In his latest loopop video, synthesist Ziv Eliraz takes an in-depth look at Monome’s Norns, Grid and Arc – a trio of open hardware instruments.

Monome (Brian Crabtree and Kelli Cain) makes a small line of products that are designed to be open-ended and customizable. The company’s instruments are minimal, but also flexible and powerful:

• Grid is an open, interactive instrument that allows the user to imagine and define its function.
• Norns is a Linux-powered open-source sound computer.
• Arc is a devices with rotational controls, encircled by dense segmented lighting, completely open for user definition.

“This week I’m reviewing Monone’s Norns, Grid and Arc,” notes Eliraz, “A hardware and software platform that’s entirely open source, which is probably why so many musicians and developers contribute extremely creative apps for it, including loopers, granular samplers, innovative sequencers, effects and other musical apps that don’t fit in any traditional category.”

“This video takes an in-depth look at the platform, a bit of scripting, and also includes over 10 script walkthroughs/demos.”

Topics covered:

0:00 intro
1:50 three norns
3:45 connectivity
6:00 workflow
7:05 system menu
7:25 tape
7:55 params
8:45 maiden
9:35 norns.community
11:10 grid
11:40 awake
12:40 thirtythree
14:45 mlr
17:00 other grids?
17:50 arc
18:25 mangl
19:00 larc
20:00 mx.samples
20:40 passersby
21:30 scripting
23:30 alternatives
24:05 vs organelle
25:20 pros & cons
31:30 showers
32:00 icarus
33:05 oooooo