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Hey ! I'm fairly new to Eurorack. I just have a question I can't seem to find answers...

I have a Plaits (my only VCO) and I use my Digitakt to sequence it, using a MIDI-CV Module (Mutant Brains)

Now, I love the ephemeral side of eurorack, but what if I want to perform live? How can I always have the same tuning on Plaits? Since I also use samples on my music played by the Digitakt, Plaits is only providing the melody.
How can I have the same tuning when I power up my system? Do I have to tune Plaits?
The way I'm using it is to have the Frequency knob all the way down, so it's always the same pitch when I play a sequence, I just go an octave or two higher on the keyboard, if I want higher notes.
I don't quite understand the Frequency knob on Plaits and other VCO's... I'm just scared to touch it a little bit and the song will be ruined. I'm mainly producing Techno and House. Why is there always a big frequency knob? Can't you change the frequency of a VCO with a sequencer and maintain the pitch stable on the module? So the frequency stays the same everytime, as long as it's the same sequence?

I'm sorry if I'm not getting something here, I need your help :)

Thank you very much, Cheers!

Here is the rack; but the second row does not actually exist -- the Tetrapad is waiting in a box for its time to rejoin the fun.

(Seems that the preview image above is not upto date -- click on it to see the real rack...)

The main objective here was to get the Hats909 to be something more interesting than the 909 high hat, which was mostly achieved with the help of the Doepfer LPG. Disting is playing the drum loop into Font, while BIA is everything else. All sequencing and triggering from Pam's with various switches. (There is also a mixer and a Sherman Filterbank out of shot, supplying extra filth to the drum loop.)

(apologies for all the time my arm is blocking the camera....)

Don't settle on that BSP just yet...have you checked out the Keystep Pro? Imagine two BSPs jammed into the same case with a velocity-sensitive keyboard, user-programmable arpeggiator, dual expression controllers, loads of I/O. And just $140 more.

Even with two BSPs and a Keystep on hand here, that KSP is something else! And I can lock all of that crap up to most anything, since it all plays nice with +5V clocking. It's a decent size-fit for a 104 hp cab, too.

I am a noob to eurorack. My first intro to eurorack was at NAMM 2020 where I walked through the modular section and was amazed at the possibilities that modular can bring. Since then I've mostly done research on live performances using modular racks and this is what my focus is.

After some research, I'm pretty confident about buying a BeatStep Pro to sequence my modular and to control a Volca Sample 2 for drums and samples. This leaves me with 2 sequencers on the BeatStep Pro to sequence my modular. I'm not so interested in buying a mother 32 or 0-coast as a starting point. I'd much rather start buying modules.

As far as a case I'm either getting a Mantis or some sort of DIY rackmount hybrid case, but I'm leaning towards just getting a Mantis.

I'm looking for advice on performance-oriented modules for a basic but expandable rack. I have tons of experience soldering so I'd rather buy DIY kits even if it only saves a little cash.

Apparently this is expected within tolerance, just something to keep in mind for others

https://forum.intellijel.com/t/planar2-abcd-voltages-inconsistent-per-channel/2914/2?u=qdox

Just posted to their forum, so yeah hopefully they'll get back there. Seems odd to me, though I definitely tried both auto and manual calibration. I don't believe the ABCD channels can be calibrated the same way as the XY, nothing I'd seen in the manual at least. I'd assumed they were all related but the XY calibration seems okay, -5V to 5V or 0V to 10V both directions

EDITED Sep 29th 2020, 19:16

Could be slightly miscalibrated. Have you contacted Intellijel directly to see what their take on the problem might be?

I picked up an Intellijel Planar2 and I noticed that in ABCD mode, there's a discrepancy in the voltage levels. For the ABC outputs, they all output unipolar 0V to ~10.2V, though the D output only goes from 0V to 9.3V. I exchanged it for another but noticed the same problem. Can anyone else confirm this for their units?

Yo I am no official speaker, but the feature of having multiple frontpanels consolidated into 1 module is already included on modulargrid funnily enough.
check it out by adding https://www.modulargrid.net/e/neutron-sound-uo-c to your rack and pressing the blue arrow buttons on the bottom of the module once it's in your rack.
The different panels are nowhere to be seen on the actual module page though so I do agree that something like that should be more prevalent on the main module page so people can actually realize it's a feature and stop creating multiple entries for the same module.

