Expert Sleepers.Co
Expert Sleepers Disting NT
Published: March 31, 2026
Video Description
The good folks behind Expert Sleepers hired me to make a video showing the Disting NT doing something interesting - but what that was, was up to me. I figured the NT should be able to power an entire small live system, replacing a boatload of modules in one. And I thought about how James Holden blends computers & analogue filters in his work. And so I built a live system that does just that. Here's it working, how it works, the challenges I had, and the solutions. NOTE: YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THIS DISTING NT PATCH BELOW FOR FREE
WANNA BUY A DISTING NT OR ANYTHING ELSE? (Contains Affiliate Links!)
▶︎ Signal Sounds: https://www.signalsounds.com/expert-sleepers-disting-nt-multifunction-eurorack-module/?ref=mm
▶︎ Perfect Circuit: https://link.perfectcircuit.com/t/v1/8-12626-312335-9759?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perfectcircuit.com%2Fcatalogsearch%2Fresult%2F%3Fq%3Ddisting%2520NT
▶︎ Thomann: https://www.thomann.co.uk/expert_sleepers_disting_nt.htm?offid=1&affid=845
OFFICIAL SITE
▶︎ Official Site (note the firmware updates/new features): https://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/distingNT.html
▶︎ NT Helper Site: https://nosuch.dev/nt-helper/
▶︎ Official Preset Editor HTML: https://github.com/expertsleepersltd/distingNT/tree/main/tools
MODULARGRID OF THIS SYSTEM
▶︎ This case: https://modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/978940
▶︎ Disting NT: https://modulargrid.net/e/expert-sleepers-disting-nt
THIS DISTING NT PATCH & NOTES
Here is the Disting NT patch I built and showed in this video. It uses the built-in sample library. Feel free to have it and do as you will with it - break it apart/improve upon it! Below are the output and input mappings I used, as you would need to wire up similar modules to the correct ins and outs on Disting NT (and its breakout) for the patch to work as it does in the video.
▶︎ DOWNLOAD THE PATCH: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oRp3NK1QYGG2QSb5twUj5YdCTyOTioF3/view?usp=sharing
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MIDI CONNECTIONS
Out and In are wired to the 2HP expander, and must be connected to an 8 Channel MIDI trigger source. Disting NT is sending MIDI clock via OUT and receiving trigger patterns via IN. I used the Tubbutec Drummertime but any external MIDI trigger source/Drum Machine would work - you may need to remap the drum triggers to the correct MIDI notes in the Disting NT's Sample Playback module, which you can do.
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DISTING NT OUTPUTS
1 - To Jove Filter Audio Input (Raw Audio From Plaits)
2 - To Centaur Gate Filter Audio Input (Raw Audio From Braids)
3 - To Centaur Gate Filter Audio Input (Raw Audio From Drums)
4 - To Jove Filter Filter CV Input
5 - Final Mix Stereo Out Left
6 - Final Mix Stereo Out Right
Expander (7) - To Centaur Filter CV Input 1 (Braids)
Expander (8) - To Centaur Filter CV Input 2 (Drums)
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DISTING NT INPUTS AND WHAT THEY CONTROL
1 - DC Offset - Plaits Turing Lock (GOMA 1 CHANNEL 1)
2 - DC Offset - Plaits Mode (GOMA 1 CHANNEL 2)
3 - DC Offset - Plaits Harmonic (GOMA 1 CHANNEL 3
4 - DC Offset - Braids Turing Lock (ADE60 1)
5 - DC Offset - Braids Mode (ADE60 2)
6 - DC Offset - Braids Envelope (ADE60 3)
7 - DC Offset - Plaits Octave (ADE60 4)
8 - DC Offset - Plaits Envelope (GOMA 2 CHANNEL 1)
9 - DC Offset - Plaits to Clouds Reverb Amount (GOMA 2 CHANNEL 2)
10 - Jove Filter Output Audio (Filtered Plaits)
11 - Centaur Filter Audio Output 1 (Filtered Braids)
12 - Centaur Filter Audio Output 2 (Filtered Drums)
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MIKE INK LINK - AN AMAZING SET, NOTE THE USE OF PRE-MADE 909 PATTERNS
▶︎ https://youtu.be/VRRC_jEDMVI
JAMES HOLDEN LINKS
▶︎ James Holden's Benny Environment: https://www.playbenny.com/ ( A free DSP modular playground that you should absolutely check out)
▶︎ James Holden's Music: https://www.jamesholden.org/index.php (...is amazing)
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Today's Goal
00:23 - 1.5 Min Example Jam
01:57 - What's in this?
05:23 - Performance Page
06:35 - Doing Highpass Drops with External Filter
07:37 - James Holden's Principle
08:29 - Drums In Detail
10:18 - Braids Voice
11:08 - The DC Offsets In Detail
12:17 - You could use MIDI control surfaces
12:46 - Plaits Voice
13:31 - Creating Complex CV with NT
13:53 - Clouds for Reverb
14:08 - I Labeled the NT!
14:52 - How One Stack of Modules Becomes Multiple Voices
15:58 - The Need to Plan and Document Patches
16:18 - The Magic NT Helper App
17:06 - The Difference Between NT Helper & The NT
17:55 - The Official 'Preset Editor' Web App
19:58 - The Disting Community is Amazing and Helpful
20:25 - DIsting NT is Deep & Has a Learning Curve
20:51 - But it gives you a LOT
21:20 - What could I have done better?