@@cerebralparasite9238 It's definitely more muted/rounded/less-high end than the Rhodes, which might be what they meant. I definitely think the Rhodes sounds better.
The Rhodes is a one trick pony. Many of us, including myself, wax poetic about it. However, what we forget are things like tines breaking in the middle of a gig, hum from the cheap preamp (unless you installed an upgrade) and most of all the weight. I owned two, the first a Mark 1 73 from 1973 had a terrible action. I replaced it with a Mark II flattop in 1980, it had a better action and the tines seemed better in terms of wear. But as far as gigging and recording go today, give me the Nord any day. Great action, includes many Rhodes models as well as so many other instruments like great acoustic pianos and a wonderful B3 model.
The other huge advantage to the Nord is that the 7 Rhodes pianos included are perfectly tuned, maintained, and voiced, and will play the same every single day.
I know it seems silly to compare but I'm glad this is here. I don't have access to a Rhodes but am looking to get as close as possible. The most dramatic difference to my ear is on the higher keys. There's a bell-like sweetness that just can't be touched on the Rhodes. Thanks for posting this!
Nord has a brighter sound. The more the dynamics become harder, the more the sound start to differ. On soft dynamics are pretty similar, with Rhodes having always a softer attack. Nice video!
Keep in mind that to a lot of ears, maybe all, loud sounds better. The Nord sounded louder. However despite the fact that most of the praise for the Rhodes is about it's "warm" sound, there are also many uses for a "bright" sound in music. After considering both of these points I listened again without looking and surprised myself a little by flinching at one point when the Nord was played. The Rhodes is just sweet sounding and feels like a warm bath. It's not just the lessened mids doing that.
I have a Rhodes stage and a Nord stage 3. From this video, I’d say that more than being about tone, and brightness, the Nord provides a level of consistency. Tone can be tweaked but loudness and consistency alongside the bark of individual notes can’t be quickly solved. Setting up the Rhdoes takes time, and a soldering iron. In this video the Rhodes sound is a little thinner, but that might be a preamp issue. For any recording, I’d be very happy to use the Nord, but for nostalgia and retro coolness, the Rhodes easily has it!
When gigging with my band (jazz & other stuff) I defy anyone to hear any difference at all. I agree with Lou below, weight is a major consideration when gigging a lot. Well it is for me.
Had a Rhodes 88 Suitcase for many years. Loved the sound. Lugging it around, not so much. Also, no tines to break on the Nord, no getting out of tune. The real this is way cool. But, if you a gigging musician, the Nord (or the Korg or the Roland) is a lot easier to live with. Plus, it's got nice Wurly and Clav sounds, too.
Any Rhodes musician, especially those of the 70´s, will tell you that no digital or electronic keyboard sounds the same. Because the Rhodes sound variates with the force you hit the key. It is like douzens of bells being hit at once. Therefore it is not an homogeneous sound, it has imperfections. But the funny thing is, that this imperfections, all together are perfections, because they make the sound so organic. Nord and other synths are cool because they are cheap, reliable, light to carry, and enable a multitude of sounds, but if you are a detailist and want to sound like heaven, ain´t nothing like a real Rhodes.
Yes, I really agree with your opinion. I have to say Nord\Yamaha and other electronic keyboard manufacturers are trying to make their keyboards sound LIKE a real Rhodes,but if you listen them in comparison,Nord is just LIKE the fender rodes tone.Nord sounds are aome way like a organ,which isn't so clean\pure as the real Rhodes.Maybe the reason is the true Rhodes has the ture strings,which can't be easily digitally imitated？
Lol nords aint cheap but I get what you mean. personally with a touch of eq I could get those to sound the same and with some lfo on the pitch you wouldn't know the difference
How many stupid comments my god..... ....obviously real thing is the real thing same as grand piano vs digital or pc based vst!!! But....this thing sounds so autenthic compared to roland yamaha etc....it's a perfect compromise for live gig playing supereasy to program, lightweight and robust....and sounds are loadable into flash free from site (0 bucks)....so one can really customise internal samples to fit the needs with no extra payments, and the choice is so good you find uprights, grands, and tons of electric keyboards....and in the sample library also huge collection of other vintage and rare instruments like mellotrons and chamberlin....if one needs to seriously record rhodes could borrow real thing for sessions(like a classical pianist would do for recording a js bach cd) but in terms of everyday live and studio work there's no doubts, nord stage is such a great instrument, period.
