Roland RD 2000 vs Nord Stage 3

These two keyboards both happen to boast a wide range of features and sounds, but which one is right for you? In this video I talk about the differences, pros, and cons of the Nord Stage 3 and the Roland RD2000, and the things I like and dislike about each instrument. I did find two serious flaws with the Nord Stage: the highest drawbar doesn't work on the organ section, and the keybed has an annoying glitch that I will cover in detail in the comparison to the CP88.

[@shalemjackson9322]

I personally loved the default piano of Roland over the Nord...just because it was much crisper and clearer at the bass parts... Open and ambient like a piano should be...

[@TonyDrake1960]

Thank you for this comprehensive review of two great keyboards. I am a Roland man at heart. Ever since I purchased my first synths (an SH-2 and Juno 60) in the early 1980’s, I have been a huge fan of Roland sound and build quality ever since. I was a Roland product specialist for the South African agents for Roland between 1988 and 1996. Having said all this, I do feel that it is unfortunate that you seem to have landed with a faulty Nord for this review. I own many Roland keyboards, but I also own a Nord Electro 5, and, in terms of authenticity, the Nord wins hands down w.r.t. acoustic piano and Hammond organ emulation (including the rotary/Leslie effect). In contrast, I find Nord synth sounds disappointing. Roland synth leads, pads, and basses are way better in my opinion. However, another important aspect of sound, is the context. In my experience, one has to take into consideration the difference between working in the studio, and live stage performance. For me, studio work is about authenticity, and the Nord delivers beautifully. (bearing in mind that I have not experienced any technical glitches with my Electro 5). However, for a big stage, authenticity is less important than having a sound that cuts through a big live mix, and, in my experience, this is where Roland wins every time. Many will claim that Yamaha digital pianos are ‘warmer’, and that is true, but one needs the brightness to cut through, and occupy the frequency range that is left open by the other instruments on stage. To summarise, I think the Nord products are excellent, and possibly the best at accurately emulating real pianos and organs, even though they are expensive. Roland, however, has a sonic clarity that cuts through a big live mix, and generally makes better synthesizers.

[@strawberryyogurt0]

@Tony Drake .... Having no knowledge on any of this keyboard stuff, if the Roland RD2000 is better than the Nord Stage 3, maybe a stupid question, but would a real piano then be better than the Roland RD2000 for live stage performance?

[@sippyjuice]

you just saved me 2 grand...I've been salivating over a Nord for a while as they have increased in popularity since my last stage piano purchase. I've been trying to justify spending that much but if it doesn't feel like a real piano it's a deal breaker.

[@christ7897]

A very good review James. I have the RD2000 which I'm very happy with. What I love most is it's ability to play VST's, external sampled sounds (Pianoteq, Ravenscroft 275, etc) and integrate with the internal Roland sounds so easily. Everything can be controlled through the RD2000. That said, the Nord has a really nice tone.

[@suzyflorida1193]

Thanks for the review. I have the Rd2000 and I love it and the sound is fantastic (I only use headphones). I mix various sounds together and the end result is heaven. And the combinations are endless, too. And if you like any combination you come up with, you can save it and call it up so easily. And I've noticed that Yohan Kim uses it, too, which says a lot. And, of course, using the Equalizer makes the sound that comes out of the box even greater. I really was blessed the day I found this piano (after playing so many others and was very disappointed with them).

[@phsycopiano]

For me the RD 2000 is a better keyboard. The Nord is great but the Roland is a lot easer to navigate and all the sounds are in there own category instead of mixed all over the place. Plus the wooden keys too. No regrets getting the Roland.

[@snapdragon6084]

Your videos are really great. Honest, very informed, and you clearly know what you're talking about. Invaluable.

