Lol! I started with a 6U 104HP rack and added another 3U 104 HP to it with fevered intensity. Now, I am about to fill up a 12U 104HP rack which someone described as "overwhelming". I think I am gonna slow down and get to know the modules more deeply.. and catch my breath!
-- Solar01

hahaha - I wonder how they'd describe my 1800hp or so over 8 cases? but that is over 7 years, not 3 months... but then I like mostly bigger modules with better ergonomics... I didn't go over 6u 72hp for the 1st 6 months or so and I think I was within 6u 104hp for the 1st year - then I discovered both DIY and video...

-- JimHowell1970

WOW! That's Massive! I am trying to draw the line at 12U 104HP....but I find myself keeping another 3U 104HP skiff (just in case)! I think I have been afflicted with severe GAS since getting into gear last year and modular this year! DIY seems like a rewarding hobby but I can't solder and read schematics to save my life...

Lol! I started with a 6U 104HP rack and added another 3U 104 HP to it with fevered intensity. Now, I am about to fill up a 12U 104HP rack which someone described as "overwhelming". I think I am gonna slow down and get to know the modules more deeply.. and catch my breath!
-- Solar01

hahaha - I wonder how they'd describe my 1800hp or so over 8 cases? but that is over 7 years, not 3 months... but then I like mostly bigger modules with better ergonomics... I didn't go over 6u 72hp for the 1st 6 months or so and I think I was within 6u 104hp for the 1st year - then I discovered both DIY and video...

I agree you are a bit modulation heavy... and utility light... in this size case and for that number of modules...

take a look at my signature file (below) the formula is for how to get the most versatility for the least expense... have a good long think about it... and then come and ask questions - some might be why & what, for example...

the b-company thing is your own personal decision, but it's not just about cloning & really not the clones of older stuff like the roland 100 series (or the 2500 series or even a 2600) - it's the clones of modules that are still in or just out of production etc that people take the most exception to and it's not just modules - they've been doing this for decades with all sorts of stuff, skirting legalities/ethics etc and often poorly and Uli is well, not that nice a guy, whereas lots of the smaller manufacturers are... and they often at least try to innovate whereas b-company generally don't... they're a big company and all the other modular manufacturers really are the small guys that need the support

but there's at least one other guy that a lot of people won't buy things from...

from what I can tell most people don't want to give their cash to racist misogynists, but it's your money, do with it what you want - personally I try not to give money to them, but you can't totally escape giving money to Uli anyway - it's more how much you give them as they own a major synth component (ICs etc) manufacturer - which a lot of modules use components from (becauses there is no other source in a lot of cases)

just because it's a hobby doesn't mean it should be cheap (or vice versa) lots of us humans spend a large amount of our disposable income on our hobbies - & not just modular synths... I can think of lots of hobbies that are, or at least can be, a lot more expensive... and even if you don't have much money, doesn't mean you should necessarily just buy modules at the cheaper end - it just means it takes longer (& possibly a bit more discipline) to buy some modules you might want/need... it's not a race...it's you building your own custom synthesizer... don't expect it to be particularly any cheaper than any other custom/professional level musical instrument (take a look at fender or gibson custom shop guitars or cellos & bows for them for examples) , at least not in the long term... 100/month is not that much, but over 10 years it's 12000... and unlike a lot of other hobbies it will probably still maintain a decent chunk of that in value - especially if you buy more desireable modules & especially compared to beer appreciation, for example - & you'll have got at least the same enjoyment value out of it

but beware of GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) - most of us get a bout from time to time and suddenly all (or most of) your disposable income for a few months or years is gone into the modular

as for cases - to me the mantis is one of the best bang for buck (size/cost/manufacturer reputation/decent power supply) cases out there and a much better starter case than most because of it... no crappy built in midi->cv or audio outs etc (which you may or may not need) which at least to me defeat the "I'm building my own custom instrument" part of modular - but then I don't have either midi->cv or output modules & I've got a fair few & a fair mix of modules from different manufacturers (iirc it was about 40 different manufacturers at last count), but there is nothing random about it - they all serve a purpose...

your question regarding cases is interesting - and depends on a lot of factors - what is a big case? what is a small case? how many is a few? how long is a piece of string?

I have 8 cases of which the smallest is 6u 72hp and the 2 largest are 9u 104hp... lots of people have fewer cases, lots have more cases - possibly bigger or smaller...

