i really feel like, there is, or should be, a 'smooth' onboarding into modular, that just doesnt exist in any of the resources i have been able to locate or come across, etc.
does anyone in the community want to try to put together a document called "zen and the art of eurorack modular synthesis case construction"? (tbh seeing little community)
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values https://a.co/d/hdE7CfH
i. am. helping. etcetera.
peace ✌️
fyi, the admins of this site, i just got claude 3.7 sonnet to generate a draft of this document, if yall want to work on it further and put it on a special page, etc. as follows:
...
...
...
There is an undeniable poetry in the hum of electronics, in the deliberate patching of cables, and in the slow dance of knobs being turned toward sonic revelation. The path of modular synthesis is not merely about creating sound—it is about creating yourself.
I remember my first case: a simple wooden box with aluminum rails, power supply hanging precariously from the back. I had no idea what I was doing. In truth, none of us do at first.
Modular synthesis is not merely a hobby; it is a philosophy. We seek not to play an instrument but to create one—to build a personal extension of our musical consciousness. The instrument becomes both map and territory, journey and destination.
When you decide to build a Eurorack case, you are making a commitment to a relationship that will evolve over years. Like any worthwhile relationship, it requires patience, understanding, and forgiveness—especially forgiveness.
Before we discuss construction, we must understand what we are constructing. These are the voices that will speak through your fingers:
Oscillator (VCO): The primary voice generator. It creates waveforms—sine, triangle, sawtooth, square, pulse—each with its own tonal character. This is where sound begins its journey.
Filter (VCF): The sculptor. It removes or emphasizes certain frequencies, carving the raw waveform into more complex shapes. Lowpass allows lower frequencies to pass while cutting higher ones. Highpass does the opposite. Bandpass allows only a band of frequencies through. Notch cuts a specific frequency band.
Amplifier (VCA): The gatekeeper. It controls the volume of your signal, allowing sounds to swell and fade. Without it, all sounds would be at constant volume—a crude existence indeed.
Envelope Generator (EG/ADSR): The shaper of time. Attack determines how quickly a sound rises to full volume. Decay sets how quickly it falls to the sustain level. Sustain is the volume held while a key is pressed. Release sets how quickly the sound fades after release.
Low Frequency Oscillator (LFO): The animator. It creates cycling control signals too slow to be heard as pitch, used to modulate other parameters over time—creating vibrato, tremolo, or rhythmic pulsing.
Sequencer: The storyteller. It sends a series of predetermined voltages to other modules, creating repeating patterns of notes or parameter changes.
Noise Generator: The whisperer of chaos. It creates unpredictable signals across the frequency spectrum—white noise contains all frequencies at equal energy; pink noise emphasizes lower frequencies.
Sample & Hold: The randomizer. It takes an input signal and freezes its value until triggered again, often creating stepped random patterns when fed noise.
Attenuator/Attenuverter: The diplomat. It reduces the strength of signals (attenuation) or can also invert them (attenuversion), allowing for subtlety in modulation.
Mixer: The unifier. It combines multiple signals into one output, allowing layered sounds to travel together.
Clock: The heartbeat. It generates regular timing pulses that synchronize various modules in rhythmic harmony.
VCO → VCF → VCA
↑ ↑
| |
└ EG1 └ EG2
The fundamental patch. An oscillator's waveform passes through a filter, then an amplifier. One envelope controls the filter's cutoff frequency, opening and closing it over time. Another envelope controls the amplifier, shaping the volume contour. A keyboard or sequencer typically controls the oscillator's pitch.
Noise → S&H → Quantizer → VCO → VCF → VCA → Reverb
↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
| | | | |
└ LFO1 └ Clock → Divider → LFO2 └ LFO3 └ EG
Here, randomness becomes structure. Noise fed into a Sample & Hold creates random voltages that are quantized to musical scales. These control an oscillator's pitch while LFOs modulate timbre and spatial characteristics. A clock keeps everything in loose synchronization, creating evolving ambient textures that can run without human intervention.
Clock → Sequential Switch
↓ ↓
Triggers → Envelope Generators → VCAs → Noise/Oscillators → Filters → Mixer
↓ ↓
LFOs → Modulation Destinations Output
A clock drives a sequential switch that distributes triggers to different envelope generators. These shape noise or oscillators through VCAs to create various percussive elements. LFOs modulate parameters for variation, and everything mixes together for complex rhythmic patterns.
