User Posts

this is how WE change the world... hopefully!! or at least make ourselves feel a little bit better...
-- JimHowell1970

Hahaha, I'm not sure I have such high hopes, my dude :-D For me it's only about raising awareness, no need to overdo it or insist on people changing their minds, I try to share what I consider is right (and whenever possible, positive), and hope to inspire others to do the same - which might end up disagreeing with me and that is fine. I do think however that an overly PC attitude wouldn't be positively contributing to any debate, because it essentially tries to remove the debate from discussion, whereas debate is for me an essential part of a good and sane society. What do people do when they can't discuss what they disagree on ?

exactly one small step at a time - and we can only hope that things move in the right direction

remember - Woody Guthrie's guitar "This Machine Kills Fascists"

& I've seen that slogan (or very similar) stuck to many, many modular synthesizers over the years

-- JimHowell1970

Yeah, I've seen it too - tbh, I don't think anyone should kill anyone because of their ideas but I have to admit I have very belligerent feeling for people with a severe lack of ideas, sometimes, so I guess I can't be throwing stones, right ? :)

-- toodee

well that's 99%* of the time why people do get killed... I doubt a guitar or a synthesizer ever killed anyone - unless it was dropped on them from a great height!!

*don't believe all statistics you read on the internet...

it originally started as a concatenation of (big) muff (π) and wiggler - 2 electro-harmonix effects pedals

muff in English has multiple meanings:
the effects pedal;
a tube made of fur or other warm material into which the hands are placed for warmth;
and
slang for female genitalia/pubic hair

wiggler is more straight forward someone who wiggles

I don't see electro-harmonix changing the name of their effect pedal after 50 years or so...

it's just a bit of schoolboy humour - that really hurts no one and has no intention of offence - but remember in English you cannot give offence, you can only take it... some people are extremely over sensitive and those that are tend to shout the loudest!

EDITED Oct 6th 2021, 12:59

@toodee +1000000000

this is how WE change the world... hopefully!! or at least make ourselves feel a little bit better...

remember - Woody Guthrie's guitar "This Machine Kills Fascists"

& I've seen that slogan (or very similar) stuck to many, many modular synthesizers over the years

Please don't let this site become like modwiggler, where in trying to be 'politically correct' they've changed their name, from a double-entendre (a harmless pun), and remove all mention of the b-company's poor ethics from module discussion into a separate thread... where newbies looking for inexpensive ways into modular don't get directed - they just get hammered by the marketing might of the b-company - when there are plenty of other options, which support small businesses with (near-) zero marketing budgets!

EDITED Oct 6th 2021, 10:14

some people don't care if they buy stuff from douchebags, but some people do and unless they know who the douchebags are, they can't make informed decisions, can they?

part of learning about eurorack modules is being aware of which manufacturers have questionable politics, ethics and/or have poor customer service etc etc... don't ya think???

EDITED Oct 6th 2021, 00:36

there are other "incidents" if i remember correctly...
and I try not to buy things made by child or slave labour

yeah - say you have one cable plugged into the output of your hydrasynth going to say maths and then another one plugged into the stackcable on the hydrasynth and then stacked into O&C and then another plugged into the stackcable on the hydrasynth and going to say a clock divider - this is a star network - don't do this

go hydrasynth to Maths to O&C to clock divider to XYZ module - this is a chain - less strain on the modules

EDITED Oct 5th 2021, 20:05

I'd be surprised if you'd have issues until way more than three connections although it may depend a lot on the modules and the initial voltage - voltage droop is not that significant - and trigger inputs are usually triggered by any signal over a certain voltage... sometimes this quite low, sometimes it is quite high - so ordering of the stackcable chain may have an impact

don't stack more than 2 though chain them - less stress on the sockets

they add chaos

Looks sick, would love to hear some jams ⛈️⛈️⛈️
-- troux

sick in a bad way due to synthrotek...

