NORAND MONO Review // Why it's a breakthrough synth
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- Опубликовано: 4 июл 2024
- Get the ideas, tips and insights from this video and all my others in my ever-expanding book of electronic music ideas, tips and tricks here:
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Check out Norand Mono prices here (affiliate links help the channel regardless of what you buy):
► Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/PerfectCircuit-NorandMono
► Direct from Norand - bit.ly/NorandMono (not an affiliate link)
Other gear in the video:
► MOE LedRover Distortion (the yellow thing) - talk to Isak...: bit.ly/isak-MOE (non affiliate link)
Roland TR-6S: (affiliate links)
► On Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/7A2Y5
► On Thomann: www.thomann.de/gb/roland_tr_6...
► Scopes by Melda: www.meldaproduction.com/
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TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:45 Overview
3:40 Mod per knob
6:10 Mod notes
8:50 Connectivity
9:50 Oscillators
11:50 Analog mods
14:10 Filter
16:30 Digital mods
19:35 X-env to depth
20:10 Sequencing
22:25 Randomize
22:50 Scales
23:10 Accent, slide
24:45 Custom accent
25:40 Automation
26:55 Mod note seq
28:00 Ratchet, prob
29:15 Unlink x-env
30:10 Advanced RND
31:40 Glitch sonata
32:40 Project & patterns
36:20 Pros & cons
42:30 Factory patterns
46:45 Outro jam
Submit review and video ideas here (sorry I don’t offer 1x1 sessions/setup/purchasing advice):
► Ziv (at) loopopmusic.com
NOTE: Occasionally I’ll try out affiliate marketing and include affiliate links. This means that I may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via affiliate links. The content of this clip is entirely my opinion, and was not paid for or dictated in any way by the company creating the gear. Without addressing the particulars of products shown here as they might be under NDA, gear shown on this channel may be either sent by the manufacturer, on loan for review or bought at a discount.
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“No pulse width modulation...probably why they didn’t send one to SonicState.”
Such an inside baseball joke 😅
You are the best! That SonicState meme! Ahahaha
jajajaj yes! i feel part of a very special group understanding that :P
cheers
What about Aftertouch?
@@bugglebegger143 they might still send one to SonicState... it just won’t be Nick Batt doing the review. It will be the guy with the huge beard.
SonicState?
That is the State where Sonic lives? (the blue hedgehog)
Can I just say I LOVE the LED feedback in those knobs. Brilliant design.
I'm off of work today, time to loopop and chill!! Thanks loopop for all of your hardwork and dedication for delivering quality, helpful and informative instructive videos!!
Seriously, where would we all be without Loopop videos? Cluelessly buying gear we don't need instead of informatively buying gear we don't need!
@@BeniRoseMusic whoa buddy speak for yourself.... I need my 12 synths 4 drum machines, 480 u of eurorack, 7 guitars, 33 pedals, 22 microphones , 12 preamps, 3 pairs of monitors , and 6 flesh lights.
I’m not sure that “loopop and chill” means what you think it does.
When Nord and Roland have a child...
@ correct me if I'm wrong...but I think the funny was supposed to be in the name...
No...R...and...
Nord...Roland...
A single child 😆
Nord and Roland may have started the motion but I reckon electron dived in at some point also….. 😂
Dude I saw a video of this from their channel with like 10 likes and no comments and I was like how! This is such a cool idea invites so much creativity
loopop, sonicstate, sweetwater, etc., get far more attention, of course they can go unheard of on their own channel
that's why they probably sent this to me and not Sonic State - ha lol
That got a lol from me too.
Lemme guess?
"Does it have after touch?"
Saucer of milk table 3, LOL! 😆
Thanks for posting this, was completely unaware of this machine until today... seems like a extremely well thought out device with both sounds and features tailor made for live performances. Love that there is no screen and still so feature rich, to help muscle memory just get you where you need to go. And of-course, top notch review as always, best in class! :) Cheers !
