Mono. The samples specs are in the manual under "Micro SD Card Slot".
Thanks @TumeniKnobs!
I've been on this kick since sometime in early 2022, it's kind of amazing how much variation and experimentation you can do with feedback as your starting point. I'm really loving it.
my tunes: https://stevehand.bandcamp.com/
In my modest opinion....
Do you mind me asking what attracts you to this genre?
-- gumbo23
No problem. But my reply was gone off topic maybe... This thread is about to evolve the personal modular setup of the post author into a dark ambient direction and I replied that the large part of the dark ambient musicians plays softwares and not modular gears, except someone of course. Ad also I think it's more better going to sampler and effect gears too, instead of sequencers and/or rhythmic based modules that they don't make so much sense to this scope, because this is a music genre totally based to evocative obscure atmospheres, then rumbles, sinister field recordings, atonals, whispers, voices, disturbant noises, orchestral and choir sequences, and of course dark drones that give the sensation of a large disquiet space. And personally I like very much all of them.
refuse-resist
In my modest opinion, dark ambient started with the "Heresy" album by Lustmord and the rest of his production from there. Also Mick Harris Lull project and all the scandinavian monikers like Svartsinn, Kammarheit, Deathwalk, several Nordvargr albums and many more, passing to an enormous worldwide network artists. But I forgot someones for sure.
As sounds, dark ambient is based to obscure atmospheres with dark drones as portant base (bass sound rumbles generated to low frequency sounds, amplified by lush reverb and slow delay and also to audio impulses like sinister noises, breathing voices, disturbant field recordings and many more.
In this sense, I think the sampler is more useful then any intricated enveloped modular synth patches.
Regular ambient I presume it goes to a more "new age" direction.
Not starting a flame war but this is just my personal opinion.
Please, apologize me for my bad english and because I was been verbose.
-- RossMotus669
Do you mind me asking what attracts you to this genre?
Hey Troux! I've noticed folks falling into the feedback patching hole recently. I was just watching a no-input-mixer-feedback video the other day and was a bit too fascinated by the concept... One of these days I'm sure I'll give it a go, but these are great! I listened to the first one and part of the second one yesterday and will get to the whole of the second one today. Thanks for sharing!
In my modest opinion, dark ambient started with the "Heresy" album by Lustmord and the rest of his production from there. Also Mick Harris Lull project and all the scandinavian monikers like Svartsinn, Kammarheit, Deathwalk, several Nordvargr albums and many more, passing to an enormous worldwide network artists. But I forgot someones for sure.
As sounds, dark ambient is based to obscure atmospheres with dark drones as portant base (bass sound rumbles generated to low frequency sounds, amplified by lush reverb and slow delay and also to audio impulses like sinister noises, breathing voices, disturbant field recordings and many more.
In this sense, I think the sampler is more useful then any intricated enveloped modular synth patches.
Regular ambient I presume it goes to a more "new age" direction.
Not starting a flame war but this is just my personal opinion.
Please, apologize me for my bad english and because I was been verbose.
refuse-resist
Better late than never... I've been away from music for a while (indulging in my fishkeeping hobby) but just for the sake of completion and for the record:
The original 1036 module from the ARP 2500 did do Track & Hold, and there was nothing wrong with my Behringer module.
Problem was that the Trig switch position requires a hefty trigger voltage before it reacts, so I tried with the Gate position, and that indeed sets it to Track & Hold, and correctly so.
How are you defining dark ambient?
How does it differ from 'regular' ambient?
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_2258232.jpg
Hi all !
......
Sorry for my bad english. With respect, I'm very.interested to this topic because I like dark.ambient.
First, please consider the large part of dark ambient musicians plays with software. Never seen one of them plays with modular synths (maybe Nordvargr with his Serge synth). Anyway, I suggest you don't waste your time and money with René, sequencers, envelopers and any rhythmically-based gears. Go straight to 3 units:
sampler,
effects (reverb, delay),
LFO.
First of all, Morphagene, if you can afford it. Dark ambient is based to sampling. From the field recording sessions to the minimalistic details.
Also, you need effects of course, in particular reverb and delay (and a bit of distortion too). Eurorack effect modules costs very much but you can solve better with a pedal interface module, like ADDAC 200PI, to connect pedals and stompboxes that you can manipulate in real time. In my modest opinion, reverb pedals like DBA Rooms, Strymon xSky, Eventide and the more cheaper Walrus, Blackhole, Boss, all of them give you more better performance then all the various eurorack pumped monikers.
LFO. You can go with every module you want, you have Batumi and it's perfect.
