Nord Stage 3 versus Nord Stage 2 Comparison and Feature Details

[@ldifalco2010]

One mistake: The Stage 2EX HP76 does have a hammer portable action. The EX HP76 is 27 pounds, the Stage 2 76 weighs 36 pounds because of the action. The chart is wrong. If you look at the Stage 2EX chart comparison you'll see the action comparison is different.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi @Lou Di Falco - great to hear from you. Thanks for calling this out and bringing it to our attention. I didn't realize the chart was wrong but it makes sense now because of the action... I've pinned this comment for a while as I like to have the most accurate info for people at the top... Thanks again Lou, and thanks for watching!

[@darrickkeels6387]

Another nice practical video that can help a person make a buying decision. I already own the Stage 3 but I still watched this entire video for the education. Well done Marc!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thanks Darrick - always great to hear from you! Keep up the good work yourself. I watched your polyphony video and have the same thoughts on this...

[@stevedonovan1649]

Mark, Excellent video! It help me decide to sell my Nord Stage 2 EX 88HA, I will be purchasing a used Nord Stage 3 73sw keyboard.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@stevedonovan1649 Hello Steven! Yes, the Nord Stage 3 is a fairly big jump up from the Stage 2 - especially in the synth department. When ready, I have free and paid courses on my website for pro training: www.MyKeysToMusic.com

[@teashea1]

Another great video Marc. I was playing my Electro 6 yesterday and was thinking about your videos.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thanks for thinking about me Thomas! You have been a loyal supporter of the channel here (and you are also very supportive in the Nord community in general with other channels too). So, thanks for being you. More content is planned ahead of the holidays. Take care!

[@gorapopkin104]

Congratulations Mark ! You're doing an incredible job! Good luck with your Sweetwater journey!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thank you @Gora Popkin I appreciate your comment here and look forward to the Sweetwater journey as well!

[@jaydezproductions2081]

Great video Marc, I ask you about these two boards Friday and wow you have a full video today, It really helped me out a lot! Still waiting on that Piano 5 vid though!! LOL!!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Happy to do a video like this as they tend to be more popular than some of the others and the question comes up a lot where students who own a Stage 2 are wondering if they take my Stage 3 course, will then learn things. I always say yes, there's about 85% overlap. Thanks for being the inspiration on this video Jaydez!

[@jpag57]

Hi Marc and thank you again for your detailed presentations. I hung onto my NS2 HA88 when I migrated to the NS3 88 back in 2017. The NS2 is my backup - which has come in handy on a number of occasions. I also have a (no longer functioning) NS1 HA88 that was my primary keyboard for about a half dozen years prior to purchasing the NS2. There’re a good many anecdotes and adventures to share re my NS1, 2 and 3 - though today I’m going to investigate using an iPad Pro, a MacBook Pro and forScore to send program changes. Although I like to change sounds on the fly, this feature could come in handy nonetheless. Have you noticed that the NS2 seems to be built a little more solidly than the NS3? Thanks again!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@Jean-Pierre Garau Thanks for your comment. I haven't noticed that the NS2 seems more solid than the NS3 but that's only because I don't have my hands on an NS2. For your work regarding changing programs with forScore...I assume you have seen my video on this already? kzbin.info/www/bejne/emLWiIOIYtBqpac Keep in touch and you know where to find me (us).

