Vintage Synth Explorer Forums

I play guitar, and lately, software synthesizers. I'm now looking to buy a hardware synth. Not that I think hardware will be magically better sounding, but I'd rather pay for something I can punch than something I can only scream at.

I listen to all sorts of music, but for current purposes let's say I wanted to sound like early new order or depeche mode, but also noisier stuff like einsturzende neubauten and nine inch nails. Purely electronic music like autechre (tri repetae) or aphex (first volume of selected ambient works) is also a reference.

I suppose it's wise to tell you what I currently use: I have Wusikstation on my computer, which is a sample based workstation, very good for all kinds of digital sounds (I'm told it's not totally unlike Korg's Wavestation). For virtual analog sounds, there is a plethora of freeware stuff, some of which is very good. For drum sounds, I use samples. I have a midi keyboard with a bunch of knobs, too.

Anyway, I'm considering getting a clavia nord micro modular. It seems to be a good all round synth, and sound mangling machine, and I believe I could use it to process my guitar.

I can live with the reduced polyphony, but I'm wondering if the DSP power is enough to run complex effects on the guitar. Can it run, let's say, a filter with envelope follower, plus distortion, plus chorus and delay? With a pitch shifter on the side? I donwloaded the manual, and I know I can get the editor to try it out, but I have no idea how much DSP power is needed to run the patches I have in my mind....

Does anyone here own this synth? What can you tell me about it? Would you recommend me something else instead, in the same budget range as the micro modular?

Thanks in advance,
Pedro

plenty of dsp for processing.

NMM is a cool device for sure. If your looking to turn it into a guitar processor, I recommend:

1. 4x4 Midi interface for programming and playback
2. External Midi controller ala behringer FCB. The 4 knobs just dont cut it on the NMM. You can go crazy with modulation this way
3. Read up on the software, the NMM editor was written for win98 but will work with XP with some tweaks. AFAIK, there was a java open source version that will work with OSX but I cannot confirm
4. DI box: NMM inputs are line level

i think you will find the NMM to meet your needs.

the existing software opens perfectly on XP and i just today installed the software for for OSX from clavia's website with very little trouble (once i realized what i needed to do with a .sit file but i have only owned my iMac for about a week).

i have heard some complaints about the "sound of the nord modular" before, but in addition to believing that it is a VERY versatile sound creative device with a lot of sound creation/effect possibilities (i have a NM1R), i would like to point out that the last covenant (a modern synthpop band) tour featured prominent use of both the first and second generation of the nord modulars, and that the dvd of a coil (a very experimental electronic project) performance in 2001 that i recently watched featured 3 nord modulars on stage as the main devices for sound generation.

welcome to VSE pedrorf, I believe that the MM would fit you. As good as it sounds, but the sound might not be as big sounding as the other hardware synth such the Nord lead or other. But it has a very nice early nord character with a smoother classic filter which can be self oscillate. Also it has a great library and tutorial on the net.
If you need it for both as a synth mangling source and a modular effect processing, I don't think there's any other hardware around the price of the MM. But you may also want to check the DSI Desktop Evolver which will give you some bigger/fatter hardware sound with the analog low -pass filter/oscs and other processing such feedback, delay, distortion and digital high-pass filter.

Thanks for your replies, you've all been helpful.

I've been drooling over the evolver for a while, but it's about 500€ which is a bit more than I'd like to spend at the moment, music being just a hobby to me. I believe I can get the micro modular for way less than that.

A further question: someone mentioned I should get a 4x4 midi interface. I only have a one in / one out, which is part of my audio interface. I was under the impression that I could connect these two ports to the PC in and PC out on the micro modular, and then use my keyboard midi out on the micro modular midi in. Wouldn't this work?

Thanks again,
Pedro

pedrorf wrote:I was under the impression that I could connect these two ports to the PC in and PC out on the micro modular, and then use my keyboard midi out on the micro modular midi in. Wouldn't this work?

Yes, that should work. that's what I did with mine. I plugged it to my Karma for more midi processing

Altitude wrote:NMM is a cool device for sure. If your looking to turn it into a guitar processor, I recommend:...

...4. DI box: NMM inputs are line level

I think you mean a preamp. DI boxes don't add gain, they output at low impedance mic level.