Nord Stage EX - 73-Key Compact Piano, Organ, and Synthesizer

The Stage EX from Nord is a 73-key instrument that features stellar piano, organ, and synthesizer sounds that all draw from Nord's finest technologies to create an all-powerful keyboard for composing, rehearsal, performance, and recording. It features a responsive 73-key medium weighted keybed with aftertouch, and handsome keys with a "waterfall" profile. You have the ability to create up to 3 zones (with LED lights indicating the splits). This 73-key version offers all of the power and versatility of the 76 and 88 key versions of the Stage EX, but with a more compact body and nearly half the weight of the 88.

Out of the box the Stage EX comes with 6 pianos, 3 classic organ emulations, and a synth section generating Subtractive, FM and Wavetable synthesis. However, there is room for even more instruments that can be downloaded free of charge from the Nord Stage Piano Library. Loaded with 256 MB of memory, the Stage EX features twice as much capacity as the previous generation.

If you own any other MIDI instruments, they can be incorporated into the Stage EX as well. It features an External Section, which allows you to easily control external devices. Zones, splits, and layers on your external gear are handled exactly like the internal sounds. You can save settings for immediate recall.

A powerful effects section is built into the Stage EX. You can route any of the sounds through the effects sections individually. Spice things up with the ring modulator, choruses, rotary speaker emulations, and amp simulators. They're all easy to use, and a dedicated on/off button is supplied with each effect for more control. The master output of the Stage EX features a compressor and reverb, which serve to glue your sound together.