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If I'm understanding you correctly you can add multiple rows to the rack:

Edit => Edit Rack => Rows

HaHa !
Fool Day !

On Todd Barton's Patreon site he set us a 1-minute performance-patch-composition challenge. I don't think I managed the 'patch' part, but there is a lot of fading in and fading out and something tricky with the Morphagene. I'm looping into the Strymon El Capistan, which is off camera. If anyone else fancies having a go at this, why not post the results here. Might be fun... :)

EDITED Apr 1st 2021, 16:27

Hi,

Thats an really good point, ive looked quite a while on the ssf toolbox so thats a great recommendation. Do you have some special function generator in mind? and other utilities? About the case and get another one, I will try at the moment to keep everything in the same case, in the future I maybe will get rid of the metron and get an octatrack but im not there yet

EDITED Apr 1st 2021, 16:12

Hello!
Im new to modular and planning my system, I´m going DIY for the case.
Im considering either 2 long rows, or 3 shorter.
I was wondering why is there a 168 HP limit in Modular Grid ?
168 is not enough for 2 rows. Is there any technical issue im not aware of?

thanks!

for now i have ditched the ES-9(might add it again though)but i ordered a blood cells d.o.mixx https://bloodcellsaudio.com/products/domixx

that should give my multitrack recording.also ordered the acid rain navigator,next thing on my order list is the tetra and tete

@ GarfieldModular

For the Erica Synths - Black 8 Multi, maybe you can find it in Greece :
https://www.synthesizer.gr/Erica-Synths/erica-synths-black-8-multi-v2

and at Thomann (the link don't work) :
Search "Erica Synths Black Multi"

EDITED Apr 2nd 2021, 10:36

I've replaced the LIP with a few useful utilities - alternatively the matrix mixer, links and a wmd/ssf toolbox would also work well

personally I would consider either an extra row almost exclusively for utilities and maybe a bit more modulation - a function generator or 2 perhaps or reducing the size of some of the modules by replacing with similar smaller modules - the mixer and the attenuator perhaps seem a little on the large size as does the sequencer (which could go into a control skiff)

a decent selection of utilities will massively open up the capabilities of your synthesizer, they are the inexpensive dull polish that makes the expensive shiny modules actually shine and stops them tarnishing

Hello,

This is my current rack and I really love my case and all the modules, I think a little bit to replace my Loquelic iteritas percido to something else because I feel that the manis and LIP is taking eachother out a little bit of its hardness and crazyness and thinking of maybe get rid of the LIP.

What would you do? Maybe to replace with a wavetable like PH MK3? or something else? What do you think missing?

It doesnt have to be a second voice such as PH, it can also be 20hp replacement of utilities, modulation, switched and such.

Thank you so much in advance,

EDITED Apr 1st 2021, 09:37

Some demos I made:

Same here and now that Endorphin.es Ground Control has finally launched that interests me more as a sequencer.

From my personal experience the only modular brand that has sucked in terms of poor support has been MALEKKO!
Everytime I called/emailed them there was ZERO and I do mean ZERO response. BOO! Not sure why they stink so bad?
Other modular companies that I contacted like Intellijel, Make Noise, WMD, and Noise Engineering always helped me patiently with my questions and support issues. Heck, I even had Scott Jaeger of IME/Harvestman and Rick Burnett of Erogeneous Tones reply to my emails directly. At least my Malekko modules still work. I love my dual Borg filter.

chromagnons still haven't shipped - that's just a place holder - sometime this summer would be nice

BeetTweek is a Eurorack format DSP module designed to give musicians a new way to interact with musical control signals (CV) with a force feedback knob. Rhythmic signal CV signals can be used to "pulse" the knob, giving the musician a unique feel for the music they are creating or parameter they are controlling. Knob rotation, speed and other parameters can be used to control other modules and generate interesting interactions that can be felt while turning the knob.
BeetTweek can be configured in many different ways, made possible with the built-in modes and variants, in addition to the modular nature of Eurorack!

webstore: https://submatrixaudio.com

EDITED Sep 11th 2021, 18:49

Thanks Garfield.
I've bought the MI Links, was a decent price.

Say, how are you liking your LZX chromagnon? (assuming you have it already, I seen it in your rack!)