[@ChristianDanvill]

Timeline 11:10 Remember to use KBD TOUCH “Piano” on Nord Stage 3 it's a world of difference. No lights is no dynamics at all, the sound is at the same volume when u play hard or soft. Light 1, the hardest curve. This one is close to an upright. Light 2, middle curve, more easy to reach hard tones, the sound is brighter, you can hear it good with EP's. Light 3, the easiest way to hit very hard with a soft touch. Timeline 10:17 I have the same problem with Nord stage 3 when I play the same node fast that the sound gets loud. Thanks for great video

[@modalmixture]

The philosophy of the keyboards is very different. Nord is all about crafting your sound in real time, because it is first and foremost a performance instrument. Nord essentially gives you a bunch of raw materials in the form of some expertly sampled instruments, which some would call ‘unpolished’ and others would say have ‘lots of individual character’. You then shape them to your taste by adding eq, effects, amp sims, control modulations, and layers of other sounds. To help you, you get a hands-on interface that requires almost no menu diving and is laid out extremely intuitively. The sound design is a core part of playing the Nord, as much as a guitarist’s pickup selector, pedals, and amp are part of their performance. The downside to this is that out of the box, the Nord is less playable - there is a bit of a learning curve until it all becomes second nature. The upside is that over time, your keyboard begins to feel truly like *your instrument* as you fill it with your own patches and gain mastery over the interface. And you may also learn a lot about sound design in the process.

[@mauricebrown9183]

I like the Roland RD2000 the best out of these 2 .

[@Kevin-be9iy]

it’s so funny because all his excitement and enthusiasm goes away when he’s reviewing a keyboard instead of a piano

[@noclu9683]

Thanks, James. Always enjoy your reviews. A friend of mine just gave me the Nord (we hand over our machines to each other a lot), nice to hear what you have to say about it.

[@gregaltenhofel7326]

I want to hang out with you guys & become friends.

[@JasonWelchMusic]

I'd like to see your thoughts on the Nord Grand.... it has Kawaii weighted keys. I have played several Nord models that sounded great, but felt like toys to play. Im hopeful that the grand is a big improvement.

[@johnvcougar]

I'd love to hear the Nord vs the RD-88.

[@mitchkahn7651]

Would you consider adding the Nord Grand to your collection, being it has the Kawai action, the same potential sounds and is actually cheaper than the stage 3?

[@Roddo731]

I just skipped through the video again, saw some other folks his comments regarding the glitches on the Nord and Broken button… The glitch with the one key getting really loud… No that’s not good the button… Well even though I’m not a direct keyboard player my wife is and I bought most of the keyboards and use them in my studio over the years and Roland typically quality wise is pretty spot on not perfect but as much stuff as I bought over the last 40 years dating back to the original space echo… Yeah that’s way back, always been solid. My wife reminded me that when she played the nerd when we borrowed it when the Roland went down… So they can have issues to but Roland was spot on in responding… Anyway my wife did not like the way the Nord felt, she said exactly what you said the action was way too light felt like a synth. Now she’s classically trained, spent eight years with a college professor and all her time with him was done on a 9 foot grand in a university setting… And she’s done quite a few master classes in all of that time she studied so she’s played before some world-class pianist’s on world-class pianos… She said well I certainly don’t put the RD2000 in That class those world-class pianos, she said I wouldn’t play the Nord if you paid me the money to buy it over the Roland RD2000. It’s just not enough of a difference… She did say again take the Fantom 8 sounds put them in that RD2000 Chassis and you’ve got a winner

[@jacobbrown1690]

the v piano on the rd2000 can really be tweaked. As it comes stock its a bit dark and not even. But u can adjust each key and get it to do the steinway thing, the polyphany is unlimited.

[@JeffRyan_88keys]

I love that original you played at the beginning. That's catchy and relaxing.

[@javiervallsgaleote3425]

I want to ask you if you could review Roland V-Piano. Others have already review it, but I appreciate your opinion.

[@moldenburg909]

I think the RD2000 is in this comparison the best one, but something you mentioned earlier and that is that all the sounds, probably, come out of one sound bank is still a point. That said I still think a prefer the RD2000 because of all the sounds. And the piano sound isn’t that bad at all.

[@virtualpoboy]

Very interesting comparison.....but..... are they each using the same speakers for the comparison? That can make all the difference in the "sound". The feel of the keyboards and other physical comparisons are just personal choices. Since sound is the measure that is typical, the same speaker system connected to both is a must for a fair comparison.

[@rodolfosarudiansky]

what about Roland V-Piano?

