Haha now that would be scary in real life! Yeah I need to add power what would you recommend to handle the modules? Right now been playing with my new Make Noise 0coast semi modular and tested first patch! So much fun now I know Eurocrack is calling my name when money is available :-)
Hi all,
I started with a basic build using VCA, VCF, LFO, utilities like clock/slew, VCO. Looking for industrial techno, trance and darker sound in my first rack. Here is what I just sketched out:
What are your thoughts?
This looks cool as well the Endorphin.es Shuttle modular system- so many choices!
The Phenol looks well laid out and easy to understand so it would be a consideration in spite of the weird banana clip format which I am not crazy about as using standard Eurorack cables makes life easier. I would need to make a trip to LA to try all this gear out. Or mix and match with both a Phenol and Modulor 114 and add in the Koma Field Kit and go insane in backpack portable modular gear.
What is weird is that after spending lot of time watching videos of the expensive modular systems, I can do most of it on my single Elektron Analog 4 MKII box! I do want modular but the price tag is much higher than non modular hardware synths.
Yeah I did not care for the demos of the Plankton Ants it was not much different than a few presets on my Elektron Analog 4. I do like the sounds from the demos of the Modulor 114 and also the Kilpatrick Audio Phenol as well as the Dreadbox Erebus and NYX. So I would probably get the Modulor 114 and Dreadbox before jumping into building a 10k Eurorack system.
One thing that I am doing is using the free software VCV Rack and Softtube Modular to plan out how the modules work as well as try semi modular gear like the Make Noise 0-coast before I blow 5-10k on a modular setup. Not sure what your experience level is on Eurorack but maybe try a smaller approach in stages?
Ok so I am looking at getting my first basic Eurorack system for industrial type techno music that can also do house and psy-trance beats. Considering a pre-built system like the Roland 500 series, Erica Synths Drone, Buchla Snoopy, or Soundmachines Modulor114 that already have the modules put together in case/power supply.
What would be the best way to go and why?
My advice- unless you have limitless pockets and wads of cash to burn is to RUN AWAY NOW! Just kidding :-)
Eurorack is super expensive. I priced out a basic 10 module system with case and power and it was 4-5k!
I can only imagine a serious 9Ux200HP system costing 20k or more.
I would go with the Erica Synths Drone system even though it is expensive.
Agree I will keep the Moog and sell the Korg. Probably add another small desk and ditch the futon which I am not using.
Nice yeah I think I want to pick up the Dreadbox Erebus and Ants as my next modular purchases along with the two Bastl devices. I probably want to sell my Moog Sub 37 and Microkorg as these are taking up a lot of desktop space and I need more portable gear. That should fund these items.
Cool thanks for the tip as always Lugia! Yeah I will check these out. Right now I think with the new Elektron Octatrack and Make Noise O-Coast gear I should be busy for a while getting both these sorted out. Heck tonite, I made new discoveries on the Moog Sub 37 that I've been using for a while
The filter one knob makes a world of difference in crafting sounds and effects on a synth! Incredible such a simple thing is critical to sound production. I also learned how valuable LFOs are to sound engineering. One reason I want to learn modular and build a Eurorack system is to better develop my real synthesis skills and knowledge. I also find the two tabletop analog semi modular units
from Dreadbox- the Erebus and NYX fascinating. What are your thoughts on the Dreadbox gear?
In any case, do you still think the Moog Werkstatt self assembly item is worth getting? It looks cool for under $200.
Couple of ways you could approach that Werkstatt, also...either you'll also need the add-on 3.5mm jack expander to connect it into the Eurorack environment...
...or, more sick and twistedly, have a peek at two Bastl devices, neither of which are too expensive considering their capabilities: the bitRanger and the SoftPop. Now, these use the same Dupont pin connectivity as a stock Werkstatt, but when combined with the Moog, you get this frightening yowl/screech/growl monster...perfect for industrial!
-- Lugia
Gosh darnit Lugia, quit helping me spend my cash :-) just kidding.
Yeah! Those Bastl devices look amazing for a portable modular rig. Very tempting indeed! Pair two of these with the Birdkids and Ant and have a night of mayhem. I need to hit Perfect Circle Audio in LA to try out a bunch of this cool gear since the stores in San Diego suck bad and never have any modular gear.
