Rack Advice

Hi everyone, I'm a student doing a yearlong project where I'm building a eurorack. A lot of it will be DIY, but I'm trying to plan out some premade modules as well. I want to make very textured music with samples, kind of sound collage-y stuff. I just want to ask for module reccomendations that might be good for that, or any other advice someone may have. This is what I have so far, the AI001 multiple and sloth chaos module are there because I'm going to be DIYing them, I'm still not sure if I want nebulae or morphagene. Everything else is just things I thought I might benefit from. Obviously this is unfinished and theres a ton missing, I know I need more utilites and other things but I don't have enough knowledge about many different modules to know what else I might need, so I figured I'd ask here. Thanks for any advice.
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_2354487.jpg![]
(Idk how to post the photo sorry)

If I may, 'Fiat lux' ;)

If you are a student, you should start by learning the basics...
Here is one of the most recommendable sources: Learning Modular.
https://learningmodular.com/

It includes in particular the following:
https://courses.learningmodular.com/courses/basic-concepts
https://learningmodular.com/glossary/
Etc.

I agree with Sweelinck, learningmodular is a great place to start learning the basics. There are some great resources on Youtube as well.

The DIY approach is definitely a good way of getting into modular, thats how I got into it when I was a student and I now design modules as my 9-5.

There are some great passive and active utility modules out there that will probably help you make your system more interactive, but perhaps you might want to look at getting some more modulation sources and filters?

If you are a student, you should start by learning the basics...
Here is one of the most recommendable sources: Learning Modular.
https://learningmodular.com/

-- Sweelinck

I'm familiar with the basics, I've done tons of research and have been interested in modular for ~2 years now. I mostly meant I wasn't familiar enough with a wide variety of modules, so I'm not sure what to pick. That website does look very helpful though thank you!

There are some great passive and active utility modules out there that will probably help you make your system more interactive, but perhaps you might want to look at getting some more modulation sources and filters?
-- danlegg

I definitely need to add some, any ideas on some good ones? I've been thinking maybe polaris for a filter and I'm unsure about modulation, there's just so many modules its hard to pick out specific ones

I definitely need to add some, any ideas on some good ones? I've been thinking maybe polaris for a filter and I'm unsure about modulation, there's just so many modules its hard to pick out specific ones

-- amulet

I'll start with the filters first because that one is probably the easiest. Polaris great filter option in my opinion. Humpback is one I'd recommend (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/god-s-box-humpback-filter). The dopfer wasp (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/doepfer-a-124-se) is another I'd suggest as a good one to have in your rack in general. If you wanted a more "Moog" sounding LP filter I'd suggest the FWE Transistor Ladder Filter (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/fully-wired-electronics-transistor-ladder-filter), I've got a heavy personal bias towards it so you'll have to forgive me there but I'm just suggesting what I use. Its got that traditional rich moog sound whilst also being designed to sound like its got a 303 squelch when the resonance is cranked. Again excuse the personal bias, but its very affordable like most of the FWE modules. That said they are the filters I would go for personally.

Modulation I'd say Maths (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/make-noise-maths--), Batumi (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/xaoc-devices-batumi), OCHD (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/divkid-ochd) to name a couple. Not necessarily modulation as such, but one sequencer I absolutely love is the Stochastic Inspiration Generator/ SIG+ (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/stochastic-instruments-sig-4-track-stochastic-inspiration-generator). Pairing that with the Mini-Logic (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/fully-wired-electronics-mini-logic) or Multi-Logic (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/fully-wired-electronics-multi-logic), or any boolean logic based module for that matter, then patching one of the outputs into an envelope generator can be fantastic for generative or ambient patches. I totally understand what you mean about picking one out, it can be very overwhelming as there's so many of them.

Interms of utility I think it really depends on where you want to take your system and what control you want over it. If you want attenuators or something along those lines I'd suggest the Motion Mtr (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/befaco-motion-mtr) or the DPA (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/fully-wired-electronics-dual-passive-attenuator). Personal bias again (really sorry but I really am suggesting what I use daily and what I know), the DPS can be great for routing signals around your rack (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/fully-wired-electronics-dual-passive-switch). I really like using mute modules myself, especailly for generative and ambient patches, which I'd would personally use the MQM (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/fully-wired-electronics-mini-quad-mute), but the DivKid Mutes (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/divkid-mutes) would be a great alternative.

