Hello @Stacey Carras Long time no speak! Thanks for checking in out. There is also an online interactive map if you want to explore it more on your own here: www.mindmeister.com/map/2215163428?t=Dq0MYrdzNI
Thanks for the research, Marc. When I decided to get a keyboard last year, I wanted all the sounds, and chose the Nord Stage 3 Compact 73 -- and there's been no regrets.
Hello @C2 Like you, I very much enjoy my Nord Stage 3 Compact. I think it provides a great variety of features useful for most any occasion in a size that makes sense!
I love your videos. Informative and really easy to watch. I just bought a Nord Lead Anniversary Edition. I owned one (serial #50) a few years ago gigged with it a few times but eventually sold it. It was one of those things that I regretted selling. Luckily one showed up in a shop in the UK (#249) Very fortunate that they accommodated my request to ship it to Australia. I’m a sucker for limited edition keyboards which makes it harder to let go of.
Excellent video! I love timelines, especially product timelines and this video sums it up for Nord with all the info you gave. Very insightful and iteresting, thanks!
Thanks @ocelot appreciate the comment. Like you, I love timelines and learn better that way versus reading from a long list. I also like using the software that produces the graphics like this - I'm still a geek at my core...
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching 👍🏻 There was a lot more history there than I first expected. We think of Nord as a relative newcomer to the world of keyboards compared to Yamaha, Korg, and Roland - and they are. But even as a newcomer, the history dates back to the 90s, which is undoubtedly significant...
Great Video - very informative. Interestingly exactly the same questions (what's coming, what will NAMM bring) are as pertinent today as when you originally posted 🙂
@davidwagstaffe6309 Thank you for your comment David! You are correct - NAMM always increases the chances of Nord (and others) announcing something. My hunch, however, this year is that we won't see anything released because I think they are still riding high on the release of the Nord Stage 4, which is the most significant release for them yet (in my opinion). But you never really know, and Nord, in particular, is very tight-lipped on this sort of thing. Allow me to reflect on this here a bit. If I were to guess, the Electro 7 is probably next on the list as it's now nearly six years since the Electro 6 release and the Electro has been and still is very popular. However, I would really love a brand new Nord Lead synth as the current Nord Lead A1 has been on the shelf for over eight years now! It's hard to say if they think that the Wave 2 has taken over as the only pure synth they'll have going forward or if there is still a place in the sun for these smaller, less expensive, purpose-built lead synths. I personally think that a lower cost (and I use this term loosely), dedicated, smaller lead synth is appealing and makes for a good entry-level instrument for the beginning musician on their way to learning synthesis. Nord is somewhat unique, offering a solid-state (non-analog) synthesizer that sounds exactly like one while offering a ton more polyphony than any analog synth ever could. They are certainly one of the early pioneers of the solid-state synth. Here's another thing I think about a lot these days. I find it fascinating that the hardware "synthesizer" is still surprisingly very popular (even though computers these days can bury a hardware synth in almost every way from a features standpoint at a fraction of the price). And, if you look around in the marketplace, these smaller synths are everywhere and offered by every major manufacturer, as we are still in a "synthesizer renaissance" here in 2024 and beyond. Yes, computers are amazing, and artists use them a lot (more than ever). But for most, it's just not the preferred way to play on stage. For the studio, yes, computers dominate big time, but on stage - less so. For example, this year's 2024 New Year's Eve events that were televised on the major channels here in the U.S. showed us band after band doing their thing. The music performances were the highlight of the evening (thank God society still appreciates music from "real bands"). They had new groups with young, up-and-coming artists and old groups (like Chicago and Air Supply). On stage, I saw a few Nords, some Korgs, a few Yamahas, and others. Yet, not a single computer was found or used by these artists that I could see - not one. Even the younger artists were using a hardware board of some kind. Of course, not everything is as it seems, I'm sure. Billy Joel's keyboardist, for example, uses hardware keyboards only as controllers these days, while backstage, he's driving two Mac computers providing all the sounds you hear from Apple Main Stage. To sum this up, I hope Nord continues to offer keyboards at a quicker pace now that Covid and manufacturing constraints are largely behind us. I hope that someday the prices come down (now I'm really dreaming), and I long for more continued innovation from these manufacturers where we can possibly fuse A.I. inside these boards a bit too. Having worked for NAMM for five years myself back in the early 90s, I think the most important thing here is to maintain the importance of "making music" as a healthy way forward for new and old generations alike. New hardware offerings provide a source of inspiration to most musicians - and for the keyboard player especially, the more advanced and innovative the hardware is, the more opportunity we have to continue making amazing music that inspires others. 🎹🎶
My first Nord was the Nord Lead 2x Anniversary edition. But I’ve sold it many years ago. I had the Nord Modular G2x. I also had Nord Wave. Now I have the Nord Wave 2.
@Robbinsffxi Thanks for sharing your history here. You and Nord go WAY back - nice! I love the Wave 2. When you get a second, check out my Erasure rendition ("A Little Respect") with the Wave 2 here: th-cam.com/video/GmoI9K9jMCs/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared&t=218
Nord Stage 4 released in February of this year. Have you had a chance to check it out? Just curious on the difference between the stage three and the four. I don’t think I’ll be upgrading for a while but just curious on the difference. Thanks Mark
Hello @Mr. Martinez Thanks for your comment. Yes, I've got mine on order! I did a live review of the Nord Stage 4 here prior to the user manual being available to provide my thoughts on it: th-cam.com/users/livekabAXNKAF94?feature=share I also talk a little bit about the differences between it and the Nord Stage 3.
Hello Sebastien! No announcement yet. Let's see if today brings anything. As I mentioned in the video, we are due for something according to the timeline. However, these last few years have been hard for anyone making anything that includes electronic components. They did raise the prices during that time, and I hope they are able to continue to innovate and deliver new and compelling offerings (soon).