Another item that looks neat is the portable Birdkids the Bateleur modular rig! The Plankton ANTS! modular looks pretty interesting as well. I think that would give me portable modular to learn more patching before spending 5-10k on a full blown 7-9U 200HP setup.
I am reading the Make Noise Manual and it helps understand the 0coast much easier. I did order one today along with Volca Beats and an Elektron Octatrack to sequence and sample all my gear without a laptop and DAW. Thanks for the tips as always Lugia!
Thinking of the Werkstatt Moog next as it is under $200 and a fun kit and some good training with bare minimals of VCA, VCO, filter and envelope generators. I think a combo setup with Moog Mother 32 and the mini 60HP rack would be great way to dig into modular on a budget after I learn the Elektron and 0Coast.
Yeah I am planning to try these out and see what works best for me. I like the packaged
deal for 1k that includes the Arturia Minibrute 2s plus a Eurorack 6u case and power supply along with plenty of patch cables.
That said, the ultra portable Erica Synths PICO II looks cool but it is expensive for a tiny
modular synth and having microscopic knobs with patch cables would be messy so I'd
probably want a full system with some Erica components.
Make Noise- I am thinking of getting the desktop semi modular 0-Coast synth to see
if I like the way they do things. My only complaint is how difficult it is to read their
routing and non traditional way of doing things. Before I commit to a bunch of their modules
I'd want to see if I can work with their funky way of doing things compared to other
Eurorack modular companies.
The Mutable Instrument stuff looks cool as well and lot of folks have some of their items.
Same can be said for Intellijel.
My goal is a darker sound that has elements of hardcore industrial, house and psy-trance
as that is the voice I am looking for in the music I create.
For sequencing/sampling purposes, I am looking also at getting something like
an Elektron Octatrack or Arturia Beatstep. Elektron gear is expensive but superb.
I have some time using a friend's Machine Drum and love the workflow.
I think having an external portable master brain that can serve as a mobile DJ type device
as well as sample and manage the modular gear would be cool.
Yeah I love the sounds of the Make Noise and Erica Synths gear. Plus Erika customer support is great they replied with answers to my questions on how to order gear as most of it is not even available in the USA since they are based in Latvia! I am leaning toward getting started with a MN 0coast, Dreadbox Erebus, or Moog Mother 32 table top semi modular to learn how patching works and avoid spending a small fortune to learn the basics. Then thinking of stepping up to a kit that has the basic modules from Erica Synths like their cool Fusion Drone or Black Polivoks modular system that has the case, power and core modules all ready to go. That would save me headaches learning as a newbie and not go broke. I priced out the Erica Synths package at about 2k USD and the Make Noise package also has one at 2k and a bigger setup the Black and Gold at 4500 so if I was to put a kit together as a newbie probably would go this route to make things easier. I read that having all the same type and brand of a setup as a beginner is wise in terms of troubleshooting issues and support.
Yeah a simple tabletop modular unit like the Moog Mother 32, Erica Synths Pico II, or Make Noise 0-COAST Semi-modular Analog Synthesizer paired up with a Keystep would be the easiest low coast journey into modular to learn how to create patches before dropping large amounts of cash. Also try out Softube a good idea paired with VCV Rack. For me, since I am not independently wealthy will probably head down that route at first.
I know guys that have 20-50k in a few Eurorack modules! And I thought that Elektron gear was expensive.
...instead of a DIY kit, which means that you build the module yourself from directions, a bare PC board, individual electronic components, a panel and controls, and wire the whole mess up yourself with lots of soldering. Right. That's more what 'DIY' means 'round these parts, pilgrim.
Gotcha! No worries, I saw some folks online who build their cases, fabricate modules from scratch on bare PC boards but that is way beyond my technical ability I am more a music guy than an electronics engineer :-)
OK, enough John Wayne for one day there...basics for under $1000, if possible, and definitely sub-$2000. Can it be done? Mmmmaybe. The initial stumbling block there involves the case and power supply, and while you can 'Also, one neglected bit here are power distro boards. Having filtering on the distribution rails is critical, as it helps reduce induced crud and noise on the rails as well as potential crosstalk between modules connected to it.
Understand I will make sure the case and power supply are rock solid.