I've built 4 of my cases from wood & components myself - functional, but aesthetically challenged is how I'd describe them... you can save a bit of money this way, but not necessarily that much... rails, threaded inserts and decent power supplies cost a significant part of the total cost at the lower end - I reckon those for my 9us (2 104hp, 2 84hp) cost about 2/3rds of a mantis per case and when you factor in time for construction, tools etc etc... personally I wouldn't entertain building anything smaller than 6u (but they're still small cases to me)

if you are going down this route though - befaco make some excellent DIY able power supplies - I have 5 of their excalibus power supplies and they are very good (really very quiet) - and easy, if tedious builds (24 power headers * 16 solder joints per header) - if you can't solder or don't want to learn (always useful for building modules) then they're not that much more to buy ready made and still good value (don't skimp on power supplies)

Question 1
I'm in the middle of putting together a small (all in one) rack for noodling around and attempting to make Berlin School/Generative/Drone style music. already have a few modules/pieces:
1. nRings
2. uBraids
3. Monsoon
4. Pachinko
5. Disting mk4
6. Niftycase
I'm looking to finish off this case with the VCA, FORBIDDEN PLANET (filter), FUNCTION JUNCTION (envelopes/lfo/mixer), FOUR LFO (I am on the fence about this for obvious reasons.) Not that I'm against Behringer, I have the Neutron and a small mixer and they are just fine for me. Feels a little wrong to XAOC Batumi, but DAMN that price. I do feel I may be a little heavy with modulation (if that's possible) when this is done. Whenever that may be.
BTW, I am not married to the Disitng. I bought it used to learn what other modules do and what I want in the future.
As you can probably guess, I'm doing this on the cheap (this is a hobby).
Any thoughts or suggegstions are appreciated.

external gear:
7. Keystep, SQ-64 & SQ-1 (should be covered for sequencing)
8. Electribe 2 (drums/more voices/sequencer)
9. Zoom MS-70CDR (effects pedal if needed)
10. Neutron (stand alone modular synth to play with or use as individual modules)

Question 2
Are most users a ONE BIG CASE packed with all kinds of random modules or do you have a few smaller cases?
After I finish this Niftycase I want to make (by hand) a case for the Behringer System 100 modules. Wondering if getting a bigger case like the Mantis would be the better option. I like the idea of having a couple of smaller cases but maybe you guys would know better.
See, I told you I wasn't against Behringer and yes I am aware that these are also "borrowed" modules from Roland but for some weird reason I don't have a problem with. Yeah yeah hipocrite I know.

EDITED Jul 14th 2023, 21:16

NP - reason I have an es8/es6 is due to buying before the es9 cme out - if it had been out I'd have bought the es9... although if funds are tight a used es8 now and an es6 in the future might be the way forward...

Thanks for the responses. might look into the expert sleepers stuff, if i can afford it.

Thanks so much for your helpful advice and perspectives. Need to fully unleash the potential of each module. Still lots to learn less than 3 months into this modular quest. Lots to think about and re-consider!

-- Solar01

3 months in - relax, have fun, keep researching and asking question (no such thing as a stupid question etc) and work out what you're missing by missing it (and reasearching/asking questions) and most of all just patch and patch and patch again....

-- JimHowell1970

Lol! I started with a 6U 104HP rack and added another 3U 104 HP to it with fevered intensity. Now, I am about to fill up a 12U 104HP rack which someone described as "overwhelming". I think I am gonna slow down and get to know the modules more deeply.. and catch my breath!

Thanks so much for your helpful advice and perspectives. Need to fully unleash the potential of each module. Still lots to learn less than 3 months into this modular quest. Lots to think about and re-consider!

-- Solar01

3 months in - relax, have fun, keep researching and asking question (no such thing as a stupid question etc) and work out what you're missing by missing it (and reasearching/asking questions) and most of all just patch and patch and patch again....

Hey, so I made this record last year, this was all recorded directly to a Marantz CP430 using only a Make Noise System Concrete.
Can check it out here:
https://memorysoft.bandcamp.com/album/software

A 3 group multi of one in and 3 outs, or single multi-9 outs if you only use the top input, or 1 in 3 out 1 in 6 out if you use the top and middle in, you get the picture. And a little signal adder at the bottom
The build is super easy, barely an inconvenience. Just solder 16 sockets and one power connector and put the front panel on and it’s done.

Good quality, though I did get some noticeable (on the scope) lag between the original slope and the multi’d slope, but I couldn’t hear the lag.

Excellent first kit if you’re just considering DIY module building.
Build

When we equip ourselves with utilities and modulations (see the famous @JimHowell1970’s signature), we expand our possibilities.