I'm not sure how you might intergrate it but Pams is a great module as well in my opinion (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/alm-busy-circuits-pamela-s-new-workout-). Disting (https://www.modulargrid.net/e/expert-sleepers-disting-mk4) might be a powerful module to have.

Hopefully that helps somehow, I had a list of suggestions ealier but they've sadly all escaped my head at the moment.

Hopefully that helps somehow, I had a list of suggestions ealier but they've sadly all escaped my head at the moment.

-- danlegg

This helps out a ton thank you so much for taking the time to type all that out. I don't mind the bias at all I'd definitely do the same thing

This helps out a ton thank you so much for taking the time to type all that out. I don't mind the bias at all I'd definitely do the same thing

-- amulet

Well I'm glad it did, and you're more than welecome! Happy to share as much as I can where and when I can.

Okay so I've added quite a bit, I'm wondering if anything is too redundant, and if anyone has any other ideas to fill it out. Since it's a school project I'm going to be completing it slowly over the course of the year, and probably won't even have all the modules at that time, it's going to be a slower process. With that said what should I be prioritizing? The sloth chaos and ai001 multiple are definitely going to be first as I'm DIYing them, and I think I'll try and get the morphagene after that, because the whole point is very textured, sample heavy sounds. Beyond those I'm not sure the order I should get modules in.![]

EDITED Oct 6th 2023, 21:24

@Sweelinck's link above directs to the same image as displayed...

for future reference copy & paste the url...

things I'd point out - the chord organ might be difficult to source... the teensy 3.2 is very difficult to find (probably end of lifed)

and the instruo ceis is quite expensive - you might want to look at the befaco vc adsr & it couldt be a good alternative and is available as a kit (or pcb/panel set)

@Sweelinck's link above directs to the same image as displayed...

things I'd point out - the chord organ might be difficult to source... the teensy 3.2 is very difficult to find (probably end of lifed)

and the instruo ceis is quite expensive - you might want to look at the befaco vc adsr & it couldt be a good alternative and is available as a kit (or pcb/panel set)

-- JimHowell1970

Weird, it linked to the old one when I tried it out earlier, I've got very spotty wifi right now that's probably why. Thanks for the reccomendation, I'd rather do a kit anyways and cheaper is always nice.
I've also found a near exact dupe of the chord organ but updated to the newer teensy, though im struggling to find it again so maybe i made it up in my head.

You need to start with an understanding of a basic signal path and routing in a subtractive synth. lfo - vco, filter, envelope, vca

Another type of setup would be additive, look up those concepts, read about them:

Subtractive, additive, wavetables, granular and wave slicing methods, Physical modeling, AM, FM, TZFM,,,,,read, listen, think and learn.

I have never asked for advice on what modules to get and I will not offer it either. With your basic understanding of the signal flow, you then read about and listen to all the modules available at a given moment.

Compare sound, functions, ease or difficulty in operating them and ask youself, will they give you the result you are hearing or want to hear. Since you are going DIY you can afford to get a relatively stronger setup.

The rule is, don't look for complicating your setup, find out which are the building blocks of a functioning system. Do the study and don't ask people to make those choices for you, you'll be taking the enjoyment out of it that comes with study and hard work, enjoy the process.

You need to start with an understanding of a basic signal path and routing in a subtractive synth. lfo - vco, filter, envelope, vca

Another type of setup would be additive, look up those concepts, read about them:

Subtractive, additive, wavetables, granular and wave slicing methods, Physical modeling, AM, FM, TZFM,,,,,read, listen, think and learn.

-- GunnarWaage

I'm familiar with all of these things, I've been working in VCV rack and MAX/MSP for almost 2 years and I've done plenty of research throughout that time. It's just that personally, when it comes to things like this I get somewhat anxious and feel like I need to know what I'm doing isn't wrong, so I want advice from people more knowledgeable than me. That said I have researched everything I've picked out at the moment and feel good about them, I just want to ensure that nothing is wrong before I devote so much time and money to them. I don't view it as people making the choice for me, I look at their ideas and spend time researching them and decide what to do after that.

ah ok, well you have an interesting project ahead of you, I wish you all the best with it.

Thanks!