Friends of norns: gear, accessories, etc

thatkaiguy7 · 2021-02-06T07:43:37.916Z

Thanks for that breakdown. I did go ahead and get a shield since my roommate had a spare raspberry and seems fun regardless, but yeah I’m not sure it will serve the purpose I had in mind, though I’m going to try running the audio into one of the looping apps to see if anything interesting comes from that.

What I was hoping the Norns might help me do is create a way to use these sensors to have generative music being created that I can mold and shape behind my regular acoustic drums, ideally I’d like to actually deal with a computer as little as possible while performing and more just playing with what I’m hearing. Kind of a “still in quarantine and losing my mind” project but could be interesting, just not quite sure how to get there. Though these sensors do make me feel like it’s possible.

keykeyeyekit · 2021-02-08T23:41:58.967Z

I love my Nakedboards MC-24 and MC-8! I have two MC-8’s because I like them so much.

emho · 2021-02-09T21:32:20.325Z

Hi
I need 2 more usb ports for my norns in order to plug a midi keyboard + usb midi adaptor. Any passive usb hub will work or it will need powered one?

static · 2021-02-10T05:40:35.806Z

It sounds like you have a lot of devices connected. Generally speaking, it is highly recommended that you use a powered USB hub.

emho · 2021-02-10T08:58:38.253Z

Thanks yes guess I will do that

cawlin · 2021-02-10T16:55:03.708Z

I was looking for a way to get my Norns up off the desk and have been happy with this Joby tablet mount which was heavily discounted at my local camera shop (you can get the mount without the gorilla pod).

I have many more tripods and clamps for cameras than music gear so this has given me lots of mounting options in small spaces. You do have to squeeze Norns into the mount to get it secure but once I got the right tension I’ve had no slippage.

joby12988×2988 1.7 MB

joby23016×3029 2.32 MB

gnome666 · 2021-02-12T23:14:38.889Z

Wanted to see what people have used or might suggest as a good module to interface Norns with a modular setup. I have crow, and have used it in the past. However, with all these amazing sequencer scripts coming out lately, especially Mouse and Flora, I’ve been looking to using the midi out, translate it to pitch/gate voltage via some sort of USB/MIDI-CV interface that can support a few voices and go into my modular setup…

Standalone devices would be ok, somthing like the CV.OCD maybe? though it doesnt have Usb, and I’d prefer to minimize the number of adapter cables i use in my life. Eurorack modules are obviously contenders. I was looking at the Polyend Poly 2 but read some fairly scathing reviews about over on some “other forum” which turned me off it. Surprised me as I though that the original Poly module was highly thought of.

Thoughts are appreciated. I think 4 pitch/gate pairs is the minimum I would be after. Thanks!

21echoes · 2021-02-13T01:58:30.991Z

It’s really hard to beat the Hermod imo, but it may be a bit overkill for what you’re going for. Maybe the expert sleepers fh-2?

This makes me think tho: perhaps someone should write a midi->crow norns library? You could just drop into any script and make a few small edits and up to 2 voice polyphony of midi could go to crow’s four outs?

Gexex · 2021-02-13T02:19:00.186Z

I also like hermod for communication between norns and the modular. CV record expands edit capabilities and allows for saves in scripts which have none (can’t immediately think of any). Definitely a bit overkill if all you want is simple communication, but useful in many other ways as well.

renegog · 2021-02-13T04:20:22.220Z

Winterbloom’s Sol might be something to consider, 8 customizable outputs. If you’re DIY inclined there’s mutable CV pal but it’s only 2 cv 2 gate i believe so more of a cheaper-option-than-crow if that’s all you would use crow for (someone here did a norns shield with cv pal built into one case ).

zebra · 2021-02-13T04:27:39.915Z

21echoes:

midi->crow norns library?

the “problem” with that in a literal sense is that crow doesn’t implement USB MIDI device spec. it is a CDC device only. so this would be some kind of emulation hack on norns end if the idea was literally to make crow appear as a device in midi outputs list.