Clones make sense to me...but only from a space standpoint. For example, if you're putting together a build in a 2 x 84 hp cab, it's probably not the best idea to go with a full-sized version...space is at a premium, and you need to maximize functionality over space requirements. But if the build in question is huge, then you can either choose the bigger (and usually original) versions, or stick with the formula above and have more space for...well, more.

to some extent yes - but let's face it it's better to start with the modules and then find a case based on the modules than the other way round

hey, THANKS everyone, this is just the kind of insight and guidance I was hoping to find!

Clones make sense to me...but only from a space standpoint. For example, if you're putting together a build in a 2 x 84 hp cab, it's probably not the best idea to go with a full-sized version...space is at a premium, and you need to maximize functionality over space requirements. But if the build in question is huge, then you can either choose the bigger (and usually original) versions, or stick with the formula above and have more space for...well, more.

Now, as far as QC's concerned...checking the MG Marketplace as well as the "good/bad sellers" threads on the forum is very useful. If you see a builder that appears to be a "problem child", then don't buy their stuff. Keeping an eye on whatever Muff Wiggler's calling itself at present is also very useful, given the concentration of modular users there as well. Between here and there, you should be able to find out about issues, should they exist.

Also, some stuff just LOOKS like refried ass in general. This sometimes indicates that what's behind the panel is substandard...but certainly not always. Noise Reap's stuff, f'rinstance, does have a rough look to it and one might be tempted to give it a pass...but that would be a mistake, since Noise Reap's cooked up some amazingly useful (and sometimes amazingly twisted) circuitry that most anyone can get an excellent result out of. So as far as they're concerned...they're doing something right, so take what they give, ugly panels and all. I wouldn't want them to change ANYTHING. And there's plenty more examples of this out there...

Again, this all gets back to the old "caveat emptor" issue...if you're going to be a customer, be an INFORMED one. Do the research, see what others say and have experienced, THEN proceed.

I messed with it for a hot minute, then gave up. I think you might need to go back and research the way you want your MIDI signals dealt with, as there's an awful lot of MIDI-specific things going on here that seem superfluous (such as, if you have an ES-9, why ALSO have a separate CV-MIDI converter module?). Also, I don't get the excess external preamps...especially since I don't also see an envelope follower, something which you will 100% want for picking off dynamics as CVs. Basically, the "if this were..." argument seems moot to me, as this isn't how I would've started in the first place.

I strongly suggest going back to square one here. If you have these modules on hand already, especially the ES-9, go back and see how that one module alone supplants all of these unnecessary MIDI-based things. Given that I have something similar in my modular "sandbox" here (a MOTU 828 mkii + Ableton CV Tools) I can confidently tell you that you're piling a lot of unnecessary stuff into this build. And if you must use MIDI over the more precise and modular-friendly CV/gate/trig I/O of the ES-9, just use its MIDI expander, which is already in the build.

hello
i am wondering if we can use the time warp module as a shuffle generator by sending a trigger in the input and have different value of swing by turning the corresponding rate knob?

thank you

Yeah sent them an e-mail in the meantime I've initiated an exchange for a new unit. Thanks again for the help!

could be - maybe it's time to contact ACL support see what they have to say!

Thank you for the help!

I just tried taking out all my modules except my vcos and lfos and output module, checked the ribbon cable, and still same. Would seem I received a lemon.

...You can usually get a good idea about the quality and reliability of very specific modules over on the MuffWiggler forum. I don't really think there are inherently good or bad manufacturers or modules.
...
I do tend to shy away from DIY modules that other individuals have built, probably unjustly. The clones I have gotten from After Later have been great, but I'm not sure I trust DIY from a random individual.
-- farkas

Yes to all of this.

I bought a few DIY modules that were faulty, in a non-obvious way. In most such cases I didn't research enough to have a clear idea of what to expect. There are a few respected builders here who deliver premium build quality. such as RTFM. No problem ever. On the other hand I bought a module from Russia that really looks home-made, rough and raw alu front plate with handwriting on it. And it, too, performs flawlessly since the day I got it.
Most problems I had came from a lack of research or bad judgement on my side.
Make sure to have buyer's protection if you are not sure if you trust a seller, DIY or not.

