Nord User Forum

Hello! First post here. Just bought a NL4, and it's a great synth. I have a few questions for it, and thought I'd tune into the wisdom of this forum. Sorry if these questions have already been answered elsewhere, I tried to search but didn't find any info.

1. Is it possible to use the Mod envelope or similar to get a kind of HADSR amp envelope? So that, for example, one sound has an ordinary ADSR envelope in slot A and another sound has a HADSR in slot B (and thus comes in slightly later when a key is triggered)?

2. There is usually a 'clicking' sound when using very low attack settings. This is mentioned in the manual, and it is stated that the solution is to increase the attack time slightly. This usually works, but if I'm using an LFO on the AM I'm also getting this clicking sound, and the only way to get rid of it is to decrease the amplitude of the LFO, which I don't want. So, is this clicking sound some kind of unwanted digital artifact? What's the best way to get rid of it? Any general thoughts about it?

3. When using a pattern on the LFO:s, is there any way to change the tempo of the pattern without changing the BPM? So that, for example, both LFO 1 and 2 have a pattern but at different tempos (or having two different patterns on slot A and slot B with different tempos)?

4. Any general thoughts on maintenance of the NL4 against dust etc? Does it exist some kind of plastic cover? Or is it enough to just cover it with a blanket when it's not used?

All help is much appreciated! Thanks in advance for answers.

And found two links discussing the clicking problem and the LFO tempo thing (but not mentioning the patterns) here:

post42265.html?hilit=clicking#p42265

post73646.html?hilit=tempo#p73646

Still interested what people have to say.

Hi Dront,
Congrats on the NL4!! I just picked up the rack version myself recently and am enjoying it very much. In order to use patterns on the NL4 you have to have the (LFO's and/or arp) master clock engaged which means only one common tempo at a time.

There is only one Master Clock, so you cannot change BPMs on one slot's arpeggiator while leaving it unchanged on another slot's arpeggiator...BUT you can certainly change the relationships of individual slot arpeggiators (and LFOs and delays) to the Master Clock, e.g. 1/4 note, 1/4 triplets, 1/2 notes, etc.

This can be done manually from the knob or can be programmed into Impulse Morph. As a noob NL4 person this vid may interest you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG9_9kRGQ5w&feature=em-upload_owner-smbtn

bless, pablo

Thanks for the answers!! Pablo, that was a very interesting video, if you have more videos like that could you post links (either here or in a message?). Couldn't find them in the nord tips'n'tricks account on youtube.

Any ideas about the clicking sound?

arrggh...nope, no more vidz there...that's technically not really released to public, but I share it now and then when situation seems to call for it

what waveform are you using on lfo? square? this kind of topic would be more easily discussed based on a specific example program vs. generic programming. There are so many various banks for the NL4, and I'd prefer not to reload factory banks (and remove my existing custom programs), so if you could upload an example program which is doing this for you, that would make it easier for others to comment...

bless, pablo

Ok! Nice idea to have pedagogical vidz in handy.

Concerning the clicking:

I start from Sound Init, put osc 1 to a sine wave, LFO 1 on square wave, rate to around 5 and amp to +10. Pressing any key, in particular low freq ones, now produces a noticeable clicking sound. It seems to be related to the beginning and end of the LFO square wave pulse.

Now, if I start again from Sound Init, put osc 1 to a sine wave, and amp env attack and release to 0, I get the same type of clicking sound at the trigger and release of a key. This is said to be normal in the manual, and one can get rid of it by increase the attack and release slightly. However, I'm not sure how to get rid of it in the first example with the LFO square wave.

Of course, these clicking sounds can be used creatively. But that's another story, would like to know how to control them first.

Thanks for your help!