Would be interesting to dig into the nord g2 a bit more and the move of the original creator to create reason. And why Nord decided to drop the whole modular department all togheter
That would indeed be interesting. Not sure the reasons why Nord does what they do. I suspect what they focus on would come directly as a result of requests from the marketplace or the passions of the people making the decisions. I suspect too that perhaps they realize more commercial success with the Electro/Stage line versus staying on the modular path. But I really don't know! Like I said, it would be interesting to find out their logic behind their decisions one way or another.
Ye know…I’m a Nord Stage 3 (88) owner. The Nord Stage 3 is that one board where I really don’t regret my purchase. If Clavia were ever to release the Nords Stage 4 I wouldn’t be as interested… I would be intrigued though..I mean it’s the Nord Stage 4. The 3 has literally everything I need…set the the 3 with Mainstage and as a Midi controller it’s ELITE! One of the reasons why there isn’t a Nord Stage 3 EX cause it sold so well. If the Nord Stage 2 EX had seamless sound switching trust me a lot of people would of kept their Stage 2s cause that’s one hell of an important factor when playing live.
Thank you @Tunewurld for your thoughts on this. I've heard that a lot where people say, "The Stage 3 has everything I need" - so you are not alone in that feeling. For me, I wouldn't mind having another 2 synth layers from time to time, but I don't need 2 more organs and pianos. Also, what you said about MainStage is 100% on point. In fact, I've had a few people ask for videos connecting the NS3 with MainStage. I have yet to explore that fully, but it's on the list. And there is still a lot of Nord Stage 2s running around out there too since you mentioned that. Always good to hear from you! 🎹
The CD2 might still be a thing but it appears that Nord does not manufacture them anymore. The CD2 is not listed on Nord's current product page. Also Sweetwater indicates that the CD2 is no longer available. Very thorough and informative video.
Good point Lou. It's interesting that they have no such organ product to take the place of the C2D except for the Stage/Electro. Maybe they decided that's what makes sense at this point (to not produce a pure organ unit). Time will tell how this all evolves.
@@MyKeysToMusic I'm thinking the same thing. Just don't know if there are enough dedicated organists out there to support such a product, especially when there are so many B3 clones available.
Before Nord Name, in the late 80's Clavia started with recognisable red color on Ddrum, studio rack modules with eeproms which continued on later model Ddrum2.
Thank you for the tip here! I recently saw this short video about the famous "Nord Red" and I find all this interesting: th-cam.com/video/xBgaOK8otRk/w-d-xo.html
Great video! I have a Nord Piano Classic and an Electro 6HP. I bought the Electro because I have a bad back and needed something under 30 lbs. I like it, but the Fatar TP-100 action is terrible. I'm hoping if/when they release the 7, it will have the new TP-110 action.
@mar768100 Hey Michael Thanks for your comment. There are a lot of people who buy the Electro because it is lighter than the Stage family. I will make the assumption that the TP-110 will be better and I also assume that it will be installed with the Electro 7.
As a new Nord S3 owner really nice to see the history of Nord. As a new Nord S3 owner hate to see a new Stage released so soon, after getting mine, but it would be interesting to see what changes if they do.
Thanks for the comment Toortog. Yes, I understand what you are saying here. Fear not, even if they do release something new it's likely you won't see it for months. I can also tell you that the existing products really hold their value, especially considering the demand for them is still very high and supplies are relatively short. Prices continue to rise as well. Your Stage 3 will be just fine for years to come. But if you do get the itch to upgrade, you should be able to fetch a healthy sum on your existing board... 👍🏻
Dude don’t worry about it. Just use it as a controller no need to upgrade for years. There are a reason why people still use keyboards made in 2003…it has Midi.
Hello @AlzeeWalzee - Great question. I don't know of any way to look up your specific keyboard based on the serial number. You could try the distributor in your country (which can be found on the Nord keyboards website) or directly with Nord by way of a ticket you create. I wish there was an easy answer for this but there isn't that I know of...
Wow, this is so cool to watch, had no idea there is so much history that far back. I'm aiming still for one. I mentioned it earlier, either Lead A1 or Stage 3. But rather Stage 3. Still excited if they'll release a Stage 4 some time...
@Daniel Mikkelsen I'm routing for you and do drop a line when and if a Nord keyboard lands on your lap this year. I love both the Lead A1 and the Stage 3. They both have their place. If you can live with a synth only, the Lead A1 is really nice, more affordable, easier to move around, lighter, etc. It's missing the ability to play pianos, organs, and samples which can be a really big deal depending on what your musical goals are and depending on if you already have other boards coving those types of sounds. If more questions come up along the way, don't hesitate.
@@MyKeysToMusic Thanks a lot, always great to get your advice, and I'll certainly be sharing when I get a Nord. It makes you feel somewhat incomplete without one, learning how they excel from most other keyboards. I just watched your long comparison, Stage 3 and Wave 2 video. Well, the Wave 2 is also fascinating, sounds like the ultimate synth, the way I understand it. Though I'm sure the others would be more than enough for me, when they're already so perfected. But it's just draws me in, hearing about all these different capabilities!
@@danielmikkelsen5470 I know exactly what you mean by being "drawn in." The Wave 2 is an amazing offering and so untapped here on TH-cam for the most part. I hope to do more with the Wave 2 in the coming weeks/months. I"m also considering making a master course for the Lead A1 as well. Since no new Nord keyboard arrives here in June, I might actually have time to make an A1 course.
@@MyKeysToMusic Well, I would be very excited if you get around to making a A1 course video! I was considering it also as a great soloing synth. I'm practicing playing solos with pitch bend, which can actually be tricky, and my current keyboard only has a small stick that makes it difficult to bend the span of one note, slow and gradual. I see the Stage and A1 look the same with pitch controls, and they probably do the job right in regards to that
@@danielmikkelsen5470 This all sounds good. Since you mentioned you are practicing your pitch bend, I wanted to bring to your attention a video I did that I believe demonstrates pitch bend technique at an 8 or a 9 level... Have a look at this one: th-cam.com/video/UtKZhMQTjSM/w-d-xo.html
Hello @TribalDanceAmirYa No news yet. I'm not on the inside circle with this one...If I hear anything you can expect announcements from me on it ASAP. Thanks!