maybe sound sources at the top, modulation and utility in the middle and sequencers, mixing output on the bottom row, from left to right - but this is your modular - arrange it how you want it

seriously you have so few modules and so much space it doesn't matter at all - stop worrying about it and play with it - if you find that you want to patch x module to y module constantly consider moving them next to each other - no 3m cables needed - no panic!

have you tried taking everything else out of the case - except minimal modules you need to test the sinfonion with?

just to double check - when you 'checked' the power - you checked that the power cable was correctly made as well as inserted correctly at both ends

what case/power is it?

what else have you in the case? - post link to public rack url

same here

I don't much see the argument for buying clones in order to save money - you're not going to save that much from what I can see - especially in terms of the total cost of the modular (1 or 2%) - maybe a night in the pub or something similar - maybe it means that you have to wait an extra month to get the module - is that such a big deal - 1/2 the time you have to wait because there are none available anyway

I'm not american, but I do see it as similar to going into a restaurant in the US and when paying the bill shaking the waiters hand and thanking them very much for their service - but not leaving a tip - and not accidentally like a european who expects that person to be paid properly and not need the tip - but deliberately and knowingly

BUT that's just my opinion and I bear no ill will to anyone making clones - and I believe that at least some of them have offered money and had it turned down

space is also similar to a large extent - not enough space in the case - get another - you were saving your pennies (piggy bank for next case) when buying modules for the last case weren't you?

ergonomics is another factor - the number one rule of cloning seems too be make it smaller - well imo they are small enough already - the only clone that appears to have done this in any way that maintains the ergonomics is pachinko - and not having seen one in the flesh or played with one - I don't know but to me Marbles seems about the right size for Marbles, etc etc

there are ways to find reliable builders - muffwiggler's Music Tech DIY subforum Stickies

it's not that difficult to learn to solder - especially as there are online workshops - such as the Music Thing Modular Control build that Thonk hosted at the weekend - not perfect if you have to buy tools up front too - but actual events may start up again at some point in the future - I learnt at Dutch Modular Festival 2018 (i think) I bought a 50€ kit and built it there had a quick lesson and checked etc - I've now built about 60 modules - DIY does not save money - it means more modules for the same money, eventually

re: FR4 panels - they're not that bad really not got any big ones but small ones seem fine - and I wouldn't see that as a show stopper - it's actually a decent way of shaving a few quid off the costs - aluminium panels are not cheap!

in terms of quality of components - 99% of the time it will be the exact component as described in the bom or the nearest available (mostly identical) part from a major supplier most of the time - because that's what's in the BOM freely available and almost always selected as the cheapest part that will do the job properly - there are some end of lifed components - but most of these have similarly priced alternatives - the big area where worse quality components are substituted (and this is debatable to some extent) is the move from pots to trimmers - generally pots are bolted to the panel and soldered to the pcb - which massively helps in terms of structural integrity - trimmers can only be soldered and not bolted - but saying that I have a fair few reasonably high end modules that have pots and no bolts - but then there are almost always screws holding the panel to the pcb in order to compensate - but trimmers also often reflects a reduction in size which then makes the modules horrible to use... but it massively reduces the cost - from memory a trimmer is roughly a third of the price of a pot and knob

The only module that I have where I have 'issues' is Maths - neither channel 1 nor channel 4 function outs like being patched to non-buffered inputs (apparently all make noise modules have buffered inputs) - but not a biggie! like the issues with the 6hp endorphin.es modules - it may be power related...

I am maybe interested... but 100% busy with other things right now. Is there a deadline?
-- the-erc

Still 2 days left if you are interested.

Just following up on this. Comp is out April 2nd. Accepting tracks all the way up until the deadline.

Thanks!

I’m with Farkas, it’s mostly a matter of finding the right tools for the job. There are differences in quality, but that’s also a matter of personal preference. Take the panel: some builders use sturdy aluminium, others FR4 / plastic. The same counts for the chips, the pots, etc. But most top quality brands are twice as expensive as their alternatives, and pretty HP heavy. I’m afraid you’ll have to do your research for every module. And you’ll probably still have some surprises: not all modules play as well with modules from other brands. Eurorack is a bit of a wild west situation..
And about noise: don’t underestimate the importance of a good power supply! A power conditioner in the studio can also help.