-- JimHowell1970

That Synthrotek Sequence 8 is pretty flexible for a lil sequencer. I tried several small ones, this one was ultimately the best for the job. ;)

-- ANTONIVS

no dude... the company... Steve the owner is a douchebag.... (on line rape jokes, racism etc) don't give him money

I think small cases are great for pulling stuff out from the big system to either concentrate on or take on travels

but as main systems and for starters they suck as they are too constraining and don't really allow the owner to work out what they really need in a single system

manufacturers are making small cases because people are buying them - doesn't mean it's a good idea in most cases, though

Looks sick, would love to hear some jams ⛈️⛈️⛈️
-- troux

sick in a bad way due to synthrotek...

Here is what I came up with:

to start with please read through the recent thread 'this should not exist' for all the reasons not to buy either b-company or synthrotek products - only you and your conscience can decide... but note that at least some stores have stopped stocking synthrotek due to the fact that they are poor quality and do not have adequate product support not just because of Steve's online rape jokes...

the waldorf mod-1 modular is best described as huge and oversized for a rack this size (or any to be honest) Maths would be a better replacement - a bit smaller and if you search a bit online you will find the 'maths illustrated manual' - which is an excellent learning tool resource for modular synthesis in general; even if you do not buy the module - but it might make you buy it!!!

too many 2hp modules - they are horrible from an ergonomics point of view - especially when next to each other or between other modules that are densely populated!

most modular synthesists do not use eq - filters are more prevelant and do similar things - but with added benefits - resonance and possibly self-oscillation for example

other than that - m'eh, but each to their own in a way - I'd start slowly:

a sound source, a sound modulator, a modulation source, a way to listen and a way to play and add a few utility modules: I like links, kinks, shades, veils and a matrix mixer as a starter kit (kinks is discontinued - wmd/ssf toolbox is a good substitute) and you have veils and a 3*mia (which is a good substitute for shades) and then play with that for a while to get your head round what you are actually doing and what modules you actually need (as opposed to thinking you want now) and add to the rack slowly

I hope all this helps!!!

EDITED Oct 4th 2021, 16:12

A few days ago I realized the potential for modular, after being unexcited by current hardware synths. And realized I could make my dream synth, and a soundtrack machine for video games.

a lot of people spend many months if not years researching before buying - I spent at least 1.5 years myself between realising I wanted a modular (or in fact realising I had already got some parts of a modular with out knowing it in the form of moogerfooger, lovetone and frostwave pedals) and buying a case and any modules

I would strongly suggest doing much, much more research before spending a penny on this project

Some advice and recommendations would be fantastic!
Here is what I want to accomplish:

-Important stuff to fit into Arturia's 6u case so it will go along with my Minibrute 2 and have the feel of a complete musical instrument. (and so I will be less likely to get g.a.s.)

HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA - not going to happen... eurorack modular has so many new and potentially useful modules coming out constantly that - the only way to truely avoid gas in modular is once you have got a single case full and functional to never ever: watch you tube, go to a modular forum, go to a modular store or talk to anyone who has anything to do with modular - this is difficult if you have a modular!!!

FEATURES:
-Be similar to my most used vst's, Reaktor Prism and Kontour, but mixed with the Arp Odyssey, Dreadbox Nyx.
(I have seen Rings, Elements, Plaits and those kind of modules, but I would like to have more control over the creation and be more analogue. I am unsure of Rings. . .)