@rman2x16 Well, to be honest, I think that Nord is no longer going to be releasing any kind of "modules" would be my guess. The Lead A1 was the last one they did as a module, and they stopped making that while continuing to make the Lead A1 (full keyboard). So, my guess is that you won't see any more modules going forward (for anything). However, it has been a long time since they released any kind of "Lead" keyboard (the Lead A1 came out in 2014). So perhaps there is a chance you'll see a brand new Lead keyboard arrive at some point - but it's hard to say exactly when/if that will happen. So, it might be worth waiting for a Lead keyboard to come out. If one does come out, it will likely either be based on the Wave 2 synth engine or perhaps it will be something completely brand new. To my knowledge, Nord is still manufacturing the Lead A. There happens to be a "B Stock" model for sale at Sweetwater at the moment by the way for some savings (4/16/2024 6:05:29 AM): bit.ly/Sweetwater_MyKeysToMusic
@TylerMarletteNY Hello Tyler - no news from this end. I'm still not on the inside circle for that kind of info, and even if I was, I would likely be under NDA. But maybe in 2024?
@@TylerMarletteNYExactly! And I think you are correct to assume that an Electro is likely next on their list of items to release. But exactly "when" is the big mystery - and with what features - is also anyone's guess...
I decided to wait until the new stage, but I pray that the pandemic had not such a major impact at Nord. Else I would have waited for nothing this long 😅
Well, maybe you can make a deal with yourself that if they don't announce anything exciting at NAMM this week, you will go ahead and get a Stage 3. But then also tell yourself that this Stage 3 is just to hold you over until the Stage 4 comes out. 👍🏻 That's how I like to present things to the Mrs. at times when I start talking about expensive keyboards... 😉
@The Buddhist Baptist WOW! That is an amazing amount of money off for the Stage 3. I'm going to go with your guess that something new is coming and they are clearing inventory. 👍🏻 Unfortunately, I have no proof of this, but your guess is a good one here. From a timing standpoint, we are long overdue. Fingers crossed. 🤞🏼
The Nord Lead 2X removed the external card because it came with internal rom and ram memory to store up to 1000 patches and a couple hundreds of performances. The 2x is many ways better than its predecessor in terms of voices and memory.
Good point Kuh Pfau! I saw the word "sample" and ran with it. Sample And Hold - ya, that's completely different than playing samples. Thanks for the heads up on that...
Hello @Kuh Pfau I wanted you to know that I was able to "edit out" this part of the video on TH-cam. In a few hours, my statement which said "This was also a sampler" will be removed from the history video (as it is incorrect). Thanks for catching this and pointing it out!
@@MyKeysToMusic wow, I'm impressed by your urge to do things properly. Be assured that I never intended to force you to do this extra work. Have a great Pentecost weekend :)
@@kuhpfau I'm happy to do what I can. TH-cam allows us to cut small pieces out of a video after they've been published but we're not able to entirely replace a video. This fix was easy so I went ahead and did that. Yes, I do care about having things as accurate as possible so that people can trust the info they are watching from me. I'm in for the long game. Thanks again for your engagement on this!
Hard work for you if there is nothing new from Clavia - neither hard- nor sofware related. At least, the Sample Library 4 is out now. And maybe, there will be something coming up in the near future. We'll see.
Yes, we shall see. Even if they don't release anything in 2022, I'm happy to have captured their history in video format. But I'm really hoping they skip the Stage 3 EX and jump right to the Stage 4. What I want is 4 panels instead of 2 and 4X the memory with a more advanced synth and pattern/poly arpeggiator. A man can dream... Then again, if I ask for all this, I'm sure we won't like the price tag either! 🤪 Thanks for your comment.
@@MyKeysToMusic yes! Yes! Yes! And yes! I would also like to be able to switch the fx assignments (organ piano or synth) without pressing the shift button
@@FERRABONE Hello Carlos. Thanks for your comment! Here's a pro tip if you didn't already know this. You can switch fx assignments by "double-clicking" the source button. (The shift button is optional but not necessary to switch sources). We'll wait and see what happens with releases. I just heard that Nord WILL be at NAMM 2022 (this week) but many manufacturers will NOT be there such as Roland. The world is changing before our eyes but at least humans have the amazing ability to adapt and "Roll with the Changes" - Cheers! 🏄🏻♂
@@FERRABONE Glad to hear it! Keep up the good work and enjoy your music... If you're wanting to go deeper with your learning, I have courses for the Stage 3 on my website: www.MyKeysToMusic.com
You history is somewhat similar to mine. I had a NE1 61, then a NE3 73 for several years (also had a C1 for a while), now a NE5D 73, and very recently a Stage 3 76.
When I bought the NE1, there really wasn’t anything like it, something to cover pianos, EPs and Hammond, without worrying about synth sounds. Seemed perfect to me. I only switched to NE3 because I liked the idea of a bit better Hammond /Leslie sim (and to upgrade to 73). And like you I loved the NE3 - only switched to NE5D to get drawbars and splits. I had owned a set of Ocean Beach drawbars that I used with my NE3 - it might be interesting for you to reference them here, a company basically built on Nord’s lack of drawbars, and basically killed when the 4D came out.
@@danbechard1763 Thanks for sharing your history here Dan. I also wanted to let you know I made the interactive timeline available for everyone to check out online AND I included the C2 with that timeline. Here is the interactive timeline: www.mindmeister.com/map/2215163428?t=Dq0MYrdzNI
A student of mine has a Nord Rack and it's been a bit of a headache to get it running through Logic Pro X. Love the sound and capability of it but, as a first hardware synth, it's a lot to take in. If anyone knows of any good tutorials on how to set up a Nord Rack + MIDI Keyboard into Logic, please give me a shout
Hello @Tom Mann Love that you have a student with a Nord Rack! (That's something you don't hear every day). The rack adds another connection because it doesn't have a keyboard. So, I recommend two videos for your student to get started with the connections: To record Nord keyboard into Logic Pro: th-cam.com/video/UU6j5o3YfaA/w-d-xo.html To record MIDI into Logic Pro from a Nord keyboard: th-cam.com/video/V_FGQ83xH0Q/w-d-xo.html I plan on more Nord keyboard/Logic videos down the road. If there are more specific questions, your student is free to ask questions here or also on the www.NordUserForum.com as well.
