Korg - Nu:Tekt NTS-1 Digital Synth Kit

Product Information

The Ruismaker custom oscillator for Korg Nu:Tekt NTS-1 turns your instrument into a basic analog drumsynth. This makes three float-type static variables called “rate”, “lastSampleL” and “lastSampleR”, and a uint32_t-type static variable called “count”. You might be thinking, “why don’t the numbers start with 1?”. In that case, the loop would end once the number reaches the same number as “frames”. That said, there’s only one chance for the numbers to be the same... so if you make a mistake in your programming and go over the number, you’ll end up with an endless loop. If this happens, the program may freeze, or perhaps the following process will start at zero, which could be convenient... That ties neatly in with the next topic.

Moving onto the effects section we have Modulation, Delay and Reverb to play with. All three start off bypassed. The Modulation section has Chorus, Ensemble, Phaser and Flanger with time and depth controls. There's no frequency control over the time, you just dial between smooth and wobbly, and there's no extra parameter available while holding the button. The Ensemble effect is particularly gooey, but they all sound excellent. Makefile”, “manifest.json” and “project.mk” are definition files. The files you’ll need to rewrite according to the effects you will create are “manifest.json” and “project.mk”. The NTS‑1 is a DIY kit, but the build is not really any more bother than grappling with some seriously small screws. The only scary bit is the snapping of the boards as they all come as a single piece. But it's fine, just apply some pressure and they break along the predetermined lines.A function is represented by We’ve placed emphasis on the positioning of this product as an effect, as by using this familiar synth plugin for sidechain input, the vocoder as a carrier opens you up to endless sonic creation possibilities. Of course, any audio input to the sidechain can be used as a carrier, so you can enjoy using this plugin effect at your whim for not only synth sounds but also guitar, bass guitar, drums and more.

Once you start loading third-party algorithms with the Librarian tool, the NTS-1 gets exponentially more enjoyable. Among our favourite oscillator algorithms are the JP-BOOO supersaw from Eduardo Digital, and Groove from Sinevibes, which turns the NTS-1 into a seven-zone groovebox with synth and drums. Not all algorithms are made equal, though. Some are free, others are donationware, and many more are premium. Some aren’t even designed for the NTS-1 but for the Minilogue XD and Prologue. As the Librarian software warns when you load a new algorithm in, use them at your own risk. You do run into the problem of parameter lurch when moving between modes. These are not encoders and so their value is wherever you left it last. So, you might have turned up the Shape on the oscillator and then move to the filter to find that it leaps all the way open as soon as you touch the knob. This is the curse of a multi-function interface. Going Deeper The fun isn’t over after you finish building the NTS-1. The screws on the side panels are long enough to let you easily attach custom side panels. This value comes in fixed decimal format as we covered earlier, so we need to first convert it to floating point. In this example, we convert fixed decimal Q31 format into 32-bit floating point, and store the result in a variable called “valf”. We use “const” when the data content should not be changed. Try searching for this if you need more details. Further, as audio programming pros we’re so excited about how the NTS-1 has an audio input and can be used as a synthesizer or as an effects unit. It’s really interesting how the NTS-1 offers all this, while still being eminently affordable. That’s why we proposed this article series—we wanted to tell as many people as possible about the fascination of this product.

Do I really need this?

We created the first variable to temporarily put the location of our current sound in. We initialize with no sound. As we’ve written over and over again, the basics of audio programming are the same, whether you’re using the NTS-1 or working with a DAW plugin. In this way, we return the value to zero and keep the buffer going (meaning that we keep writing to it). This is called a “ring buffer” or “cyclic buffer”.

This time, we use just the knob A data, so the contents of “valf” are stored in the “rate” variable when k_user_modfx_param_time (index name of knob A) data is received. Although there may be an infinite number of ways to make your solution work, it all comes down to how you want to build the sound you’re looking for, between the input and the output. The main oscillator can produce Sawtooth, Triangle, Square and VPM waveforms, and can load custom oscillators created from Korg’s logue SDK, which means it’s compatible with content created for prologue and minilogue xd. These waveforms can be easily re-shaped and adjusted just by simply turning a couple of knobs. Using this method on the NTS-1, we separate the audio from the oscillator sound and process them to make our vocoder this time a reality!So now that I’ve got a smug look on my face after explaining all this, we’ll get into the secrets of how the bitcrusher works. By converting to integer, for instance we can change the value of “7.4” in “p” to “7”, dropping the decimal and then storing that in “prev”. So, when the conditions of the “else” statement are met, the knob is being turned, so the stop effect is processed.

For the other variables, we can just use “0” or the default value; but for the buffer, we use the “buf_clr_f32()” function for initialization. This time, we’ve got a workable buffer size, so we don’t get a negative result. Still, we need to get into the habit of thinking about minus locations in our array. Simply put, if you don’t want the contents of the variable to be erased every time a process is executed, set it to “static”, and the contents will be maintained.If the idea of having to build the NTS-1 fills with you with terror, allow us to set your mind at rest. There’s no soldering involved – it’s basically just a case of screwing the thing together (you even get a mini screwdriver in the box). You might feel a touch of apprehension as you snap the bits of the chassis apart (they come supplied as one board), but it’s nothing to have nightmares about. You should be done in well under an hour.