-- Sweelinck

Thanks lots for all the helpful suggestions!!! All very helpful and will be considered seriously... I will think about how I can fit in more modules into this rack without spilling over into 15U! I make experimental music, industrial and ambient sounds, and I am enjoying this transition from semi-modular gear to modular! :D

-- Solar01

really just quoting to allow easy access to my famous signature file!!! see below...

the formula basically gives a hint towards most versatility for the least expense, but shouldn't be taken as strict or anything like that - often modules are in multiple categories and how you see them may be different to how I see them and may differ over time... examples are a lot of filters (primarily in the sound modifier camp) can also be used as sound sources, a sound sourcemay in fact be multiple oscillators and some utilities (wavefolders and mixers, for example), mutable rings is definitely both a sound source and a sound processor, lots of vcos can double as lfos, sequencers can be modulation sources etc etc

utilities are often 'hidden' in classical fixed synth architecture and their number is limited (usually by cost) - but this is modular and they are exposed and only limited by how many of them you have - multiples are really useful - so don't just get one and assume that you've ticked them off... you may want to put multiple ticks for each...

an example is the minimoog oscillator section, where there are iirc 3 oscillators and a mixer before the vca/vcf - let's ignore the fact that one of those is the lfo and imagine we have a dedicated lfo (or lfos) and that most similar vcos have multiple outputs for different waveforms rather than switchable output - firstly we'd want a mult to copy the pitch to each of the oscillators, and instead of the a single mixer- ideally we'd have 1 per oscillator to mix waveforms and then another to mix the outputs of those mixers to get a (more flexible) version of that archtecture - the AISynthesis Harmonic Mixer would be a good candidate as it's reasonably inexpensive, has decent control and (being based on the moog cp1) has the nice gain/grit of the original moog mixer - or you could patch in a vca for amplitude modulation, or a wavefolder to add some 'west coast' vibes or whatever

another example is a clock divider... great for triggers and gates, but send in audio and use an even division and out comes a square wave at a lower octave than the input (/2 = -1ve, /4 = -2ve, etc) - which is why I'd always recommend an extra basic clock diveider as well as whatever's being used for regular clock division!

Maths seems to be a great starter utility set - 2 envelope generators/slews/lfos, a mixer, 2 attenuverters/offsets and some basic logic.. but once its self-patched - it can be programmed to do all sorts of more interesting things - see the 'maths illustrated supplement' for more details - so it's a really good idea to have at least some of that functionality duplicated in other modules as well - so you can use it when you patch program maths... or of course multiple copies of Maths (or both!)

and a final example - the matrix mixer - possibly my favourite utility module - and really I'm just meaning basic mono versions, not VC ones or stereo ones or overly complicated ones that need special cables (although all these have their places, except maybe the special cables, which I'd lose) - not only can they be used for creating additional complex modulation from simpler sources, by mixing copies of those simpler modulation sources together in various amounts, but they can also be used as simple send/return routers for effects and for creating feedback loops (which can be done on other mixers too, btw) as well as many other applications I'm sure you can think of...

hope all this helps...

-- JimHowell1970

Thanks so much for your helpful advice and perspectives. Need to fully unleash the potential of each module. Still lots to learn less than 3 months into this modular quest. Lots to think about and re-consider!

depends how many channels you want and whether you want usb or ADAT connectivity

befaco do a 2 channel usb one, expert sleepers do more channels (both ADAT and/or USB) and are often expandable depending on the software you are using and iirc bored brain do one (but that might be ADAT only)

I've got a es8/es6 combo, but I really only use it for audio i/o via usb to my MBP - I do use it for clocking (on channel 3 using a kick sample as the clock from Logic to PNW - using a saved template with the kick sample on every 16th note, so it moves with any tempo changes)

When we equip ourselves with utilities and modulations (see the famous @JimHowell1970’s signature), we expand our possibilities.

-- Sweelinck

Thanks lots for all the helpful suggestions!!! All very helpful and will be considered seriously... I will think about how I can fit in more modules into this rack without spilling over into 15U! I make experimental music, industrial and ambient sounds, and I am enjoying this transition from semi-modular gear to modular! :D

-- Solar01

really just quoting to allow easy access to my famous signature file!!! see below...

the formula basically gives a hint towards most versatility for the least expense, but shouldn't be taken as strict or anything like that - often modules are in multiple categories and how you see them may be different to how I see them and may differ over time... examples are a lot of filters (primarily in the sound modifier camp) can also be used as sound sources, a sound sourcemay in fact be multiple oscillators and some utilities (wavefolders and mixers, for example), mutable rings is definitely both a sound source and a sound processor, lots of vcos can double as lfos, sequencers can be modulation sources etc etc

utilities are often 'hidden' in classical fixed synth architecture and their number is limited (usually by cost) - but this is modular and they are exposed and only limited by how many of them you have - multiples are really useful - so don't just get one and assume that you've ticked them off... you may want to put multiple ticks for each...

