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Time for an update on the mostly generative journey. It’s been a blast so far and I’m eternally grateful for the detailed advice - especially yours @Lugia, I constantly return to it as I learn more. As you can see, I’ve deviated on module choice but I’d like to think I’m following the principles laid out earlier in the thread. I’m not at all worried about mis-steps as Covid/chip shortage is driving a thriving used module market - it’s so easy to sell things on at almost new prices.

The rack is an Arturia RackBrute joined 6U and 3U, with the 3U’s side panels reversed so the power modules line up to the left (thanks to Splendor’s excellent pro tip in another thread in this forum).

I’m still following Lugia’s excellent layout, at least in principle. Most mentions of other modules below are in reference to that guiding ‘mega rig’. I’m also using VCV heavily in my patches, especially for effects like the Vahalla Supermassive plugin.

I guess (or hope) the choices are somewhat self-explanatory but to highlight a few things:

The ALM Pip Slope Mk2 is there is a space saving way to get a Krell going with the Rampage should I fancy it, and an extra EOC.

The SSF Ultra-Random is the stand-in for the Wogglebug and Verbos Random Sampling (too big for me right now). I just wanted to try it out since it became discontinued, and Chris Meyer has a series of very in-depth videos on it to guide me.

Disting EX and Mk4 are there to stand in for many of the functions recommended, plus with the EX I can experiment with the SD Multisample, Granulation, 4-drone, Matrix Mixer etc

Been using the Voltage Block like a clocked LFO and plan to get the Ochd to compliment that with its 8 freeform LFOs. Though now I’m getting the hang of matrix sequencers in VCV, might instead replace the VB with ZX8000 Lugia had recommended.

As for modules coming next: I’m on the shortlist for the Sport Modulator 2, so that one is definitely going in at some point, which gives me quite a lot of S&H in the rack (as much as 9!) so I’m excited about that. I intend to add the Nin expander to the Zadar for more modulation. I’ve been using the Doepfer sub-mixer more for CV than audio, so I’m gonna go for the skinny version and get 4HP back. The Doepfer x2 quantizer will probably get replaced by the ADDAC x4 Intuitive for 2HP more at a later date. Also thinking of replacing the TikTok clock divider/multiplier with the Fraction Solum - the TikTok is there to free up more Pam’s outputs for smooth random and modulation, but the Solum’s CV control and flexibility is too tempting.

In terms of how I’m using the rack for patches, I usually use one of the AD loops as the core, or a clock from Pam’s. Also, playing around with rotating clock divisions for arrangement has been a lot of fun - example here (which ironically is not at all generative):

So… Would love to hear your thoughts on what to what to get next, get replaced etc for the eventual goal of a great rack for generative. After the Sport Mod there’s about 21HP left to fill. Of course another case is an option but would rather think about keeping it to the two Brutes for now (living in Brooklyn doesn’t exactly offer a whole lot of space for this stuff). Totally open to replacing anything with anything though.

One area I do find lacking in this rack is mixing/attenuating - not something that’s particularly handled well by using VCV because I don’t want to send signals back forth across the digital divide etc. I’m looking at the 4MS SISM (again, recommended by Lugia) but it doesn’t look CV controllable. Does anyone know of a more programmable way to mingle signals? Maybe I’m misunderstanding the module or maybe being able to CV control mixing is not the big a deal I think it might be…

Anyhow, thanks for reading all of this. I eagerly await some more advice!

Thank you all for the kind words. Much appreciated. Keyboard skills? Hmmmm... at least I managed not to hit a note out of the scale. ;-) Still a work in progress.

I know it's nothing new, but I'm still digging the concept of triggering Marbles' clock with the keyboard gate and letting Marbles choose the note to feed to an oscillator. As long as Marbles is trained to play in the same key as what you're playing on the keyboard, that random note added to the main keyboard line has been very cool to noodle with.

Cheers.

Geez...I hate it when it does those gawdawful long URLs.
-- Lugia

https://reverb.com/item/40898075-electro-harmonix-flanger-hoax-flanging-phaser-modulator-pedal

Hi Jim,

Thank you very much for your detailed feedback on my post. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to give your honest appraisal and module suggestions.

Your post has given me few very useful hints regarding mono vs stereo in a modular rig.

Many thanks!

