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Nrenier
Published on 02/22/09 at 03:58
So it's a keyboard to the men of tradition: the sounds of keyboard instruments, ideal for the repertoire of 70's: soul, funk, rock (hard rock), jazz, blues.
It's a beautiful machine: it is already red, and that's class. After it's solid: metal + wood frame (plastic buttons). The keyboard is semi-weighted, very nice to play well for the type of sounds (rhodes + organ). Forall is (relatively) light: heavier than most synth korg X5D public as (at the time!) Or Roland Juno, but lighter than competitors in Hammond and Roland ...
You probably already know the principle:
an organ with three section models very very different: the mighty Hammond B3 tone wheel, and the Farfisa and Vox strident transistor. Note that you can do everything like the real: a volume pedal, double keyboard sounds ("registers") for each. The drawbars are electronic and become toggle buttons for Farfisa, like the original!
The organ is the Clavia C1.
a section for the piano samples: five categories (a tail, right, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and harpsichord / clavinets). Particular attention was paid to the clavinet which one can choose, like the original, the active pickups and filters. For each category, there are some sounds (between 1 and 5 different)
These are the Nord Stage pianos.
New: you can load samples of instruments (winds, strings, woodwinds, percussions ...). The samples come from the Nord Wave.
The great thing: all the sounds (piano and samples) can be replaced by what is found free on the Clavia site! Much better than the SRX expansion cards ruinous Roland!
Not good: not multitimbral, you can not play several different sounds simultaneously. This is consistent with the side "without concession" of this keyboard: it's true that there is a tendency, with the crisis and reducing the number of musicians in groups, to want to play three instruments at the same time synth, but given the size of the original (piano, organ and rhodes), a keyboard player could not play at the same time all this in real life!
The effects: it is more or less. Again, it is necessary to limit the effects of yesteryear, with few changes as possible: there are generally three levels "amount" for each effect, of increasing intensity, and knob above can change the speed. Personally, that's enough.
EDIT: the keyboard is sure to play the piano, it's not ideal. Historically, the "electro" in the North are more oriented to play the organ and rhodes, and "stage" are more suited to play piano (full keyboard + touch heavy). Have a keyboard light is essential to play the organ: it allows for the famous glissando and staccato effects of characteristics. The lightness of the keyboard is not at the expense of strength, and honestly, even for the piano, it does not bother me at all (I am trained pianist, and I also have a real piano at home).
UTILIZATION
Use: it is fun! No menu, no screen! Over time, I came to flee the small screens rotten 2-line that we put on all synths. For that matter, I prefer nothing at all, and buttons!
One can get the sound you want in 15 seconds lap top. So I do not use the presets and memories. We spend the next organ to piano with a button and the settings for each section are stored. You can also change a section if it is not active, for example I can prepare the piano sound is to follow while playing on the organ.
For each preset, there are 2 registers organ (keyboard "top" and "bottom") and a piano config saved. There are two banks (A and B), plus a bank "live" that records all as and to find the same settings in case of disconnection.
If you plug a second keyboard, as can be on the organ combo, the second key is the lower part. You can also split in two areas the keyboard to make the two keyboards in one.
EDIT: for changes in sounds, the utility is well done. However, shipments are time ... have more than 10 minutes to load a piano XL from the computer (USB 2). But once we spent a whole evening to test all the sounds available, a priori there is no need to repeat the manipulation, except in case of update ....
SOUNDS
Basically, we enjoy. I tested the Electro 2, and I was not convinced, but there is one level above:
Organs: the best B3 I tested so far (I tested the Rolands VK and korg). I put the wheels in "vintage maxi + +", and we really feel like one's lifetime. Even when you do not touch anything, you can hear the machinery going up the volume! The clik are impressive: each note, the clik is different. The keyboard is very suitable for organ playing: when playing staccato notes are played back by the rebound of the! With the volume pedal, I'm having to redo "Lazy" by Deep Purple.
Keyboards: it's really good, but for sure there is severe competition from banks of sounds on a computer. The pianos are very nice to play, quite "musical", but his "base" (ie: I make a deal by itself) is not exceptional. Say it defends itself.
For cons, the Rhodes, the Wurlitzer: very good! The best I've tested it on a synth so far. Each model of Rhodes's personality, harmonics resonate well, and the mechanical response is very satisfactory. Also, one hears the sound back when you release the buttons.
Clavinet: I do not know her real well, but I think it is fairly well reproduced, especially since we have all the options of true. The harpsichord is grandiose, but I admit it's an easier instrument sampler.
The samples: it's a bit for fun, because it does not sound really. Also, it is necessary each time you select a sample set the shell (here, just attack and release), because by default, everything is in envelope "square". There are only two different attacks, and four different release mode + a "dynamic" which depends on the velocity. It is clear that the electro synth is not suited to this kind of samples. Say, it helps out.