These are the fundamental ones you need.
About all the rest (more sound sources and modulations) you can go with everything you want.
Hope it could be useful.
refuse-resist
I've been wayyyyyyyyyy deep down a "feedback patching" hole (60 hours of recorded audio) and haven't posted in forever, but I was poking my head above ground today and thought I'd say hello to you all. If you're into feedback patching and want to hear some good drones that take their time to develop, check these two most recent pieces of mine out:
feedback vol 1
feedback vol 2
Made with:
my tunes: https://stevehand.bandcamp.com/
I just got mine. In Japan prices dropped down with so many synths options right now. I love the sounds.
Would be nice to be able to duplicate a module when planning a rack. Maybe a button or so on the top left like the others.
-- maths
This modular piece is an enhanced and extended version of the entry I submitted for the 2023 ModWiggler.com Song Contest. The entry tied for the third place prize. :-) The prize I got was a Flight of Harmony Famine 500 - I have yet to summon the courage to try it...
The challenge was to do a cover song OR an original work, using effects/sound processing to ultimately shape the piece, AND for original works it must use counterpoint, AND all phrases must be an odd number of bars. Each bar can be an even number of beats, 4/4, whatever, but the number of bars per phrase must be odd. I choose to do an original piece. Quite a challenge.
This jam is in Cm. The phrases are 3 bars, four notes per bar. In this extended version I mess with the sequence order quite a bit. The effects that make this interesting to me are three separate delay modules each running at different rates on their parts - makes for some really cool rhythms, especially on the drums and the pluck track. The delays totally change the character of the raw tracks and I fade them in and out to highlight the overall influence.
I made this weird animation with Artmatic so I thought I would try to blend the two videos together.
Detailed Patch Notes are in the description on YouTube. Cheers!
Hi Folks - Just wanted to post my latest recordings. This one is called A Hundred Lamentations and came about while exploring Schlappi Engineering's 100 Grit filter. A very interesting module that makes a ton of crazy cool noises. I was actually feeling really depressed when these brooding wails came out of it, so it fit my mood perfectly at the time (it was work related and has since passed). I also think the animation fits well and is one of my favorite Artmatic pieces to date. Cheers!
Would be nice to be able to duplicate a module when planning a rack. Maybe a button or so on the top left like the others.
Hi Folks,
I dont understand. I think this is an important information site about modular synth (not only). Why do you need to write things and thereby "misinform" others? I understand, that you have an opinion behind this, but it belongs more on the forum. I dont uderstand this behaviour.
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/behringer-abuttacus
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/behringer-foul-play
Of course I have nothing to do with Behringer, they don't pay me anything (although they would!) so it just bothers my precise mind. If I offend Make Noise, should I also rewrite the description of their modules? I don't think this is a solution.
I don't want to offend anyone, I just want this site to continue to be what it was originally intended to be. A useful help for those who, e.g. modular synths are his hobby.
thanks mate!!!
I definitely have more thanks to give than to receive, didn't think I could be so inspired to experiment with my crossfader (Befaco Morphader) by a 3 minute video on a 1U module, but here I am, a happy viewer !
--- Voltage control all the things ---
A big big THANK YOU, it really is motivating, as most of the social media has more or less make it difficult fpr my content to pop-up ! Thank you a lot :)
Just wanted to say thanks for the videos you produce (not just this one), I know I'm far from being the only community member who appreciates the work you put in your content - merci merci !
--- Voltage control all the things ---
A few example of use of the new 1U utility module of Modulaire Maritime :
@MCGM Very clear description and extremely interesting comparison!
@HGsynth Thanks for this hijacking. But after such an answer, yes my friend, we unfortunately need both :))
'On ne devrait jamais quitter Montauban' (Fernand Naudin).
https://soundcloud.com/petrus-major/tracks
"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia
Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!
sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities
I use the Ensemble Oscillator mostly to get a instant evolving drone going and combine it with more sound elements.
I use the SWN mostly to start a complex sequence as a main leading sound theme >
Thanks for the in depth reply! Unfortunately, it looks like the only real answer is to get both, of course! But it seems like the EO might be a better team player in a smaller rack and more immediately impactful. That SWN seems like a dream, though. Maybe someday. Thanks again!
Perhaps they only use it as an office tool, like Word or Excel.
-- ferranadsr
That's exactly how I use the site. I make everything private by default, no different than my grocery list or my budget plans. But if I want to ask questions or collaborate about a rack? Of course then I'll make it public.
Not to hijack the thread, but curious if you had a favorite between the two? Both have peaked my interest, but I've not had the chance to try either.
