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Hi Zuggamasta,

Great to hear from you again and you got there some beautiful videos! I love the first video, fascinating that is! The third video is funny and fits quite well with the music. The music of the second video I like myself most, nicely done :-)

Did you ever consider the Erica Synths - Black Octasource? Great modulator module! It's a crazy LFO with up till 8 outputs that are phase shifted. You can do some serious crazy things with it. I think it might suite your music style and I mean that as a compliment :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing your great work with us, I hope you keep up the good work and have tons of fun with it, kind regards, Garfield.

Loki is the man for sure. I didnt know about that patch to "fix" the issue, interesting

I hadn't really looked at the Quadrax deeply before, but wow! it seems pretty handy. My wallet appreciates that they're not available at the moment!

Thanks for the advice!

Ordered oldest to newest so it will be easier to fill in the future.

Quite fast techno, I posted this before but it's still fun. First time trying out really long 3D sequences in a while:

I really love this kind of patch and had to build an animation for it:

The last one is an absolute favorite in a long time. Here the animation came first, it's a kind of modular patch in the 3D software blender. I created some basic character shapes an a node based system to randomly mix them together. I hope that it shows just a tiny bit that the synth patch is loosely based on how I remember Ryōji Ikeda tracks.

As I am not showing any video of the synth creating the tracks I also link the current rack layout.

Any Ideas what could be fun to try out next, my dear modular gridders?

Cool thread. Funny enough I'm currently working on #1 "preset management" for generative systems. Since Droid supports MIDI over TRS, I can pipe "settings" to a Tram8 that sends 8 0-5v CVs into my 7u; with Droid's P10 I can have a 1:1 mapping of knobs to those 8 CVs. Once I'm done with the base patch, I can use Droid's "patch" scenes to switch between presets with button press. Haha wish me luck

Thanks for posting this. It took me down a rabbit hole. I saw KFW perform ~generators in SF in 2011 or so... and it blew my mind. Funny, it took me another eight years to get into physical modular synths. And I'm only realizing now how impactful that performance was on me; he's improvising lines, like a jazz solo played on a clock divider or driving an entire system from simple gestures. What's amazing to see is his comfort around chaos and how well he navigates to disparate plateaus of sound, one after another.

KFW makes it clear in this video[1] that he's using a combination of a few modules based around a concept or abstraction (e.g. chaos/feedback in clocking via OP's link). It's so refreshing, and this approach appeals to me because you get to hear the boundaries of the sonic character of his voice(s).

I think if you build a system around his approach, you'd be well served by complex voices like those from Industrial Music Electronics (he mentioned Zorlon's Cannon), Schlappi Engineering, many others. Importantly, would be to pick a "shape" (e.g. clock feedback) that integrates chaos/feedback and develop gestures. I've been working with XAOC Drezno for sometime and use it to transform simple CV into arabesque pitch and gate information that drive an entire generative system.

Something that's brilliant about KFW's work is how he utilizes control that feeds-back with audio. It's something that I've been working with recently and can be rewarding but challenging to contextualize. I think this approach may lend itself better for compositions that use on a single line/single voice.

Curious to see what you come up with. Please post a system, as it happens.

[1] Resonant

I keep seeing the Soundforce Dual Filter (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/soundforce-dual-filter) in various racks and videos and would love to hear from people using it. I keep hesitating about buying one, after all price wise it looks amazing. So, any thoughts about this dual filter would be really useful - in helping make a decision one way or the other.

Thanks in advance.

EDITED Mar 16th 2022, 14:59

Idea here is to kind of make a box that you could make a whole track with, combining sampling / drums of the squid and some west coast Buchla stuff on top. Kind of Floating Pointsy I guess?

I already have a System Coupe, so you see a lot of that stuff here. I love filters so theres a lot of filters.

Thing I'm wondering about is if I need more VCA for the Buchla stuff?

Also would LOVE to hear of anyone that has a better replacement for a Beatstep Pro that lives within a rack. I have one but its ugly and I don't love it. The Cirdadian's in there kind of as a representation of that but its not giving me much on the melody part of course.

Also just any thoughts or feels. I'm kind of between going all in on modular here or buying Ableton and trading in the System Coupe for a Super Six... but maybe thats a whole other conversation haha.

Thank you for info, I'm newbie here.

Best

Duplicate already found here:

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/mutable-instruments-yarns

note that trade offers go to the marketplace, not to module entries.