[@sandscribbler]

Hi James - I'm not sure when you shot this video or if you've already returned the Nord Stage 3. But from what I've read, Nord has a new sample called the "White Grand" that has gotten some positive reviews. (I don't remember which piano was used to create the sounds.) Just curious if you've had a chance to try that one, and if you have, what you think about it. Thanks again for these detailed video reviews. I appreciate you taking the time and effort to create and share them.

[@dreamkeyz516]

The White Grand has become my favorite for sure!

[@GeorgeAmodei21]

Almost bought the Roland RD2000 years ago but ended up w/ the YAMAHA CP4. Today I would have bought the ROLAND "FANTOM"88 for Piano or 76 Synth action. my $.02

[@dmboyarkin]

Roland sounds good in the mix

[@jacobbrown1690]

i like the rd 2000. it works well with my jupiter 80 and motif xf..

[@imedicineman]

Can't say as I disagree w/ anything you critiqued. Good job. Thanks.

[@crasch78]

What do you think about the Korg grandstage, I like it more than the nord or the roland

[@555ontario]

Nice review. Wow. I wonder if Nord is aware and fixed that key issue? I have always thought Nord convinced the world to go with their boutique pricing though you still get some fairly significant shortcomings . They do have some great aspects going on like a very good rotary effect. As well, Nord appears to rule the stage these days so they are doing something right. The rotary on the RD200 is terrible. Aside from their dedicated clone-wheel organs, it's been garbage for years. One day Roland may actually finally give you the whole package lol but I have seen this 'hold back' or 'leave off', mannerism, with Roland boards for far too long.

[@ThePianoforever]

While the Nord is far from perfect, the rotary effect is impressive for sure. The Roland rotary sound is hilarious to say the least.

[@tommyflowers7098]

Outstanding review!

[@stephenlennartz3466]

I had an Rd2000. Sounded GREAT and ... I returned it within a week. Whut!? Yes. I'm more of a performing musician than studio. The Rd weighs a ton ... plus it's huge--barely fit in my car. Traded it in for a MODX!! Weighs 16.5 pounds. Sounds great! Even though I'm I huge Roland fan ... I love my Yamaha!

[@surfinhahn100]

Thanks sir. I was abt to buy the RD2000. BUT as u said, it huge, i will opt for a Montage or Modx

[@stjabraham]

Yep that was the deal breaker for me too. For performing I got a stage 3 76 HP. For home - my 37kg Kawai MP9500 and Pianoteq. Best of both worlds then :)

[@jacobbrown1690]

@@surfinhahn100 the montage 88 is heavier than the rd 2000

[@brmh1667]

Thanks for your work here. It is interesting to see and hear your opinions, even though I don't always agree with you. (A Roland fan!)

[@rickperlstein9988]

The thing about Rhodes sounds is that there were a zillion different set-ups for the real things--just depends on what you decide to sample. The one a keyboard lists as "EP 1" might compare better with another's "EP 2."

[@TransistorBased]

If you don't like the Nord piano's sound, go with one of the bazillion other ones, try the piano filters, or use compression. Nord's sounds are known for being relatively unprocessed so the user gets crazy amounts of control over the sound. Same goes for the Rhodes and every other sound on it. It's a little unfair to complain about the action as it's marketed to people also playing fast organ and synth parts. A real piano action wouldn't work with that style of playing. If you want a Nord for strictly piano, just get the Nord Piano! I've honestly never played a Roland that left any real impression, including the Juno-60. They might sound reasonably good, but they're just instruments. Even Korg's stuff feels more playable and comfortable than Roland. I had a Fantom for a while and never felt any sort of attachment to it. It was just a tool to me.

[@musikone1780]

KEYBEDS: Nord: buys keybeds in bulk from Fatar and claims to rework them before they slap them on their keyboards. Approx. 90% of manufactures use fatar keybeds because they are cheap. Roland: designs their own keybeds from scratch. The best keybeds are found on KAWAI.

[@stjabraham]

Amen brutha. That's why I gig with a stage 3 but have a KawaiMP9500/Pianoteq at home :)

[@luthandoheshu984]

I think the default piano on the Roland is not a real piano (V Piano based) so it's modelled not sampled as the RD700sx/gx/nx so that would be reason of not being realistic.