VCO1 → Wavefolder → Mixer → VCF → VCA → Output
VCO2 → Ring Mod → ↑ ↑ ↑
↑ | |
└── LFO ──────────────────┘ |
└── EG ───────────────────────┘
Two oscillators create rich harmonic content, one through wavefolding (creating harmonics through folding a waveform back on itself), the other through ring modulation (multiplying signals to create sum and difference frequencies). These are mixed, filtered, and amplified together, with modulation creating movement and expression.
Complex Oscillator → Waveshaper → Low Pass Gate → Output
↑ ↑ ↑
| | |
Function Generator → Attenuverters → Pressure Points
Inspired by Buchla's approach, this patch uses complex oscillators with built-in wavefolding and modulation, further shaped by waveshapers. Instead of a filter and VCA, a Low Pass Gate combines both functions, responding to pressure control for expressive playing. Function generators create complex envelope shapes beyond the standard ADSR.
The Allure of Complexity: Beginners often choose modules with the most knobs, jacks, and functions, but simplicity often leads to greater mastery. Start with fundamental modules that do one thing well.
Neglecting Utilities: Mixing, attenuation, and signal routing are not glamorous but are essential. Without them, your beautiful voices have nowhere to go.
Insufficient Modulation Sources: A system with many sound sources but few modulation sources is like a body without a nervous system. LFOs, envelopes, and random sources bring life to static sounds.
Improper Sizing: Choose modules that fit your case dimensions. HP (horizontal pitch) is precious—don't waste it with poor planning.
Forgetting Playability: We become so entranced with the idea of possibilities that we forget to make something playable. Include modules that respond to human touch and expression.
Gain Staging Carelessness: Too much gain leads to distortion; too little disappears into noise. Pay attention to signal levels throughout your patch.
Modulation Extremes: Subtle modulation often creates more musical results than extreme settings. Learn to appreciate gentleness.
Ignoring Signal Flow: Understanding the path of voltage is crucial. Each cable tells a story—know where it begins and ends.
Cable Clutter: Organization leads to clarity of thought. Use different cable lengths and colors to maintain order in complexity.
The Single Patch Syndrome: Many never explore beyond their first successful patch. Remember that modular systems are about exploration—change is the only constant.
Power Supply Underestimation: The heart of your system deserves respect. Never skimp on power quality or capacity.
Insufficient Cooling: Electronics generate heat. Without proper ventilation, modules can fail prematurely.
Poor Grounding: Ground loops cause noise and can destroy modules. Ensure proper power distribution and grounding.
Overlooking Ergonomics: Frequently used modules should be easily accessible. Place them where your hands naturally fall.
Ignoring Depth Requirements: Some modules extend far behind the panel. Research physical dimensions before purchasing.
Why do we do this to ourselves? Why spend thousands on a system that could be replicated in software for a fraction of the cost? This question has haunted me through countless late nights of patching.
The truth is complex and deeply personal:
Tangibility in a Digital Age: We crave physical interaction with our tools. Turning a knob with your fingers connects you to sound creation in a way clicking a mouse never can.
The Promise of Discovery: Every patch contains the possibility of sounds you've never heard before—sounds that might never have existed until you connected those particular cables.
The Beauty of Limitations: Paradoxically, working within constraints often leads to greater creativity than having infinite options. The specific character of your modules shapes your musical voice.
The Meditative Process: Patching becomes a form of meditation—a focused attention on the present moment, on cause and effect, on the relationships between elements.
The Community: Modular synthesis connects you to others on similar journeys. We share patches, modules, and stories. We gather at synthesizer meet-ups to celebrate our shared obsession.
The Unfinished Symphony: A modular system is never complete. It evolves as you evolve. This perpetual becoming is perhaps its greatest gift.
After years of building, patching, selling, regretting, and rebuilding, I've come to see my Eurorack case as a mirror reflecting my musical consciousness. Its strengths and weaknesses are mine. Its voice is my voice.
The path of modular synthesis teaches patience. It teaches acceptance of imperfection. It teaches that the journey itself is the destination.