Just to add to the above, this doesn't fit the Tiptop Mantis case. Neither the upper nor lower half.

I’m sure a few of you ‘Gen Heads’ have been following this series. Certainly worthy of a link to this thread:

EDITED Mar 16th 2022, 01:22

I used to have a long narrow wooden planter box - that you’d find in a garden store, so you can lay out the longer cables nicely. But now that I’ve moved house and have a tighter space, I use a metal square plate thing with loads of grooves on each side, from the Ctrl-mod.com - it fits on top of a mic stand.

For cables I do very bright colors by length. Love the tiptop stacksbles but also dig the really short ones too (so satisfying when your module layout plan comes together, but only sometimes).

Would a Voltage Block be good for this, Nick? The range of each slider/step is 0-5v and you can set it to jump or glide between them. With attenuverters & offsets between the Block and your complex oscillator I’d imagine you’d have tight control - not to mention putting it through the SISM. You’ll be in the lab for weeks!

so a complex oscillator... then see advice above..

the instruo cs-l is a complex oscillator which also includes a wavefolder - having checked the manual - it seems that the wavefolder cannot process external signals - so if this is what you want - ie a wavefolder to process signals other than those generated by the c-sl, then yes, you would also require a separate wavefolder - I suspect this is common with most complex oscillators that include wavefolders

a 'bifold' is a specific wavefolder module made by intellijel and as such is not included in the instruo c-sl

I mean a complex like Csl ... it is also a bifold..

Thank you everyone for your kind comments! I did not know that I need to get a booster to bring up 2000mA. I am ordering one right now!

And I agree about Hector - it acts out time to time (randomly triggering certain functions). Amazing support though. I had an issue with touch screen initially, but it got fixed shortly (Loki emailed me personally with the new firmware).

I now really understands when people say that Eurorack drains money very quickly...

Nice meeting you all!

complex what? vco, I suspect...
possibly, depends on the complex oscillator and what you want to do - a lot people are quite happy without either...
I don't have a complex oscillator, but I have a lot of wavefolders, which I often use for video synthesis - but sometimes for audio... I'd rather roll my own complex oscillator (from basic oscillators, mixers and wavefolder/shaper)...

Have you thought more about what "tactile" module you might like?
-- plragde

That's the next step, 30 HP to finish this madness... the good part is that i only have 1 month to the trip and won't be able to change too much.

Thinking better maybe it will fit nicely a reverb+delay compact module.

To be honest i need to read more, i don't really know right now so i won't take your time.

I really appriciatte your time, even so won't solve the problem, thinking and write about it, clear alot of my thought process.

If we have a complex ... can we do without a wavefolder?

Agree, could be the Hector. There is a patch you can try that is supposed to help.
https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3694729&hilit=hector#p3694729

I don't have any issues with mine on an Befaco Excalibus with a bunch of other digital toys.
It is a slow beast to start... but a powerful one.

Speaking of HP, I'm wondering if the Erica Black Sequencer is going to stay. On paper it seems to give me more than the Metropolix, but it's (to me) not as intuitive and immediate to use, so I've been using it more for MIDI-to-CV than as a sequencer. If I cut that out, is there an obvious candidate for taking in at least 4 channels of MIDI? Hermod looks like it, but is there something else I don't know about? I've tried the Doepfer A-190-4 and was impressed with how cryptic it was to set up.
-- arthabaska

Have not used the Black Sequencer, but have an Erica Drum Sequencer (which has a single pitch/gate channel that operates in a similar way to the Black Sequencer only clunkier/way more tedious to edit) and a Metropolix. Metropolix is loads of fun to use and very immediate (while also having some very very deep probability & self modulation functionality), but it kind of takes you where it wants to go so can be difficult to create a deliberate/specific sequence if you have something in mind. If I have a bassline or melody in my head that I want to capture, I'll go to the Erica Drum Sequencer or Tete+Tetrapad first. Metropolix is a riff generating machine though, so will def be holding on to that for the foreseeable...

