Nord Electro 7 61-Key Stage Piano with Semi-Weighted Waterfall Keybed

The Nord Electro 7 61 (NELECTRO7-61) is a 61-key stage piano for gigging keyboard players who need organ, piano and synth in one light instrument. It has a semi-weighted waterfall keybed, the B3 organ and Rotary Speaker engine from the Nord Organ 3, 120-voice piano polyphony from the Nord Piano Library, and weighs 18.3 lbs (8.3 kg).

The Electro 7 adds a new Synth Section with analog waveforms, FM synthesis and samples from the Nord Sample Library, dedicated effects for each section, physical drawbars with LED indicators and a high-resolution color display. Programs are stored in 20 banks of 25, for 500 locations, with a 5-program Live Mode.

Organ section

The organ is based on the Nord Organ 3 engine, with B3, B3 Bass, Soft B3, Vox, Farfisa and Pipe models at full polyphony. The B3 has 3 tonewheel modes, from a clean factory-new unit to a road-worn vintage character with more crosstalk and leakage, and B3 Percussion has a Poly mode that keeps percussion working when you hold chords or play legato. The vibrato and chorus scanner covers the gentle character of a '50s B3 and the deeper modulation of a '70s instrument.

The Rotary Speaker emulation, also from the Nord Organ 3, models the amp and speakers as well as the rotor, with Close, Wide and XY microphone positions, a Bass Wide stereo option and a dedicated tube Drive control. The Electro 7 61 has a mount for the Nord Half-Moon Switch.

Piano section

The piano section holds Grands, Uprights, Electric Pianos, Digital/Layer, Clav/Harpsichord and Misc/Mallet sounds from the Nord Piano Library, with String Resonance, Timbre settings, 3 keyboard touch settings, Dynamic Compression for an even level without changing the tone, and Unison with 3 amounts. Any sound in the Nord Piano Library can be added or replaced with the free Nord Sound Manager software.

Synth and effects

The Synth Section plays samples, analog waveforms and FM sounds with a low-pass filter with resonance, dual ADR/ASR envelopes for Amp and Filter/FM, Mono, Legato and Glide modes, Unison and an adjustable vibrato. It loads samples from the Nord Sample Library, which includes Spitfire Strings, Supreme Horns, Mellotron and Symphobia.

Each section has its own effects: Mod 1 (Pan, Tremolo, Wah, Ring Modulator), Mod 2 (Phaser, Flanger, Chorus, Vibe, Ensemble), amp simulations (Twin, Small, Suitcase, JC and Brit) with a 3-band EQ, a Delay with tap tempo, Ping Pong and an Analog mode, and a Compressor. A global reverb offers Spring, Room, Stage, Hall and Cathedral types, with the Spring placed before the Rotary Speaker.

Nord Electro 7 61 specifications

Keyboard	61 keys (5 octaves, C to C), semi-weighted waterfall
Sound sections	Organ, Piano and Synth, with Seamless Transitions and split point crossfades
Organ models	B3, B3 Bass, Soft B3, Vox, Farfisa and Pipe, full polyphony, physical drawbars with LED indicators
Piano polyphony	120 voices for Nord Piano Library sounds
Synth	Sample, analog and FM synthesis, 30+ voice polyphony
Programs	20 banks x 25 programs (500 locations), Live Mode with 5 Live programs
Splits	Selectable split point with LED indication, 9 locations
Tuning	Global transpose +/- 6 semitones, global fine-tune +/- 50 cents, program transpose +/- 6 semitones
Display	Color display
Audio outputs	2 x 1/4 in (6.35 mm) L and R, unbalanced
Headphones	1 x 1/4 in (6.35 mm) stereo
Monitor input	1 x 1/8 in (3.5 mm) stereo
Pedal inputs	Expression pedal (1/4 in TRS), sustain pedal (1/4 in, works with Nord Sustain Pedal 2, Nord Triple Pedal 1 and switch-type pedals), rotary control/foot switch (1/4 in)
MIDI and USB	5-pin DIN MIDI In and Out, USB type B for USB MIDI, sound transfer and software updates
Other	External keyboard (Aux KB) support, expression pedal assign for the synth filter and most effect parameters
Power	IEC C14 power cord
Dimensions	35.5 in wide x 11.6 in deep x 4.1 in high (901 x 294 x 104 mm)
Weight	18.3 lbs (8.3 kg)
Shipping	38 x 14 x 6 in, 21 lbs
In the box	Nord Electro 7 61, user manual, power cord

Does the Electro 7 61 have a pitch stick and modulation wheel?

No. Nord fits the Pitch Stick and Modulation Wheel only to the Electro 7 73 and Electro 7 HP. The 61 keeps the physical drawbars, the full Organ, Piano and Synth sections and the expression pedal assign, in the smallest and lightest Electro 7.

What is the difference between the Electro 7 61, 73 and HP?

The keybed, size and weight. The 61 has 61 semi-weighted waterfall keys (C to C) and weighs 18.3 lbs; the 73 has 73 semi-weighted waterfall keys (E to E) and weighs 20.9 lbs; the HP has 73 keys on a triple-sensor Kawai hammer-action portable keybed and weighs 28.66 lbs. All three share the same sound engine.

How is the Electro 7 61 different from the Electro 6D 61?

The Electro 7 61 stores 500 programs in 20 banks, against 400 programs in 8 banks on the Nord Electro 6D 61. Its organ and Rotary Speaker come from the Nord Organ 3 instead of the C2D engine, and its Synth Section adds analog waveforms and FM synthesis to sample playback. It weighs 18.3 lbs, against 17.85 lbs for the 6D 61. Both have 61 semi-weighted waterfall keys, physical drawbars and 120-voice piano polyphony.

Is the organ the same as the Nord Organ 3?

The Electro 7 uses the organ models and Rotary Speaker emulation from the Nord Organ 3, with B3, Vox, Farfisa and Pipe models. For a dedicated organ, see the Nord Organ 3.

Can I add new piano and synth sounds?

Yes. Pianos from the Nord Piano Library and samples from the Nord Sample Library can be added, replaced and organized over USB with the free Nord Sound Manager software.

Which pedals work with the Electro 7 61?

Nord lists the Nord Single Pedal 2 and the Nord Triple Pedal (TP1) for the Electro 7, and any switch-type sustain pedal works in the sustain input. The rotary control input takes a momentary or switch-type pedal, and the expression input takes a 1/4 in TRS expression pedal. The Nord collection has the rest of the range.