having only played a real wurly for a very small amount of time (the intro to "where it's at" was my tune of choice for the 30 seconds i had on it)
i was just wondering what wurly dudes think of the sound from the nord electro.
is it as dissatisfying as the rhodes sound is to me?
i also want to know what people think of the clav and hammond.
You wouldn't believe it Jim, I can answer that one for you.
Love the clav, like the capabilities of changing the pick-up configurations.
Don't go much for the Hammond. Does the job, but XK-1....need I say more
Rhodes, I pass on completely. Not to my liking.
Wurly is great. I miss the hiss though. To my ears it's pretty close.
Piano, Forget it.
I've been using my mate's for a little while now, one and off; having an all in one unit is dandy and in the end, is the average punter going to know the difference?
Kel
Hm, I play the Wurlysounds of my Stage quite often (more than the Rhodessamples btw.) and I like it so far. Played a short time on a real Wurly but this was a while ago, so I don't have the feeling of the Wurly in my fingers anymore.
Clav is good, but the notetrigger on a real one is faster! (at least of the Clavinet, I played on).
Orgens. Well... I use them often, but I can't find a clone, that's sound even comes close to a real Hammond. And as I play organ the most time of the gig (most of the time, there is another keyboarplayer), I focus on them and I lug either the C3 or a chopped B3 around.
But, to me, the Stage or the Electro, is still the best all-in-one-package. AND: it's the lightest one too.
Best regards
HammondToby
yeah punters are dumb!!
i have a stage compact, and at most gigs i use the wurly sound. i think the wurly sound is one of the best sounds on the keyboard. The organ sounds are also probably the best ive heard (better than my VK8), the only problem i've found with the wurly sound is that it sounds harsh too quick, but that is more due to the light action. i recently played my mates electro rack being powerd by a fatar weighted controloler, and i must say it does sound better than my real wurly. saying that my wurly is knacared!!!
We made a small comparison with a Wurly 200A and a Nord Stage 88 in the studio of a friend.
Both are allmost indentical. The original one is perhaps a little bit faster in the way to achieve the barky/harsh sound. But i think that it should be possible to tweak the Nord Stage to have the same feeling. But two notes, at the same volume, it's quite incredible how it sounds good...
The Rhodes are not bad. But a bit too "uniforme", to regular, clean. I prefer the barky and muddy sound from my Mk1 thru the Twin Reverb than the ultra clean sound from the Nord Electro/Stage.
The organ sounds are, imho better than many other clones, like Korg (cx-3), Roland (VK-8, VK-7), Voce (B5), etc...The only one that is better in therm of "dry" sound are the Hammond Suzuki (XK-3, XK-1, New B3, etc...) You can edit them very very deeply. But the Leslie sim is better on the Nord :wink: A good solution is to play the Nord Electro over a real Leslie (760, 122, 147, 330) with a Preamp Combo Pedal. (it's what i'm doing...). The only complaint i have against the Nord, i prefer real drawbars instead of push-buttons and Leds. But i have to admit that both are useable...
The Clavinet sound is not bad. The ability to change the pickup setting is very near to the real thing. With a light keyboard action (Nord Electro, Stage Compact) it's really cool to play. The hammer action from the 76/88 keys model is really not good for organ and clavinet playing. But everybody knows that, and tha addition of a midi keyboard is a good solution...
Acoustic Pianos are a real improvement in the Nord Stage, when compared with the Electro. The samples are very exact, the piano has a lot of "air, space" and it's incredibly nice to play. While the acoustic piano on the Nord Electro where simply a very cheap add to the other sound...ok, there is a striped down version of the Yam C7 available for the Nord Electro. :wink:
For someone looking for the original instrument, i would keep the original. I think i play better on my Stage Piano than on that small red thing. But i have to admit that when space on stage is a problem, or the weight and the transport in small cars is a question too, a Nord Electro or Nord Stage can be the first choice to achieve a good emulation of these vintage keyboards.
I bought the Electro 2 61 key last year as an "all powerful solution" to my gigging needs. Here are some of my thoughts.
On the Rhodes Samples: These I thought would be the least realistic of all... but I actually liked them the most. The E. Piano 1 & 2 sounds were both very effective. I was shocked at how close the sound was when comparing it side by side to my real Mark I. The sample gives a nice amount of "bark" and the key sensitivity responds quite well. That being said, the action is way way way too light. There is just no comparing the wooden (or even MKII plastic) keys with the Nord. It's basically like playing a mediocre Hammond B-3 copy that uses Rhodes samples... which makes sense considering the keyboard is geared towards organ players.