an example is the minimoog oscillator section, where there are iirc 3 oscillators and a mixer before the vca/vcf - let's ignore the fact that one of those is the lfo and imagine we have a dedicated lfo (or lfos) and that most similar vcos have multiple outputs for different waveforms rather than switchable output - firstly we'd want a mult to copy the pitch to each of the oscillators, and instead of the a single mixer- ideally we'd have 1 per oscillator to mix waveforms and then another to mix the outputs of those mixers to get a (more flexible) version of that archtecture - the AISynthesis Harmonic Mixer would be a good candidate as it's reasonably inexpensive, has decent control and (being based on the moog cp1) has the nice gain/grit of the original moog mixer - or you could patch in a vca for amplitude modulation, or a wavefolder to add some 'west coast' vibes or whatever

another example is a clock divider... great for triggers and gates, but send in audio and use an even division and out comes a square wave at a lower octave than the input (/2 = -1ve, /4 = -2ve, etc) - which is why I'd always recommend an extra basic clock diveider as well as whatever's being used for regular clock division!

Maths seems to be a great starter utility set - 2 envelope generators/slews/lfos, a mixer, 2 attenuverters/offsets and some basic logic.. but once its self-patched - it can be programmed to do all sorts of more interesting things - see the 'maths illustrated supplement' for more details - so it's a really good idea to have at least some of that functionality duplicated in other modules as well - so you can use it when you patch program maths... or of course multiple copies of Maths (or both!)

and a final example - the matrix mixer - possibly my favourite utility module - and really I'm just meaning basic mono versions, not VC ones or stereo ones or overly complicated ones that need special cables (although all these have their places, except maybe the special cables, which I'd lose) - not only can they be used for creating additional complex modulation from simpler sources, by mixing copies of those simpler modulation sources together in various amounts, but they can also be used as simple send/return routers for effects and for creating feedback loops (which can be done on other mixers too, btw) as well as many other applications I'm sure you can think of...

hope all this helps...

I've read a lot of good things about the Expert Sleepers ES9. Never used it myself, but have definitely considered getting one.

Any recomendations on an interface to connect to ableton in my PC? Looking for audio and cv both ways.

It is true that you have many sound sources here. But depending on the style of music you want to develop, and the final use you make of your modular, one can conceive or remember that this is the lion’s share. So that’s OK with me.

I often propose analogies in my comments: you own a lot of colors for your paintings, and to highlight them you need all kinds of tools like brushes, knives, sponges, masking tapes, etc.

When we equip ourselves with utilities and modulations (see the famous @JimHowell1970’s signature), we expand our possibilities. And this can even become excessive, or addictive too... So for your future addiction may I suggest, among many others, the little following selection:

Divkid Ochd (so much ‘organic’...)
Xaoc Nin (for your Zadar)
Happy Nerding 3x MIA (as already suggested)
Xodes LB5 (easy logic, absolutely useful and harmless)
Doepfer A-151 (classic quad sequential switch)
Intellijel Planar2 (it is you who become the utility)
And in any case: the Expert Sleepers Disting mk4!

I believe there is also a lack of filter modules in your setup.
From Doepfer filters to the great Joranalogue Filter 8, the choice is vast to complete your lonely QPAS. Without forgetting a proper Low Pass Gate.

As always, should you or any of your tracks, patches or videos be caught or killed, ModularGrid will disavow any knowledge of your actions :)
-- Sweelinck

Thanks lots for all the helpful suggestions!!! All very helpful and will be considered seriously... I will think about how I can fit in more modules into this rack without spilling over into 15U! I make experimental music, industrial and ambient sounds, and I am enjoying this transition from semi-modular gear to modular! :D

It is true that you have many sound sources here. But depending on the style of music you want to develop, and the final use you make of your modular, one can conceive or remember that this is the lion’s share. So that’s OK with me.

I often propose analogies in my comments: you own a lot of colors for your paintings, and to highlight them you need all kinds of tools like brushes, knives, sponges, masking tapes, etc.

When we equip ourselves with utilities and modulations (see the famous @JimHowell1970’s signature), we expand our possibilities. And this can even become excessive, or addictive too... So for your future addiction may I suggest, among many others, the little following selection:

Divkid Ochd (so much ‘organic’...)
Xaoc Nin (for your Zadar)
Happy Nerding 3x MIA (as already suggested)
Xodes LB5 (easy logic, absolutely useful and harmless)
Doepfer A-151 (classic quad sequential switch)
Intellijel Planar2 (it is you who become the utility)
And in any case: the Expert Sleepers Disting mk4!

I believe there is also a lack of filter modules in your setup.
From Doepfer filters to the great Joranalogue Filter 8, the choice is vast to complete your lonely QPAS. Without forgetting a proper Low Pass Gate.

As always, should you or any of your tracks, patches or videos be caught or killed, ModularGrid will disavow any knowledge of your actions :)

“Portray” is now available on all digital platforms under the label of Wic Recordings. With this single nostalgia, we can say that it offers a perfect combination of modernism and a warm-analog atmosphere.