And now I have bought one, another 48 minutes to watch the video again, time we'll spent. Thank you for the epic content, I think I'm not the only one who uses your videos as quick start manuals 😎🎹✨
Finally, hah! I have been dreaming of you to do this review. Super cool synth
What a lovely tone! Thanks for a great video. Bought! Looking forward to play around with this little beast.
I see this as a contender for my mobile/vacation setup. Great review as ever Ziv - thanks so much!
Loopop, you are a walking Synth Manual that speaks! I love your thorough and detailed demos. Great synth even tho pricey, the features are really good and I like the sequencer. It has some great factory presets that are also surprisingly percussive even tho their is no white noise generator in it! Thanks for the great demo!
Damn it Loopop I have two things on pre-order now , but this makes me rethink one . I love the sound / tone of this , and the x-mod and x-env ...per function ! Pretty sure I am going to have to sell a couple synths now and get this !
Curious as to what 2 devices you got on pre-order
Amazing concept, interested to see what they bring out in the future
“second shots might be overated” made me laugh out loud. The everday ark of excitement about an opportunity folowed by the resigned and sober realization of luke warm results combined with the conversational delivery just really tickled me...
Oh and of course thank you for the great videos!👍👏
That looks pretty insaneee
So instead of Yet Another 303 Clone, they decided to iterate and add features. This is what I like to see in new hardware.
I don't think this has anything to do with the 303. It's just a completely different synth.
It's a monosynth with an XOX sequencer.
That's about where the similarities end.
Loopop, I can honestly say you are the David Attenborough of synth reviews. You could review my toaster and I would probably love it.
Thanks for being you!
If I was looking for a different sort of small, boutique, analog, monosynth then this would be a strong contender. I really like the design.
Wicked sounding synth. Snappy envelopes, & a rugged tone that somehow feels smooth. Seems like a great machine for industrial & techno.
I love any synth with a in depth sequencer like this!!!!
Nice review, I see the Roland SE-02 as one of the less pricey alternatives in terms of digitally controlled compact analog synths, but with a more classic workflow and feature set.
I cannot believe it!!!
The rings around the pots are exactly what I put on my mixer design...
The sequencer is crazy 😳 I wish more synths would have such a powerful sequencer.
From 20:39 that little laugh when the beat comes from Roland tells everything... So honest...Soo good moment!!! Love it! :)
your knowledge blows my mind !!!
Great sound design work flow with the software on there! Being able to design sounds and sequence them in one interface opens up so many possibilities. And you can sound like Richard Devine with glitch sequencing? Very cool!
Definitely on my want list!
Very nice. The LED-button approach reminds me of Arturia's Pigments.
my fave monosynth in years
Analog Synth that stores presets is a major WIN ! Really really great sequencer too !
...and here i am watching another loopop video, after I just resigned myself to not adding more synths to my collection, until I learn what I have better.
We should start a support group, charge dues so we can buy more gear.
Thank you very much for the review. Like the little beast :)
Yet Another Feature Request (YAFR):
Reflect the Xmod Wave LFO Type Selection using the sequence or A/B/C/D LEDs (LED1 = Sine, LED2=Tri, LED3=SAW, etc.)
When Loopop says ‘breakthrough synth’ it gets my attention.
No pulse width modulation?
I liked that joke.
This is like improved AFX mode on the bass station 2. Im really happy to see another synth capable of being a drum machine with ease. I cant wait until theres a poly synth capable of this, so multiple drum sounds can play at once
That's literally what a drum machine is lol
Grab any poly that's multitimbral, load or create some drum patches, then you have what you described. Nord Rack would be good for this, and you can find them cheaper than the Norand.
@@maquettemusic1623 a drum machine usually doesnt have the capability to also function as a synth. also most drum machines dont have a single versatile synth engine for each sound. The only one i can think of off the top of my head is the Volca Drum, there are definitely others but they arent coming to my mind. And even the Volca Drum cant function as a synth easily. The keyword being "easily." What im often looking for in synths is a strong combination of versatility and ease of doing tasks which can be complicated in non-ideal implementation. If i wanted to make a drum pattern on the korg monologue, i certainly could, but its not so quick to do and the results are often limited by that time consuming-ness.
