Nord Stage 3 versus Nord Electro 5D Comparison, Review and Tutorial (Part 2)

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Note: with the arrival of OS version 1.4 on 4/10/2018 for the Stage 3, a couple of things have changed: In order to facilitate the optional Numeric Pad program selection mode, the program bank structure of the Nord Stage 3 has been modified so that banks now contain 25 programs (5 program pages): The programs within each bank are numbered 11-15, 21-25, 31-35, 41-45 and 51-55. The total number of Program banks is 16, labeled A-P The total number of program locations is still 400 The order in which programs are placed on the Nord Stage 3 is not altered by this update, and Song lists will remain intact

[@Jsteeeeze]

how do i navigate the new numeric pad program selection mode? for example if I'm on A:11 (NS3) how do I jump to, say, L: 25?

[@Gw49172]

Love finding channels like this. No hype, just insighter info. Thanks a lot

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thank you Guido! I appreciate the comment today and for watching!

[@obwanz1921]

Really fantastic job. I appreciate all the work you put into these, and they couldn’t be any clearer. I’m now a subscriber!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thanks Obwanz! These have been a lot of fun to do. I keep discovering new things with each video as well.

[@mikecampbell4349]

Me too!

[@TransistorBased]

One thing I do with a piano/piano split is for 'Hold the Line' to have two CP80 sounds, but the higher one has chorus. That way the bass notes don't get muddy

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Great tip! thank for sharing this. 👍🏼

[@AyelenInsuamusica]

Thank you so so so much. All this info is so appreciated! Hugs from Argentina

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Glad it was helpful!

[@teashea1]

So intelligently organized and the graphics .... wow

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thanks Thomas

[@mikecampbell4349]

Very informative, thank you!!

[@teashea1]

Very well done thanks

[@ElementalityStudios]

Hello! Really love this video series! I have one question though. For the Stage 3, you mentioned that one of the split layers could be a controller keyboard. Can the Electro 5D also work as a MIDI controller for DAWs in any way? I would really love to have a Nord that can also function as a basic MIDI controller if needed!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hello @Elementality NJ Thank you for your comment. Yes, the Nord Electro 5D can send basic MIDI to a DAW but of course, there is no pitch bend or mod wheel on the Electro which limits your options quite a bit. But even without those options, you'll be able to send MIDI notes along with velocity. You cannot however use any of the Electro knobs and buttons to control anything - not even a little. Free free to ask more questions as they present themsevles.

[@bizl0078]

Thank you. Thank. You.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Happy to do it Steve...

[@bizl0078]

I still would like you to do a video just on splits and layers. I’ll pay you lol

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi Steve. I'll add that to the list. I can see a big benefit to having a dedicated video on splits and layers for the Stage 3 because people don't necessarily think to go to a "comparison video" in order to learn about splits on the Nord Stage 3. I'm also working on a dedicated Stage 3 training course as well. We're several weeks away from having all this done but it's all on the list :) 🙂 If you are serious about "paying" or discussing more details of a video like this, feel free to send me an email at [e-mail] - thanks!

[@jasonhernandez2005]

The way you play! Hopefully you upload tutorials for piano as well! Or tips on how to use layers, splits, and duals and how to make them more interesting. Nice image quality by the way!!!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thanks Jason. These are good ideas for future videos - I'll keep all that in mind. Thanks for watching!

[@TuttodunfiatoPanfluteHarmonica]

V. Nice tutorial

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Thanks Harmonic World!

[@arskamusicman7444]

Hi. Could you do part 3 because i think it's the most interesting one. I want to know how the sounds are different between these two keyboards.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi Arska! Part 3 is underway and hope to have it out in a reasonable amount of time (by early next week). Stay tuned and thanks for watching!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi Icerenttuman736! Part 3 is complete! You can check it out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3Laqmd8jN1pg7s and thanks for watching!

[@TheSunlight74]

Hi I'm pretty sure the Electro 5D also allows you to have five parts assigned within a song? Great videos btw!

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi Simon. You are correct! The Nord Electro 5D does offer the choice of 4 song parts per song listing represented by letters "A-D" on the front panel of the keyboard while in song mode. This feature was accidentally omitted from the video above when I discussed it. For those reading this comment, the Electro 5D allows 4 song parts while the Stage 3 allows 5. Good catch Simon.

[@teashea1]

One thing I did with the sound manager is to delete about two thirds of the instruments and programs. I narrowed these down to the ones I like. By eliminating the ones I don't want, it makes it much easier to find what I want.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

This is a great idea actually - and might be a good candidate for another video down the road.

