Nord Modular - Info

2004-01-18

Nord Modular, or NM for short, is the name of a synthesizer made by the Swedish company Clavia DMI.

This synthesizer is a digital emulation of the analog modular synthesizers (e.g. Moog, Korg et al) as known from the past. A computer is used to create patches for the synthesizer, which are then uploaded and translated into code that can be executed by its digital signal processors.

A modular synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses a modular concept to be able to obtain a maximum of flexibility in sound generation. For various aspects of sound (e.g. pitch, volume etc.) modules are available to generate or alter them.

Patches are created by using a set of modules, connecting them by wires and tweaking their parameters until a wanted sound is obtained. The flexibility is such that complex sound modulations can be programmed as well. Even to such an extent that complete musical pieces can be constructed using patches.

The NM pages available here are mostly dedicated to the Nord Modular 'classic'. Recently a new version, the Nord Modular G2 (G2 for short), has become available. As time comes (and the new synth arrives in my studio) the contents of these pages are likely to shift as this new model seems to be very promising.

The design goal for the G2 seems to have been to aim for performance flexibility, however the possibilities for self playing patches are vastly improved as well. Very promising indeed !