Experience stunning acoustic grand samples, classic organs, electric pianos, Clavinet, synthesizers, and every effect you’re likely to want. A broad array of gorgeous classic sounds and effects that makes you glad you're a keyboard player. One dream, one package, one amazing instrument: the Nord Stage EX.
Featuring the best of Clavia's award-winning technologies, the Nord Stage EX hosts three different instrument sections (organ, piano and synth) plus an extensive effects section. You can use two sounds of each section simultaneously--that's two organ manuals, two synths, and two pianos. These can be combined in any split or layered configuration you need for your performance. The Nord Stage EX is based on the classic Nord Stage, but the EX units have twice the internal memory capacity compared to the former models, for an increase from 128 to 256 MB. The increased memory allows users to add more pianos from the Nord Stage Piano Library and bring an even greater selection of these sounds to each and every performance.
The Stage's user interface is designed from a basic concept: all vital functions are represented on the front panel, easy to access, and never further away than a press of a single button. After more than 20 years of experience in designing instruments to be used by professional musicians, Nord knows how important it is to help you focus on your performance, rather than struggle with the technology. Nord's patented Pitch Stick and Modulation Wheel are included for maximum musical expression. A top-of-the-line weighted hammer-action keyboard (medium-weighted keys on the Compact model) make you feel that the Stage's sound is balancing at the tip of your fingers, completely under your control. Nord's efficient Morph Grouping technique is also included, allowing you to assign sound and effects parameters to one physical controller. All together, the Nord Stage EX is a musical, reliable, efficient, and roadworthy companion that delivers results, and provides the means to express your passion for playing. Choose from three models: 88, 76, or Compact.

The Stage EX offers three different organs in its Organ Section. View larger
The Organ Section
The Organ Section offers three different organs. The first is Nord's famous B3 Organ model, giving you the most accurate and pleasing B3 next to the real thing. It has true organ architecture, a complex digital model of the original chorus & vibrato scanner, simulation of the energy robbing and authentic tuning of the tone wheels, and modeling of the individual random contact bounces for each partial. Nord has also included carefully modeled emulations of two of the most famous transistor organs from the 1960s, the Vox Continental and the Farfisa Compact. "Draw buttons" and LED bar graphs have replaced the original mechanical drawbars. This gives you the advantage of always having the correct drawbar settings after changing the preset.

A commitment to authenticity is clear with 6 categories in the Piano Section. View larger

Incorporating all the effects required to cover a musician's needs. View larger
The Piano Section
The Piano Section is organized in six categories: Grand Pianos, Upright Pianos, Electric Grand, Electric Pianos, Wurlitzer, and Clavinet/Harpsichords. Nord's commitment to authenticity is manifest in these pianos' subtle nuances throughout the whole dynamic range. The source instruments are recorded at multiple velocity levels, providing the most accurate and expressive pianos ever made for a digital keyboard. The key-releases were also sampled, creating the real sound of dampers returning when the keys are lifted. The String Resonance feature reproduces the wonderful acoustics that occurs inside an acoustic grand or upright piano. The Nord Stage EX piano section is very flexible, allowing the user to replace any piano with other sounds from the Nord Piano Library free of charge. When played with the sustain pedal, the Stage EX’s pianos recreate the string resonance produced by the undampened acoustic piano strings, adding to the authenticity of the piano sounds by giving them natural body.