In the creation process of the song, vintage-style analog instruments and equipment such as recorded drums, drum machine, magnetic tapes, tape echo, spring reverb, tube sound equipment, analog compressors were used. In addition, voltage-controlled synthesizers and modules designed by Efe Çakır and Vaemi, as well as synthesizers of well-known brands such as Roland and Arp, were used and blended with today's modern perspective.

This single was prepared with an analog-digital hybrid approach in recording, mixing and mastering processes, and now it meets the audience.

To listen or download the song:
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/Portray

Very beautiful track! Thanks for sharing!
Subscribed! :)

small teletype

EDITED Jul 14th 2023, 03:17

I'd look at some audio software development environments for this - either code it yourself in something like praxis or maybe Max or similar has one already built

Thank you all for the responses so far - a big update though! I ended up finding a doepfer lc-6 case locally for the same price I was going to pay for the alm case but almost twice the HP ( sub $280 total! ). Just brought it home and am very very happy to have all this extra space to work with.

I think a quadrax will be in my rack at some point in the future - I'm starting to get some of the criticism about rings though ( tunability is certainly one I've noticed already ). I think maybe a plaits to replace it and then some complex oscillator to go with that would be wonderful for this setup.

I'm not trying to ( or able to ) immediately fill up all of this new found 168hp of space. I will probably sell nanoring and honestly thinking of selling pachinko as well. Plop in a quadrax, plaits, and a nother voice and i'm starting to cook I think. To go with the doepfer-ness, and now that I have basically unlimited depth ( 100mm in this thing?? ) I waas thinking of picking up some of the very well priced doepfer modules. The octovca seems great for cv mixing and handling. Anyone got some fav doepfer utilities that would help make this rack be as expressive as can be?

Here's a sort of new iteration with the updated space and sizing. I have a gitgud lfo i DIY'd and this sputnik modular Variable Waveform Generator. I haven't put the VWG to much use do to the fact i currently dont have any VCA's!

Maybe even a second Ornament & Crime,
-- dubstepjoris

I think another one could be really fun too! I'm a programmer currently going back to college to major in EE with a focus on DSP and writing some modules for the O_C seems like a fun project. The more the merrier!

I've been curious about maybe adding a pams to the mix now that the PNW's are super cheap on reverb. having 8 outputs of gates/triggers/envelopes/looping stuff seems like a great addition to the modulation part of my rack. I think with the quadrax and maaaaybe the zadar ( or even batumi? ) - i'd have most modulation duties under control and should start really focusing on messing with cv through logic and mixing.

Another thing now that I have this amount of space, a control surface / tactile playable element would be quite nice. I know tetrapad/tete and rene both get a lot of mentions.

EDITED Jul 13th 2023, 20:30

People here do not seem to get this has a better resolution than before (build from the ground up), on top of that ALM seems to have listened to users and made nice adjustments.

Hi,
If you prefer something of Menu-diving instead of combination of buttons-colors... you have https://www.modulargrid.net/e/xaoc-devices-zadar instead Quadrax
-- ferranadsr

Indeed Zadar is often categorized as EG but I'd argue it's more of a complex shape LFO than an EG one can use to control the amplification section of a voice. You can do it, but it's not a great interface for it, something like Quadrax, Nano Quart, or even Maths offer better interfaces to play with the volume envelope. I personally found Zadar annoying as a classic EG, having both Quadrax and Maths at hand... But as an LFO, it's quite unique !

You can use a second-hand Quadra instead of Quadrax, or something like Nano Modules Quart.
-- dubstepjoris

Sure Quadrax is capable of being complex but it doesn't have to be if you don't go into the menus, in fact I used mine as a simple Quadra for a (shamefuly long) while before finding time to dig in (worth the hours, for sure). With the experience I have now in Euro (a few years), I'd say that's one of the modules I will never sell, it does so much and it does it really well.
In my mind, it's a bit like buying a Maths: it's something a newcomer has very little chance of using to its full powers, but that will become useful to almost any synthesist out there once experience grows. Maths is perhaps a better teacher because it can do more different things and also because there are quite a few learning resources available for it.

Looking at the rack, I find the Quadrax and its versatility would be one of the most important modules that make the rack "interesting" for me as it covers more EG, but also linked envelopes, waveshaping synced LFO's etc. For the type of music you mention, that will come in very handy as I suspect the O&C will be forever busy with something else...
In fact, I'd even say that for the music you want to make, Quadrax + Zadar would be ll you need forever. If you would consider another voice (Odessa is HUGE for this type of rack), you could free up some space for it. That free HPs game is one you'll have to play a bit with this size of rack.

All the best for your project !