Effects:
Rotary is very good. The tremolo is fine. Simulations of staff / speaker: it can go, especially for the distos, which are nice, but it is far from great that simulations can be found on the gear of guitarists (the Line6 Pods of such ... ). Also, the effect is to add a bit of dough to the sound, but when you chose this kind of synth is that it clearly does not lead to the psy trance.
I could put "10", but I put "9" for the amp simulations improvement.
EDITION:
- After the latest updates, downloaded the latest versions of sounds: pianos XL are very good, and it goes up the quality significantly. I tested side by side versions medium and XL, and if it is very demanding on the piano, it's worth it. Ultimately, I prefer to have a piano XL rather than three different quality pianos "normal". I agree with the view of the mistral resonances, but it's just the case of all sampled pianos?
- For samples: Notice of mistral I was finally "enlightened", it's true that we should not expect realistic sounds, but rather sounds mellotrons to the famous times of the late the 70s, and yes, Genesis is a very good example! The "sample" should actually be called "mellotron", that way we know what we are talking about!
OVERALL OPINION
Well, I received it just in time for Noyel! It's a little advice to hot.
I love: The color, design, weight, keyboard, sound ... short, almost everything! Also, the ability to change the sounds to match the machine needs (I think eventually delete some grand pianos (no need to have 4!) To put a version of "XL" in memory with more details) .
Worst: Not multitimbral. I do not think that's a technical term, but the synth is not too crippled to walk on the Stage of flower beds. The samples: the problem is that there is no proper treatment to take advantage: for a sampled instrument sounds good, it must moultes ADSR, VCF, VCA, LFO and effects ... that this synth has not. So, even if the sounds are good in absolute terms, it's less serious compared to the level of other sounds.
quality / price ratio: it is in the high-end, so it's expensive, but worth the price I think. For lovers of old sounds, of course ...
I used one for 4 years Roland VR-760: very good machine too, which is the comparison with the electro3, but I changed to a simple reason: the weight! Looking back, there's nothing worse than leaving his instrument at home just because it's impossible to move without a (big) car. The beast was 20 kg (30 with the fly box) for 1m70 long. Here, I have just under 8 kg, with a cover bag-to-back: the foot! At the time, I had the choice between electro and VR-760 and I opted for the 760 because it was better in tone to the organs and pianos. Now I think that Clavia has caught on piano and the organ exceeds the Roland.
So great keyboard and electro again!
EDIT: notice after 2 months of use: it's always happy, nothing wrong, if it again, I'll buy 3!
It's a beautiful machine: it is already red, and that's class. After it's solid: metal + wood frame (plastic buttons). The keyboard is semi-weighted, very nice to play well for the type of sounds (rhodes + organ). Forall is (relatively) light: heavier than most synth korg X5D public as (at the time!) Or Roland Juno, but lighter than competitors in Hammond and Roland ...
You probably already know the principle:
an organ with three section models very very different: the mighty Hammond B3 tone wheel, and the Farfisa and Vox strident transistor. Note that you can do everything like the real: a volume pedal, double keyboard sounds ("registers") for each. The drawbars are electronic and become toggle buttons for Farfisa, like the original!
The organ is the Clavia C1.
a section for the piano samples: five categories (a tail, right, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and harpsichord / clavinets). Particular attention was paid to the clavinet which one can choose, like the original, the active pickups and filters. For each category, there are some sounds (between 1 and 5 different)
These are the Nord Stage pianos.
New: you can load samples of instruments (winds, strings, woodwinds, percussions ...). The samples come from the Nord Wave.
The great thing: all the sounds (piano and samples) can be replaced by what is found free on the Clavia site! Much better than the SRX expansion cards ruinous Roland!
Not good: not multitimbral, you can not play several different sounds simultaneously. This is consistent with the side "without concession" of this keyboard: it's true that there is a tendency, with the crisis and reducing the number of musicians in groups, to want to play three instruments at the same time synth, but given the size of the original (piano, organ and rhodes), a keyboard player could not play at the same time all this in real life!
The effects: it is more or less. Again, it is necessary to limit the effects of yesteryear, with few changes as possible: there are generally three levels "amount" for each effect, of increasing intensity, and knob above can change the speed. Personally, that's enough.
EDIT: the keyboard is sure to play the piano, it's not ideal. Historically, the "electro" in the North are more oriented to play the organ and rhodes, and "stage" are more suited to play piano (full keyboard + touch heavy). Have a keyboard light is essential to play the organ: it allows for the famous glissando and staccato effects of characteristics. The lightness of the keyboard is not at the expense of strength, and honestly, even for the piano, it does not bother me at all (I am trained pianist, and I also have a real piano at home).
UTILIZATION
Use: it is fun! No menu, no screen! Over time, I came to flee the small screens rotten 2-line that we put on all synths. For that matter, I prefer nothing at all, and buttons!
