All Posts

I bought a Plaits module and a Wasp filter. I also threw in a Maths. Do I need anything else?
-- Ronin1973

Duct tape. ;-) Get the most expensive kind you can find.

Ha, ha, you are mean Ronin ;-) But yeah, go ahead buy some more fancy modules and everything will be fine :-)

I bought a Plaits module and a Wasp filter. I also threw in a Maths. Do I need anything else? I'm looking to do multi-timbre ambient stuff. My skiff is full.

thanks to @joaozinho for a quick delivery and a reasonable price!

Great guys! You have my support!
I‘m going to write a little modular introductory manual for a music conservatory and I‘m sure I could take a couple of cues from what you will cook up. :-)

Ha, ha, looks like we three got the same thinking here and thanks a lot Lugia for starting the initial part of the document!

Hi Modular Freq,

Nice one! Nice slowly. By the way, which casing are you using there? I am looking currently for one and yours looks quite nice.

Thank you for sharing and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Exactly what I had in mind, Ronin...lemme get the initial text done, then it looks like it's you, me, and Garfield that'll be hashing out a final version.

Eww... eww... Mista Cawtaw!!!! Eww... Ewww... can I participate? Seems the three of us are always answering posts and this is a common refrain.

Hi CatholicSkin,

To be honest with you that's a bit too small case, but hey, if you got it for a good deal, nice start and when you are getting deeper into modular then get an additional bigger case, that might work out.

My feedback on your rack:

• I see a ring modulator but only one oscillator, you need two oscillators for a ring modulator though. Of course you can take two outputs of that single oscillator but I feel that's a bit limiting
• Missing envelopes and LFOs too... yes I saw that dual EG from Erica Synths, it's a nice module, got that one myself, you can use it as an ADSR, as two LFOs, as two ARs or as one AR and one LFO. Still I feel it's limiting yourself enormously if you would just stick with that one module. Use this module for example as an envelope module (dual AR or ADSR) and get yourself an LFO module additionally to it. At least one LFO, better would be two
• You wrote that you want to make/create f-ed up sound scapes, well it might be a bit too early at this stage but once you got yourself a bit experience with modular, after that consider the Erica Synths Black Octasource as an additional LFO (not as your first LFO). This LFO is a serious psychopath of a module, it's a serious sick module but in a positive way, no matter how dull modules you have, modulate it by this LFO and your dull modules become crazy too ;-) It's for semi till quite advance usage so get some experience with modular first before getting into this sick thing :-)
• That Erica Synths Black Multi is a good module, I use it regularly, however for your small setup you might not need a multiple at all; up to you if you want to leave it in this setup or remove it and consider it for the future once your setup gets bigger
• I see you planned a VCA (Doepfer A-130-1) which is good for amplifying CVs/gates, etcetera but I am missing an exponential VCA for your audio path, so you might want to consider a VCA Doepfer A-131-1 (that's the one for audio)
• Missing an audio input/output module too --> how are you going to get your audio out of the rack to your mixer?
• Generally you should think a bit bigger to get a bit more out of your modular system, so at least two oscillators, two envelopes (that dual module you got there might be just enough to start with, still a bit less though), two LFOs, one or two filters, two (or dual) VCA; actually the things I just mentioned (VCOs, ADSRs, LFOs, filters and VCAs), you just can't have them enough...
• If you don't have an external sequencer, consider to start with a small sequencer, get experience with that and then you might in the future want to decide for a bit bigger and more flexible sequencer; it's not an easy job to decide (and have checked all the sequencers) which one fits you best, so take it easy on that one

Well that's it for starters, prepare yourself for the future to add a casing to be able to extend your modular system. This casing, it's nice you got a good deal on it but it's definitely too small.

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Lugia,

All right, if there is some specific part of the documentation I can do or if I can make a Visio diagram of a basic modular synthesizer setup, or anything into those directions, just let me know and once I done that and you got my stuff returned to you, you can just copy/past it in your main document. Up to you, just let me know if I can do something for you.

