Making a set of G2-style modules

I miss my Nord G2s, because it was so easy to wire their modules together and experiment. Everything fit together so well.

So I’m toying with the idea of making a set of Reaktor modules that mimic their style and operation. I’m not looking for absolute faithfulness (because for one thing some of their modules are too difficult for me to reverse-engineer). Instead, I’m looking to cover the basics, and do it in such a way that it’s straightforward to add more modules in the future.

But before I go any further, there are some questions bugging me, such as:

Are there things like this already in the UL?
Might Reaktor 6, which is supposed to be easier to use, make something like this obsolete?
Should the inputs and outputs be measured in Clavia units (+/- 64 units) or voltages (+/- 10 volts)?

Any thoughts on this?

 

0..+1 and -1..+1.

 

I did ADC/DAC modules. You can find them on my Modules collection on the UL.

 

I think the Classic Modular macros from R4 are supposed to work like this too. That might be a place to start for ideas.

+1 for the 0..1/-1..+1 idea from Herw. Anything else is confusing in Reaktor, except pitch maybe, where its better to stay 0...127.

 

I’m actually leaning towards voltages. On a well-designed analog modular, the connections between the modules are properly scaled by default. Anything can be connected to anything, due to the 1 volt/octave standard and the +/- 10 volt output signals.

 

I've decided to go ahead with it, using some of the new controls created by Jonathan Style. I'll upload it to the UL after I shake it out. Attached is a picture of the current modules. I'm trying to keep to the spirit and style of the G2, more or less.

 

nice - the problem is for a normal user to get an overview about the internal wiring on GUI or is there a routing matrix or something similar on the right side?

 

looking forward to this upload very much

sowari

 

Me too !

 

This is only a collection of modules. To make a "patch", I paste the modules I want into the structure editor and wire them up.

 

How about send/receive modules that can mimic the patch points? Someone made a great, giganitc modular awhile age that used this method.

EDIT:

I just realized it was The Wall modular I was refering to, and that...you made that as well. You make amazing ensembles! I pick apart and use parts of wall all the time...

 

I've used the send-receive technique in the Wall and in Dotcom 44, and it works well.

But now I'm trying to recreate my G2 experience, where I could drag and connect just the modules I wanted, and do it really fast. This still won't be as fast as the G2, because I need to copy and paste modules instead of dragging them, and I have switch screens between the panel and the structure. But I'm trying to recreate the G2 workflow experience as much as I can.

Attached is an experimental tonewheel organ I built using the modules. It needs only 13 modules to do much of what a Hammond does.

 

Hi Chet,
the hammond scanner is a nice module.

It is a good idea to normalize the macros' design although a two-switch-module is a little bit too „overloaded”

I think it is a good addition to building blocks and starting point for REAKTOR newbies to go inside. Go forward!
There was a link to N2-patches manual but i forgot it.

ciao herw

 

I've posted before that what we really need is actual front panel patch cords.
We would vaporize what the G2 could do in a month. I just think this project is going to be a waste of time because the strengh of the modular way of doing things is you basically have a giant invisible mod matrix over the front of the modules...you just wire what you want.
I dont see how you can do this at the macro level and be able to wire anything into anything without breaking something.
if we had patch cords we could start working on not just knocking off the G2 but some crazy hybrid of Buchla 200e.

 

You can just drag and drop modules from the macro browser, no?

 

[harrumph:] - panel wiring

ciao herw

 

Can you? Believe it or not, I've been using Reaktor for eight years and never tried the browser. Thanks for the tip.
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I'd love to see built-in on-screen patch cords in Reaktor, too. If they were there, or if I had herw's skill in creating my own, I'd include them.

But they're not built in, and I don't have herw's patience and skill. So I'll continue to make do with two windows.

And it's not a waste of my time, because I'm enjoying myself.

The Nord modulars do it. Analog modulars do it. All that's necessary is a paradigm for the signal levels. I'm using the same voltages used by modular instruments, so there's no reason waveshapers and filters can't be used on control and audio signals alike.

Why wait for patch cords?

 

herw , I know about your amazing work there but its too hard to figure out how to abstract the actual patch cords from your stuff.

Chet, I guess I can see what you mean. I just question that in the end it will really have the same feel as a modular and won't just be like lego like programming in reaktor already(which is pretty much how I make my own stuff now...
I guess in the worst case you will have built a set of macros with standardized IO, which IMO has been needed for years.

 

i said it on the G2 forum, but again, i think this is a fantastic idea! i was never able to get too into Reaktor patching due to being so comfortable with the G2, but this might get me back into it. really looking forward to this!

also, i don't think the lack of 'patch cables' is an issue at all. it certainly makes for a cleaner front end (and we usually 'hide' the cables on the G2 once patching is done, right?).

 

that's not right: the difference between patching on panel and patching in structure is that with patching on panel you are constructing new structures without programming a new synth. It is programming on fly and you can store it in snaps which is not possible in G2 i think (please correct me if i am not right). It is not only a grafic patch.

ciao herw