Elektron-Users

So, I've come across some money recently and I can finally purchase my dream synth. (Well, second dream synth--the first was the Monomachine, of course.) The Nord G2 is the one I want, but he eternal question persists: keyboard or rack?

The "Engine" has no buttons, faders, or knobs--it's just the brain. It comes in at about $800 less than the keyboard version.

The question to you G2 owners or would-be owners is, do you miss the keys? I seem to think that the keys on my SFX6 are integral to the machine--it would be difficult to operate without them, even with a good external controller.

What are your thoughts? If I go with the Engine, I'll probably get a small controller kbd like the M-Audio Axiom 25.

Thanks.

-d
glitched.org

I don't own either but IMO it's worth saving a few extra months to get the keys and the fancy LED knobs on there...no controller is gonna give you the same immediacy as the keyboard G2 version.

ggoodwin wrote:
I don't own either but IMO it's worth saving a few extra months to get the keys and the fancy LED knobs on there...no controller is gonna give you the same immediacy as the keyboard G2 version.

Well I beg to differ on that point. I think that if you already have a controller keyboard, it's not worth cluttering your workspace any more. The nord modular concept speaks for itself (modular). Any parameter or button can be assigned to any controller and any combination (morph) can be assigned to a single button. All he's after is the sound. So he can save a lot of space, program each sound to suit his needs (unless he uses only presets, which he can modify on screen) and have some extra cash to buy something else.... (start saving for a MnM :-D

Beleive me you won't regret the decision, sure the Modular G2 looks like a bomb but I still think he can spend his cash elsewhere.

Hi glitched,

There have been several discussions about this on electro-music.com aswell.
I think it depends on several reasons if you go for the keyboard or the engine.
I bought the keyboard version because
- I?m a ?hands-on? person. I like knobs on my synths, the more the better!
- It can be operated stand-alone, without a computer (a bit hard with the engine)
- You can use it as a state-of-the-art midi-controller for all your other gear.

After 2 years I?m still very happy with my choice!
The keyboard is pretty amazing and gives very good visual feedback .
(endless knobs with circular leds & 5 lcd?s) the stone wheel and certainly
the wooden pitchstick are fantastic aswell, certainly as a morph-controller,
it?s *very* expressive!

Still... $800 dollar more for the keyboard isn?t exactly ?cheap?,
I?m sure you can buy some other goodies for this amount...

i'm going to second misty -- go to electro-music.com and read some of the threads. when i used to haunt that board, when i had my g2 rack, i found that site to be invaluable.

when i got my g2, i bought the rack version mainly because of money. i was in school and i figured i could get a controller to use with it. the combination worked well for me since the controller that i ended up getting, the remote 25, has tons of knobs.

the being said, however, i am certainly *not* a keyboard player, which also influenced my decision. as i understand the g2 board, it is heavily oriented/tilted towards performance. so if you get the rack you *will* lose some immediacy. of course, if you only ever work on tunes next to your computer, then the rack + controller combination might work very well.

if i had to do it again (and i've thought about the original nm key for sure!) i would probably try the kb just because it's nice to have visual cues regarding parameters. but then again, space is always a consideration.

i think what it comes down to is how you think YOU will end up using the g2 and what you find inspiring.

i'll post again if i think of anything else.

-M

Thanks for the replies guys (and girls!).

After mulling it over for a good 26 hours, reading multiple threads on myriad message boards, I'm leaning toward the Engine.


Here's why: 1) I'm no kbd player. I don't care about expresiveness or how responsiveness or even if the kbd allows me to play like Stevie Wonder (although, I think I'd snap that keyboard right up, if someone made it. And if the keyboard made me blind like him, I would have to think twice.).

2) Physical space. I desire to have a decent controller in front of my face, as I'm staring at the monitor, making patches, sequencing, etc. I think this has been the bottleneck in my workflow for some time now--I'm constantly swiveling my chair around to look at the monitor, then back to the keyboard...I simply need something that fits in the 2' space in front of my monitor.

3) The MnM SFX6 is not a "do it all" controller. It's kind of difficult to do some of the things that I want it to. It's great as an all-inclusive synth machine, though.

4) I can get the Engine at $1000.00--with expansion! That leaves plenty of money for that Axiom controller ($179) and maybe a new LCD, for the price of a G2 kbd.

The deal isn't done yet, so if you have more opinions, please do post.

Thanks! You're all very helpful.

-d
glitched.org

OMG the expansion. you can some even crazier shnizz with that thing installed. it gives you a horsepower boost and is dead easy to install too.

you are making me miss my g2!!

the reasons you give for your choice are precisely the same ones that i was thinking of -- especially the being no stevie wonder part. . . now ray charles -- that's another story.

er. jk.

if you go for the engine/controller solution,
maybe these links can help...

http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-7414.html
http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-6933.html
http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-7212.html
http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-6282.html
http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-4534.html

papertiger wrote:
you are making me miss my g2!!


hehe, you're not the only one.
I know several people who bought a G2, sold it, and bought
one again after a few months.

It's such a deep synth with almost endless possibilities.
You just have to spend a huge amount of time with it to release
what monster you have under your fingers

which is precisely why i sold it, mother misty.

but your drum machine noodles. . . man how i miss them. . .


=)