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ok do all the other modules work perfectly in the same case at the same time? are you sure the power cable i in correctly - red stripe corresponds with marker on module pcb and bus board? if keyed headers - is the cable correct? red stripe is left when key is facing you (lines up with a tiny, almost invisible triangle) on both ends

what do you mean by "the front panel doesn't"???

I don't think the plonk will make any sound unless it is triggered!

what other modules do you have? the only rack you have made here is a single small row of 1u which is empty!

-- JimHowell1970
did not turn on the front panel! I have a beatsteppro, other modules too... that's not the problem...
the situation with the plonk that is my doubt. all the lights turn on, but the front panel doesn't, the button that would trigger the trigger doesn't either. when I send trigger, or cv, it also has no reaction.
ps. I'm going to build my case here at MG haha

looks f'ing awful to me - too much crammed into to small a space (even thought he space is ok)

less is more - maybe 2-3 voices would be better suited in a case this size

go back to the real mutable modules if you like them and thank Emilie for creating them rather than getting micro versions which are un-ergonomic

what do you mean by "the front panel doesn't"???

I don't think the plonk will make any sound unless it is triggered!

what other modules do you have? the only rack you have made here is a single small row of 1u which is empty!

Lugia and Jim offer great advice and really guided me when I started down the modular Eurorack journey last year.
I can say that the support and utility modules really help especially as you develop skills and build larger more complex patches.
I am using a lot of these now like matrix mixer, logic, attenuators (especially for drums!), VCAs/envelopes and more. My new Palette build has more of these since I will need to fill in the gaps missing in prebuilt modular portable systems like Endorphin.es Shuttle System and so forth. These portable systems do have support modules like the clever tools in ALM Super Coupe but I run out of them fast especially modulation sources. Besides VCV Rack, I recommend the book Patch & Tweak and Chris Meyer's Learning Modular Channel. Divkid is good as well but he tends to rush through explanations as he wants you to pay a fee to join his Patreon channel to get his patchbook guides.

EDITED Nov 22nd 2021, 17:03

Indeed the XODES is an exciting development that will greatly enhance eurorack setups. I should get my new gear this week and designed the new Palette case to be stand alone as well as support other modular. I did add a triple Sloths module for future consideration to create slowly evolving random generation as well as the new Acid Rain Chainsaw polyphonic supersaw voice module to play with the drums for creating house and trance beats and a Doepfer Wasp filter. That way it can supplement the Furthrrr Generator in the Shuttle System or be a self contained beat making box much like what I have in my ALM Busy Circuits Super Coupe system that is a great system as well.

So I revised over my previous build (Beep Boop Complete)
I decided that I really like mutable instruments because I wanted more functionality. However, the space available with MI modules is very limited. Luckily CalSynth exists. over all, I think this is a pretty good build. Plenty of experimentation as well as basic synth building. Little digital here, some analog there, a nice balance of control as well. It will be epic.

EDITED Nov 22nd 2021, 16:10

hello friends, i bought an intellijel plonk, and when i turned it on for the first time, all the lights went on, and the front panel doesn't... and also doesn't make any sound. Does anyone know what this is and how to solve it?

Thanks Garfield and CMB for the very kind comments. Much appreciated.

@Garfield - Yes, this was most definitely not "generative" (which implies a mostly set-it-and-forget-it type of thing). It was a very hands-on "performance" of the patch. I was constantly making changes and I'm actually amazed I managed not to hit one wrong note on the Keystep. ;-)

That specific part you called out at 16:14 was one of the sections with just the M32 and the Starlab, and the resonance was being modulated by Sloths which just happened to peak along with the Cutoff, which was being modulated by Maths which was patched to itself to be pretty unpredictable. A nice happy accident.

I am loving the Iridium. It's great out of the box, but it's also very easy to do sound designing - especially for dynamic ambient sounds. The Mod Matrix is the best I have seen. Once you spend a few hours with the UI you'll love it.

Cheers!

Big thanks to everyone for the comprehensive replies! Much appreciated.

plaits with steppy?
tiny case:
-- JimHowell1970

Thanks for the heads up on steppy. Will have to do more research on the sequencer. Maybe a Scales would do the trick?
Re tiny case: I get what you're saying but desktop space is a concern for me. I think I'd rather be swapping out modules than having most of my desk taken over by a half-empty behemoth of a case. I'm sure there's a solution somewhere between the two - will have to keep looking.

@kossu did you buy any chance get inspired by one (or more) minimalist setup videos from Rick Tinez ?
-- toodee

Mostly by a guy named Ihor, although I'm familiar with your reference. And the answer is yes, I have been inspired by the minimalist setup videos :)

Consider a Behringer 2600, also.
Another learning tool: VCV Rack.
-- Lugia

Excellent suggestions, especially the VCV Rack is exactly what I need. Thanks.