-- HGsynth
I think, you can archieve similar results with both, for ambient drones, melodies and chords.
I love both.
In short:
If I want do dig deep and focus on one module (maybe for hours) in the patch - I take the SWN.
If I want instant chills - I take the EO
I think the sound of EO is very special and it sounds always amazing no matter how I twist the knobs.
I love the character of bright and spread sounds on the EO.
For my opinion the EO is more fast forward for instant good results. I like that it is based on sinus waves and spreads into 16 voices. You can do very ethereal and bright sounds and even dark twisted sounds with it - very quick.
The Spherical Wavetable Navigator is a very deep and complex module. It has a longer learning curve - and it is more a closed system to run on itself. You can spend hours just tweaking it and discovering amazing sounds without any other module involved in your patch. It has 6 independent voices, based on wavetables that can be morphed with 3 dimensions.
The sound is also amazing and the possibilities are endless.
I think the SWN is sometimes a bit hard to tame, if you dont know excactly what you are doing.
Both have quantization and chord spreads.
I use the Ensemble Oscillator mostly to get a instant evolving drone going and combine it with more sound elements.
I use the SWN mostly to start a complex sequence as a main leading sound theme
Greetings
Chris
Yeah I mean I guess it depends on what modules you have, but IMO powering 185 HP with one uZeus isn't very realistic. I'm not an expert on power and I'm sure others would have recommended a more robust power solution from the beginning, but given that you already have the uZeus, I think a 4MS Row Power 35 would work fine for the remainder of the rack. And yes they can be daisy chained to run off the same power brick, but not to my knowledge with the uZeus. You could go with a second uZeus instead I guess and save money, but my thinking is it would be better to give yourself some elbow room in terms of the -12V rail so that you don't have to worry about running out of power.
Not having everything running off the same power supply can be useful sometimes, for example, if you have a module that's sensitive to picking up interference from other modules, then having the ability to separate them and run them off of different supplies can be handy. I have a pretty large system which includes several uZeus modules, 4MS Pods, and a Row Power 45 in addition to some Dopefer cases, and it's worked out ok for me.
Thanks for your reply! I removed the jumper and one module with 50ma on the -12 bus and now all 3 leds are on. I will monitor the temperature while playing a few minutes... But Are there any better solutions on upgrading mA on the -12v bus than just adding a new set of PSU? I once saw a brand which allows daisy chaining two psu modules. I think it was by 4ms... Its a bit annoying because I thought buying the Boost PSU by Tip top audio would be enough to power the whole row (which is indead very long because it sits on top of 2 other racks)
I would like to be able to search between a minimum and maximum HP width.
-- hjortencan't you just search by max width and then order by hp and stop looking when you get to the minimum you want?
-- JimHowell1970
Hadn't considered that, it works for now ;).
I would like to be able to search between a minimum and maximum HP width.
-- hjorten
can't you just search by max width and then order by hp and stop looking when you get to the minimum you want?
"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia
Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!
sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities
- 4ms Ensemble Oscillator
and / or- 4ms wavetable navigator
I love them for ambient - they are fantastic
For drones, chords, timbres all the chilling fun-- MCGM
Not to hijack the thread, but curious if you had a favorite between the two? Both have peaked my interest, but I've not had the chance to try either.
I didn´t see first that you already have some modules.
So I would do maybe something like this with it:
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_2260218.jpg
You can also swap the firmware of basil to pizza, and you have a fm synth with waveshaping and stuff.
Greetings
Chris
What do you think of this?
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_2260141.jpg
(I didnt succeed to import the picture straight into here, without link)
4ms wavetable navigator: Ambient main voice for melodies, drones, chords, timbres - own sequencer, envelopes, or lfos
4ms Ensemble Oscillator: 2. voice for drones, chords, texture, timbres
Plonk: for random percussion and physical modeling
Noise Pleththora + Percall: for ambient noises and rhytmical noise patterns
mini plaits: for additional stuff like drums, perc or synthlines
Ikarie: main stereo filter with vca
Basil: for delay + blurry space FX (in only 8 hp)
Disting: for swappable Utility, such as sample and hold, .....
quad vca: nice vca
ochd: nice lfos in 4 hp.
active mults
Attenuator
Befaco stereo mixer
Befaco outs
Maybe you could at least integrate
I love them for ambient - they are fantastic
For drones, chords, timbres all the chilling fun
4ms wavetable navigator acts also as sequencer and / or envelope generator / or lfos
You could spare some other utilities for this
4ms Ensemble Oscillator - it just lifts off to new dimensions
maybe - "Bastl Basil" for delay + blurry space FX (in only 8 hp) its quiet new and cool
Greetings
Chris
And yes, I do have this many Maths...
