Why The Nord Stage 3 Is the Best Live Keyboard

[@desmoriderssthlm552]

I've been playing synthesizers in different bands since 1986 and have owned at least 20 different keyboards. The Stage 3 is outstanding! Its THE BEST!

[@yoelanane3226]

Hello, what if you have a beast keyboard like the Korg kronos 2, is the nord stage 3 still worth buying or the korg can do it all? Hope to hear from you soon(er)

[@desmoriderssthlm552]

@@yoelanane3226 Actually, I had the 1st Gen Kronos and a Stage 2 a couple of years ago and I think it was a great combo. Today I have a Stage 3 and a Nord Wave 2 which is perfect for my needs. With these two I can do what ever I want and it´s really easy to use, very logical and "hands on". I have not tried the Kronos 2 yet but I am sure it´s a very good product as well.

[@PatchFoundry]

Yoel, to me it's really up to your personal preference. I usually play just a Nord Stage 3 live, but I know a bunch of people who use both. Really up to you!

[@jorge-keys]

The fact that you use the sustain pedal with your left foot blew my mind

[@Bashanvibe]

I’m a lefty. Sustain pedal is on my left as well.

[@Time_and_Chance]

Thats when I flipped

[@PawelLeszczynskipav]

@@Bashanvibe do you have your highest notes on the left hand side of the piano too? Do you require special notation to accommodate scoring it? I think I've heard it all now!!

[@wilsongrey8781]

You all probably dont give a shit but does any of you know a trick to get back into an Instagram account? I somehow forgot my login password. I appreciate any help you can give me

[@damonwalker7527]

@Wilson Grey instablaster :)

[@khalid6949]

Absolutely agree. Also, with most keyboards you’ll run out of polyphony when you combine piano+pad+organ specially when you forget your foot on the sustain pedal. With the stage 3 I’m able to play an organ sound in the background and hold it with the sustain pedal while playing piano layered with synth at the same time. The fact that the organ is not eating up polyphony is priceless. Also don’t forget seamless sound switching AND the program up/down pedal input which is really well thought of. It is indeed the perfect keyboard for live playing

[@officialWWM]

My Roland Juno Ds does that :/

[@SonOfInfernum]

My RD 2000 (half the Nord price) has unlimited polyphony with V-piano, so you can keep the 128 left for the pads...

[@kiko1935]

There really is no other keyboard like this out there. I love the Yamaha Montage but there is so much menu diving. The Nord's knob per function + 3 separate sections is genius. And the build quality on these are REALLY good. I just got a Nord Lead 2x, made out if metal, sturdy, great Keybed, 0 plastic and internal power supply. Nord is worth the money imo

[@aaronbarber6238]

The Black Upright with the EQ setting on bright. It’s so good. 👍👍👍

[@PatchFoundry]

YES

[@silgrimmarak8699]

Nord keyboards are too expensive. But its the best keyboard.

[@koticmorskoj6409]

it's the best loudest keybed imitating frustrated running horses

[@Robbiepeaple]

Download White Grand XL patch of sound manager. Lord have mercy, it sounds super! Just did that tonight on my Nord piano 4. Just need some gigs back now. Lol

[@helenflundermusic]

Interesting thank you. I'm a songwriter and just started using a nord stage 3... An awesome instrument!

[@arajam]

Thanks for the review

[@chasejarvis7788]

i am financing a yamaha motiv xs8. i only paid $998 for it. i bought it from guitar center online the keyboard was in pasadena texas. they said when i bought i was buying it had ten broken keys on it. come to find out that the keys were not broken i just had to open the back of the synthesizer up and put the keys in place and i had to take a few of them out and reinsert therm back in place but after i got that done it was back in playable condition. what i am paying for it i basically stole it for the price i am paying on it. there is a dents in the back but that does not effect the sound. i would never sell it but if i did i would sell it for 2,000 but i am not going to do that because i love my synthesizer. i saw on the nord stage 3 does not have any drum kits built in. the xs8 and the xf8 have it to where you can make your own sound and mix it on your computer and make your own song out of the sounds you tweak. i wish yamaha still made them both because they are both great synthesizers i own one of them. Sometime in the future i will get me the xf8 model and plug both the xs8 and the xf8 up together and mix and create my own songs out of the sounds on the two boards.