Ian

im not talking about CV inputs, im talking about another Dome filter to accept a 2nd external signal to shift the frequency by, replacing the internal VCO, like the Buchla frequency shifters have. no Bode unit has implemented this feature afaik
-- moremagic

Freak Shift from Sketchy Labs has 2 Dome filters.

1st piece of advice - bigger case!

yes I know the nifty is inexpensive and has midi and audio out built in, but you will almost definitely want to expand on these modules shortly after filling this case and therefore probably end up buying another one within a few months - this is a slippery slope - start off with something that will allow you to expand - I like the tiptop audio mantis cases - they are also inexpensive and have very good power supplies and are still quite portable

2 - for me at least the case is unbalanced

there are too many 'voices' and not enough support modules

a good scalable rule of thumb I like is:

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities

particularly there is no stereo mixing in the rack nor is there a buffered mult

plaits is a dual mono sound source, rings is a stereo sound source/modifier, beads is a stereo sound modifier/source - case only has one stereo input - you need a mixer - preferably one that can pan 2 mono signals to stereo and has multiple stereo inputs

each of these can accept v/oct - there are only 2 v/oct outs on the nifty case midi->cv (and I'm not sure if the keystep can sequence 2 parts at once anyway) use a buffered mult to accurately copy the v/oct to the voices - a passive mult will cause voltage droop which will make your voices out of tune (and you want them in tune if you are playing with others - so don't forget a tuner as well)

if I had to stay in this size case (which I wouldn't) I would dump the dreadbox modules and replace them with a veils, a stmix and a fx aid

I should probably say that each of the filters is on a different Stereo channel, that may or not be obvious with the Mimeophon set on Skew.

@GarfieldModular - Thanks, I need to look at working on something more slow in progression.

@Farkas - Punch is great, great for plucky blips and filter ascents, and sooo good for dirty acid lines with the Rebach VCF-AB.

@Lugia - The worlds longest URL courtesy of Reverb :) I'll have to have a listen to some Jarre see what you mean, I'll admit I'm not a massive fan of the Phaser sound but if it works in Oxygene I'll check it out. Cheers

This will be mainly used for jamming with a group and solo exploration. Looking to sequence it with the Keystep Pro.

Would greatly appreciate your feedback before taking the plunge.

Here's a link to a solo improvisation below.

Many thanks!

EDITED Aug 3rd 2021, 05:19

almost thought you was serious til you suggested modcan. good one lmao

BTW, if you're actually aiming for the Jarre sound, you'll want a couple of these laying around: https://reverb.com/item/40898075-electro-harmonix-flanger-hoax-flanging-phaser-modulator-pedal?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiJkMzk5N2U1Zi04YjU2LTQ0OTUtODA5NS1jMTZlZWE4NjQ2OTMiLCJpYXQiOjE2Mjc5NTQ3NjAsInVzZXJfaWQiOiIiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiYjAyZjYwMjgtNjQ1Ni00ZjYwLWFjMjEtOGU1ODBhODEzNTY3IiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiNGY3NTU5NjItMzc5Mi00NDQzLTk5YWMtYjZhZDk1MjlhOGNmIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6IjQwODk4MDc1Iiwic291cmNlIjoiTk9ORSJ9.YQfCt-43lTDncYnf3c-l7-Jetvd2eHW-69wFtX_hh4w

Geez...I hate it when it does those gawdawful long URLs. Anyway, what that is is more or less a clone of the old Mu-tron Biphase, which pretty much no one can afford now. And while E-H recently discontinued this pedal, there's plenty of them on the used market still...although, the used prices are starting to look like what I paid for mine NEW, so if you want to pull the trigger on a couple of these, I'd suggest moving a little bit quickly. Anyway, Jarre's classic string-wash phasing (like on "Oxygene") uses a pair of the Mu-tron units for left and right channels of his string synth, sweeping out of sync with each other. The Flanger Hoax should get you to where that lives, though.

Hello Garfield,

Thank you very much for your interest. And i am really happy for your words.

https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/VoltAge
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/Whistle
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/T-Bounce
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/Overdrive

kind regards, best wishes

Well, let's look at this in more practical terms, then.