21echoes · 2021-02-13T06:10:38.398Z

oh yeah, to be clear: the idea here would be to write a wrapper around the midi library that does like:

midi_and_crow:note_on(60,127)
->
m:note_on(60,127)
crow.output[1].volts = 0
crow.output[2].volts = 1

(i.e., crow 1 is v/oct middle c, crow 2 is gate on), then

midi_and_crow:note_off(60,127)
->
m:note_off(60,127)
crow.output[2].volts = 0

(it’d obviously have to be a bit more complicated for the crow bit to work, it’d have to implement voice stealing strategies)

Quru · 2021-02-13T11:14:54.459Z

What problems were people having with Poly 2? It doesn’t have the most features but I haven’t had any problems with mine. Stuff like LFOs, euclidean patterns, more extensive clocking stuff etc. like FH-2 has would be cool, but for what it does it’s been serving me well.

I used to have FH-2, it was great but configuring it was pretty painful even with the web editor, but that’s the price that comes with the very impressive amount of features crammed in there I guess. I switched to Poly 2 as I needed DIN-midi and at the time more outputs, and I think it’s staying even though it’s pretty overkill at the moment.

wardores · 2021-02-14T18:21:57.918Z

So in a related vein, I was thinking of picking up an FH-2 to go from Norns → modular and PC → modular depending on my patch. However I currently have Ansible + Grid. Instead would it be good to pick up a Crow and use I2C to get 12 outs? I’m pretty handy with Max and am getting into Norns coding so I feel pretty confident I could make it work if a script doesn’t have Crow support yet. I’m most interested in using things like Arcologies with my modular without doing Norns → PC → Modular.

The benefit of Crow for me is that I wouldn’t have to remove Ansible from my rack to make space for the FH-2, so I could use it standalone with Grid. Anyone tried this and loved/regretted it?

xmacex · 2021-02-17T23:37:46.569Z

A new friend for norns: Bastl Kastle.

Impression after an evening: this crazy little thing has so many sounds in it trying to get out. I am really glad how expressive it seem so to be, and I don’t feel determined to produce the stereotypical Kastle sound only. Norns joins first for delay, reverb and filtering duties, later something else too.

While there is no control between these two devices and work independent (or i haven’t found anything, maybe GPIO + norns if i up my electronics skills), i somehow think these two seem to complement one another.

PedalsandChill · 2021-02-18T19:03:45.854Z

Hello! Looking to get a little help here. I’m attempting to connect my Norns to organelle via wifi (both have dongles) either by connecting one to the other, or using my home wifi.
Has anyone successfully done or attempted this?

danbond · 2021-02-26T11:44:04.286Z

Hi all. I feel liek this might be documented elsewhere but I can’t find it.

I have some questions about midi implementation with Norns - I wonder if anyone can help.

I’d like to use a Korg Nanopad (8x2 midipad) to trigger samples or to trigger patch changes (say, on Twine, pad 1 sets 2 locations for the granular samples, pad 2 sets different locations) - Can I do this? Do I need to code this, or is this a macro feature I can use somewhere?

This question might become moot if I go down the Launchpad route, but would be good to know anyway.

I take it that I need a device to send midi into my DAW on the computer - what works well that’s off-the-shelf, cheap and reliable?

Thank you all - I’m really keen to integrate this right into my work flow and this midi element has been a bit of a blocker but I can’t seem to find the answer, even if its right infront of me!

dani_derks · 2021-02-26T12:40:20.166Z

hey hey! hope all’s well

I take it that I need a device to send midi into my DAW on the computer - what works well that’s off-the-shelf, cheap and reliable?

tons of recommendations above, basically all commercial options come down to:

Sevilla Soft MIDI USB-USB (internationally available)
any USB MIDI-port interface (or audio interface with MIDI ports) to plug into your computer and a Roland UM-ONE to plug into norns – then plug the UM-ONE into the interface and shuttle back and forth
- iConnectivity, MOTU, Kenton, Nektar covers a lot of what to plug into your computer

I’d like to use a Korg Nanopad (8x2 midipad) to trigger samples or to trigger patch changes (say, on Twine, pad 1 sets 2 locations for the granular samples, pad 2 sets different locations) - Can I do this? Do I need to code this, or is this a macro feature I can use somewhere?

currently, scripts which do not have explicit MIDI support but do make use of the PARAMETERS system will always support MIDI CC mapping through the PARAMETERS menu: control + clock | monome/docs

beyond this built-in mapping mechanism, which listens to CC messages only, each script needs to directly support MIDI note input by translating the incoming messages.

