720 Nord Modular G1 patches from www.mono-log.org. Enjoy

Equipment
#1

In the beginning of my blog www.mono-log.org, the Nord Modular G1 was the pure focus, an idea my wife Lucia gets the credit for. As a result 100’s of patches have been made during the years and on occasion I have shared some of these patches when asked, but not many.

Today I am making available some 720 patches used in that blog for everyone with a G1 editor to explore, learn from and share. You don’t need an actual Nord Modular G1 to load these patches, but you do need a G1 to hear them. The editor is freely available from Clavia’s website http://www.nordkeyboards.com/downloads/legacy/nord-modular and what I did with them can be heard at my blog http://www.mono-log.org

You can download the patches from a public repository at Github.

Don’t be silent, let me know what happens to them, how you might use them and have fun.

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"Classic" laptop computer music patches and software
"Classic" laptop computer music patches and software
#2

Finally upgraded the micro modular to a G1 – excited to dig into these patch this weekend!

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#3

Thanks so much for these. Time to fire up my micromodular

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#4

Nice, the upgrade is always a rewarding one. Did you keep your micro too?
Let me know how you get on.

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#5

Hey @marcus_fischer

No probs, thanks for inspiring me to start with them in the first place.

It’s always time to fire up the Nord :slight_smile:
Hope you enjoy them. I imagine the earlier bunch is more your area.

#6

So far I have! The form factor of the micro is hard to beat, yet I find it somewhat hard to justify keeping both.

That said, of things I’ll be selling soon the micro won’t be the first to go :wink:

#7

Yeah I understand that, I guess it depends on your workflow, ie a studio or kitchen table type, or how much you might use a Nord live, as those are two times I can think of a smaller or extra Nord come in handy.

I’d say, unless you need the pennies, put it in a draw and save it for when you perform, go on holiday, something like that :slight_smile:

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#8

Just when I was getting back into a Micromodular frenzy again, mono-log.org is gone.

I really enjoyed the patch descriptions on the mono-log but well, the patches are still available. They were a great source of understanding the engine better for me. So, thanks again @pokk.

The Micromodular pairs so well with Norns Cranes and Otis. Connect an old ipad with Touch Osc/Lemur and feed it with some ccs. <3 The editor found at http://www.stage-engine.com/micro-modular-1 works quite well on Mojave, less midi drop outs than on the old Windows XP version. :stuck_out_tongue:

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#9

Hey

Yeah I recently took it down after transferring hosts. I actually thought I had a back up somewhere of the html but seems I haven’t. It felt a bit of an archive, specifically the writing, and so wanted to move on. I am always surprised people enjoyed the writing, that was always rushed. But very pleased you enjoyed it.

I will always be keeping the patches on Github, but if you have any questions about any of them I can probably remember something about most of them. Ask away, more than happy to help if I can :slight_smile:

Ah, that’s good to know I don’t think I have tried it on Mojave as have hooked up my old Macbook to run it.

IMG_2752
IMG_2752.jpg2304×4096 1.94 MB

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#10

Some good news, the Internet Archive has an archive of much of the site. Minus the styling, unfortunately.

http://web.archive.org/web/20120401000000*/mono-log.org

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#11

Thanks so much! I often enjoy taking parts of your patches, reverse engineering them is also helpful, adding some other control to them, etc. I am mad about morph groups, this is my favourite feature, sometimes wish there were more of them.
Also, I tried other “more modern” gear that was rated as alternative to the old Clavia stuff but somehow never “felt” it. It did not convince me soundwise.

#12

I too tried/heard a few different more recent similar synths/software but had much the same reaction. The Nord has something special for sure. I need to start using it again, barely touched it for a while.

I should say, I still have the mono-log domain address and keep toying with the idea to continue on with something similar but just haven’t settled on anything just yet. Perhaps I can create some archive of previous posts along with new ones, not sure. Also thought more doing studio experiments in general and writing about that, maybe weekly as apposed to each day.

The main thing I’m finding is I started mono-log really to get back into working on my own after working with my wife for so long. Also letting go and putting something into the public space and then finally also learn that machine in the process. I kind of feel I have dealt with these areas and so feel torn between understanding the need for me but then also people seem to find it valuable and I like helping people.

It would be nice to do something but not sure quite how to frame it, even if in my own head haha.

Be great to hear any thoughts on this.

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#13

Sad to hear it’s down! I really enjoyed it, taught me a lot about synthesis and there were some wonderful sounds in there… Convinced me to get a G1!

Hope the patches and notes stay up as an archive (they each need each other I’d say) and would love to hear more pokk studio experiments

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#14

Good news. :slight_smile:

It looks like I have a back-up after all. I thought I did.

I will look into putting it online as a website in the near future potentially. I do remember there is some updating needed doing to the CMS for me to run the site on the cloud platform Heroku as I moved host recently. In the meantime, you can find the posts on Github here: https://github.com/sm-ll/mono-log.org/wiki This is the same Github profile you can find the patches, so all in the same place.

I have decided that I will put up the music on Bandcamp https://mono-log.bandcamp.com as this is the cheapest way to host things (free) and also I can more easily set it to be playable forever and pay what you like, a bit like a donation or something, that can go towards paying for something. Luckily the backup (some rickety old hard drive) included all the mp3’s as well. I think there is a download limit of 200 on Bandcamp if I set the cost to zero, so that should be more than fine. I obviously don’t want to charge.

This feels ok for me as an archive and also a good place for audio/files to be stored.

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#15

@pokk thanks for making the resources available again. Its a great resource that inspired me to get back into the G1 again too.

@doomglue I’ve also been enjoying hooking G1 up to norns. I’ve been getting into the less concepts script.