Buchla 285e = $1599 (wrong format)
Club of the Knobs 1630 clone = EUR 970 (wrong format)
Synth-werk's 1630 clone = EUR 1950 (also the wrong format)
Encore Frequency Shifter = $399 (but it IS Eurorack)
Modcan Dual FS = $349 (and two channels...this is the closest in terms of price vs function to the Behringer)
Synthesis Technology E560 = $339 (not purely an FS, though)
Tokyo Tape Music Center 185 = $580 (clone of the original Buchla 185)
Cwejman FSH-1 = $680

...and the Behringer comes in at $199. But with the possible exception of the Buchla 285e, you're dealing with small-run devices, which increases the cost. Behringer appears to be using their usual board fab methods, though, and it's far cheaper to have boards stuffed via automation and wave-soldered.

And in truth, if I could have any frequency shifter I wanted, I'd try and source the mid-70s standalone unit from 360 Systems. Of all of them that I've heard or used, IT is the best...with any cloned Bode-type coming in next. But if you've ever tried to find one of those 360 Systems ones, you'd know that it was something of a fool's errand to locate one. They almost NEVER appear on the used market.

Sounds great. Definitely has a Jarre vibe. Keep sharing the good stuff @wishbonebrewery.
I use that Patching Panda Punch in every patch nowadays. Such a valuable module.

Couple of things...first up, you really don't want a mono output, especially with that Beads in there. The output module also has connections for the Intellijel (I'm presuming that's what's specced here) case's 1/4" jacks, so those are a tad unnecessary, meaning you shouldn't have a problem adding in the normal stereo out. For that matter, I'd consider tossing the mult and scope tiles as well; scopes are nice IF you have room for them, but a 7U x 84 case like this doesn't have that room. And as for the mult, you can jam more functionality in by chucking it and going with inline mult widgets, since there's no need here for a buffered mult, apparently.

Better choices? Well, here's a layout for the tiles that makes loads more sense:

Now, here you've got another FX processor, which will be useful for "stereoizing" mono signals. And that dual stereo mixer gives you hot outputs for more modular processing while, at the same time, it also provides your stereo output at line level via a pair of the cab's 1/4" jacks, AND you can mix your FX tile's stereo out and the Beads' stereo out right there for your final mix balancing. Definitely more useful!

Hi Joystick,

Interesting rack, especially since I can't find any joystick module though your nickname is joystick ;-)

Have fun with your new rack and kind regards, Garfield.
-- GarfieldModular

OMG thats true🤣🤣🤣 plannar look great...maybe in the second case....🤣🤣🤣

Hi Joystick,

Interesting rack, especially since I can't find any joystick module though your nickname is joystick ;-)

Have fun with your new rack and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Tunç,

Wow, that's a great track the Aquadrum, nice way you are using that aquadrum too! Beautifully played :-)

Ha, ha, Katana Zero Remix is from a completely different world, so to speak ;-) Nice to see you at work at your modular system there! Exciting music that is, wow :-)

If I have time, will have a look another time at the other stuff you have shared with us. Thank you very much for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

That synthesizer sound, the leading voice, wow, what a sound! That's great, sounds quite J.M. Jarre-ish to me ;-)

Nice jam once again! Thanks a lot for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield.

already order half of the modules....

generate3,filter8, morph4, pam,boss bow,bloom, zadar,quadatt 1u, mult 1u

i think im on the good way....

Thanks for the info, I was just about to jump on an offer for one to add to a palette case. What rail presents an issue, exactly? Upper one? Lower one? Both? And do you think some filing down of the PCB could help? Had to do that with a MN Rosie once...
-- theneweuropa

You can't file the PCB. There are metal parts folded over the PCB on the ends. I can jam the thing in my pallet case, but you can have issues with the stuff near it because it bows the rails out wider. Especially bad in 4MS pods.

First patch with Acidrain Chainsaw, heading through HNVCF and Omsonic FLF before hitting Make Noise Mimeophon (Clocked). Feels like a match made in heaven, now I want to get a stereo filter like a Stereo Ripples or I bet a Patching Panda Moon Phase would be amazing. Patching Panda Punch VCA in use here too. Marbles for gates and pitches.

i've heard people say some good things about it, particularly when used as a matrix mixer. I've come close to picking one up a few times myself but then when i read the manual it gives me a headache trying to imagine remembering how to use the thing...if you haven't read it yet, check it out and then see if it changes your opinion at all https://uhedownloads-heckmannaudiogmb.netdna-ssl.com/manuals/eurorack/cvilization/CVilization-user-guide.pdf

Thanks dude :)