[@PatchFoundry]

That's a fantastic keyboard.

[@theclaverman]

The nord Stage 3 has totally transformed my life to the better as a gigging musician. I came from a Yamaha Motif XS, which I sold, then got the NS3 88(with rhodes-stand, gig-bag and the triple pedal), and I have never looked back. This board is the real deal, but unfortunately there are too many mediocre demos of it on KZbin (this one is definately not one of those). Thanks :-)

[@PatchFoundry]

Thank you so much, and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

[@blanquis1824]

I love the Nord

[@preciseaudioblog]

Impressive.... and the sound is very tasty...

[@marvinkmooneyoz]

It’s the best if you only want to bring one board to a gig. Pianos and EPS, organ engine, and a synth engine; A thorough interface. But for a two board setup, i think there are better choices.

[@PatchFoundry]

Yes, that’s one thing I didn’t hit on at all in this video. If you’re running two keyboard, there’s probably a better option out there, especially if you do a ton of organ work. I will say that it’s ability to easily split the organ out using a midi controller still puts it at the top of my list no matter what rig you’re using.

[@wagohowardmusic]

Well done sir

[@lionfrequency]

Nord seems to have way too much mechanic key noise. They have to fix that. I hear even neighbors are complaining on just the Nord keyboard noise.

[@CygnusRoc]

Especially at that price.

[@PatchFoundry]

Yes, that's one complaint I have about my specific model, the HP76. The key noise is particularly loud on that one. Not so much on the other models.

[@VadimShinnik]

Hello! I like so much NORD, how is concepted, how is sounding and is one of my favourite keyboards. Also that apreciate a lot in this instrument, is that acoustic sounds like E.P.'s, A.Pianos is very close to original and virgin sound, and considering size of samples that is so compact and convinious. Many people know about NORD, but not many people guess what such instrument like Sequential Prophet XL hides and what is capable of and what, in my opinion, is superior to NORD. Let's go in order: ☆ Legendary synth Engine that gives power of a classic Prophet, including 4 syncable LFOs with slew and phase offset, 4 loopable five-stage envelope generators, and a 16-slot mod matrix with dozens of modulation sources and destinations. ☆ 150GB internal samples from acclaimed sound developers 8Dio. ☆ 50GB to load your own samples in a high audio quality 24 bit 48 kHz stereo, and here ATTENTION!!! Probably one of the coolest thing in this keyboard that make this machine UNIVERSAL not only like a SYNTH but also like a STAGE PIANO! I will dwell on this point in more detail. I carefuly selected and load into my Prophet XL best samples that are made for KONTAKT: Scarbee Electric Pianos/ Top Acoustic Pianos, Strings, Brass, Bass, Pads, Organs, Soundscapes etc. and all this combining with 8dio samples, Prophet synth and effects!!! • Hmm but how about Organ you ask? I'll say right away that the leslie effect and transition from SLOW to FAST is at a more advanced level than NORD and this is a very important criterion. About organ sound itself you have a option to use 8DIO Organs or user or combine together. What about real drawbars, ask you? Prophet don't have... but no great loss, like alternative you can destinate them to 2 independent Sliders for ex-le and here I mean your personal settings, first 4 drawbars of real Organ to Prophet's Slider #1 and 5,6,7,8 to Slider #2, or whatever combination you need. You understand idea ;) and Lesslie Effect to Modulation Whell, of course )))) what concerns keybed is very good for organ technicues, and not only, is universal keybed and is a pleasure to play even on the piano. • Another question that you may ask: It's possibile for example on Rhodes or Wurli sound to set simultaniosly few effects? Answer: YES! Reverb+Chorus+Pan+Tremolo for example, up to your taste and necesity. Imagine dear friends, that Prophet XL will be relevant for many years, because you always will have posibility to load best samples wich will appear, you just need to define and choose what to load into it, and not depend only from that manufacturer gives you, like in case with many other instruments. Also Prophet's Synth Engine was, is and will be relevant. Unfortunately demos on KZbin won't give you a complete idea what i described above and in this regard, I'm going to record a video and demonstrate what this instrument really can do. Not only in words but in deeds! Nord is wonderful instrument but I convinced that Prophet is on another level!