Hi Nicholas. In my experience, it really does come down to personal wants and needs. If something is advertised as "lo-fi," it's probably going to sound and react "lo-fi", and it's up to you to decide whether that is right for your rack. Do as much research as possible to avoid spending money on things that aren't right for YOU.
You can usually get a good idea about the quality and reliability of very specific modules over on the MuffWiggler forum. I don't really think there are inherently good or bad manufacturers or modules. For instance, I like some of the Endorphin.es stuff, but many users have had trouble with noise on some of their 6hp modules. I have had no such trouble with my Milky Way 6hp fx. The Furthrrr Generator by the same manufacturer is outstanding and fairly well regarded. It may be a matter of consistency and firmware on their digital modules.
I do tend to shy away from DIY modules that other individuals have built, probably unjustly. The clones I have gotten from After Later have been great, but I'm not sure I trust DIY from a random individual. That's my personal preference. I know there is a semi-well-known Mutable clone builder (who shall remain nameless) that many have had trouble with. Not so much module quality, but actually receiving their modules from this particular builder. I ordered a Triple Sloths clone from this builder and received the runaround and claims of "lost in the mail" until I opened a dispute. Many others have had the same experience with this builder. I would lean towards supporting the original designer and manufacturer instead of buying too many clones. Of course, space is always an issue so the clone thing is a personal choice.
Overall, the only "bad" modules I've purchased have been the ones that I didn't research fully. They did exactly what they were supposed to do, but that specific sound/interface/function was completely wrong for my setup and workflow.

Hey All, thanks for your feedback!

Hello,

The Sinfonium appears not to be working properly. I followed the manual to a tee and no luck. I'm experienced user and have done all the typical trouble shooting.
1. checked power
2. double checked instructions
3. all my other modules are performing correctly, tuning v/oct, my other quantizers are working, my sequencer is performing as usual, envelopes, lfo etc.
4. The root knob doesn't do anything and the module doesn't respond to incoming lfo, tried different lfos , different frequency ranges but nothing changes
5. I check with my tuner and the sinfonium outputs do not pass any signal
6. the screen appears to work although I cannot navigate to all the different keys for instance it says to go to key of c and the knob range stops at d at the bottom left.

Help!

Hi folks,

As I'm getting into modular, I'm struck by an overall question: are there bad modules / brands / clones to avoid?

I've scanned the "most used" and "best reviewed" modules on MG. Also done some Google searches for best / favorite modules; those generally align with the MG rankings. I see a handful of brands bubble to the top of the "best reviewed, most used" modules lists. But as I scan Modular Grid and read posts / racks posted by much more experienced modular synthesists, I see a TON of various modules and brands being used, and quite a lot of clones, which provide some advantage on $, HP or availability.

I'm hoping to avoid "bad" modules -- "bad" might mean: i) unwanted noise ii) lacking important performance precision (e.g. poor pitch tracking, etc.) iii) poor durability / build quality / prone to failure iv) and maybe some other demerits.

So, what would you say to me and other newbies:
-- are there obvious brands to stay away from?
-- are most clones as good as originals?
-- or does a buyer really need to check every module for user ratings and press reviews?

Of course there is "bad" in terms of less-than optimal in $, performance, HP, or for a given use for specific purposes, but I expect I'll need to continue to research / evaluate modules for "strong fit."

I'll appreciate your ideas on this!

Thanks all,

Nicholas

link the actual build
-- Lugia

Should be fixed now. Thanks again!

Well, if you want a "brain explode" moment...back when the initial work was getting done on VCV Rack, I'd DLed the package around the 0.5-ish version range. Install, fire it up, load modules, start screwing around, and...CRASH CRASH CRASH.

Naturally, I was a bit peeved, but it WAS still in beta after all. So, taking care to watch the widget that I use to track core use and load, I fired it up again. And yep...CRASH...but THIS time, I'd been watching the widget and was more than slightly horrified!

The app had ZERO multithreading capability. It was totally incapable of utilizing multicore architecture. I was a little dumbfounded, so I went over to the user forum and pointed out that it wasn't capable of being used in that way, which seriously crippled the capability of the app. What I got next was a snarky post along the lines of "you musicians don't understand programming...you don't know what's needed for multicore support"...etc etc etc. Huh.

Time passes, and finally VCV gets out of beta. And I had a fresh look...and sure enough, one of the first new features waaaaaas...