If you can track down a Voltage Block, that will be a good addition to your modulation sources. You probably want to look for a matrix mixer, or at the very least a Happy Nerding 3xMIA, to combine/attenuate/polarize modulation sources.
Have fun and good luck!
-- farkas

Thank you so much for your thoughts. Definitely keen on a Voltage Block when I am able to find one and I will check out the 3xMIA :-)

If you can track down a Voltage Block, that will be a good addition to your modulation sources. You probably want to look for a matrix mixer, or at the very least a Happy Nerding 3xMIA, to combine/attenuate/polarize modulation sources.
Have fun and good luck!

Hello, I am a beginner who has expanded too fast and this is how my near-future rack will look like. I think I need more modulation but I am reluctant to part with more sound sources. I am using Make Noise O-ctrl as sequencer but plan to get the Malekko Voltage Block and I use OTO BAM as reverb outside the rig rather than a module. RAND is a Marbles clone and QUARKS is an Elements clone. Am I missing anything important such as for modulation? Thank you very much for your help and advice.

When dealing with huge racks that are very full its often a pain to perform tiny rearrangements
it would be great to workaround this by temporary injecting empty rows and remove them again
something like this

Row functions
├── Swap Rows
│   ├── Row 1
│   │   ├── with Row 2
│   │   └── with Row 3
│   ├── Row 2
│   │   ├── with Row 1
│   │   └── with Row 3
│   └── Row 3
│       ├── with Row 1
│       └── with Row 2
├── Move Row
│   ├── Row 1
│   │   ├── to position 2
│   │   └── to bottom
│   ├── Row 2
│   │   ├── to top
│   │   └── to bottom
│   └── Row 3
│       ├── to top
│       └── to position 2
├── Insert empty row
│   ├── 3U
│   │   ├── top
│   │   ├── between rows 1 & 2
│   │   ├── between rows 2 & 3
│   │   └── bottom
│   └── 1U
│       ├── top
│       ├── between rows 1 & 2
│       ├── between rows 2 & 3
│       └── bottom
└── Remove empty rows
    ├── all
    ├── empty row y
    └── empty row x

EDITED Jul 14th 2023, 07:51

Discolure: I have the Ornament & Crime with Hemisphere firmware, a Clouds clone similar to Monsoon, nanoRings. No experience with Odessa, Quadrax and Marbles, but know the concept of Marbles and Quadrax. Had semi-modulars for 4 years and fully into eurorack for another 3 years.
I'm not really sure if you'd consider yourself a beginner or not, as you seem to have a lot of electronic music experience but not as much eurorack experience. This is why I find a bit difficult to tell you if these modules are good choice for you.

The modules that you have chosen are understandable, as they are quite popular and versatile. Lots of eurorack videos online seem to include at least one of these modules. I've been drawn into eurorack by demos of Clouds too.

However, as farkas mentiones with Quadrax, you've chosen some top-of-the line modules, this makes them very appealing and versatile but also somewhat complex to understand. Ornament & Crime has a lot of "modules" in it, Monsoon has multiple modes in it with button combinations to remeber, and Rings is notorious for being hard to tune.
I can image that there's a possibility that you put this rack together, the modules are difficult to tame or button combo's are hard to remember, you have to read hundreds of pages from manuals and forum posts, and you eventually drown in all the possibilities.
If you consider yourself a "beginner" in the eurorack realm, the learning curve might be less steep by swapping one or two modules for more "basic" modules. If you find those too basic or easy to understand, you can always get the more fancy ones.
I'd agree with farkas that Plaits might be a good choice, for example instead of Rings. You can use a second-hand Quadra instead of Quadrax, or something like Nano Modules Quart. Maybe even a second Ornament & Crime, that one helped me a lot with a bunch of different eurorack concept because the screen gives quite a good visual feedback, and includes things like a scope, tuner, envelopes, logic, slew etc. Only down-side is that it's not very suitable for audio but mainly for CV. I have no experience with Odessa but it looks a bit intimidating. You could swap it for maybe one or two Befaco Pony VCO's, those have through-zero FM and wavefolding, cross-patching the two might give similar complexity to Odessa but not sure.

EDITED Jul 13th 2023, 12:50

Hi,
If you prefer something of Menu-diving instead of combination of buttons-colors... you have https://www.modulargrid.net/e/xaoc-devices-zadar instead Quadrax

From the sound examples you shared, I would recommend Plaits (or one of its clones) with the newest firmware for your second voice. I mostly use analog voices, but have come around to the versatility and charms of Plaits recently. The new FM mode and many of the older modes just sound great. Quadrax is cool, but suffers from some of the same problems as a lot of Mutable Instruments' stuff in that there are button combinations and mode switching and color combos that were hard for me to remember. If that doesn't bother you, Quadrax with the expander is powerful. I like WYSIWYG but that usually means more space/more modules/bigger rack.
The biggest question you should ask yourself as you are building a small rack is how much of a trade-off between knob-per-function and mode-switching/button combos are you willing to endure. If that seems like a headache, definitely plan for a bigger rack.
Have fun and good luck!