Thanks for the info, I was just about to jump on an offer for one to add to a palette case. What rail presents an issue, exactly? Upper one? Lower one? Both? And do you think some filing down of the PCB could help? Had to do that with a MN Rosie once...

is anybody using the u-he cvilization? it looks like a lot of functionality in a smaller module for those of us who don't have a big rig setup...just don't see a lot of discussion about it.

im not talking about CV inputs, im talking about another Dome filter to accept a 2nd external signal to shift the frequency by, replacing the internal VCO, like the Buchla frequency shifters have. no Bode unit has implemented this feature afaik

the bode shifter doesnt even have an external shift input, cmon -_0
-- moremagic

Sooooo... what might those three CV inputs do, then? One of those controls doesn't necessarily need that, but the others do...and also, there doesn't really seem to be space for the entire line of nomenclature that you'd normally see on a full-on 5U panel. At least, not if one likes reading panel labels without a microscope...

Nice vibes @wishbonebrewery, cool cat cameo too! Thanks for sharing

Youtube Link:

Katana Zero Sountrack Link: https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/KatanaZERO-OST

My Album Link: https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/voltagecontrolledmusic

Youtube Video:

Produced, Music, Mixed, Sound Designed, Synthesizers by Tunç Çakır

Album Links:
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/Overdrive

You can watch the video from the link:

Produced, Music, Mixed, Recorded Synthesizer, Programmed and Performed Synthesizer-Drum Machine, Acoustic Drums by Tunç Çakır
Scratch: Efe Çakır

Drums Recording: Alper Anık, Tunç Çakır (Gtr Deneyevi)

Please listen with a proper sound system or quality headphones.
There is no "sound replace" on the drums. The fully acoustic sound of the drum is toned. Only "shaker sampling" is used with drum machine.

Tunç Çakır - Aquadrum

My new electroacoustic album "Aquadrum"

Youtube Live Video Link:

Track on the album "Aquadrum"
Album Links: https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/aquadrum

Produced, Composed, Arranged, Programmed, Recorded Synthesizers and Drum Machines, Performed Aquadrum and Synthesizers, Mixed, Mastered: Tunç Çakır

Aquadrum Recordings: Tunç Çakır, Can Aykal
Label: Wic Recordings
Artwork by: Nourdin Kouch

Special Thanks: Deniz Güngör

This is a live recording. No external computers weren't used in this video. Only used hardware instruments.

http://www.tunccakir.com | http://www.wic-recordings.com

Copyright © 2021 Wic Recordings. All rights reserved.
All rights of the producer and owner of the work reproduced reserved. Unauthorized copying, hiring, lending, public performances and broadcasting of this record prohibited.

http://www.tunccakir.com/
http://www.facebook.com/tunccakir
http://www.soundcloud.com/tunccakir
https://tunccakirrr.bandcamp.com/
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/voltagec...
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/VoltAge
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/SquarePl...
https://tunccakirrr.bandcamp.com/trac...
https://tunccakirrr.bandcamp.com/trac...
(Katana Zero Remix)
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/Whistle
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/T-Bounce
https://wicrecordings.lnk.to/Overdrive

is this a second rack? (as you have called it an expansion rack)
what is in the first? or whatever you are expanding?

if it is an expansion then depending on the modules in the 1st case, it may work, but if not there are some issues

the es6 is an expander and needs es3 or es8 to work iirc

odessa is polyphonic (when the expander is added) and could probably benefit from a chord sequencer (harmonaig or sinfonion)

i'd want more mixing (but you may have this elsewhere) and not just for audio

where are your offsets and attenuators for example?

whilst random is good - it's better as a small part of something else (ie mixed and attenuated) and it may be a good idea to look at chaos as well as random (nonlinearcirucits do a lot of this)

EDITED Aug 2nd 2021, 08:56

the bode shifter doesnt even have an external shift input, cmon -_0
i'll believe those things are real when they show video, quite a few of them mockup photos have been built but by no means all

It could, but you'd still have to generate the wavetable somehow. But arriving at inharmonic partials is actually going to be REALLY easy as soon as Uli starts tossing those $199 Frequency Shifters out the door. This sort of sound design is precisely what Harald Bode's amazing but normally-expensive-AF device is for.

Still selecting modules.
Heavy on: Random, Burst, Envelopes, FX, Logic, and VCO / Poly
Still deliberating: vpme.de Quad Drum, Erica Plasma Drive, Bifaco Percall

I'm not too sure if my Amp and Speakers don't show the bass as much as they should, I played some of my tracks on the Van Stereo and it was way too bassy.