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#16

I discovered the GitHub patches today and then realised it was @pokk, then I found the blog and the patch recordings on bandcamp, and now this thread here. I am delighted! I find the SM-LL stuff extremely inspiring even though i hardly make rhythmic music - it’s the minimalism that gets me. So I picked up a micro modular, inspired by the first Pokk release specifically, when one came up locally a few weeks ago and have been looking for resources. I’m quite amazed that this thread was here all along and that there’s a blog! Thanks Martin for going there first and documenting your journey. I look forward to working through the blog and patches and learning from them (time permitting)

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#17

It’s great when things come together like that. Happy to be a part of your journey too.

I had a super quick listen through your stuff on Bandcamp, you will definitely enjoy the sound of the Nord Modular if you haven’t already discovered that. Noise into modulating oscillators, esp on bass, sounds very nice in the Nord, and with graphic eq. I can hear a similar sound in your stuff. The compressor is nice on the Nord too, i reckon you will enjoy that. I also found gaining things and driving the outputs is worth exploring. I used that a fair bit on kick/pulse sounds to smooth off things but also changes the quality. Just thinking out loud what i hear in your music and reminds me of the Nord sound.

There are some patches probably the earlier lot, definitely first half, i think that are more textured drones and shifting notes/tones. The Full Swing edits from Stephen Mathieu album was a big inspiration for lots of that. Such a great set of remixes I highly recommend checking out. Great cover art by Alorenz too. Orthong Records number 5 too, going back a bit now. I wonder what happened to Kit Clayton, love his stuff.

Anyway, thanks for such nice words @yoyosandshoes it still brings a smile to think this stuff i did brings so much enjoyment. That’s what it’s all about after all :innocent:

Feel free to ask any questions about any of the patches or poorly written rambling in the blog.

Thx

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#18

Thanks for the detailed response and for taking the time to check out my stuff. These early patches (just listened to the first patches of 100 and 201 - patch 1 reminds me of Josh Mason’s recent albums) are fantastic, I didn’t even know that these sounds could be created with the Nord modular - they are delicate and human in a way that I did not expect. I am quite blown away how this has all come around. And to read that Taylor Dupree and Marcus Fisher inspired this in the first place - I had wondered what the nexus is in my taste for their music and Pokk and other SM-LL music. It really says a lot about personal taste above genre - I suppose process informs it a lot too.
I am checking out your recommendations thanks. I have been on the lookout for new music in recent weeks so this is very helpful.

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#19

I’ve not heard of Josh Mason will check that out. Glad you are enjoy the patches.

Yeah, the Nord Modular is pretty versatile once you start digging into it. I definitely found taking that plunge a hard one, well, obviously hence the blog, but it is super rewarding once you do, and also things become pretty quick once you get into it. It helps loads that the Nord has a sound to it out of the box that is rewarding I feel.

I’ve been a big fan of Taylor’s stuff since hearing on Clicks & Cuts compilations and then hearing Stil and later Polr etc. I found Marcus’s earlier stuff sitting somewhere between Sawako and the early Motion stuff, although approaching that more organic, tape saturation space than the glitch-inspired stuff of the late 90’s into 2000’s.

It’s been super interesting watching the label evolve, especially presumably influence and connected to where Taylor lives. I think the Mono-log stuff definitely captures a similar type journey for me, although arguably one that starts with 12k and the Mimosa Moize Dragons Eye Recordings stuff and moves into the label beginnings.

The SonuoS Pokk! 12" came out I think halfway through the blog, the original patches and sketches are in amongst them, and the Pokk! album was trying to consider Richard Chartier but at a higher volume. I really love that first Line release. I think you can hear that stereo-shifting thing and also the tonal movements in the opening track are definitely coming from that sort of world. I forget what release it was, but a later Chartier one has some amazing movement and sound-shaping going on, super subtle obviously, as all his stuff is, but yeah, super amazing. Love his stuff.

Also, I live in Tottenham, London so it’s pretty noisy here sometimes, and I found taste and the environment really shapes the sound. Not surprised of the 12k direction. Although I gotta say, it would be amazing if Taylor moved away from the forest to make some more pure electronic-based stuff again, or his shifting techno-based stuff. I want him to explore that more and the structures within it.

I say all this as I assume, we have some similar paths that are crossing and you might be hearing something in the label stuff that comes from the places I mentioned. It is super interesting though, how it is all connected.

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#20

I hadn’t dug this far into Tayor’s stuff but I am loving it. I can hear the influences in the textures and arrangements with a quick scan through Stil and .N - just found the techno too which I hadn’t heard, although a good friend has recently been suggesting I dig into.

I can hear some of the earlier patch sounds/techniques on the Sonous record and the Mimosa Moize stuff, again not sounds I expected were native to the Nord but I shouldn’t be surprised given the modular nature. I have stumbled on a couple of patch recordings that made it to SM-LL releases (sorry I havent cross referenced patch #s and track names as an example) and it made me think how unique it is to be able to access music releases in this way, and it is actually a great example of extending a physical release beyond vinyl/cd/tape etc. (Something I think Throbbing Gristle pioneered (maybe not) and something I have ambitions for if i can collect enough ipod shuffles at a low enough price…) Admittedly Nord modular patches are not particularly accessible for most punters.
I wonder had you much experience with modular synths prior to embarking on a year of Nord patches?

Edit to add that your observation on ambient sound environments informing your sonic palette and presumably Taylor Dupree’s is something I was slightly fixated on last year when we first went into a hard lookdown. I live in Brisbane (Australia) close to the CBD and the silence from the nearby arterial road and absence of planes was deafening. I made same recording and worked my last ep around the concept. Ironically the most present sounds are the happy domestic life of neighbours.

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