The G2 raw sound might appear a bit “cleaner”, more polished, compared to the G1, but it’s a very minor difference that usually tend to vanish when you start patching. I woulnd’t let that aspect influence your choice. Consider that in both cases we’re talking about very clean, modern sounding, digital synths.
In your situation I’d go G2 keys without any hesitation, with those nice knobs, and those extra FX and MIDI modules.
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As @LCVL stated, the sound of the G2 is a bit more ‘cleaner’. But the G2 has a wider possible range. The UI should in this case be the main choice. The G2 keyboard is in this regard the best possible UI you will get for what it can do. And don’t forget the very expressive Nord pitch-stick.
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I spent about 15 years using only the G2 Engine (and a midi UC33 knobs/sliders and a DD20 pedal to make little loops while loading in the next G2 patch because the audio drops) to make live performances/albums with.
It’s still sitting in it’s box on top of a cupboard and I have zero plans to part with it ever even though I’ve not used it in about another 10 years, it sounds exactly how you want it to sound.
I still think this is my favourite thing I did with the G2 where I made an imaginary broken tape machine - Unfolding Inwards | David Fyans
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Gorgeous track! Thanks for sharing! 
There is nothing like the G2, VCV doesn’t come close… the thing is not how you patch the machine (which is fantastic & the patch mutator is a godsend) that makes it so amazing, it’s much the same as VCV or Reaktor (but a lot easier to use than the latter); it’s how you can change the settings of 8 HUGE modular patches (if you use the mono FX slots as synth slots in themselves you can run 8 monophonic patches) AT ONCE with the touch of a Variation button… for performance it is still unmatched by anything else… you will need the full keys version to fully appreciate this though, the rack has no buttons so you have to assign midi controllers to do the same thing as the Variation buttons do but they will not react as instantaneously as the build in buttons… THIS is the real key to why the G2 is the most amazing synth ever and why no-one else has never done something similar or better is completely beyond me… Prices of all Nord modulars are going through the roof lately, so jump on one now while you can.
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it would be an instant buy for me and the market seems mature enough for a product like this.
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I mean on one hand yes, any successor to the G2 would be welcome, and a few have tried (axoloti, Wren) but I’m not sure the problem the Nord Modular series was trying to address exists anymore.
Computer systems are much more reliable than when the Modular series was introduced, so to be successful, I think it would likely have to be able to work independently of a computer, because otherwise, why wouldn’t you just use software or Push or something like that?
If that’s the case, the UI becomes a major hurdle to jump because you’d need a way to select and connect modules and place them freely, set up modulation routing, etc., as well as a system for controlling parameters with hardware controls.
I could see a riff off of the Waldorf Iridium, with a large touch screen, dedicated buttons for system controls, and a series of assignable controls similar to the G2, but that would be a real niche, and likely expensive, product.
I’d want it, but I don’t think can realistically expect anyone to make it.
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I was thinking something like a bigger 4ms meta 
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My thoughts on this (and to elaborate on what I wrote above):
For years, while using the G2, I dreamt of something like VCV but when it materialized I just wasn’t excited to use it and I still use the G2. A G3 will never happen but if it did, I would like to see them stick to the same formula of patching on the computer and having the hardware be a great controller for your modular creations. What I would do different:
- Much more memory and sampling capabilities
- Hardware plugins: imagine the guts of some popular euro rack filters in a format that had no physical controls but could be plugged into a G3 hardware and have total recall from the editor/hardware UI.
- Wifi connection for …
- Editor as a web app and open source
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If it needs a computer editor but can connect wirelessly, that would be awesome. I love the ease of use when patching on a large screen, it’s awesome !
Is there any chance of Wren ever being available on Mac? Has the developer mentioned any such plans?
Sounds sorta like norns tbh.
I do have Norns but I fail to see any similarities 
Check, check, and check. To be fair, the “patching” (i.e. SuperCollider code) can’t be done from the web UI as far as I know. It’s possible to connect to the norns SuperCollider server from a desktop SC IDE, though, which isn’t a browser, but could probably be ported for one.
Norns has parameter recall via its preset system. It is a bit limited on physical controls, but it’s also a USB host, so e.g. a MIDI controller could compensate. As far as guts of modules, there’s quite a bit built into SC already, but there’s also ports of e.g. Mutable Instruments modules. And everything with Norns is happening live on the Raspberry Pi, so there’s no separate editor necessary.
To be fair, I’m not aware of a visual patching interface a la G1/G2 for SuperCollider, and that’s where Organelle might be a better fit. Also Norns (and I think Organelle too) ended up being more like an open-source “app store” where there are many more script-users than script-writers. I believe monome’s original intent was more like the use case you’re describing, though. At least that’s how I thought of it.
It also opens up possibilities for live-coding Lua (and SC with some extra effort), which is almost like having a modular where you can rewire not just between modules but also within each module.
As someone made an alternative editor for the G2 allready (not maintained) this should be possible.
they did say it would launch with expander modules with additional controls so here’s hoping its a contender.
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Did anyone ever get the G2 editor to work on an M1 Mac? I know they can work on an intel with WINE…
I don’t think so. That would be the G1.
But if you know a way to run the G2 editor on a modern Mac, please let me know.
AFAIK, the problem is the USB driver needed for the OS to recognise the device.
Personally I bought a 100€ mini PC just for the G2, and I’m super happy I did. It could even fit in the G2 itself…
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Care to share a picture?
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