Nanoloop mono - analog synth cart for DMG. Pre-ordered. 
4 Likes
same! Canāt wait!
Soo what are people thoughts on nanoloop mono after all this time? I have been thinking of getting a modded gameboy dmg and the midi device for sync specifically for thisā¦ but that start running kinda steep, 150$ for a modded dmg (backlight and prosound), 80$ish for nanoloop mono, 60$ for teensyboy pro (with cable and flash cart for lsdj or mGB I guess). Iām not super into chip tunes but I think the nanoloop mono sounds nice a bit more SID than GBā¦ I was also curious if making sequenced drones on it was interesting enough to then be sampled and repitched on something like a digitakt.
It wont break the bank but I could just save a bit more and grab and 0-coast or something along those lines.
I made some music with it, but ultimately I went back to nanoloop 2 (the GBA version). NL2 is much cheaper, and far more diverse than mono. Definitely capable of escaping that āchiptuneā sound.
Some example releases made entirely with Nanoloop 2:
Classic Mistake - Geothermal
little-scale - RIP_2.3
0F.digital - WRKR (obligatory self-promotion)
Also, another benefit of nanoloop 2 is that itāll run on a DS lite, which can be found for very cheap and doesnāt need modding for good sound. Only problem is that you wonāt be able to sync it with other devices. If you use a standard GBA itād be pretty easy to sync it with other machines, as the link cable output can put out a 16th note sync pulse.
3 Likes
Hmm yea I already have a GB micro and a modded GBC that could run nanoloop 2 or lsdj but I feel like I have that kind of the crunchy side of my sound covered that I am hearing in nanoloop 2ā¦ I guess my aim isnāt for the most diverse sound, just the sound of the mono is a bit more appealing to me. https://www.instagram.com/p/BMaGta2AP5s/ this post is one that peaked my interest on it https://www.instagram.com/p/BMAdar-A-4r/ I guess my mind is thinking of fizzy wobbly drones with plops and bloops. I dunno I generally prefer digital stuff for its flexibility but maybe I am having a case of analog blindness haha 
this is the type of thing I am currently working on https://www.instagram.com/p/BgVacTrjI3X/
1 Like
See I think the opposite; I started with the iOS version but then the GBA version was the one that really grabbed me. I find it a lot faster with the GBA controls, plus itās more flexible.
Ha, possibly. Itās definitely possible (and easy) to get fizzy wobbly droney stuff on nanoloop 2. The FM synthesis āengineā on it (I say that because itās basically just wavetables) can produce clean sine tones, and with a long (or infinite) release and a slow pitch LFO itās easy to get really warbly, soft drones.
2 Likes
I feel like the the cart versions have some live performance advantages over the mobile version, not just because of the physical buttons, but also because of the screen/randomisation shortcuts. Plus I find the sound on GBA more satisfying/punchy.
I do love the sample stuff in the mobile version though and 8 tracks and the ability to cycle through 4 patterns for longer progressions.
Mono is nice, but it feels more like something to sync with NL2 than a stand-alone. But Iāve been pretty lazy at using it.
1 Like
You canāt really go wrong with an 0-coast if thatās your other option. I think you might be disappointed in the range of sounds you might get out of nanoloop mono, especially if you are hoping for it to sound SID-like. You just need something with nice PWM and a snappy pitch envelope for those nice Hubbard SID basses.
1 Like
Those 2 instagram jams are me, I have had most versions of nanoloop since it first came out including the iOS versions, mono is definitely capable of drones and plops and bloops, it can have a rounder softer sound or a more acidic or even at times Juno-ey sound, basically you have 3 channels, noise which can also do pulse, click which is best for percussion and rectangle which is best for bass. The n and r channels can both play 2 notes, the c channel is really best suited to pinged percussive stuff, great bass drums, toms, claves etc, but can also do interesting filter fm stuff although the modulation does not go super fast.
NL2 can also do drones and since you already have a GBA it might be worth trying it first, because if you donāt like that you wonāt like mono and it is cheaper.
Personally I would not bother getting into mGB or teensyboy or LSDJ yet, you can always add these later, no need to get a pro-sound modded gb at first either, backlight is handy though.
Mono does sound great though, and sampling into the Digitakt would of course add a lot of other options.
1 Like
@bwo I just did this with the kind of sounds you mentioned in mind, of course once effects are added it would sound a lot lusher.
3 Likes
Here is a NL2.7 house track with some softer type sounds, I think if we were to compare nanoloop mono to the A4 then NL2.7 would be like Digitone.
3 Likes
Haha dang man thanks for the reply, I knew I had seen you floating around here but felt a bit weird directly tagging you as I didnāt want to demand your input. I think your maybe right about not needing the midi stuff when I am starting with it as I would mostly use it to come up with drone-ish things to sample and little stand alone beats that I might come up with out during a break on a long hike. Those simplistic drones are really nice I think. Glad to be getting so much good input from everyone on this. I actually have a really large gameboy game collection so a classic DMG with screen mod and maybe audio would be a fun way to play other than my modded GBC. I think you might be the current master of the nanloop mono for non chip tune type stuff, surprisingly few video around with it. Messing around with the nanoloop one demo rom now getting some pretty interesting chirps drones and splashes of noise although none of it has quite the character found in mono.
Youāre most welcome, and thanks for the compliment 
Yes mono has a quite different tone from the others, not quite as versatile but personally I really like the fairly limited pallete as it often sounds very nice. If you do get a cart it is pretty simple to mod the DMG for a direct mono output, I documented the mod on the op1 forum, the mono out gives a much cleaner and louder sound than even the prosound mod. All you need is 2 wires and a mono 3.5mm socket.
Here is a pic showing the points to add your wires:
3 Likes
Got my first little test jam out from the nanoloop mono. Gotta say this thing is pretty dang amazing.
2 Likes
^ Nice!
If anyone needs a modded gameboy. Or just a gameboy I have a few for sale. Is this nanoloop new? I have had a nanoloop cart and 2x lsdj carts for years
2 Likes
Iām excited to see some video of it in actionā¦ looks like a fun interface.
Iāve done a lot of nl mono jams but havenāt released anything yet Iāll post links here for those interested in more sound examples. (Not 100% nl mono , might have some nl 2 and electribe er1 ringmod and drums)
https://soundcloud.com/glooms/monotaliks-demo https://soundcloud.com/glooms/g-l-o-o-m-s-a-c-i-d-e-n-d-u-r-a-n-c-e-t-e-s-t-2 https://soundcloud.com/glooms/g-l-o-o-m-s-a-c-i-d-e-n-d-u-r-a-n-c-e-t-e-s-t https://soundcloud.com/glooms/sets/bootleg-ac-d-workouts
1 Like
āA dedicated nanoloop device with FM synth and LED dot matrix / segment display.ā
