click here for the full article (Google translated from French) and a sample on Making Sound.
Note the the G2 does not actually have granular synthesis.
"To carry out this example, I used a microphone on one of the audio entries of G2 to sample a sentence with the stolen one. Once the audio source captured by the modules delay (it is enough to press on a key to launch the capture), it any more but does not remain to be played with the other parameters of the patch, associated the various interfaces of G2. Most important are associated the keyboard (height of the sample), the pitch stick (reading rate of the sample) and the serrated roller of modulation (position of “the read head”). Consequently, by choosing a null speed and by moving “the read head”, it is possible to traverse in real time the form of wave at the speed which one wishes. I let to you imagine the astronomical quantity of textures which it is possible to create by multiplying the audio sources…"
this has been around for a while actually:
ReplyDeletehttp://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10459
Full translation of the article from French:
ReplyDeleteClavia’s Nord Modular G2 is a fantastic hybrid modular synthesizer. Already nearing the 5th anniversary of its release, it still surpasses other similar instruments thanks to its complexity, which requires years to explore the infinite potential for different sounds. Clearly, 5 years hasn’t been enough time for its community of users, already active on the internet, evident in this patch which nearly justifies the purchase of a G2 by itself. Particularly complex in its structure is the potential to manipulate sounds in real time with a type of synthesis known as Granular synthesis.
The remarkable thing about this is that it’s something that the software of the G2 wasn’t designed to do. It doesn’t have a dedicated module for granular synthesis, nor memory for storing samples. The key is in delay modules, which, when carefully placed in the patch, capture and repeat the audio source. It takes a long time to create, but the result is incredible! Listen for yourself below:
To make this sound a reality, I plugged a microphone into one of the audio inputs on the G2 in order to sample a phrase of my voice. Once the audio was captured by the delay modules (pushing a single button is all it takes), I began to play with the other parameters of the patch, included in the diverse user interface of the G2. The most important parameters can be adjusted with the keyboard (sample volume), the pitch stick (sample pitch), and the modulation wheel (starting point of the sample). Then, by choosing the proper speed and starting point, it’s possible to adjust in real time the waveform and the speed that you want. Imagine the astronomical amount of textures that can be created with multiple audio sources…
AN ALREADY ACTIVE COMMUNITY
This patch was created by Tim, one of many users of the G2 forum at Electro-music.com. If you’re lucky enough to own a G2, I encourage you to explore the many banks of free sounds created by G2 users. You’ll soon realize that this patch isn’t the only one to push the limits of the instrument. If you don’t have a G2, there’s a free sound editor available (available on Clavia’s official site), fully functional with the synthesizer, that even allows you to save your sounds! This version is limited, but most patches are compatible, and it’s available for both Mac and PC. Instant classic.
AN UNDERRATED INSTRUMENT
Like most other electronic products, synthesizers are ultimately victims of their own novelty. More recent products steal the thunder of older ones, creating a vicious cycle that forces manufacturers to release newer and newer products more and more regularly. Development teams, reduced in size, finish worse products quicker in order to discontinue older products in favor of newer ones. The G2 has an expansion port that could accommodate much more than just a simple CPU expansion and polyphony, but I imagine that the G2 hasn’t been a priority since the Nord Wave was announced, which is particularly frustrating. Nevertheless, it seems (maybe in a last-ditch attempt at revival before the G3?) that Clavia has decided to release a last OS update. Cross your fingers that it’s not limited to bug fixes, but that they’ll add new modules that will enable us to again push the boundaries of this fantastic instrument.