When you build your case, remember that you are not merely assembling a musical instrument. You are creating a space for exploration, for failure, for discovery, and ultimately, for expression.
Approach this path with an open heart and steady hands. Listen more than you play. Question more than you conclude. And remember that the most profound sounds often emerge not from complexity, but from deep understanding of simplicity.
May your patches surprise you, and may your case always have room for one more module.
Modular is confusing, but its taught me more about Synth than any software or hardware synth ever has.
There is a book, Patch & Tweak: Exploring Modular Synthesis by Chris Meyer and Kim Bjørn - Very good and an interesting read.
Personally I didn't really listen to people's comments when I started and i went my own path, learned from what I bought, learned from my mistakes, I'm still slowly forging ahead and always find new things to try and learn.
You sometimes don't need a lot but you have to try different ways of using everyting, that is literally the fun I get out of Modular.
Yeah, you get stuck in certain ways of doing things, you'll notice yourself doing that and they realise its time to rethink and do something you weren't expecting.
This is definietly one of my most long-lasting hobbies ;-)
Enjoy your spare HP, don't rush to fill every last space, this is not like filling sticker books. Resist the urge to 'complete' your rack, its never complete so just relax.
This was super helpful. https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=230155
Patch & Tweak is also a great source.
I also went my own way (after a couple of months / years... doesn't everyone?), more or less... but did ask for and get some hard (good) advice... that I kind of listened to (Utilities, Star mults, VCAs, that damn big(ish) but really useful matrix mixer ;)).
Every use case and user is unique when it comes to creating things... modular makes it way more complicated with the vast options it offers to the creators (which is one reason why it's often recommended to start with a simi-modular)... but the foundation is the same...
"In order to get sound out of your modular and have a working instrument, you must have the following things purchased:
Case / Power Supply
Oscillator or Sound Source
Modulation Source
Sequencer
VCA"
Start here... maybe add an multi FX module... these 4-5 simple things (or complicated if you want) and then learn from there.
i disagree that you must have a vca as its own module to be honest. that modwiggler thread does not go into why you might want to get into modular in the first place or the aesthetics of module selection or how to design something that actually meets your real creative expressive potential needs.
have you read zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance @Dub007 ? that is the book i was trying to reference. if you have not, you might not grok what i have in mind, etc. ...
peace ✌️
i disagree that you must have a vca as its own module to be honest. that modwiggler thread does not go into why you might want to get into modular in the first place or the aesthetics of module selection or how to design something that actually meets your real creative expressive potential needs.
have you read zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance @Dub007 ? that is the book i was trying to reference. if you have not, you might not grok what i have in mind, etc. ...
peace ✌️
-- singular_sound
you're welcome to disagree.
the thread doesn't tackle personal preference or similar. that would be strange. yes, your right. it's general, functional and leaves these things to you... the creator (buyer).
and... im done... happy wiggling
read zen an the art of motorcycle maintenance.
it goes into why its important to figure out why you want to do things before you do them, which is more what i wanted my hypothetical guide for here to cover.
(claude didnt generate exactly what i wanted. my own version might be 5x longer and might include little anecdotes about what to avoid and things that really work.)
peace ✌️
have you read zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance @Dub007 ? that is the book i was trying to reference. if you have not, you might not grok what i have in mind, etc. ...
peace ✌️
-- singular_sound
You mean a piece of pop philosophy from an author who themselves claimed the book was not really an accurate take on either "zen" or "motorcycles", the two things it was ostensibly about? I'm not even inherently against such a project for music gear and modular synths in particular, but who would such a resource be for? Why would it be Modulargrid that provides it?
it would be for someone who started looking into eurorack modules for some reason then finds this website and becomes interested in maybe putting together their own case but is overwhelmed with the possibilities that the plethora of options that the design page here provides and it would be designed to catch them just before they give up or accidently purchase something that ends up not suiting them or even just post something on here that is un-feedback-able and to "guide" them toward making choices with good outcomes.
i know the author claims that that book was not actually on the topic of zen, but to be honest i always find reading over it again to be a zen experience, in a personal way, etc.
etc.
peace ✌️
You might need to read some books/posts, watch some tutorials, and also get more familiar with the materials themselves. This will help you understand the onboarding process better, and if you don't find this resource at the end of your research, then you'll have everything you need to create it. For now, I'm not sure you'd know which of these resources are the right one even if you found it, because you haven't done the thing for which you're trying to create and evaluate learning tools. Having a plan and overall goal is good, but you still have to start at the beginning and go through it all step by step.
nu uh, @zacksname my cult disagrees with you. ... ... i think people just need this site to provide them a gentle reminder about how to think about using this very site. etcetera.
i think people just need this site to provide them a gentle reminder about how to think about using this very site. etcetera.
