"Coming soon for The NDLR (rev2) (finally) a Gate control for the Motif parts. We plan to release a beta of the firmware on our forums before end of Nov 2024. There was lots of code refactoring under the hood to enable this feature and others planned for the future, so a beta test is warranted before release.
"Steve introduces a new feature coming soon to Conductive Labs' The NDLR (rev2); a Perlin Noise Pattern Generator. This will be released on Conductive Labs' forum as a beta in November 2024."
"Join us for a live demonstration and Q&A for the new MRCC MIDI Router Control Center. Tentative Schedule (ET USA) 1:40 Live – MRCC Demonstration 1 3:00 Live – MRCC Q&A 1 4:00 Live - The NDLR Demo and Q&A 5:00 Live – MRCC Demonstration 2 6:30 Live – MRCC Q&A 2 7:30 Live - MRCC and The NDLR Demo and Q&A Join any time and skip, hop or jump around to what you want to see. Excuse us if we step out for a short break now and then."
The first HW "Terrain based oscillator" synth! Brief overview of the Terrain Synth. More videos will follow in this playlist with details on each synth module and their parameters.
Terrain Synth features: Unique terrain oscillators 32 note polyphony (8 per timbre) Four timbres (layers) that can be split or stacked Two morphable terrains per voice Up to 7x unison for each voice Two sub-oscillators (-1 & -2) oct for each voice White, Pink, Blue and Brown noise Oscillator sync, Phase distortion, Mirroring and Windowing
17 math-based terrains with infinite resolution Dozens of image-based terrains User loadable image & wavetable terrains (.jpg and .png, .wav) 18 morphable paths with infinite resolution
Dedicated mixer for timbre layers LFO, Envelope and Expressive-mapper per parameter On board effects: Delay, Ping-Pong Delay, Reverb, Shimmer Reverb, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Stereo Phaser, Overdrive and Decimator Dedicated sequencer, arpeggiator and audition buttons
Hundreds of sortable presets with onboard preset librarian 36 quick access patch favorites (6x6) Multi level patches, Init, Copy & Paste
Infinite Encoders – mixer, menu, modulation and user modules A 7-inch IPS display for full color sonic visualization Selectable terrain view angles and color schemes MIDI-I/O via 5-Pin DIN, USB Host, and USB Device ports 6x CV/Gates and 3x expression pedals. Left/Right balanced stereo and headphone (w/ vol control) Desktop / 4U rack configurations"
"The Conductive Labs MRCC is a MIDI router with 11 inputs and 17 outputs, including 5 PIN DINs, 3.5MM MIDI jacks in both flavors, 4 USB host ports, and a USB MIDI class compliant client (PC, Mac, tablet, etc.) connection with 12 MIDI ports, though it can function without a computer.
Darryl introduced us to the MRCC Xpander 4X1, which gives an additional 4 DIN inputs and 1 DIN out to the MRCC, and also functions as a class-compliant usb interface allowing for 4 outs and one in or it can merge 4 ins into one out
For those of us with the need for fewer ins and outs, Darryl also introduced the Micro 88, a slimmed-down MRCC with 4 DIN ins and outs, 2 TRS-A MIDI jacks, virtual USB MIDI ports, clock filter, channel splits and, in response to public demand, a power switch.
Conductive Labs Xpander 4X1 and Micro 88 Available: August 22
New Motif, Rhythm and Modulation Features for The NDLR Rev2 are here!
Conductive Labs is proud to announce Release 3 firmware for The NDLR Rev2. This significant feature update enables deeper rhythmic and melodic exploration for its flagship MIDI Groove Box. The Update is available now at ConductiveLabs.com along with an updated User Manual.
