I was spoiled by the depth of the Kronos in this area. Curious what others think about its effectiveness beyond organ, AP and EP.

[AnotherScott]

I bought the Stage 3...Curious what others think about its effectiveness beyond organ, AP and EP.

For additional acoustic instrument sounds, it lags many other boards, because the samples have only a single velocity layer. For synth-based sounds, it does pretty well with its virtual analog simulation, and the hands-on controls make things easier for you (whether for advance-of-gig programming or at-the-gig on-the-fly manipulations), but the editing parameters are still relatively limited. Remember, those same parameters that are available to you are likewise the only ones available to the programmers, so they similarly must work within the same limitations of somewhat limited envelope controls compared to some other boards, inability to use more than two oscillators in a sound, inability to create a program with more than two layered synth sounds, etc. Still, there's a lot that can be done. For your purposes, I'd suggest you google: nord stage 3 worship

[MrVegas]

I just googled nord stage 3 worship and now I am BESIEGED WITH GAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Dammit.

[jyrkik]

I'm not a gigging musician, only play Sundays at contemporary church. I bought the Stage 3 about 2 years ago because I was dissatisfied with the AP's in my Kronos and wanted more options and saw that most worship bands (Bethel, Elevation Worship, Hillsong) were using the red boards. I was surprised to find out that it was seriously lacking in the area of pads, synth sounds and other atmospheric patches. I was spoiled by the depth of the Kronos in this area. Curious what others think about its effectiveness beyond organ, AP and EP.

 

It's propably true that Stage 3 is not as deep synt as the multi engined Kronos. Also, Stage's synth presets do not do justice for the A1 synth engine which is actually quite capable. Therefore, it's perhaps not the best tool for a player who is mostly relying on presets. But if you're willing and interested in to sculpt your own sounds, I bet it's not going to disappoint.

 

Jyrki

[cphollis]

I'm not a gigging musician, only play Sundays at contemporary church. I bought the Stage 3 about 2 years ago because I was dissatisfied with the AP's in my Kronos and wanted more options and saw that most worship bands (Bethel, Elevation Worship, Hillsong) were using the red boards. I was surprised to find out that it was seriously lacking in the area of pads, synth sounds and other atmospheric patches. I was spoiled by the depth of the Kronos in this area. Curious what others think about its effectiveness beyond organ, AP and EP.

 

I agree, out of the box, many other boards have great pads and atmospherics ready to go. I will admit I did have to invest some time downloading pad samples, layering, etc. to get those sounding good. It's sweet now. Some of the user uploaded samples of other instruments are quite good. That and horns/woodwinds are really weak as well. Another valid criticism -- getting a good mono AP sound, which takes a bit of work.

 

Most everything else was near-ready-to-go. I've looked on and off at a MODX to cure some of those ills, but I guess I don't think it's enough of a problem -- yet. Going the iPad route in the meantime for things the Nord doesn't do well.

[Stokely]

I did a fair amount of research, trying out a local Stage, and at the time I already owned an Electro 6 so other than the synth engine I was pretty up on most of what a Stage could do. And as I mentioned, was set on getting one when I sold my Electro, and who knows still might.

 

I don't do much if any sax/guitar/etc type of stuff so while those sample-based instruments would not be a strength, it was ok for me.

 

I did a lot of listening and watching of vids about the A1 synth and came away convinced it was quite powerful and would suit my needs easily.

 

My current rig is arguably more powerful/better sounding, is definitely more flexible, than a single NS3--but it takes two keyboards and an ipad to achieve this. My goal was to get down to one keyboard, the NS3 compact, for many gigs, and practices...and add a second keyboard of some type (more of a "nice to have", perhaps a knobby synth or a weighted piano depending on the type of show) for the more important gigs.

[eric]

Regarding the usefulness of Nord, I recently posted on FB and the Nord User Forum about my experiences using the NS3 as a singular keyboard for a very diverse setlist. I also shared some of my Programs with video demos in this thread here. I hope cross-posting is ok.

 

https://www.norduserforum.com/nord-stage-3-programs-ns3p-ns3pb-files-f32/ask-me-anything-ns3-earning-its-keep-t21504.html

 

 

This is a subset of the songs I do with my NS3, and only one of four bands in which I use it.

 

 

I am seriously addicted to playing gigs with a single keyboard and have really enjoyed getting the absolute max out of one keyboard. Back in the earlier days, it required some rack gear. These days, I can do it all with the NS3.