I think you are asking too much of 6u / 88hp here - maybe it would be better to think of modular as complimentary to your vst based system instead of trying to duplicate or replace it

--I like the usage of comb filters and feedback loops in those vst's, I want those features, and have various different routes available for those.

rings is very similar to a comb filter when used as an effect and not a sound source

--That Paradox dual VCO is interesting, similar to a feature in Kontour. (I like strange stuff like that)

patching together multiple simple vcos may actually be more interesting!!!! but if it's a must have also look at other complex oscillators - DPO, FurtherGenerator etc etc there are tonnes and they all sound a bit different and have slightly different features

-I prefer envelopes over LFO's for shaping a sound over time. Want more complex Envelopes, and or can be gate delayed. I think the three LFO's on the minibrute 2 would be enough for me.

there are envelopes and there are envelopes and there are lfos and lfos - all are good - a looping envelope generator is effectively a uni-polar lfo - sometimes you will want bi-polar too!!! - function generators are also very popular and interesting modules - really though mixing all of these together to get even more interesting modulation is the best policy - use a matric mixer

-I definitely want a spring reverb. Probably another reverb to finish off the sound. I want those to be able to go into feedback loops.

yes it's a good patching technique - a matrix mixer is really useful for feedback patching as well as modulation... I would consider a multi-effect such as fx aid xl as an end of chain reverb - maybe multiples of this module

-FM, ring modulation, waveshaping would be nice.

all widely available

-Definitely have multiples/multiplier? modules.

Utilities (of which mults are but 1 type are incredibly useful and inexpensive tools in a modular which are almost definitely hidden or non-existant in fixed architecture and soft synths

_Clouds, Monsoon, is pretty interesting.

Beads is worth looking at instead

-It might be interesting to have the possibility to get a binaural stereo sound with a comb filter for each side.

until recently stereo and polyphony were out of scope (to a large extent) in modular as too expensive - this is not the case anymore - but in some cases it may be - possibly check out the raincatcher by

-Have various ways to alter or shape feedback loops.

covered by above - only limit is your patching ability and imagination (and wallet)

Some previous related ideas and thoughts:
-What if reverb was a sound source?

reverb does kind of need something to use as a seed - reverberated silence should (in a perfect world) be silence, but see no-input mixing

-Reaktor Prism but with analogue VCO's instead of noise.
-A pool of reverbed noise (which can my modified before being released), let out at specific frequencies corresponding to the note pressed, then sculpted with comb filter/s - then a juicy analogue filter on top of that - with a reverb on the end; various feedback loops to add more harmonics.

see also fixed filter bank

-How to make extreme feedback more musical?

with extreme difficulty - or just reappraise what you hear as musical!!

I like sounds whose origin is uncertain. Maybe surreal sounds.
For a sci-fi game, I want some sounds that are like the sound of the universe yelling out because its being eaten by a black hole. And sounds that have the same flavor or characteristics as a bowed gong.

all easily possible in eurorack - as are chirping bird sounds, beep and boops, drones etc etc

Here is what I came up with:

and I will probably eventually get a little expander case, for extra less important stuff, utilities, complex LFO, MIDI to CV for multi note playing. . .

yeah yeah I started with a 6u / 72 hp case and thought I'd only expand a bit from that - 4.5years later I have 1500hp of audio and video modular synthesizer

What do you think? Better modules out there? Better ways to go about it?

The Modor comb filter is stereo - so if I only plugged one cable out of it, I would only get half the signal?

generally if you plug a sound source into only say the left channel of a stereo effects module and take only one patch cable out of the left output - then you will get a mono signal... - sometimes depending on the module if the algorithm it is using converts mono->stereo then it's dependent on how the algorithm works - reading the actual manual of the module is the best way to actually understand what is going on and the only way to get a conclusive answer to your question for the specific module

Can I just take the audio out of a VCA and use a 1/8 to 1/4 jack converter to go to my audio interface?

-- vansting

a basic passive attenuator will do the job a lot of the time - if you have a 1/2 decent audio interface that has a pad on the inputs then you may not even need this - if you have a good audio interface that has balanced inputs then you may want to get an output module that has balanced outputs - the best way to find out is to start with less and if you have issues add more in this order

using 1/8" -> 1/4" cables (converters are bad as they put strain on jacks which may need replacing sooner if you put strain on them) whatever last modules is in audio path, add atttenuators (passive, cheap, always useful), add output module, add better output module

random*source or elby for serge in eurorack... luke teaford on modwiggler is a bit of an expert - searching for his posts can glean a lot of information...