Kind regards, Garfield.

thanks to both good buyers @mopoco and @protomski

Got a MT TM and two expanders from @musdj. Fair prices, fine condition, some spare knobs for free, nice conversation and immediate shipping. Much recommended seller. Thanks very much, Mus!

Hello. I am totally new to the modular world. I have owned a couple of synths in the past and currently own a pro 2. Recently i have been really intrigued with the idea of building my own synth. It's a very expensive hobby to deep dive into so I am here to make sure i am taking the right steps. I currently only have a A-100 case that i bought used in a good deal. In my modulargrid i have only filled the top side of the rack as it's what intend to build and finish by the start of the new year. I am looking to make haunting, fucked up soundscapes, and drones. So if you have any suggestions for that i would be more than pleased to hear them! But more importantly I want to be sure i have a good blue print and functional starting point. Here's what i have:

EDITED Oct 21st 2019, 11:11

Keep in mind that you have to deal with that tiny OLED Screen.

I bought a mxmxmx micro O&C and I really didn't like to work with that Screen. I sold mine.

Actually, MG's already got me working on something of a "how-to" on constructing a proper, functional modular. It's coming along slowly, though, mainly because I'm trying to work on my studio refit in amongst everything else that threatens to suck the brains out of my head at present. But a collaborative effort might not be a bad idea...would just take some judicious editing to mash the various docs together into a single one, but working from a multi-user perspective could be quite useful.

Thanks for turning me on to Ornaments & Crimes - looks very cool.
Now I'm torn as O&C definitely has more interesting and diverse functions than Steppy, but Steppy is nice for easy changes to patterns on the fly right on the module without having to edit menus.
Will have a think about that.

@gesta is a great seller, I received modules well packaged, delivery was fast and communication was a breeze. Thanks again ! :)

Hi JonoVizion,

Yes the Octasource is perhaps a bit of an overkill but of all fancy modules you got planned here, keep the Octasource, that module is just sick, sick in a fantastic way, I enjoy that module every time again and again when I use it. It gives you a lot of fun and psychopath of an LFO it is.

I actually like the Doepfer A-124 (SE) VCF5 - Wasp filter module a lot. It's a filter where you get respect for, I really enjoy it and it's reasonably priced.

The Disting mk4 is in my opinion a great module "for emergency cases", let's say you need an extra LFO, or an extra delay module, or an extra... whatever, you can use the Disting for it. Then when you used the Disting for let's say one particular function a lot, then you need for that function a separate module. For that purpose I do think the Disting is a good module.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Thank you for the feedback Garfield. I was looking to have Plaits and Rings do the the heavy lifting of noise creation but I will look to incorporate a basic VCO besides the Disting. I thought the Octcasource would be a bit of overkill on a case this size but I will also look to a basic dedicated LFO. As for filters I was looking to either Rings or Disting to fulfill that role based on pathing but can you recommend any dedicated Filters that you like?

Hi Lugia,

Ha, ha, interesting post and thanks a lot for sharing that picture of Isao Tomita, that gave me sweet memories of his early music. Tomita was for me also the one who torpedo-ed me into two music arts: electronic music (like Tomita, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Kitaro, Vangelis, J.M. Jarre, i.e. the usual "suspects") and classical music.

So I was surprised I managed to get two more of Tomita's CDs when I was recently in Japan; one of it is the CD Dr. Coppelius, didn't even know about that one till I bought it :-) Pity though he died a few years back :-(

I was just about to send you and Ronin a PM (personal message; which I never tried so far though) about... should we perhaps together write a "starter's manual" for beginners into Eurorack? I wouldn't mind to start with that and perhaps you and Ronin can add your bits? Then for the obvious new rack questions from people starting just into Eurorack, we can refer to such kind of manual :-) Would save us a lot of time for the first round of replies ;-)

Is there any possibility to share Word documents? Then, as I mentioned already, I don't mind to start with such "manual" and you and Ronin might want to review it before we release it here somewhere in the forum?