And to be clear, im strictly talking about synths, not samplers. i know that there are samplers that can do what im talking about
@@CT-ho6si I'll look into it, hopefully ill be pleasantly surprised
My minilogue xd does drums just fine
The pwm Sonic State comment made me lol.
This thing is totally amazing.
Yesssssssss. Whenever you or "Red Means Recording" post a video, I stop what I'm doing immediately 😅
Nice review - curiosity question - can the probability affect the ratcheting or the microshift?
Yep, I'm going to buy this. 👍
Looks great, has a lot of similarities to the Circuit Mono Station - particularly with the RGB feedback on knobs 😉
I like the fm on norand, the control surface too. But I already have a Mono station. It is hard decision to get a norand or not.
@@lyh1 the randomisation options are a big plus on the Norand for me too
As ever a good, solid review. I enjoy listening to your videos a lot. Could you please update the links on your website, this is usually the first place I look. It's so simple and accessible!
Thanks and thanks for the reminder - done!
"Second shots might be overrated". :-D As always, world class review.
I hear 'Hi' and know I'll watch it.
I love the “Hi.” It’s so welcoming haha
Love this synth
That TR looks really good in this video.
These guys need to make a polyphonic synth with effects (6+ voices) and Korg will be in trouble.
I honestly thought this was a Korg product at first but now I definitely want to see them respond with a version because it would be wild
Korg butchered the Prologue by putting digital FX section as an insert before output.
@@natura808 nah
Undo seems to be a 303 thing, because the (still very excellent) Cyclone Analogic TT-303 Bass Bot V2 also has it :-) The pot LEDs are a great UI innovation! And thanks for another great review.
Thank you so much for your time!
Always very appreciated!
This looks like an awesome bass and beyond synth! One thing that I have always meant to ask: What is the software you are using for the oscilloscope and frequency analyzer? I love the frequency number display!!
Hi, I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionally I’ll use scopes by VCV
Reminds me a bit for korg monologue. Many cool patches with the automation sequencer but hard to use in a musical context?
This is basically what I wanted Uno synth to be.
My Uno just sits there unloved. At least it was cheap.
there's quite a big price difference though.. this is about 5x the price of Uno!
@@ewanstefani well they have mostly listened with the uno pro 👍
The uno was shite , so glad I returned mine
Great overview of the board. What are you using for your scopes?
Hi, I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionaly I’ll use scopes by VCV
Great product, with lots of innovation
With almost a grand priced mono synth what this is, well im very happy with my monologue.
The double tap on the function knob, to see mod's, doesnt work on mine. just when i hold it, any idea?
Otherwise its a fantastic Synth! We need more of that kind of workflow
yes - I got a sneak peak into the beta... I'm guessing this will be released soon
That LED display is clever. Simple, but effective.
Yes, they are working on a granular thing at Norand ;)
Expensive but the features and quality shows...
Another high quality video as always...
Very nice, definitely one to watch. Great review as always. I am now trying to find gear with one knob per function. I have the UDO Super 6 which is really nice. However when you try to cram a lot of digital functionality into a system without a screen you get into multi-button press territory which is often worse than a screen. As soon as you start talking about needing a cheat sheet I'm wondering if that defeats the benefit. This is particularly relevant in modular. Having a few multi-button modules might be ok but when you have several you quickly forget what the buttons are and have to resort to the manual. Genuine analogue gear might not be as flexible but it's usually a lot easier to use :-)
Guessing you don’t have a Disting Mk4 then! No chance without the manual to hand.
I quite like the Modal approach - one knob affects two parameters using a latching shift button. Both parameters clearly marked so pretty straightforward to use.
@@leftmono1016 :-) It seems absolutely awesome but definitely not :-)
Yes, modal sounds do-able. Anything in particular you'd recommend?