...multithreading. It's nice when you're right, even if it takes some time to prove the point. But had the developers stuck to their guns on this, VCV would be a footnote, and NOT a reliable workhorse. I didn't see the point in not supporting multithreading, given how much of a processor load the betas would put on the single core they'd have access to, and thankfully they got the point eventually, too.

Honestly, I won't really be satisfied with computers until I can finally have a room-temp quantum setup...whenever that happens. Even at 32 threads, I know I'm pushing the hell out of the Z620 on some of my Ableton productions, and eventually, there will be that need for MOAR!

Well, for starters, you could link the actual build instead of just putting the JPEG of it up. Go back to your original post, delete the current link, then link the actual build page's URL and reload the post. That way, others can have a go at it...otherwise, it's a bit of a pain to make alterations, etc.

The only question that comes to mind when looking at this is "why?" The layout is totally dysfunctional, for starters. Why would you slather this in blanks? Why use 6 x 168 hp for such a small module complement? Why are there several prepowered and precased synths in this when they should almost certainly be back in their own cabs, on their own DC rails? And why build it like this? I semi-sorta get that this is probably some sort of religious thing...but lemme explain something...

Years ago, back in Nashville, I did a couple of sessions for artists on Benson. And I don't think any of them would've been caught dead with something like this. Those were pro session guys and pro musicians, and they knew full well that you DIDN'T compromise your gear, no matter what sort of statement you're trying to make. And this build here is ridiculously compromised. It'll be a massive pain to cart around, patch, play...you name it. No session player I worked with back there...and that runs a gamut from contemporary Christian to hardcore punk...would do something to make their instruments that they depended on MORE DIFFICULT to use!

I strongly suggest that, if this isn't some kind of troll build or such, you delete this. Take the Moogs and the Strega out of the case. Shrink the case back down to a sensible size for the module complement. Then arrange the modules in a way that makes even 1% more sense than this...at least it would then be 1% sensible! Otherwise, I guarantee that you're on the road to having one VERY unplayable synth.

Well, I had a bash at this...probably good, too, as there were some discontinued and/or wrong versions of modules in the original build. Plus, there was a LOT missing...attenuverters, modulation utilities, and so on. Plus, in this sort of case, you've GOT to minimize space while maximizing function. Now, it might SEEM like a bunch of your modules are missing here, but what I've done is to replace everything that could be "shrunk" with their smaller counterparts in a number of cases. Plus, the AS modules were deep...as in, REAL deep, to the point that I had some concerns about the depth on them. In others, I just reworked things altogether, such as the drum modules (gone...and you'll see why in a bit). Anyway, the result I got was:

OK...so, what's going on here? Let's have a look...

Top row: Single Plaits: gone. Replacement: TWO Plaits clones. Two VCOs is always better...you can detune them for a huge, fat sound, or you can split 'em out as individual voice sources, or you can use one to FM the other, and so on. Added a wavefolder for even crazier timbral tampering under CV control. Quad VCA: also gone. Replacement: Codex Modulex's clone of the Mutable Veils, basically the same thing minus 4 hp. Then the VCFs...I tossed the earlier ones, and went with one very different one and one not so different one. The "very" is G-Storm's clone of the famous and wonderful Roland JP-6 filter, while the "not so" is the version of Happy Nerding's SVF which has the other modulation/control inputs, as opposed to the one that was there. Same core, better tricks. Also, the G-Storm filter has its own 2-in mixer, so if you want to bypass the VCAs altogether, you can send both Plaits clones directly. Elements got shrunk by a whole bunch, again thanks to Codex Modulex. And THIS allowed the next two modules...one is a stereo mixer, as you can see...and the OTHER is Squarp's Rample, a four-channel sampler/looper. Now, remember that thing about the drums? This not only fixes that (if you use it for drum samples), but gives you the ability to submix the entire sampling module and send it to...well, we'll get to that...

Middle row: Konstant Labs PWRchekr, because it's good to be able to keep an eye on your DC rail performance. Then Ladik's little gated slew limiter, for portamento and such. After that, I added one of Doepfer's useful utility modules, with this one having noise and random sources, and a sample and hold that can be switched to track-and-hold. Kept one Disting, and it's next...then the Tides got shrunk. Right after that, you'll find a 2hp attenuverter...very useful for inverting Tides outputs if desired. Maths is next (the right version), then a Frap 321 lets you mix, mangle, alter, and screw with in general your modulation sources. A 3xVCA is next so that you'll have some DC-coupled linear VCAs for modulation level control. Then FOUR envelope gens are hiding in the Zadar (which has its Nin expander here as well). And the last thing is more for the mixer below...or you can use it with the stereo mix from the Rample...a Make Noise Mimeophon stereo delay with loads of timbral options.

