For keyboardists, the pursuit of the perfect piano sound in a stage environment is fleeting and difficult to accomplish even with today’s technology. It can definitely be done but many players find themselves toting numerous pieces of 
equipment including the keyboards, sound modules, laptops or even desktop computer systems with multiple software applications to achieve their desired sound. Up until now, these were common solutions until the release of the Nord Stage EX 88 Key Stage Piano. This board is loaded with the finest sounding keys, synths, organs and effects that will make just about any player drool and likely not care. I’m talking about a total of 5 sections which can be used any way you see fit. I’ll break it down by section so you can fully grasp its creative capacity.
The Organ Section
The Organ Section offers three different organs. Of course, Nord included their famous B3 Organ model, giving you the most accurate and pleasing B3 next to the real thing. The B3 Organ offers many innovative solutions to mimic the typical B3 sound.
The Piano Section
The Piano Section includes six main sound groups: Grand Pianos, Upright Pianos, Electric Grand, Electric Pianos, Wurlitzer, and Clavinet. These options are easily more than enough to satisfy your true-to-life sound craving.
The Synth Section
Don’t let the panel fool you; the Stage’s Synth Section is a wolf in sheep’s clothing – small, but with a big sound. Classic Analog Synthesis with dual saw, hard sync, and pulse wave modulation as well as three-operator FM Synthesis with 32 different modulation frequencies plus wavetable Synthesis with 32 waveforms, a first for a Clavia synth.
The Extern Section
The Nord Stage wouldn’t be a master keyboard if it couldn’t control external devices with ease. The Extern Section is designed solely for this purpose, so that any MIDI-connected gear gets seamlessly integrated with the Stage’s built-in instruments. Zones, splits and layers are handled exactly as if the external equipment was a part of the Stage itself. All settings are saved together with a Program so advanced setups can be immediately recalled in real-time during a performance.
Effects
No sound is complete without the proper use of effects. In the Stage EX, Nord has incorporated all the effects required to cover musicians’ needs. All of the three instrument sections (Organ, Piano and Synth) can individually be routed through the Stage’s built-in effect units. Turning the effects on and off and controlling the routing is easily done by a touch of dedicated buttons, readily accessible at the bottom of each effects unit.
This is just a small taste of what the Stage EX can do, follow the above link for more information and prepare to have you mind blown. Thanks for reading!
-Ryan
start bringing instruments from the same timeframe back into it. Check out the Roland AX Synth Shoulder Keyboard Synthesizer and go back in time a couple decades. Yes, you have witnessed the official resurrection of the Key-tar! The stylish AX Synth is self-contained and equipped with powerful, solo-oriented sounds from Roland’s latest, greatest synths and is packed with cool controllers for expressive live performance. Glide your fingers over the Ribbon Controller for ultra-smooth pitch bends. A Modulation Bar and dedicated control knobs are also provided for real-time sound shaping. Wave your hand over the invisible D Beam for attention-getting effects. While the AX Synth is completely self-contained, it’s also capable of driving external instruments via MIDI. Plug into a MIDI device, and enjoy an unlimited world of sounds and textures, all controllable from the AX Synth. Looks like our friends over at Roland have done it again, thanks guys!