@Ian have to agree on your point on UI. If its not the dreaded menu diving, its often replaced by the multi-shift-multi-button-finger-stretching actions! Id have liked if the entire knob was like a screen to show the value, or position as well as other settings. Yes a price bump. But I think it'd be cool. Think one of the faderfox boxes has such.
@@squishmusic Yeah, that would be real cool. Obviously, the UI doesn't bother some people - until they try using it 🤣 - but now I look first at the interface and then at the synth. I probably pass on a lot of great gear but the best synth or module in the world is useless if you don't use it or enjoy using it because of its complexity.
How do you know when the knobs are in the correct position for the preset? Is it when the light turns off on the knob?
Bought the Mono the day your video posted. Return for refresher courses :)
I agree this type of interface should be the future. I wish notation would do a compact version of the BS2 in this interface type.
i feel like perfection would be motorized xmod and xenv knobs that move to their stored positions when corresponding params are highlighted.
Strangely enough I was thinking about this last night. I’m pretty sure they would eventually break though.
It’s really a shame that nobody uses Nord Lead 3’s endless encoders with led ring anymore. It’s the perfect solution for something like this. But I suspect they were quietly shut down by a patent troll, because even Clavia never did it again
@@Vandueren5 that would be a perfect solution. It's expensive enough as it is without them trying to get motorised faders in there too.
@@Vandueren5 The ASM Hydrasynth has this. I think the main problem is that they're more expensive than pots and you need a lot of extra I/Os on your MCU to drive them all.
@@Vandueren5 Behringer did it with the BCR2000 and will again with the upcoming new BCR (Which I don't remember the model name for, BCR32 or something).
Out of my price range for now, but it looks really nice.
I really like these reviews, very complete overviews! Btw does anybody identify the software used for audio signal visualization on these videos?
Thanks! I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionaly I’ll use scopes by VCV
Thank you very much!
really nice layout.. but wish it had 3 osc and they could be played pr note each like the SID chip. It seems to go a bit in that direction but not all the way sadly.
Beautiful machine
Very nice! Malekko Manther would be a contender.
Hello loopop. Great tuto as always. But, please, where to find the same spectrograph as you?
Thanks! I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionaly I’ll use scopes by VCV
Thx
everything out of this thing sounds like aphex twin
what an amazing synth
Too bad it mostly sounds like wet baby sharts. No bite all squish. It also oddly sounds like a clay bell. None of the sounds made me happy
@@antivert I don't know what you're talking about, it bites like you'd expect analogue to, though it doesn't sound as musical as the Behringer synths, and I don't like the filter character as much as my Neutrons and Crave.
Those buttons are straight off of the Crumar Mojo. Like on the Mojo, it adds a really nice period aesthetic.
Interesting. When I go to buy a synth I run through the presets to get an idea of the range of possibilities, I'm not sure this is a good bank of presets from a sales point of view. Maybe more bread and butter sounds?
New Viewer, New Subscriber. Great & thorough Demo. Life long Guitarist bitten by the Synth Jones. I know sh**.It seems pretty cool to me. I'm a fan of the Korg Wavestate and that is what I use as my measuring stick.
If one of the oscillators were digital (think Minilogue XD with the ability to upload/customize your own oscillator types) I would buy this thing in an instant. Hard to not buy it now, to be honest. Great design.
Thanks for the review Ziv! I understand why you are excited about this device, in terms of break-through - well communicated modulation without tons of screens and menu diving. I wouldn't mind this in my arsenal, but i really don't need it. First, price wise, you can get Bass Station with AFX mode that upgraded BS and made it into completely new synth. Second, for the price, they could've thrown in a digital oscillator, something that can play wavetables. It would be really competitive, this way it is just another analogue 303 look-a-like thingy, although modulation options are insane and well worked out in terms of user friendliness. Kudos for the minimalistic design and no screen.