[@kbardin08]

Eric I’m in the market for NS3 after years of watching in the background. I’m an MD at my church and we have someone on piano (NP5). I’m converting from MS3. I’ll do pad, EP, organ, synth, arps, you name it. Question is should I go for the compact waterfall or 77 HA? It looks like you have the 77. I have no idea your ratio of piano or organ in your routine but I’ve read about exhausted fingers etc. with the compact worst scenario use it as a top board and throw a weighted board under it. Appreciate any thoughts. Plan to buy all of your products. Thanks

[@PatchFoundry]

Just responded via email, but yes, I love the 73 model, and if you're not playing a lot of piano, it's a really good lightweight keyboard to have around.

[@travishernandez7409]

Love it

[@Pietro7Deriu]

which amplifier would you use ? what about qsc k8 and ELECTROVOICE ZLX15P ?

[@PatchFoundry]

The Electrovoice stuff sounds amazing!

[@grdinetz]

I use 2 QSC K-12’s. Also Yamaha mixer.

[@ziayousufzai]

I dent Like screen of this keyboard they should come out with larger and better screen.

[@PatchFoundry]

that would be nice, for sure.

[@johnalfieri1613]

This had to have been posted before the release of the Yamaha YC88. Goodbye Nord ! The YC 88 is great stage piano with an actual professional keybed, and comparable sounds across-the-board. An organ section with high quality drawbars that blow away the Nord stage 3 cheap feel. The sounds are fantastic. OH and the YC88 is a tank but only weighs 44 lbs ( I believe ) maybe a pound or so less and definitely cost much less. But I can promise you if they cost the exact same I would still take the Y C 88.

[@PatchFoundry]

the YC88 is a GREAT keyboard, for sure. But it's not yet a Nord Stage 3 for these reasons: 1. The synth section on the YC88 isn't powerful at all 2. You can run double the layers of the piano/organ/synth on The Nord Stage 3, instead of one with The YC88 3. There's no extern section on the YC88 for controlling external gear 4. There's no master modulation section for the YC88, making it really hard to morph stuff live 5. There's no ability to load in custom samples. To me, these features just put The Nord Stage 3 in a whole different category. If you don't need this stuff, the YC88 has a great action, solid build, great meat and potatoes sounds, and will save you over 1.5k.

[@johnalfieri1613]

@@PatchFoundry Well I respect your opinion. So the Nord 3 is deeper in a some regards but there is plenty of layering capability on the YC 88 for gigging, recording or whatever you want to do. They've already done an update and will do updates with new sound every few months and you have soundmondo where you can load sounds designed by other people and download your own. The superior action and drawbar section alone are important enough for me to put the YC88 8 over-the-top especially because it has such high quality sounds and capabilities for playing and definitely performing.

[@PatchFoundry]

@@johnalfieri1613 I will also give you this- the YC88 is poised to potentially overtake the power of the Nord stage 3 if Yamaha makes a few upgrades in a new iteration sometime in the future. I could see them passing up Nord in a couple of years if Nord doesn’t aggressively innovate and keep improving. And honestly, I feel like Nord is not innovating quickly enough and instead is relying at the moment on upgrading memory and small tweaks. That’s not gonna be enough to keep up with the competition for long.

[@rocklee9199]

If I’m used to weighted keys on my Yamaha mox8 . Will this feel much different ? I don’t want to purchase it and then have my playing thrown off

[@PatchFoundry]

It’s definitely a lighter touch- I’d recommend checking it out at a store before a purchase.

[@isaacfanai2006]

I'm gonna have to kindly disagree on this one. For a stage piano yes its the best in the market right now but as an overall keyboard and synth it's overpriced and the specs are behind a lot of other companies. I almost got the NS3 but hopped on a Korg Kronos and was so glad I did. For customization the Kronos has such better capabilities (9 synth engines) vs Nords 3 and layering you can do 16 on the Kronos and split where you want but own the Nord its 2 organs, 2 pianos, 2 synths, so if I'm wanting to play a cool orchestral part the Nord would only allow 2 strings. But the Uprights on theNords are the best I've ever heard and the simpleness of the layout is a plus.