But this year seems they will not release anything😢Even no rumors about new things……The stage and electro really have to update because Dexibell is producing more and more powerful beasts.
Hello @Leon Li Yes, this seems very strange not to have some sort of release by now. Then again, chip shortages and manufacturing challenges abound for most music product manufacturers (and the world). Perhaps 2023 will be different? Dexibell appears to make nice stuff. They don't seem nearly as popular as Nord products but they do provide a compelling option. Sweetwater carries them (which validates their supply chain) and their prices appear lower than Nord pricing across the board. Obviously, to make a price comparison, one must do a feature comparison too so my comment about this is a little out of context. In fact, I know very little of the Dexibell brand. In the few minutes of research just now, I can tell you they have a much smaller TH-cam channel. Now, that really doesn't mean anything to most people, but to me, that's a statement when you compare this to the Nord TH-cam channel in terms of popularity. Here again, popularity isn't everything, but it does tell a story for better or for worse. On a topic that is near and dear to my heart, I appreciate that they (Dexibell) have training videos. Nord, on the other hand, doesn't appear to prioritize training and implementation videos much at all. They do wonderful "performance videos" - second to none, in fact. The caliber of musicians they present in their TH-cam videos is stellar. This could partially explain why their TH-cam channel has a decent following. They really do set the bar in this area. However, we see very little in the way of practical usage videos from them directly. We do see quite a bit from retailers and their distributors, however, which bridges the gap a bit. This is part of the reason I created this channel because I feel some (most) people need assistance getting things going on their end. Or maybe it's just me who needs the help! 😜 The other thing I like about Dexibell is what appears to be the use of "Piano Modeling," which is the way of the future, I believe. Samples have disadvantages in this area in terms of the space it takes to store them and strict limitations on what you can do with a sample, in contrast to computer modeling, which is limitless by comparison. We shall see what the future brings. Thanks for your comment and perspective!
@@MyKeysToMusic Wow it's very nice of you to reply me such a long message，really appreciate it！I‘m a nord fan and I won’t change my team haha😜I just want Nord to make more surprising products！Hope we‘ll see them the next year！
@@MyKeysToMusic However，you should really check out more about Dexibell‘s keyboards.They use Fatar TP400W to make the Dexibell S9，which is the only one keyboard using Fatar’s highest level in the world，and they even invite Justin Lee to perform it in the NAMM show.Some people have began to call Dexibell “The Nord Killer”…I’ll still choose Nord because I love its cute pitch bend model on Stage，but to be honest，as for the hand feeling and sound，I might say Dexibell will win the game…
@@leonli7394 Thanks for the additional info here. I was not aware of the Fatar TP400W but it sounds terrific. Maybe Nord will use that in their next one? Funny you mention the "cute Pitch bend" - I recently did a video on pitch bend for the Electro 6 so, that topic has been high on my list as of late. We'll keep an eye on the Dexibell and hope that Nord comes up with something new that sets another standard for Stage keyboards...
Hello @radeekradeek8343 Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Or course, I had talked about the Electro 6 in the video but didn't have it on the original index. I fixed the index in the video description now to include the Electro 6. You can find it here at: 20:30 (good eye, and thanks for calling that out!)
@@MyKeysToMusic it was a bit banged up but I got my body work hammers and straighten it out as best I can plus the nasty roach kaka that was in it. All worth it though.
@@rafaelfelix1992 Wow! They must have really abused it if you had to use work hammers to straighten it out. Well, as long as it works, that's great. Such a deal!
Thank you @Traddcliff for the clarification. I saw the word "sample" and took that too far. I have since edited that part out of the video here on TH-cam so in a few hours, that mistake will be no longer part of the history video. Thank you!
Great vid Marc, keep up the good work
Hello @Stacey Carras Long time no speak! Thanks for checking in out. There is also an online interactive map if you want to explore it more on your own here: www.mindmeister.com/map/2215163428?t=Dq0MYrdzNI
@@MyKeysToMusic Hi Marc, true it has been a while, nice to hear back from you :)
Thanks for the research, Marc. When I decided to get a keyboard last year, I wanted all the sounds, and chose the Nord Stage 3 Compact 73 -- and there's been no regrets.
Hello @C2 Like you, I very much enjoy my Nord Stage 3 Compact. I think it provides a great variety of features useful for most any occasion in a size that makes sense!
I love your videos. Informative and really easy to watch. I just bought a Nord Lead Anniversary Edition. I owned one (serial #50) a few years ago gigged with it a few times but eventually sold it. It was one of those things that I regretted selling. Luckily one showed up in a shop in the UK (#249) Very fortunate that they accommodated my request to ship it to Australia. I’m a sucker for limited edition keyboards which makes it harder to let go of.
Hello @narfsounds - great to hear from you and love your stuff by the way. Congrats that you have an Anniversary Edition - that's awesome.
Excellent video! I love timelines, especially product timelines and this video sums it up for Nord with all the info you gave. Very insightful and iteresting, thanks!
Thanks @ocelot appreciate the comment. Like you, I love timelines and learn better that way versus reading from a long list. I also like using the software that produces the graphics like this - I'm still a geek at my core...
Tnx for taking the time to produce this so rich of a video for us!
Thanks for the comment Sam - I'm glad to have this one done as a place to remember the history in video format...
Loved this, Marc! Thank you!
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching 👍🏻 There was a lot more history there than I first expected. We think of Nord as a relative newcomer to the world of keyboards compared to Yamaha, Korg, and Roland - and they are. But even as a newcomer, the history dates back to the 90s, which is undoubtedly significant...
Great episode! Thanks Marc, your tutorials rock.
Thank you @Cees Kreuning for watching. Let's see if they come up with anything new for 2022!!