Here's another instance:

Maths (which I own + love) is currently taking up 5 spots:

Top Modules rated by users:
1. Make Noise MATHS (black panel) Ø 4.87 (30)
3. Make Noise Maths Ø 4.77 (486)
7. Make Noise MATHS Ø 4.65 (95)
10. Make Noise Maths (white knobs) Ø 4.61 (61)
17. Make Noise Maths Ø 4.56 (81)

I have a Batumi quad LFO and IME/Harvestman Kermit MK3 modulation sources in my two setups and both are superb. The new Divkid 0chd looks great for a small powerhouse of modulation with 8 free flowing LFOs in a small 4hp module:

https://divkidvideo.com/ochd-the-second-divkid-eurorack-module/

That would be fun to add.

Forever grateful for the guidance @Lugia. Cant wait to experiment.

You've got the uModII already? Well, don't let it go! I've thought for a while that that was a superior piece of gear, especially due to the separate "SUM" and "DIFF" functions. Most ring mods don't let you go there, and if you can find a quadrature VCO to pair with it, you can get fairly close in behavior to a Bode Frequency Shifter. Not spot-on, but pretty close.
-- Lugia

Thank you @Lugia for your insights. Excited to try it. Trapezoid Thru Zero Quadrature VCO by Doepfer as a pair to uModII?
-- Iheartopone

Absolutely! While it's technically an audio source, that module would work. But a better quadrature modulation LFO would actually be Doepfer's A-143-9. Having that sort of phase-shifted modulation is an awesome tool that can work in a lot of places...effects, autopanning, stereo level modulation, and on and on.

EDITED Sep 29th 2020, 00:37

Following up, Nerdseq is another example. Each faceplate color has a different entry. If they were consolidated, then the module would appear quite high on the evaluation list.

Currently they don’t meet the 30 reviews threshold, so despite over 30 ratings that would put it somewhere in the 4.75+ range, the module doesn’t benefit from it’s deserved cumulative rating.

Thanks for any insights!

Hi Baltergeist and Sacguy71,

Ha, ha, indeed, I had tested the Varigate last year at my local dealer but somehow, it wasn't my type of sequencer, I guess.

I am currently checking with my local dealer if the Ground Control (Endorphin.es) will become available soon or if we are going to get yet another half year delay... To be honest, for the moment all my hopes are on that one. If it is for some reason disappointing, I might indeed want to test the Eloquencer at my local dealer. Let's see how it goes with the Ground Control.

Thanks a lot for your input and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Troux,

No, it was just me going wild ;-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Lugia,

That's very interesting indeed, thank you very much for that! They even got a German website for their items, great! :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

I have a varigate 4+ and it is just ok not precise enough and probably not great for what Garfield wants. I recommend the Winter Eloquencer or 512 Vector those are superb sequencers that have all kinds of great options.

I'm a big fan of the Malekko Varigate 4+. It's one of the few modules I've held onto in my purge. The sliders aren't the best for performative use, but I don't do a lot of wiggling in my patches so that's not a concern for me. Might be worth your while to look into.

@Garfield, the eloquencer is nice! I met a guy who had not one but FOUR in his setup.

@GarfieldModular TBH I thought you'd been hacked at first 🤣🤣🤣

You've got the uModII already? Well, don't let it go! I've thought for a while that that was a superior piece of gear, especially due to the separate "SUM" and "DIFF" functions. Most ring mods don't let you go there, and if you can find a quadrature VCO to pair with it, you can get fairly close in behavior to a Bode Frequency Shifter. Not spot-on, but pretty close.
-- Lugia

Thank you @Lugia for your insights. Excited to try it. Trapezoid Thru Zero Quadrature VCO by Doepfer as a pair to uModII?

OK...we all know that Eurorack enclosures are expensive AF, as a rule. But do they HAVE to be?

See here: https://www.newark.com/schroff/24563-191/19-inch-subrack-europacpro-kit/dp/59M5127

Looks familiar, donnit? Yep, it's a "Europac" enclosure, the thing that Dieter Doepfer based the whole standard around.

Now look at the price tag: $70-ish for just one, and bulk discounts for more than one.

But it doesn't have a backplane! Well, it doesn't in THAT state, no, but Newark carries those as well...in fact, they appear to carry much of the Schroff Europac hardware, so a little more searching and some time with a drill with a carbide bit to put your busboard mounting holes in, and there you go!