[@officialWWM]

Isaac's Keys & Stuff I'd like both :)

[@PatchFoundry]

Good points! There are some real limitations to the Nord Stage 3, and on the raw stat sheet (storage, synth engines, etc) the NS3 doesn't meaningfully compete. I think what Nord gets right where a lot of companies miss is usability. The Nord's one-knob-per-function option allows almost every option the Nord Stage 3 has to be instantly accessible, tweakable, and visually in front of the player at times to inspire. No other company has done a better job on this count than Nord, and I think it more than makes up for the limitations. Of course, if something else inspires and works well for you, go get it!

[@isaacfanai2006]

@@PatchFoundry For sure I have played on Nords I do love them myself but I'm also a synth head so I love my layers and tweaks! But I get for the average church keyboardist how good a Nord can be

[@LittleWillieRoots]

Patch Foundry Hi!! What about the HP keybed?? Some people say it is not confortable to play.

[@PatchFoundry]

@@LittleWillieRoots The keybed on the HP76 (the model I have) is easily the stiffest keybed I've ever played, but I do like it. Some might find it a bit too stiff, though. The HP88 action is different, and quite a bit lighter. It reminds me much more of the action on a Steinway.

[@amihangrande4941]

DUD DOS IT HAVE A NORMALE OR PARELEL FINALE DRIVE SYNTH SEIEYEISTEM

[@smoak2024]

I like all of Nords stuff, but... The interface is cluttered in such a way that it really doesn't seem accesible when performing.... And weighted keys + organ = no go... So you have to decide between the weighted keys or the waterfall keys... Too tough a decision for me Mixed emotions.

[@PatchFoundry]

Totally get it- it's definitely not for everybody, but MAN does it work for me as a player.

[@aakash9058]

The interface is what sells it for me. Once you know the layout, its what keeps you coming back to it over other less cluttered but more obtuse interfaces.

[@smoak2024]

@@aakash9058 agreed insofar as compared to menu-diving interface. Disagree when compared to other physical interfaces. I have an SV-1 that feels a lot more logically laid out. At the end of the day though it's just a preference thing

[@tobiedavis8841]

I would be the perfect piano for me if it wasn't 4,000$

[@kidflersh7807]

You can find it for 2,500 if you look hard enough, found it for around that on www.thomann.de (which is a pretty cool site)

[@koticmorskoj6409]

better think of your neighbours. they would forget sleeping with such a loud-knockin keybed

[@theclaverman]

@@koticmorskoj6409 yep the keybed is really noisy

[@PatchFoundry]

Yes, it's pretty noisy on the HP76 model, which is what I'm using. The other models don't seem to be so loud.

[@danielcolfer4671]

For piano, e piano, Clav, and definitely organ it’s great but everything else... not so much. The interface with hands on control is also great. The action? Not so much. The price... way too high.

[@PatchFoundry]

A few of my friends feel that way, and if it doesn't work for you go with what does! The music you make is the most important thing :)

[@danielcolfer4671]

Absolutely!

[@inter-linked]

On a level playing ground, feature wise (give or take) which keyboard do you believe has a better or the best action?

[@hvarskloxofficial8969]

@@inter-linked CP88 has phenomenal key action, great electric pianos and fairly good range of pianos too; not for organ though

[@mikemaiocco2538]

Less talk more playing

[@jgsky]

Does it have a built in speaker?

[@PatchFoundry]

It does not. That would be kinda sick.

[@MsDenver2]

It looks very good but your not playing it to show how good it is , you keep doing buttons and switches which shows you know how to do things but what does it actually sound like??

[@PatchFoundry]

Good point! Here's a video playing through what's possible: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpK5c6qErpqFncU

[@iamLexxKelsey]

The iPhone of keyboards 🤐

[@PatchFoundry]

That's a pretty good analogy. When it comes to features, a bunch of others kick its butt by a long shot. When it comes to usability and doing well exactly what you need, it runs the table.

[@jacksellars6497]

How much was the Nord Stage 3

[@PatchFoundry]

Too much- about 4500 new.

[@giasone777]

I have the Nord Piano 4 same piano sounds with a better keyboard but less features.

[@keithdickerson1113]

Keyscape keyscape keyscape

[@PatchFoundry]

Hard to beat that, for sure. The one advantage to the Nord, which to me is a BIG advantage, is that I’ve never in over 500 shows at this point, once had to worry about it crashing or not working.

