Nord Lead/Rack-Family: How do keep an order in the programs?

[melmac]

Hello everybody,

as you know, the Nord Lead/Rack-Devices only have a 3-digit "Display".

So, it would be very interesting for me to know how you manage to keep some kind of order in all the programs and Performances.
How do you "name" or sort them and how are you able to find them again (the 2X has 990 programs + percussion programs + 400 Performances!)?
And I'm not a fan of always switching on the computer! (I want to make music.)

Please let me know your experience and your "tricks".

Thanks a lot - I'm curious.

melmac

[Wout Blommers]

Hi melmac,

I just finished the first version of a text about this item, only the proof readers gave me the advice not to publish it as just one text, but cut it in smaller chapters.

There are a lot of possibilities of 'tricks' using the memory when performing.
Working with the memory one of the main conclusions of the whole project is a musician must have the nerves to change the memory completely to his own needs. As soon as this is been done he also will know what is where and why in the memory, which means less searching.

Your 990 Programs and 400 Performances is not true, because it has to be RAM and not ROM. In fact, the NordLead and NordLead2 have more memory available because you can buy PCMCIA cards a much as you need... And you have to use a computer to arrange it all.

Anyway, the Performance mode is a crucial feature in the NordLead to manage it all.

I hope to finish the article before Easter...

Wout

[Ligumo]

Hallo, melmac

The three digit display is something I found a problem with too, and I could never remember the names of patches or where they were stored. It doesn't help that in the 2X manual patch list doesn't indicate what type of sound a patch is...

My personal solution to this was to download all the patches at http://nm-archives.electro-music.com/020_NordLead2/024_Cat_Sven_Saur/ and to stored Arps at 1-99, Basses at 1.1 - 1.99, Pads 2.1-2.99 and Leads 3.1-3.99 which made it easier for me to find them. I used Nordgen to audition them before I stored them. I don't know where these sounds originated, whether they're factory settings that are categorised or if they're a collection of user patches (Wout might know!), but there are many excellent sounds in there.

My starting off points for projects is to use Arps on Bank A, Basses on Bank B, Pads on Bank C (because you play *C*hords) with pads, and LeaDs on bank D. It often changes as I work, but it's a good starting off point. Additionally, I have 10 spaces in each of these banks which are init patches (just a sine wave in my case) which let me create my own patches.

I haven't worked out a system for performances yet, but I think I will probably treat them on an individual basis as the sound they produce isn't so easily classified.

What follows is my personal opinion!

I think the 2X (don't know about others) has too many presets on it. In single mode there's 990 patches and to wade through them all and try and remember which ones are good, and which one's aren't is impossible. I tried to work within this constraint, but I eventually decided I would work better and learn more if I just overwrote everything in the RAM banks. It certainly helped me - it's much easier for me to find sounds now and it's really encouraged me to start making up my own patches, which is very rewarding! Since I figured all this out (about 2 months ago), I've re-discovered the instrument (after 1 year of owning it) and started to get so much use out of it. It's a great piece of gear, just a shame this initial problem caused trouble for me!

Wout's guide will explain a lot more and give you some ideas on how to go about it yourself. What is also important is whether you have a keyboard or rack version - I think we're discovering that each version requires a diffrent approach!