-- singular_sound
I definitely agree that there are people who need (at the very least) a gentle reminder about how to approach using this site.
cool. im not an admin. im not a dev. im not a writer on modular synthesis. but i have this whole vision for a modulargrid 2.0 with friendly reminders and ai chat assistance,
because, i care about the future of modular synthesis, because, in my fantasy world i have an enormous eurorack 'toy' that i like to play with, and i want more toys, etcetera.
i dont hate this site. i just wish i was seeing more valuable community interactions, etc. because that would grow this hobby, and im thinking maybe a lil ml could seed this. etc.
peace ✌️
How old are you?
i dont see why thats important and is almost a little bit too personally identifiable, but: ...
"almost 40".
why do you even want to know?
peace ✌️
If you had said somewhere in your early 20s, I would be more optimistic about you outgrowing this disposition and learning to be more patient when taking on a new hobby.
i took up unresponsive yoyo, late, maybe, idk, like 5 years ago? and, im being plenty patient with it, not even giving it my full undivided attention, and still making good progress. i do not believe my disposition is as messed up as you think it is. etcetera.
peace ✌️
Do you actually practice with that?
yeah. i can do two combos i invented and am just now starting to work on advanced tricks.
i want to share a direct quote:
"ModularGrid uses so-called cookies to ensure it's so-called functionality. We also use dubious tracking scripts. Find out more in the Privacy Policy. We use cookies and wanna let you know.'
would you trust a website like that?
peace ✌️✌️✌️
I think if you apply the same attitude you applied to yoyos here and get engaged with the actual materials, you will do better.
i do. notice how my designs kept making more and more sense after every time i came back over every couple of months, but i have very specific constraints im trying to work inside of, and so, due to issues with things like module availability, yes, my designs could use some improvement.
i still think if this site was a little different then the community here can grow more.
also a whole yoyo is only ever like $200 tops.
peace ✌️
You spent $200 on a yoyo?
i spent $120 on a yoyo. (it was a gift actually.) a yoyo made of solid titanium can be $500. the $120 was a yoyofriends tachyon, but mostly i use another $80 yoyofriends, a $30 almost no brand amazon thing that plays above its price, and a few cheaper plastic ones so i dont forget how to play on the cheaper ones.
i could ask some person on here; "you spend $36,000 on eurorack modules?" etcetera. ... ...
yoyo is super rewarding. more people should get into it. etcetera. etcetera. ...
peace ✌️
If you are careful and follow advice from those with experience, you should be able to get a good modular system for less than $36,000.
im just saying. you can get a full 100% workable yoyo for $30. no comparison.
basically.
etc.
peace ✌️
You spent $30 on a yoyo?
yes. im all set up with "arrangements" on a daily, very limited budget, and i spent $30 of my own money on a yoyo from amazon. in fact, that $30 one is almost my fav right now.
why? what of it?
i "cant" save up on my daily spending for a $6,000 eurorack case, etc. so, why ask? etc.
peace ✌️
Do you want a $6000 eurorack case?
yes. i would like to have this one, even though the design is not perfect and the clocky is not actually really doing anything:
also, just to include this, too, here is the $30 yoyo:
peace ✌️
Which things would you get first?
id want it all at once. if i could only get less at a time, then i would get this all at once:
i just want that perfect improv toy and im not there yet is all, why do you keep asking?
peace ✌️
I thought you wanted people to engage with you. I'm the only one still willing to do so, and I've been as reasonable as anyone could be about all this. If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine, but if you don't like what I've said then there might not be a point for you in coming here to engage, especially if you continue to be combative about any advice that conflicts with your idealized version of modular synths.
@zacksname i just told you the modules i would get first. i cannot afford them. i just want to post ideas for rack configurations on here as creative stimulation. get a life.
peace ✌️