[@MinheeJones]

Hi Marc! Thanks for all the amazing Nord insights!! I have a quick question that I think I sadly know the answer to :( I am doing a fly show in a remote place where the festival can only get a hold of Nord Stage 2s and I am a Stage 3 user. Can I just change the filenames on my .ns3f program files to .ns2p and load them onto the NS2s? Or, if I sample all of my sounds in the Nord Sample Editor, can I export those to the Nord Stage 2? Is there a less annoying way to do this or am I screwed haha. Thanks in advance!!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@MinheeJones Hey Minhee! Long time no speak. So the short answer is, you are out of luck on this one. There is nothing in common with the program files between a NS2 and an NS3. It would be easier at this point to continue to track down a Nord Stage 3, perhaps. The only other thing I can think of is if you had the opportunity to get the NS2 well in advance, you could "reprogram" the necessary sounds directly on the Stage 2. This can be made a little easier by deciphering the sound settings on your Nord Stage 3 in advance using the Nord file viewer found here: ns3-program-viewer.cyclic.app I explain the Nord File Viewer in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6fKeZ94hbGYfpIfeature=shared So, the bottom line would be to reprogram everything directly on the NS2 (from scratch), but do it the help of the Nord file viewer where the settings are exposed, making your life a touch easier (but still nowhere near easy). I wish the news could be better, but, alas, that is the way of the world when it comes to program migration between two different Nord keyboard versions. On a side note, it would be great to see you perform - I miss watching your raw talent shine.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

And regarding your idea to sample the NS3... Yes you could sample your raw sounds from the NS3 and record them on the computer and then make samples backwards compatible for the NS2 but that's going to be a lot of monkey business as well. Also, note that Stage 2 has even less sample memory storage versus NS3. I assume, too, that you'll be using your arpeggiator for your bass pulse sounds (a big assumption here), which means even with your NS3 sample loaded on the NS2, you're still going to have to program a bunch of things on the NS2 to get it to work correctly with your setup. If you want detailed training on the Nord Sample Editor, I make that available on my website for free: www.MyKeysToMusic.com (Master the Nord Sample Editor). Just be sure to "save as the sample library 2.0," or else it won't work when you get there, and that's going to be a real problem... Idea #2: It might be worth preparing sounds on an Apple computer and using something like MainStage so that everything is on the computer and you're no longer dependent on any particular physical keyboard. But I also realize this is recreating the wheel for a single show, perhaps (also a lot of work and a completely different workflow for you). Idea #3: Bring your Nord Keyboard with you in a flight case. (I know, this sounds scary.) But what sounds scarier to me is performing a show without your baby by your side in a very remote place.

[@MinheeJones]

@@MyKeysToMusic Hi Marc, thank you so so much for your detailed reply!!! Lots of great info here. HUGELY appreciated! Ok, I think I will try to get a hold of a NS2 and reprogram on that or use Mainstage. I just hate having to rely on a computer - but would be a good backup to have. Thank you so much again for all your infinite Nord wisdom!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@@MinheeJones Happy to help. No pressure, but would love to see more content from you when you get the time (after your tour perhaps?) I know the effort that goes into it, but you've got the stuff! Oh, and best of luck on your upcoming tour - it sounds absolutely awesome!! There would be good stories to tell about that too if you wanted to make that a thing on KZbin. All the best to you!

[@MinheeJones]

@@MyKeysToMusic Thank you so much!! My new years' resolution for the last...4 years has been to make more content haha! Perhaps this is the year! I really appreciate your advice and also support - thank you and all the best to you too :)

[@OrangeTreeChannel]

wow! That is very detailed, exactly what I need. I'm considering buying a keyboard more acquainted to stage. Thanks a lot!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@Orange Tree Happy to help! The Nord Electro 6 is an alternative, but it's not as feature-rich. If you have more questions, you know where to find me.

[@OrangeTreeChannel]

@@MyKeysToMusic Thanks! Right now I have a Roland FP-7F (more of an electric piano). I am testing the HA 76 version of the Nord Stage 3 of a friend. I like the ergonomics for stage but I'm not quite sure about that "soft touch keybed" and the piano sounds yet.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@@OrangeTreeChannel You are lucky to have a friend with a HA 76 where you can test it. This particular keybed is unique and takes some getting used to. Some love it and others think it's a bit "too resistant" for their playing style. However, all the sounds you hear are going to be the same no matter which Stage 3 you settle on (73, 76, or 88). The piano sounds are interchangeable too and can change greatly based on the EQ settings you tweak. You may find you have to brighten them up a bit when playing live with a a bigger group. The Stage 3 also provides you the built-in synth which is very handy. I spend a lot of time with synth as it can cover most songs etc.