[@musaope]

When you compare for example these two instruments, you should remember that Stage 3 has very powerful synth engine too! It's not just some sample playback thing as Roland and many other "digital pianos" mostly are. Also Nord Stage keyboard action is meant to be a "compromise" between piano and those great synth and organ sounds which this thing can produce! Action is pretty light but it's the matter of taste as always. For my "older" fingers it´s ok :-) I've been playing Nord instruments for almost twenty years without any bigger problems. I think that you should not pay too much attention for one switch that does not work properly because it's under warranty and they usually work well! I've been using my Stage 3 for two years without problems. I used to play Roland RD- series instruments earlier and I think that they are great instruments too, but very much different.

[@ishta]

Roland has both Super Natural and the full modeling piano engine (I think it's called VPiano). The default Stage grand is I think Supernatural only. The VPiano one is more realistic. I haven't played this Stage 3 but the Roland key-bed is very realistic. Visually the Nord seems shorter. I was really impressed by the Roland, I just ordered a used one from GC. I have the opposite opinion with the reviewer. I thought the Roland sounded more authentic

[@jacobbrown1690]

roland uses modeled sounds not samples. thats the supernatural engine. The rd 2000 also has the Vpiano engine which had unlimited polyphany.

[@YuetLingNg]

Roland any day. My Roland is 20 yo and going strong. 💓

[@pastorfox]

To get the Nord Piano Sounds and the nice Organ, which are (IMHO) the main reasons to buy a Nord, one could go for the Nord Electro, maybe even with physical drawbars. This makes a lot of sense if one already has another keyboard with a good weighted keybed. On the bottom end the RD-2000 feels much better under my hands if you go for "piano", and it's very versatile with connectivity and DAW integration. (And you can tweak the pianos a lot) The main reasons for the Nord is the "hands on" controllability and "on the fly" tweaking during a gig. Great basic sounds also. But on the bottom end, you would get a huge Workstation of the competitors for the same price: Kronos, Montage, Fantom, so it comes down to the question what special environment you need the instrument for.

[@hartmutrahn8665]

thank you for your work. Which firmware-version had the rd?

[@felixs2378]

Hi James! Great reviews! Could you make a review on the Dexibell Vivo S7 Pro M?

[@stjabraham]

Love your playing :) Reminds me of my "good ol Conservatorium days". :)

[@havenhouseproduction205]

I think the Roland sounds better, but my question is how difficult is it to navigate the controls? My first Roland digital piano took 8 steps to simply transpose. Could never remember all the steps required to do things on the Roland: clearly those were designed by engineers and not by piano players. What are the Roland controls like now?

[@unfinishedbusinessrockband]

Ha....I got the Nord Stage in an attempt to lighten the load form my older Rolans..If you think the interface on the roland was a challemge, the Nords' extensive menu for layering is Mt Everest !

[@paladad]

Could you please tell me the studio condition regarding the sound outputs for both instruments, were they both using onboard speakers only?

[@donstevenson2170]

If the Stage 3 uses a Fatar keyboard, that glich can be addressed by cleaning the key contact membrane. I have had that problem with my Electro 5. Fairly easy fix that I have done myself...

[@ThePianoforever]

I really don't think that one should have to start fixing a new keyboard out of the box.

[@donstevenson2170]

@@ThePianoforever I get that. Ideally that makes sense. I am willing to cut reputable companies some slack if they honor a proper warranty. It seems that Nord does have some quality control issues. But they also give outstanding customer service. I have had three hardware issues that they immediately addressed.

[@thetruewillmakeyoufree8234]

Have you ever reviewed a Kurzweil Forte?

[@MTMusic002]

Roland has 1000 sounds... 990 of which you will never use...

[@EricNolaime]

And does the grand piano from Yamaha P 515 sounds better than the one from RD 2000??

[@pastorwaltercross3891]

You’re playing enhances any instrument and red paint is expensive thank you for this comparison

[@TransistorBased]

Red paint, plus the best B3 simulation in the business, a rotary that's not absolutely trash, the easiest work flow of any stage piano, incredible build quality, and a gigantic library of free add-on sounds and support from the manufacturer.

[@disfurtar]

Nord natural sound.