...it sounds too plastic for my taste, but very good control over sound....i prefer nord in terms of realism but everyone will find the right instrument buying nord or roland or others.
A big advantage of the Rhodes is it is easy to work on. You can fix it yourself. It is low tech. It is like the difference between working on a 1965 car and a 2014 car. I can still get parts for my 40 year old Rhodes and fix it with a soldering iron and a screwdriver. I would never be able to fix the Nord and I doubt you will be able to get parts for the Nord in 10 years let alone 40. Other than that the Nord sounds great.
Well.. this is a great example of both!! I prefer the sound of the Nord actually because even though im a super fan of the Rhodes, the Nord sounds cleaner and brighter, which is a sound I like. And the bonus... dont need to worry about finding parts or a technician for the Nord.. whereas a 40 year old keyboard is tuff to find and expensive to restore.
There is often the urge to overanalyze an issue. I grew up listening to Patrice, Herbie, George, Joe Sample and Jeff Lorber. But, I don't consider myself a purist. If I sit down at a board and it approximates something well enough for my ear, pack your bags 'cause I'll sho nuff take you on a funky expedition :-)
The Stage 2 sounds a little compressed and more processed compared to the original, which i imagine they did so the sound can stand out more in a mix or a live environment which makes sense
That moment, when started 3:04, alike playing together with your mate. What a passage! So intense, so memorial. Anyone knows in which song, this feeling belongs? Or the song that I talked about, without knowing.
The thing is they are never sounding the same because the Rhodes uses hammers to hit tines just like a piano and the Nord uses digital PCM I guess. Too entirely different ways of creating a sound....so the rhodes will always be a more expressive instrument.
Foljs I undersatand what physical modelling is, it's been around a while. But you're still not ever getting the expressiveness of playing an actuall Rhodes..not a mission. Not just the sound but the action of the keyts...
The Nord sounds really good. The actual fender rhodes sounds more authentic (obviously), but the Nord has some of the closest digital sounds to an actual rhodes.
You could make a good case that the rhodes sounds better here, but having a rhodes, wurly, piano, organ, clav, etc in my small apartment is never going to be practical nor desirable, and the Nord sounds good enough that I can definitely get by with it :)
As close as samples can come, I don't believe they can totally anil it. Each instrument, whether acoustic or electric, synthesizer, or what have you has it's own distinct character. It is what comes from your heart and soul that makes the difference. Peace
Nord is king of Rhodes emulation. Actually Hammond / Leslie as well. Remind you that the Nord weighs about 20 lbs. You take the Nord to gigs and have the real thing at home.
In a pinch I would go with nord because it mimics the Rhodes better than others. Authentic Rhodes electric piano is always my first choice because of it's unique resonance. There is nothing like the real thing baby. Thank you for this revealing video.
For me, the differences quickly become unimportant when someone plays either one skillfully. In a comparison, small details seem to carry more weight than during an actual performance. For a high profile gig it's cool to be playing the real thing, but after the last bow the audience is going to remember the performance. Thanks for the video. Still an interesting demo.
Quite close, its almost like comparing two Rhodes, they will always sound slightly different. Plus, if you'd put them both through the same amount, it would get harder to tell the difference. Personally, I'd take the Nord mainly because it is lighter.
The Rhodes sounds awesome, and so does the Nord. It's a shame you didn't match volumes though, most of the video the Nord is noticably louder. It also sounds like the Nord has a lot of extra bass. Did you use any build-in EQ or is that in the samples? The Nord has a nice gloss to the sound, which also sounds a bit artificial. The Rhodes has a more earthy, rounded sound (if that makes sense). The Nord wins on bass and highs, the Rhodes on mids. The difference in volume kind of defeats the purpose of the video though.
Yeah, I get what you mean. To me the Rhodes has a fuller and more organic sound. The Nord is a tad punchy(not sure what you call it) the Rhodes is softer and warmer which would make it better for something like jazz in my opinion
In any of those comparison Videos, I close my eyes and I can ALWAYS tell whats the real thing and whats the copy, because all sampleguys forgot to put those ever changing imperfections in Joshua Garden was talking about that make a rhodes a living thing, besides all those dead copies. Don't get me wrong, I hate to carry around my rhodes to gigs and 10kgs are a lot less than 45kgs, but lets face it, no arms no cookies? I love this instrument.
@@sevchyk Rather than buy that new iPhone or whatever crap people buy, this guy didn't, and got a Rhodes Suitcase. Doesn't mean he's rich. I have vintage stuff because I like them (and because I have no life), I'm definitely not rich.