[@OrangeTreeChannel]

@@MyKeysToMusic That's good to know! Would you say it can replace an acoustic or digital piano in pop or CCM set (in terms of fluency, sound & expression)?

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@@OrangeTreeChannel ​ Yes there are a lot of piano choices for both acoustic and digital pianos. And the replication of the Rhodes sounds is second to none in my opinion. Now, will you get all the flexibility you get with software or other keyboards that use computerized "modeled" pianos? No. But I believe they provided enough choices to hit just about any genre or range of sound you might need. Continue to watch videos here on KZbin to be sure it has the sounds you are looking for explore your friend's HP more and go through all the sounds if you can.

[@harold12A]

Can't imagine buying a Stage 3 and then they release Stage 4 any moment from now. Cos Stage 3 certainly needs some improvements in a few areas such as the storage available for the piano and synth samples. And of course.... the keybed

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@Harold A - thanks for your comment. If I had proof that a Stage 4 was on the near horizon, I'd tend to agree with you! And as you can imagine, I can't wait to see what they come up with for the Stage 4. *A few things to consider while we wait for a Nord Stage 4:* 1) Based on history, Nord goes from a primary model (like the Stage 3) to the Stage 3 EX as the next step in the progression. If we trust history as our guide on this, it may be "years" before we see a new Stage 4. 😪 2) When the Stage 4 does come out, it will be top dollar, likely exceeding a lot of budgets out there? The Stage 2 and 3 will be possible lower-cost alternatives while still providing a lot of functionality. 3) If they greatly increase the storage, that will have a lot of appeal because that tends to be the #1 critique most people have with Nord products that use any kind of samples (Stage, Electro, Wave, Piano). If you know any insider info on any of this, do share!

[@harold12A]

@@MyKeysToMusic thanks for the insight. I got the 6D in March this year but now looking to get the Stage 3.. Morph assign, panel A and B and of course mod wheel and pitch bend. Got the Electro for the organ works in church. The Stage will take care of pianos.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Harold - what I think you'll love most about the Stage 3 is the pianos combined with the options for the synth. I think you'll also enjoy the "Extern" area, where you can control other hardware/software directly from the Stage 3. And the good news is that most of the skills that you learned operating the Electro will translate well to the Nord Stage 3. The Nord Stage 3 takes everything up a few notches for sure - it's a beast!

[@willemcheizoo521]

The keybed on the latest Piano 5 is amazing!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@@willemcheizoo521 Yes and I didn't really mention the Piano 5 (but I did quickly mention the Nord Grand). But you are right, the Piano 5 keybed which highlights the triple sensor is a wonderful keybed from what I've heard. I never played on a Piano 5 personally but I have played the Nord Grand and the Piano 4 at NAMM 2020. I have my eyes on a Piano 5 and perhaps a training course. Not sure the interest would be out there for the Piano 5 pro training course and I wonder if the need is there, assuming it is quite a bit easier to use than a Stage 3 by comparison. Then again, if the Piano 5 is someone's very first Nord keyboard, they would likely benefit by having the option to purchase a pro training course for it. Also, there may be some people who are classically trained piano players who grew up playing traditional acoustic piano but may not have necessarily been exposed to an advanced electronic stage keyboard like the Nord Piano 5. Hmmm. 🤔

[@davevaebutuoy]