Release 3 unlocks advanced creative tools for live performance and studio production, including:
● Euclidean Rhythm Mode for the Motif Rhythm Editor – Users can now generate rhythms using the Euclidean Algorithm by setting the length (4-32), number of beats and rotation (offset), ideal for complex and world beat style rhythms and evolving patterns. ● Motif Pattern Step Modulation – Enables dynamic modulation of individual steps in a motif pattern, perfect for creating evolving basslines and more varied melodic sequences. ● Perlin Noise Pattern Generator – Creates organic, evolving note patterns for The NDLR’s two Motif parts. ● Motif Gate Length Control – Offers fine-tuned control over gate length for each motif part. ● Global Patch Save Slots Increased from 8 to 20 – More onboard storage devoted to global patches and settings. ● New Mod Matrix Destinations – Expanded modulation capabilities for Perlin Noise parameters, Motif Gate, PAD Strum, Spread and more. ● Save/Load Perlin Noise Pattern Generator Parameters – In addition to saving in global patches, users can now store and recall custom Perlin Noise settings separately. ● Drone part note velocity is now configurable. ● Additional MIDI CCs for new features. ● And various usability and MIDI synchronization enhancements. See the updated User Manual in the downloads section.
Released in September 2023, The NDLR Rev2 is easily identifiable by its signature red powder-coated base and continues to be a favorite among synth enthusiasts and modular synthesists for its deep integration of rhythm, harmony, and modulation. The NDLR Rev2 is available now at ConductiveLabs.com and through select music equipment retailers worldwide. Release 3 firmware is a free update for all The NDLR Rev2 owners, and those who participated in the NDLR Rev1 upgrade kit crowdfunding. If you missed the crowdfunding, a limited number of upgrade kits will be made available at ConductiveLabs.com in September 2025.
What is The NDLR? The NDLR (pronounced “The Noodler”) is a multi-part, polyphonic, sequenced arpeggiator. Or it could be described as an Interval Sequencer MIDI Groove Box, if you like. Programming a traditional sequencer gets you a melody, but when it comes to changing the Key or Chord it becomes a challenging production. The NDLR solves this problem by playing all of the parts out of a common note pool, so when you change the Chord all the parts change with it. Little effort, big results! Get your synths playing in time, in key and make great electronic music without being a master at the keyboard.
"If you've already watched a some of my videos, you might know that I sometimes like to divert a few electronic instruments from their use 😅
So here the challenge was to make the LXR-02 (which is supposed to be mainly a digital drum synth) act as a drum machine & a polyphonic pads synth 😄
For this, I used the Conductive Labs NDLR sequencer with its polychain feature (on its PAD track) which can turn up to 4 mono synths into a 4-voice polyphonic synth.
(I used this feature on another video, this time with 4 physical analog mono synths: [below]).
Therefore I used 3 of the tracks of the LXR-02 to play 3-note chords by the NDLR. I used the LXR's individual output, through the Strymon Bigsky reverb for the PADS (through the Pill ducking pedal being triggered by the LXR's drum kick).
I also used 1 track of the LXR-02 to play the ARP part (also sequenced by the NDLR). This time the individual output went through the Strymon Timeline delay.
The Erica Synths DB-01 was used to play the bass riff (still sequenced by the NDLR) through the Eventide - H9 pedal (with some heavy modulated Chorus bringing a Lo-Fi vibe to the sound!).
* Hardware used *
- BASS : Erica Synths DB-01 Bassline + Eventide H9 (Chorus)
- DRUMS : Sonic Potions x Erica Synths LXR-02 (individual output 1+2)
- PADS : Sonic Potions x Erica Synths LXR-02 + Strymon Bigsky + Pill Pedal (individual output 3)
- RIFF : Sonic Potions x Erica Synths LXR-02 + Strymon Timeline (individual output 4)
- LIVE SEQUENCING : Conductive Labs NDLR"
"I wanted to use a couple of the nice features of the NDLR for this video, so I went to set up 6 analog mono synths all sequenced by the NDLR, a couple of effects and the Tanzbar drum machine for this video!