Feel the force, young piano guy, let you mind be free and feel the force. Nice demo and the Nord is close enough for professional work I think. The nice thing is Nord is always updating with new sounds all for FREE.
Close you eyes and click anywhere in the time bar and see if you can tell the difference with your eyes closed, without looking its hard to tell sometimes, it depends what tone and timbre the sounds are at and the velocity in which you strike the keys to.
The Rhodes sounds warmer, but as was mentioned a little EQ could fix that. I can't play keys for shit so it doesn't really matter anyway. I'm a guitar player who wishes he could play keys. The Rhodes is one of my favorite sounds.Maintenance, tuning etc. is a non issue with the Nord also.
I don't agree... note for note its pretty hard to tell... however you can tell easily which is the real thing when chords are being played or some dynamics are applied. For many of us dyed in the wool players the search for the ultimate rhodes sound which is luggable is key... for instance I think Chick Corea, Herbie, George Duke all sound a bit soulless on their MOTIFs and Kronos'... the Nord Stage 2 is a great compromise... Its certainly the best out there at the moment for the time being.
The Nord is waay brighter and crisper, which makes the Rhodes sounds better. But I assume there's a way to do some EQ on the Nord, right? The only other thing that always gets me with digital reconstructions is when you're playing chords. Single notes can sound exactly the same, but on an analog keyed instrument, every note has a slightly different response/color leading to a different gestalt sound, and that's what seems to be missing in digital versions (though round-robin multisampling obviously helps). And I don't think the Nord sounds bad, just don't think it sounds as nice as the Rhodes here. I"m curious if the Nord 3 does a better job (given that this is from ten years ago)? Now I need to look for a Nord 3 vs Rhodes vid. :)
Needed the volume matched better. Turn the Rhodes up or the Nord down slightly. I’ve owned both and nothing compares to a real one, but the Nord is so close in sound and the action isn’t bad at all. I no longer want to carry an original and am thinking about going back to Nord.
Nothing sounds exactly like a Rhodes - including another Rhodes - unless one has spent a lot of money having it overhauled. And even then I'm not sure.
The Nord comes pretty close, but the response while playing is different that actually playing a Rhodes. I have a Roland Fantom X8 with the "Classic EPs" SRX card that I think comes as close to a real Rhodes in terms of both sound and responsiveness. Both are better than Motifs.
I can hear the difference, eyes closed, and starting at 2:43, so I had no reference. At times they did sound identical. With eyes open the difference is more noticeable. I just got '79 Rhodes Mark 1. It cost 2k and will need about that much in work. Some people, like me, don't want to sound like a Rhodes or sound like a strat or sound like a Les Paul, and just simply prefer the actual instrument. Other folks see things differently and I respect that.
Great video! I was just wondering at 1:07, you freestyle some chords... what kind of genre would I have to attend to in finding chord progressions like that? It would be great if you could give me some references to those soulful chords :)
I Heard Herbie Hancock Talking In An Interview That The Rhodes Constanstantly Needs To Be Repaired ( Broken Tines ?) So Wouldn't The Advantage Go To Nord? I Think A Lot Of People Want The Rhodes Because It Looks Cool? I Think The Nord Sounds Just As Good But Is Much More Versatile.. The Price Is About The Same ? Maybe A Restored Rhodes Cost More? I Personally Have A Korg Kross And Roland RD-800, And Really Like The Electric Piano Sounds.On Them.
The Nord Stage 2 is brighter and more precise, but I prefer the gentle, warm, vintage sound of the Rhodes Mark. But, the thing is that they are not really comparable, two different "animals" I think...
I spent much time comparing Nord and Kurzweil. Nord samples are much better, but Kurzweil has 20 programs patches and multi fx processor, mighty VAST.. I still can't decide. Any experience?
The nord is fine for gigging as it's easier to move etc but as far as sound goes you can't emulate the Rhodes or a wurly 200. The nord sounds like a childs keyboard compared to the Rhodes especially when you want it to bark.
Nothing sounds better than real hammers on real strings, with real pickups, into real analog electronics, out of a real cabinet/line output. I find that the real thing will always have a more articulate sound, especially in the gentle, soft playing, or hard playing. It's hard to perfectly emulate without mixing synthesis and samples (with TONS of round-robin layers for nonlinearity.) It can be done, but the same amount of effort could be spent in manufacturing a modern EP that is lighter-weight, and has a great Amp/Matched Cabinet. I'm surprised there is so little market for this.
what condition is your rhodes in? hammer tips especially.. sounds close but yeah the rhodes is alive man.. dont care about the weight of them, nothing compares to the feel of playing the rhodes.