Thanks again :)

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Wow, this is a great jam! Lovely lively music, yet nice relaxing. Oh, oh, oh, that drum that kicks in at around 7:40+, what a nice sound! I am just testing parts of my new studio setup and I am using your jam to got my laptop connection tested towards to the mixer, great music to test a studio! :-)

That tickin' sound you got there starting at about 8:31, that comes out of my new monitors so beautifully, wow! This is a real treat for my new studio ;-) And then that drum, that's blowing me out of my own studio! :-D

Thanks a lot for this great jam, nice video too by the way! I love the cat Nyx hanging around there ;-) Kind regards, Garfield.

Thanks JimHowel1970 and Lugia for your advice i take a look at modules that you suggest and are very interesting in particular case I'd like try Frequency Central and z-blob DIY kit.

@JimHowell1970
For input I use korg sq-1 or keabord, for output I use a 12 track mixer.

Thanks Glitched0xff

Wow! The difference of having keyboard skill versus me hahaha, nice work :)

Using Stepped and Stepped Random into a couple of filters, Monsoon Clouds on Reverb from the STO via HNVCF, a fairly heavily modulated Mimeophon(which receives a fairly slow clock to keep it something like musical) messing with a pattern from MI Marbles controlling the Befaco EvenVCO which heads through the Omsonic Funky Ladder Filter.
Added a bit of subtle Reverb onto the percussion elements (not BD) from the 2hp VERB.

Cheers for listening

PS, there's lots of our cat Nyx in this too #CatsAndModular

EDITED Aug 1st 2021, 13:33

I've done a few tests of routing from VCV -> Ableton CV Tools -> MOTU 828 mkii with pretty good results.
-- Lugia

Any chance you can expound upon this in a separate thread?
-- jb61264

Actually, once I start doing some YT stuff of my own, showcasing the CV/gate to/from DAW setup is very much on the table. My objective is to show people that you really DON'T need hi-tweak stuff, and that something that might cost several hundred might really come in a lot cheaper than you think, and that MOTU trick is definitely in that ballpark.

-- Lugia
subscribed :)

wouldnt any of the available wavetable vcos that load user tables be perfectly suited for this job?
that way you could use the whole studio to generate the spectra you want, then pick and choose within the rack

Plaits has an in built VCA. If you are planning on using and external VCA make sure the one built in plaits is fully open then do what @eexee and @Lugia are suggesting.

I suggested you use an lfo as this way you don't have to worry about triggering it, if you plan on using an envelope you are going to also have to also learn how to to trigger it, or send a gate signal to the envelope.

EDITED Aug 1st 2021, 03:23

Okay played around with my VCAs a little bit more and found the Doepfer 130-2 VCAs are creating a pretty loud clicking sound when being on volume control duty. Out of plaits is connected to the VCA and CV is connected to an LFO (doesnt matter which waveform). Is that normal or am I doing something wrong ?
-- 9xpad

If the issue isn't limited to one waveform (and one that has a hard leading edge!), then my bet is that you could be overloading one of the inputs...and since it's a "click" on the output, my bet is that the culprit is the CV input. Try this: set up a VERY SLOW triangle LFO, then feed that to the CVs. At the same time, also connect an oscilloscope to watch the LFO cycling through the waveform. My bet is that once the LFO reaches the maximum voltage limits, the "click" appears. Also, set the scope so that you can read the voltage on the Y axis, and you'll have a good indication of what's really happening and at what voltage level it occurs.

This click could also be the result of some DC offset voltage getting into the LFO waveform and pushing it well beyond the operational limit of the CV inputs. Remember: if you have a +5/-5 volt cycle, inputting an offset will make that +whatever voltage the offset is. Jam in an offset of +10VDC, and suddenly your high value on the mod signal is peaking at a really unacceptable +15V. If the LFO has an offset control, that should be at ZERO when generating bipolar modulation signals.

-- Lugia

Okay investigated a bit. Unfortunately, I don't have a scope but I would really like to get one as that could help me out a lot. Any recommendations (preferably non-modules as my space already is pretty limited)? So the culprit creating static and clicks is the slop setting on my Pamelas new workout in combination with a euclidean (example 4steps 3 trigger). It gives me 3 clean Gates (beep-beep-beep-nothing) but every now and then instead of the 4th step being mute, it gives a super small Gate just a really short spike that is audible as a click. I thought slop just introduces timing errors but this is creating an extra unwanted trigger.