Hammond:
Pros: 6 vibrator options, plenty of percussion customization, user set drawbar settings, you can use the Piano effects w/ the Organ sample (flanger, overdrive, ring mod, etc.) Great touch sensitivity and customization options.
Cons: It's a good simulation of the Hammond B-3... but that's the problem, it's just "good." It didn't really blow with any of the features. The draw bars are very ackward to adjust while playing. The keys, while responsive, still feel way to light and plasticy.
Clavi:
Pros: Lots of adjustibilty options w/ frequency settings. Great touch sensitivity.
Cons: I didn't really use this setting often. However, I remember not being wowed by the sample. Like the Hammond, it is just good. Nothing more, nothing less.
Wurli:
Pros: Very solid sample. Probably as effective as the Rhodes simulation.
Cons: I hate to beat a dead horse but... it just feels "good" once again. It's really nothing special.
Overall:
I don't really buy in to the whole analog is better then digital debate. The Nord's sounds are great, but are they worth the $1300 or more price tag. I don't think so. My best suggestion is to try it before you buy it! It seems like other posters like Spookyman quite enjoyed it. As for me, I sold it and now have the extra cash for a new rhodes or two... or three... or a Qudrapuss!
Just one last side note... this is all in reference to the Electro not the Stage. I've actually heard much better things about the Stage but I thought it would be nice to throw in some Electro info.
I have a Nord Stage Compact :wink:
I bought it first to have a good emulation of the classic instruments in a light and small package.
But i also have the original (Stage Mk I and Hammond M100) in my Home Studio. But we are gigging a lot with our funk band, we have no roadies, have to carry all the instrument alone, so it was quite impossible to take all that stuff every week-end.
But for recording purposes, i allways prefer the original !
Like you said tjjazzpiano, the sound in the Nord are very good. Nothing special, exraordinary. But in my eyes (or ears) it's really what i need...it fits perfect in the mix with other instruments ! And for live use, it's a very good quality.
The price is quite high i have to admit. But it's reliable, and never had problem until today. In Switzerland, the price of the Rhodes are much higher than in America. Impossible to sell a Nord Electro and buy 3 Rhodes. The price is allmost the same !
Awwww, that stinks. I guess I'd pay 1.2k for a restored Rhodes but thanks to the magic of Craigslist, I haven't had to. I paid $225 for my MKI and $250 for my MKII. Both of course came w/o sustain pedals... I guess 80's musicians evolved beyond the need for sustain :-)
I own a Wurli 200, and have played the nord quite a few times. I won't say that the nord isn't desirable, but it doesn't sound like a Wurli. In fact I've yet to ever hear a patch or keyboard that actually sounds like a Wurli.....
I've heard a few that come really close to a Rhodes, but not a Wurli....
2cents
Kyle
well i head the electro's wurlitzer sound a couple of nights ago at a show, and liked it a lot. not quite the same but...still cool.
Hey Jim
Long time no speak.
Still loving the work you did on the 54....it's a good Rhodes for sure.
re the Nord : FWIW the guy I play with at work uses the Nord almost exclusively now but has a Mark 1 suitcase set up right next to it, so I get to play and listen to both a lot side by side.
The difference is in the playing.From a listening perspective there is very little difference live.The Nord sounds great and no 2 Rhodes are alike anyway.
However, to play it is to know the difference.The Rhodes, even though uneven and a little shitty is heaps more fun and musical to play.Weird but I agree with someone who says they play better on the real Rhodes.
YMMV
Andrew
I've been playing an Electro 2 for 2 years as my main gig keyboard and I must say, it really does it's job well. When played through a good setup it does sound great. In my opinion, the wurli sound is almost perfect, the clav is real good, and the organ sounds better than most clones. Sonically the rhodes is very nice, but I do see why some people feel it lacks the feel of a real one. Like martin said above, the EP sounds really come alive with a better controller. If I use any of the onboard overdrive when I'm without an amp, i just jurn it on and leave it at the minimum.
The organ sound is really pretty mean. I use the leslie sim for most gigs and it works fine. The hard panning option is also cool so you can send piano sounds to an amp and the organ to a leslie automatically. Paired up with a real leslie, it's not worth bringing a real B unless you've got people to do it for you. One important thing to note with the organ is that the key click is adjustable and the default level is wayyy to much I think. (First time I read a manual).