Your mention of people spending crazy amounts to buy old synths is definitely true. In 1981, I bought an analog Roland SH-3 synth for something like $100. Two years ago, I sold it online for $800! It had extra LFO's which made for some nice sounds, but it had some issues too (could only play one key at a time, and it drifted out of tune from left to right on the keyboard -- some analog part had obviously failed). There's no way it replaced $800 of functionality on my NS3! It did help to pay for it though!!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Great story and it goes to show that synths increase in value over time. The same is true for the Nord line of keyboards. The price increase in 2022 is another small example of this. Sounds like you got a heck of a deal on the Roland resale. I had an original SH 101 from 1983 or so. I could kick myself for letting it go, (I likely traded it at Daddy's Junky Music or Guitar Center in 1987) or something really foolish like that. Who knew these boards would be so valuable some 36 years later. I was in high school so my focus was getting the Roland D50 and such or a brand new Korg Poly 800. Lesson learned!

[@1881Gordon]

I had to Pause this video and add that, for someone like me, who is looking to purchase either a Stage 2 73 Maybe76 OR a Stage 3 73 Maybe 76 (If I'm lucky enough to find one in my budget price range)... This Video is absolutely Golden. Great job!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thank you! Glad you like the video. I'm planning on a comparison video between the Nord Stage 3 and 4 as well. Just got my NS4 so, just getting that going...

[@rijschoolgeluk5863]

Hi Marco. I am sandra from Holland. I have a nord stage 2 .. There is no steedrum in it. Can you help me where i can download and inserts the file #😅 i don't know if i White it down correctie...# Into my nord stage 2 . Thanks for all the video's. Great job .😊

[@Cedar77]

There are seamless transitions on the Stage 2. They don't even know their own products it seems. All you have to do is switch between slot A and B while playing. No abrupt disconnects there. I understand that this is about program switching but still, the Stage 2 does have seamless transitions.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@Cyan37 You bring up a perfect and detailed point here. Expanding on your idea a bit, when we think about seamless transitions, we should consider the following areas: 1) Turning engines on and off. For example, if you play and hold notes in the piano engine and turn off the piano engine, the cutoff for the NS3 and NE6 is abrupt. On the NS4, it's seamless. 2) Switching from Organ Preset I and II is abrupt on all keyboards (perhaps this is what we expect, but perhaps not). 3) Switching between layers/slots/panels/scenes is seamless for the NS2, NS3, NS4, and even the NW2. 4) Switching the layers with the "Solo" button. NW2 and NS4 = abrupt. 5) Switching programs while in "Live mode": Optional for NS3, NS4, and NE6. NW2 = abrupt 6) Switching between programs (in standard mode): This is optional for the NE6, NS3, and NS4. However, Wave 2 does not allow for seamless transitions as of this writing, even though it was created when this feature was available in other Nord keyboards. Thanks for your comment - it allowed us to explore this concept in greater detail today. 👍

[@Cedar77]

@@MyKeysToMusic Aye, great points! You got a lot more info than I do. Just thought I'd have a look at the stage 3. I'm still enjoying my Stage 2 (not EX) that I bought not long after release and love it to this day. Sure there are many nice new features but I just don't see myself upgrading anytime soon. The opposite actually, I'm getting more interested in synths now and might actually expand with a Sequential Pro 3. Something that would get me to get a new nord might be things like expandable memory, more freely assignable buttons/controls, custom zones, vibrato function,... Edit: by vibrato function I mean something like the seaboard but without ditching the standard piano keys.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@@Cedar77 I like your line of thinking here. Expanding to a non-Nord synth will let you play the field a bit while also learning synthesis. And if Nord ever came out with a Seaboard-type control interface, I think that would be an exciting offering. If they did something like that, I'd like to see them embed "modeled instruments" in the sound engine like we have with SWAM instruments. That way, we could have authentic trumpet sounds played on the expression interface. This would be one big way to leapfrog the competition and then some...

