Clavia Nord Stage 2 88

I bring you back to the downloadable manual on the net

UTILIZATION

simple general config, for a maximum of possibilities
clear enough manual
editing sounds: all or almost is in front, the grip is naturally

SOUNDS

sounds suitable, or very well,
not terrible presets,
Too bad it does not make coffee

OVERALL OPINION

PLUS
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- This is a very good keyboard scene, pretty and more.
- Pianos are superb realism, especially the great imperial.
- Very well as electric pianos, organs very realistic
- Part synth / friendly and powerful sampling.
- The effects are visible and powerful, flange, chorus, wah, delay, reverb amp simulation, equalizer
- Everything is in front, the machine has been well thought-oriented scene
- Possibility to connect a second MIDI keyboard to play the organ for example

MINUS
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- Heavy keyboard is good without being great
- The high price
- Presets for the synth part
- Access to memory on a small screen

6 octave keyboard (Mi Mi)
4 banks with 128 sounds (replaceable)
Modulation effects, reverb, distortion, delay, all editable.
Controllers Pitch Bend, mollete for morphing
USB and MIDI connections
Editing parameters thanks to software not provided CLAVIA

UTILIZATION

Great for the scene because editing in real time (buttons, knobs, ...)
Clear manual, but the forums are trsè used (see website NORD STAGE USER)
The sounds are not entered in the parameters of the machine (or KORG ROLAND style), everything is done manually by turning the knobs until "SOUND" is found.

SOUNDS

Are the most realistic and organs are used (FARFISA, HAMMOND B3, VOX), acoustic piano (wonderful!) And electrical (RHODES, MArk 1-4, Wurlitzer). On synth sounds, I find too vintage for my taste.
It really changes other workstations (though I have a kronos)

OVERALL OPINION

I use on stage and in the studio, especially the sounds of piano and organ. For synths, I use other keyboards.
What I like about this keyboard is more than color, ease of use LIVE, and realistic sounds of piano and organ. Also, the morphing for drastic change parameters of a sound without changing the program.

I would do this choice

See product page.

UTILIZATION

Users of workstation-type pattern and company will laugh! It's childish, it Splite easily, layers are created in 2 seconds. The effects are at your fingertips on the right of the keyboard (reverb, delay, phaser, distortion ...) and quickly adjustable when you have a sound that suits us, we store and forward, one can add a layer for example, and add a splitter or a B3 low left hand with the stuff (6 sounds can be used simultaneously, or any splitter or splitter as 2 or 3 ... etc) it sounds complicated but it takes 10 seconds ( if so serious!).
The manual is not a stone but perfectly sums up the basic functions.

SOUNDS

The sounds are excellent, in addition to pianos organs are almost perfect. For pianos, I advise to load the sound of the great concert Boesendorf found in the sample librairy North course, not that other sounds are bad (far from it) but with the great boesendorf it kills! on the other hand he is greedy and takes a lot of space (so it will turn at least two other piano sounds lighter).
The Rhodes are excellent, the Wurly "supertrampesque".
The organs are fabulous.
I will issue a small flat on the sounds of the synth sample librairy side, I find them a bit cold. But with the synth part, you can change them at will and give them a nice personal side.

OVERALL OPINION

I use this machine for 9 months and I am delighted because it is complete for any type of scene, I use it in several groups (Rock, variety, Musette, French songs, jazz) and it fits anywhere .
Not to mention the weight, only 18kgs, for one-stage piano keyboard it looks!
I recommend this instrument to all lovers of piano, organ, rhodes and foremost who do a lot of scene.
I would do without any concern that choice.

For specifications I refer you to the site of Clavia.

The keyboard comes with a power supply cable, USB cable, a sustain pedal and a proper keyboard covers-red.

The configuration could not be simpler: you plug it on and voila, ready to play!

UTILIZATION

The keyboard is divided into three sections: organ (B3, Vox, Farsifa), Piano (Piano acoustic grand and upright, Rhodes, clavinet, piano, electronic), Synth (samples, waveforms, LFO, envelopes ...) .

Each section can be stacked up to 2 instruments per section (6 instruments at max: 2 organs, 2 pianos, 2 synthesizer).

To these three sections you can add effects (chorus, delay, wah, flanger, tremolo, reverb ...)

The Operating Your very easy even for a novice: each button has a function and you do not get lost in endless submenus.
In 30 seconds you can stack such a grand piano, a Rhodes, 2 B3, a sample of violin and a wave wave, make changes in sounds, add multiple effects to a reverb, start the arpeggiator on a sounds, assign any effects to the modulation wheel or after touch, splitting the keyboard ...

In short it is powerful, thoughtful and quick to implement. It is a formidable stage keyboard, robust and relatively lightweight (18kg for 88 keys). Regarding its use in the studio, he perfectly fulfilled his duties as master keyboard with integrated usb midi. All controls send a message noon, which means they can be assigned to any function of your DAW.

The manual is very quick read (only about fifty pages) and contains everything you need to know. Anyway the keyboard is so intuitive that the manual is on the edge of superfluous

SOUNDS

As for sounds, which first strikes are the pianos. Just incredible! It breathes, it lives and could spend hours listening to the string resonance. One can only feel inspired when our hands touch the keyboard. By far the best that I have been given to listen!

The organs are also very good, with the opportunity to play with all the drawbars to shape the sound to our liking. leslie simulation did a good job and percussive effects are well rendered.

The rhodes are quality even if they do not transcend the originals.

Finally the synthesis part, I will not dwell much on the subject because I have not tested all the possibilities. In all cases there is plenty to do, everything is at hand and the creation / editing sounds is really easy! Small detail, you can import your own samples, but keep in mind that only have one velocity layer ... realistic level we have seen better.

The touch keyboard is as it was a good compromise between a piano and a touch touch organ. touch is heavy enough to enable nuanced play the piano (the excellent dynamics should help!), and light enough to allow good velocity for organs.

Caution, however, the keyboard is pretty noisy!

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 3 months and I never tire of it! even though we toured the functions fast enough finally, the architecture of the beast pushes us to be creative to find OUR sound. Moreover, it is possible to download new piano sounds and new samples from Clavia's website.

Just for comparison of touch, I have a Yamaha p-95 and feel of the latter is more "realistic" for a pianist that the Nord Stage 2 88.


The machine is a little expensive but considering it will last you quite some time, you return to your costs
Attention all the same: the Nord Stage is not a workstation and does not have the vocation. If you are looking for a workstation, go your way!

I would do this choice 1000 times if I have a chance!