It's not got tops or bottoms, you say? Sure...many Eurorack systems don't, either. But the perfect solution would be to mount three of these into a road case...maybe 10U so you can add a power conditioner and lights via a Furman M-8lx. Road cases too expensive? Naaaaaah...Newark's got those, too, WITH rear rails if needed, and for buttloads less than SKB or Gator. See here: https://www.newark.com/mcm-custom-audio/555-15637/stackable-abs-19-rack-flight-case/dp/48Y8196 for a whopping $117. Cheapest thing you're gonna find like this via Sweetwater is Gator's G-Pro 10U...at $260.

The other nice thing about using an ABS case like this is that you can easily mount a better (linear, if you can swing it) power supply in the case itself. So instead of using things like uZeuses and flying busses, you could put in a substantial tripolar supply, switch it via the M-8lx, and then distro the ONE power supply for the entire rig. This has the benefit of putting ALL modules on the same source, which eliminates the potential of groundlooping behavior between power supplies.

Anyway, hopefully those of you who're locked-in on assembling larger and/or expandable systems will have a look at the above and related things, as these really do fix the cost issue of housing/powering a system when they get beyond the size of off-the-shelf cabs.

Hi Sacguy71 and Defragmenteur,

Sacguy71: The Eloquencer might be indeed another interesting candidate. The Hermod... I am not sure, not too much of menu diving?

Defragmenteur: Thanks a lot for that list, I think a long time ago I have seen that before but it's good to be reminded of, I will check the entire list once again once I have a quiet moment!

Thank you both very much and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Guys,

Ha, ha, please refer to the Racks section of this forum where I "explain" this rack a little further.

Hint: It's a modular acrostic.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Oh, I sure as HELL hope he does. Some of those Moffenzeefs are ones I pointed new builders at when they'd say they wanted some "interesting" percussion. And that stuff was nothing if not INTERESTING.

You DID get the special expander for the ORBIT, right? The one with the half-kilogram of plutonium that sits behind the panel...the tone quality definitely makes up for the impending death from cancer!

You've got the uModII already? Well, don't let it go! I've thought for a while that that was a superior piece of gear, especially due to the separate "SUM" and "DIFF" functions. Most ring mods don't let you go there, and if you can find a quadrature VCO to pair with it, you can get fairly close in behavior to a Bode Frequency Shifter. Not spot-on, but pretty close.

I think he's done. His website says, "All manufacturing has permanently stopped." A few months back I hashtagged Moffenzeef on Instagram and he just responded with "Moffenzeef is dead."
Hopefully he'll pop back up with a new project eventually.

+1 for the VC8. Not only is it a one-stop for linear VCAs, you can break out the mixing capability in a number of different ways for routings and CV/mod mixing.

Hi Sacguy71,

Ha, ha, sorry, I have to apologise to you and thank you at the same time for your kind help (thanks a lot for hinting Chris Meyer, I didn't know him yet, will check out his stuff). However please do notice this was not real seriously meant by me. By writing that I like all those flashing lights and that after seeing one Eurorack two weeks ago from a friend of mine and that I directly want one because it's just cool...

Should have perhaps been an indication to you and other regular readers that this wouldn't be me because I am member for more than a year and after that one should have more experience than just looking for "nice flashing lights modules" (aka sexy modules syndrome). My above rack and the "hidden" message behind it was meant as a kind of parody ;-)

Check out JimHowel1970's above message, he hits the nail on its head, this "designed" rack is a modular acrostic. Hence, read my P.S. and P.S.2 and then you should be able to solve the "puzzle".

Kind regards and I hope you are not angry at me? Garfield.

I'm going to miss Moffenzeef.... He had a very unique vision that will be sorely missed.
-- farkas

Yep...but is he really done, or is his store just going online only? Losing someone with that warped a vision of electronic percussion is going to hurt if he's out of the game.

Eurorack Pitch + Gate Sequencer Module Comparison

Hi Defragmenteur and Kalu_Bandali,

Yeah nice puzzle right ;-) ?

Oh no Defragmenteur, more abbreviations, UCA? I am so new within modular, all these abbreviations, how am I ever able to produce sounds from my Eurorack? ;-) I just wanted to have a Eurorack for all those nice flashing lights

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi JimHowell1970,

Ha, ha, I am glad you recognised it as a modular acrostic :-)

Yes, for the moment it's good that you have removed the solution, let members give it a try first themselves ;-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

My pleasure Garfield,

Really fun sharing and sad to see so many dislikes by many unknown or mean spirited visitors to my channel who cannot appreciate modular sound creation and experimentation.

Thanks Garfield!

I was really just messing around trying patch combos and settings while reading the manuals and watching video tutorials on the new modules. Man, the Kermit, Bionic Lester and Quadrax are super DEEP powerful modules that can do what would normally take a dozen individual modules to achieve! Some menu diving and learning hidden combos but worth it for small setup to play full tracks.

