FAQ - Nord Modular & Micro Modular V3.03
FAQ - Nord Modular & Micro Modular V3.03
The computer and Nord Modular exchange two-way MIDI Sysex messages, transferred at full MIDI rate. It has turned out that not all MIDI interfaces on the market today are able to handle this type of dense communication, even though the communication fully according to the MIDI standard.
Generally, MIDI interfaces integrated on sound cards tend to be more unstable than external serial or parallel port interfaces. Often though, it's a combination of computer hardware, OS version, MIDI interface, drivers, other installed programs etc. that causes problems.
First of all, Nord Modular and Micro Modular require a separate MIDI interface port for communication with the Editor. This MIDI port must not be shared by other MIDI applications, such as sequencers etc. If you use sequencer programs on your computer, deactivate the MIDI port used for the Modular in the sequencer program.
To try and make the communication work, we have listed some tips and suggestions below:
The Modular Editor requires its own MIDI port exclusively for the communication with the synthesizer. Logic automatically claims every available MIDI port in your PC when you start the program. However, there is a way to make MIDI ports "invisible" for Logic: In the WIN.INI file in the WINDOWS folder there is a [logic] section that, amongst other things, lists all your active MIDI ports. Open the WIN.INI file in NotePad, scroll down to the [logic] section and set the MIDI port your Modular should use for communication with the PC to '0' instead of '1', Save the WIN.INI file and reboot your PC. When you start Logic the next time, the MIDI port you set to '0' will not be claimed, and you can use the Modular Editor on this port at the same time with Logic.
This is a tip we've received from a guy that uses an Emagic Unitor8 with his Mac. This is how he solved the problem:
"I was working with Logic over the weekend and I discovered that when OMS is installed there is a section in the Environment labelled "OMS Objects". I had OMS configured so that I had Nord Modular on Port 3 of my Unitor8 when used as synth playback device and on Port 7 of the Unitor8 exclusively for talking to the editor. In OMS I had the device on Port 3 labelled "Nord Modular Synth" and on Port 7 as "Nord Modular Editor". As I said, the problem before was that Logic was picking up all the sysex communication on Port 7 as a result was crashing because OMS got flooded with midi data - you could see sysex communication appearing in Logic as a string 'x' symbols. Then I noticed that if I went into the 'OMS Objects' page in the Logic Environment and deleted the Nord Modular Editor object then Logic immediately ceased to listen to the sysex communication on Port 7 and the midi data stopped altogether when no key on the master keyboard was playing. The Nord Modular synth object remained, however, and therefore the Modular was still available for sequencing in Logic."
The Modular Editor requires its own MIDI port exclusively for the communication with the synthesizer. Therefore, you have to disable the Modular's MIDI port in Cubase. You do this in the 'Setup MME' program which is in the 'Steinberg Cubase' folder in the Start/Programs folder on the PC. Select the MIDI port used for the Modular and click 'Set inactive'.
No, the Nord Modular Voice Expansion Board for the Nord Modular Key and Nord Modular Rack will increase the polyphony to twice the original. It does not double the Patch Load limit - it will remain at 100%.
No, Nord Micro Modular cannot be hardware expanded. A way to increase the polyphony can be to replace power consuming modules with similar, less power consuming modules.
No, Nord Micro Modular can play only one patch at a time.
The inputs should be line level. Using is pre-amp is preferable.
It generally refers to a patch that automatically generates interesting noises with little or no user intervention. Noodles are generally neither completely repetitious (like a sequencer patch) nor completely random. They often exhibit a sort of controlled chaotic behavior, blurring the distinction between a patch and a composition.
No, all NMs have the same 100% patch size. But, the NMK & NMRack can provide more polyphony than the micro, especially if you install the voice expander board which doubles the polyphony of a regular NMK or NMRack. Also, the NMK & NMRack can load four patches simultaneously.
Check the settings in your NM - be sure midi clock is set to EXTERNAL.
First, assign the parameter in the patch to a knob on the panel (right click, knob, select knob #), then assign it to a midi cc# (right click again, Midi Controller, Other..., select midi cc#).
Not in V3.0, but keep checking... maybe in an upcoming S/W update...