Wow, that's impressive. Are you gonna be keeping Maths in your main racks while you do this, or are you covering the functionality in different ways? Just curious 'cuz I'm always interested in how people replace Maths.
I might do a writeup or a video or so of the results (me getting all tangled up in a mess of wires).
I think I speak for us all here when I say, yes, please do!
Thanks for the response Jukeshoe and HG synth.
The idea came to me after watching a youtube video where they explain 20 or so different ways to use Maths. It's kind of an attempt to build something of an analog computer in eurorack format perhaps. I do have other cases with all kinds of modules but this feels like a nice experiment / challenge. And yes, I do have this many Maths...
I might do a writeup or a video or so of the results (me getting all tangled up in a mess of wires).
Very nice! I also love the bass! Your setup is actually vaguely similar to mine in the general concept, instead of a Rhodes and an Osmose I have a Casio Privia Px-870 and a Nord Wave which I use in conjunction with the modular. Anyway you got yourself another YT subscriber. I really like your "Silver Towers" jam as well.
It's been already a couple years since I started my YT... I started recording with only 3 or 4 modules and now I'm starting to get to a point where I feel the setup is starting to feel complete, I will probably switch a couple modules around still and I want an analog polysynth but the case is capable of making a full song on its own...
I love how the bass came up on this one, the GStorm SH-5 dual filter has an amazing sound, to my ears it really feels like a Roland filter... I'm running through it a couple waveforms plus some sub from a nano On, then adding some multi band distortion from the Cosmotronic Cosmix to get that crunch.
Hermod is the brain sequencing all the melodic voices and a clank chaos is triggering the percussion.
Let me know what you think!
I would like to be able to search between a minimum and maximum HP width.
Agree with Jukeshoe. However, if you DO have that many Maths and go through with this, please, please film the results!
Ok, this was a neat challenge. But to be honest, I think my solution might need some work. I like where Sweelinck was headed (particularly with the Morphagene), as well. Maybe one of the real power users will come along and give some suggestions. But let me show you where my thinking is leading, and you can do with that as you will.
For starters, I kept almost all the modules you've already gotten, only switching out your passive mult for a buffered mult. A passive mult does not do as good a job as a buffered when multing signals; if you want to mult 1v/oct signals, you'll want a buffered mult so there is no drop in voltage. Also, I'd get a multi-cable rather than a passive mult, to save space. The other thing to consider is that the Rene, as badass as it is, takes up 32hp. That's pretty dear for a sequencer, even one as powerful as Rene. You have 104 hp to use (if the above case is accurate), don't waste nearly a third of it on a sequencer. Get something off rack like a BSP, or go for a bigger case so you don't have to sacrifice other modules for Rene.
Keeping in mind that you are interested in dark ambient with a hint of generative, I did the following (listed by function).
Top Row: Random voltages, VCOs (3 v/oct ins), multimode filter (2 inputs), mults, Maths (so many functions, but at most basic, a mixer/attenuverter/function generator), audio manipulation in the form of uClouds and uRings, function/envelopes/quad cascading VCA.
Bottom Row: Clocking, modulators, attenuverters, S/H and T/H, sequencer, precision adder, sequential switch, uO_C (so many functions, only two levels of menu diving), and end of chain VCAs, effects, and mixers.
My thought is that you could use the bottom row to supply motion, modulation, attenuation, triggers, gates, and sequences. These can be manipulated or quantized (which Rene can already do, but what if you use you S/H for a melody?) or so many other things using uO_C. After that you have another VCA and then end of chain processing. I give you for effects the Happy Nerding FX Aid XL, which sounds great, though you will want to have a printout of the different settings at hand. There's a new version out with a screen, but you don't have the hp for it at the moment.
The top row has sound sources, giving you 3 digital voices that come out of the VCOs ready to go. However, if you wanted to filter further, the Filter 8 gives you plenty to play with. And Joranalogue always throws extra functionality into their modules. Then Maths, which is so handy it needs its own post. Then sound processing in uClouds and uRings. I generally prefer the real article to clones, but it makes sense with MI's situation and your hp. Finally, function/envelope generation and VCAs to craft the shape of the sound.
My typical approach to building a rack is to try to think through the signal path as I plan. From beginning to end, where might I need to send voltages, or what parameters will I want to mangle? That way I can start thinking about the system as an instrument rather than a collection of modules.
