G2 Editor FMX working on M2 Mac under Sonoma

A fix for Nord Modular G2 users on ARM-based Apple computers - installing the x86-64 version of libusb allows this unofficial Nord Modular editor to work on the latest Mac systems. 

The editor relies on libusb to communicate with the G2. The easiest way to install this library is with the package manager Homebrew. The latest Silicon-version of Homebrew installs files in a new default location, or prefix, meaning the G2 editor can't find the files it needs. Using symlinks to re-direct the editor does not help.

The solution is to install both Homebrew and libusb under x86-64/Intel architecture with Rosetta 2, as described here.

arch -x86_64 /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install.sh)"

arch -x86_64 /usr/local/bin/brew install libusb

Here is the source of that information, and the code directly from Homebrew's Github.

To get the user interface of the editor to scale properly on hi-res screens, follow the steps described here by Mies van der Robot.

Thanks to Bruno Verhue, who developed the editor, for providing the link to the solution!

edit: 

if you get a save error (cannot create file/ not a directory), you need to set a path in the App Settings, e.g., 

/Users/"yourname"/Documents/fmxeditortest

Or you can save your patch on the G2 itself by pressing the Store button.

Video: Navs at Superbooth '22

Just ahead of this year's Superbooth, here's my set from SB'22:

Thanks to Andreas, Evi, Tom, Mareen & Barry!

Digitale Grütze - Waldorf Microwave

The sound of a Waldorf Microwave 1 (Rev A) Wavetable synthesizer, highlighting its 1980’s digital charm.

navs · Roxy

The Microwave 1 can sound delicate or brash. In this example I wanted to show the artefacts that are part of its character.

Some of them can be coaxed or intentionally set, for example by overloading its digital mixer or using stepped modulation to switch wavetables abruptly. Others are less predictable, like the sound of it breathing.

I played parameters in realtime via the MWAV editor. The recording is a single pass, edited in length.

DIY Trigger to DIN-Sync Box

Building a small passive adapter to control DIN Sync devices with triggers from your modular or other voltage sources, like Expert Sleepers’ Silent Way.



I’m years late to the game, but in case you haven’t already got something like this, here’s some encouragement to build your own trigger to DIN-Sync adapter. It’s as simple or as fiddly as you want to make it and the results are worth it: using Silent Way’s Sync Plugin has allowed me to teach my old Roland dogs a new trick: swing.





DIN-Sync devices need a minimum of two command voltages (+ a ground reference) to work: a clock and a run command. See the Wikipedia entry on DIN-Sync for a picture of the relevant pins. How you connect these will depend on what you chose to build. You could use sockets, as I did, or, for example, cut the end off a DIN-Sync cable and solder jacks to the wires in question. Don’t forget to connect the ground between the two. Here are some close-ups from the adapter os from ES made.



The box I built has three outputs. These are just passive multiples. I use an old Expert Sleepers ES-3 which has no problems driving two instruments; I doubt a third will be a problem. As DIN-Sync expects 5V triggers, i.e., the sort of voltages our modulars generate, you could also run your 808 directly from an analogue source. Just bear in mind that your clock needs to be running considerably faster for things to work as expected, e.g., 24 pulses per quarter note.

Wolfgang Seidel’s Freeartslab

Basic Electricity stalwart Wolfgang Seidel sent me these new additions to his freeartslab Youtube channel.

The first two videos feature music from his collaboration with the wonderful duo Lan Cao and Gregor Siedl, aka Zicla. The synthheads among us might enjoy the conversation between Wolfgang's Buchla Music Easel and his old friend Conrad Schnitzler's EMS Synthi A.







If you like the music, you can get a copy of the trio's CD 'Optimistic Modernism' from Moloko Plus Records.

Video - Navs live at Powwow

I had a lovely time playing at Powwow last week. If you missed the stream, here is the full video.



The line-up was Navs, Uchi, Wilted Woman, Goldwiener + Luma/Chroma and Hainbach. It was the first Berlin Powwow to be held at Patch Point’s new store in Neukölln and in stereo.

My 6U case contained the usual suspects - Cwejman, Mungo, Makenoise, Toppobrillo - with the new additon of a Harvestman Piston Honda MkI. It's a wavetable oscillator, packed with timbres and glitchy surprises - an oldie but goldie.

Thanks to Darrin and Stefan for organising the evening and setting the stage, to Uchi and Wilted Woman for their wonderful sets, Luma/Chroma for her mesmerising visuals, to Paul for his excellent camera work and Wouter for that suit!

Bleeps & Bloops Reimagined

A fun experiment, applying events that might be clichéd in the modular context to preset sounds. Inspired by the CV to MIDI compositions of Konstantine, the piano playing of Quentin Tolimieri and rediscovered due to this forum thread.



Recent discussion of a piano module reminded me of something I did a few years ago where I used a simple Clavia G2 patch to control a Yamaha QY10. It’s a small MIDI notepad from the 90’s that has a rubberised keyboard, sequencer and PCM sounds … drums, piano, double bass, horns, strings etc. In other words, the antithesis of the timbres we know from the modular synth. Here’s what it sounds like ‘sequenced’ by a stream of random MIDI events:



The Patch uses the G2’s MIDI modules to send both keyboard and random notes to the QY10. Flicking through the MIDI channels on the Yamaha itself causes hanging notes and weird stuff.



It’s all quite entertaining - the above recording was played live and edited for brevity. If you want to hear music made by someone who does this properly, check out Konstantine aka Paranormal Patroler. He knocked us out at his Basic Electricity concert with his CV to MIDI set using Doepfer and ADDAC conversion.