Members Jeebus Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Are you using your Nord Mod for bass sounds? Have any patches or programming ideas to share? I just got mine, and the wealth of patches on the net is astounding. I've been reading, experimenting and trying stuff, but I'd really like to focus on using this to create some interesting synth basses. (And no, clusterchord, the mini still isn't for sale. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yoozer Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Jeebus Are you using your Nord Mod for bass sounds? No, not really... it can do so much more . Have any patches or programming ideas to share? Add a slave oscillator with a triangle wave, semitones -12 or -24 to your current patch. Blow the woofers. Actually, this one's from the Electribe guide, but I figure it works on that one, too. but I'd really like to focus on using this to create some interesting synth basses. Don't overdo on oscillators, don't detune too much, avoid inter-oscillator elimination. There's a pretty good LatelyBass and SolidBass in the load of converted FM presets, but you probably could improve it by adding some digitizers in the signal chain (aliased sines, yay). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted November 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Thanks for the suggestions Yooz. Originally posted by Yoozer No, not really... it can do so much more . Oh, I know. I'm not selling the NM short at all, this is just a temporary focus of mine. I've been eyeing the used NM market for awhile... and now that I've finally pulled the trigger, I regret not doing so sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Whatever synth patch you have fired up, no matter what it is, piccolo or kazoo, always play and hear how it sounds "out of range". You'll be astounded. Some amazing bass sounds from otherwise {censored}ty synth "brass". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sheepshears Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 how much did it cost you, jeebus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted November 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Birdienumnum Whatever synth patch you have fired up, no matter what it is, piccolo or kazoo, always play and hear how it sounds "out of range". You'll be astounded. Some amazing bass sounds from otherwise {censored}ty synth "brass". Good suggestion, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted November 2, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by sheepshears how much did it cost you, jeebus? $700 (Canadian) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eatsdrummachine Posted November 2, 2005 Members Share Posted November 2, 2005 Originally posted by Jeebus Are you using your Nord Mod for bass sounds? I love the crap out my micro. I don't use it for bass though. the modulars are neat. very neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aeon Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by Jeebus Are you using your Nord Mod for bass sounds? Yes...it is one of my two primary sources for synth bass (the other being the Korg OASYS PCI). Originally posted by Jeebus Have any patches or programming ideas to share? Aside from general ideas as it concerns making synth basses, I find these things to be particularly compelling on the Nord Modular when using a subtractive-based approach: 1. Use FM in the osc section to generate a harmonically rich attack transient that go a long way to giving your basses character that cannot be had from a fast-swept filter alone. 2. Make extensive use of morph groups such that you have groups to control things like "growl," "punch," "articulation," "darkness" - all things that relate to what the bass does in a musical context, but may have no direct correlation with a specific parameter. In this sense, two (or more) morph groups may share in the parameters they control, but each group will have a distinct effect on the bass voice. 3. Make extensive use of banks of LFOs to generate drift and waft in things like pulse width and pitch...this can do a lot in terms of making the bass "breathe." 4. Distribute filtering duties through the flow of the patch such that you can have successive stages of modules to cut and darken, and then generate harmonics and top-end...this allows for more complex shaping of the bass voice. 5. Use a mix of fixed-cutoff filters and ones that track the keyboard...in particular putting the fixed ones near the end as a final cutoff...when it combines with earlier filters that track, you can get a bass voice that can morph between one with a variable slope cutoff to ones that have a lovely throaty, vocal quality. I like this for talking basses that have some of the articulation of a fretless. 6. Spend the time to really get your control routings and values right such that when you drive that patch, performance data in the MIDI signal goes a long way to making that bass voice musical and articulate, e.g., making certain notes in a phrase have that certain extra that makes the whole phrase more musical and compelling. This can be done on many synths, but the Nord Mod makes this both easier and more rewarding because of the control and the resources it provides. 7. Aim at creating one "master" bass architecture that has the variability needed through articulation shaping and performance controls to deliver a whole range of bass sounds as opposed to making a different patch for each bass sound you want. This will ensure your master patch will become more refined over time, and you will have a familiarity and intimacy with it that will allow you to get the most from it in a musical sense. 8. Set your lowpass filter cutoffs really low, e.g., in the 8-20Hz range, and use performance controls to make it open up...this allows for great expression if the opening up reveals other shapers and colors that come post-filter. 9. Don't be afraid of using basses with slow attacks for the amp and filter - many basses are still entirely musical this way, and in many cases, more so given the notes they are playing. Again, the Nord Mod offers great resources for shaping this. Have fun...to me the Nord Mod is a synth that is powerful, fun, and so very rewarding when you give it your best as a programmer and player. cheers,Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by aeon 1. Use FM in the osc section to generate a harmonically rich attack transient that go a long way to giving your basses character that cannot be had from a fast-swept filter alone. 2. Make extensive use of morph groups such that you have groups to control things like "growl," "punch," "articulation," "darkness" - all things that relate to what the bass does in a musical context, but may have no direct correlation with a specific parameter. In this sense, two (or more) morph groups may share in the parameters they control, but each group will have a distinct effect on the bass voice. 