I come up with some decent lines on the mono, but thus far I gotta admit most of my journeys end up in a mess where for example it sounds like there’s a slow sinewave lfo on the volume, some notes just disappear, amongst other things, n I can never find my way back 
I end up checking every parameter n xmod but alas.
I clearly need to practice more.
I mentioned a few days ago that I’m going to try and prepare a live set using just the mono (and probably a few pedals). I’m all in on that idea now, and have a bunch of patterns prepared.
This is a couple of the patterns that I’m working on. This is just raw playback, no external sequencing, no knob tweaking (there will be knob tweaking when I perform it, you better believe that).
Working to build these grooves has made the 8 voices on the Digitone feel, frankly, decadent, but it is a lot of fun.
when using mono as a midi sequencer is it possible for accents & slides to affect external synths?
cant get em to work. I’m no expert with midi protocol tho.
I haven’t really explored this aspect of the machine yet. From what I can tell, knob movements are sent, but - unfortunately - no modulation from X-mod/env, as of the last firmware. They might implement this one day, who knows?
Slides are a tricky thing to talk about in MIDI. Not talking about the Mono in particular here, but you have note on/off, so you could in theory do a glissando rather than a smooth slide if a sequencer supported that.
Other than that - it’s tricky. One way to do it would be (assuming the target synth supports it) would be to send a CC message which effectively turns up the portamento parameter ahead of the next note on being sent, then turns it off - but turning it to zero might not match the original value - this approach does have legs though and is how you’d do it with an Elektron sequencer most likely (you’d plock the portamento amount).
Pitch bends don’t work, because the pitch bend range is defined by the target synth and not the sequencer, so the sequencer would need to know ahead of time how the target is set up.
That’s not exhaustive, but it probably highlights some of the difficulties.
Right, those features are not handled through the MIDI standard, they are implemented in the synth itself.
If your synth supports slides and accents, it would do so with either an internal sequencer OR application from conventional MIDI (overlapping notes, extremely high velocity values.)
gotcha. thought it might depend on the target synth somewhat. thanks for the detailed explanation brü
A good example of slide and accent implemented using conventional MIDI note sequences (and what i was thinking of initially) could be found in the mam mb33 retro.
Unsurprising that 303 clones would be the more common devices expecting such behavior!
I was thinkin of the retro as an example actually. Nice one 
If anyone is interested, my video with a live set done only on the Mono will go live at 2130(UTC+1) this evening. I’m doing it as a Premiere thingy so if you want to come hang out in the chat that’d be ace!
I don’t think I’ve ever used through-zero on anything but it sounds like the same principle as using 0hz carriers with Yamaha-style FM?
any Norand Mono owners have experience with the Analog Four? I would be very interested in hearing how they compare. I think the only thing that would hold me back is having four individual tracks in one box, which is why i keep coming back to the a4 despite its sound
I don’t have much experience with the A4/AK, but in my view, it really boils down to the interface.
The Mono has no screen, no multifunctional encoders, everything is right in front of you, and the blinking LEDs give some idea of what is happening with the patch. Everything is very direct.
The A4 is arguably deeper, with more polyphony, but less direct. Great for programming, perhaps not as good for improvisation.
I have both, though the Mono is relatively new to me and I haven’t done sound design on my A4mk1 in a while (I got distracted by modular). So I may not say anything you don’t already know. I’m tempted to say that the Mono is Dionysian and the A4 is Apollonian, but that’s too glib. The strength of the Mono is its spontaneous playability. The A4 has more sonic scope, and the screen means one can be more analytical about sounds. They’re not really comparable!
that makes sense, thanks for both of your input
Just watched your drum and performance videos. Well done. But one question: why not use mod notes for programming drum sounds? Wouldn’t that make it easier if you were building up a set? I’m kind of assuming there’s a reason behind your choice I don’t get.
I asked myself that same precise question.
A possible explanation would be that OscillatorSink wanted to keep the whole pattern under knob control, taking advantage of the offset P-locks?
(i.e. if you’re in normal note mode and turn knobs, they won’t affect the mod notes - unless you record automation)
Also curious about what he says about that.