Nord User Forum

Looking for a keyboard that can stand alongside my NS3 88 to enhance my setup for a 80's and 90's cover band.

Thanks!

Hi,
if I see the same music in „80s and 90s cover“ I‘d guess it needs brass, synth strings plus a bit of this and that. My recommendation would be korg nautilus or, if budget plays a role, korg kross 2.
Would be nice to see where you end one day.
Cheers from Germany

I would recommend Roland Fantom-0, killer sound and features, and value for money is amazing

+1 for the Fantom-0. Bought one recently to see pair with my stage 3

I added a Stage 3 Compact to my Stage 3-88, perfect combination. The Stage 3 Compact has drawbars and the better keybed for organ/synth playing, while the Stage 3 88 is really good for pianos. I can get all sounds I need from either the NS3 synth, the existing sample libraries, samples provided by the users here or by creating them by myself. On top of this I can also use just one of the two if the gig allows since I can keep all programs and sounds in sync on both of them - also a fallback solution if one of them would fail on stage (which never happened to me so far)

If you don't want to have 2 Nords you may use either Roland Fantom-0 or Yamaha MODX, depending on whether you prefer the Roland or Yamaha sounds and operation

I know you didn't ask, but I wouldn't add another keyboard to that. There aren't many things your Stage 3 can't do. I've tried both a MODX and a Lead A1, but neither gave me enough to start lugging, connecting and programming 2 keyboards instead of just a Stage 3.

Yamaha MODX / Montage can in theory make any sound you (a 80s-90s cover band) could ever need, but is 10 times more complicated than a Stage 3. The FM engine is awesome, and I mean AWESOME. But DX style synth programming is demanding, so I'd rather stick with what a Stage 3 and samples can offer.

Also something like a DSI Prophet Rev2 is a valid option, if subtractive synthesis is all you need to expand upon.

Think about getting a synth module instead of keyboard, if you want more sounds, but don't want another set of keys.

Consider tapping into your Stage’s power by adding a MIDI controller keyboard to it and using the Stage’s engines for everything.

Like Elias, I think there's a lot the Stage 3 can bring to the table without the need for a second keyboard however I can also appreciate that many like a 2nd keyboard not only for the different sounds but also to pair a semi-weighted keyboard with a weighted one. You would know best what sounds you want to recreate, are there any particular songs you think the Stage 3 would be challenged to cover?

Just one quick thought from my side to the point „one keyboard only“: Depending on how you are rehearsing, in case you don’t always need your entire setup there, a lightweight second board can make it easy. The NS3 88 has almost 20 kilos! Puh, if I had to carry it every week … I have rehearsals which I can play with my 4.5 kg korg only. Although not the finest organ sounds then, but sufficient at all.
Cheers and good luck

Tasten-Bert wrote:Depending on how you are rehearsing, in case you don’t always need your entire setup there, a lightweight second board can make it easy.

This is an excellent point. I've actually though about something similar even though I don't need another keyboard to perform.