[@teashea1]

The sound manager is easy to use and one can always back deleted sounds ---- looking forward to #3

[@SydneyEllenMusic]

🤘🤘

[@camodude51]

Ty

[@Christi3443]

Thanks for the overview; great job! However I have two questions left: 1) What's the difference between Banks and Songs? Seems to me they both just store settings. 2) you said 100/200 banks are empty and the others are programmed by the factory. So can I somehow export the factory-programmed banks to a USB Stick and then later import them again? That would allow me to use all banks without loosing the factory programmed banks.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi Christian! Thanks for your comments and questions. 1) Your first question is somewhat difficult to explain and perhaps someone out there can explain it better than me, but let me give it a try. "Banks" can be described as the default location where your programs are stored (you have to start somewhere) and this comes pre-programmed from the factory. You can change it, of course, to suit your general playing style and/or specific needs so that you always have a great starting point for how your keyboard is organized. A song list, on the other hand, is meant to be a more "flexible" storage location for you to modify based on a given (and oftentimes temporary) circumstance such as a particular performance or recording session. The fundamentals of how the banks and songs work and how they are organized are similar - they both simply store the settings (programs) of the entire keyboard. One big advantage of the "Song" area is that it can be accessed with its own dedicated set of control buttons on the keyboard, named a specific name, and is generally meant to give the musician a flexible and customizable way to "stay organized". Imagine for example you have to play a song that required you to switch from piano to brass and then a pad as the song progressed from part to part. This can be quite challenging if you had to go from A1 (piano), then switch to a Brass on B09, and then finally to a mellow pad on D14. It just wouldn't be effective spinning the knob up and down manually. However, having this pre-stored as a "song" gives you the ability to call up the song and immediately have each song part available to you with the click of a single button in less than a second. Put another way, think of the memory banks as the encyclopedia of available sounds each in chapters (banks). Think of a song list as having your very own "customizable table of contents" for that encyclopedia. [Side note, off topic]: I've talked to a few local musician friends of mine who play in pit orchestras for various musicals where the keyboard is a centerpiece for so many sounds. There is a high demand for people who can play well, read well and actually have the ability to "program" their synth/keyboard in a way that is conducive to live performance by switching to effective songs/parts quickly. They say good piano players who can read well are fairly easy to find. However, finding ones that can also "program" their keyboard/synthesizer and who are not intimidated by that process and/or effort in preparation for a live musical is another story. If you were a keyboardist working in a pit orchestra and you had a Nord Stage 3 at your disposal, you would likely be using the heck out of the song lists or using something like Apple's "Main Stage" software connected to a computer to get the job done. It's doubtful you could rely on the pre-programmed banks alone unless the musical only called upon a few different sounds with plenty of time to "fiddle" with finding them during the performance. 2) Regarding your second question about exporting factory pre-programmed banks. I'll answer that by saying "yes and no". Yes, you can backup the entire keyboard with a given configuration you made to a USB Stick. This would backup the programs as well as the samples/pianos along with it. Think of it as an entire backup and/or snapshot. All the settings for programs along with the actual samples, sounds, and configurations that make up those programs would be stored for you just as you have it. Then you could change things with the keyboard itself or by using the Nord Sound Manager software to your heart's content. At any time you want to restore your keyboard to the original settings you made when you took the backup/snapshot - you can do that. (Note this takes time to move these large files back and forth between the computer and the keyboard. ) All of this is done either using the "backup" settings on the Nord Sound Manager or if you just need a small subset of programs backed up, you can create a "bundle" also using the Nord Sound Manager software and a computer. And no, to my knowledge you cannot take a backup/snapshot of just your programs/songs without also including the underlying pianos/samples that make up those programs. I believe this is by design as a program by itself is comprised of underlying pianos/samples which can be linked and switched independently. If someone were to export a listing of these - the listing is highly dependent on the underlying sound/sample/piano that makes up that listing so Nord includes both the settings as well as the piano sounds/samples along with those settings. This has the distinct advantage of allowing you to create your own samples and share them with others in their original format by including the sample itself along with the settings that accompany it (called a bundle). Also, note that at any time you "mess up" your Nord, you can restore back to "factory settings" by downloading the complete bundle right from the Nord website. This will allow you to completely restore your Nord back to factory settings. Always be sure to keep your Nord up to date with the latest OS software and keep your Nord Sound Manager up to date as well (all available at www.nordkeyboards.com). Clear as mud?