3. Make extensive use of banks of LFOs to generate drift and waft in things like pulse width and pitch...this can do a lot in terms of making the bass "breathe." 4. Distribute filtering duties through the flow of the patch such that you can have successive stages of modules to cut and darken, and then generate harmonics and top-end...this allows for more complex shaping of the bass voice. 5. Use a mix of fixed-cutoff filters and ones that track the keyboard...in particular putting the fixed ones near the end as a final cutoff...when it combines with earlier filters that track, you can get a bass voice that can morph between one with a variable slope cutoff to ones that have a lovely throaty, vocal quality. I like this for talking basses that have some of the articulation of a fretless. 6. Spend the time to really get your control routings and values right such that when you drive that patch, performance data in the MIDI signal goes a long way to making that bass voice musical and articulate, e.g., making certain notes in a phrase have that certain extra that makes the whole phrase more musical and compelling. This can be done on many synths, but the Nord Mod makes this both easier and more rewarding because of the control and the resources it provides. 7. Aim at creating one "master" bass architecture that has the variability needed through articulation shaping and performance controls to deliver a whole range of bass sounds as opposed to making a different patch for each bass sound you want. This will ensure your master patch will become more refined over time, and you will have a familiarity and intimacy with it that will allow you to get the most from it in a musical sense. 8. Set your lowpass filter cutoffs really low, e.g., in the 8-20Hz range, and use performance controls to make it open up...this allows for great expression if the opening up reveals other shapers and colors that come post-filter. 9. Don't be afraid of using basses with slow attacks for the amp and filter - many basses are still entirely musical this way, and in many cases, more so given the notes they are playing. Again, the Nord Mod offers great resources for shaping this. Have fun...to me the Nord Mod is a synth that is powerful, fun, and so very rewarding when you give it your best as a programmer and player. cheers, Ian I am completely in awe, aeon does it again. This is why I read KSS! A lot of this applies to more than bass, like No. 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tusks Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Personally Ian's posts blow me away. It may be my newbie status, but I'm finding faster results by doing special purpose patches. One for the bass with the fm attack, another for the analog roar, etc. I find that the sweet spots are not contiguous, and unless I have a very good idea of what I'm morphing from and to, 1-2 morphs is about what my head can handle concurrently in live performance. That may change as my understanding of the synth grows. Some bass things, Sine waves (and the sine bank) are your friends for finetuning a bass, like adding just a bit of sub-bass, or sweeping a sine quickly for some some click etc. Personally, I like a solid bottom with a chorused/analog sound. So a sine wave helps anchor the sound and saws/pulse waves are allowed to mess each other up, an octave or two up. It depends on how much you want the bass to dominate your mix. The filters are strong and precise, so if you are not getting the snap/ bite etc, you are probably trying to get a single filter path to do too many things for you. Split the signal, use some mixers and have fun. You can make those filters less precise yourself. I find that pre-filter waveshaping (clip, overdrive, wavewrap) and bit reduction are great for grungifying things. If you wait until too long in the synth chain, the inharmonicity is less organic. Almost anything can play a bass role, depending on what style you are after. So you may have faster results taking an electric piano patch and tightening up the envelopes, rather than taking a synth bass sound and adding the swept fm partials to it. Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sleepin' Deeper Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Sweet! I don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aeon Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by Tusks It may be my newbie status, but I'm finding faster results by doing special purpose patches. One for the bass with the fm attack, another for the analog roar, etc. I find that the sweet spots are not contiguous, and unless I have a very good idea of what I'm morphing from and to, 1-2 morphs is about what my head can handle concurrently in live performance. That may change as my understanding of the synth grows. I hear ya Jerry, and until I had done it for myself, I would have never guessed that a single patch architecture could deliver all of the colors of synth bass that I love...but lo and behold, I have one now that does. Mind you, the patch is something I worked on for a few hours a day for almost three weeks straight...which is obsessive, I admit...but I now have a bass "patch" that is *all* sweet spot regardless of how you hit it with velo, mod wheel, morphs, etc. I had the basic patch done within a week...but it took 2 more weeks to really fine tune the modulations, control signals, response curves, etc., so that it was widely variable, but always musical...and it also means that the performance controls are in abstracted musical terms...not the specifics of parameters. I only wish I had more morph groups to work with than four...I am looking forward to getting a G2 in the coming year which will give me eight. Originally posted by Tusks Sine waves (and the sine bank) are your friends for finetuning a bass, like adding just a bit of sub-bass, or sweeping a sine quickly for some some click etc. Personally, I like a solid bottom with a chorused/analog sound. So a sine wave helps anchor the sound and saws/pulse waves are allowed to mess each other up, an octave or two up. It depends on how much you want the bass to dominate your mix. I use a variation on this approach; instead of using a pure sine down below, I use a harmonically rich wave like a square or saw...but because of having a main filter set very low, as I described above, all that is allowed to pass is basically a sine. That said, you get the bonus of being able to open and sweep that filter during an attack, and because of the availability of all those harmonics, you are able to selectively let through partials as you wish, depending on how you route and