[@grdinetz]

Sorry to disagree as I have had and still have Nord Keyboards. However....purchased a Yamaha MODx-88 a year ago. IMHO clearly superior to Stage 3 in almost every respect but B3 sound. The MODx allows multiple zones, layers, performances (scenes) a better tone quality in every other category of instruments except for the B3....it's also $2000.00+ less expensive than the Nord. If I had to, I could play all gigs with this one keyboard. Could not do for the book we play on the 3.

[@PatchFoundry]

That is a really fantastic keyboard- I owned that model for quite awhile. As mentioned in this thread, to me Yamaha is the only company out there giving Nord a run for its money when it comes to an all around workhorse keyboard. However, in my workflow I use tons of upright pianos and organs, both of which are weak spots for Yamaha. Hence why I sold it and bought a Nord Stage. That said, for certain gigs I totally see how you could never need a Nord Stage 3.

[@grdinetz]

@@PatchFoundry Should have mentioned that it’s mandatory for me to use Electro 6 as 2nd tier keyboard for rock and country gigs. Mostly used for Organ parts.

[@modalmixture]

The tactile interface is definitely what makes the Nord feel like a real musical instrument and not just a keyboard. Once you get to know the interface, it becomes like an extension of you as you reach for the controls by muscle memory. Instead of programming patches in advance, you start to shape your sound in real time as part of the performance. The only bad thing I can say about it is that the keys on the 76 are some of the noisiest and clunkiest I have ever played - I wish I had gone with the 88 instead.

[@PatchFoundry]

I agree with you! And yes, disappointed with the keybed but I still LOVE this keyboard. One other small thing: with this case The Nord Stage 3 HP76 also is the only keyboard I know of that is small enough and light enough to fly without paying oversize fees. It's so nice to be able to just check it for fly dates. www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/3i5014TKBD--skb-3i-5014-tkbd-76-note-keyboard-case

[@modalmixture]

@@PatchFoundry Awesome, I had not even thought about that - thanks for the case recommendation.

[@officialWWM]

It would be perfect if it wasn't $5000 :/

[@officialWWM]

PC Random not in Australia!

[@PatchFoundry]

​@@officialWWM wow! Most places elswhere in the world it hovers around $4500 on the high end, and and as low as $3000 used. Definitely pricey.

[@officialWWM]

Patch Foundry I just checked the price on the 88 key version. It's currently $6499! That's a lot of gigs at $200 a gig to pay for that bad boy!

[@jamesh3948]

Music Islife I bought mine for $4700 earlier in the year (I had a stage 3 compact) but missed the 88 keys. That included shipping to Tassie.

[@officialWWM]

James H wow, that's a bargain! I'm in Tasmania too :) mind telling me where you bought it?

[@brunokelena8633]

Cool how much is nords stage 3 cost???

[@reneportal542]

A kidney and a half

[@PatchFoundry]

And a first born child named with a Nordic hard to pronounce name. 😆

[@MrDouglasSaints]

is the HP good?

[@PatchFoundry]

Great. The action is VERY heavy, but I got used to it and it's served me well for a couple years now.

[@MrDouglasSaints]

@@PatchFoundry make much noise? like clicks, plastic sound?

[@meaviad]

Try Keyscape. You won't look back

[@PatchFoundry]

I LOVE Keyscape (and own it) but for immediate hands on control, stability, and organs/synths (Keyscape has neither) I still prefer this keyboard 😊

[@meaviad]

@@PatchFoundry You can map your knobs and sliders to whatever you want. about Keyscape - yeah I refer to Piano sound. about Organ - there is the IKMultimedia plugin which is aweome. About stability, I'm not sure..In these days Macbooks are very solid

[@MattsThk]

@@meaviad What keyboard controler you use?

[@meaviad]

@@MattsThk currently I use Roland FP30

[@MattsThk]

@@meaviad and for knob control the vst parameters, do you use korg nanokontrol?

[@guso1330]

Now I only need $3k

[@AlansPiano]

Everything were perfect... But it's really expensive😂😂

[@derrickcouts]

Hammond sk1 88 vs stage 3 88 Lawd This is the hardest decision of my life😂😂😂😂😂

[@PatchFoundry]

All depends on your needs, I suppose.

[@Diamond88keyz]

is it lightweight enough for a woman to port

[@PatchFoundry]

The HP76 comes in around 27 lbs, and with a case mine comes in at 48 lbs, which is small enough to fly with without paying oversize fees. 👍

[@leonardo.martins]

How about Yamaha YC keyboards?

