Nord Stage EX and Nord Piano - Piano Pedal vs Sustain Pedal?

[subatomic]

I'm looking at getting a Nord Stage EX rather than a Nord Piano - purely because it has a pitch bender/modwheel and organ sounds - and the Nord Piano does not. With this, the Stage looks like a better instrument - at least for me who hopes to do some rock stuff with Rhodes elec pianos and Organs, but still wants a great grand piano.

The Nord Stage EX takes a "sustain pedal"... I was wondering if I could also plug the 3 lever Nord 'Piano Pedal' into the Nord Stage EX so I could use the 3 different controls to help the Stage be more like a real piano? (or, is the Stage EX's 'Sustain pedal' already 3 levers?)


If not, I'm curious if there will be a new version of the Stage that supports the piano pedal? And also if not... then I would say the pedal of the Nord Piano seems to be the only 'better' thing about the Nord Piano than the Nord Stage and is disappointing that the Stage wouldn't support it...

[-Toro-]

hi Subatomic.
think about it this way. if you were a car manufacturer, would it be good buissness for you to release a car which can be run on all kinds of fuel, which is small enough to be a perfect city car, and has a great V8, 350 horse powered engine, leather interiour, all kinds of the latest electric technology, soft top and so on? what would that car cost to the customer? would your car be able to compete among others? and what others? sport cars or small cars?

it's all about compromising to keep the product worth its price! :-)

on to your questions:
you're saying you'll play rhodes and organs. now your first issue would be about whether you're happy playing organ on weighted keys, or if you're happy playing pianos on waterfall action. if yes, then the Stage is an option for you. if no, you may consider buying a combo of weighten and waterfall keyboards, such as a Nord Piano and a Stage or Electro or a combination with MIDI keyboards...
may i ask why you want the mod.wheel and pb-stick if you're only playing organs and rhodes?

The Nord Stage EX takes a "sustain pedal"... I was wondering if I could also plug the 3 lever Nord 'Piano Pedal' into the Nord Stage EX so I could use the 3 different controls to help the Stage be more like a real piano? (or, is the Stage EX's 'Sustain pedal' already 3 levers?)

i'll leave this question for someone else, since i'm not sure.

If not, I'm curious if there will be a new version of the Stage that supports the piano pedal? And also if not... then I would say the pedal of the Nord Piano seems to be the only 'better' thing about the Nord Piano than the Nord Stage and is disappointing that the Stage wouldn't support it...

oh, it's more than just the pedal. the Nord Piano comes with a 500Mb memory. the StageEX comes with 256...
the Stage has Morph functions and jacks for control pedals. the Nord Piano has not (except for the special piano pedal).
we are all curious about new hardware and updates from Clavia! but no one knows for sure what will come in the nearest future. ;-)

hope this helps. i don't mean to be rude. i'm just trying to figure out your requisites...

[subatomic]

I was hoping the Stage was like Piano+. But I'm getting the idea that not quite everything the Piano does the stage will too... (i.e. the foot pedal situation).


I was hoping I could do some funky bends with the pitch stick and mod wheel. I love those controls on my NordLead3 for live expression.
If not on the traditional instruments, then I would settle for the synths to be bent/mod'ed... I know traditional organ and rhodes don't bend... ok. But It could be cool, at least on the organs to have pitch bend.

I love morph on the NL3, and love the idea to have it on the Stage.

I need a weighted keyboard, since I want to teach piano lessons to my daughters... And for myself to have a nice grand piano experience.

As for weighted keys for Rhodes, I think that's expected, isn't it? At least, I've played elec pianos that were weighted, at least somewhat...
As for weighted keys for organs, I realize it's not ideal... but I'll take it (I'm not buying multiple instruments at the moment for space reasons.). I can always use the sounds via MIDI anyways (I already do this in my home studio with the NL3). I'm not really an organ enthusiest, but I see that the organ sounds in the Stage are really good, and would like to add them to my toolkit.

[Cbas]

So I think the question for you is:
1. Do you want Organ, splits/layers, pitchbend/mod-wheel/morphing and synths or
2. Do you want better pedal functionality, more space(more piano sounds).