Five12 Vector Sequencer might be an option. Only 2 channels without an expensive expander, but it integrates with MIDI well and can sequence both CV & MIDI. Have seen quite a few people rave about it, and its the same HP as the BS. NerdSeq does pretty much everything as well and has a huge fanbase, although personally I can't get around how ugly I think it looks :)

In case you have not already seen it, there's a comprehensive comparison of Euro sequencers here: https://doudoroff.com/sequencers/

EDITED Mar 15th 2022, 16:15

For function generators like Stages, my personal favorite is the Intellijel Quadrax + its expander. 4 envelopes with end of rise and fall triggers plus a CV matrix behind the scenes. IMO this packs more functionality that any of the others, including the mighty Maths. I also use a Befaco Rampage, which is also great and so easy to use but Quadrax is the workhorse. Only problem is there are zero around for sale though I read on one of the German retail sites that new ones are expected in July... I want two!

EDITED Mar 15th 2022, 14:30

I have not used a Salmple but what I've read about it has been positive. You will eventually want a mixer but you have that in your Lizard system, eventually, so you shouldn't buy another one now. The Salmple has mixed pairs output and an all-mix output. You can set individual channel playback levels and put an AD envelope on. It will be a bit menu-divey so eventually you will want external mixing with knobs, but for a starting configuration I think it is all right. Pam's will provide enough modulation to start, also. Have you thought more about what "tactile" module you might like?

Its the hector, I have had 2, they do have power issues (also 2 beebos, first one only powered on 1 time and then never again, the replacement has been stable) . My original hector only turned on half the time, and my replacement is always the last thing to fully boot. It even takes the UI a moment to fully realize its not a beebo, meaning not all the ins and outs appear at the same time. My first one didn't do that. Hector is an odd and powerful beast, but far from stable like you would expect. I also have the zoia racked, its a slow boot as well, but always fully loads before hector. Hope this helps, I would get a replacement if I were you.

Thank you for your time, I spent some days trying to figure it out.

I'm thinking in pair a pamelas work out with a Squid Sample, thinking in sample audio on the fly, sending audio from Expert sleepers ES-9, direct to the Squid sample and later play with pamelas. To me, sounds good in paper and uses so little HP for a sample player and record.

Anyone has experience with this kind o sampler usage, it's necessary to think in a mixer or other utilities?? Which ones you think it's the worthiest? In my head, I will be mixing using the inputs of ES-9.

I will be left with 43 HP.

Thanks @t4mber. I didn't know about the Droid, certainly interesting (albeit a little intimidating!). As far as a "playing surface" is concerned, I'd love to find a solution to allow for more interaction with the system. I've not gotten Stages yet, but the 321 and Veils work well together so far for tuning my modulators (especially with the 321's mixer functions). They're just limited by size. Always looking for recommendations though.

First patch with the Tapographic delay. I was tempted since a long time ! So here is. The modular is used as an effects box with the Tapo and Desmodus versio. Er-301 is also used for some eq, mixing !

If its any help, It might not be, I've thrown loads of modules at my 2x uZeus Power modules with the standard power bricks and they perform admirably.
I was considering selling them as I upgrade my Konstantlab setup but I'll probably keep them for later skiff or small case builds cos they do take a lot of sh!t without complaining. :)

EDITED Mar 15th 2022, 07:54

The 2000 mA at +12V is only available if you're powering the uZeus with the 3000 mA boost brick which is capable of delivering that power. If you're using the 1000 mA wall adapter then that's not going to cut it. Also note that certain tube modules but also some digital modules I think sometimes draw extra power at start-up, it's possible that Poly Hector is one, though I'm not familiar with it so I can't say that with any certainty. But yeah if you don't have the boost brick then you should get one, they're usually about $35 (US).

In regard to @HGSynth's comments about tuning modulations, completely agree. Zadar is great because it has that capability built in. I've been using Droid for this purpose for large generative patches because it's a CV modular in the modular, a veritable modular module (yes, does require writing patches in scripts). In fact, it's designs are offset and scaling in every "patch cable". But it's not as hands on as having a stack of 321's but saves cost and hp 4sure.

Otherwise, looks like your "playing surface" is stages and veils, do you find those good for tuning things in?

Hello everyone,

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1862563.jpg

Nice meeting you all! I started eurorack about a year ago, and now I have this setup. I have one question - whenever I turn the power on, everything seems to boot up, but then when Poly Hector is about to start, it all gets turned off and restarts again.