Bottom row: the original MIDI interface was just too clunky, so I chucked it in favor of an Expert Sleepers FH-2. This is not merely a MIDI-in interface, but also a class-compliant keyboard (via USB) interface, which will let you connect any keyboard that outputs MIDI over USB directly to the synth. MUCH more potent! Eloquencer's next...then next to it is another FX module, in this case a Purrtronics spring reverb emulator, which is a mono-in, stereo-out device, and you need that sort of I/O for the mixer. And that mixer is a Toppobrillo Stereomix2...which gives you VCAs on each input, plus CV over panning and AUX sends. You also have silent mutes, a CUE bus...and importantly, a mono AUX send and stereo AUX return. Then that last module is a Happy Nerding OUT...offering your main headphone preamp (the Stereomix2 has one as well, but you might find that one more useful for the CUE function) and a little surprise: TWO stereo inputs, one of which has its own input level (pre-fader...yep, you also have a ganged stereo level control) so that you can fly a stereo signal over the rest of the mix. Remember that thing about the Rample's submixer? That's one good use for the second stereo input. Another might be to split your AUX send, send one to the reverb, and the other to the Mimeophon, then you can mix the Mimeophon back in via the extra stereo in.

So...what happened? Basically, I made things smaller while pushing to INCREASE the functionality. Also, you'll notice that everything's been reordered so that you have cohesive function "groups", which function together as opposed to just a collection of modules. I added some very necessary utilities, also...and so on, until this was the result. And the fun part is that it's only a couple of hundred bucks (if that) more than the original once I put the Eloquencer back into it. This should be far more functional than the original, plus it offers some interesting NEW functions that you might not have thought of, like the JP-6 filter clone or the 4-channel sampler, some effects, full CV control over your main mixer, etc etc etc. Very beefed up.

EDITED Mar 31st 2021, 02:28

I hear you! I'm also stepping into modular because:
-- my VSTs sound great, but it is hard (or at least not very fun) to try to get really dynamic and evolving sounds out of them
-- I do want to do stuff with my hands, not always a mouse
-- the modular VSTs are a crazy pain in the a$$ to work with IMO. Yes their powerful and sound good, but the combination of needing to mouse everything, the latency / lag, being only able to touch one control at a time, etc. etc. etc. Some time cursing at my "preferred" VST modular is what convinced me to get into analog modular! Maybe I'm just not patient enough with these.
-- I do think analog modular can do some compelling things VSTs and non-modular hardware can't

As such, I'm trying to focus my modular builds / experience on what can't be achieved well in other formats, or isn't fun in other formats. IMO that includes:
-- complex oscillators esp. those with audio rate modulation. Instruo Cs-L, Make Noise DPO, Steady State Fate ZPO, Rossum Trident, Future Sound Systems OSC2... those and a few others I think are super interesting, and to my knowledge, have no great VST alternative.
-- complex filters and waveshapers: Make Noiose QPAS, SSF Stereo Dipole, Rossum Linnaus, Intellijel Bifold, etc. IMO unique analog filters and waveshapers, that can be modulated deeply (and/or at audio rate), this is super interesting and another domain of sound design not well handled in formats outside of analog modular
-- complex control signals and "generative" audio. A search for "generative" on this forum yields a lot of interesting posts. To my knowledge, the generative work you can do in analog modular is beyond what's presently possible (or easy / fun) to do in other formats.
-- experimentation: I got a super disgusting (great) sound out of a resonant filter driven to distortion "struck" by a short envelope. Sonic and technical experimentation, I really dig, and modular is a great playground to do that
-- happy accidents: a modular system has all kinds of surprises and non-linearities in it. My Sylenth1 (which I love) will always sound the same with the same patch; my modular system, I could hardly get to sound exactly the same twice to save my life.