About acid/house there's something that might interest you here, the ADDAC107 ‘Acid Source’: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/12346

I am in need of some help with an idea for a synth voice. I recently found out about a Topologist's Sine Curve - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topologist%27s_sine_curve and I was wondering how it would sound. I'm not great at math equations like this but i would like to have the Topologist's Sine Curve equal 1hz. This might not be the Best forum to ask this question but any help would be appreciated.

Introduction

Hi! Long time lurker here. I've been quite happy with my intellijel 4u palette for some time now but really feeling the growing pains - I'm picking up an alm 6u 52hp case this week for a solid discount and have been plotting on where to go with it.

The Rack

I currently own the modules in the top row, with the bottom being the top next modules I'm considering aquiring.

Ethos

I had a previous career doing some touring and some spotify sucess in the lofi house / bass music scenes - I am honestly quite past that and focus less on percussion and more on sonic textures lately. For the past decade or so I've been all ableton, boxed up in my laptop. Now that I'm older and am often at home instead of traveling, I've started to build out my home studio. Eurorack is nothing so new to me, I've used friends and collaborators systems in the past and have owned plenty of semi-modular systems - although the hobby/passion has never resided within me until lately. Sonically, I'm attempting to move towards more nimble and needlepoint plucks and warm droney pads. For some equivalents, stuff like this:

Explanation

Rings into clouds has certantly given me the plucky delayed sharp as a needle ear tingling excitement I've been looking for - but I do want to have 2 voices in my rack now that its 104hp. I would'nt want to get any more voices really after that. The odessa and its overtones and beautiful chord + reese-y bass producing goodness seems like a great pairing to add a wash of sonic texture to the plucky walking melodies of rings. Please suggest any other voice you think might be better in this place! I have marbles but i'm honestly not set on it - I've been enjoying enigma in o_c more lately as a random generative melodic generator. I'd really like some more cv modulation and controllability! If you have suggestions, again please let me know. I know ochd is really popular, and I have a gitgud LFO from jolin thats compact and fun times, but my cv processing capabilities are low right now. The quadrax seems to be a great function generator / envelope / bursty module that'll help with some extra modulation. As for VCA's I really need more for cv purposes but the tangle quartet seems like a great place to start.

Now You!

If you have any feedback on where to go given my thoughts - or want to shame me for my module choice and case size - the floor is now yours! Thanks in advance ~

Zane

thx very much i appreciate the info

Looking to expand Mini Brute into the world of modular. How does the community think these modules will play (well, not well, redundant, missing something key, etc...) with the MB?
Comments and ideas appreciated. Looking for pieces to expand bass line creation for acid/house as well as techno and some minimal techno. Not sure which of the two filters I will go with... I love the sound of the Erica Synths DB-01, but I've heard some stuff done with the MUM M8 and it seems really wild.
Thanks everyone.

there shouldn't be any trouble with voltages up to 12v - probably not over that either, but it is possible...

things are triggered at much lower voltages - they are often just looking for a rising edge

an attenuverter would not do that - what you are describing is an offset, which may be part of an attenuverter module, but not the attenuversion (which is attenuation and inversion) - modules such as happy nerding 3 x MIA and mutable shades can do this , but a basic attenuverter may not! BUT this may not work if the module being triggered is looking for a rising edge at say 3v to open - you'd probably be better off amplifying the signal - this can often be achieved by multing the signal and then using a simple mixer to amplify the signal by 2- so from 0-5v you'd get 0-10v

if you don't have attenuators or attenuverters yet - then I'd advise getting some - mostly for controlling modulation - 0-10v (full range) on a lot of modulation inputs can sound crap - whereas 0-1v (a smaller range) can sound great

• Bigger thumbs on the marketplace index page
• Manufacturers can delete panel versions
• Single view for posts and a share button on forum threads to copy the URL of those single forum posts (try to find it)
• Check for weak passwords on registration and password change with a lookup table of the 10000 worst passwords of all times
• Captchas on password and username forget, because reasons ...

that is crazy bc I had great communication with the team at ALM, each time I wrote they were very helpful.. (feedacking a few earlier posts).

EDITED Jul 12th 2023, 07:16

it is!

New video on my YT channel!
Slow light ambient composition made with OP-1 and eurorack modular synthesizer mostly with Mutable Instruments modules.
Marbles for sequencing, Plaits and Rings for voices, Peaks for modulations and Clouds for fx.

Better to listen with headphones. More information on YT.
Like and subscribe for more videos!

