The Nord Modular

I've done a few mods to this synth to make it easier to use with the Continuum Fingerboard and the Chapman Stick.

Internal Stick Preamp

This synth can process audio from the outside and has really nice compressor and noise gate modules that work well on the Chapman Stick. Unfortunately its audio inputs expect line level, so some kind of preamp is needed between the Stick and the Nord. I built two preamps on a small circuit board and mounted them on a board with a stereo 1/4" jack mounted in a new hole I drilled on the back panel. The preamps are simple non-inverting amplifiers with a gain of about 20.

9V Power Output for Guitar Pedals

The Nord cannot do delay and reverb effects, so I like to do this with a Boss RV-3 pedal. I didn't want to have to bring an AC adapter or Pedal Power unit just to power one pedal, so I added a 9V output jack to the back of the Nord. A 7809 voltage regulator takes a ~10V ripply DC signal from the power supply (the one going into the regulator that makes the +5V for the Nord) and turns it into 9V. A jack for a 2.5mm/5.5mm barrel connector is mounted on the back of the Nord so guitar pedals can be powered from it. The jack has to be isolated from the metal case because guitar pedals expect tip of the barrel connector to be negative and the outside to be +9V. The isolation is accomplished using a Switchcraft barrell connector, a flat washer, and a swedged washer.