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MGR/ShackMan « Nord Stage 88 »
Published on 10/26/10 at 15:00First off, this is NOT the EX model. This is the 2008 model that only offers 128MB of memory as opposed to 256MB, and the only other difference is the addition of the 'Resonance' switch on the piano channel to add damper sounds to the pedal. It's BRIGHT red, and pretty sexy to look at if I do say so myself. Everyone will notice you on stage, and people who know Nord will come up and congratulate you on merely PURCHASING one. It's a full 88-key keyboard, weighted (with hammer action and aftertouch, so it feels GREAT), and it fits into any 88-key case. As a musician, I've been playing keys since I was 4, and bass since I was in the 7th grade. It's been an amazing ride, and I've had the opportunity to share the stage with some absolutely amazing musicians, such as saxophonist Tim Price, bassist Victor Wooten, drummer Poogie Bell, and guitarists Joe Negri, Ken Karsh, and Ron Anthony, guitarist for Frank Sinatra.
I got it used for $2200, whic may have been a little much to pay, but it was the cheapest I could find one, and it sure beat having to haul a digital piano around. I got it because I needed a portable keyboard that did everything (organ, synth, strings, bass, pads, pianos, wurly, clav, e. piano, rhodes, etc.) and did it all WELL.
<a href="http://www.shutterdownmusic.com">http://www.shutterdownmusic.com</a>
As always, I like the fact that the interface is all knobby and everything is laid out in a very precise and logical manner. Everything is sorted into Organ/Piano/Synth groups. Plus, every single paramater can be set to work for any one of the three or multiple at once. Much appreciated. Layering, splitting, storing, binding, creating, etc. is all done as easy as pie. I also love the redness of it. It really stands out from the crowd. The sounds themselves are absolute bliss, from the B3, Farfisa, and Vox Continental sounds all the way through all the pianos, amp modelings, Leslie models (which can also be applied to the pianos and synths!), all the way down to the reverb modeling. It even comes with it's own compressor, as well as an external controller panel for mixing that in along with organ/piano/synth sounds, which have their own individual volume settings. I also especially appreciate the modulation wheel and bend knob design. It's actually designed to let your thumb rest on the mod wheel and your first finger rest right in the groove of the bending knob, so that you can manipulate both at once very comfortably. WAY more awesome than ribbons or levers. It also sports 4 channels of outputs or two stereo sets, as well as a headphone jack that doesn't mute the main out (unless you want it to), and a full compliment of organ and expression inputs to control rotor speed, organ swell, and other midi and expression pedals. The software editor and the online sound bank also let you choose from hundreds of downloads of other pianos/organs/instruments to put on your Nord, so you're never without the exact tones you need for your gig. Last but not least, the action is absolutely fantastic for a 30-something pound piano. Yeah...only 30 pounds. WOW.
Not much to say here. The bright red design might not be the best for concerts/recitals/musicals where the pit is visible, as it can be distracting in a more formal setting. The rotor speed on the leslie is only fast/slow. Some of the amp models sound a little thin. Oh, and $3400 is a little pricey for a keyboard, but I firmly believe this board is well worth it, even at that price.
Don't let it get banged around. The red, much like black, will show scratches right away.
Great, great, great, great, great, great board. I've wanted one for years now, and it's an absolute joy to finally have one. These are the best stage pianos on the market, even a head and shoulders above the Korg SV-1, which is, really, its only competition, and the Korg doesn't do anything that betters Nord. Not a thing. At all. I give it a 5, because I don't have the option to rate it a 10. It's that good.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
I got it used for $2200, whic may have been a little much to pay, but it was the cheapest I could find one, and it sure beat having to haul a digital piano around. I got it because I needed a portable keyboard that did everything (organ, synth, strings, bass, pads, pianos, wurly, clav, e. piano, rhodes, etc.) and did it all WELL.
<a href="http://www.shutterdownmusic.com">http://www.shutterdownmusic.com</a>
As always, I like the fact that the interface is all knobby and everything is laid out in a very precise and logical manner. Everything is sorted into Organ/Piano/Synth groups. Plus, every single paramater can be set to work for any one of the three or multiple at once. Much appreciated. Layering, splitting, storing, binding, creating, etc. is all done as easy as pie. I also love the redness of it. It really stands out from the crowd. The sounds themselves are absolute bliss, from the B3, Farfisa, and Vox Continental sounds all the way through all the pianos, amp modelings, Leslie models (which can also be applied to the pianos and synths!), all the way down to the reverb modeling. It even comes with it's own compressor, as well as an external controller panel for mixing that in along with organ/piano/synth sounds, which have their own individual volume settings. I also especially appreciate the modulation wheel and bend knob design. It's actually designed to let your thumb rest on the mod wheel and your first finger rest right in the groove of the bending knob, so that you can manipulate both at once very comfortably. WAY more awesome than ribbons or levers. It also sports 4 channels of outputs or two stereo sets, as well as a headphone jack that doesn't mute the main out (unless you want it to), and a full compliment of organ and expression inputs to control rotor speed, organ swell, and other midi and expression pedals. The software editor and the online sound bank also let you choose from hundreds of downloads of other pianos/organs/instruments to put on your Nord, so you're never without the exact tones you need for your gig. Last but not least, the action is absolutely fantastic for a 30-something pound piano. Yeah...only 30 pounds. WOW.
Not much to say here. The bright red design might not be the best for concerts/recitals/musicals where the pit is visible, as it can be distracting in a more formal setting. The rotor speed on the leslie is only fast/slow. Some of the amp models sound a little thin. Oh, and $3400 is a little pricey for a keyboard, but I firmly believe this board is well worth it, even at that price.
Don't let it get banged around. The red, much like black, will show scratches right away.
Great, great, great, great, great, great board. I've wanted one for years now, and it's an absolute joy to finally have one. These are the best stage pianos on the market, even a head and shoulders above the Korg SV-1, which is, really, its only competition, and the Korg doesn't do anything that betters Nord. Not a thing. At all. I give it a 5, because I don't have the option to rate it a 10. It's that good.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com