The first feature used here is poly chaining, where 1 track (PAD track) of the NDLR sent 4-note chords to 4 mono synths (Erica Synths - DB01, Make Noise - 0Coast, Roland - SE02 and Novation - Circuit Mono Station), considering them as a unique 4-voice polyphonic synth!
I needed to make some quite complex routing in order to be able to side chain the pads with the kick of the MFB - Tanzbar analog drum machine.
I also used the 'chord sequencer' of the NDLR in order to play the whole track as a song (it's like a song mode, where sequences automatically change the global chords).
Here are some further details on the setup:
* PAD: DB01 to SE02 to Bigsky (Right Input) to The Pill Pedal (Input 1) triggered by Tanzbar's kick
* PAD: 0Coast to Circuit Mono Station to Bigsky (Left Input) to The Pill Pedal (Input 2) triggered by Tanzbar's kick
These 4 analog synths were set up in order to respond to the poly chain function of the NDLR (i.e. With a 4-note chord, the NDLR will send each note to one the 4 synths).
* DRONE (Bass): The Moog - Minitaur was being triggered by the DRONE track for the bass.
* MOTIF (Melody): The Arturia - Minibrute 1, through the ZVEX - Instant Lofi Junky & Strymon - Timeline
I forgot to mention that the Tanzbär's main output was processed by the Eventide - H9 (Reverse Delay) effect, excluding its kick which was outputted on its separate output in order to trigger the side chain for the pads on the Pill Pedal."
"It's been a long time coming! We are so excited to finally show you...
Kickstarter for the Terrain Synth
We just launched the Kickstarter for our new Terrain Synth tonight. We've been working on this amazing synthesizer for a long time, and it is finally ready for public release. We demonstrated Terrain Synth at Knobcon 2025 last week and were very happy with the enthusiastic reception. Learn all about it at Kickstarter. There are 20 early bird special price deals and they are going fast, but the next tier is still a great deal.
MRCC - MIDI Router Control Center Availability
MRCC is back in stock! It took forever and we apologize for the wait. We didn't get the MRCC Rack Ears with the first shipment, but expect to have some by September 26th. MRCCs are on the way to resellers worldwide.
Special Offers
The NDLR is currently on sale at conductivelabs.com/shop and at Amazon.com, and Amazon.ca. And is available at select retailers worldwide. See The NDLR product page for a list of retailers. [check with dealers on the right]
If you have a The NDLR Rev2 with the red base, be sure to check out the Release 3 firmware at conductivelabs.com/download
Those of you waiting for The NDLR Rev1 upgrade kits, we had a small delay but expect to be taking pre-orders by end of September.
We Need Reviews
Happy with your Conductive Labs widget and care to share? Show your star love at conductivelabs.com/shop. Select your product, scroll down to Description, select the Reviews tab and wax poetically! If you bought on Amazon, please share there!
"This is my first encounter with the Conductive Labs 'The NDLR' (pronounced noodler). The guys at Conductive Labs (who had previously seen my demo videos here on Youtube, and had attended a couple of my live performances) asked if I would run one of their prototype NDLRs through it's paces... and of course, how could I resist! This is still a beta unit; some features have not yet been implemented (such as the LFO section) but hopefully these series of quick demos will give you all an idea of what the NDLR can do in a musical context. I only have it for a week before I have to give it back, so I will be doing as much as I can while I have it...
In this Demo #1 I have the NDLR Paired with the Waldorf Blofeld. Since the Blofeld is Multitimbral, it's quite easy to have the NDLR play the various parts on the Blofeld. A perfect example of the ultimate minimal setup for live jams!
In the next, forthcoming Demo #2, I will have the NDLR play a Korg Minilogue (for the PAD) and three Moog Mother-32s. I will also dive deeper into the Menu system.
In Demo #3, it will be the NDLR with the Moog Sub 37, ARP Odyssey, Waldorf Microwave XTk and the Micro Q!
Please support these guys on Kickstarter to make this project happen, I really want to see this get out into the world! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/..."