Please let me know your thoughts about it and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi JonoVizion,

I miss a bit the classic components in your rather small rack. Please check the basics of oscillators, LFOs (I don't see any in your current rack), envelopes, filters (I don't see any in your rack), VCAs, etcetera.

I see you got VCAs, envelopes and I think I saw one oscillator. Then you got quite a few "fancy modules" but getting your basic components done first is my recommendation. Then later once you got more experience you can add some more fancy modules depending on your needs.

The rack I feel is too small, so consider at least 3 rows and if possible a wider case. Keep one row empty first for future expansion.

Yes, I know the Octasource is a great module and is in fact a kind of crazy LFO. I got that one myself and I love it but you need just a classic/default LFO too. Consider to add at least one other oscillator, so you have at least two ("normal") oscillators, you will need them.

Good luck with the planning and my advice is to read up on synthesizer basics (if not done already) and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Nerophix,

Since you are not sure, perhaps you should indeed consider to get one more semi-modular, to see if this Eurorack is really what you want? For example the Neutron from Behringer is a fantastic device. I started with that one as well and though I got now a Eurorack system, I still use the Neutron regular in combination with my Eurorack stuff.

The Neutron is reasonably priced and is not so expensive as a good start in Eurorack. So after using the Neutron (or Model D for example) for awhile and you feel really excited to go further, then yes, Eurorack might be perhaps something for you. But if it isn't at least you didn't spent so much money (and efforts) into a Eurorack.

At the end, it's up to you. If you decide to go directly for Eurorack, I would recommend a larger case, the one you show is just too small. You don't have to fill it up completely first, keep for example one row free for future extension.

Tough decision to make, so I like you to wish good luck with that decision. Don't rush it and take your sweet time for it. Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Naugrim,

Great, I wish you much fun with your modular system! :-)

I hope you haven't ordered all modules yet, so you kept most of the top row free and planned it at the moment only? Get some experience with your new system and you will see that here and there you might want to change your current planning for that top row.

Enjoy your rack and kind regards, Garfield.

hi Lugia, your mind has discovered a lack of necessary functionalities : modulation sources and mixing
(btw: the buff mults are there to "fill the gasps" and indeed redundant
thanks and i'll start projecting right away, Dirk

OK...go here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8429881@N06/sets/72157602899680757/

What you're looking at is a collaboration between Bob Moog and the composer Joel Chadabe that was installed at SUNY Albany back in 1969. This was known as the "Coordinated Electronic Music System" or CEMS, and was the first modular rig specifically intended to do what we now call "generative music". Chadabe's "Ideas of Movement at Bolton Landing" was one of the first such works that explored this process, and you can hear that here: https://joelchadabe.net/ideasofmovement/

Now, for those trying to build a proper generative rig...pay very close attention to those pictures of the CEMS. Yes, those ARE eight Moog 960 sequencers. Yes, that IS a custom triggering/timing system at the top of one rack. And so on...

"Ideas of Motion..." actually sounds rather simplistic when compared to present-day generative work. And that's because it is. Even with this large Moog rig, you don't get too much going on.

So...if the result from this monster system is actually as simplistic at it sounds, what's actually going on here?

Well...like many generative builds, there are a lot of modulation sources here, notably in the form of those eight Moog 960s that also control pitches and the usual sequenced stuff. But the sound generation aspect is pretty simple, which is typical for that time period; it would be another year or two before Dr. Tomita started showing everyone how to do really nuanced sound on the Moog. And as we know, nuance needs more of...everything, tbh.

So, sure...Eurorack makes things physically smaller. But not functionally. Not even close. To get Chadabe's results in "Ideas of Motion...", you still need much of what you see in those pics of the CEMS, or similar. Then, to get that ambient sonic complexity, you need the nuance of later synthesists...so, let's see what Tomita was up to in the mid-1970s: http://www.isaotomita.net/interviews/KEYBaug1977/images/1.jpg

Oh...snap.