Ooh. That does sound nice - quite Moog-y. I’ve decided to stop buying synths, due to ‘financial priority’ reasons, but I wish this was around when I still was 😉.
Dig this little guy. I'm curious, though... (and I don't know why I thought of this but)... how come you never did a review of Sonicware's LIVEN 8-Bit Warps, yet? It's SO dope, and for the price it does a lot of awesome. I got one a few months ago and enjoy that thing immensely. Just wondering if you've ever considered a review of it. Thanks, Loopop!
Thanks! I considered it, but when the opportunity came up I just had so much going on I had to prioritize other things
wait that modulation system is bananas
Very cool - I’m not crazy about multifunction monosynths but this is very well thought out, and sounds great.
I wish it had a basic fix section with delay, reverb and distortion.
Just as you were talking about bugs, one appears from under the MIDI cable. 40:25
That guy took hours to train to get the timing right
@@loopop The apt timing did make me laugh. Does the little guy know he's a genuine analogue bug? You should name him Mono. 😁
Cool features. But a little expensive imo. I think the oscillators a little too sharp or buzzy for my taste. But a great thing is that the resonance doesn't drop the low end.
Yes. Bit harsh. Not very liquid or rubbery
the yellow distortion or what ever sounds and look freaking awesome! what is that?
it is... see description
How is the build quality on it? Is made of metal or plastic?
While I think this is neat, the digital control opens up questions to me about a feature of a similar synth (albeit with a different and maybe not so useful sequencer), the MOTAS 6: A software patch editor. Tiny screens on small synths are rarely the best idea anyways, a mostly intuitive screen free interface works fine for jamming. But a control application for computers would be neat for checking what sequences you have stored on the device, maybe even backing up/expanding pattern memory when a laptop or desktop is connected to it. And fine turning patches/sequences.
This is one of the best purchases I've made in many years. The workflow is really fast and the sound design possibilities are pretty amazing for it's size and synthesis structure. Norand has been really fast with bug fixes and I think the OS will settle into something really useful once more people start using it and recommend features and workflows. I don't really understand the strong opinions here from people that haven't even used one. Envy is a shitty emotion.
Agreed
I love how it glitches, and has access to parameter locks randomisation and patterns functions. Shit i want to combo this with the digitakt and rock some glitch stuff!
Thanks.
Hello Mr. loopop! How come you never reviewed the cobalt 8? ❤️ 🙏🏼
Too many people already covered it and it's not different enough from Argon 8 IMHO
@@loopop thank you so much for your reply!! I just value your reviews above all others. I’ll check out the argon 8 then 💕
Will you be covering the MONO Mk2?
looks like great fun at a steep price
Hey There! Can anyone tell me what software/hardware(?) is being used to show those waveforms?
Hi, I use MOscilloscope and MAnalyzer by a company called Melda - they’re free with some limitations in the MFreeFXBundle. Occasionaly I’ll use scopes by VCV
@@loopop Awesome, thanks for the info!
mod notes on Random sequence forever! this is a super fun synth especially if you like knob twisting.
Love the random features though I wish you could "rotate" the pattern (so that step 1 goes to step 2, 2 to 3, all the way to 16 to 1). Sometimes a random pattern sounds killer but the meter doesn't resolve according to the measure like you might want. Feature request!!
You can, function + up or down
The features are very identically like on the Elektron devices
@@perruschke6691 where is the buy now button
A lot of comments on price here .... I have been tinkering away on mine for a week and it's mind blowingly enjoyable, incredible synth. Run it through some basic effects and the sound goes ..BOOM
worth the money. At the end of the day it's whatever tickles your pickle. And this is tickling my pickle.
Fab mod seq, but I really like the core sound of this one too
Is there anyway to factory reset this?
2:14 - you lost me - how do they act differently than normal pots (compared to encoders), do you mean in the brightness of the LED?
yes, that the LED shows both the true value of the parameter and modulation
@@loopop OK, thanks.
Reminds me of my Futuretro FR777. One of several I deeply regret selling.