If you don't watch them being played (scroll down the page)- you can INSTANTLY tell which is which. Rhodes is just far more natural and pleasant. I don't find the Nord that convincing, it's brittle and one dimensional on the attack unless you play softly, and prefer any number of plugins far more- Scarbee EP88s, Soniccouture makes two great Rhodes EP73 and Canterbury Suite- and those sound VERY convincing for a fraction of the price of Nord. Of course NOBODY wants to haul a Rhodes around any more, I've had 4, sold them all, and I still have one to use- I prefer the plugins, for better sonic characteristics and flexibility, and use a M08 as a controller- (and it's not a bad Rhodes emulation either) perfectly happy avoiding my Rhodes any more.
maybe if there's an option to reduce maximum velocity (nord) or change the key "sensivity" (?) it would be better (don't play piano, just thinking it would be nice to have such possibility) sorry for english. I'm from Poland, just like the vid uploader ;)
the most over here........blablablabla die bla bla.......pfffffft......... The sound of a real instrument is the best... Nord is very close vs the sound of a Rhodes !
The original Rhodes is warmer sounding. Love it.
@@cerebralparasite9238 It's definitely more muted/rounded/less-high end than the Rhodes, which might be what they meant. I definitely think the Rhodes sounds better.
The Rhodes is a one trick pony. Many of us, including myself, wax poetic about it. However, what we forget are things like tines breaking in the middle of a gig, hum from the cheap preamp (unless you installed an upgrade) and most of all the weight. I owned two, the first a Mark 1 73 from 1973 had a terrible action. I replaced it with a Mark II flattop in 1980, it had a better action and the tines seemed better in terms of wear. But as far as gigging and recording go today, give me the Nord any day. Great action, includes many Rhodes models as well as so many other instruments like great acoustic pianos and a wonderful B3 model.
Thanks for giving a fair, balanced answer, with actual arguments :-)
when theyre working they produce a sound that no one to my knowledge has ever been able to fully reproduce and they sound absolutely sublime!
damn, I had a Mark 1 that also had the slowest, heaviest action ever. Loved the sound but hated the action!
imagine 40 years from now looking back nostalgically saying .. ahhhhh, thats a Nord :-)
Yes maybe a one trick pony...but that's one hell of a trick. For me the Rhodes is well worth the effort.
That Fender Rhodes does an amzing impression of the Nord's electric piano! :-) Great video. Thanks for sharing.
The other huge advantage to the Nord is that the 7 Rhodes pianos included are perfectly tuned, maintained, and voiced, and will play the same every single day.
Well, that's way too perfect :)
if this is what you're going for, then...awesome. Many of us prefer the Rhodes and Wurlitzers for exactly the "problems" you're describing! :)
The nord is brighter...but I bet you can change de filter parameters and get a more similar sound
Yesssssssssss ! Absolutely, you have a very good ear !! The NS 2 is brighter
That's what I was wondering. I'm guessing the point of the video was just to compare factory presets without tweaking them to make them closer?
The Rhodes has a much more organic sound. I love the warm low end and the way the notes blend together. Thanks for the vid!!
Yes I hear that too.
This is literally the best way to compare two pianos. Bravo!
I know it seems silly to compare but I'm glad this is here. I don't have access to a Rhodes but am looking to get as close as possible. The most dramatic difference to my ear is on the higher keys. There's a bell-like sweetness that just can't be touched on the Rhodes. Thanks for posting this!
Nord has a brighter sound.
The more the dynamics become harder, the more the sound start to differ.
On soft dynamics are pretty similar, with Rhodes having always a softer attack.
Nice video!
I did a blind test and thought "wow, ok, the real thing sounds so much better"... It was the Nord :p
Keep in mind that to a lot of ears, maybe all, loud sounds better. The Nord sounded louder. However despite the fact that most of the praise for the Rhodes is about it's "warm" sound, there are also many uses for a "bright" sound in music. After considering both of these points I listened again without looking and surprised myself a little by flinching at one point when the Nord was played. The Rhodes is just sweet sounding and feels like a warm bath. It's not just the lessened mids doing that.