Even if you shrunk all of what you see in that pic down to Eurorack dimensions, you would STILL have something pretty damned big. I mean...that's a IIIp, a 55, and there's even more that's not in the frame. Slap THAT together with the CEMS's control systems, though, and you'd have a top-shelf generative ambient rig. But the problem is that you'd really need to be working on that scale to get something that's musically effective. True, we have denser functionality on modules these days, and everything's smaller and so on, but you'd still probably be talking about a rig that would take up a whole Doepfer A-100 12U Monster Case at minimum.

Now, hopefully this explains why some of us keep saying that you can't do a proper, musically-interesting ambient generative setup in a two-row 84 hp cab. Even if you could jam a lot of the "voicing" in with 4 hp and smaller modules, you would still have issues with supplying enough integrated timing/sequencing/modulation sources to make it do something interesting. Hopefully this explanation is helpful to those of you contemplating this concept. Note that I'm not saying "don't do this"...instead, if you're going to do this, look at this as an example of how TO do it, understand the scale you'd be working on, and THEN start working out ideas. Anything too much smaller isn't going to work as well as you'd think.

Why all the buffered mults? Really, you only need one of those to make sure you're not getting voltage sag on a CV path that's critical to tuning. And if you yank a couple, you then have room for a comparator, and maybe a discriminator. These are very useful in time-heavy rigs, since they can "read" moduation signal behavior and output more gates/triggers based on those, which can then be run thru the Plog for more Boolean complexity. The 2hp Buff at the top-right probably could be changed out to an unbuffered mult, also.

The other glaring issue here is modulation sources. I see a Maths, a single ADSR, the Black Modulator, and the Pam's...and with all of the other sources and such in here that really would benefit from more elaborate modulation, that would seem to be the "somethings missing" you've noticed. There's 10 VCAs, for example (yay!!!), but only those mod sources to control them (boo.). So, something's got to go so that you can get more cyclical sources. My suggestion would be to lose the Shelves (which is sort of an odd fit here) and then drop in a Batumi (four LFOs) and perhaps a Doepfer A-141-4 (quad VC ADSR) which would then balance out your modulation needs. This also eliminates any pressing need to use the Pam's as an LFO or EG source, which then frees it up for more elaborate timing/triggering trickery.

Lastly, that Pittsburgh mixer...now that you've got more modulation sources, you could step up to a much better mixer that offers VCA control over levels, panning, AUX send/returns, etc...Toppobrillo's Stereomix 2 drops right into that 24 hp space and allows a lot of stereo placement and effects tricks than the Lifeforms System Interface. And if you lose the Pittsburgh Outs, you can then swap to a Happy Nerding OUT, which gives you not only the same functions as the Pitt unit, it adds metering and a second stereo bus which would allow you to easily parallel another effect in onto your final output mix. That would let you do something such as having both the Erbe-verb and the DLD on the same stereo pair...just put the Erbe-verb on the Toppobrillo's AUX send/return (they're really perfect for each other...mono in, stereo out on the 'Verb, the opposite on the Toppo's AUX) and fly the DLD in on the second stereo bus on the OUT. Anyway, just a few suggestions that came to mind...

Do you have an example where it does not work?

In general:
* if you upload a JPG, where the pedal is placed on an evenly background, the software tries to autocrop the pedal and change the even background into transparency.
* if you upload a PNG there is no auto image processing involved.

So if the autocrop does not work uploaded PNGs that were edited with an external software indeed give the best results.

Also check where you get the dimensions from.
Instead of giving the right dimensions of a pedal, shops like Amazon often just list the dimension of the package.

