Expert Sleepers disting NT: At the Heart of Simon Kirby’s Modular Mindset

Simon Kirby opens his presentation by situating the Expert Sleepers disting NT as the linchpin of his current Eurorack setup. Having travelled from Edinburgh with a streamlined case, he highlights how the NT has enabled him to condense his system without losing creative depth. Where once he relied on a sprawling rack, the NT now allows for a more focused approach, making it possible to perform complex patches within a much smaller footprint.

Kirby’s system is a blend of digital and analogue voices, sequencers, and effects, but it’s the disting NT that shoulders most of the heavy lifting. He notes that many of the sounds heard in his performance—polyphonic voices, samplers, and effects—are all running inside the NT. This consolidation not only simplifies patching but also encourages a more intentional selection of supporting modules, letting the NT act as a modular Swiss Army knife at the centre of his rig.

A major highlight of the disting NT is its robust polyphonic and MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) capabilities. Kirby demonstrates how the module can host multiple polyphonic voices, including a polyphonic version of Mutable Instruments’ Rings, as well as an implementation of Plaits for bass duties. The NT’s flexibility extends to handling MIDI sequencing and sample playback, all within the same module, making it a formidable hub for both melodic and percussive elements.

The presentation also spotlights the NT’s built-in effects, with particular attention to the Carbonator algorithm. Co-developed by Kirby and Os, the Carbonator records audio into a buffer and then plays back snippets in unpredictable ways, adding a layer of controlled chaos to the patch. This effect, along with the NT’s compressor and other algorithms, is seamlessly integrated into Kirby’s performance workflow, demonstrating the NT’s capacity to serve as both a sound generator and a creative effects processor.

Kirby walks through how the disting NT enables intricate sound design by combining multiple engines and effects within a single module. He demonstrates a polyphonic Rings patch, enhanced with distortion and mapped to various dimensions of his MIDI controller. Pressure controls damping, while the Y-axis modulates the strike position or structure parameter, allowing for expressive, real-time manipulation that would be difficult to achieve on the original Rings hardware.

The NT’s MIDI temporal quantizer is another standout, synchronising MIDI input with clock signals to keep performances tightly in time. Kirby shows how this feature can make even the rhythmically challenged appear tight, as notes are only triggered in sync with the clock. The ability to easily map controller dimensions to different parameters within the NT’s engines streamlines complex modulation tasks, making advanced sound manipulation accessible even in a live context.

One of the NT’s most significant contributions to Kirby’s setup is its ability to simplify and streamline the modular workflow. By hosting multiple algorithms and voices, the NT reduces the need for redundant modules, freeing up space and mental bandwidth for creative exploration. Kirby discusses how he manages CPU load by enabling and bypassing algorithms as needed, a process made straightforward via the NT’s performance page and intuitive controls.

He also demonstrates the Carbonator’s role in generating both random and repeatable patterns, particularly in percussion. By resetting the random number generator with pulses, he achieves semi-predictable rhythmic textures that can be mutated or recalled at will. This approach allows for evolving, yet controlled, sonic landscapes—ideal for both live performance and exploratory sound design. The NT’s integration with external effects like Mimeophon and FX Aid further showcases its versatility as both a sound source and a modulation hub.