Nord User Forum

[jamoo]

Hey, Im new to this forum - so i apologise if my question is an obvious one

Ive been enjoying my Nord Stage 2 for a little while now - and have recently really gotten into the synth section... But im a little unsure about the LFO.

I want to know if you can turn the LFO off entirely? Or is it always set on?

I understand that you can adjust its rate and frequency to disguise it... but is there actually an 'amount' or 'off' capability?

Thanks for your help

[Frantz]

Hello jamoo,

Welcome to the forum, I have stopped looking for that "LFO off position", I do not have my kb with me, can the rate be set to zero ? I consider zero to be off.
Same thing if the filter knob is set to take zero signal modulation from the LFO.

[Lyonart]

Hi Jamoo welcome to the forum.

My understanding is that the LFO has a range between 0.03 and 523 Hz and cannot therefor be "turned off".

However, I am of the understanding that the LFO only affects certain parameters or is only audible when certain frequencies are selected. You can set the LFO to affect filter (Filter Mod 1) which is also affected by the amount and type of filter being used. You can also affect the Shape of the oscilator (except for Wave oscilators). In the shape section, the LFO has different output characteristics depending on the type of osc selected.

I often enjoy messing around with a Triangle wave set to DTN and seeing how I can adjust the Shape Mod LFO to affect the pitch - a square wave LFO is not a bad place to start. You can create similar effects to an arpegiator and this can open up many possibilities especially when you use the Master Clock features and Delay effects.

Although it would be great to have two or more LFOs, actually the Stage 2 Synth section is quite powerful once you get beneath the skin and discover its hidden talents.

I find that, when faced with a greater challenge (i.e limited LFO options) the juices of creativity can become stirred in the quest of making interesting sounds and you start to think outside the box.

Happy twiddling.

Geoff

[anotherscott]

The LFO has to be assigned to do something, otherwise it does nothing. You can use it to control the shape parameter or the filter frequency, but if you set the amount of LFO for those things to zero, it will have no effect.

Another way to look at it is that the LFO effect requires a rate and an amount. It doesn't matter what you set the rate to... if the amount is set to zero, it has zero effect.

So no matter what the settings in the LFO panel are, the LFO will not affect the filter frequency if Filter Frequency Mod 1 (LFO) amount is set to zero, and it will likewise not affect the shape mod unless you have set that amount to something greater than zero. So turning these knobs to zero essentially turns off the LFO, as its amount would be zero.

[jamoo]

Thank you guys for answering my question so well! I now have a much fuller understanding A great first experience at this forum!

Also thank you Tinpig! Those tips have already expanded my Nords sonic palette, I appreciate the guidance.

[Lyonart]

Thank you guys for answering my question so well! I now have a much fuller understanding A great first experience at this forum!

Also thank you Tinpig! Those tips have already expanded my Nords sonic palette, I appreciate the guidance.

No problem Jamoo. I hope you enjoy your Nord as much as I have so far. I am learning new things everyday and this Forum is a great place to share ideas.

Geoff

[BuckW]

It's an issue with the stage 3 also if for example you want the control pedal to control lfo rate from 0 to X. You can't. The lowest is .03 which is not what you want the default to be, this long slow pulse. Then you can use the pedal to speed up lfo.

Unless there is a way I'm not seeing and i hope that's the case.

[analogika]

No, but since you can morph the LFO assign pots for oscillator and filter modulation, you can sort of fake your way there.

[fjzingo]

It's an issue with the stage 3 also if for example you want the control pedal to control lfo rate from 0 to X. You can't. The lowest is .03 which is not what you want the default to be, this long slow pulse. Then you can use the pedal to speed up lfo.

Unless there is a way I'm not seeing and i hope that's the case.

Use that all the time when playing moog LP or model D.

No, but since you can morph the LFO assign pots for oscillator and filter modulation, you can sort of fake your way there.

Wouldnt that just affect the amplitude and not the frequency?

Good discussion

[analogika]

It's an issue with the stage 3 also if for example you want the control pedal to control lfo rate from 0 to X. You can't. The lowest is .03 which is not what you want the default to be, this long slow pulse. Then you can use the pedal to speed up lfo.

Unless there is a way I'm not seeing and i hope that's the case.

Use that all the time when playing moog LP or model D.

No, but since you can morph the LFO assign pots for oscillator and filter modulation, you can sort of fake your way there.

Wouldnt that just affect the amplitude and not the frequency?

Good discussion

Yes, which is why I wrote "fake it" — having modulation set to zero is effectively the same thing as having the rate set to actual zero. It's not the same thing, but there is indeed no modulation when either is at zero. With a little fidgeting, you can probably fake something that sounds kind of like the modulation picking up from zero (albeit increasing as it speeds up).