From tsellers@knology.net Sun Oct 21 10:25:04 2007
Subject:Re: Nord Stage experiences - Help me evaluate

An update from my earlier post-
I used the Stage 88 last night for the first time on a gig with a 4 piece bar band- R&B, Classic Rock, Blues and some country. I played it in stereo though a pair of MS KT80's. Just as others have reported- Organs, Rhodes, Whirley were all killer. I need to work with the Clav some more. Tony's observation that the piano's just don't cut it in the mix was spot on. I was able to get a bit better sound with the touch sensitivity on 2 or 3- it was initially off-(my inexperience). The KT80's are not the best sounding AP amps, but my GEM ProMega 2 Fazoili piano just rocks through them- the Yamaha XL patch was kind of usable but not even close sound wise, and the close miked Steinway was a lost cause.

I had programmed it in advance with some AP/Organ splits and other split layered patched using my (turns out pretty lame) attempts at some horn and string synth patches- both will need to be modified to make them a little brighter, and I need to figure out how to use the control pedal to bring them in and out on the fly.

This band plays a couple of songs that we open up as jams, and being able to easily fade in effects and modify otherwise stock sounds on the fly was a lot of fun. I am sure that as I learn the lay out better, this facility will be even more useful.

There is really nothing else quite like this beast that is out there now. If Clavia can get the AP's to connect in a medium volume band setting like most of the rest of the sounds, it will probably be my favorite keyboard. Till then, it is still a bit of a compromise.

Tom


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]