Dual Universal Slope Generator, Smooth and Stepped Generator, Resonant EQ, Variable Slope VCF, Variable Q VCF, Triple Waveshaper, Divide by N Comparator, New Timbral Oscillator and Wave Multiplier - would be the most interesting to add of those available from random*source - some maybe in multiples

me too!

If you have hinton busbars already sorted out I'd send them an email to ask! they'll almost definitely be able to point you in the right direction - good luck!!!

I've got 300+ patch cables myself - an assortment of all sorts including mutable, polar noise (braided - for very long ones), a few doepfer etc and 80 or so stackcables! they are currently living in a pile on the floor

ok
yes I know that eurorack is small in Scandinavia (I nearly moved to Norway - long story)
but you should also realise that it is small everywhere
I would seriously look into buying the ribbon cables and idc connectors and making your own power cables - not only is it significantly cheaper - less than 0,5€ per cable they literally take 2 minutes to make - so even factoring in your time (and the 5 mins you have to spend watching a video to learn how to - they work still work out cheaper than the 2€+ a bought one costs...

patch cables on the other hand are really fiddly and basically a pain in the ass - so I would buy these... if you want cheaper try to find somewhere that sells in bulk - there was a place in the us where you could get 100 for $120 or so... or just add a few every time you get a new module... I like PolarNoise cables - they should have free shipping to EU countries if you spend over 60€ (20 or so cables)

as for DIY power supplies - I really like the Befaco Excalibus power supplies - again I think you'll probably get free shipping if you buy direct - maybe add a tshirt or a few cables if you need to bump the price up to get free shipping

whilst they're not the most powerful supplies, they are exceptionally quiet - I use them for video synthesis and I see no difference between them and my tiptop mantis - which is effectively the studio bus (ie not uZeus - they are noisy) which is also very quiet and has been recommended as a video synthesis power supply - any ripple can be seen on screen so there is no ripple up to video rates which is considerably higher than audio (audio is KHz, video is MHz) they are also reverse and over power protected (which is always handy) and they are available as DIY - not quick as there are a lot of solder joints (26 * 16 just for the idc headers) but are a good way of practicing your soldering skills - they also tend to run of old laptop power bricks - I've got 1 running on an old IBM Thinkpad power supply (which must be over 25 years old)

Oh, and Jim...yes, I still think Uli's a prime example of "appalling". But now, his actions are so transparent and evident that everyone knows the story...which is part of why Sweetwater trolled B. when they came out with the "Swing" (aka the Arturia Keystep) and at present, their Four Play VCA (ie: the Intellijel Quad VCA or Mutable's Veils) and the Brains (a blatant Mutable Plaits rip). Back then, they were rerouting search inquiries to the REAL modules, but these days searches for these just drop you into the midst of ALL Behringer listings, which is pretty much like getting tossed into the deep end of the proverbial pool.

Also, consider: now that Uli's making instruments, his visibility has increased, and continues to increase as Tribe keeps putting out more visible gear (as opposed to mixers, rack processors, etc). Might be great for sales, but if Uli goes off in some weird direction again (the Kirn debacle instantly comes to mind), that public coverage will potentially be his downfall. I'd be good with that, and I think lots of others would be as well.

-- Lugia

Well I'm all for shutting up about it as I'm a bit sick of it to be honest unless asked - as I was above...

I really didn't mean to derail your thread with 'anti-b-company propganda'

But I really think that the history of the b-company is not well known at all outside a small part of the recording/musical instrument market - and given that a lot of the influx of people into eurorack in the last couple of years has been through their marketing - and often from outside the traditional musical community that not that many people know about it or they wouldn't be selling so many - or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part that a majority of people will do the right thing when choosing who to buy things of, which is most likely the case...