scale your control signals...and this lets you have perfect control of growl, bark, snap, whump, etc. I tend to favor a 3-pole filter for these duties. I like this better than shaping a sine because the harmonics are always related to the fundamental in a musically-pleasing fashion, and I find the control from this subtractive approach (as opposed to a generative one) to be much tighter and so sweet spots are reached in shorter order. As an aside, I love a chorused bass as well...I tend to use a multiband chorus from my Roland SDX-330 on the Nord Mod such that the fundamental is unprocessed, but the attacks/top end have some motion. That said, it also works in reverse for me when doing a held bass tone, and the note seems to snap then bloom into a shifting wall of bass tone. And to the both of you and Birdie, thanks for the props...you are too kind. bass in yer face, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sleepin' Deeper Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Oh my fug it! This patch-architecture-template business is the dogssacks! Brilliant! On the same token, it so disheartening as I spend much more time playing and practicing playing than I do sound design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wout Blommers Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 For Patches, see: http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/010_NordModular/011_Patches/ There are over 25 000 here... BTW maybe I will shut this page down due to the fact this freeware page is sold on e-bay. There is even someone who claims all Patches his Wout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members renegadebliss Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by Wout Blommers For Patches, see: http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/010_NordModular/011_Patches/ There are over 25 000 here... BTW maybe I will shut this page down due to the fact this freeware page is sold on e-bay. There is even someone who claims all Patches his Wout Definitely will want to report them to ebay. We APPRECIATE the service that you are doing... !!!! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mildbill Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by Wout Blommers For Patches, see: http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/010_NordModular/011_Patches/ There are over 25 000 here... BTW maybe I will shut this page down due to the fact this freeware page is sold on e-bay. There is even someone who claims all Patches his Wout i think it's really a shame that these patches can't be used in the G2. a resource like this could draw more people to it. also a shame about the jerks who try to sell synth patches (for any synth), that were made by a community of people to share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Purity_Control Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Moog Type Bass which uses a nice trick to get an extra thick beating effect on the oscs. MS20 type bass - pretty much what it says. Defies description - this is my fave of late, a patch I made esp. for a track in progress, so feel free to screw with it but I wouldn't appreciate it being used as is. WowmWombWah- this is quite nice too, think there might have been an env. issue in there, forget, on the laptop right now. They might be good for a few ideas... Edit: The links only appear to work if you right click then do a save as filename.pch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Birdienumnum Posted November 3, 2005 Members Share Posted November 3, 2005 Originally posted by renegadebliss Definitely will want to report them to ebay. We APPRECIATE the service that you are doing... !!!! Dave +1 on that! Here is the REAL page with Blommer and the other cool folks at Clavia. Thanks for dropping by again, Wout. http://www.clavia.com/downloads/sounds/nordmodular.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted November 4, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 4, 2005 Awesome.. simply awesome. A big thanks to everyone, particularly aeon for that incredible insight into your approach to sound design... I'd be lucky to one day be able to apply 1/10th of your skill and creativity to my programming. I'd love to hear your music sometime. Wout - yes, ebay is full of assholes who try to sell stuff that is publically available, be it patches, documents, and anything else for that matter. Don't let a few jerks get you down. In this short time, I can already tell that the NM community is a very tight group, and very appreciative of everything you've done. Thanks again to everyone.Jeebus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted November 4, 2005 Members Share Posted November 4, 2005 two basic questions: 1. Am I correct in assuming that, in order to program a Nord Mod, you need a PC (not a Mac) to run the editor? 2. What's a "LatelyBass" patch (Yoozer's post)? Is that from a song entitled Lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jeebus Posted November 4, 2005 Author Members Share Posted November 4, 2005 Originally posted by idiotboy two basic questions: 1. Am I correct in assuming that, in order to program a Nord Mod, you need a PC (not a Mac) to run the editor? I believe a Mac version is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aeon Posted November 4, 2005 Members Share Posted November 4, 2005 Originally posted by idiotboy What's a "LatelyBass" patch (Yoozer's post)? LatelyBass was the name of a preset on one of Yamaha's late-80s 4-op FM synths...it might have been the TX81Z, but I am too braindead right now after work to recall, and too lazy to google. In any case, it was used on uncountable numbers of records in various dance subgenres, and eventually became a "standard," if you will. cheers, Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yoozer Posted November 4, 2005 Members Share Posted November 4, 2005 Originally posted by idiotboy two basic questions: 1. Am I correct in assuming that, in order to program a Nord Mod, you need a PC (not a Mac) to run the editor? Both Mac and PC are supported; the resources at Clavia however aren't there to make an "official" version for OSX (OS9 works though) but there is a beta editor available. 2. What's a "LatelyBass" patch (Yoozer's post)? Is that from a song entitled Lately? I'll record an mp3 of it for you when I get home . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted November 4, 2005 Members Share Posted November 4, 2005 Thanks. I'm glad there's a Mac version, and I'm actually still on Mac OS9, so good deal all around. Are these system requirements the same for the Nord Micromodular? Is that a worthwhile synth? Thanks also for the LatelyBass info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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