My basic idea is to try to build a rack that fits my tastes and excels at what modular is good at (hopefully avoiding creating an expensive and cumbersome unit that can be outperformed by general VSTs)

So that's a little of what brings me to modular, and a few (module) ideas that may be interesting to you. Relatedly, I can suggest you check out this thread by Farkas: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/9756

Last, I should point you to VCVrack; if you don't already know it, this is the "Eurorack simulator" software, which carries emulations of most modules. It looks like they will have a VST version coming out, but presently it is a standalone. My understanding is this is widely used to trial modules, rigs, and patches.

Good luck!

Hi Gabor,

Oh, wow! What a tension that's being build up in the first part of the track, so tense! I sat on the tip of the chair wanted to be swallowed by the video and the music, become a part of it and at the same time feeling scared too!

Nicely done and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Slammer22,

The Erica Synths - Black 8 Multi is so far the best buffered multiple I have. Being "the best" as in comfortable to use and from a patching point of view. The bad news is that it's sold out :-( I only got one of it and wanted to buy a few more but then I was already too late. I checked this with Erica Synths but it's really sold out :-(

The Black 8 Multi is so logical to use and it has four outputs per input channel, no other modules (with 4 HP width) can do that, as far as I know, in such logical and comfortable way.

Indeed the Doepfer A-180-3 is another good choice.

Other option might be the ACL - Multi II that exists of two parts, a buffered multiple and a passive multiple, 6 HP, so it's comfortable to use while patching.

Good luck in searching for a good buffered multiple and kind regards, Garfield.

@FragileIdiot,

Good luck with this. I'm a modular newbie (so not a lot of direct advice to give on modular) but a longtime musician. I'll be interested to see where you land with this inquiry and build, as I'm in a somewhat similar position.

I am curious, what are you hoping to get from modular that you can't from software & standalone hardware?

Hearing about your "retro" focus, I would think you could be very well served with some non-modular options such as:
-- Roland software, Roland emulations, Roland hardware (like Jupiter Xm). IMO this stuff sounds great and is a joy to use. If I worked in retro like you do, I would definitely have an "Ultimate" Roland Cloud subscription
-- Sequential's current lineup: Dave Smith is still making beautiful instruments that mix the classic vibe (and presets) with modern capabilities. Any of those analogue boards could give you a real boost in great retro sound
-- less completely retro but very awesome is Native Instruments Komplete + their Komplete controllers. The hands-on integration for these is now very strong, and the NI library is so vast. I love the browsing and sound manipulation that can be done here without a mouse now. IMO this is also a great value, compared to equivalent spend on hardware / modular.
-- the Arturia software suite is also great for retro. The sheer # of retro instruments and presets is huge. The "modular" VSTs in that suite could give you a lot of the retro modular sounds, if that's what you're after.

I assume you know about most if not all of those above already. BUT, hearing your situation and objectives, I thought I would mention these as possible alternatives for you; to me they really stand out as potentially useful for your situation.

Having recently entered the modular domain, I can say: i) it is expensive ii) its very deep in terms of variety of modules, module designs, etc. iii) there's a vast amount of learning to be able to buy or run a decent rig iv) it does beat software and standalone synths for some uses, but not all. I AM enjoying modular learning and sounds a lot, and it also helps me understand and me appreciate my VSTs and hardware drum machines even more!

Best wishes,

Nicholas
-- nickgreenberg

Cheers, Nicholas, thanks for your reply!

I think, like any god fearing young man, I need modular synthesis to keep me off the streets.

Yeah, I have the Arturia bundle and I use it a lot. Also have a bunch of UVI stuff and other odds and ends in terms of plugins. I think they sound great and there’s little if anything that I strictly can not achieve with the tools that I own currently. But I would posit that a lot of what producers invest in is more experiential than functional (from a vintage German microphone in the live room to an expensive single origin coffee in the kitchen).

Also, I do find virtual modular stuff pretty hard to program on (ex Arturia’s 2600 and Moog system plugins, even the ZOIA which it’s taking me a long time to bond with for this very reason). I reckon that if I logged some time on a hardware modular system and that type of programming migrated more into the “second nature” part of my brain then I would be less annoyed/confused by virtual modular stuff.

I also just like having multiple flavors of things if something isn’t sitting quite right in a mix or is feeling obtuse in a session. My Deckard’s Dream can do most of things my Little Phatty can do but the one does not quite make the other obsolete. It’s a luxury to get to amass gear in this way, of course, but that’s part of what someone’s paying me for when they hire me.