[@Christi3443]

Thank you for your detailed response! 1) So if I got this right, songs do not actually store settings but just hold references to banks, right? So for each song I can set which banks the 5 buttons under the display refer to but not store "new" settings that do not refer to a bank? Like links on the Internet that refer to some website. 2) Ok, got it. As long as I can download the factory settings again from the Nord website and make a hard reset, I'm fine. I just don't want to lose data by overwriting the factory presets.

[@MyKeysToMusic]

1) Correct! Songs are really just a reference to existing sound banks/programs not unlike having bookmarks in your browser. A song stores the pointer to an existing sound bank/program. 2) Correct again. I'm sure users are constantly playing with settings/programs for a given situation and there are those days where it would just be easier to start from scratch by loading the factory settings. This technique works really well in the case you have purchased a used Nord board from someone who has modified it to their own taste but all you really want is the factory settings now that the board is yours. Oh and THANKS Christian for Subscribing!!

[@mikecampbell4349]

Hi Mark, is there a way to save a layered sound?

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi Mike! Yes, there is a way to save a layered sound. In fact, saving a sound in the world of Nord is what's know as saving to a "program". A program is a bunch of settings that include which sound generators are on (Organ, Piano, Synth/sample) as well as all the settings that go along with that) for both panels A and B (in the case of a Nord Stage 3). So, saving a program is very easy. Just click the red "store button" and follow the instructions. If you want to see a step by step way to do this, watch this video (I believe you may have already watched this video earlier) starting at 5:51: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6rJiKGnotimnq8m51s

[@mikecampbell4349]

My Keys To Music thanks Mark! How many programs can you save? Is it only 5?

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Mike, you can actually save up to 400 programs on the Nord Stage 3 and about 300 come already filled in from the factory (however, you can change any of these out for your own as well). So it goes like this: 1) You have up to 400 Program locations 2) You have up to 400 locations to store a "song". And each song can have up to 5 programs assigned to it. Hope that makes sense!

[@mikecampbell4349]

Is the only difference between the Nord Stage 3 Compact and the Nord Stage 3 HP 76 the amount of keys and waterfall versus weighted?

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Mike, you are mostly correct. Other differences are the traditional drawbars (Compact) versus the digital drawbars (HP76). Not to forget the overall size and weight differences between the two keyboards. Oh, and the HP weighted keys are larger as well (longer). Hope that helps!

[@mikecampbell4349]

My Keys To Music thanks Marc! I’m having a hard time trying to decide what model to buy. I live in NYC and none of the music store have a Nord Stage 3 on their floor to try out. I’m in a wedding band that plays almost every weekend. We play the pop stuff and classic rock. What keyboard do you think would suit me best?

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Mike, this is a tough question and the main reason I created so many videos on it. If the synth part of the Stage 3 is something you find you may not use much in the band and you can live without the pitch bend and mod wheel, then perhaps an Electro 6 would fit the bill nicely. On the other hand, if the budget allows for it, the Stage 3 has it all. Great question - very tough to answer. I'd start with the "dealbreakers" and work your way through the decision process that way. For example, in my situation, size and weight are a big deal which is why the 88 Key Stage 3 was first OFF my list. I don't have a permanent studio and I'm always hauling this stuff around. But for the next person, they may love the fact that they have all 88 keys at this fingertips. So, you see what I mean, everyone is different which is why you have to go through the process and figure out what's most important for you (identify the dealbreakers) and work backward from there. Good luck!

[@mikecampbell4349]

My Keys To Music thanks! How do you like the HP 76? Is it heavy to lug around?

[@MyKeysToMusic]

Hi Mike. I don't like lugging the HP 76 around but it is made a tad easier with the Nord wheel case (kzbin.info/www/bejne/hpeceWibgd1lfLc) and with the fact I'm playing here at the home studio more than I do playing out on gigs. So I think you have to find how important the extra keys are (and their associated weight, feel, and action from that decision) relative to how often you'll be packing it, unpacking it, and moving it around. If I were playing out more and doing it all over again, I'd probably buy the Nord Stage 3 Compact. With that said, I do like the 76 Key though for practicing here at home because it's a great hand/finger strengthener and it's a bit more of a physical challenge to play versus any of the waterfall key types (which is fun for me in a strange sort of way). Watch my speed test video (if you haven't already): kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3nco3l8lJWrmJY