-- modulargrid
That's just the thing, it doesn't work for ANY pedal that I add. I always get the dimensions directly from the pedal manufacturer's website. I use a PNG image with a transparent background, but then when I enter the dimensions and submit the pedal,
it doesn't get resized properly. Is that all you have to do is enter the dimensions, or is there something else involved? I'm sure it's probably an error on my end. I'm no photo editing expert.

Hi!

I would appreciate any feedback on my rack. My goal is to produce ambient-generative sounds. Down the road Id like to play with Brains/Pressure Points. Thanks!

EDITED Oct 19th 2019, 18:33

i made a new modular rack to add with amother 32 , is it better ?

i still d'ont know if i go for a semi-modular or if i start eurorack but i made it for fun and maybe do it one day :).

Here's an example from me :
https://www.modulargrid.net/p/pedalboards/view/899593

(sorry must have deleted the old one)

The model feT on the left was my old (and now unnecessary) attempt at adding the pedal, with the 93 x 116 mm dimensions of the Hammond 1590BB. Next to it is a pedal with a 118mm height that's clearly completely different, and next to that is someone else's attempt at a model feT, with 148mm height that's still not as tall as the 118mm of the Sea Machine in the middle.

Do you have an example where it does not work?

In general:
* if you upload a JPG, where the pedal is placed on an evenly background, the software tries to autocrop the pedal and change the even background into transparency.
* if you upload a PNG there is no auto image processing involved.

So if the autocrop does not work uploaded PNGs that were edited with an external software indeed give the best results.

Also check where you get the dimensions from.
Instead of giving the right dimensions of a pedal, shops like Amazon often just list the dimension of the package.

@ChristophRemmery, great seller and fine gentleman! Was a pleasure.

thoughts are usefull

hi, i want to extend my existing eurorack with a third row (the bottom row mostly)

i'm working a lot with sequencing and whistles, bells, blows etc waveforms; percussive sounds
mostly by DFAM ("stand alone"); still i've that gut feeling that somethings are missing ...
any ideas?

thanks, Dirk

EDITED Oct 19th 2019, 19:28

Hi Guys,
Thank you for all the information. I have made some changes as recommended so please let me know what you think.
I should have been more specific and mentioned that the SV-1 is the Blackbox addition so it is not in the 104hp case.
It is a basic bread and butter case I know...so far anyway, so any further functionality tips is appreciated.
I am currently watching the Chris Mayer "Learning Modular" tutorials which have been very helpful but he only covers so much, right.
Thanks

Great seller @loopspool
Easy communication and quick delivery! Recommended!

Still can't figure this out. Can someone please explain to me how you're getting the pedal image to the correct size? Even after adding the dimensions, the image is not the right size. Are you using some kind of photo editing software or???

I ordered the modules and 7u case just as designed. Very excited to get started. As you can see, I've started to design the top row as well!

That amount should be plenty.

Also, unless you have a specific use for Steppy, you might want to replace it with a 4Robots (1U Intellijel friendly) version of Ornaments & Crimes. It's a multi-utility module that includes a quantizer, basic sequencer(with CV, gates or envelopes), and a lot of other nice features that you can use with yoru system. You might need to ditch the USB 1U... but that's not a big sacrifice. It's a bit more than a standard O&C. But I love mine. The sequencer is basic... BUT it'll be great for those times when you don't want to mess around with your computer and just jam out on your synths. Or if you want a sequence going internally that responds to... your logic module! :)

The 4Robots version can also scale beyond +5 volts to I think around 8volts... giving your envelopes some more bite.
https://www.plum-audio.com/product-page/1uo-c-4robots

EDITED Oct 18th 2019, 23:08

Thanks for the thoughts and questions

For mixing, the Pico III has 2 x 3 channel mixers plus a 2 channel mix out.

For attenuation, the Lapsus Os gives me a 4-channel attenuator/attenuverter. Do you think I need more than that?

Good thoughts on the Monsoon and logic. The 0-coast has a simple 2 in-2 out Maths circuit but without any logic.

...bought a Doepfer module from @TonvaterJan - everything fine - thanks a lot!