EDITED Oct 2nd 2021, 08:48

I can't help you with that much of this, as a lot of it is related to electircals (ground etc which any electrician should be able to help you with) but:

for smaller cases such as 7u and 4u - hinton style busbars are almost definitely massive over kill - for a 60u 168hp + wide case then they are probably a good idea...

for eurorack power cables - which won't work with hinton style busbars anyway (you need all custom cables for this) they're alnost definitely just standard ribbon cable and 10 and 16 pin idc connectors which can be bought from most electrical suppliers - I'm sure there's one in Sweden, but otherwise Tayda, Mouser, RME, Reichelt etc carry them

if you already have long cables that you want to make significantly shorter - then it's easier to just cut them and add the appropriate header

you can either get a specialized crimper (I got one for 8€ from Reichelt) or use a vice or a heavy book - there's a video on YouTube using a bible for example

I still love my Behringer filters. :P I think I've handed over money to worse causes during my life to be honest.

I'm not suggesting not to buy them I'm saying think about it...
I'm sure I've given money to worse people in the past too, but not knowingly...

& I'm definitely not saying sell any you have - unless you want to...

just like with cars - it's much more environmentally friendly to run your car into the ground than it is to sell it and buy a brand new 'eco friendly' electric one

I was thinking about just how successful their eurorack clones are though as only the SYSTEM 100 140 DUAL ENVELOPE/LFO features on the page of popular modules on modular grid so despite them lauding the stats on Thomann as they do from time to time I'd be surprised if this database doesn't hold the lion's share of people planning their eurorack cases worldwide from experts to newbies alike.

It's hard to tell - I've no idea of the % of modular users who use modulargrid - I bet it's less than 50% - also remember a lot of user have multiple racks on modulargrid - so the most popular isn't necessarily that accurate (see Why We Bleep with Tony Ranaldo)

Let's say they do a Maths inspired module, would it really drastically eat into the market share of Make Noise. I'm not so sure it would.
-- greenfly

not particularly... Maths has already paid for it's R&D costs many times over and it already has a lot of competition from Befaco Rampage and Random*Source DUSG etc etc...

another option is a passive switched multiple...

doepfer do one - Steevio, MylarMelodies and myself use these for combining triggers... in Steevio's words "I've been doing it for years... and it ain't broke out yet!"

Hey @Lugia - I know you know - but others such as @nickgreenberg & @Vow3ll didn't and neither do a lot of the newbies who are buying into the b-company products simply because they are so cheap - a lot of whom would probably not buy their products if they knew about who they were giving their money to - and there are other manufacturers who are making modules at similar price points, and of often better quality, but don't have the marketing budget that Music Tribe has , nor to a large extent do a lot of modular companies want

as I said they are making, in terms of circuitry, decent clones - they are just not going that one step further and actually making them fully eurorack compatible, which if they'd actually listened to eurorack users they could have done, as well as making the front panel furniture of comparable quality with other eurorack manufacturers and still make modules that were (almost as) incredibly cheap as they are doing because of the economies of scale that they can achieve - including getting components at lower price points due to manufacturing a lot of the components they are using themselves

yes he does seem to have shut up recently - I suspect the board of Music Tribe may have had a hand in this and good for them

but Uli shutting up after saying those things does not alter the fact that he said those things...

don't quite a few of the 100 series already exist in eurorack? - Tokyo Tape Music Center and Catalyst/Red Panel for example, ok they are much more expensive than either the b-company or the tiptop/buchla modules, but they are tiny companies in comparison, who can't afford to make huge runs of modules

don't get me wrong I think the availability of, especially, long out of production musical instruments at a low price is a good thing - I just think it's a shame that a company with such a poor reputation has done it... as you've repeatedly said korg deserve to suffer over the 2600... but so do the b-company over their practices...

