First I just want to say that I’ve been wanting a true software version of Moog’s Memorymoog for a long time, and was quite disappointed with Cherry Audio’s Memorymode. Today I’m beyond happy to find that you’ve just released the Arturia version, Memory V! I ordered mine immediately, and I’m completely blown away with how great it sounds and how faithful the original presets are, they’re rich and completely accurate reproductions of the trusty old analog beast that I had to part with. THANK YOU!!
The one huge item on my wish list is the Clavia Nord Modular G2X. Mine is 22 years old now and still sounding great, but it has some limitations, the main one being that it does not support samples or wavetables, only virtual analog waveforms. But what it can do with those waveforms is truly amazing, and the virtual modular interface, with its unbelievably flexible set of modules, is like nothing else that’s ever been released. I’ve been using it as my only keyboard on stage for the last 20 years, and it’s easily been my #1 favorite synth to program.
That said, I’m currently in the long, slow process of converting my one-keyboard rig to an all-virtual synth setup, using the Arturia KeyLab mk3 61 with mostly Arturia synths hosted in Gig Performer. This is a beautiful setup, but it is going to take me a very long time to translate my custom G2X patches for even a short 100-minute live set. It’s not the first time I’ve had to translate patches from one platform to another, but it is the most challenging. In 3 months I’ve managed to complete the sounds and layouts for only seven songs out of 22. So far I’m mostly using Prophet-5 V, your beautiful recreation of my first-ever stage keyboard, since I know it intimately. And for more complex things that it cannot do, Pigments is working nicely. Gig Performer is doing a great job of routing my complex keyboard/pedals setups, with Gig Script filling in the gaps of what its UI cannot do. I can’t wait to finish this cutover!
Meanwhile, what would you think of working on a Nord Modular G2X software instrument? Would you even be able to get necessary permission from Clavia DMI?
Clavia has been focusing mainly on pianos and organs, along with the interesting Nord Wave 2. But they’ve never continued their incredible virtual modular line, which is sad. And they are adamantly hardware-based.
Thanks LBH, it continues to be quite an experience. My friends think I’m out of my mind, but I have enough spectrum OCD in me to keep plugging away at it.
I’m definitely stacking and layering multiple instances of Prophet-5 V, Pigments, and Kontakt. On the G2X, a patch can have as many oscillators, filters, envelopes, modulation routings, etc., as will fit in memory. So for some songs I’ve had to split the patch into two or more stacked Prophet-5 V synths. As far as layering sounds across the keyboard, the G2X is incredibly flexible – even though a “performance” can consist of only 4 patches, each with its own keyboard range, I can get around that by creating more than one signal path within a patch and limiting it to its own section of the patch’s keyboard range. In Gig Performer it’s actually a bit easier to do this, and there are several different ways to change the keyboard layout from one song “part” to another. My favorite G2X trick has been to patch the sustain pedal to a sequencer that steps through the different layouts I need, instantly switching to completely different sounds in modified keyboard ranges. Or if a song only needs one or two layout changes, I can do that by splitting the expression pedal into two or three ranges, with each range triggering a layout change. Gig Performer can do all this. I sing lead on half of our songs, and play the bass parts on most, so my hands are pretty much rooted to the keyboard and I can’t be grabbing knobs or the mod wheel while I’m playing. So I rely on the two pedals for pretty much everything but actual notes.
It’s a long time ago i have performed on stage. I do not have experience using software instruments on stage. But i know it’s something performers do. Many uses a mix of hard an software instruments. I will say, that what’s work is fine. I think using software instruments live will require a very good and reliable computer.
I do love hardware synths. But i do not have the room for them, and do not have any anymore. They also need to be taken care of. I’m happy i have the software option. And software can in some cases do more than hardware.
I also use software to in a way explore hardware i have never had, even if it’s not quite the same.
I’m mostly a Windows user at home, but I just haven’t been able to trust a Windows laptop to handle real-time audio and MIDI on stage. We’ve had great results using a MacBook Pro for that, it’s been rock-solid. It provides the Battery drum sounds for our drummer’s electronic kit and Kontakt samples to augment my Nord Modular, all while simultaneously running our projector light show.