so, tl;dr: you need to code this.

but! once you go through the norns studies, it’s straightforward to add this functionality to an existing script, if you know the thing you want to control. in the case of Twine:

i know i want to control sample position
by playing with the script, i see that sample position is tied to two parameters: 1 seek and 2 seek
if i enter MIDI-mapping mode, i see two things:
- the OSC name for the parameters (which is actually 1seek and 2seek, without spaces)
- each of these parameters have a range of 0 to 100, which determines the position of the playback as a percentage of the sample

i can try out some code in maiden’s REPL, to get the hang of how to change playback position via messages to the parameters system:

>> params:set("1seek", 50)
>> params:set("2seek", 17)
>> params:set("1seek", 79); params:set("2seek", 33)

(REPL coding is a big part of this video walkthrough for making norns script modifications)

if i watch the parameter screen while executing these messages, i see that the values for these two parameters are changing!

now, i just need to add a little scaffolding to translate incoming MIDI messages from a controller to a 0-100 range and send those values to these parameters. using study 4, which discusses coding with MIDI controllers. first, maybe I need to figure out what note each key on my nanopad sends. in a fresh script:

m = midi.connect() -- this defaults to port 1 unless you specify a port!!
-- so if the nanopad is in port 7 under SYSTEM > DEVICES > MIDI...
-- then i need to use `m = midi.connect(7)`

m.event = function(data)
  local d = midi.to_msg(data)
  if d.type == "note_on" then
    print(d.note)
  end
end

so whenever i press a pad on the nanopad, it’ll print the note number associated with the pad. this is a really good way to orient yourself to the messages coming from the controller.

once i have a sense of what notes each pad sends to norns, i have two options:

create a table where specific notes recall specific positions
do a blanket translation of pads to position

either way, i can add thse to Twine in this empty space.

1. table of notes

i like this approach best because it’s pretty “what you see is what you get”. i’m just explicitly mapping incoming notes to playback positions using tables.

in case it helps: a primer on tables i wrote up yesterday

m = midi.connect() -- remember, defaults port 1 unless specified!!

local notes_to_positions =
{
-- format:
-- [note] = {position1, position2},
  [36] = {84,19}
  [37] = {11,47}
  [38] = {97,99}
}

m.event = function(data)
  local d = midi.to_msg(data)
  if d.type == "note_on" and notes_to_positions[d.note] ~= nil then
    params:set("1seek", notes_to_positions[d.note][1])
    params:set("2seek", notes_to_positions[d.note][2])
  end
end

in this version, i just basically create a spreadsheet of notes which might come in and which positions i’d like to send to the seek parameters.

2. blanket translation of pads to position:

m = midi.connect() -- this defaults to port 1 unless you specify a port!!
-- so if the nanopad is in port 7 under SYSTEM > DEVICES > MIDI...
-- then i need to use `m = midi.connect(7)`

m.event = function(data)
  local d = midi.to_msg(data)
  if d.type == "note_on" then
    -- see https://monome.org/docs/norns/api/modules/lib.util.html#linlin
    local note_to_position1 = util.linlin(0,127,0,100,d.note)
    local note_to_position2 = util.linlin(0,127,100,0,d.note)
    -- round these to get integers:
    params:set("1seek", util.round(note_to_position1))
    params:set("2seek", util.round(note_to_position2))
  end
end

this might work best with a MIDI keyboard, since the nanopad is only a few pads, but i figured i’d share it anyway . i chose to invert the position sent to each parameter depending on note received. there’s tons of ways to modify this! for example, you can fine-tune the util.linlin arguments so that maybe position 1 should be clamped to the range of 60-73%.

hope this helps! let me know if this left you with more q’s than a’s

danbond · 2021-02-26T13:21:37.248Z

Thanks Dan. I hugely appreciate the effort in your post here.

I suppose I have 2 choices.

Get right into the thick of this (and I’m sure I can get my head around it)
Or get a grid.

claasp · 2021-02-26T15:57:32.813Z

dan you’re a ray of light shining so much useful information on the community! it’s also the way you communicate - with patience and consideration of whichever level the user might be at. the norns documentation though helpful, can be a bit esoteric for those unfamiliar with how things work. the extra lifting you do is much appreciated. thank you !