Yep, this.
yep that's what i told myself too
I have a Rhodes stage and a Nord stage 3. From this video, I’d say that more than being about tone, and brightness, the Nord provides a level of consistency. Tone can be tweaked but loudness and consistency alongside the bark of individual notes can’t be quickly solved. Setting up the Rhdoes takes time, and a soldering iron. In this video the Rhodes sound is a little thinner, but that might be a preamp issue. For any recording, I’d be very happy to use the Nord, but for nostalgia and retro coolness, the Rhodes easily has it!
When gigging with my band (jazz & other stuff) I defy anyone to hear any difference at all.
I agree with Lou below, weight is a major consideration when gigging a lot. Well it is for me.
Had a Rhodes 88 Suitcase for many years. Loved the sound. Lugging it around, not so much. Also, no tines to break on the Nord, no getting out of tune. The real this is way cool. But, if you a gigging musician, the Nord (or the Korg or the Roland) is a lot easier to live with. Plus, it's got nice Wurly and Clav sounds, too.
I like the way you compare. It gives a real insight of what it's possible to get on the Nord. Keep up the good job !
Any Rhodes musician, especially those of the 70´s, will tell you that no digital or electronic keyboard sounds the same. Because the Rhodes sound variates with the force you hit the key. It is like douzens of bells being hit at once. Therefore it is not an homogeneous sound, it has imperfections. But the funny thing is, that this imperfections, all together are perfections, because they make the sound so organic. Nord and other synths are cool because they are cheap, reliable, light to carry, and enable a multitude of sounds, but if you are a detailist and want to sound like heaven, ain´t nothing like a real Rhodes.
Yes, I really agree with your opinion. I have to say Nord\Yamaha and other electronic keyboard manufacturers are trying to make their keyboards sound LIKE a real Rhodes,but if you listen them in comparison,Nord is just LIKE the fender rodes tone.Nord sounds are aome way like a organ,which isn't so clean\pure as the real Rhodes.Maybe the reason is the true Rhodes has the ture strings,which can't be easily digitally imitated？
If i wasn't a guitar player i would play the rhodes i would love to get my hands on one
Lol nords aint cheap but I get what you mean. personally with a touch of eq I could get those to sound the same and with some lfo on the pitch you wouldn't know the difference
Nord is cheap?
it's called velocity adjustment ,which the guy in the video onbviously forgot to do
How many stupid comments my god.....
....obviously real thing is the real thing same as grand piano vs digital or pc based vst!!!
But....this thing sounds so autenthic compared to roland yamaha etc....it's a perfect compromise for live gig playing supereasy to program, lightweight and robust....and sounds are loadable into flash free from site (0 bucks)....so one can really customise internal samples to fit the needs with no extra payments, and the choice is so good you find uprights, grands, and tons of electric keyboards....and in the sample library also huge collection of other vintage and rare instruments like mellotrons and chamberlin....if one needs to seriously record rhodes could borrow real thing for sessions(like a classical pianist would do for recording a js bach cd) but in terms of everyday live and studio work there's no doubts, nord stage is such a great instrument, period.
+kyma1999x My favorite is Roland supernatural fender rhodes sound. I have Roland FA-06 and think, that Rolands rhodes sound is more natural than Nord.
...it sounds too plastic for my taste, but very good control over sound....i prefer nord in terms of realism but everyone will find the right instrument buying nord or roland or others.
A big advantage of the Rhodes is it is easy to work on. You can fix it yourself. It is low tech. It is like the difference between working on a 1965 car and a 2014 car. I can still get parts for my 40 year old Rhodes and fix it with a soldering iron and a screwdriver. I would never be able to fix the Nord and I doubt you will be able to get parts for the Nord in 10 years let alone 40. Other than that the Nord sounds great.
Well.. this is a great example of both!! I prefer the sound of the Nord actually because even though im a super fan of the Rhodes, the Nord sounds cleaner and brighter, which is a sound I like. And the bonus... dont need to worry about finding parts or a technician for the Nord.. whereas a 40 year old keyboard is tuff to find and expensive to restore.
Let's wait and see if parts for a Nord 2 are still available in 40+ years.
dadduorp You won't need parts. The Nord doesn't brake. Period
Again, let's see in 40+ years.
dadduorp If I have the money, id get a Rhodes but for purely as a collector. I'm still shocked at how well the Nord models the sounds of the Rhodes...