Great Video - very informative. Interestingly exactly the same questions (what's coming, what will NAMM bring) are as pertinent today as when you originally posted 🙂
@davidwagstaffe6309 Thank you for your comment David! You are correct - NAMM always increases the chances of Nord (and others) announcing something. My hunch, however, this year is that we won't see anything released because I think they are still riding high on the release of the Nord Stage 4, which is the most significant release for them yet (in my opinion). But you never really know, and Nord, in particular, is very tight-lipped on this sort of thing.
Allow me to reflect on this here a bit. If I were to guess, the Electro 7 is probably next on the list as it's now nearly six years since the Electro 6 release and the Electro has been and still is very popular. However, I would really love a brand new Nord Lead synth as the current Nord Lead A1 has been on the shelf for over eight years now! It's hard to say if they think that the Wave 2 has taken over as the only pure synth they'll have going forward or if there is still a place in the sun for these smaller, less expensive, purpose-built lead synths. I personally think that a lower cost (and I use this term loosely), dedicated, smaller lead synth is appealing and makes for a good entry-level instrument for the beginning musician on their way to learning synthesis. Nord is somewhat unique, offering a solid-state (non-analog) synthesizer that sounds exactly like one while offering a ton more polyphony than any analog synth ever could. They are certainly one of the early pioneers of the solid-state synth.
Here's another thing I think about a lot these days. I find it fascinating that the hardware "synthesizer" is still surprisingly very popular (even though computers these days can bury a hardware synth in almost every way from a features standpoint at a fraction of the price). And, if you look around in the marketplace, these smaller synths are everywhere and offered by every major manufacturer, as we are still in a "synthesizer renaissance" here in 2024 and beyond. Yes, computers are amazing, and artists use them a lot (more than ever). But for most, it's just not the preferred way to play on stage. For the studio, yes, computers dominate big time, but on stage - less so. For example, this year's 2024 New Year's Eve events that were televised on the major channels here in the U.S. showed us band after band doing their thing. The music performances were the highlight of the evening (thank God society still appreciates music from "real bands"). They had new groups with young, up-and-coming artists and old groups (like Chicago and Air Supply). On stage, I saw a few Nords, some Korgs, a few Yamahas, and others. Yet, not a single computer was found or used by these artists that I could see - not one. Even the younger artists were using a hardware board of some kind. Of course, not everything is as it seems, I'm sure. Billy Joel's keyboardist, for example, uses hardware keyboards only as controllers these days, while backstage, he's driving two Mac computers providing all the sounds you hear from Apple Main Stage.
To sum this up, I hope Nord continues to offer keyboards at a quicker pace now that Covid and manufacturing constraints are largely behind us. I hope that someday the prices come down (now I'm really dreaming), and I long for more continued innovation from these manufacturers where we can possibly fuse A.I. inside these boards a bit too. Having worked for NAMM for five years myself back in the early 90s, I think the most important thing here is to maintain the importance of "making music" as a healthy way forward for new and old generations alike. New hardware offerings provide a source of inspiration to most musicians - and for the keyboard player especially, the more advanced and innovative the hardware is, the more opportunity we have to continue making amazing music that inspires others. 🎹🎶
My first Nord was the Nord Lead 2x Anniversary edition. But I’ve sold it many years ago. I had the Nord Modular G2x. I also had Nord Wave. Now I have the Nord Wave 2.
@Robbinsffxi Thanks for sharing your history here. You and Nord go WAY back - nice! I love the Wave 2. When you get a second, check out my Erasure rendition ("A Little Respect") with the Wave 2 here: th-cam.com/video/GmoI9K9jMCs/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared&t=218
Very informative. Thanks for taking the time to prepare this.
Thanks Barney. Long time no speak! Hope all is well.
Very Nice History lesson Mark!! Thanks! Very interesting
Thanks for the comment Jmonk and for watching!
Nord Stage 4 released in February of this year. Have you had a chance to check it out?
Just curious on the difference between the stage three and the four. I don’t think I’ll be upgrading for a while but just curious on the difference. Thanks Mark
Hello @Mr. Martinez Thanks for your comment. Yes, I've got mine on order! I did a live review of the Nord Stage 4 here prior to the user manual being available to provide my thoughts on it: th-cam.com/users/livekabAXNKAF94?feature=share I also talk a little bit about the differences between it and the Nord Stage 3.
Great Job! Thanks Marc!
Thank you Prof Dr. Thomas Long time no speak! I just posted the online interactive timeline too: www.mindmeister.com/map/2215163428?t=Dq0MYrdzNI
I agree about the Nord Stage 4, I don't want to buy the model 3, it's a very good machine but I don't want to regret my purchase, so I'm waiting.
Hello Sebastien! No announcement yet. Let's see if today brings anything. As I mentioned in the video, we are due for something according to the timeline. However, these last few years have been hard for anyone making anything that includes electronic components. They did raise the prices during that time, and I hope they are able to continue to innovate and deliver new and compelling offerings (soon).
Would be interesting to dig into the nord g2 a bit more and the move of the original creator to create reason. And why Nord decided to drop the whole modular department all togheter
That would indeed be interesting. Not sure the reasons why Nord does what they do. I suspect what they focus on would come directly as a result of requests from the marketplace or the passions of the people making the decisions. I suspect too that perhaps they realize more commercial success with the Electro/Stage line versus staying on the modular path. But I really don't know! Like I said, it would be interesting to find out their logic behind their decisions one way or another.
Ye know…I’m a Nord Stage 3 (88) owner. The Nord Stage 3 is that one board where I really don’t regret my purchase. If Clavia were ever to release the Nords Stage 4 I wouldn’t be as interested… I would be intrigued though..I mean it’s the Nord Stage 4. The 3 has literally everything I need…set the the 3 with Mainstage and as a Midi controller it’s ELITE! One of the reasons why there isn’t a Nord Stage 3 EX cause it sold so well. If the Nord Stage 2 EX had seamless sound switching trust me a lot of people would of kept their Stage 2s cause that’s one hell of an important factor when playing live.