"Long version preview of the Perlin Noise Pattern Generator. Steve noodles with the Perlin Noise editor and talks about it's features. It's still a work in progress, we expect to have a beta release available in November 2024. See the Conductive Labs forum for a discussion."
“Generative Music” is a term coined by Brian Eno to describe music that is always different and changing, generated by a system but led by creative guidelines, rather than typical music which follows a set of predetermined notes intended to be played the same way every time.
This video includes 20 ideas and even more tools for creating generative music inspired by Brian Eno's generative work. It's focused on ideas rather than one platform, and covers eurorack, iOS, VCV and Ableton tools for creating generative and probability based music.
2:10 Scaling random pitch – Ableton Random and Scale MIDI effects
2:50 Pitch to modal chords - Harmonaig from Instruo, with arpeggiation by Quaid Megaslope and Boss Bow Tie from ALM playing Rings from Mutable Instruments
"::| TO HEAR THE FULL RANGE OF FREQUENCIES, A GOOD PAIR OF HEADPHONES ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |::
This was a demo performance I did for Conductive Labs NDLR launch party on November 18th, 2018. Local folks who contributed to the crowdfunding were able to pick up their NDLRs in person, while others will start seeing theirs in the mail these next coming weeks!
My performance was a bit rough due to the Arturia Keystep not behaving. I was using the Keystep for two things: first, to switch between the "Chords" of the NDLR (same as hitting the buttons on the NDLR) but set so that Velocity would change the number of notes the PAD on the NDLR would play (so a light key press would play about 3 or 4 notes, and a hard key press would play 8 notes of the PAD. Also, the modulation strip on the Keystep was used to change the Octave range of the PAD) - and second, to switch over to play additional sounds direct off the Waldorf Blofeld, while the NDLR was Arpeggiating the first four sounds. Considering I put all of this together a couple of hours before the performance, it didn't turn out too bad."
"At Knobcon 2023, we had the pleasure of chatting with Steve from Conductive Labs, who introduced us to the NDLR 2. This innovative sequencer has recently been re-released, addressing previous chip supply challenges that had temporarily halted its production. The NDLR 2 is a multi-track sequencer with an innate understanding of music theory. What sets it apart is its chord-changing capabilities, which occur seamlessly when you modify the chord structure, making it a valuable tool for musicians seeking an intuitive and chord-aware sequencer. Furthermore, Steve unveiled an exciting new feature – the Rotator algorithm, contributed by Robbie Kilgore, which transforms monophonic notes into triads, opening up exciting possibilities, particularly for jazz enthusiasts. The NDLR 2 is currently available for $379, and with its fresh feature and ample stock of 1,000 units, it's poised to be a valuable addition for musicians and producers looking to streamline their sequencing and composition process.
For more details on the NDLR 2 and to stay updated on its availability and features, visit the Conductive Labs website at ConductiveLabs.com. The NDLR 2's unique chord-aware sequencing and the newly introduced Rotator algorithm make it a compelling choice for musicians who seek creative control and expressiveness in their music production."
"We get a tour of the new Terrain Synth from Conductive Labs. Terrain synthesis expands on the concept of wavetable synthesis by treating the wavetable as a 3D contour that can be traversed in any path or direction (i.e., not just forwards and backwards through the individual wave cycles). These "terrains" can be traditional wavetables as well as mathematical functions (like the complex maps we have featured in some of our math videos), or even JPEG and PNG images.
"::| TO HEAR THE FULL RANGE OF FREQUENCIES, A GOOD PAIR OF HEADPHONES ARE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |::
This is a quick demo video of the Conductive Labs NDLR during my beta testing of their pre-production unit. The NDLR is a "Sequenced Arpeggiator" device that can be used with both software and hardware synths; shown here being used with 4 instances of U-HE Dark Zebra soft synth running in Ableton Live. (I added a drum track afterward for flavor.)"