I don't know if there is a difference between the weighted keys on them. If there is, then that might be a factor too.
Also maybe I forgot some stuff in the comparisson.
Just trying to help.

[-Toro-]

I know traditional organ and rhodes don't bend... ok. But It could be cool, at least on the organs to have pitch bend.

cool idea! :-)
if you're more into experimenting with sounds rather than playing classic piano, i would definitive go for the Stage!

can you easily use the NL to control other devices? in that case there's another option for you. bend your rhodes and clavs from a Nord Piano with the pb-stick on your NL? then you will have a great grand piano, but you'll be without the organ section. so you'll have to reproduce them on your NL or buy a second-hand Nord Electro Rack?

there's no end to the possibilities! (quote: Jim Carrey in Cable guy) :-)

[subatomic]

I don't see the organ sonic possibilities happening on the NL3. Tonewheel simulation on the Stage sounds exciting, as well as the rotary and amp sim stuff to give it that classic sound, it sounds dead on. And I don't want yet a 3rd Nord filling my studio space, my lack of space, i'd love more nords! (but your idea of the rack is a good one, perhaps I could go there... but...).

Seems like the only thing missing from Stage (over Piano) is the lack of the 2 pedals (it has sustain, but not the other two.).... That may be ok... Certainly disappointed, but not a deal breaker as I get more value with the other sounds and controls on the Stage than what I _don't_ get from the two missing pedals... I think.

If you can think of any more features the Piano has that the Stage doesn't let me know. But I think the Stage, if buying just one keyboard, is the best compromise for myself from what I understand of the feature sets at this time.


Would be especially good to know if the Stage has a MIDI control for those two non-sustain NordPiano foot pedals, (if no physical jack on the back for them exists on the Stage). Then I could rig something up, custom hardware controller, etc..., or at the least control those with a sequencer for studio work...

[-Toro-]

Would be especially good to know if the Stage has a MIDI control for those two non-sustain NordPiano foot pedals, (if no physical jack on the back for them exists on the Stage). Then I could rig something up, custom hardware controller, etc..., or at the least control those with a sequencer for studio work...

referring to the Nord Piano user manual:
sustain pedal: cc064
soft pedal: cc067
sostenuto pedal: cc066.

as for the Nord Stage the MIDI control change numbers cc066 and cc067 are not associated to any MIDI parameter.
now, here's what i think. if you get another device to send these control change messages to the Stage nothing will happen. the Stage doesn't know what to do with this information.
i might be way off here, cause i don't really don't know! this is only what i think...

[subatomic]

Thanks for looking those up!

I think I wouldn't be surprised if those weren't hooked up, and from what you found, looks like it's possibly true...
NordPiano afterall is newer than the Stage... I believe. so perhaps it's a new feature...

I suppose we can hope they'll add the 2 new pedals to the Stage, like they did with the string resonance feature in the OS upgrade. I still wont be surprised if they keep it exclusive to the piano... it's a selling point over the Stage...

[-Toro-]

probably there will never be possible to use the Nord Piano Pedal in the Stage. i think it's a hardware issue. the jack simply don't support it.
but if Clavia included the cc parameters in an OS upgrade, it would be possible to control these from an external MIDI foot controller. for example the Roland FC-300.
but you're absolutely right. why in the world would Clavia do that?...

good luck with your choice of product! :-)

[hand solo]

since you have an active discussion about the Nord Piano 88 pedal....

i bought a used NP88 that did not have the 3-pedal unit. (lost, stolen) .the manual states that other pedals can be used. my question is,

if i use a double pedal unit with a stereo 1/4" plug, will i get the function(s) of either of the two other pedals on the

Nord unit ? here's an example of a Studiologic double pedal.

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/ ... sku=485834

or, all of the 3 pedal aftermarket units have 3 mono 1/4" plugs. wonder if i could wire all 3 to a 1/4 " stereo plug somehow
and make it work like the Nord pedal?

thank you for your help.