So, you want to buy a Latronic Notron?
Here's some things to consider before spending a lot of time and money
looking for one.
First - practical issues:
1) Are you color blind/color weak? Go here and check:
http://members.aol.com/protanope/colorblindtest.html
If you don't pass all the tests you may have trouble telling the
difference between the Red and Orange states of the LEDs used in
the Notron. I have a green color weakness and the main way I can
tell between Red and Orange is by relative brightness.
When I am insane or when I need to replace the rotary encoders, I'm
going to swap all 87 LEDs out for a different tri-state LED (maybe
red, green, white) so I can see it better.
Currently, in the heat of the moment, I usually end up stepping the
LEDs until the are off or green and then I know where I am in the
cycle.
2) Where are you going to put it?
Either version of the Notron needs to be located near the gear you're
going to be driving plus it should be easy to see and reach so that
you can change things around in realtime.
If you're mainly rack-synth based, you might consider installing a
pull-out shelf in your rack for the Notron at lap level. The Notron
is too big to leave on top of a mixing console and it's not something
I'd leave sitting on a floor where it might be stepped on. Also
consider leaving space for the manual (which you'll refer to a lot).
One other possible solution is something like a heavy duty music
stand or microphone stand with a shelf. That way you can adjust it
up or down and move it around the room a bit.
3) Is it going to be your primary sequencer?
If you are going to use the Notron as your primary sequencer, does it
generate the kind of stuff you need? What I mean is that if you're
doing hip-hop or rock, it's probably not going to be doing any more
for you than any number of hardware or software MIDI sequencers and
your hard-earned money might be better spent elsewhere.
If you plan on using the Notron as an 'idea generator' and capturing
the output in another sequencer (MPC-3000, Cubase, etc), you have a
different set of issues to consider. First, you're going to have to
set up some kind of MIDI routing/patchbay scheme that also involves
merging of MIDI data or automated patch switching on your MIDI
patchbay so that you can use your primary sequencer and the Notron to
drive your sound modules and still be able to capture the Notron
output, all the while avoiding MIDI loops. Try to avoid manually
swapping MIDI cables as the answer because it a) takes time,
b) adds to the wear and tear of your MIDI connectors, c) interrupts
the creative flow, and d) adds to the list of things that you can
mess up when you're thinking like a musician instead of an engineer.
Another issue is the relative complexity of the Notron. The ease of
operation is directly proportional to the number of hours you spend
with it. Spend a lot of time with it and try to spend some time
every day to keep your memory refreshed.
After a while, you'll be able to do pretty much everything with it
and only refer to the manual for the most esoteric functions.
If you spend a few hours with it, set it aside for a week or two and
then come back to it, you'll spend 15 minutes figuring out how to set
the sequence length and MIDI channels and completely forget how to
edit note values and note lengths. This leads to frustration and not
exploring all the cooler advanced features. Unfortunately, even
though there are front panel graphics, it's not like a software
sequencer where you can find what you need by just mousing around and
pulling down menus. The front panel doesn't really tell you the
whole story.
4) Can your gear use the Notron output?
Simple, but key issue. If you have a bunch of old analog synths with
no MIDI or with Kenton/Groove/JKJ/etc MIDI retrofits, you're probably
not going to get a lot of benefit from the Notron. The Notron excels
at sending out lots of MIDI data on multiple channels and also lots
of MIDI CC data. If your gear only responds to note, pitch bend,
volume, and modulation, you'll end up using about 70% of the Notron
capabilities. Check your MIDI implementation page in your owner's
manual. The more MIDI information your gear receives and
understands the better it will be for you. If your synth has a
programmable modulation matrix that lets you assign mod sources (like
wheel, CC #, etc) to destinations, you'll be in Notron heaven. This
is another reason why the Notron should be located near your
synths/modules. You will be editing and tweaking your gear while you
are playing with the Notron.
Analog synths driven by a Notron plus a MIDI->cv converter would seem
to be a neat combination. Based on my experiences, it really
depends. The best target synth is a fully patchable one. I
basically mean real modulars. Even a stock ARP 2600 leaves something
to be desired because some of the neat modulations are not available
without modifications. Regular synths like a Pro-1 or something just
have cv/gate/filter frequency inputs and that really limits the
benefits of using the Notron.
SUPPORT
Currently, the Notron is not officially supported in any way. If
your unit dies, there is a non-zero probability that you won't be
able to get it fixed or else you will be able to get it fixed, but
it'll cost you a good chunk of money and time. In addition to the
issues with the MACH 210, the rotary encoders will eventually need to
be replaced. These parts are still available, but once again, it
takes someone with the time and skills to replace them. The tri-
color LEDs are interesting. Cylindrical LEDs (flat tops) like the
ones in the Notron are not very common. Multi-color cylindrical LEDs
are almost impossible to find in the normal electronics supplier
catalogs.
ALTERNATIVES
OK, what else is out there? Well, if you want hardware MIDI
sequencers, there are a few alternatives. The main ones I know about
are the Doepfer MAQ 16/3 and Shaltwerk; the Frostwave FAT Controller,
Future/Retro Mobius, and the Zeit Sequencer from Infection
Instruments. I'm sure that there are others, but I just can't think
of them at the moment.
There are a few old analog hardware sequencers that are strictly
cv/gate and they pop up in the used marketplace from time to time.
The ones that are worth seeking out are the ARP 1613/1623 sequencer,
the Oberheim Mini-sequencer (try to get it in the standalone version
*with* power supply, as opposed to being pulled from a 2 voice), the
Roland 104 sequencer (non-quantized outputs only), and the rare
EML-400/401 sequencer.