@nickgreenberg That touches on what I liked about the Nerdseq demo I watched -- you can punch in exact CV voltages and program specific numbers for a lot of different parameters. Here's the start of their tutorial series. I'm not sure if it does everything the USTA does, but it's a mite bit less expensive. I like patching so I don't want to get too many "mini-computers" for my system, but this one's def on my list to try at some point.

Hey @9xpad, I'm pretty new to modular too but, -- what @Greenfly said, I'd second. I have the Doepfer A-135-2 Quad VCA and was also confused at first. You need to feed an audio signal to the IN, feed the OUT into your mixer that sends the audio out to whatever speakers or external sound source you have. Set the mixer level to something audible, but set both VCA knobs to zero. Plug an ADSR envelope or LFO output into the "CV" jack on the VCA module, then slowly dial up the "CV" knob until you start to hear something. Whatever envelope you're feeding in should now be modulating the audio signal -- so if it is an oscillator drone, say, with a cycling sawtooth LFO applied, it will start chopping itself up into the sawtooth shape accordingly.

If you're getting clicking, whatever you're feeding into the CV probably has zero attack/decay slope (like a rectangle wave). Use a softer wave or slew or ADSR type envelope generator to eliminate those. You might also have something dialed in too high.

It took me a while to get used to, because I was so used to audio sources that had triggers/gates built into them fundamentally -- you trigger the sound, and it already has some kind of envelope controlling the audio applied. With a lot of modular it's just the opposite. The sound is always "on" and you have to engineer backwards to mute and control it. It's super fun but takes a little getting used to, and I still have plenty more to absorb/learn, bc like Lugia mentions there's other uses for VCAs as well.

One other issue about "tight" builds that rely on very slim modules: they're a bitch to work with live unless you have toothpicks for fingers. So, yeah...if the 914 is going to see lots of live tweaking (and it sounds like it might), you're better off with the bigger module. Now, let's see what sort of gibberish I can kick out HERE... (pause for /u to fire up the grid and go berserk)

.......OK. Now, this is a serious AF drone machine:

You've got TWO voices here, actually. Most of the top row is the first, and the second is hiding down there in the lower right.

Top row: I switched your main drone VCO up. Way up. The Mindphaser is actually more related to something like a Buchla 259 than a typical VCO, which means you've got two oscillators in a configuration where one's the "source" and the other's the "modulator", but of course that's like the "serving suggestion" on a frozen dinner. The reality will be that you'll be able to use this in a huge number of configurations, all of which will allow you to not only generate pitch, but also lots of different methods of timbral generation. This sort of oscillator is PERFECT for elaborate waveshapes to feed into the 914 via the Quad VC Mixer. Plus, there's a surprise about that mixer in a bit...

Anyway, the other "odd thing" there is that single fader. WTF is it there for? Ahhhh...it's there because Moog 914s ALWAYS have those two I/O jacks, even if it's Uli making 'em. And why those two jacks exist at either end of the 914 is so that you can insert an attenuator for manual feedback control, allowing you to use the 914 as a RESONANT filterbank, sort of akin to the Serge Resonant EQ. The fader is the attenuator in question, natch...and I put a fader there so that you can have better incremental control AND have a quick visual feedback on your foldback level in the feedback path. Patch it from the 914 OUT to its IN (which would be the fader's OUT being sent there), and you've got it. After that, there's an interesting VCF/VCA combo that can work that way...or as a lowpass gate for yet another "sneak West Coast feature". Plus, you could also make this a bandpass gate or highpass gate, since the VCF in there is a multimode. This also lets you have some global timbral control over the drone voice. And the last thing up top is a Bastl Ciao!, which also contains a dual stereo mixer in addition to your headphone preamp and isolated 1/4" outs. Why a mixer? You'll see...

