Easiest way to record modular synths

After experimenting with various ways to sample and record modular synths, I have to say that the new 1010 Music Bluebox has made recording all my synths and modular a game changer. Plug in and record individual modules or tracks quickly and dump the contents of the micro SD card to computer and DAW for processing. Really happy to finally found a fairly painless way to do this after suffering with the horrid Doepfer MIDI to CV module. That said, the other Doepfer modules are quite good like the filters, mixers, and oscillators.

MIDI was always the one thing that Dieter never quite got right. The other Doepfer gear...spot-effin'-ON. But not the A-100 MIDI interfaces. They always felt like something of an afterthought when compared to the rest of the line.

Agree. Well the Bluebox is fun so far and great little mixer and recorder for my Eurorack stuff. Should improve the process of using with my DAW.

I use a Disting mk4 for this and it always works great, no multitrack but the convenience is worth it.

Cool I need to use the recorder on my Disting EX. Had fun recording bunch of synths today on the Bluebox.

Intellijel Audio I/O > (patchbay >) DAW or Digitakt
works also in reverse
other hardware > Intellijel Audio I/O > modular mangling

Yes, the Intellijel Audio I/O is a great audio interface module for audio input and audio output, however it's not meant for MIDI to CV or CV to MIDI.

I agree with Lugia and Sacguy71 that those MIDI modules from Doepfer (the A-190-x series) are pretty disappointing, the only modules so far from Doepfer that I don't like, all the other modules from Doepfer is great stuff, especially if you look at the price-performance ratio.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Intellijel Audio I/O > (patchbay >) DAW or Digitakt
works also in reverse
other hardware > Intellijel Audio I/O > modular mangling

-- happygolucky

A little simpler, less space, less expensive... 4ms Listen IO. (Tested and approved for 2 years and a half :))
Plus: Erica Synths Midi to Clock V2 (seems great), or Intellijel uMidi... There are so many solutions.

Great discussion folks! I wanted a small portable mixer recorder that I can use with modular and other gear. So far having good results with the 1010 Bluebox. I do hope that they add new features like loop playback and the ability to rewind to points for each recording. Last night I recorded my Leipzig v2, DFAM and Make Noise Shared system. I’m thinking that it will let me use a lot of samples recorded from modular and less need to haul around tons of gear to live events in the future. Then I can bring a small modular for live performance and my Octatrack for drum and movie clip samples.

Well, lessee...do you need something more along the lines of a multitrack, or would a basic stereo pair off of the mixer via USB work? Or something sort of down the middle?

If I were facing this same problem, I would go with this as the mixer: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EPM12--soundcraft-epm12-mixer No, it doesn't have onboard FX...and you really don't want those, anyway, as they tend to be sort of "meh" when compared to outboard FX processors, and given how cheap THOSE are at present, you'd come out better populating several rack spaces with something like a Yamaha SPX90, etc. Those older FX from the 1980s have a certain "grit" to them that sounds pretty warm and satisfying.

Then for audio conversion, this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/M4--motu-m4-4x4-usb-c-audio-interface 4-in, 4-out interface, has a monitor loopback function for easier tracking against other DAW tracks, and so on. And yes, four DC-coupled outs in case you get a wild hair to do some DAW-to-CV/gate/trig fun.

Hi Lugia,

Thank you for the suggestions. I’m looking at a multi track recording solution which is one reason why I bought the 1010 Bluebox. I already have a few traditional analog mixers. I do need a new audio interface that with guitars and synths. Bluebox is ok for quick and dirty work and compact size is nice. I’m looking at the Tascam 12 channel mixer recorder that has preamps plus an audio interface as well.

Not a bad choice, really...but make sure beforehand that the TASCAM can deal with some major messing around with its signal flow. If not, you're probably better off using one of those older analog mixers and then using that brand-new MOTU desktop interface. Just use your 1 and 2 channels for sends to the DAW, then you've got channels 3 and 4 for a stereo monitor return from it.

Hi Lugia,

Thank you for the suggestions. I’m looking at a multi track recording solution which is one reason why I bought the 1010 Bluebox. I already have a few traditional analog mixers. I do need a new audio interface that with guitars and synths. Bluebox is ok for quick and dirty work and compact size is nice. I’m looking at the Tascam 12 channel mixer recorder that has preamps plus an audio interface as well.
-- sacguy71

Not trying to be pedantic or anything but when you say 1010 Bluebox...do you mean Bitbox? I was looking for Bluebox in the modules under 1010 music and didn't see a Bluebox so thought you might be referencing the BitBox.

No, the 1010 Bluebox is a stand alone mixer recorder desktop solution and not a Eurorack module. It has connections for modular using standard patch cables. Here is more info

https://1010music.com/product/bluebox

It doesn’t do sampling or looping just mixer and record and playback.