Thank you @Tunewurld for your thoughts on this. I've heard that a lot where people say, "The Stage 3 has everything I need" - so you are not alone in that feeling. For me, I wouldn't mind having another 2 synth layers from time to time, but I don't need 2 more organs and pianos. Also, what you said about MainStage is 100% on point. In fact, I've had a few people ask for videos connecting the NS3 with MainStage. I have yet to explore that fully, but it's on the list. And there is still a lot of Nord Stage 2s running around out there too since you mentioned that. Always good to hear from you! 🎹
Well they certainly were making their Ddrum products in the late 80s, early 90s. These were reviewed in magazines such as Keyboard back in the day.
@lundsweden - thank you for the reminder on that.
Very good explanation
Thank you Mike!
The CD2 might still be a thing but it appears that Nord does not manufacture them anymore. The CD2 is not listed on Nord's current product page. Also Sweetwater indicates that the CD2 is no longer available. Very thorough and informative video.
Good point Lou. It's interesting that they have no such organ product to take the place of the C2D except for the Stage/Electro. Maybe they decided that's what makes sense at this point (to not produce a pure organ unit). Time will tell how this all evolves.
@@MyKeysToMusic I'm thinking the same thing. Just don't know if there are enough dedicated organists out there to support such a product, especially when there are so many B3 clones available.
Agreed
Before Nord Name, in the late 80's Clavia started with recognisable red color on Ddrum, studio rack modules with eeproms which continued on later model Ddrum2.
Thank you for the tip here! I recently saw this short video about the famous "Nord Red" and I find all this interesting: th-cam.com/video/xBgaOK8otRk/w-d-xo.html
@@MyKeysToMusic Wow! Even before! Thank you!
@@mmrva Sure thing. I was excited to finally hear the story of how the "red" came to be directly from the horse's mouth.
Great video! I have a Nord Piano Classic and an Electro 6HP. I bought the Electro because I have a bad back and needed something under 30 lbs. I like it, but the Fatar TP-100 action is terrible. I'm hoping if/when they release the 7, it will have the new TP-110 action.
@mar768100 Hey Michael Thanks for your comment. There are a lot of people who buy the Electro because it is lighter than the Stage family. I will make the assumption that the TP-110 will be better and I also assume that it will be installed with the Electro 7.
This is excellent ------ very interesting.
Thank you @Thomas Shea - always great to hear from you and hope all is well.
As a new Nord S3 owner really nice to see the history of Nord. As a new Nord S3 owner hate to see a new Stage released so soon, after getting mine, but it would be interesting to see what changes if they do.
Thanks for the comment Toortog. Yes, I understand what you are saying here. Fear not, even if they do release something new it's likely you won't see it for months. I can also tell you that the existing products really hold their value, especially considering the demand for them is still very high and supplies are relatively short. Prices continue to rise as well. Your Stage 3 will be just fine for years to come. But if you do get the itch to upgrade, you should be able to fetch a healthy sum on your existing board... 👍🏻
Dude don’t worry about it. Just use it as a controller no need to upgrade for years. There are a reason why people still use keyboards made in 2003…it has Midi.
Great. Any idea where I can check when my Nord Piano 2 was actually made based on the serial number?
Hello @AlzeeWalzee - Great question. I don't know of any way to look up your specific keyboard based on the serial number. You could try the distributor in your country (which can be found on the Nord keyboards website) or directly with Nord by way of a ticket you create. I wish there was an easy answer for this but there isn't that I know of...
Great info Thanks
Thanks for watching Lawrence. 👍
Wow, this is so cool to watch, had no idea there is so much history that far back. I'm aiming still for one. I mentioned it earlier, either Lead A1 or Stage 3. But rather Stage 3. Still excited if they'll release a Stage 4 some time...
@Daniel Mikkelsen I'm routing for you and do drop a line when and if a Nord keyboard lands on your lap this year. I love both the Lead A1 and the Stage 3. They both have their place. If you can live with a synth only, the Lead A1 is really nice, more affordable, easier to move around, lighter, etc. It's missing the ability to play pianos, organs, and samples which can be a really big deal depending on what your musical goals are and depending on if you already have other boards coving those types of sounds. If more questions come up along the way, don't hesitate.
@@MyKeysToMusic Thanks a lot, always great to get your advice, and I'll certainly be sharing when I get a Nord. It makes you feel somewhat incomplete without one, learning how they excel from most other keyboards. I just watched your long comparison, Stage 3 and Wave 2 video. Well, the Wave 2 is also fascinating, sounds like the ultimate synth, the way I understand it. Though I'm sure the others would be more than enough for me, when they're already so perfected. But it's just draws me in, hearing about all these different capabilities!
@@danielmikkelsen5470 I know exactly what you mean by being "drawn in." The Wave 2 is an amazing offering and so untapped here on TH-cam for the most part. I hope to do more with the Wave 2 in the coming weeks/months. I"m also considering making a master course for the Lead A1 as well. Since no new Nord keyboard arrives here in June, I might actually have time to make an A1 course.
@@MyKeysToMusic Well, I would be very excited if you get around to making a A1 course video! I was considering it also as a great soloing synth. I'm practicing playing solos with pitch bend, which can actually be tricky, and my current keyboard only has a small stick that makes it difficult to bend the span of one note, slow and gradual. I see the Stage and A1 look the same with pitch controls, and they probably do the job right in regards to that
@@danielmikkelsen5470 This all sounds good. Since you mentioned you are practicing your pitch bend, I wanted to bring to your attention a video I did that I believe demonstrates pitch bend technique at an 8 or a 9 level... Have a look at this one: th-cam.com/video/UtKZhMQTjSM/w-d-xo.html
Dear brother 💖🦄do you have any idea about the Nord stage 4?
Hello @TribalDanceAmirYa No news yet. I'm not on the inside circle with this one...If I hear anything you can expect announcements from me on it ASAP. Thanks!
should i get an a1r or wait for the next lead rack?
