Visual Programs Module Choice and Layout in the Nord Modular Patch Language

The Nord Modular music synthesiser system comprises a standalone array of digital signal processors programmed by a dataflow visual langauage and supported by a visual programming environment that runs on commodity hardware. A crucial difference between the Nord Modular and traditional modular synthesizers is that each Nord module can be positioned individually, whereas physical analogue signal processing units are typically installed in fixed racks. We have used information visualisation techniques to investigate the layouts and programming style of 1,051 Nord Modular programs. We found that although modules could be positioned freely within a program, particular types of modules were generally found in sterotypical locations.