agreed - but don't think that you can avoid the b-company completely...
they make a lot of re-issue ICs etc - which are in a large number of modules, from a large number of manufacturers

historically (and continuing) poor quality - since the start of the company - way, way before they started on synthesizers/modular - currently this goes down to using poor quality glue on card inserts on knobs that fall off etc etc

cloning everything that he can get his hands on - mostly 'authentic' clones - so not a great deal of thought put into it - ie to make them more eurorack compatible

cloning modules that are still currently in production...

anti-semetic etc etc

suing people for giving poor reviews

etc etc

if you want more there's a fantastic thread on modwiggler - it's well over a hundred pages iirc - started to stop people commenting on these sorts of things in the main behringer module threads - which I think is poor judgement on modwiggler moderators part - anyone wanting to find information on b-company modules should have a lesson in the ethics of the company before deciding to buy - it's fine buying whatever you want - but you should at least be informed enough to make a decision!

but only in terms of 'his company made a module at a decent price that is comparatively rare, but incredibly useful'

I'd still rather give my money to people I at least perceive to be 'good people', either Dieter Doepfer or Dave Dixon (Dr Etch n Sketch - designer of quite a few Intellijel modules) who have both released frequency shifters - at about double the price of the b-company one - unlike Uli or Steve (?) from Synthrotek/Rat King for example

Mantis power is very good - it's effectively the tiptop studio bus - it's really quiet right up to video rates (MHz) where ripple/noise is actually visible on screen

it may also encourage anyone who hasn't put a price on their module to actually put one!

but you're still consciously giving Uli your money... which is up to you - I try not to - although it can't really be helped as they make a huge number of ICs that are in a wide variety of modules anyway...

it appears that the nifty case's midi implementation can cope with 2 cv/gate pairs - read the (fucking) manual - are they on the same midi channel? or different ones? how do you change this? can you change this?

once you know how the midi implementation works in the case, then consult the manual for how to set up the OPZ to take advantage of this! again RTFM!

I can't imagine that it is particularly difficult to do... probably just setting a value on the 2nd track in the OPZ in the menu system...

if you have any questions after you have done the above, please feel free to return and ask them below, however an OPZ or MIDI dedicated forum may be more useful to you...

the simplest solution to me is:

take the clep diaz out in the short term & buy another case... and put clep diaz in it...

or better yet... put a decent handful of modules in it and get some blind panels...

similar to @nickgreenbergs solution - but you still get to keep all your cases - so you can have one or 2 that you can pull out

given the number of voices you have it would make sense to rationalize quantization across them - can't recommend the sinfonion enough for this...

I find separate cases easy to deal with - I have 6 and will add 2 more (well 2 * 6u/84 hp in 2 6u desktop racks)

I like this solution as it is easier to deal with individual cases on a power and maintenance level and I can have a couple that I can pull out for whatever reason to use standalone - 1 for audio, 1 for video, in my case!

at the end makes most sense - "if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it!!" kind of idea - hopefully all 'commercial' modules will then get a price tag and those that don't might be "Dave's homebrew triple vca with built in coffee maker, or whatever" which no one but Dave cares about...

yeah - same experience here - when I had a button fail... brilliant customer service...

Think the ES-9 will be best for me to pick up ASAP then and that will also grant some utility with the 8 outs.

not utility (at least in the sense of utility modules in modular) - more functionality! think of utilities like plumbing...

I actually was looking at links and kinks before I took to here to ask advice. Also I've never used a matrix mixer, but definitely seems interesting. Think I will go ahead and make those purchases!
Maths I went back and forth with as I've seen its popularity as a beginner module and seems like I wouldnt have trouble reselling it if I ever wanted to. So I will go ahead and make that a priority as well.

make sure you get the illustrated manual - it's an online pdf and not from make noise! and full of patch ideas!!!

Think thats enough to help steer me in the right direction and make some choices ensuring I have a well rounded setup. I'm going to update my rack on here and I'm sure I'll be posting again asking for some patch ideas, or scouring the forums for them as well.

more than enough to be going on with for a good while!!