[@ericbarfield]

I’d say they’re pretty close second.

[@webncyber]

I think Nord is over priced. I find the flat sounds in general are not clear and muddy specially the pianos .

[@PatchFoundry]

Interesting. To each their own. There are several players in the Nashville area who feel the same way you do- too compressed, etc. I'm definitely in The Nord camp, though, and love the way that the pianos sound.

[@Lanzartiles]

Eyyyy... piano keys made so much noise when playing. ouhhhhh

[@PatchFoundry]

Pretty noisy when filmed- I'm learning over here.

[@derekrevell]

My Minimoog makes less keyboard noise

[@koticmorskoj6409]

Oh my, I wanted to buy this toy but hammers sound like frustrated running horses...I hear hammers, not beautiful nord sound. And THAT IS the famous & expensive NORD??? I'm upset and disappointed but thanx for the video. I need a silent keybed like cat's paws. Who can advise me anything(except KAWAI and YAMAHA)?

[@PatchFoundry]

If the keybed is your biggest concern, check out The Nord Piano. It has the best action of any keyboard I've ever played.

[@koticmorskoj6409]

@@PatchFoundry the biggest 'cos I grew up with acoustic piano having fantastic sound and action feel. Being a child I was playing for hours forgetting about everything. The feeling was like "I'm in heaven" )))) Nord pianos are always absent in show rooms of my city so there's no opportunity to test it. Nords with waterfall have the same light fatar as in numa compact. So now I think maybe there's no reason to consider Nord. I'm not a stage musician. Anyway thanx

[@PatchFoundry]

@@koticmorskoj6409 If you don't need a Nord's whole package, man, just get that hammer action with a good fatar midi controller and you're set!

[@koticmorskoj6409]

@@PatchFoundry yeah, you're damn right. Had a chance to play the nord piano 5 the other days...I was in heaven :) Very nice keybed & feel, my paws were happy ;)

[@koticmorskoj6409]

​@@PatchFoundry I tried to use Numa with Nord VST. It was great for the first time but finally I got to miss hammers :(

[@dmitriiturchenkov3075]

Hi. Hello. Is the 76 nord is exect the same keybed as 88?

[@ericbarfield]

Unfortunately no- the 76 is a MUCH heavier touch than the 88.

[@dmitriiturchenkov3075]

@@ericbarfield really? I thought it is 88 more weighted than 76

[@vishalkushwah3000]

5 lakh ka piano 😆😆😆

[@Jzh733]

Had 5 nords. Done with the overrated brand for good.

[@ireallyreallyreallylikethisimg]

What brand do you use now?

[@danny510x]

WHAT BRAND DO YOU USE NOW GARY?

[@Karll541]

Which ones?

[@teashea1]

You might consider improving your production values. The video is shaky and the voice recording is very thin and weak. Ironic for a studio recording. Also, your studio is trashy looking. These things matter when making a video.

[@PatchFoundry]

Yeah, I’m kind of a hack when it comes to video. In the past, I always made excuses that until I got a really nice video setup I shouldn’t be releasing material. I made the decision about two years ago that it’s more beneficial to have content that helps keyboard players out there, even if it’s literally just me putting an iPhone on a stand and recording 😆 I don’t really try to hide anything, I just kind of start recording when I’m in the middle of working on stuff and I see something that might be helpful to a fellow keyboardist. And yes, the studio was a bit torn up when I filmed this. I had all my gear set up for pre-show prep for a US tour at the time, and not in the usual spot.

[@teashea1]

Well I admire you for trying. Best wishes

[@Henrymichaelball]

Audio sucks

[@PatchFoundry]

Yeah, very rough- just the audio off of my camera mic.

[@JohnAReese]

I don’t know what you’re playing it through but it doesn’t show the quality of this great board! All The sounds sounds very weak!

[@PatchFoundry]

I agree with you- anything less than direct doesn't really show it. I'm using a 2,000 watt ETX electrovoice PA speaker in this demo.

[@gordolead2790]

Whose here after seeing Justin Bieber play the Nard Stage 3 before the Jake Paul fight

[@patrickduchesneau5040]

Was the goal to convince me? Missed completely.....

[@nobodyhere100]

Your loss!