Nord Stage 2 (HA88)

Nord Stage 2 (HA88)

The Nord Stage 2 HA88 has a fully weighted hammer action 88-note keyboard. In contrast to my Roland XP80 and Yamaha Motif ES7 synthesizers the Stage 2 has many buttons and rotary controls on its surface which allows to easily change many of its settings on the fly instead of having to go through a menu structure.  The operation of this keyboard is very well thought of. This makes this synthesizer very suitable for live performances. The Nord Stage 2 is not a workstation like the XP80/ES7 and, hence, does not comprise an on-board sequencer.

Sound
The Stage 2 has three sound generating sections; Piano, Organ and Synthesizer, all of which can be used simultaneously. Up to two sounds from each section can be combined in a single program.

Piano section
The Stage 2 Piano section features a state-of-the-art sampling technique that capture the extraordinary nuances and real character of the individual source instruments. Combined with the intelligent String Resonance that reproduces the sound of the piano strings resonating at their fundamental or harmonic frequencies when other strings are played, and Dynamic Pedal Noise – the piano’s sound very realistic.

In addition to vivid acoustic Grand and Upright pianos, the Piano section also features some of the finest, most desirable vintage electric pianos. The Stage 2’s piano sounds are compatibility with the free Nord Piano Library that is continuously updated with both upgraded existing pianos and all-new pianos to keep your instrument constantly renewed.

Organ section
The Stage 2’s dedicated organ section uses the third generation B3 Organ model, the same as found in the Nord C2 Organ.

The organ model is based on the analysis of the signals from each of the 91 spinning discs inside several original instruments and work on understanding exactly how all the components interact with each other. The virtual circuitry reacts not only to the settings on the panel but also during the real time performance. The Stage 2 will faithfully reproduce the important foldback. There are 3 tone wheel modes that allow to switch from a clean, factory spec’d instrument to a worn and battered workhorse with many years of touring.

The organ section also provides emulations of  the most famous transistor organs from the 1960’s, the Vox Continental and the Farfisa Compact. The Stage 2 includes a rotary speaker simulation derived from the C2. In terms of control, “Draw buttons” and LED bar graphs have replaced the original mechanical drawbars.

Synth section
The Stage 2’s synthesizer engine is capable of classic analog synthesis, three operator FM synthesis, Wavetable synthesis and,  is compatible with the Nord Sample Library. The Nord Sample Library gives access to a large free library of sounds, including the vintage Mellotron and Chamberlin samples

The Synth engine itself features classic analog synthesis with dual saw, hard sync and pulse wave modulation, three-operator FM synthesis with 32 different modulation frequencies, Wavetable synthesis with 62 waveforms and Sample based synthesis. A multimode filter features 12 and 24dB low pass, high pass, band pass and notch filters. Finally, it also comprises an Amp envelope, Modulation envelope, an LFO, and Unison control.

The Synth section also includes an Arpeggiator that can be easily synced to the Stage 2’s Master Clock for  timing with other elements of the Stage 2, including its effects.

Programming and control
To make programming and on-stage control as simple as possible the sound generators and controls of the Stage 2 are arranged into dedicated sections – Piano, Organ and Synth.  There are no deep menus, no complicated screens to navigate. All vital functions are controlled by dedicated single-function knobs.

Effect section
The Nord Stage 2 incorporates all the effects required to cover musicians’ needs. All of the three instrument sections – Organ, Piano and Synth – can be routed individually through the Stage 2’s built-in effect units.

Effect 1
Here you can choose from Tremolo, two Wahs, an Auto-Wah, and an AutoPan.

Effect 2
The two Phasers, two Choruses, the Flanger and new Vibe effect are modeled from the classic analog stomp boxes that define the sound of popular music.

Delay
A delay unit has been included to create reverb, echoe or slap back effects.

Amp Simulation & Equalizer
This effect section combines a three-band equalizer with an  amplifier and speaker cabinet modeler. Classic amplifiers and speakers are a crucial part to make vintage Electric piano sounds come alive. The Nord Stage 2 includes speaker simulations of a Fender Twin Reverb, a Roland Jazz Chorus 120 and a Wurlitzer speaker. When no Amp Model is selected, the unit provides a neutral three-band EQ with sweepable mid and a crunchy overdrive.

Master Effects
A Compressor and a Reverb are placed at the end of the sound chain. The Reverb unit has six different Hall, Stage and Room spaces to create different atmospheres, while the Compressor helps to keep the overall mix tight and under control.

Image: Nord Stage 2 during live performance. Instead of dragging three keyboards (Yamaha Motif ES7, Hammond XK3, and Roland XP80) I now only used the Nord. 

Manual 

NORD Stage 2 (HA88) Sound Manager (pdf) 1.57 MB 150 downloads

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NORD Stage 2 (HA88) Sample Editor (pdf) 1.02 MB 112 downloads

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NORD Stage 2 (HA88) factory restore instructions (pdf) 122.30 KB 75 downloads

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NORD Stage 2 (HA88) User Manual (pdf) 13.90 MB 161 downloads

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How does it sound?

How does it sound play by me?