I look at my current eurorack power consumption (I calculated it), and it's 1141 mA at +12V, 211 mA at -12V, 0 at mA 5V

but my Tiptop uZeus should be able to handle 2000mA at +12V, 500mA at -12V, 170mA at +5V

Could you kindly let me know if you have any suggestions?

p.s. I wondered if my tiptop uZeus was not delivering enough power, so I unplugged MI Ears, and everything works fine. (MI Ears draw +/-12v 5mA)

Thanks!
jae10

EDITED Mar 14th 2022, 23:53

Thank you CMB! I find myself strangely consumed by the Krell and spend a lot of idle time thinking about how to make the next one even more complex...

I kind of know what you mean about the black sequencer - it's a lot less immediate and demands a lot more effort than the metropolix

I've only played with a metropolis (not metropolix) once, a few years ago, and it was extremely intuitive to use on a basic level - ie I managed to get a sequence going with it in minutes, without the manual etc etc

I've had a black sequencer for a while and it takes a lot more effort to get into ie I still need to consult the manual - but I think that I'll persevere with mine - one thing you could try is creating a sequence on the metropolix and then recording it in the black sequencer - I do agree though it does seem a bit of a waste to just use as a midi->cv converter

you might want to look at cv.ocd, or the module version mutant brain if you decide you want a midi->cv module

Sorry for the delayed reply, I forgot I posted this :)

Thanks Jim & farkas for the very useful info. I've since thinned out my herd of oscillators, taking out the A-110-1, E350, and one of the A-110-4s. I've added the Nin expander to Zadar, and have discovered the joys of having an envelope ready to go on-demand. Tempted to add another if not for cost. Will likely add another Veils as well, and maybe a second Plaits if I see a good price locally. I've also moved the DFAM into the rack, and it's integrating well enough with the rest of the system, at least until I need more HP :D

Speaking of HP, I'm wondering if the Erica Black Sequencer is going to stay. On paper it seems to give me more than the Metropolix, but it's (to me) not as intuitive and immediate to use, so I've been using it more for MIDI-to-CV than as a sequencer. If I cut that out, is there an obvious candidate for taking in at least 4 channels of MIDI? Hermod looks like it, but is there something else I don't know about? I've tried the Doepfer A-190-4 and was impressed with how cryptic it was to set up.

Hey thanks! What was your favourite moment?
-- brunomolteni

I'd go for the filter tweaks and the lovely twinkly finish.

Let me know if you want patch description !
Cheers

Nice work :) Which version of your rack was this with?
-- wishbonebrewery

Hey thanks! What was your favourite moment?

The rack from the video is pretty much this, altough it may have 1 or 2 different modules in there...

Nice work :) Which version of your rack was this with?

Firstly, if you're open to integrating this with a computer, get an ES9 and connect your physical modules with VCVRack. It will open up soooo many ways to learn. I do all my mixing and end of chain effects in VCV, including the amazing and free Supermassive reverb plugin from Vahalla. If you're dead set on a physical only rack, you could even sell on the ES9 when your case is near-full. You'll find a buyer in about 60 seconds after listing it on Reverb.com

Cool idea. I'm definitely not opposed to some computer integration. Still learning my way around VCV, it would be nice to augment the rack, as long as it can stay predominantly physical. I'll have to look into the ES9.

Secondly, in your case, you need to increase the randomness (actually the Buchla random you had before would be ideal). I would definitely add dedicated Sample & Holds and put them next to your noise module. Would also add some free running chaotic random CV like a Sloths. Also consider at least one buffered mult.

Sloths is new to me. Seems like a bit of an unpredictable beast. Absolutely agree on needing more randomness though, so I'm happy for the suggestion. I often use the O_c for its shift register/turing machine apps, though I've been on the search for a dedicated piece to replace that and free up the module for other things.

The other thing I think you need are more ways to attenuate, invert, offset. One key thing about generative is being able to 'tune' your CV in order to precisely tweak that generative randomness into something listenable. One thing you could do is swap some your VCA choices with ones that can VCA but also do inversion and offset. You have a bit of that, but IMHO you need more.

Finally I would sprinkle those utilities all around your case.

Thanks so much for the advice!

No kidding that it wants the actual case it came in for this update!

Before I found this post, I'd tried and failed to update it in my main case. So with your tip (thank you!) I tried it with a proper Moog 60hp case. I dug around in my gear and found one, then mounted my subharmonicon in it. The update still failed, (stuck on the third sysex file, lights just do the "updating" sequence forever. After rebooting, it's still stuck on step 1.

So... I flipped the 60hp case over to double check, and sure enough it was the case my DFAM case in, not the one the subharmonicon came in. So I dug around AGAIN and found the actual subharmonicon 60hp case, re-mounted it and then the update succeeded.