Vox AC-30 desperately needed for the Rhodes, the combination is the sweetest sound on earth
There is often the urge to overanalyze an issue. I grew up listening to Patrice, Herbie, George, Joe Sample and Jeff Lorber. But, I don't consider myself a purist. If I sit down at a board and it approximates something well enough for my ear, pack your bags 'cause I'll sho nuff take you on a funky expedition :-)
I Am Also A Jeff Lorber Fan, You Should Check Out Documentary" A History OF Fender Rhodes :Jeff Lorber.
added to my Fender-Rhodes funk playlist
The Stage 2 sounds a little compressed and more processed compared to the original, which i imagine they did so the sound can stand out more in a mix or a live environment which makes sense
That moment, when started 3:04, alike playing together with your mate. What a passage! So intense, so memorial. Anyone knows in which song, this feeling belongs? Or the song that I talked about, without knowing.
The thing is they are never sounding the same because the Rhodes uses hammers to hit tines just like a piano and the Nord uses digital PCM I guess. Too entirely different ways of creating a sound....so the rhodes will always be a more expressive instrument.
Foljs I undersatand what physical modelling is, it's been around a while. But you're still not ever getting the expressiveness of playing an actuall Rhodes..not a mission. Not just the sound but the action of the keyts...
Nord's rhodes has an awful hi-mid peak at 1 khz , same with their pianos .
I like sound of rhodes in nord, but for piano sounds I agree. Specially when you compare it with pianos like keyscape. Nord Electro 5D.
Let’s not forget they feel like shit to play too
Can't wait to get mine! I miss my Rhodes, but U don't miss luggin it around.
Dare I say the Nord sounds better?
George Gee Sr
I think it does brother.
The Nord sounds really good. The actual fender rhodes sounds more authentic (obviously), but the Nord has some of the closest digital sounds to an actual rhodes.
You could make a good case that the rhodes sounds better here, but having a rhodes, wurly, piano, organ, clav, etc in my small apartment is never going to be practical nor desirable, and the Nord sounds good enough that I can definitely get by with it :)
The fender Rhodes definitely sounds better well on second thought I think they both sound fantastic
Comes down to - which would you rather play? Nobody can tell the difference but they can tell the difference when a musician is more excited to play
the rhodes has a much smoother midrange
As close as samples can come, I don't believe they can totally anil it. Each instrument, whether acoustic or electric, synthesizer, or what have you has it's own distinct character. It is what comes from your heart and soul that makes the difference. Peace
Great comparison
The Nord also sounds like a perfectly setup Rhodes and doesn’t need the upkeep.
Nord is king of Rhodes emulation. Actually Hammond / Leslie as well. Remind you that the Nord weighs about 20 lbs. You take the Nord to gigs and have the real thing at home.
In a pinch I would go with nord because it mimics the Rhodes better than others.
Authentic Rhodes electric piano is always my first choice because of it's unique resonance. There is nothing like the real thing baby. Thank you for this revealing video.
For me, the differences quickly become unimportant when someone plays either one skillfully. In a comparison, small details seem to carry more weight than during an actual performance. For a high profile gig it's cool to be playing the real thing, but after the last bow the audience is going to remember the performance. Thanks for the video. Still an interesting demo.
Excellent and informative, thanks.
I'll take both :)
Rhodes mark sounds amazing smooth but have nice bell, the nord stage sounds deep and very nice tone but just almost same.😁🙏
I think the Rhodes Mark's sound is a lil'bit warmer :3
Quite close, its almost like comparing two Rhodes, they will always sound slightly different. Plus, if you'd put them both through the same amount, it would get harder to tell the difference. Personally, I'd take the Nord mainly because it is lighter.
Excellent . Thank you. Usefull. Love the Rhodes. Warmer sound.
The Rhodes sounds awesome, and so does the Nord. It's a shame you didn't match volumes though, most of the video the Nord is noticably louder. It also sounds like the Nord has a lot of extra bass. Did you use any build-in EQ or is that in the samples?
The Nord has a nice gloss to the sound, which also sounds a bit artificial. The Rhodes has a more earthy, rounded sound (if that makes sense). The Nord wins on bass and highs, the Rhodes on mids. The difference in volume kind of defeats the purpose of the video though.
Yeah, I get what you mean. To me the Rhodes has a fuller and more organic sound. The Nord is a tad punchy(not sure what you call it) the Rhodes is softer and warmer which would make it better for something like jazz in my opinion
But to be honest, they both sound nice.
In any of those comparison Videos, I close my eyes and I can ALWAYS tell whats the real thing and whats the copy, because all sampleguys forgot to put those ever changing imperfections in Joshua Garden was talking about that make a rhodes a living thing, besides all those dead copies. Don't get me wrong, I hate to carry around my rhodes to gigs and 10kgs are a lot less than 45kgs, but lets face it, no arms no cookies? I love this instrument.