More general takeaways from here: do more research, look into a slightly bigger case (but not much, for aforementioned reasons) and try to better match the comparative sizes of the modules. Less fx, more utilities (that one I kind of figured out already :)

Thank you! :)

Great discussion. I love modular drums but they are very expensive! I have ten drum modules and they are cool but I’m way more productive using a dedicated drum machine or sampler if I’m in a hurry to whip out techno or play live. Case in point: a fellow synth buddy kindly loaned me his Elektron Rytm MK2 drum synthesizer. I was able to build a compelling techno set in minutes. Plus can save and use presets. Now to do the same in modular requires way more effort, time, and cost. I usually just patch a kick, clap and hi hat into my Euclidean Circles sequencer and get a fun tribal drum beat going. But using Metron or Eloquencer to sequence is more involved and tricky.

The Rytm costs under 2k new, comes with what you need and is portable. Same modular easy 5-10k. I’m experimenting with a small techno setup soon once Queen of Pentacles arrives with Ground Control.

USB tends to have better transmission rates when sending MIDI over that, as opposed to the much narrower bandwidth of MIDI. One or two synths, doesn't matter. But in THIS environment, anything that can do MIDI over USB is getting connected to the USB. It reduces the piles of cables needed, plus it's a little easier to get things sent/received from USB piped to the right destination, and no meaningful latency "gagging" from overtaxing the MIDI signal.

@Lugia - for your BSPs, do you have them all set up with USB into DAW? or do you use CV Tools clock? I am using USB currently and then have the MIDI from BSP to my Hydrasynth (which in turn clocks out to my Rackbrute 6U modules. I have used the MIDI thru to also run out to my iPad (via Korg plugKEY)...finding a bit of latency when I route through Hydrasynth as it tries to 'figure out' the bpm from BSP...I've seen a video where someone recommends counting in 1 bar first so it can 'catch up' but I'm wondering if there are any better solutions to getting accurate clock through everything. I also picked up a Roland TR-8S (USB into Ableton) and have to set about 20ms clock sync delay even though going through USB. Is it better to use straight MIDI in/out? Unfortunately the MOTU 828 doesn't do MIDI...I suppose I could use my old Focusrite 2i4 as a MIDI interface only.

Took me some time but I have everything set up so I can have BSP start/stop everything (Ext set in Ableton)...seems to work decent overall, just wondering if I should consider something else for keeping everything in sync.

“two BSP’s” = 2 Arturia Beatstep Pros yes?
-- nickgreenberg

Yep. The setup I have actually makes the ergonomics work, too. I'll show you how...

There are two 8U slanted carpeted racks at the rear of this part of the "modular sandbox". One contains the B.2600. The other contains the MOTU 828 mkii, Korg SDD 3300, Zoom 9120, a quad Symetrix gate, and two 1/4" patchbays. Then on top of those is the 22sp Digisound 80, with my two MS-20 Minis on stands for a forward tilt at the very top.

First up, the KSP. It fits perfectly on this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HFDJCSL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1 and that way, it's not ON the desk, it's UNDER it and I can pull that out when it's needed. Easy access to the jackfield on the back, too!

Next, the BSP stand. Since these angled racks have some "dead space" at the bottom, there's a space where there's just the shell of the case. So in front of that, I placed the BSPs on one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079CBMCJS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Looks simple, isn't expensive, and it accommodates two BSPs perfectly.

The MS-20 mini stands are these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SS9996G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Basic, generic laptop stand that tilts the synths forward to make access easier, as this thing's a bit tall.

And as for the racks, I endorse the HELL out of these: https://prospeakerparts.com/collections/rack-cases-carpet-covered-2f Direct to the customer sales, great shipping and turnaround, and these are built like the proverbial brick shithouse. They ain't no joke! Plus, when you compare the prices with similar Middle Atlantic or Raxxess/Chief models, you make out like a bandit with these guys.

EDITED Nov 22nd 2021, 02:30

Yuppers. And I should also note that these machines (in my case, a 909 and two 606es) were crazy-useful LIVE, no DAW...in the mid-1990s. The ability to send triggers to various other devices and even mess with the timing/rhythm of those in real time was very freeing. And then, of course, the bass channel of the 909 also provided a good source for the building-damaging CZ-101. I actually used that same configuration for a number of live sets in the 90s.

first patch with Arbhar, very simple but effective :)

Yep! Those XODES tile carriers are a great idea done really well. You can even get them with BOTH tile formats in one carrier! And since tiles are now appearing with deeper functionality, these should hopefully see some action.

oh yes, looks like a lot of fun! very nice patch and performance swell:)

Thanks Lugia, good to know. I hope the replacement does what it's supposed to.
-- Mazz

It probably should. This brings up the point that if something electronic is going to fail, those failures tend to happen at or within a few days of initial power-up. I recall getting a HUGE (21" monochrome) CRT monitor for my first serious machine (Mac IIcx), plugging it in to check it with the computer, then I went downstairs in the grad housing to check on laundry.