[@danielmikkelsen5470]

So great to watch this comparison! i was wondering about that, and I think I will hold out for a Stage 3. But I'm finally getting to a point of investing in a Lead A1, some time soon. That is a bit more realistic these days with energie prices here in EU skyrocketing, and I'll still look forward to a Stage 3 some time later. So I think that great Lead A1 synth capability would be fine for me now. By the way, hope you make a video some time about it's synth engine 😀

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hello Daniel - glad you like the comparison and that's exciting about your getting ready for a Lead A1 - a terrific synth by the way. Sure, it doesn't play samples but packs a punch and great keyboard to learn synthesis and very powerful when you consider the 4 layers. I used it on the Chariots of Fire video and it held down some key parts, specifically the important bell-like arpeggios in the background along with the highest of strings and of course the all-important "white noise" pulsing in the background. You can find that one here if you didn't already watch it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y5DFe5-dgdGoqrc And the Lead A1 is still being manufactured here in late 2022, but I believe it will end up being a classic Synth and I don't plan on ever getting rid of mine. I really should do more videos on it. It fights for my attention between the Stage 3 and Wave 2 which is the only reason it sits on the bench and doesn't always make a cut on the next video. 😪

[@danielmikkelsen5470]

​@@MyKeysToMusic I totally get that, the newer keyboards are more eligible for videos.. Very cool Chariots of fire sounds, even better than the original synth sound today. I think Vangelis used the Yamaha CS-80, which sounded amazing. i hope to recreate some of those sounds on a Nord. I think he actually made some tracks already in 1973 that also sounded great already. He was a great pioneer of synth!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@@danielmikkelsen5470 He certainly was a great pioneer of the synth. The Yamaha CS-80 can be replicated reasonably well on a Nord keyboard so long as it has a piano engine. Let us know when the A1 arrives if you have the time and think of it.

[@WayneConrey]

Would love a comparison video of the stage 3 vs Stage 4

[@eutet9633]

you compared the Nord stage 3 with the Nord stage 2 EXm which is from 2017 , it's an update from te version of 2011. so you did not compare it with the first Nord stage 2's

[@MyKeysToMusic]

@eutet9633 Correct, Gewooneu. I used the Nord comparison chart when I made the video at the time, and as such, I believe the specs assumed the Stage 2 EX. Incidentally, Nord has since created their own comparison configurator on their website, but alas, they don't list the older keyboards such as the Nord Stage 2. www.nordkeyboards.com/compare/?product_ids=20%2C54 So, I took the liberty back in July to download all the comparison charts available in the "wayback machine" and post them here on my Patreon page, now available to loyal Patreon supporters (which does include both the Stage 2 compared with the Stage 2 EX) if interested: www.patreon.com/posts/original-nord-113743512?Link& Finally, you may be able to do the same thing I did in July 2024 yourself: locate the Nord Keyboards website in the Wayback machine. This takes some digging, and as each day goes by, the "way back" machine has a chance of losing/arching this data, never to be seen again. (I haven't looked for it recently, but I remember it took some doing the first time.) What really needs to happen here is for someone like me to pull all these old comparison charts into an online database and create a dynamic website/configurator to allow people to search Nord Keyboards older than the Electro 5, Stage 3, Wave 2, etc. According to what I see on today's available comparison chart from Nord, they stopped short of listing the "really old" Nords and only went one version back from the ones they currently sell. I assume they did this thinking that no one would be interested? In my view, there are a TON of people still using Stage, Stage 2, Electro 3, etc. and having the old charts available in a proper configurator would be very helpful (and interesting). My vision for this is to have something just like they have already but to also include the old boards.

[@07JaK92]

I wonder how many years it'll take for the Stage 4!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Jason, this is a good question. I read on their website today (it was in Swedish) that they are looking for programmers who work with embedded code to add to their team. This tells me they are still interested in innovation (a good thing). But when (or if) a Nord 4 is planned or coming soon is a very good question. I hope they skip past an "EX" version and go right for a Stage 4 with improved capability and more features. Time will tell, but we know this, it has been a WHILE since we've seen anything related to a Stage keyboard so, they are due in my opinion.