Nord sounds good but like like the rhodes better the original cant be beat great job by the way
i have a rhodes keyboard Suitcase 73 model and it sounds amazing
well, you seem rich as a jocker.
@@sevchyk Rather than buy that new iPhone or whatever crap people buy, this guy didn't, and got a Rhodes Suitcase. Doesn't mean he's rich. I have vintage stuff because I like them (and because I have no life), I'm definitely not rich.
@@ronnieaux5290 This Rhodes Suitcase costs like 10 Iphones...
Feel the force, young piano guy, let you mind be free and feel the force.
Nice demo and the Nord is close enough for professional work I think.
The nice thing is Nord is always updating with new sounds all for FREE.
Close you eyes and click anywhere in the time bar and see if you can tell the difference with your eyes closed, without looking its hard to tell sometimes, it depends what tone and timbre the sounds are at and the velocity in which you strike the keys to.
Sometime they have a sale...maybe during Christmas. I have a video on my channel exploring the some Lizard sounds. Its really good.
The Rhodes still have that authentic sound.
I agree, the Rhodes is was smoother and less edgey. The Nord's sound has some crunch to it.
Anyone know if that delicious, smooth melody at 4:13-4:21 is from a song or where I can listen to more of that?
Yet to Find by Robert Glasper, I believe.
Which rhodes EP sample sounded closest? Also, you should do a 2nd video of this using the new nord ep7 sample.
nice comparison, clearly different colour
The Rhodes sounds warmer, but as was mentioned a little EQ could fix that. I can't play keys for shit so it doesn't really matter anyway. I'm a guitar player who wishes he could play keys. The Rhodes is one of my favorite sounds.Maintenance, tuning etc. is a non issue with the Nord also.
I don't agree... note for note its pretty hard to tell... however you can tell easily which is the real thing when chords are being played or some dynamics are applied. For many of us dyed in the wool players the search for the ultimate rhodes sound which is luggable is key... for instance I think Chick Corea, Herbie, George Duke all sound a bit soulless on their MOTIFs and Kronos'... the Nord Stage 2 is a great compromise... Its certainly the best out there at the moment for the time being.
good comparison, thanks a lot
Watching this vid eyes closed was a different experience.
The Nord is waay brighter and crisper, which makes the Rhodes sounds better. But I assume there's a way to do some EQ on the Nord, right? The only other thing that always gets me with digital reconstructions is when you're playing chords. Single notes can sound exactly the same, but on an analog keyed instrument, every note has a slightly different response/color leading to a different gestalt sound, and that's what seems to be missing in digital versions (though round-robin multisampling obviously helps). And I don't think the Nord sounds bad, just don't think it sounds as nice as the Rhodes here.
I"m curious if the Nord 3 does a better job (given that this is from ten years ago)? Now I need to look for a Nord 3 vs Rhodes vid. :)
Now some people are forgetting that you are able to tweak the sounds w nord specifically put a flanger on it
Needed the volume matched better. Turn the Rhodes up or the Nord down slightly. I’ve owned both and nothing compares to a real one, but the Nord is so close in sound and the action isn’t bad at all. I no longer want to carry an original and am thinking about going back to Nord.
Nothing sounds exactly like a Rhodes - including another Rhodes - unless one has spent a lot of money having it overhauled. And even then I'm not sure.
I would want the nord because it is more reliable. The Rhodes is warmer but you can tweak that on the Nord
The Nord is more trebly and has a harsher attack but I guess some EQ would minimize the difference.
+Dizzy Krissi yeah a little eq on the high end and i think it would sound a lot more alike
Think I'd rather carry a Nord round than a Rhodes. And trust me I have carried a Rhodes round . Not fun at all. One sound only
the best one sound ever! 100% cool at all times!
The Nord comes pretty close, but the response while playing is different that actually playing a Rhodes. I have a Roland Fantom X8 with the "Classic EPs" SRX card that I think comes as close to a real Rhodes in terms of both sound and responsiveness. Both are better than Motifs.
I can hear the difference, eyes closed, and starting at 2:43, so I had no reference. At times they did sound identical. With eyes open the difference is more noticeable. I just got '79 Rhodes Mark 1. It cost 2k and will need about that much in work. Some people, like me, don't want to sound like a Rhodes or sound like a strat or sound like a Les Paul, and just simply prefer the actual instrument. Other folks see things differently and I respect that.
