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First off, I am a complete beginner in building custom Euro rack :).
I'm trying to build a live Eurorack hip hop rig. This will be mostly centred around sampling through the bitbox (or like sampler). I'll talk you through the signal flow. I want samples to be triggered by the Hermod sampler. The 8 tracks of the Hermod will trigger channels on the bit box. I also have an OP-1 which will be USB hosted by the hermod to send additional midi info. The 4 outputs of the bit box can be sent to either the effects (ripples or per4mer) or send to the mixer which will then sum the output.
I also have an Sv-1 black box. I will send this synth midi sequences from the hermod as a synth source and use the 3 SV-1b LFOS as modulation sources.
I am thinking of using the Doepfer A-100 LC3 Low Cost Case - 3U as my case. This will give me 4HP left to add an additional mixer or LFO.
Any thoughts on my mock up Eurorack setup? Am I missing something?
Hi Tom,
working on an hiphop orientated live case myself..
don't mind me asking why go this route instead of getting a MPC for instance?
I am not seeing the extra things what this setup will bring you.
Not a lot of modulation options and besides the per4mer (that I love) not a lot of playability either..
My humble 5cts: get a 6u with some utilities, filter, delay/reverb thingy.. makes is all more versatile plus more fun to play around with in an accessible way.
Got myself a Feedback Modules Squeeze (4hp compressor) to glue the samples together a bit #recommendation
Aye man! thanks for replying!
Initially the concept was to design a rack that could play in tandem with my Sv1b and Op1. Playing a Daw-less hip hop live set.
But after a few days of thinking I'm considering creating a rack with just effects and utilities. Is this what you mean by a 6u? or is that more like a traditional studio rack system?
A eurorack of effects and utilities could definitely could be a lot more powerful with a standalone sampler! Your right!
Thank you for your reply! If you know of anymore #reccomendations please let me know! I need that hip hop lo fi goodies!
much love!
No prob // my pleasure..
with 6u I meant.. get a double or maybe a triple row case instead of the Doepfer LC3. In the end you want more modules and that way you stick to one case. The extra row(s) you can use for the FX, utilities, maybe a control module to make it easier to play around with it a live-setting.
I am getting a lot of nice grittiness out of Monsoon, dirty ms20 clone filter (got one AI for sale, haha), St Modulars Gritzer (weird delay) & DIZ, for beefing up samples I use the Monotropa by Reverse Landfill. Another nice one // still on my wishlist // Per4mer by ModBap. A few essential FX and playabilties for hiphoporientated live case, but a bit expensive.
Yes.. I'll try and get a bigger case! That's a good idea.
I'll check out some of those modules! Thanks for the recommendations.
I'm also looking at the lubadh tape looper which could create very interesting tape loops in a live setting.
Except that it doesn't work exactly like tape loops do.
I'm 100% down with the poster above that said you should probably look into an MPC instead. Just looking at cost ALONE points very strongly toward that and AWAY from modular, plus this build is sort of an attempt to build one (minus a lot of the useful firmware aspects). But don't take my word for it; let's surf over to Sweetwater and see what $1700 and change gets you...
MPC Live II = $1199
MPC One = $699 (you could get TWO of these!)
NI Maschine Plus = $1399
Elektron Octatrack mkII = $1399
Polyend Tracker = $599 (you could almost get THREE Trackers for what the build's modules alone cost)
Pioneer Toraiz = $899
Pioneer DJS-1000 = $1199
This falls into the "why you don't try and build a drum machine into your modular"-zone of errors. And the big error there is this idea that you can come up with something better in modular than an already-existing device has. Not...gonna...happen. Plus, any of those machines I've listed also contain the needed utility functions that the present build doesn't and CANNOT have due to the limitations of the cab.
Modular isn't a panacea for everything. This is another example of that.
Echoing what Lugia and others are saying, why use a Eurorack rig for live hiphop instead of one of the "grooveboxes" like Tempest, Elektron Rytm, Maschine, or one of the MPC line?
A few questions I'd recommend considering (if you haven't already):
-- what's your preferred workflow for playing / programming beats? (e.g. rack sequencer, outboard sequencer, finger-drumming, etc.)? There's really a huge difference in workflow for different setups; I find some of the sonically appealing rhythm rigs have a painful (to me) workflow.
-- what are the desired core sounds? What platforms help you get those efficiently?
-- what sound polishing / fx / mixing are needed to get the final audio? Things like MPCs and Maschine are built to get you performance-ready sounds, volume leveling, bus compression etc. Other rigs, it may take more thought / work / additional modules to get the same "performance ready" sound.
IMO, MPCs are great rigs for hiphop: they're proven over decades of use, and they've really refined the platform specifically for hiphop. Maschine is also strong for that genre.
IF you're really committed to doing hiphop with Eurorack THEN I suggest really zeroing in on a sequencer you're going to love to work with. If you'll be happy working with the combo of Hermod Sampler and OP-1 (which you mentioned above) then that's cool, I just want to emphasize that the sequencer / interface will be key to having fun and getting good results. If I was building a Eurorack rig for rhythm, I would use Erica Synths Drum Sequencer, which is the best small format sequencer I've ever spent time with, OR a stand-alone sequencers to send MIDI in such as Polyend Seq 8 or Linnstrument. The standalone sequencer would give more room to work on a sequence grid AND free up HP from your rig. As far as reference Eurorack rhythm systems go, IMO Erica Synths Techno system is a very good implementation of the "groovebox" concept, BUT it retails near $5k and it voiced more towards Techno vs hiphop.
All considered, I'd urge you to see if a MPC will work for you, and if you really want to do Eurorack, focus on making sure you have a sequencer setup you'll love to work with.
