Nord Lead 2 and Garage Band

kelkinson · Joined: Aug 06, 2009 Posts: 4 Location: USA

Does anyone know if it is possible to use the patches found on the Nord site from the Lead 2 sound cards, and use/incorporate them in Garage band - controlling them with an actual Nord Lead 2 synth through MIDI? The patches appear to be PCH files, and I think Garage Band loops are generally AIFF. I have the Nord Modular Path Editor as maybe a go-between but I am not sure if they are all compatible.

Oli · Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject:

Hi,

I'm not completely clear on what you are trying to do. Patches for the Nord Lead 2 (and synths in general) are program settings for the synthesizer. Patches are not audio files. Patch files can be read by the synth, to set the sound generating parameters, such as oscillator waveforms, envelope shape, etc. Sound is generated by the synth when notes are triggered, or free running patches are allowed to play. To use these patches, you would have to load them into your Lead 2, and then play some notes.

Files used in loop playback, such as AIFF are audio files.

I'm not familiar with Garage Band, but I band, though I believe it includes a MIDI sequencer. A sequencer can send MIDI control signals to your Lead 2 to trigger your notes, and also control your patch parameters. Also, you have the option of recording your synth playing, into the audio input of your computer, which can then create an audio file for looping in Garage Band.

Hope that helps. Let us know how you go, and if you have any further questions. If you are not sure about what this means, there should be some explanations about what is involved with MIDI sequencing, and audio looping around the web.

Cheers,

Oli

kelkinson · Joined: Aug 06, 2009 Posts: 4 Location: USA

OK, I don't think I was very clear with my initial question. I have seen that Clavia (and I guess private developers) have come up with a lot of new patches I can potentially use with my Nord. Short of buying those pre-loaded PC-MCIA sound cards which are hard to find and expensive - I wanted to see how I could use those patches with my Nord Lead 2, somehow involving my Mac.

I know I can dowload these patches from the Clavia site, but after that, I am stuck. My lead 2 is one of the original ones, so no USB or anything high tech.

I do think Garage Band has a midi sequencer. For example, I can midi my Nord Lead 2 to my USB interface, and they have a bunch of midi instruments I can take advantage of - playing the notes on my Nord.

Thanks.

Wout Blommers · Posted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 9:46 am Post subject:

kelkinson

Files using the *.pch suffix are for the Nord Modular Classic, not for the NordLead, which is *.syx and sometimes *.ngf, which is also SysEx.

For NordLead Patches see http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/020_NordLead2/021_Patches/

If Garage Band is able to upload the Midi files, you'll still need a PCMCIA card to dump it into the synth, or you have to have a kind of editor/librarian...

Wout

kelkinson · Joined: Aug 06, 2009 Posts: 4 Location: USA

Wout - thanks for that link to get those NL2 patches. OK, I can find a blank PCMCIA card no problem. Can you please elaborate on how I can then get those patches to the PCMCIA card? You mentioned something about a patch editor - but besides that - can I just use my USB interface and MIDI to get the job done?

Wout Blommers · Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:58 pm Post subject:

I'm sure your Midi connections are right. If you can play Midi notes and the sound is produced by the NL2, it's okay. Only, is the sound made by the Lead or by the instruments of Garage Band itself?

The Apple site tells me Garage Band can import Midi files, but does this also imply SysEx? Maybe you should search for a Midi tool like SendSysEx or Midi OX... Anyway, you'll need a PCMCIA card to play the synth on the fly. If you are successful, please tell me 'where and how', because these cards are a pain in the somewhere to get!

Wout