Really appreciate your feedback and hope your move goes well! I'm currently transitioning into a 5th wheel camper full time, so I'm about in the same boat lol All which supports me finally making the move into modular :)

-- amindy

thanks - you too!

EDITED Sep 28th 2021, 22:28

Ronin1973
Appreciate your feedback! Linking with ableton and my computer is an eventual goal but having a hard time pulling the trigger on those modules (Es-9 & midi cv expansion) right now. Again I want the eurorack to also function as standalone as much as possible and dont want too much of a headache as I already have a major learning curve as it is. But want to move that direction sooner than later.
On the synth level to line converters, do you have any recommendations?

if you are thinking of getting an es9 - I would say get that as it doesn't need any modular -> line level converters - it's a modular interface - might save you some money in the long run + you can integrate with vcv rack to have a play with different types of module etc

JimHowell1970
Hey See you pretty active on here, this is my first post, so forgive me as I'm learning how to use this! I posted a link to the rack above that I have with my current modules, and a few from my wish list off to the side.

As far as utilities go, thats exactly the kind of feedback and recommendations im looking for! Again looking for the order of what would be most useful with what I currently have and recommendations as to what my next purchases should be considering whats on my list and what I want to accomplish.

Thanks again for your help!
-- amindy

yeah - between jobs at the moment and moving house internationally - furniture arrives Friday!!!

currently have synth & computer plus a bed 2 chairs and a table and that's about it!!!

so please don't take any offence - I kind of get tired of typing the same thing again and again and again...

BUT anyway - utilities - the plumbing of modular

I usually recommend a starter kit of links, kinks, shades and veils - or other modules that satisfy the same functions - kinks is discontinued - so buy it if you can find it asap - other wise the wmd/ssf toolbox is a good substitute, you've got an intelijel quad vca - so that's close enough to veils - links is a buffered mult/mixer combination - 1 section of each and a middle section that can be used as either or a precision adder - which is used for adding 2 quantized sequences together for transposing one sequence with the other (ie change the root note)

I also really like matrix mixers - slightly more complicated to get your head around but not that bad - really useful for mixing modulation sources together - or creating feedback loops - or send/return for effects

Which brings me to - you could really do with a better modulation source - ochd is ok but it's not clockable and there's no reset - so it's just free running - I'd also contemplate this as an early purchase - I really like Maths especially for beginners because of the 'Maths Illustrated Supplement' (google) - which is an excellent primer for patch-programming - and patching modular synths in general - download and read through it even if you don't buy Maths!!! alternatively something like Pamela's New Workout - which is basically a clock source, with clock division multiplication and different waveforms so you can open your vcas!!!

it's how I got mine too...

Here is a photo showing my current setup in my closet and a Screenshot of the rack as it currently stands.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cziuvxl6npazrjx/Office%20Studio.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ufuwovkkgjkygm/Screen%20Shot%202021-09-28%20at%2010.49.37%20AM.png?dl=0
-- amindy

dude - you are on modulargrid - take advantage...

create your rack and post a link (a copy of the url) to your rack here - photos are basically useless 99% of the time and being able to get mouseover info etc is really useful - helps us help you!!!! make sure you leave your rack public!!!!

also see signature - you appear quite bereft of utilities...

EDITED Sep 28th 2021, 17:07

I think the problem is related to modules with prices listed as ~150€ or whatever, when sorting by ascending price these seem to appear first in descending order!

thanks for helping, @modulargrid

I've done both but it makes it a pain to keep up to date

8 racks for a total of 1816hp not all full at the moment - but I quite like using blind panels to spread out a bit and I keep the panels for my DIY backlog in there too!

