The Nord Micro Modular is a somewhat stripped down version of the massive Nord Modular system. Like the Nord Modular, a PC computer is used to virtually patch, tweak, edit and design your synth patches in a modular fashion. However the stand-alone keyboard interface has been replaced here by the very small four-knobbed Micro Modular interface. The software is the exactly the same as the original however the controller itself which houses DSP power is considerably less than that of the original - reducing this units polyphony from 32 to 4 voices or less and multitimbrality has been stripped away. Software version 2.1 adds many new features including a Ring Modulator, 14-Band FilterBank, Vocal Filter, FM Sine wave, Digitizer (bare-bones sampling) and many more tricks.

After you've created a patch using the software you can load it into one of 99 memories within the controller. It can then be used live or in a MIDI studio as a synth module. The simplified controller has a volume knob and 3 other knobs that can be assigned editable parameters. Limited as this might appear, you still get one of the biggest and most powerful modular synthesizer emulator programs in the world. The Micro Modular System is a fraction the cost of the Nord Modular and would be a powerful complement to any serious musicians arsenal. Be sure to get the latest OS version which is v3.03. It's been used by Autechre, u-ziQ, Speedy J, Kid606, Somatic Responses, Heretik, and Ixy.

xid

January 20, 2013 @ 8:30 pm

somewhat overrated, bad filters, average oscillators. great possibilities in controlling and altering these sounds. but the sound itself isn't worth the whole mess. and no i'm not comparing it to analog synths, just take any waldorf digital synth in its overall sound. i sold my modular (keyboard version) pretty early.

rugyi

December 25, 2012 @ 1:07 pm

anybody knows a solution to get the original Micro modular editor working on intel mac (os x lion)? I have nomad but i cant get it sound and i couldnt find any description for that. cheers

Brain Main

June 25, 2012 @ 9:57 pm

I have one hooked up to a netbook running Windows 7 starter edition via a Native Instruments Audio Kontrol 1. Software runs great. Sounds kick ass.

oscar

May 9, 2012 @ 5:31 pm

Does it work on Windows 7?

Jamie

February 15, 2012 @ 8:57 am

The Nord Micro Modular is an incredible little synth - has some really beefy analogue-style basses and leads, but you can also get some beautifully atmospheric pads out of it. I'm still discovering stuff it can do - for example, recently found out that the vocoder patches available are of real quality. Bit of a pain editing via PC/Mac using the Nord editor, but worth it for the lush sounds. Got mine for £180 ten years ago - would never sell it. If you see one, grab yourself a bargain.

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