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Forums - Music techology
Subject: Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
Viewing all 7 messages - View by pages of 10: 1
Original Message 1/7 25-Apr-98 @ 02:39 PM - Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
In my Nord VS. JP post (which I am so happy that everyone contributed too! I love this board!) the last post dealt with the nord modular. I always thought that the modular seemed cool, but the problem for me is that I don't know nething about modular synthesis. They guy who posted said it was not hard to learn, but what do u think? Also, is the modular good for just plain old deep bass sounds, like the Nord Lead?
Thanx for all your help everyone,
-D2K
Thanx for all your help everyone,
-D2K
Message 2/7 25-Apr-98 @ 08:10 PM - RE: Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
I've not seen any post from anyone else with a Modular yet, they're probably still a bit new. If anyone else has one please chuck in your opinions...
Bass sounds. It can make any sounds that a Nord Lead 2 (or original) can make. Exactly. There are quite a lot of NL sounds with the Modular and all the sound programmers have done is string together the same modules that make up a NL (ie 2 oscillators, filter etc...) and copy the knob settings from favorite NL sounds. Polophony is 8 notes with NL sounds but can double with the expansion card at 325 quid to same as NL. I'd say the bass sounds are stronger and deeper than anything I've got, including Prophecy and old ARP and Cheetah analogues, SY99, Ensoniq VFX, Wavestation SR. My pair of 15inch bins have never known so much grief!
Easy to pick up? Well ok, I'm biased. I've got a degree in electronics and been mucking around with synths since 1803. What you ought to do is download the software from www.clavia.se and have a play. It's not demo software, it's the real thing, but of course it'll not make any sounds! Have a look at a few of the 300 sounds on their site and see if you can figure out roughly what's going on in the patch. It'll either click and make some sense or else it won't. The best things in life take a bit of struggling. Ok that's bollox..! Try it and see what you think. Bear in mind that a lot of their sounds are meant to be very complex just to show off how clever the thing is...most practical sounds are a lot simpler.
Of course one option is not to try to program it. It'd be a shame, but it will work perfectly well without the pc editor and there's already 300 sounds to play with. Ok there's a few frogs croaking and flies buzzing but it seems to have most of the standard NL sounds in there.
There's a good review and tutorial in Sound on Sound this month.
Sorry to rant on about this wonderful bit of kit, but I seem to be the only one to visit this site with one so far.
Try the software, ask me for a demo cd, cum in yer pants and buy one!
Bass sounds. It can make any sounds that a Nord Lead 2 (or original) can make. Exactly. There are quite a lot of NL sounds with the Modular and all the sound programmers have done is string together the same modules that make up a NL (ie 2 oscillators, filter etc...) and copy the knob settings from favorite NL sounds. Polophony is 8 notes with NL sounds but can double with the expansion card at 325 quid to same as NL. I'd say the bass sounds are stronger and deeper than anything I've got, including Prophecy and old ARP and Cheetah analogues, SY99, Ensoniq VFX, Wavestation SR. My pair of 15inch bins have never known so much grief!
Easy to pick up? Well ok, I'm biased. I've got a degree in electronics and been mucking around with synths since 1803. What you ought to do is download the software from www.clavia.se and have a play. It's not demo software, it's the real thing, but of course it'll not make any sounds! Have a look at a few of the 300 sounds on their site and see if you can figure out roughly what's going on in the patch. It'll either click and make some sense or else it won't. The best things in life take a bit of struggling. Ok that's bollox..! Try it and see what you think. Bear in mind that a lot of their sounds are meant to be very complex just to show off how clever the thing is...most practical sounds are a lot simpler.
Of course one option is not to try to program it. It'd be a shame, but it will work perfectly well without the pc editor and there's already 300 sounds to play with. Ok there's a few frogs croaking and flies buzzing but it seems to have most of the standard NL sounds in there.
There's a good review and tutorial in Sound on Sound this month.
Sorry to rant on about this wonderful bit of kit, but I seem to be the only one to visit this site with one so far.
Try the software, ask me for a demo cd, cum in yer pants and buy one!
Message 3/7 30-Apr-98 @ 03:29 AM - RE: Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
cher@vitnet.com.sg
This guy sells Nords cheap, I guess. Like $1500 for the Modular Rack..
Steve, I saw your question about what to get on the Analogue Korner. How did the MicroWave XT stack against the Nord Modular?
This guy sells Nords cheap, I guess. Like $1500 for the Modular Rack..
Steve, I saw your question about what to get on the Analogue Korner. How did the MicroWave XT stack against the Nord Modular?
Message 4/7 30-Apr-98 @ 02:01 PM - RE: Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
Now that's cheap!
Never played an XT but have heard some downloaded samples and talked to a lot of people, read the specs etc. It's certainly got a lot of features, very powerful modulation matrix and of course the wavetables. It seems like it's got lots of knobs but really they only cover the basics- if you get down to serious programming you'll be into lcd and menus most of the time. The Access Virus seems to have a better selection of knobs.