How do you intend on mixing everything? How will you attenuate or invert modulation signals? Depending on what you have in semi-modular... I think I'd want the Monsoon and the logic module first. Most semi-modulars don't have logic circuits.

If you want polyphony, buy a polyphonic synth. Ganging monophonic synths or even Eurorack isn't very efficient.

I wouldn't be afraid to get into Eurorack. But another semi-modular synth would be way less expensive than diving fulling into Eurorack. There are a lot semi-modular and even synth-voices (complete synths in Eurorack format).

I would probably go with a skiff and pick up modules to supplement the Mother 32 where you feel it is weak or to give you options with alternate filters and effects. Effects like wavefolders, distortion, ring modulation, CV modulation, attenuverters, etc. can spice up what you have.

Hello all,
Would love your thoughts on this planned setup. This is designed to be used in combination with the semi-modular gear I already have so is light on basic modules like VCO/VCA. For example, with the 0-coast, System III and mini-brute, I have 5 VCOs to play with.

My goals are to extend my semi-modular setup to have more room for experimentation with rhythms (Marbles, Logic, and Steppy plus my BSP and KeyStep), sound processing (Monsoon, Rings, MMF), and be able to perform live (hence the Palette case) with my other gear. The compressed versions of Rings and Plaits get in the way of easy live playing but the Lapsus Os gives a lot of flexibility in quickly modulating parameters of other modules like those. Drums are through TR-8S and/or Live depending on setup.

Would love thoughts on this general setup and on which to get first. With my budget, I can afford the case, 1u modules, plus one or two other modules now. Thinking of starting with Monsoon and Marbles then adding others next year as I can afford them.

P.S. Thanks to all the posters and commenters here. I have learned a ton just from reading this forum.

Cheers to @ChristophRemmery for the ADDAC601 - super fast shipping (international EU delivery in two days!) and everything packed really carefully and in top condition. Definitely recommend!

Probably not. If you read the info on Doepfer's site, you'll notice that this isn't exactly a "traditional" gesture controller. It has some obvious drawbacks, especially regarding the capacitance, that would tend to make it less of a "proper" rod or ring. It seems to me that it would make infinitely more sense to use a Moog Etherwave Plus to send proper CVs and gate to a modular, given that the Etherwave has its aerials in optimized positions already and the circuitry is designed to deal with this sort of thing. Plus, it's a wooden box (NOT metal) which should be easier to control and calibrate, and it can be located away from metal or other things that might cause an unexpected signal.

-- Lugia

Oh, thanks for explaining.

"Control eurorack with Etherwave Plus" is what I am doing right now. But when I saw again those A178, I got a spark of a hope that I possibly can dramatically reduce a size of my road case (minus one etherwave, which is definitely more room to put a more pairs of socks). But I still want to be able to play all things I can do on a "normal" Etherwave.

Again, thank you for keeping me in place!

EDITED Oct 18th 2019, 08:53

Hello !, thanks for all your advises.

i already do some VCV rack but maybe d'ont patch like it should be, for the moog i already mastery it because i'm not new to sythesis i already do some digital sythesis (FM8,Massive,Serum) but i wanted to do live music and have a different way to do it. i think you are right i'm not ready for eurorack, so what do you think about buy an another mother 32 or a DFAM to expand it and to have more possibilities, because i feel very limited and i would like to do polyphony and make live music without computeur or looper.

what do you think about that ?

Nerophix.

EDITED Oct 18th 2019, 07:46

What Maths is is a simplified analog computer that's been set up to work in a Eurorack synth environment. As such, it outputs complex voltage curves (like an actual one does) but it doesn't use Boolean logic per se. Boolean works well in a digital environment, but it wouldn't really be useful in an analog one unless you had some way of translating voltage levels/behaviors into on/off pulses, such as with a bunch of comparators.

Marbles is similar...but again, not a Boolean device.
-- Lugia

The more you know!
Thanks Lugia.