Finally, there are utilities. These are hard to figure out without trying them, unless you're already blessed with electrical engineering experience. I mean, how are you supposed to know that sequential switches can be your best friend when building longer sequences, or that precision adders rock, or that comparators are game changers for generative music? The uO_C, particularly with Hemispheres loaded, gives you a chance to test them all out and decide what you actually need. In general (adapting something Sweelinck said in another thread), if you think of your system as a building, the oscillators, filters, and fancy modules are rooms, but you need the utilities to act as hallways and corridors (and sometimes fun-house mirrors) to get from room to room. I highly recommend looking up some videos about different utilities to get a better sense of what they do. Loopop, Mylarmelodies, and DivKid were sources I went to when I was figuring this out, and I found them invaluable.
Anyways, maybe one of the really experienced folks will tell you something different. But it looks like you're on a good path, you just need to think more about the architecture and connecting pieces of your system.
Good luck!
Looking for a bit of tips and feedback
I am building a Matyhs only rack. I want to see how far I can get with a case with only (mostly?) Maths in it.
Looking for:
* creative ways to patch Maths(es)
* your experience (or things you have seen) in using Maths creatively
* how far you think a system like this can go (and whether only Maths is feasible)Thx people!
-- cassek
First of all, interesting idea, and I wish you luck in your attempts at a Maths only rack.
That said, just because Maths can do many different things, doesn't mean the way it does those things are ideal, or even workable. Take Maths as a 'VCA'...it's possible, but only as the crudest version, and not very workable.
If you happen to have this many Maths, more power to you and I hope to see some of your results!
If you're thinking of shelling out for this setup, I'd consider long and hard if other modules, actually geared toward a particular functionality (such as VCA, VCF, etc.) might not get you farther.
Otherwise, the approach kind of reminds me of zero-input mixing setups a bit. Which might be fun. :)
“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Hi,
Thanks for the picture! I couldn't post it like that.
Yes indeed more ambient than dark…
Thank you very much for your recommendation sweelinck! It looks great and very complete!
I will go and find out about each module and watch videos, thank you very much 🙂
I will come back to you if I have a question about one of the functions of this rack
Thank you dub007 it reassures me to tell myself that I made the right choices and I agree sweelinck did a great job 🙂
If anyone else has another rack recommendation / idea to open my mind, I'll take it 🙂
Spend time with what you have... It's a good selection. Sweelinck does a great job of finishing out the case with some nice options based on what you mentioned and I agree... Filter, mixer, fxaid xl or pro and outs would be my next steps as well. All very personal choices... Put your research hat on and happy wiggling
Yes. Even with the jumper removed though, it looks like you are probably pushing the -12V rail close to it's limits. So definitely remove the jumper, but pay close attention to the lights on the UZeus when it powers on. If they blink when you power on then that means you're probably pushing it too hard. All the lights should turn on immediately. Also feel the faceplate of the UZeus after you've had it on for awhile. If it feels like you're going to burn your finger then again, you're probably pushing it too hard.
You need to get in the habit of looking at the power consumption numbers listed in Modular Grid to give you an idea of how much power your rack is using. Yeah it's just a rough estimate, but in this instance it's 478 mA on the -12V rail, that tells you right away that you definitely need to remove the jumper. Given all the space you have left in the rack, you're definitely going to need more power for that rail when you add more modules. A 4MS Row Power module might be a better idea for the remainder of the rack (it provides more power on the -12V rail).
Looking for a bit of tips and feedback
I am building a Matyhs only rack. I want to see how far I can get with a case with only (mostly?) Maths in it.
Looking for:
* creative ways to patch Maths(es)
* your experience (or things you have seen) in using Maths creatively
* how far you think a system like this can go (and whether only Maths is feasible)
Thx people!
and wanted to use the uZeus with a 3000 mA PSU Adapter. When i turned it on the -12v led didnt light up, but the other ones did. Some modules powered on, too but I quickly turned the PSU down because I feared of destroying anthing.
I also found something in the manual of the uZeus regarding the -12v rail:
"The –12V rail uses a switching regulator. This switching regulator needs to
have a minimum load of 100mA (out of 500mA) at any given time. The
uZeus has a factory setting to self consume this current. If your uZeus is
powering more than four (4) analog modules you can then disable this
setting if desired to make this 100mA available for use by your modules.
With the uZeus powered off, look for header J7 (located below the blue
resistor) and remove the jumper. Re-insert the jumper such that it comes in
contact with only one pin. Once reinstalled in the system, the uZeus will
provide the full 500mA of –12V power for your modules"
Do I just need to remove the jumper? If not, what are the best steps to debugging?
Thanks in advance!