Bringing it into the rig now.
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Nice. What are you using for samples?
Iām currently in the middle of designing a patch based on Cheat Codes for my Zoia.
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Right now, I sample directly from the Norns into its tape, and then experiment with that within different Norns apps. Once I get more comfortable with a few of the apps, Iāll import my favourites from my Blackbox sessions into Norns and play with those.
The internal disc isnāt huge, around 4GB, so Iāll have to be fairly selective which ones I use.
My curiosity was piqued by posts mentioning Orca and Otis. Found this vid of somebody explaining how he set up Orca serve as an Octatrack replacement. Looks like he has to rely on human memory to recall what buttons are triggering what, unlike the OT whose display changes to match whatever params youāre tweaking. Doesnāt seem to be using the live coding aspect of Orca.
Still nice to see it in action, with a user explaining what heās doing.
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Seems like some folks out there are modding their norns with a compute module 3+ (CM3+), which allows for up to a 32 gb storage. Iām considering it, but for the moment I want to see if I can stay within the current bounds. Heck, doesnāt the Digitakt only have 1GB of space on the +drive? It also is a more involved upgrade, requiring one to install the OS etc. from scratch. Stuff Iām comfortable with, but only if it really seems necessary. Limitations, right? Nice looking setup by the way. I totally trainspotted your knob positions on the SiX, hehe. I havenāt boosted my faders up that high yet, too afraid (but I also am new to such a mixer).
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This is such a wonderfully minimalist and nice setup.
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Wait you can record anything into Norns tape??? That is a holy shit moment for me.
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So tape is not another app? You can record into the tape recorder to use in another app?
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Yes, one tape record and one tape playback channel are always available in addition to the running script! This was a huge deal for me as well.
You also have reverb and compression always available. The softcut sampling engine is also always running independent of the script, but doesnāt do anything if the script doesnāt implement it.
This flowchart does a pretty good job explaining the signal flow, but itās missing the tape play and rec. The tape play comes in at the same place as the āmonitorā and āsoftcutā blocks, and recording is done right before the output.
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Haha 
yeah, the SSL SiX is so sensitive to how you tweak it, those knob positions arenāt going anywhere now. Iām applying the same to a set of tracks Iām working on. With no patch memory in sight or similar, Iām just waiting for one of the kids to turn a knob or two and Iām back to square one.
At these settings, the summing works pretty hard and touches the red, but doesnāt go into it. Thereās a slight distortion going on when it doew, which sounds really nice on drums but not so much on my fragile Prophet loops. So Iām keeping it just out of reach for the red stripes.
Iām not pushing the ch1 and 2 compressors all that hard, but the bus compressor is busy at work. Thatās where the sound really comes into its own.
Yep it records whateverās going on. Itās great for workflow. Record something from Awake or Molly the Polly or whatnot. Fire up mlr or Takt or whatever. Go to sample town.
That alone makes this investment worthwhile, seeing as I (partly) funded it by selling my pedals. Itās like having synths and fx processors in one box, with a seamless workflow between the two.
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Thank you!
Ever since I sold my OP-1 Iāve been lusting after something as fun as the OP-1 tape was, a creative recorder if you will. And Norns seems to do that and go beyond what the OP-1 ever could.
This went from being interesting till high on my want list! Even without grids I see a lot of use for this!
I mean, the Reels app alone is four tape tracks with a sample on each. Even looks like the OP-1 tape recorder.
Overall, the Norns isnāt nearly as difficult to approach as some would have it, monome themselves included the OP-1 is much more obtuse but still loved by the thousands. But the Teenagers are really clever at marketing and positioning. And the timing of its launch, of course.
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4!!
I was straight up ok with 1.
Now I have to figure out if a want a hydra synth desktop or Norns 
Those look so beautiful together!! It makes me want to look into getting a Blackbox.
I just wanted to mention that I would be somewhat concerned perhaps the 1010 Blackbox and Grid together may put an excessive strain on Nornsā battery. Especially if you plan to connect a USB MIDI device to Blackbox. Apparently that sort of thing is an issue even when providing direct (mini USB) power to Norns.
It has been suggested by Brian from Monome to use one of the data and power splitting USB cables such as the one available from Expressive E, which they refer to as a ground loop adaptorā¦ along with a USB power bank for portable use. That cable is super nice to have anyway! Iāve purchased two of them just to resolve ground loop issues in my setup, and they may be used to relive Norns of potential USB power overload/battery strain as well.
Enjoy the wonderful setup of constantly evolving interactive intelligence and joy!
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Thanks so far, itās working fine. Though the drainās pretty quick, a full charge lasts for maybe two hours if I got the grid and Blackbox running at the same time. This isnāt usually the case, so far, though. I keep mostly within the Norns, when I got something I like, I record it into the Blackbox to make a full track with it.
At least, thatās the plan. There are scripts out there that would allow for complete track making. Takt comes to mind, and mlr. Iām not just sure I want to. Norns for ideas and source material. Blackbox for song writing.
We shall see.
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Iām doing a review of Norns + Grid for an online publication. If you want a deeper analysis, itās coming in a few weeks. Photos and all.
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Fantastic! Please post it in this thread!
I feel like thereās a lot of mystic surrounding Norns, it would be great to get a definite explanation of what it actually is.
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Yep, I will.
I agree, the mystery is really not doing it any favours. Itās a straight forward hardware platform for music, where any script you launch becomes the instrument.
I think where many get lost is the idea on scripts, as if you have to understand that concept or even know anything about development. You donāt have to know shit. Iād say itās in your favour if you donāt, because then you can get straight to music making.
Itās like a video game console, but for music instead of games. Insert something, and it becomes what you inserted. You can even consider the scripts as patches. Load a patch, but instead of just a group of settings, itās an entire instrument.
Do you need to know how to develop games, to use a Playstation? Nope. You will enjoy the games and thatās totally fine and the vast majority of its audience.
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Hereās a question: is it more geared towards improvisation or can you load/store patterns and āsongsā (or chains of patterns)?
For those with an iPad: https://llllllll.co/t/touchosc-templates-for-grid-and-arc/25005/35