I use the whole rack mostly for positioning modules and the individual racks for working out power consumption

by original I meant built by mutable - ie not a clone...

yes but the issue of which is which only comes up out of context, within context, I think it's a bit pedantic, don't you, really?

yeah stereo is a newish thing in modular - as is polyphony

nb a lot of the fx aid xl algorithms are mono to stereo so you can take a mono signal and stereo-ize them!

can you not pan the samples in the disting ex multisampler??? if so, it might be interesting to pan them like a real drum kit...

basically to re-iterate normalisation is basically chaining things together in a way that is breakable by inserting a patch cable in the path of normalization - which is why veils is a good example (the original is easier to understand for this in lots of ways as the jacks are next to the channel controls

put simply normally channel 1 output is added to channel 2 output is added to channel 3 output is added to channel 4 output

but if you plug into the output of say channel 3 you get:
channel 1 output is added to channel 2 output is added to channel 3 output
& chennel 4 is separate

but if you plug into the output of say channel 2 you get:
channel 1 output is added to channel 2 output
& channel 3 & channel 4 are added - unless you also plug into channel 3 output in which case they are separate

for example :
disting ex L out into veils input 1
a.n. other stereo module L out into veils input 2
disting ex R out into veils input 3
a.n. other stereo module R out into veils input 4

veils out 2 -> a L input on the cosmix
veils out 4 -> corresponding R input on the cosmix

mult envelopes as appropriate

or if you just want to use 2 channels for disting

disting ex L out into veils input 1
disting ex R out into veils input 2

veils out 1 -> a L input on the cosmix
veils out 2 -> corresponding R input on the cosmix

this leaves you with 2 channels of veils which can be used for more interesting things - like modulation!

if you are using up all your channels of veils for vcaing audio - I'd strongly consider a 2nd one that you can use for modulation!!!

@farkas is correct...
if you want stereo use 1&2 for L and 3&4 for R

Is this an original? if so send an email to mutable support - Emilie will sort you out pretty quickly

I'm trying to find a way to search for Jim's posts and in particular the one about his formula for modules and rack space but I can't find a way to do it. It will take forever scrolling through all the old posts to find it that way. Must be an easy way, any advice welcome please.

-- david23

at the top of the main forum page there is a search field - type my name JimHowell1970 into it and press search - looks like it displays all of the threads I have posted in - to find Lugia's type his name instead of mine

or google - "modulargrid: JimHowell1970"

the relevant part that @greenfly was talking about earlier is:

"sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation (20%+ of the rack) < utilities (at least 30% of the rack)

because you can get much more variation that way

utilities are the inexpensive, dull polish that stop the expensive, shiny modules from tarnishing and makes them shine"

if you want to find other posts etc from me - I'm also Agawell on some forums

also instagram.com/JimHowell1970 if you want to see my video synthesis posts

EDITED Sep 26th 2021, 16:43

If you look through the previous advice from Jim on the Forum, you'll see he has a nice formula for how much of your rack space should be roughly devoted to different types of modules. I found that quite useful as I, like you didn't have a clue what most of these modules could be used for. I understood what an oscillator was, what a filter was and others things like lfos and envelopes. Pretty much what you play with on a soft synth.

Over time I realised I loved sequencers and also learnt that vca's, attenuverters, dividers, multiples, cv mixers etc were really damn useful. There is a use for absolutely everything.

I'd keep the Turing machine and like Jim and Lugia said there are so many other uses for it.

I'd encourage you also to watch this and particularly the last bit of this video ( I watch all of it about once a week and always learn something new) about logic modules and the Turing machine from mylarmelodies you'll want to keep it, I guarantee it :)

Happy patching :)
-- greenfly

I'm glad you found/find my ramblings so useful...

ah in that case what is happening is it probably needs 2 or more triggers in in order to get the tempo... not a lot you can do about it... it's not a bug, it's just an unfortunate 'product feature'... have you tried muting the clock instead of pulling the patch cable? this may help... but also may not

Pams does this too to some extent when I restart the clock it judders slightly - I work around it by starting the clock in logic slightly before I want Pams to actually start kicking out triggers etc