Bottom row: The Frequency Central Infinitely Maybe gives you a mixer for incoming CVs as well as the usual noise generator for sample and hold and random gates. So you can actually S&H a composite CV signal there, not just merely one source. This is also your main clock, but if you need to override that with the Neutron's, that's cool too. Then the next thing is an omsonic melodic contour generator...a "complex sample-and-hold" that gives you controllable quasi-melodic patterns. But then, I wasn't content there, so I also added a Penrose quantizer after that, which you can ping with, say, the random gates from the I.M.. Feed it an LFO curve and have the gates lock the new value, and you can assign those scalar values to whatever pitches you want. The Penrose has the sole drawback of being a kit module, but if you don't have suitable solder-fu, you can probably find a builder.

Now, the mixer surprise. It's actually the next module, a CVable quadrature LFO, which outputs four identical sines on the same frequency...but the outputs rotate phase by 90 degrees. Sound-wise, this doesn't affect anything, but when this is in LFO mode, you get the outputs working in a "cascading" phase rotation, and when this is hooked up with each phase tap going to each VCA CV, you can then "riff" the Mindphaser's outputs to create yet MORE timbral variation. Then there's the quad LFO...but after that is a little something from DPW Design that gives you a CV mixer, an adder, a comparator, and attenuverters so that you can polarize incoming signals...both inputs are, yep, attenuverters. And as for the comparator...that device lets you send a gate out when you exceed a certain voltage threshold; in this case, the A input is the "threshold" and the B becomes the "signal", so that when A exceeds B, you get a gate output which you can use anywhere, and when B > A, there's no gate.

VCAs are there after this so that you can have level control over two modulation signals or, if needed, you can "rob" one for audio, although the drone "voice" really isn't set up like that. Its single VCA in the Optocore should suffice for CV over final audio levels. Most of the time, though, these will see modulation level control action. Next is your dual ADSR...which actually works pretty well here, since you only have two VCF/VCA outputs from the voicing. Then Voice #2, all Dreadbox. The Hysteria stayed, and I got it a friend in the Eudemonia VCF/mix/VCA module. That gives you a basic single oscillator voice in just 20 hp.

Then there's the last two modules. Both of these are Frequency Central Stasis Leaks, which give you your choice of reverb, tap delay, or chorus. There's also one for each "voice", plus these take your mono audio signals and "stereoizes" them to add some spatial aspects. So, how those work is that each stereo output gets fed to the stereo inputs on the Ciao! and then you have mixing control between Voice 1 (drone) and 2 (basslines, melodics, percussives, etc etc), and this feeds that to the headphone pre AND the 1/4" outs.

Not too shabby, I think. The most spendy thing in there is the Mindphaser, but given what it can do as opposed to a pair of basic VCOs, the price is very justified. And the rest of the module complement doesn't ever have a price tag above $240, and most of them are actually down in the $50-150 range. Hell, I myself would dig playing THIS build!

EDITED Jul 31st 2021, 03:41

Okay played around with my VCAs a little bit more and found the Doepfer 130-2 VCAs are creating a pretty loud clicking sound when being on volume control duty. Out of plaits is connected to the VCA and CV is connected to an LFO (doesnt matter which waveform). Is that normal or am I doing something wrong ?
-- 9xpad

If the issue isn't limited to one waveform (and one that has a hard leading edge!), then my bet is that you could be overloading one of the inputs...and since it's a "click" on the output, my bet is that the culprit is the CV input. Try this: set up a VERY SLOW triangle LFO, then feed that to the CVs. At the same time, also connect an oscilloscope to watch the LFO cycling through the waveform. My bet is that once the LFO reaches the maximum voltage limits, the "click" appears. Also, set the scope so that you can read the voltage on the Y axis, and you'll have a good indication of what's really happening and at what voltage level it occurs.

This click could also be the result of some DC offset voltage getting into the LFO waveform and pushing it well beyond the operational limit of the CV inputs. Remember: if you have a +5/-5 volt cycle, inputting an offset will make that +whatever voltage the offset is. Jam in an offset of +10VDC, and suddenly your high value on the mod signal is peaking at a really unacceptable +15V. If the LFO has an offset control, that should be at ZERO when generating bipolar modulation signals.

I've done a few tests of routing from VCV -> Ableton CV Tools -> MOTU 828 mkii with pretty good results.
-- Lugia

Any chance you can expound upon this in a separate thread?
-- jb61264

Actually, once I start doing some YT stuff of my own, showcasing the CV/gate to/from DAW setup is very much on the table. My objective is to show people that you really DON'T need hi-tweak stuff, and that something that might cost several hundred might really come in a lot cheaper than you think, and that MOTU trick is definitely in that ballpark.