@rman2x16 Well, to be honest, I think that Nord is no longer going to be releasing any kind of "modules" would be my guess. The Lead A1 was the last one they did as a module, and they stopped making that while continuing to make the Lead A1 (full keyboard). So, my guess is that you won't see any more modules going forward (for anything). However, it has been a long time since they released any kind of "Lead" keyboard (the Lead A1 came out in 2014). So perhaps there is a chance you'll see a brand new Lead keyboard arrive at some point - but it's hard to say exactly when/if that will happen. So, it might be worth waiting for a Lead keyboard to come out. If one does come out, it will likely either be based on the Wave 2 synth engine or perhaps it will be something completely brand new. To my knowledge, Nord is still manufacturing the Lead A. There happens to be a "B Stock" model for sale at Sweetwater at the moment by the way for some savings (4/16/2024 6:05:29 AM): bit.ly/Sweetwater_MyKeysToMusic
any news or estimations on the electro 7d?
@TylerMarletteNY Hello Tyler - no news from this end. I'm still not on the inside circle for that kind of info, and even if I was, I would likely be under NDA. But maybe in 2024?
@@MyKeysToMusic I know as soon as I buy a 6D 73 the 7D is gonna come out with a full synth section or something I gotta have!
@@TylerMarletteNYExactly! And I think you are correct to assume that an Electro is likely next on their list of items to release. But exactly "when" is the big mystery - and with what features - is also anyone's guess...
Thank you for job 🙏🙏🙏
Happy to do it. Thanks for your comment and for watching!
I decided to wait until the new stage, but I pray that the pandemic had not such a major impact at Nord. Else I would have waited for nothing this long 😅
Well, maybe you can make a deal with yourself that if they don't announce anything exciting at NAMM this week, you will go ahead and get a Stage 3. But then also tell yourself that this Stage 3 is just to hold you over until the Stage 4 comes out. 👍🏻 That's how I like to present things to the Mrs. at times when I start talking about expensive keyboards... 😉
@@MyKeysToMusic I guess I can do that so, thanks for sharing your tipp for presenting the news to loved ones 😂
Stage 3 on sale now, about $1100 mark down. Wonder why? Clearing inventory before release of Stage 4?
@The Buddhist Baptist WOW! That is an amazing amount of money off for the Stage 3. I'm going to go with your guess that something new is coming and they are clearing inventory. 👍🏻 Unfortunately, I have no proof of this, but your guess is a good one here. From a timing standpoint, we are long overdue. Fingers crossed. 🤞🏼
The Nord Lead 2X removed the external card because it came with internal rom and ram memory to store up to 1000 patches and a couple hundreds of performances. The 2x is many ways better than its predecessor in terms of voices and memory.
Thank you @Boris Pradel for the clarification here. I have pinned this comment for a bit as I believe this is something important to highlight.
Programs (single sounds): 297 (3 x 99) user, 693 (7 x 99) factory.
Performances (multi sounds): 100 user, 300 (3 x 100) factory.
Percussion kits (multi zone sounds): 30 (3 x 10) user, 70 (7 x 10) factory.
@@MyKeysToMusic thank you! You’re very kind!
@@borispradel1037 I appreciate you taking the time to spell out the Programs, Performances, and Percussion kits details for us here...
I don't think the micro modular supports sampling. I think it had a sample and hold module, but the 96kHz just refers to the internal processing.
Good point Kuh Pfau! I saw the word "sample" and ran with it. Sample And Hold - ya, that's completely different than playing samples. Thanks for the heads up on that...
Hello @Kuh Pfau I wanted you to know that I was able to "edit out" this part of the video on TH-cam. In a few hours, my statement which said "This was also a sampler" will be removed from the history video (as it is incorrect). Thanks for catching this and pointing it out!
@@MyKeysToMusic wow, I'm impressed by your urge to do things properly. Be assured that I never intended to force you to do this extra work. Have a great Pentecost weekend :)
@@kuhpfau I'm happy to do what I can. TH-cam allows us to cut small pieces out of a video after they've been published but we're not able to entirely replace a video. This fix was easy so I went ahead and did that. Yes, I do care about having things as accurate as possible so that people can trust the info they are watching from me. I'm in for the long game. Thanks again for your engagement on this!
I have: Nord Lead, Nord Rack 2x, Nord Modular Rack G1 and Nord Drum.
Awesome Stuart! You are an "Extreme Nord Enthusiast" like me and thanks for the comment. Nice vintage stuff too!
@@MyKeysToMusic Thanks to you for this nice history video. I hope to add the Nord Wave to my collection soon.
@@StuartRochabrunt Thanks for your comment. Are you looking at the original Nord Wave or the Wave 2?
Hard work for you if there is nothing new from Clavia - neither hard- nor sofware related. At least, the Sample Library 4 is out now. And maybe, there will be something coming up in the near future. We'll see.
Yes, we shall see. Even if they don't release anything in 2022, I'm happy to have captured their history in video format. But I'm really hoping they skip the Stage 3 EX and jump right to the Stage 4. What I want is 4 panels instead of 2 and 4X the memory with a more advanced synth and pattern/poly arpeggiator. A man can dream... Then again, if I ask for all this, I'm sure we won't like the price tag either! 🤪 Thanks for your comment.
@@MyKeysToMusic yes! Yes! Yes! And yes! I would also like to be able to switch the fx assignments (organ piano or synth) without pressing the shift button
@@FERRABONE Hello Carlos. Thanks for your comment! Here's a pro tip if you didn't already know this. You can switch fx assignments by "double-clicking" the source button. (The shift button is optional but not necessary to switch sources). We'll wait and see what happens with releases. I just heard that Nord WILL be at NAMM 2022 (this week) but many manufacturers will NOT be there such as Roland. The world is changing before our eyes but at least humans have the amazing ability to adapt and "Roll with the Changes" - Cheers! 🏄🏻♂
@@MyKeysToMusic you blew mi mind Marc!!! Thank you so much!! This is so handy!!
@@FERRABONE Glad to hear it! Keep up the good work and enjoy your music... If you're wanting to go deeper with your learning, I have courses for the Stage 3 on my website: www.MyKeysToMusic.com
Slight quibble… you missed the C2. I believe it came out in 2009. Really enjoyed watching though.