When I got back, there was this humming noise. Smelled like ozone in there, too. And the monitor was off...? No, it was NOT off, and when I looked through the grille on the case, I could see various sparks popping around. Immediately unplugged its power, then disconnected it from the Mac. But that happened within the first hour of power-up, necessitated an immediate replacement.

dope patch! really love the detuning...will check your channel right now:)

Hi Garfield,
thanks a lot! cassette recorders are really great to fill a patch with some nice textures sometimes:)

Always love a good experimental use of the Amen break! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Garfield,

Squid Salmple is fun and really awesome groove box with filters and lots of sound shaping features. I am still trying to figure out how to sample external audio to it. May need to open support ticket with ALM to get that resolved just like sampling external audio was a pain on the Morphagene until I got it right.

Thanks for the comments guys. Glad to know there are good options that won't involve buying loads more modules!

If there was a Keystep Pro 49 or 61 key that would be a great fit for my setup... the longer Keylabs look like a departure from the CV oriented Keysteps. No tight fit solution yet : (

EDITED Nov 22nd 2021, 00:25

Thanks for the kind words Garfield :)

Nyx (one of our cats) loves a bit of Modular!

Hi 0xc43d35 or 192-61-53,

From which planet are you? ;-)

He, he, this is a great experimental jam. I love those almost kind of bird sounds further at 2:00+, nicely done :-)

Great to see you at work in this video and thanks a lot for sharing this with us. Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Shanewave,

That has been awhile ago that we have heard from you a demo/jam :-) Great work you are showing us here in this video.

I hope to hearing from you soon again and thanks a lot for sharing this with us. Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Sacguy71,

He, he, a nice industrial and experimental jam from your modular "kitchen" :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing this demo jam with us and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Oh, at about 1:17 onwards this jam gives me goose bumps, nice high tension and great sounds!

Ha, ha, your cat is back too, inspecting your patch! :-)

Overall a nice relaxing ambient kind of jam, perfect for ending this great weekend, thanks to you! Kind regards, Garfield.

sliced amens on morphagene organized with mucorder (cvlization) enriched with some randomness from pamela.. morphagenes' env follower patched to maths for an eoc trigger to another env, which changes mother pattern on zularic repetitor.. zularic childs are patched to plaits (snare), manis (kick), 100 grit (beep).. branches mixes a static clock to play morphagene and opening 100 grit / plaits with another env.. bass line comes from melodicer + befaco even + fold 6.. beads spicing things up with some grains

@nickgreenberg = Keystep :)
@farkas = Laptopstand :)

Fx aid is in lofi junky mode, with its cv input fed with random from marbles

Had fun last nite getting experimental with my new ALM Busy Circuits Super Coupe system

This is really such a well thought out little modular system with all the bits and pieces one would need like clock, sequencer, envelopes, attenuators, mults and so forth in a portable format.

Thanks Garfield and Lugia,

Yeah the 4ms VCAMatrix is super fun and useful. The smaller knobs are a little tricky to manage if you do a lot of patch modulation in the main matrix but the cool mute buttons work well. Great module and having 16 VCAs that can be patched and modulated is a real powerhouse. I like this and the new Livestock Electronics Maze in my other case quite a bit to do fade in/out, transitions, mute duty and other useful tasks in a larger modular system.

Thank you for all your input, guys! I decided to go for a Marbles clone.

Regarding the 0-coast and 0-ctrl, they are actually outside the case, like the SQ-1. I just added an extra row to include them, as they’re all integral to my workflow.

Regarding the many power sources, the rack is actually made up of five separate racks. One Rackbrute 6u, one Rackbrute 3u, one three tier Moog rack with the DFAM in its own case in the bottom tier. But the general layout is as you see it here on Modulargrid. The 3-tier Moog rack is the right side of the rack above (DFAM and above). Sorry for not making this clear.

I would love some creative feedback on workflow/ergonomics, Lugia. I’d be happy if you were to give it a go at restructuring it.

Noise from the Mutable Instruments Kinks is fed into the Veils VCA and set fairly low, this goes through the ADDAC103 T-Networks which is used as a filter, this can produce a sort of random static or crackle, this then goes into a Ladik E-510 Envelope Follower which picks out Gates, Triggers and a Decay envelope which are all used to control other things. The Only regularly clocked things from Pamela's New Workout are the Repeats are clocked on the Make Noise Mimeophon and then i bring in a bit of clocked rhythm later on.