[@javiercoret5171]

Roland 😍

[@rikspector]

James, You are an experienced and skilled musician and your analysis of these keyboards are spot on. If you can find the flaws, why can't the company do the same? Maybe they, especially Nord ,need you as a consultant to help them tweak their system. You are in a unique position to help since, I suspect, there aren't many classically trained pianists who have your knowledge of so many pianos and keyboards. Why not contact them and tell them or demonstrate what you know? What do you have to lose? Cheers, Rik Spector

[@CJ-22]

Roland is better. The sound is cleaner. Nord cost too much for what you get. For the money of 1 nord stage 3 you can buy 1 yamaha and 1 roland that are even better... but ofcourse nord is an unique and beautiful piano! I like the red color. But for me Roland is the king

[@donppricemusic9285]

I like the roland

[@juanjosemartinezlora1178]

The nord is the best.

[@manueldossantos6344]

i find the sound of the Nord Stage 3 more round, warmer, more natural

[@levorasandor2943]

I agree. It is more analitic, but cooler. It's direct.

[@mr.hamhandleler]

WHAT SONG IS HE PLAYING

[@jameskerr9509]

Appreciate the objective approach.

[@MickCorgi]

Thanks for the English lesson on actual use of the word “tubby”. There’s just no choice for me to go with Nord 3 just because of the price.

[@Idk-eh8ol]

What’s first song?

[@bryduhbikeguy]

Someone in my town is yelling Yahoo ! I didn't know how to ask,so I forgot about it until now.Last month I was at my local Goodwill,and I saw something that struck a chord(Pun now intended).I knew I'd seen the name,and it looked familiar.That Nord,actually that exact model,sold for $75.00.It must've been found stored away as it looked great.I don't play,so I didn't buy it then.It sold 2 days later.

[@peaceofkake1085]

The "tubby" sound doesn't really bother me, in general. This is probably because the pianos that I grew up listening to were mainly in church and they all had that tubby sound so I guess I'm emotionally accustomed to it. As to the comparison, if I could only buy one of these digital pianos and no other brand I guess I would go with the Nord mainly because the piano sound is superior between the two. However, If I'm going to buy a really high-end digital piano and it can be any brand I want, it will probably be a Yamaha that has been reviewed well by people I respect, such as you. For low-end I would probably go with a Yamaha DGX 660. I realize that not every keyboard they make are winners but I have strong feeling of safety with the Yamaha brand.

[@Roddo731]

The Roland seems to be more mid heavy, maybe it’s the sampling rate is higher on the Nord?? I don’t know but it is crisper at the minimum… So in all truth though feels like an unfair comparison. For instants my church, we use two of the Roland RD 2000’s, because we need to keyboards, we tried to get an award can’t get the budget approved. With some work on EQ, we are able to get a crisper sound… Now don’t know anybody in the churches come off yet and said G. I wish you were using a Nord:) saying that the keyboardist and me as a guitar player can tell the difference because we borrowed one once When our Roland needed to be repaired. I Will say I have a friend that has a Fantom 8, 88keys. Done some research and it seems with the Fantom, it uses PCM wave forms also the Roland ZEN-CORE modeling… The result is a better grand sound… And a much more comfortable price point. I think this would be a fair comparison… Although a hefty your keyboard and super suited for recording although with the modern DAW Maybe this is why it’s not as popular. So then the question becomes, why doesn’t Roland take this technology put it into the leaner platform of the RD 2000? Not compared the Fantom 8 with the Nord and I’m not a keyboard player so I don’t know the way the Fantom 8 deals compared to the Nord? In the end compared to the RD 2000 it’s clear the Nord wins with piano sounds, and it seems like it should kind of a no-brainer… It also seems a bit reminiscent of the Yamaha DX7… When it came out everybody had to have one. Back then it was because of that Beltone sound that just became so annoying after a while…Totally overused, of course a grand will never be overused

[@sissy1234hhh]

You are a ear opener. thanks

[@anwaraisling]

The Nord comes off sounding clean and crisp...no distortion. The roland definitely sounds artificial when played in default piano mode.

[@keithwalls6316]

memBrain as an RD2000 owner, the default piano isn’t even close to the best sound. I’ve never played a Nord.

