Hope you’ve caught your breath. This year’s NAMM (2025) has brought a bumper crop of new keyboard releases.
Just to list a few that we’ve seen. This is an exciting year for players!
Nord Piano 6
Check your credit limit because Nord weren’t finished after announcing the Nord Organ 3. Today, Nord have given us the Nord Piano 6:
- Dual layers for piano and synth with independent effects
- Dedicated LED faders for each layer
- Triple sensor keybed
- Nord triple pedal 2 is included
- New spring reverb and spin effects
Two piano layers plus two synth layers will give punters better splits and layers over previous models, addressing a frequently voiced need.
Catch the introductory video. Sure sounds nice. The Bonners video hits the highlights.
There will be two models:
- Nord Piano 6 88, 88-key triple sensor keybed with grand weighted action, 19.2 kg (42.3 lbs)
- Nord Piano 6 73, 73-key triple sensor keybed with grand weighted action, 16.2 kg (35.7 lbs)
The 73 is priced at $3,599 USD (£2,999) and the 88 is priced at $3,799 (£3,299).
Viscount Legend One
Viscount International have released new videos demonstrating the new Viscount Legend One stage keyboard. Here are a few links to start you off:
Kraft Music have a short page about the Legend One. The 61 and 73 are available for pre-order at $1,790 USD and $1,990, respectively. Now those are competitive prices!
Ketron (AjamSonic)
Ketron is not a well-known name in North America. However, they offer a range of digital pianos, arranger keyboards and modules. They are represented in the United States by AjamSonic.
AjamSonic (Ketron) will have a booth at NAMM 2025 next week. (Jeez, we’ve seen all this stuff and the show hasn’t started!) Here is a video from AjamSonic, including a preview of their NAMM announcements.
- EVENT flagship arranger workstation
- EVP 1 flagship grand piano
- EVP 2 upright/spinet digital piano
- EVP 4 stage/slab piano
- EVS pocket-sized professional sound module
- FUSION multi-cultural (world) arranger and production keyboard
- EVENT functionality and features
- Real arranger and multi-ethnic styles
- Joystick, ribbon, articulations and drum pad
- 4GByte user flash memory (2GB Sbk and 2GB sampler)
- Oriental drum kits, sounds and musical scale
- New sounds, new styles
- KB series near-field powered speakers (KB5A and KB6A)
- KS10A active sub woofer
- KM6 portable mixer
The AjamSonic video is refreshingly mellow. Chill.
The EVS caught my eye because I am always looking for new sound modules. Features include:
- EVENT sound engine in a small box
- 256 factory presets
- 256 user presets
- Ability to layer three voices
- Desk-top voice ditor
- USB and MIDI IN/OUT
It can be used as a MIDI file player as well as an external sound module.
You can try the Ketron America link, but Chrome gives me guff.
More Yamaha updates
Yamaha snuck out a small update for the Montage M series. They also released Smart Pianist v3.6.0 with “Beat Conductor”. I’m currently trying v3.6.0 and searching for Beat Conductor within. One question has already gone out to Yamaha customer support — what the heck is Beat Conductor?
Copyright © 2025 Paul J. Drongowski