EDITED Nov 21st 2021, 16:05

The Arturia controllers are tailor-made for this environment, very powerful, and relatively cheap. When I was getting started, I considered a Keystep/Beatstep Pro setup much like Lugia's, but I have very little desk space and needed some other outboard gear in that space. Otherwise, I probably would have been perfectly happy with a similar setup.

Short answer: I totally agree with @Lugia. Many other connoisseurs (including modular dealers...) have the same view.

Longer answer: my own and personal strategy, from the beginning, was little or no modules dedicated to drums. First, I was already well equipped (old TR-707, DrumBrute Impact, ADX-1, Volca Drum, Volca Sample, and now a brand new RD-6 :)
And by selecting for my modular Nebulae which incorporates a one-shot polyphonic sample player (within its alternate instruments), Disting mk4, Rings (great percs module too), and last but not least BIA, I was ready to achieve a whole bunch of drum sounds. Plus, more recently, I even added Plaits, LIP, and One. I think I'm a spoiled modularist, right?

However, I must admit that I am tempted today to conclude with two small 2hp modules: Kick and Hat only. Just for some modular techno sessions.

There is no conclusion here that is suitable for everyone.
I just wanted a modular instrument that was quite sound design (and random or stochastic) oriented.
It's all a matter of artistic direction and budget.

But I remain firmly convinced that a 808 or a 909, a Mini Pops or an Oberheim DMX, belong to a different animal species. They are like birds; you have to leave them alone, and not put them in sort of cages/cases :))

The Eurorack 1U landscape is developing at the moment. Convenient for travel. I'm starting to think about a standalone setup only based on this format.

Endorphin.es is coming. Mosaic, and Intellijel of course, have a great offer. Etc. And Xodes (XO) has created a series of format changers. They allow using 1U modules in a 3U case by creating 1U rows. Perfect for combining with some Picos or 2hps, for example.

Thanks Lugia, good to know. I hope the replacement does what it's supposed to.

I will confess I’ve never yet looked critically at external hardware controllers to connect with modular. I got into modular years after most of my other studio investments.

My main studio/modular rig has NI Komplet Kontrol S88mkII keyboard to my DAW, with a Roli Seaboard49 less used (but I’m wanting to use it more esp MPE). I figured any MIDI/CV from this setup would be via the computer (not the controller outs), SO I haven’t looked seriously at best external controlers interfacing directly with modular (eg bypassing the computer).

My travel modular I use alone or alongside other small things like a Roland Jupiter XM. The JXM I could do as Farkas suggests, ARP out…

Sounds like the Arturia lineup is worth consideration, if I don’t already have something close enough to that.

And the general theme above I’m taking as “handle as much of the note instructions as possible outside of modular” eg it’s more efficiently done in something like an Arturia controller or DAW…

Thanks for the ideas guys!!

EDITED Nov 21st 2021, 08:34

“two BSP’s” = 2 Arturia Beatstep Pros yes?

Yeah, this is kind of a case of making it more difficult than it needs to be.

It’s an Intellijel 1u format

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/stem-modular-quad-comparator

Where have you been all my life!?

Wondering what's up with that? OK, here's why...

Comparators are devices that output a gate for as long as an incoming signal is above a given threshold. But WINDOW comparators have TWO thresholds...one lower, one higher, and you can set gate/trigs to fire above, IN the "window" formed by the high and low thresholds, and below that. And even better, this contains summing for both input and output, so if you want to fire several gates off of one signal, it's easy with this thing. For those who use a lot of LFO/envelope signals plus a Boolean module, this thing has your name written all over it! Let the crazy logic timing commence!!!

I'm still of the opinion that drums don't belong in these sizes of builds. For one thing, emulating the voicing of a classic machine such as a TR-909 costs an arm and a leg. But if you don't have a full percussion module complement, then the drums just sound sort of random.

OTOH, present-day standalone drum machines are sufficiently sophisticated that they can replicate much of the functionality you'd find in a modular built that costs a few THOUSAND more. And you can get these with extra trigger/gate outs for firing off other events...which IS where you might want some accent percussion in a module or two. Plus, some have individual outs...with which you can separate and process each percussive separately.

Hi Sacguy71,

Thanks a lot for another great video demo, this time the 4ms - VCA Matrix module. I heard of it but your demo emphasis it in a way that it makes me feel interested in it! :-)

How are the knobs, aren't they not too small or is it doable?

Thanks a lot for sharing this and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Anubiz,

That's a nice track, sounds a bit like Genesis/Phil Collins to me, or is it? :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield.

I use and swear by this: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KeystepPro--arturia-keystep-pro-37-key-controller-and-sequencer Involves NO modules, which opens up more potential space. I also have two BSPs that can be locked up to that, and then I can also lock those to the DAW either with CV Tools or sending a MIDI clock. So, nah...you don't need those modules for this purpose.