I deleted the electric grand samples and added the shallow rhodes sample, which i rarely used but it's nice to have. The acoustic piano is lacking . . . namely reverb. With no verb the release sounds very fake. Sometimes I run thru a little lexicon box and it helps. Either way the acoustic piano will get you thru the gig.
Like everyone said, it's not exactly like the real thing, but if you add up the cost and weight of it's real counterparts, it's a no brainer for gigging. I can throw it on my back like a guitar, hop on the train to a gig and still have energy to play when I get there. Worth it to me. And I like red.
My Electro-61 (original version, with software upgraded to make it an "Electro-2") has been my main axe since 2003. I may have one of the first ones that came out, but it has never let me down.
I have literally owned more than 100 synths or keyboards since the early 1980's, and I can honestly say that the Electro is at the top of the heap as far as what I need in a keyboard. It does what it does VERY well. No, not perfect, but for price / sound / portability / reliability / looks / etc., I can't ask for anything more.
I mainly use the Hammond sounds and the Yamaha CP-80 electric grand patch. The Hammond sounds of the Electro are unique to it.....yes, they sound like a Hammond, but not completely (and I have owned a number of real Hammond console and spinet organs over the years, as well as real Leslies). They also do not sound like any other Hammond simulator out there, at least to me. But, it still sounds GOOD!
The Leslie on it is perfect, and I don't care that it can't be edited. The ramp up/down speeds are just right.
The Wurly sounds are good, but as someone else here said, they get "too harsh too fast". This is a good description. Really, the problem is in the light action on the Electro, and getting a good velocity curve response is very hard to do. I've owned several real Wurlitzer 200a's, and sound-wise the Electro gets very close. However, the feel of playing a real Wurly vs. the Electro is totally different.
The acoustic piano is what everyone seems to hate about the Electro. Personally, I LOVE the sound of the Malmsjoe (?) acoustic that you can download for the Electro. Not the best sound for live work, but recorded it sounds perfect! Like I said, I normally use the CP-80 sound, which cuts through in a live band situation in a great way.
The Clavinet sounds great, especially with the pickup choices, but as with the Wurly, playing the Electro and a real Clav are two totally different experiences.
Finally, the Rhodes sounds are my least favorite. They sound good, but again, the difference in keyboard action and general feel between a real Rhodes (of any kind) and the Electro are just miles apart. Please note, however, that I did an A/B comparison between my Electro's Rhodes MKI patch and a real 1978 MkI stage that I owned a few years ago......I could NOT tell the difference in the tone between them. Dead-on perfect.
The effects really round out the great package, although I do wish it had a reverb and delay.
All in all, best keyboard for your money if you like / use organ or electric piano sounds, and particularly if you play live. I'd love to buy the Stage, but it's at least twice what the Electro costs. I look forward to a Nord Electro 3 someday!
I really think Nord did an outstanding job with the Electro, overall. I have the Electro II 73 key version, and, for what it does, it can't be beat. Overall, I agree with what most of the posters here have said -- it's a great, lightweight, cost-effective alternative to hauling around a B3, 200A, Rhodes Mark 1, Clavinet D6, and piano(!). I grew up playing real Wurlis, and think the Nord's version of the sound is very good. Not as organic as the real electromechancal version, but the best, most full-sounding sample I can find. The Rhodes patches are very good, too. Tonally, they're very close...just not as "full" or "deep" as the real thing, and the Nord's keyboard hurts the feel factor. The Hammond sounds are very good. The leslie simulator is close enough to a real one that I have all but stopped carrying my Motion Sound Pro-3tm around, and I especially like the chorus/vibrato functions. As for the clavinet sounds -- if you don't like what you're hearing, just keep adjusting the pickup knobs and that will change. Tons of ability to adjust the Clavi sound to just what you like. Again -- not as "organic" as a real D6, but very close for live work. The acoustic piano sounds (even the newer ones) don't do it for me, however. I'd say they'll only work in a pinch.
For all situations except organ, if you can trigger your Nord Electro via an 88 key weighted controller, you'll get more response, feel and tone quality out of the instrument.
what i'm thinking is...one of the things i really like about a real wurly is the vibrations you feel through your fingers when you play..it's much more noticeable than on a rhodes, and more like a real piano, i just can't get enough of that.
no chance of that on a nord.
when i used to actually practice scales on piano i would always have my toe under the bottom of my upright, just to get some more of those vibrations.
I'm picking up good vibrations........