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ngermick
Joined: Feb 04, 2009
Posts: 4
Location: berkeley, ca, usa
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 Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:50 pm Post subject:
Stage EX upgrade with Electro 3 samples? |
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| I know that Clavia has a policy of not talking about products that are in development. But has anyone heard definitively whether or not the Stage Ex might get an update that would allow access to the Nord Sample Library (like the electro 3)? I can't help but hope that perhaps why the latest OS update has been for the classic Stage only is because a more significant update is coming to the EX. . . |
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peterkadar
Joined: Jan 11, 2009
Posts: 152
Location: Toronto, Canada
G2 patch files: 1
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| Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 9:25 pm Post subject:
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Well, it looks like the new update for the Stage EX is on the website. It includes a lot of the bug fixes that were for the Classic stage, as well as enabling sympathetic resonance for some of the piano sounds, as well as a new upright piano that I'll be checking out shortly.
I think it would be cool to be able to put some of the sounds from the Nord Sample Library into my Stage; particularly basic strings and brass. So far, I haven't heard anything to that effect though. |
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ionian
Joined: Jul 29, 2009
Posts: 8
Location: Queens, NY
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| Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 12:07 am Post subject:
Re: Stage EX upgrade with Electro 3 samples? |
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| ngermick wrote: | | I know that Clavia has a policy of not talking about products that are in development. But has anyone heard definitively whether or not the Stage Ex might get an update that would allow access to the Nord Sample Library (like the electro 3)? |
This would make things perfect, wouldn't it? I would love to be able to layer some acoustic strings with my piano sound on the Nord Stage 76.
But speaking realistically I assume it's not coming and there is no reason to assume it is. Nord is a friendly company, but they're not your friends. They still got into this business to make money, plain and simple. What they do, is they just find ways to position their products so that each one offers something different then the other. For example:
The Nord Stage now has String Resonance and to my ears the pianos sound better with this then without, plus I like the weighted 76 keys which is the main reason I didn't buy the compact. But it doesn't offer samples, which would be fantastic to layer real strings with the piano.
The Electro 3 does offer sampling and the pianos but does not offer weighted keys or resonance in the piano sound. So if you want sampling you have to buy the Electro. But the electro ONLY offers 68 (I think) MB of sampling in what appears to be an un-changeable partition size. So if you need A LOT of samples, the Electro might not be big enough for you. You might have to get....you guessed it, the Wave.
The Wave has 180 MB of room for samples but no clav, organ or piano (not real, anyway) and only 49 keys. Also, the keys are not as nice as the waterfall ones on the electro - but that's subjective as that's my opinion. But if you need a lot of sampling power, then maybe you should spring for this.
See how it works? None of this is random - it's all carefully researched and calculated. I would like realistic strings so since they can not be offered on the Stage, I'm looking at the Electro as well to add to my rig to make it a 2 Keyboard NORD rig to get a great weighted keyboard with a realistic piano AND a sampler to provide the realistic strings. If the Stage offered sampling, I wouldn't be looking at the Electro, would I?
The problem is that it can backfire as well -
for example, I would most likely get an Electro 3 to handle the samples but I don't need all the pianos in the piano partition since I have them all in the stage. But NORD will only allow me 68 for Samples and forces you to use 185 MB for the pianos. For me that's wasted space. Since Nord won't allow me to re-partition the memory and use it all for samples, I refuse to support them by buying the Electro 3 or the wave, for that matter.
It becomes a game of give and take. I understand that they are a company and need to make money so I understand their decision NOT to put sampling in the Nord Stage. BUT I consider it unreasonable to not allow me to use the entire memory in the Electro as I see fit, so unless they fix that problem and give me freedom to use the memory, then it's NO SALE. When the time comes for realistic strings I will just look at what other manufacturers offer.
So the problem is that in their decision to force you to buy more expensive products - being that if your main needs are sampling you have to buy the Wave which is more money then the Electro - they end up making nothing since they lose the sale altogether.
If they give a bit, ie. Let me use the full memory of the Electro 3 for sampling
I give a little bit, ie. I understand their need to make money so I understand them not putting sampling in the Nord Stage and will buy the Electro for my sampling needs.
Then this equals = SALE!
It's all a very difficult balancing act.
Frank |
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peterkadar
Joined: Jan 11, 2009
Posts: 152
Location: Toronto, Canada
G2 patch files: 1
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| Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 5:28 pm Post subject:
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The Electro 3 doesn't allow you to divide the memory as you see fit? That's weird, because the Stage does allow exactly this.
One thing that I've done that I've found to be really effective is... I use a Nord Stage Compact, and then use the Extern section to control an external module that has great acoustic sounds, sampling, sequencing, etc. For me, that means my Korg M3 module. With the Radias card installed, and if I were to max the ram out to 320 MB, that wouild give me pretty much everything that all of these other combinations we're discussing gives, and much more. Something to consider... |
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ionian
Joined: Jul 29, 2009
Posts: 8
Location: Queens, NY
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| Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 1:07 am Post subject:
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| peterkadar wrote: | The Electro 3 doesn't allow you to divide the memory as you see fit? That's weird, because the Stage does allow exactly this.
[snip].....give me pretty much everything that all of these other combinations we're discussing gives, and much more. Something to consider... |
Hi Peter,
What I meant is that in the stage you have 256 of memory to use for the pianos. But in the Electro 3 you have 2 different BANKS of memory. It is split. 185 MB is used for the PIANOS (like the stage's 256) and 68 MB is used for Sampling. You cannot change this. For example, if I want to delete 100 MB of pianos and add it to the sampling memory so that it is now 85 MB for pianos and 168 for sampling, you cannot do this! You can only use the 68 MB for samples, even if you are not going to use the PIANO memory. In my case, using the Stage for my pianos, I will not need the pianos in the Electro, so it is a shame to waste that memory. I would like to move it over to the sample memory but NORD does not allow this. I hope that they might offer that capability in a future OS update since it is most likely something that can be changed in an OS update.
Regarding your Korg, I had mentioned in another post that I hadn't heard of that module until you mentioned it. I'm going to check it out since it seems to be something that would work great in my situation. AND I wouldn't have to bring out an additional keyboard, which is even better.
Thanks again,
Frank |
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peterkadar
Joined: Jan 11, 2009
Posts: 152
Location: Toronto, Canada
G2 patch files: 1
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| Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:17 am Post subject:
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Hi Frank,
Geez, that's a drag... I had to ask again because it seemed so weird that the Electro would work that way compared to the Stage.
The Korg M3 normally comes with the keyboard in 3 sizes (61, 73, and weighted 88 ), but you can order just the module and save a lot of money. Now, with the latest OS, there are some excellent free sample libraries ( they're called ex-usb ) that you load in via usb into the M3's sample Ram. Even a stock unit has 64MB on board, expandable to 320MB. As a Rompler, the M3 has way better and more detailed sounds than either the Electro or Wave - electic pianos aside - plus the ability to sequence, sample without a computer, Combi mode, Radias expansion... the list goes on. Combining the two for me, has been a super versatile and portable solution that I'm really happy with. |
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