Right now, the best start-up case value is probably Arturia's Rackbrute 3U, which gives you a nice one-row cab with 88 hp (83 after their power supply goes in) and a consistently well-built power supply with ample amperage capacity for that single row. So, let's build with that.
Cool yeah these look nice as well as the 6U versions. Also looking at the Make Noise 3U 104HP Skiff case and power supply.
Next, you'll need sources. These are the various 'generators' that output raw audio signals at the head of the chain. One is OK...but two is better, because there's a lot that can be done by syncing, crossmodulating, and detuning them against each other to achieve useful results beyond what most single VCOs can do. However, what I suggest is a fairly complex VCO as one, and something simpler as the other; this gives you a 'voice' VCO and a 'modulation' VCO, which works well in the way I mentioned above. Follow this with a mixer to combine the signals, but also add in a ring modulator so that the VCOs can be combined to create complex sum-and-difference sideband FM, if desired (if? hell, you'll desire it, no doubt!). That's the 'generator' stage.
So at minimum 2 VCO modules, one basic and one multi functional like those from Make Noise and Doepfer right?
Then we head into 'modifiers', things which alter timbral complexity and impose amplitude changes. Namely, filters, waveshapers, and VCAs. For a starting cab, one VCF with some interesting tricks is fine, as is a simple waveshaper. As for VCAs, though...this will find you wanting multiple VCAs, because some of these have uses for controlling control amplitudes as well as audio. Plus, if you can throw in a mixer, bonus. All easily done, as you'll see...
Yeah my Eurorack buddy here told me you can never have enough VCAs so thinking 3-4 to start will be helpful.
Next comes modulation sources, the 'controllers': LFOs and envelopes, plus a few other bits of trickery. Not many of these are needed for something this simple, but they're definitely key to making this work. And after that, 'processors', which includes any effects and the final mixer and output stage.
A combo LFO envelop would save space and could work to start with.
Basically, that's the block arrangement for ANY synthesizer: generator feeds modifier, both controlled by >
Voila! Now, this is really basic, and while I couldn't bring it under $1000, it does come in at just under $2000 ($1923, to be exact, at normal retail prices).Cool beans! Thanks for the walk through. I am playing around different builds and also using the VCV Rack open source software to learn the basics on patching different modules together before spending cash.
If you look, this one-row synth is laid out exactly like the above example, with a couple of extra bits, those being a slew limiter This build here : 2 VCOs, ring mod, waveshaper, VCF, 4 VCAs, 2 LFOs, 2 envelope generators (loopable), an output and a slew limiter, plus necessary mixing and attenuation for manipulating signal combinatins and levels. All you'd need to play this would be a keyboard that outputs CV and gate/trigger, such as Arturia's $119 Keystep, which also gives you a sequencer.
Yeah I am planning to pickup a Keystep or BSP with Korg SQ-1 sequencer possibly for controlling the Eurorack gear. Also looking into Elektron Octatrack for helping sample the output of the Eurorack modules. Analog Rytm for the drum synth and also to help manage analog gear but need to do more research on this.
So, this is how a beginning one-row should look: these 'blocks', this sort of signal-flow (which happens when you follow a cohesive build pattern, instead of dropping modules in aimlessly), and so on.
Rad far out man thanks! I have some time working with my home analog Moog Sub 37 and MicroKorg synths so not completely lost on what these gears do but isolating them in purity will teach me way more about how to do real synthesis as a learning experience and addicting albeit expensive hobby!
Also...take your time. More time spent with a resource like MG will allow you to examine all possibilities and
-- Lugia
Thank you Lugia you are awesome and I do appreciate you patience in helping a complete noob like myself on this path. Agree- better to research, learn, test before dropping cash.
Sorry pardon my ignorance as a noob- I mean using a full kit with individual components such as VCO, VCAs, etc versus buying one that is pre packaged from one company.
Hi all,
Been looking to explore the world of modular on a budget that is portable for live events. I just want bare basics of VCO, VCA, VCF, synth, drums and what is needed without breaking the bank. I sketched out a few ideas here on my setups and these cost under 2k but if I can get it to 1k or less that would be even better! Room for add-ons and expansion would be a bonus. I don't want a prefab kit as I want to learn as much as possible on DIY process.