Again, thank you for figuring this out!!!

I've just started using keyboard navigation on Modular Grid and I think it would be nice if there was an option when you're in Move mode to swap the module with its neighbor. It's nice to be able to move a module to either end of a row with < and >, but if you just want to move it on the other side of a couple of other modules, you have to move the module one HP at a time. Maybe if you could use Shift + left or right arrow key it would just switch the positions with the nearest neighbor.

Thanks!

I've never used either of the Verbos oscillators (though I would be very interested in trying out the Harmonic Oscillator someday), but I do think the Verbos Complex Oscillator is very similar to the Make Noise DPO, as far as layout and features. I think you would be able to achieve a greater diversity of sound by keeping the HO paired with one CO, rather than having two COs. I don't think you would be gaining much more capability by adding a second CO, but that comes back to how you plan on using them in your system. If it were me, I would keep the HO and CO that you already have. However, if you are looking to swap out one of your oscillators, I would recommend the Frap Tools Brenso over the Verbos CO, as it is a very feature-rich CO. It is also slightly less expensive and smaller than the Verbos one. I replaced my DPO with a Brenso, and I am happy with it, but be aware that it has EXTREMELY high power requirement specs. It's given some of my power supplies problems in the past.

Everything I do in the rack is pretty much generative, so my feedback comes from that side of things...

Firstly, if you're open to integrating this with a computer, get an ES9 and connect your physical modules with VCVRack. It will open up soooo many ways to learn. I do all my mixing and end of chain effects in VCV, including the amazing and free Supermassive reverb plugin from Vahalla. If you're dead set on a physical only rack, you could even sell on the ES9 when your case is near-full. You'll find a buyer in about 60 seconds after listing it on Reverb.com

Secondly, in your case, you need to increase the randomness (actually the Buchla random you had before would be ideal). I would definitely add dedicated Sample & Holds and put them next to your noise module. Would also add some free running chaotic random CV like a Sloths. Also consider at least one buffered mult.

The other thing I think you need are more ways to attenuate, invert, offset. One key thing about generative is being able to 'tune' your CV in order to precisely tweak that generative randomness into something listenable. One thing you could do is swap some your VCA choices with ones that can VCA but also do inversion and offset. You have a bit of that, but IMHO you need more.

Finally I would sprinkle those utilities all around your case.

EDITED Mar 12th 2022, 16:06

In different browsers, on different machines, I'm constantly unable to type or use the delete button when trying to reply to posts. Sometimes refreshing helps but it's frustrating.

Hi,

Im currently having a CO and VHO as main oscillators in my case (verbos system almost) but im thinking of maybe sell my Harmonic Oscillator and replace it with something else does that makes sense at all to you? Or are they too much the same and much overlapping eachother?

Im realized i dont use VHO as much and would maybe to consider to add one more complex osc.

Would appriciate your thoughts before pulling the trigger!

EDITED Mar 15th 2022, 15:32

This is one excellent module! Strongly recommended as it packs a lot of utility into 48hp, plus adds additional 4hp of LFO Outputs as well. Each section works by itself, so you have quad panning from the two joysticks, dual VCA's, two filters, dual VCO's, 1v/Oct tracking and a very complex noise source.

Feels intuitive in that you tune and play it like a radio. Makes an excellent companion to external sound sources: drums, other synths, envelopes, matrix mixers, whatever. I highly recommend picking one up and I don't think there is anything overtly bad about it... the thing is just very experimental and unique.

Before you get a Mimetic Digitalis try setting your Pam's to 4x, stepped random wave, and loop length to CV1. You can send 0V and it will just generate random steps, but then increase voltage to lock it in a loop. Then back to 0V for Turing Machine style random stepped voltage.
-- obscuremachines

What a cool trick, thanks!

I’m pretty sure the depth is the same throughout. I have a 2hp play I wish I could test the size for you.

"Module Depth: 45.5mm (37.4mm at each 1HP edge)". This is what their website mentions, I'll write an email to double check.

If not I’d just run off an LFO off your other modules, and I would expand to the 6hp FX Aid as it has more CV and also you CV its sample rate.

-- obscuremachines

Love this idea! Never occurred to me to use an lfo, definitely switching to the 6hp fx then. Thank you so much for your help and effort!

We will ship Monday to stores and to people who pre-ordered :)