Great video! I was just wondering at 1:07, you freestyle some chords... what kind of genre would I have to attend to in finding chord progressions like that?
It would be great if you could give me some references to those soulful chords :)
I Heard Herbie Hancock Talking In An Interview That The Rhodes Constanstantly Needs To Be Repaired ( Broken Tines ?) So Wouldn't The Advantage Go To Nord?
I Think A Lot Of People Want The Rhodes Because It Looks Cool?
I Think The Nord Sounds Just As Good But Is Much More Versatile..
The Price Is About The Same ? Maybe A Restored Rhodes Cost More?
I Personally Have A Korg Kross And Roland RD-800, And Really Like The Electric Piano Sounds.On Them.
While I agree 100% gigging with the nord gives you A LOT more flexibility and the organ sounds on it are amazing.
I love the real Rhodes No sample can fake that.
/me hugs his real RHODES
The Nord ist just awesome but the Rhodes feels like warm butter on home made bread.
que les costaba samplearlo bien a los de nord? parece una campana ese Rhodes del Nord,
Great demo - thanks man :)
Well for what they're worth the Nord boards sho nuff take you on a funky expedition
the new released samples are much closer :)
Goddam I miss my old Suitcase Rhodes...
You can clearly hear the difference between analog and digital.
If they were not side by side, who would guess who's who ?
The Nord Stage 2 is brighter and more precise, but I prefer the gentle, warm, vintage sound of the Rhodes Mark. But, the thing is that they are not really comparable, two different "animals" I think...
I spent much time comparing Nord and Kurzweil. Nord samples are much better, but Kurzweil has 20 programs patches and multi fx processor, mighty VAST.. I still can't decide. Any experience?
I think the Nord sounds even better then the original.
The nord is fine for gigging as it's easier to move etc but as far as sound goes you can't emulate the Rhodes or a wurly 200. The nord sounds like a childs keyboard compared to the Rhodes especially when you want it to bark.
Great video, the nord sounds great if you can’t get the original rhodes.
Nothing sounds better than real hammers on real strings, with real pickups, into real analog electronics, out of a real cabinet/line output.
I find that the real thing will always have a more articulate sound, especially in the gentle, soft playing, or hard playing. It's hard to perfectly emulate without mixing synthesis and samples (with TONS of round-robin layers for nonlinearity.) It can be done, but the same amount of effort could be spent in manufacturing a modern EP that is lighter-weight, and has a great Amp/Matched Cabinet. I'm surprised there is so little market for this.
Might want to get the Rhodes restored before doing this sort of thing. The Nord is great.
what condition is your rhodes in? hammer tips especially.. sounds close but yeah the rhodes is alive man.. dont care about the weight of them, nothing compares to the feel of playing the rhodes.
This time I ‘d pick the copy.
Which name of Nord rhodes did you use at camparison??? What preset??? Mark 1, 2, 3 ....
I'm talking to Vintage about doing over my Fender Rhodes 88 and tossing up to forget it and get a Nord Stage. I'm torn!!!
If you don't watch them being played (scroll down the page)- you can INSTANTLY tell which is which. Rhodes is just far more natural and pleasant. I don't find the Nord that convincing, it's brittle and one dimensional on the attack unless you play softly, and prefer any number of plugins far more- Scarbee EP88s, Soniccouture makes two great Rhodes EP73 and Canterbury Suite- and those sound VERY convincing for a fraction of the price of Nord. Of course NOBODY wants to haul a Rhodes around any more, I've had 4, sold them all, and I still have one to use- I prefer the plugins, for better sonic characteristics and flexibility, and use a M08 as a controller- (and it's not a bad Rhodes emulation either) perfectly happy avoiding my Rhodes any more.
jest roznica, zajebista!
Sad how the mighty Nord doesn't come close, even with the guy demo'ing it giving it more volume. The Korg SV2 or even the SV1 on the other hand...
maybe if there's an option to reduce maximum velocity (nord) or change the key "sensivity" (?) it would be better (don't play piano, just thinking it would be nice to have such possibility) sorry for english. I'm from Poland, just like the vid uploader ;)
The Rhodes sounds sweeter, softer, better. The Nord sound is a pretty good imitation.
the most over here........blablablabla die bla bla.......pfffffft......... The sound of a real instrument is the best... Nord is very close vs the sound of a Rhodes !
cool idea for a video. thanks for posting
does the nord stage 2 needs any amplifier or it already has speakers? Sorry for my english, not my native language (: