Tutorial: 'Pelle Mode' on Nord Lead 1 & 2

[JzzMnn]

In between working on a dissertation, I found relaxation in the knobs and keys of my trusty Nord Lead 1 & 2. We have shared life and beautiful memories for 20 years. I thought I knew them well, until a memory from 2010 resurfaced in which Wout Blommers published the code to activate a hidden algorithm, also known as ‘Pelle mode’.

After some research, I found that after a decade, barely any documentation emerged about this mysterious and bizarre hidden synth within a synth. There is consensus that it involves Karplus-Strong synthesis, but only a few occasionally take a guess at the meaning of a limited number of parameters. However, Pelle mode sounded uncontrollable, unpredictable, loud, or sometimes just didn't. Why did no one investigate those parameters? How much work could it take to methodically go through them and create a meaningful interface? Well… more than anticipated.

After countless hypotheses, tests, iterations, and rewrites, I am satisfied with a model that works well enough to launch. I hereby present, with some blood, sweat, and tinnitus, the 8-minute crash course on ‘Pelle mode’.

Have fun.

[catosim]

Cool video!