So I guess the main thing that I’m after is the tactile creative experience of working on a system like this (not the least of which reasons being that a lot of my favorite records were made on early synthesis systems). And I like more modern stuff too but I don’t really work professionally on any EDM projects which seems like a distinct camp in the modular community. Also I dig the significantly increased probability that I will accidentally make something interesting I wouldn’t have come up with otherwise.

Admittedly it is more than a little indulgent to sink this much money into the idea that I just want to vibe out over some synth modules haha. But here we are. Ideally I would pair this down to something a little bit cheaper, but maybe this is a good future goal and I need to just build it up a little at a time.

For what it’s worth I got on my current modular kick after randomly hearing some demos of the Plaits and thinking it sounded extraordinary and I wasn’t certain I had anything in my arsenal that would do exactly what it does. I kind of always knew I’d go down this road some day but I was waiting for something to push me over the edge.

Still missing:
More VCA's
Attenuverters
Mults
Maybe sequencing (but probably just going to use keystep pro_

Finally got a nice setup here and just added the vpme.de Quad Drum. Enjoying it so far but I'm curious if there is a better way I could organize this.

So, if this were your rack, how would you organize it? Anything you would add?

Thanks in advance!

My current setup

EDITED Mar 31st 2021, 03:04

@FragileIdiot,

Good luck with this. I'm a modular newbie (so not a lot of direct advice to give on modular) but a longtime musician. I'll be interested to see where you land with this inquiry and build, as I'm in a somewhat similar position.

I am curious, what are you hoping to get from modular that you can't from software & standalone hardware?

Hearing about your "retro" focus, I would think you could be very well served with some non-modular options such as:
-- Roland software, Roland emulations, Roland hardware (like Jupiter Xm). IMO this stuff sounds great and is a joy to use. If I worked in retro like you do, I would definitely have an "Ultimate" Roland Cloud subscription
-- Sequential's current lineup: Dave Smith is still making beautiful instruments that mix the classic vibe (and presets) with modern capabilities. Any of those analogue boards could give you a real boost in great retro sound
-- less completely retro but very awesome is Native Instruments Komplete + their Komplete controllers. The hands-on integration for these is now very strong, and the NI library is so vast. I love the browsing and sound manipulation that can be done here without a mouse now. IMO this is also a great value, compared to equivalent spend on hardware / modular.
-- the Arturia software suite is also great for retro. The sheer # of retro instruments and presets is huge. The "modular" VSTs in that suite could give you a lot of the retro modular sounds, if that's what you're after.

I assume you know about most if not all of those above already. BUT, hearing your situation and objectives, I thought I would mention these as possible alternatives for you; to me they really stand out as potentially useful for your situation.

Having recently entered the modular domain, I can say: i) it is expensive ii) its very deep in terms of variety of modules, module designs, etc. iii) there's a vast amount of learning to be able to buy or run a decent rig iv) it does beat software and standalone synths for some uses, but not all. I AM enjoying modular learning and sounds a lot, and it also helps me understand and me appreciate my VSTs and hardware drum machines even more!

Best wishes,

Nicholas

I went in a similar direction workstation-wise, a year ago, updating my main music PC to a Threadripper 3rd Gen 32-core 64 thread build. The current mobo would host the 64 core Threadripper if needed, but I'm nowhere close to bottoming out the current hardware. Tasks that used to cripple my old old old workstation now barely move the needle on my new workstation. Some software will overload a single core and cause the machine to bog down; I'm not an engineer, but in this instance I would say "the software is slow" or at least not built to leverage the power of a multi-core machine. For example MAAT's TheEQ Orange, which sounds gorgeous, will slow down even my beast machine, which I attribute to mainly to inherent latency in the plugin.

All considered, the musical tasks that used to make me want to blow my brains out screaming at my computer, now these barely register, if at all. That means there's still a lot of "I used to try to do X" I have to get back to, all while learning new capabilities in latest Live and Bitwig versions, not to mention I've now dipped into analog modular!

Oh, how music continues to teach me humility! Out of the vast expanse of what I want to do in music--facing the limits of my current abilities, my capacity to learn, and my time--I get just a taste.

Thanks folks! I will take a closer look at O&C and Disting as advised.