Hi

I am very new to modular. I know Eurorack is 10v based.
My Microfreak puts out gate voltages at 5v or 12v. Right now with the ADSR I have it seems to work.
Should I look for a solution to get it up to 10v? When using an attenuverter I would have 5v at no gate and 10v at gate.
Would I damage something if I would use 12v?

Thanks :)

Nice work :)
-- wishbonebrewery

thank you very much

noted. can you recommend some of your favorites? i've been eyeing 4ms clock distro / multiplier / divider, addt'l Intellijel logic.

Sure thing. I've really gelled with Doepfer's A-182-1 Switch Multiple and A-151 Sequential Switch. They're pretty cheap as far as modules go, and add a lot of flexibiltiy in just a little hp. I recently got the 4ms QCD and I love it. It's just straightfoward and good at what it does, and is decently easy to adjust in real time. I'm thinking about getting the expander, too. For logic there are a bunch of options; I currently use a Tesseract VC Logics, which gives you two channels a several logic options.

You may want to consider tools like Joranalogue's Swtich 4 or Route 2. I've also been playing with their Morph 4, which on the surface gives you 4 vcas that you can morph/scan through, but it goes so much deeper, and might be an interesting way to mix and blend your signals. I'd also suggest some attenuators or attenuverters to help tame and control things.

There are other interesting modules that might interest you, like comparators to pick gates off of a changing voltage, or slew limiters to give you some glide. Also, I am a big fan of randomness and off-kilter rhythms, though it doesn't sound like that's your main interest. However, even if you want to keep things steady and regular, subtle touches of randomness can really add to the life of a patch. Match random voltages up with a S+H or T+H and suddenly you're in some really interesting territory. Pass it through a quantizer and suddenly you have a non-repeating melody. Using an attenuated smooth random signal to subtly and unpredictably modulate some parameter over time gives a lot of movement to your patch.

Luckily, Pams is already capable of doing both random voltages and smooth random voltages, and has the ability to attenuate, quantize, and do logic. It can also do euclidian patterns, so you can make funky off-kilter patterns. It's another reason to get more mults; you will quickly use up all 8 outs on Pams.

i plan on using ableton as master, possibly thru my sq-64 and into Pam's. i've heard ableton is a bad clock but i've seen it done. that being said, i intend to use standalone as well. not necessarily into bleeps and bloops outside of atmosphere / percussive elements.

If you were gonna play it standalone, then you might want to think about the ergonomics and actual playability of the intstrument. It's not gonna be enjoyable if you build it all and it turns out it's no fun to play. In addition to swtiches and attenuators, you could consider mutes to go along side your matrix mixer.

Good luck with the rack!

Hi,
Here's a dark ambient track I recorded live in my studio on 7 July. While I initially picked the name because I liked the sound (vanity!) I think the unease in the track reflects the dynamism quite well of the Greek concept of apeiron.

Created entirely on my modular synth, see below.

https://arrandan.bandcamp.com/track/anaximander-anaximenes

If you put it that way: yes, you’re obviously right! The A-160-2 (or even the A-160-1) may be enough.

I started with the A-160-2, which is an excellent module. It remains in my setup as a complement to Pam.
The A-160-2 costs around 100€. Pam costs about 300€. But you can multiply its power by 10 (BPM based clock, more divisions, a multiplier, probability, highly perfected Euclidian, microtiming for swing, oscilloscope, etc.)

If you have to wait a little before investing, no problem, make that choice :)

My best advice, and without hesitation: Pamela’s Pro Workout... ;)
-- Sweelinck
Yes, I agree that it is a very powerful module, but isn't using three or four of the eight outputs for something as basic as a clock divider a waste?

My best advice, and without hesitation: Pamela’s Pro Workout... ;)

EDITED Jul 10th 2023, 07:24

Hi,
It's been a year since I started building my rack and I've decided to stop at this point and experiment with what I have.
The main thing I find missing right now is a clock modulator.
Right now I use my Arturia BST Pro as clock source.
My question is whether to invest my tight budget in a basic clock divider like the Doepfer A-160-2 or wait a bit and go for something much more advanced.
At this point I've been considering incorporating a Temps Utile (focused on clock modulation) or a Pamela's, which would also give me a powerful modulation source.
Right now I think I have enough modulation sources (Clep Diaz, NLC dual LFO's/VCO's, Airstreamer, Rampage and my 4 BST Pro outputs (Pitch and Velocity).
My questions are mainly:
-Buy A-160-2 (budget-friendly)
-I buy Temps Utile, taking into account that in the future I will surely acquire Pamela's and I'm afraid that it will end up being redundant.
What I have for sure is that for now, I would not buy Pamela's (GAS retention).
Thanks for advance.

as an alternative (or in addition) to more modulation I'd seriously consider adding a matrix mixer... combining modulation sources makes them more complex...

attenuators/attenuverters would also be useful!