Product Review:
Clavia
Nord Electro Keyboard
The Well-Tempered
Clavia
Paul Fleming tries the new
"Virtual Electromechanical" keyboard
and comes away impressed.
Images courtesy Clavia Digital Musical Instruments
AB
Look and Feel
In its bright red casing the Nord Electro looks the part - like the characters it's trying to imitate it has an original look and feel. It has a "keyboard" rather than a "piano" action but feels more authentic than a standard synth keyboard. There are also wooden ends on the keyboard, which give it warmth, like some older analogue keyboards. So far so good, but every keyboard must be judged on its sound.
Sounds
The Electro has five main sounds, Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Electric Grand and Clavinet. There are presets already programmed, or you can alter the sounds in real time using the knobs provided. The organ section has virtual drawbars, which are activated by buttons that light up a set of LED's which is very easy to use in practice. When you're in the "keyboard" section you can change the sound with the touch of a button and move between Rhodes, Clavinet etc. Very hands-on, very user-friendly.
The sounds themselves are excellent. The Hammond sounds feel warm, and there is a rotary speaker section to add authenticity. The speaker simulator can be controlled in real time using the knob provided or by a foot pedal, options are rotary on/off and speed. In the "keyboard" section the sounds particularly impressed me and I have to say they are the best Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds I have heard apart from the real thing. The main point is that they feel expressive and dynamic. The clavinet sounds good and is usable but on first impressions sounded a little lifeless. The Electric Grand sound is rich and the extra sound Acoustic Grand is useful and makes the instrument a bit more versatile. I think a classic string sound would have rounded things off nicely but it's not included on the Electro.
The Nord Electro is now available as a 61- or 73-note
keyboard, or as a 19" rackmount module
Ease of Use
The most refreshing thing about the Electro is the user interface, and how easily original sounds can be manipulated. The effects section helps to achieve this; with its dedicated knobs and buttons you can come up with interesting combinations in seconds. There are options for overdrive, auto-wah, phaser and tremolo amongst others.
Conclusion
The Electro is an enjoyable keyboard to play. It's easy to use, sounds authentic and above all feels real. For live players it's ideal, it's lightweight, portable and is a good looking instrument. At £1295 rrp it could be classed as a little expensive, but this is a specialist keyboard that can't really be compared to anything else on the market.
For me, the Electro could never replace
my vintage keyboards, but I am seriously considering adding it to my
set-up for live use. It's so portable and sounds authentic and most
importantly it's a joy to play.
61 key version £1299
76 key version £1499
Rack version £TBA
information www.clavia.com