Yes, for this list
[broken link] ftp://modular:nord@archive.synthcom.com/
and
[broken link] http://www.nordsynth.zevv.nl/
For patches look here.
On a PC, you can create a new .txt document, copy & paste the text string into the document, and re-save the .txt file as a .pch file. Or, try subscribing to the regular version of the list instead of the digest version. It also may be affected by your email settings; verify that they are set to receive attachments properly.
On the list currently patches are all in version 3.0. But in archives occasionally older patches can be found. Also there is an issue with 'corrupted' patches.
First of all, version 2.1 patches can be read by the version 3.03 editor. Version prior to 2.1 have to be converted. There are two ways to do this, unless you are on a Mac - then there is only one way to go.
On a PC you can instal the version 2.1 editor. This one will read 2.1 and prior patches, they then can be saved as a version 2.1 patch. Alrternatively you can download the Patcon program from the blue hell site: http://www.iaf.nl/Users/BlueHell/ this program will convert pre 2.1 patches itnto 2.1 format, just as the NM 2.1 editor - only it can do so batch wise.
On a Mac - hmm - ask a friend with a PC ?
Things are complicated a bit by corrupted patches, and there are loads of them especially in archives. The NM 3.03 editor does not correctly identify such patches, it may say they are not in 3.0 format while in fact they are but corrupted (a bit).
Corrupted patches can be repaired quite often though - you can try [broken link] http://patches.zevv.nl/ and look for "Fix a broken patch" or as an alternative you can download the UN program from the blue hell site - mentioned above. After curing the patch will almost always turn out to be a 3.0 patch.
It can get very, very close to just about any analog synth. Check the archives (see above) for patches with names like TB... SH... Juno..., and judge for yourself.
No. The Nord Modular has to recompile it's patches after modules are added or removed, this causes the silence to occur.
Plenty, see
[broken link] http://stations.mp3s.com/stations/49/clavia_nord_modular.html
(five pages!)
and of course
[broken link] http://www.clavia.se/MP3s/index.htm#modular
First of all, Continental European Modulars are the same as British ones, which means 230 V. After opening the Nord Modular by unscrewing the four screws on the back side, one screw on the underside and the two screws without the washers at the two sides (the washers are used as "turning points" to open the upper side nicely without damaging any intern cabling), you easily find the power supply. It's the print at the right inside the synth, to which the On/Off button is attached. It may look like this:
All is about changing the connection by soldering:
NOTE! Don't forget to change the fuse after the conversion!
Fuse for 115V = 250 mA Slow Blow
Fuse for 230V = 100 mA Slow Blow
If not done by classified technicians or by distributors, all warranty can be lost.
The Micro Modular uses an outboard power supply. Just by an other one in the right value (9V)
The crackling noise problem can happen in any Slot. It comes about when a patch uses the Common Voice Area and the DSP code for this area is located in the fourth DSP and one of the voices of the patch is also located in that fourth DSP. Eg. if a patch takes 30% for a voice and 30% for the common area there are 11 voice possible on a 4 DSP NM. The 12th voice is taken by the common area. In that case the last two voices are located in the last DSP together with the common area and such a patch is very prone to crackle. By reducing the voice count to nine voices the crackling will disappear as the common area now has the last DSP for itself. The remaining 70% can be used by another slot without causing the crackling to reappear, well, at least in my experience. But there might be patches that never crackle, perhaps there is some module that needs to be in the patch for the crackling. So maybe I have just been lucky with this.
Perhaps when using more Slots it helps to load a patch without a common area in the right most used slot. Probably the DSP's are filled from left to right, so if the last Slot uses a 100% patch without common area there is no crackling.
The bug, as it is a program bug, has to do with how the audio is transported from DSP to DSP. It seems there is some serial link between the DSP's, where every DSP adds its output signals along to an internal 'busmaster out' signal that goes to the next DSP.
It sounds like incorrectly earthed or low quality Midi cables. The tiny clicks are the Midi data bleeding through into the audio. Check the cables, only one end of the shield should be connected to ground for Midi, else there wil be either no shielding or earthing loops. Both are bad. There could even possibly be one of the wires broken, as Midi is a current loop, it could be trying to sink the current at the nord.