You history is somewhat similar to mine. I had a NE1 61, then a NE3 73 for several years (also had a C1 for a while), now a NE5D 73, and very recently a Stage 3 76.
When I bought the NE1, there really wasn’t anything like it, something to cover pianos, EPs and Hammond, without worrying about synth sounds. Seemed perfect to me. I only switched to NE3 because I liked the idea of a bit better Hammond /Leslie sim (and to upgrade to 73). And like you I loved the NE3 - only switched to NE5D to get drawbars and splits. I had owned a set of Ocean Beach drawbars that I used with my NE3 - it might be interesting for you to reference them here, a company basically built on Nord’s lack of drawbars, and basically killed when the 4D came out.
@@danbechard1763 Cool!
@@danbechard1763 Thanks for sharing your history here Dan. I also wanted to let you know I made the interactive timeline available for everyone to check out online AND I included the C2 with that timeline. Here is the interactive timeline: www.mindmeister.com/map/2215163428?t=Dq0MYrdzNI
A student of mine has a Nord Rack and it's been a bit of a headache to get it running through Logic Pro X. Love the sound and capability of it but, as a first hardware synth, it's a lot to take in. If anyone knows of any good tutorials on how to set up a Nord Rack + MIDI Keyboard into Logic, please give me a shout
Hello @Tom Mann Love that you have a student with a Nord Rack! (That's something you don't hear every day). The rack adds another connection because it doesn't have a keyboard.
So, I recommend two videos for your student to get started with the connections:
To record Nord keyboard into Logic Pro: th-cam.com/video/UU6j5o3YfaA/w-d-xo.html
To record MIDI into Logic Pro from a Nord keyboard: th-cam.com/video/V_FGQ83xH0Q/w-d-xo.html
I plan on more Nord keyboard/Logic videos down the road. If there are more specific questions, your student is free to ask questions here or also on the www.NordUserForum.com as well.
But this year seems they will not release anything😢Even no rumors about new things……The stage and electro really have to update because Dexibell is producing more and more powerful beasts.
Hello @Leon Li Yes, this seems very strange not to have some sort of release by now. Then again, chip shortages and manufacturing challenges abound for most music product manufacturers (and the world). Perhaps 2023 will be different? Dexibell appears to make nice stuff. They don't seem nearly as popular as Nord products but they do provide a compelling option. Sweetwater carries them (which validates their supply chain) and their prices appear lower than Nord pricing across the board. Obviously, to make a price comparison, one must do a feature comparison too so my comment about this is a little out of context. In fact, I know very little of the Dexibell brand. In the few minutes of research just now, I can tell you they have a much smaller TH-cam channel. Now, that really doesn't mean anything to most people, but to me, that's a statement when you compare this to the Nord TH-cam channel in terms of popularity. Here again, popularity isn't everything, but it does tell a story for better or for worse.
On a topic that is near and dear to my heart, I appreciate that they (Dexibell) have training videos. Nord, on the other hand, doesn't appear to prioritize training and implementation videos much at all. They do wonderful "performance videos" - second to none, in fact. The caliber of musicians they present in their TH-cam videos is stellar. This could partially explain why their TH-cam channel has a decent following. They really do set the bar in this area. However, we see very little in the way of practical usage videos from them directly. We do see quite a bit from retailers and their distributors, however, which bridges the gap a bit. This is part of the reason I created this channel because I feel some (most) people need assistance getting things going on their end. Or maybe it's just me who needs the help! 😜
The other thing I like about Dexibell is what appears to be the use of "Piano Modeling," which is the way of the future, I believe. Samples have disadvantages in this area in terms of the space it takes to store them and strict limitations on what you can do with a sample, in contrast to computer modeling, which is limitless by comparison.
We shall see what the future brings. Thanks for your comment and perspective!
@@MyKeysToMusic Wow it's very nice of you to reply me such a long message，really appreciate it！I‘m a nord fan and I won’t change my team haha😜I just want Nord to make more surprising products！Hope we‘ll see them the next year！
@@leonli7394 Yes! Let's hope to see something new next year! (I don't plan on switching teams either, by the way)...
@@MyKeysToMusic However，you should really check out more about Dexibell‘s keyboards.They use Fatar TP400W to make the Dexibell S9，which is the only one keyboard using Fatar’s highest level in the world，and they even invite Justin Lee to perform it in the NAMM show.Some people have began to call Dexibell “The Nord Killer”…I’ll still choose Nord because I love its cute pitch bend model on Stage，but to be honest，as for the hand feeling and sound，I might say Dexibell will win the game…
@@leonli7394 Thanks for the additional info here. I was not aware of the Fatar TP400W but it sounds terrific. Maybe Nord will use that in their next one? Funny you mention the "cute Pitch bend" - I recently did a video on pitch bend for the Electro 6 so, that topic has been high on my list as of late. We'll keep an eye on the Dexibell and hope that Nord comes up with something new that sets another standard for Stage keyboards...
Where is Nord Elektro 6?
Hello @radeekradeek8343 Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Or course, I had talked about the Electro 6 in the video but didn't have it on the original index. I fixed the index in the video description now to include the Electro 6. You can find it here at: 20:30 (good eye, and thanks for calling that out!)
It's a Nuurd with a rolling R, not a Nord! :)
Ha!
I found my Nord lead 2x at a swap meet for 10 bucks.
That is nearly unbelievable! Wow - terrific! Well, that's like walking away with about 1K worth of equipment. Enjoy it!
@@MyKeysToMusic 10\4, that's what me and my buddy where saying.
@@MyKeysToMusic it was a bit banged up but I got my body work hammers and straighten it out as best I can plus the nasty roach kaka that was in it. All worth it though.
@@rafaelfelix1992 Wow! They must have really abused it if you had to use work hammers to straighten it out. Well, as long as it works, that's great. Such a deal!
@@MyKeysToMusic yup, works like a champ. well worth 10 bucks
micro modular did not sample and was not a sampler
Thank you @Traddcliff for the clarification. I saw the word "sample" and took that too far. I have since edited that part out of the video here on TH-cam so in a few hours, that mistake will be no longer part of the history video. Thank you!