CLAVIA Nord Modular & Nord Lead Synthesizer
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THE NORD MODULAR - referred to as nm1 , nm or nord modular
this is the "older" model (including the micro modular,which is similar but less voices..)
want newer models check the G2 infos from the clavia menu.....
new: the NM open source project..
any questions? fragen? please use the FORUM
see the Nord Modular 1 opened / der Modular von innen
how to install the expansion board / wie man die Stimmenerweiterung einsetzt
btw: imo clavia is one of the VERY few manufacturers of VA synth (digital subtractive synthesizers) that do not have that -to me- very annoying "phased" or "excited" sound, that makes me always shiver and think of a real analogue and forget all that shiii*** VA stuff.. but it's not that bad.. ;) the nord mod does NOT have this unwanted effekt.. so this is ,what i recommend!!
the nord modular (nordmod or NM) works like this:
you got 4 "slots", means four modular synthesizers.. you can patch your sound with a mac (hopefully clavia make an OS X editor for it SOON (no, not soon, NOW!) or pc, that is the best modular "emulation" and handling and very fast.. well: the slot do not share their power: so you need to watch your DSP power level-meter , if it reaches a certain level the polyphonie decreases to minimum 4 voices (with voice board doubled!) but it also decreases, if you enable another slot (so running 4 slots with complex patches on an expanded modular may reduce the total number of voices to about 4-8 voices (you can allocate and deligate the voice number amount!!)..
so: you will not have real 32 voices with the expansion installed but it never goes under 3 per slot (with all slots on!), with 3 slots you will be at 6 vox app. per slot, 2 slots may go to about 8 per slot and 16 at just one (all medium complexity)..
no: you cannot say: lets use all slots for one big patch! you only can use the 2 input jacks to reconnect via output back to the nords input and "audio-chain" 3 slots together, but you need to set slots 2 and 3 to the same midi channel and use another note and gate output to give the envelope generators a trigger and note pitch to the OSCs!!..
btw: the micreo modular behaves like one slot unexpanded: so it's 1 to 4 voices max (so it's more the big modular with all slots on!! also it does not have 4 outputs! - I like to use the 4 outputs to make nice multidimensional sounds (surround but with 4 loudspeakers only).. buuut: you can make ONE patch to do that.. no synth on earth (ok the neuron maybe..) can do that!!.. see the patches for demo..)
the clavia nordlead (1,2,3): can they be replaced by the nord modular? well, you CAN do patches (the NL3 is of course the most complex from the Nord Lead series) that are like the NLs, but of course it will have less voices, so it may be easier to patch a reduced version of it (especially the nl3).. and: the most important thing is: the NL has an optimized engine and surface.. means: if you want a lead get one!! if you want the CONCEPT of the modular get it! .. I hear some people that own a modular now but they recognized they are shocked by the "empty paper" strategy: you really need to make your "SYNTHESIZER", not just a patch on a machine like the nord lead! but you can make lots of synths like the lead on the nord modular!.. so this is for the experienced.. preset users should NEVER buy a nord modular! a lead is very easy and very liveable.. ok, the modular is liveable and easy ,too .. but you should really know the basic modules of a synthesizer to make real patch.. but it's also perfect for educational purpose like the ms20 was to show "the synthesizer"..
trust me! ;)
anyway.. as always: buy the synth that has the right philosophy.. ;) the clavia synthesizers seem to have been designed by ppl who KNOW where to reduce and where NOT.. the "noble" sound is imo one of the best in the VA world. so is the way you use it: its UI (user interface) is very fast intuitive .. so if someone wants to make a native application on a computer: steal this ;)
