I think I dove into eurorack too quickly, I got excited and I bought all the necessary modules to make a system work, but I am unsure if I messed up along the way by impulsively buying some of the stuff without doing any research, in some cases, watching a demo on YouTube for 10 seconds was enough to convince me. Now I have so much gear, and surface level intuition with most of it so I feel like I’m left in the dark not knowing if my gear really makes sense together, or if I just need to uncover those locked doors on how each component is related. I’ve heard people say that not all modules will “work together” very well to create something that makes sense. I have found myself very frustrated with how I can rarely create something that I like. I knew it was not a healthy decision to impulsively buy modules with minimal research and experimentation before buying the next, but I couldn’t help myself, I wanted to create bigger and better sonic possibilities, but maybe the complexity of it all just overwhelmed me, and I made cluttered sounds that I didn’t like...It would be very helpful if someone with a lot of experience could take a look at my rack and give me some feedback on it, maybe let me know some imbalances are as far as functionality goes, and maybe even let me know what comes to your mind on what this rack is capable of making (ex: experimental, techno, ambient, etc.) and how I can integrate myself into it to let unleash its full potential, I love this thing more than anything and as much as I understand how it works, I really could use some help and feedback with this crisis of not knowing if I should regret my quick purchases or if my gear works together and is waiting for more sonic combinations to be revealed from it.
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_915684.jpg


I think it will work together. Don't panic. Start slow. Learn one module at the time. Be sure to read the manuals. Start with simple patches and when you explore few modules then just add another. By time you will see wich modules you don't like and you can sell them.
PS: You have not enogh VCA's!


Don't panic. Start slow. Learn one module at the time. Be sure to read the manuals. Start with simple patches and when you explore few modules then just add another. By time you will see which modules you don't like and you can sell them.
PS: You have not enough VCA's!
-- reflecture

I fully agree with reflecture here, excellent advice. Simple patches are the way to go when you are lost, simplify your signal path and take things slow, you don't need to be creating masterpieces on your first minutes with your rack. Just exploring a few modules at a time and see how they respond to being fed different types of signal can be very rewarding (and give you ideas you can use musically). This will also teach you what you like to do with a modular setup and how you like to patch, which varies a lot from one person to the next and while trying other people's ideas can be fun, trying your own is equally if not more important.
Take Plaits for example : when I first got it in my rack, I needed a week of simple patches with it just to have an idea of which algos I could prefer in which context. The module is so deep, I even feel I have rushed things by spending only a week with it in "isolation".

And in the end, it can be a question of how you patch and your personal taste/needs, but I would also consider more ways to control modulation, like VCA's and attenuators.

Have fun with your setup, it's a good one !

--- Voltage control all the things ---


I can’t thank you enough, I think if I can take it back to the basics and simplify things, it would remove the complexity that overwhelmes me, building off the simple patches have always lead to satisfying results, I tend to rush things a lot when I get motivated. Even Neil Peart started to take drum lessons after drumming for most of his life and being the best. I appreciate the help and feedback, it’s reassuring that it’s never too late to discover what I have and that I have not made anything more than productive use out of the whole process of this journey through the modular world


One thing you could try is to focus on using only 3 modules at a time together. Take a look at some of the videos in this series by Comparative Irrelevance I've learned so much from this series, it might help you too.

You might also want to grab a small 4ms pod or maybe throw together a small DIY skiff and pick 3-4 modules and spend time getting to know them and what they can do. Something small that you can sit and play on the couch or even throw it in a backpack and take it outdoors away from the studio can do wonders for inspiration.


Yes. It looks like you got a little bit of G.A.S. when picking out modules. No judgment. We all do it. But just looking over the rack briefly, this is what I'm picking up:

The rack seems weirdly organized. I'm trying to pick up on the logic of how things are organized. For me, I try to put like things together: oscillators, filters, effects, etc. I then try to organize the groups so things that are commonly patched together are in short reach of each other so I'm not patching cables from one end of the case to the other and then back again.

You bought some pretty specialized gear. But you're a bit light on some of the traditional "bread and butter" modules. Two true analog VCOs wouldn't be a bad thing in here. A pair of full ADSR envelope generators. A noise source and a sample and hold module. Those would be nice too. A four to six channel mixer would also be nice. Also, I didn't see any dedicated VCAs. It's hard to tell with a link to a picture of your rack rather than a link to the rack itself.

If you're not wanting to part with anything, I'd get a skiff and place your sequencing and control stuff in it. I'd then get some bread and butter modules and put them in the main rack as well.


I'll second that last bit from Ronin: split out your sequencing and control (and performance mixer...which you don't have YET) to open space for the stuff you missed. The present build has some good toys in it, but it's missing the "basics" that will allow them to really cut loose. Also, yeah, the module ordering/layout is really a mess; try grouping your functions together...generators, modifiers, modulators, controllers...and that will make for a more cohesive result, much easier to navigate.

BTW, this tale is a really good example of why I tell people to avoid the majority of synth videos on YouTube...at least, as a source of authoritative info. Remember: a lot of those are nothing more than commercials and the person waving the module at you and screeching about how AWESOME and INDISPENSABLE and [insert imperative adjective here] it is...well, they probably got the one they're waving around as an "accommodation", hence the added enthusiasm. But those things are designed to suck you in just as effectively as anything you'd see on TV for detergent or cars or deodorant or soda or or or...