[@donstevenson2170]

The Nord offers the ability tweak the sounds with effects (reverb, distortion, flanger, satellite effect, etc) on the fly that is very intuitive. Not sure if that is the case with the Roland. Both are very good boards. I would have to go with the Roland if I was only using one keybaord. I use a Nord Electro 5d, and a Yamaha S90es. The Yamaha has 4 way split and layer, which important to me. I think the Roland also offers at least 4 way split and layer. The Electro only has a 2 way split/layer.

[@StevenWatanabe]

What song is that at 7:25?

[@piggy2309]

Claire de lune

[@jayrichardson6144]

As an pianist what Keyboard do you think out of all you played has thee most Realistic piano sound?

[@robo9466]

Jay Richardson The nord piano 4 does. The only drawback is that it is 4.5k, whereas the Roland rd2000 has a realistic piano sound for only 2k

[@musikone1780]

Jay, if you want the closest feel and sound of a grand Piano, don't waste your time. Just go straight for the KAWAI MP11se. it has an actual piano keybed in it. However, it weights in at around 70lbs. This is why I chose the RD 2000. Though the keybed isn't quite as good as the KAWAI, It is still really good, The RD2000 weights in at 45lbs. So, if you are not going to be moving the keyboard much, get the KAWAI. If you are going to be taking the keyboard on gigs, get the RD 2000.

[@ChazSeamus28]

The rd2000 doesn't sound half bad.. but I keep hearing negative things about it.. for the price and what you get..it seems pretty decent to me

[@adrianmohammed8344]

What’s the song you played at 3:18? Heard that in a movie before.

[@ThePianoforever]

Erik Satie Gnossienne No. 1

[@selftrue670]

I believe it might have been used in the movie "In Bruges"

[@macawdad2003]

ThePianoforever This is the song I hear in my head when I look at my cat and she has a slight divot in her food dish. ;). Also, my ears prefer the Nord pianos, but for the difference in cost the RD2000 is respectable. Thank you for the comparison video.

[@clavs]

@@ThePianoforever What is the first song you played at 1:30? Please reply. Thanks.

[@bilozkip998]

Nord super

[@whatshisface7450]

Both the Roland and the Nord sound boomy. The notes are more blurred, less defined on the Nord, They Both sound good enough, but the samples aren't trying to emulate the same piano. What everyone calls warm, on the Nord, is just mud to me. When you pay 5 grand, for a keyboard, you will yourself to believe it sounds better. 5 grand for blurry mud isn't a great deal. A better quality speaker system, that is properly EQed, will make both keyboard shine a lot more. The, half the price, Roland may not please a musician with sensitive detailed hearing, but the price and the features may. The Nord is yesterday's keyboard. Yamaha YC88 is today's keyboard!

[@daicekube]

The Nord keyboard has a clearer sound. It is easier to tell notes apart. But the Roalnd isn't bad. Just not as good.

[@widely06]

Nord wins

[@algarvemike]

The Roland is very much heavier.. this is a deal breaker. ...

[@maximusfrank2835]

Use to have the Nord Stage- sold it for the Kronos 2. Honestly, I'm pretty annoyed that I wasted so much time with the Nord; it doesn't sound that good.

[@musikone1780]

Bang for your buck: Nord: $4,500: Cheap keybed, not nearly as many sounds, though most are very good. Roland: $2,500: Nice keybed, loads of sounds and with the $2,000 you saved you can get all the VSTs you need. Once you buy the keyboard, you are stuck with whatever keybed it comes with. There is no software upgrade for that. However, you can always add more sounds to keyboards.

[@nathanielbrice8725]

MusikOne how many sounds do you really need?

[@TransistorBased]

Roland add-ons cost money and are meh. Nord add-ons are free and the library is gigantic

[@detomaso_6235]

@@TransistorBased I would hope you could get some free Nord add-ons after paying over $2000 more for the Nord than the Roland!

[@spalding1968]

They sound too Similar to justify the price difference .

[@nerotrinidad2608]

Almost the same sounds...

[@ThePianoforever]

If you like music, you might want to check out my second channel "Milan Recording Studios". Feel free to subscribe and hit the bell icon if you want to! kzbin.info/door/u1LrpmWwK1ztTvIayRar9w

[@gateris1]

Try Dexibell S7 PRO or S9