Hi Sacguy71,

You got some very interesting sounds there! Oh, and thank you for mentioning the Intellijel - Quadrax, I totally overlooked this module, wasn't aware of it, great hint :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Sacguy71,

Interesting Saturday evenings you have! :-) Partly it reminds me of a steam locomotive somewhere in a far away galaxy ;-)

Nice video and thanks a lot for sharing this. Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Garfield,

In that case take a look at the Hermod, Eloquencer and 512 vector sequencers. Those seem to offer the features you want in a sequencer for modular stuff.

Hi Defragmenteur and Sacguy71,

Thanks a lot for your ideas and provided links. The WMD - Metron looks quite interesting but is mainly focussing on percussion & drums. I am looking for a mixture of both percussion/drums with 3 or if possible at least 4 sequencer channels beside that. Something like the Arturia - Keystep Pro but then in Eurorack format and without a large keyboard ;-) The only two sequencers I found so far are the non-released ones yet of: Endorphin.es - Ground Control and Erica Synths - Black Sequencer.

If you know of similar (or better) sequencers, especially of those that are currently already available, then please let me know :-)

Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.

Yes i tried this, same issue without Gate. i also tried with an lfo to v/oct ... It's seems better but I don't know what to think about it (im a noob) : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NdgfzD0TuWfGqAxWikqJnADsC-Wbyt1J/view?usp=drivesdk

Im in contact with the builder of the module. If he cant help me... i will try the tech forum.

Thank you so much for your help.

I already have :
-the MB2S
-Plaits
-Rings
-Veils
-Doepfer quad ADSR
-a passive 2hp multi from Doepfer (i know.... but i'm not fond of stackcables )
-Erica Synths Black Stereo Delay
- and a Ripples which will be probably useless (not visible on the screenshot.)

What do you think about the other, possible, modules ?

Clouds, Erbe Verb ... or Maths ?

The ZPO seems to be a very rich analog vco. That's what i'm looking for. But do you think the others modules are enough for taking advantage of it ?

Musical styles inspiration : Depeche Mode, John Carpenter, Tangerine Dream, Perturbator, ....
This kind of think :
Link
Link
Link

EDITED Sep 30th 2020, 07:11

get a quad cascading vca - such as veils or intellijel - either will be able to be 4 vcas, 4 external input amplifiers, a 2-4 channel voltage controlled mixer

Maths is a great module - but it is more than the sum of its parts - google the unofficial "maths illustrated manual"

kinks is another great module that will add a lot of functionality in a small space = including logic!
-- JimHowell1970

Thank you @JimHowell1970 just followed you on instagram

With your suggestions, updated rack looks like this. Appreciate the direction from both @Lugia and you

EDITED Sep 27th 2020, 17:26

get a quad cascading vca - such as veils or intellijel - either will be able to be 4 vcas, 4 external input amplifiers, a 2-4 channel voltage controlled mixer

Maths is a great module - but it is more than the sum of its parts - google the unofficial "maths illustrated manual"

kinks is another great module that will add a lot of functionality in a small space = including logic!

EDITED Sep 27th 2020, 17:07

well it seems your English is good enough!!

have you tried without the gate patched to strum, a change in note should trigger rings

the transpose function is on the keyboard - so it is just general playing etc and not the frequency cv input

it certainly does not seem to be correct

I suspect you might be right about the quality of the build - was the vendor a known builder - ie have they built and sold a lot of these or was it just some bloke and a soldering iron?

I would initially try to contact the person you bought it off, describe the problem and see if they will fix it or refund - if you bought it with that possibility

if this doesn't work out then you might try the muffwiggler music tech diy subforum - there is a sticky list of reliable builders there - and of people looking for them - and there's also a mega - unsuccessful mutable diy builds thread - you may be able to find better help there!

Thank you for your message. My english is quite limited ... i will do my best. in fact it is not only a question of transposition. Basically, when I connect a controller (bsp or keystep) cv gate to rings (cv to v / oct and gate to strum), I can only play the notes on a very limited part of the keyboard. Afterwards, no matter which note I ask it to play, it remains stuck on the same note (the last lowest note or the last highest note). We can hear it in the video. I can't go down or up in octaves, can't use the transpose function. No problem with my controllers and other VCOs. This is a DIY module that I bought used and I'm starting to think whoever sold it to me wasn't being honest.

Ask me if you need more details.

Thanks !

Cool a Puzzle lol