I came to the conclusion that I hate lcds and went for the modular because it's even more powerful, you NEVER need the lcd and I didn't need the wavetables (I have an Ensoniq VFX which gives me most of the benefit). I'm sure the XT sounds great and is very sexy in Orange.
If I could have only one synth then It'd be a Yam EX5. If I had a decent workstation and could have only one more it would be a Supernova because of multi fx and voices (but Novation seem to have all died...???). But I had 6 synths (excluding the Modular) and didn't need an all-rounder-smart-arse-do-everything-in-a-box-synth. Besides, I'll probably retire before the Supernova comes out! My next synth might well be an XT now that I have the Modular...
Give me your email ad if you want the spreadsheet...
Steve
Never played an XT but have heard some downloaded samples and talked to a lot of people, read the specs etc. It's certainly got a lot of features, very powerful modulation matrix and of course the wavetables. It seems like it's got lots of knobs but really they only cover the basics- if you get down to serious programming you'll be into lcd and menus most of the time. The Access Virus seems to have a better selection of knobs.
I came to the conclusion that I hate lcds and went for the modular because it's even more powerful, you NEVER need the lcd and I didn't need the wavetables (I have an Ensoniq VFX which gives me most of the benefit). I'm sure the XT sounds great and is very sexy in Orange.
If I could have only one synth then It'd be a Yam EX5. If I had a decent workstation and could have only one more it would be a Supernova because of multi fx and voices (but Novation seem to have all died...???). But I had 6 synths (excluding the Modular) and didn't need an all-rounder-smart-arse-do-everything-in-a-box-synth. Besides, I'll probably retire before the Supernova comes out! My next synth might well be an XT now that I have the Modular...
Give me your email ad if you want the spreadsheet...
Steve
Message 5/7 01-May-98 @ 06:19 AM - RE: Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
Sounds good. BTW, I'll be doing the XTfor around $1,000 if I get it.
'course, I've seen VFX's cheap, but never really considered them. Isn't it just a cheap WaveStation, or is it actually cooler than that? I'm looking for something to stand apart from my over-abundance of analogs and samplers.
Hilevelt
'course, I've seen VFX's cheap, but never really considered them. Isn't it just a cheap WaveStation, or is it actually cooler than that? I'm looking for something to stand apart from my over-abundance of analogs and samplers.
Hilevelt
Message 6/7 01-May-98 @ 04:21 PM - RE: Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
VFX and wavestation are quite different. I've got both. A lot of people think they're similar because they string a sequence of waveforms together. They do. The difference is that the Wavestation really strings together whole or part samples wheras the VFX (Microwave etc) strings together single wave cycles.
So a Wavestation would give you a burst of fart, a burst of twang and a string sustain, either jerk and rhythmically or with smooth crossfades. The VFX (or MW) moves through a set of similar waveforms like a square wave, a slightly narrower square wave, a slightly narrower still square(it's a pulse now) etc. If it does this under control of an LFO it'll sound like a pulse width mod oscillator... If you chose other wave sets it can make other "moving" waveforms like an oscillator syncing or a filter sweeping. Can be quite extreme and metallic or smooth depending on which wave set (wave table) you choose and how deep you modulate through it...
Wavestation is clean and punchy. Best for swirly evolving pads.
VFX is a bit old-digital-style dirty - loads of balls and good live. Attack is not mega fast so some say it's not really much good for percussive sounds. Most expressive sax I know - dunno why - it's only a straight sample! Best for grungy grindy graunchy scrunchy noises. It's certainly unusual and very different from the usual analog/sampler kit. And they're cheap cos they're right out of fashion (this week!)
If anyone wants a demo. I'll knock together a few noises...
So a Wavestation would give you a burst of fart, a burst of twang and a string sustain, either jerk and rhythmically or with smooth crossfades. The VFX (or MW) moves through a set of similar waveforms like a square wave, a slightly narrower square wave, a slightly narrower still square(it's a pulse now) etc. If it does this under control of an LFO it'll sound like a pulse width mod oscillator... If you chose other wave sets it can make other "moving" waveforms like an oscillator syncing or a filter sweeping. Can be quite extreme and metallic or smooth depending on which wave set (wave table) you choose and how deep you modulate through it...
Wavestation is clean and punchy. Best for swirly evolving pads.
VFX is a bit old-digital-style dirty - loads of balls and good live. Attack is not mega fast so some say it's not really much good for percussive sounds. Most expressive sax I know - dunno why - it's only a straight sample! Best for grungy grindy graunchy scrunchy noises. It's certainly unusual and very different from the usual analog/sampler kit. And they're cheap cos they're right out of fashion (this week!)
If anyone wants a demo. I'll knock together a few noises...
Message 7/7 02-May-98 @ 12:46 AM - RE: Nord Modular BIG QUESTION
Big Question?? Steve really does have the BIG ANSWER - how many other people would take the time to put together a CD for us all to experience the thrills of the Clavia. Paul Nagle KNOWS that this is a landmark in synthesiser history, Steve Hunt SHOWS that this is a landmark in synthesiser history. Thanx guys, now all I gotta do is save some money. Thanx guys for enlightening me,
ChrisB
ChrisB
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