A small, yet powerful Synth Section with big sound and few controls. View larger
The Synth Section
The Stage EX's Synth Section is a wolf in sheep's clothing--small, but with a big sound. After more than 10 years of designing synthesizers, we accepted a new challenge--designing a powerful synth with a few controls that would equal the quick and easy manipulation of the Organ and Piano sections. Our response to that challenge is the Nord Stage EX's "power mini synth." The Synth was created on a multi-oscillator concept involving up to 9 oscillators per voice in different algorithms, all controlled from one button and one knob. With the Unison knob you can fatten your sound for lush pads, thick comps, and fiery leads. Nord has included a 12/24 dB LowPass Filter with resonance, an Amp envelope, a Modulation envelope, an LFO, and a two-band equalizer. Three different Synth banks are provided--Synth, Pad, and Bass--for the creation and storage of your own patches, and each bank holds up to 100 sound programs.
The Extern Section
The Nord Stage EX 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 EX’s built-in instruments. Zones, splits and layers are handled exactly as if the external equipment was a part of the Stage EX itself. All settings are saved together with a Program so advanced setups can be immediately recalled in real-time during a performance. You can even use the Extern Section to automatically transmit Bank Select and Program Change messages to your external units.
Effects
No sound is complete without the proper use of effects. The Nord Stage EX incorporates 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 EX'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.
Unit One
Here you can choose from Tremolo, two Wahs, an Auto-Wah, and an AutoPan. Use the AutoWah with a Clavinet for raw funk licks, create a psychedelic vibe with an Electric Piano on AutoPan, or give a Wurlitzer some body using the Tremolo. There is also a Ring Modulator on board, an effect used by many experimental and electronic musicians.
Unit Two
The two Phasers, two Flangers, and two Choruses are modeled from the classic analog stomp boxes that define the sound of popular music. These swirling Phasers, metallic Flangers, and thick Choruses that are used by uncompromising professionals everywhere are crystal clear and faithfully simulated on the Nord Stage EX.
Delay
A delay unit has been included to create haunting echoes or slap back effects. The delay also supports a ping-pong mode, and the tempo is easily adjusted with the tap-tempo button. A recent update provides you with the option of two delay modes. The new Analog mode will change the pitch on any repeats if the delay time is changed for those classic "warped" sounds.
EQ/Amp Simulation
This effect section combines a three-band equalizer with a sophisticated amplifier and speaker cabinet modeler. Classic amplifiers and speakers, are a crucial part to make vintage Electric piano sounds come alive. Nord offers you the famous sounds of tube and solid state amplifiers with a Twin Reverb, a Jazz Chorus 120 and a Wurlitzer speaker cabinet model. When no Amp Model is selected, the unit provides a neutral three-band EQ and a crunchy overdrive.

Awarded Best Stage Piano by MIPA
Rotary Speaker
There is a Rotary Speaker emulation based on the Leslie 122, which not only brings an essential character to a live organ performance, but can also be used with any of the electric or acoustic piano sounds or the synthesizer.
Master Effects
Finally, there is also a Compressor and a Reverb, which are placed at the end of the sound chain, helping to blend your sounds more naturally together. The Reverb unit has Hall, Stage, and Room spaces to create different atmospheres for your sounds, while the Compressor helps you keep the overall mix tight and under control.
Accolades
Nord Stage was awarded Best Stage Piano by MIPA no less than three years in a row (2006, 2007 and 2008). MIPA is an abbreviation for Musikmesse International Press Award and can be compared as the "Grammy" of the Musical Instrument/Pro Audio industry.
Which Nord Stage EX is Right for You?
|  |  |  |
| Stage EX 88 | Stage EX 76 | Stage EX Compact |
| Keyboard | Hammer weighted action keys
Aftertouch
Supports three split zones | Hammer weighted action keys
Aftertouch
Supports three split zones | Medium weighted keys
Aftertouch
Supports three split zones |
| Dimensions | 51" x 4.5" x 13" | 45" x 4.5" x 13" | 44" x 4" x 12" |
| Included Accessories | Owner's Manual
Power Cord
Nord CD/DVD-ROM
USB Cord
Sustain Pedal | Owner's Manual
Power Cord
Nord CD/DVD-ROM
USB Cord
Sustain Pedal | Owner's Manual
Power Cord
Nord CD/DVD-ROM
USB Cord |
| Available Accessories | Soft Case
Music Stand EX
Height Adjustable Keyboard Stand | Soft Case
Music Stand EX
Height Adjustable Keyboard Stand | Soft Case |
| Main Features | Organ section - emulates 3 classic models
Piano section - 6 selectable categories
Synth section - 3 types of synthesis
Extern section - controls external devices
Built-in effects units | Organ section - emulates 3 classic models
Piano section - 6 selectable categories
Synth section - 3 types of synthesis
Extern section - controls external devices
Built-in effects units | Organ section - emulates 3 classic models
Piano section - 6 selectable categories
Synth section - 3 types of synthesis
Extern section - controls external devices
Built-in effects units |