One can get the sound you want in 15 seconds lap top. So I do not use the presets and memories. We spend the next organ to piano with a button and the settings for each section are stored. You can also change a section if it is not active, for example I can prepare the piano sound is to follow while playing on the organ.
For each preset, there are 2 registers organ (keyboard "top" and "bottom") and a piano config saved. There are two banks (A and B), plus a bank "live" that records all as and to find the same settings in case of disconnection.
If you plug a second keyboard, as can be on the organ combo, the second key is the lower part. You can also split in two areas the keyboard to make the two keyboards in one.
EDIT: for changes in sounds, the utility is well done. However, shipments are time ... have more than 10 minutes to load a piano XL from the computer (USB 2). But once we spent a whole evening to test all the sounds available, a priori there is no need to repeat the manipulation, except in case of update ....
SOUNDS
Basically, we enjoy. I tested the Electro 2, and I was not convinced, but there is one level above:
Organs: the best B3 I tested so far (I tested the Rolands VK and korg). I put the wheels in "vintage maxi + +", and we really feel like one's lifetime. Even when you do not touch anything, you can hear the machinery going up the volume! The clik are impressive: each note, the clik is different. The keyboard is very suitable for organ playing: when playing staccato notes are played back by the rebound of the! With the volume pedal, I'm having to redo "Lazy" by Deep Purple.
Keyboards: it's really good, but for sure there is severe competition from banks of sounds on a computer. The pianos are very nice to play, quite "musical", but his "base" (ie: I make a deal by itself) is not exceptional. Say it defends itself.
For cons, the Rhodes, the Wurlitzer: very good! The best I've tested it on a synth so far. Each model of Rhodes's personality, harmonics resonate well, and the mechanical response is very satisfactory. Also, one hears the sound back when you release the buttons.
Clavinet: I do not know her real well, but I think it is fairly well reproduced, especially since we have all the options of true. The harpsichord is grandiose, but I admit it's an easier instrument sampler.
The samples: it's a bit for fun, because it does not sound really. Also, it is necessary each time you select a sample set the shell (here, just attack and release), because by default, everything is in envelope "square". There are only two different attacks, and four different release mode + a "dynamic" which depends on the velocity. It is clear that the electro synth is not suited to this kind of samples. Say, it helps out.
Effects:
Rotary is very good. The tremolo is fine. Simulations of staff / speaker: it can go, especially for the distos, which are nice, but it is far from great that simulations can be found on the gear of guitarists (the Line6 Pods of such ... ). Also, the effect is to add a bit of dough to the sound, but when you chose this kind of synth is that it clearly does not lead to the psy trance.
I could put "10", but I put "9" for the amp simulations improvement.
EDITION:
- After the latest updates, downloaded the latest versions of sounds: pianos XL are very good, and it goes up the quality significantly. I tested side by side versions medium and XL, and if it is very demanding on the piano, it's worth it. Ultimately, I prefer to have a piano XL rather than three different quality pianos "normal". I agree with the view of the mistral resonances, but it's just the case of all sampled pianos?
- For samples: Notice of mistral I was finally "enlightened", it's true that we should not expect realistic sounds, but rather sounds mellotrons to the famous times of the late the 70s, and yes, Genesis is a very good example! The "sample" should actually be called "mellotron", that way we know what we are talking about!
OVERALL OPINION
Well, I received it just in time for Noyel! It's a little advice to hot.
I love: The color, design, weight, keyboard, sound ... short, almost everything! Also, the ability to change the sounds to match the machine needs (I think eventually delete some grand pianos (no need to have 4!) To put a version of "XL" in memory with more details) .
Worst: Not multitimbral. I do not think that's a technical term, but the synth is not too crippled to walk on the Stage of flower beds. The samples: the problem is that there is no proper treatment to take advantage: for a sampled instrument sounds good, it must moultes ADSR, VCF, VCA, LFO and effects ... that this synth has not. So, even if the sounds are good in absolute terms, it's less serious compared to the level of other sounds.
quality / price ratio: it is in the high-end, so it's expensive, but worth the price I think. For lovers of old sounds, of course ...
I used one for 4 years Roland VR-760: very good machine too, which is the comparison with the electro3, but I changed to a simple reason: the weight! Looking back, there's nothing worse than leaving his instrument at home just because it's impossible to move without a (big) car. The beast was 20 kg (30 with the fly box) for 1m70 long. Here, I have just under 8 kg, with a cover bag-to-back: the foot! At the time, I had the choice between electro and VR-760 and I opted for the 760 because it was better in tone to the organs and pianos. Now I think that Clavia has caught on piano and the organ exceeds the Roland.
So great keyboard and electro again!
EDIT: notice after 2 months of use: it's always happy, nothing wrong, if it again, I'll buy 3!