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Shakespeare, thank you for the recommendations. I’ll cut the Steppy and go watch some videos about PNW. Do you think the Erica MIDI to Trigger would be a good inclusion?

farkas, I was not at all paying attention to depth so I’ll go back and re-examine. I can live without the Disting if space becomes an issue.

Disting does fit, but it is very tight. Others seem to have used 2hp modules as well. But I'd shy away from having too many modules of that depth... it gets tricky to arrange power cables, when you only have a millimeter or two of space between the board and the back of the case.

I echo everything Shakespeare said, and would add to be mindful of the depth of a palette case. With connectors and cables, you are going to be cutting it really close with the Disting and 2hp modules.

A couple thoughts that I hope are helpful, from another Palette user..

1. 3 filters in a system of this size is probably too much. Pick one, or one plus the 2hp module. Remember that Plaits has a built-in LPG, too.

2. You have two dedicated ADSRs and two dedicated LFOs here, which is ok... but you might also find yourself happier with one solid multi-function module like Intellijel's Quadrax or XAOC's Zadar or Mutable's Stages. Especially given that 6hp for a non-VC ADSR is not the greatest use of space (the Pittsburgh module). Any of these options could potentially save you a couple hp, too.

3. Steppy seems like a mistake, given that you have a DrumBrute and KeyStep at your disposal. It is only a gate sequencer, not a CV sequencer, so it won't do you much good with this setup, really. I'd suggest replacing the Steppy with some other utilities: an attenuator/mixer (Intellijel's Duatt or Quadratt), and nonlinearcircuit's 1u Sloth module (great modulation source, and probably best bang for the buck in 1u modules). With the space you have leftover, you could still add a couple of other smaller 1u modules.

4. If you can make room, Pamela's New Workout is just a great workhorse for any small setup. 8 clocks, or LFOs, or envelopes, or Euclidean sequencers, or etc. etc. All with built-in attenuators, offsets, and more. If this were my setup, I'd cut both of your current LFO choices and replace them with PNW, unless you really need the VC.

Others will tell you (correctly) that this case is too small for a starter system... but you can always buy a bigger case later, and use the Palette for when you want to travel, so you can't lose. Enjoy!

Great modules to add to your setup? There are sooo many to choose from.

I have 80 great modules and could give you many hints on great ones to check out but it would be good to know what you feel that you are missing.

The Joranalogue Mult is really good. Less voltage drop than other modules I've tried, at a fair price and tiny size (2hp).

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/joranalogue-audio-design-link-2

FWIW, I have a Bubblesound Dual SeM20 on the way. I purchased it to use with my e370. I'll post more about it after I've had a chance to play with it for a bit.

Peace, Marc

Hello. FWIW, I own both the Division6 Multiplicity XV and the WMD Buff Mult. I like them both very much. I am very interested in the Livestock Electronics Felix as well, but it is very hard to find right now.

Peace, Marc

You're gonna need a bigger boat.

The configuration you have would be great to modulate your other equipment, but not so good as a standalone instrument (IMO).

If you want something all-around that you can use stand-alone or with your other equipment, check out the Andrew Huang starter system. It's a great balance of modulation, sound generation and effects to explore.

https://www.perfectcircuit.com/andrew-huang-system.html

You could use Andrew's as a starting point and maybe swap out Plaits for your BIA. That'd give you an extra 2hp, I'd swap out MCO for Klavis Twin Waves to build a basic subtractive synth voice (check the depth will fit).

Marbles is awesome, but large for such a small case. Maybe look at a smaller Marbles clone, or Qu-Bit Nano-Rand.

I might go here with it:
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1260559.jpg

Just my 2c. Modular is a very personal exploration. Enjoy your leap!

EDITED Jul 7th 2020, 01:45

Gargantuan thanks to both of you for taking the time to listen and to comment. I'm very grateful. :)

Hi all, I’m looking to expand my songwriting and sound design toolkit for inspiration and fun... After many years writing for a guitar-oriented band, I’ve really loved branching out with my Moog Sub37 and DFAM - especially during confinement. The DFAM is exactly the kind of quirky idea generator I had in my head for low-fi, fuzzy, spacey patterns. I’m building on that but would love some help getting started. Here is my guitar music, though I’m branching out from here: https://karmarocket.bandcamp.com/

I have an 0 Coast and Intellijel 4U Palette on the way, and plan to fill it as a starter (yes I know, tons of research, experimentation, manual diving, learning ahead of me and I can't wait....) to make sound hands-on and combine the DFAM, 0 Coast, Sub37, guitar pedals to see what happens. I’ll expand from there one day when I know where I’m going.

Thoughts, especially to have the minimum ingredients to start cooking here? I have a Focusrite 2i2 and Ableton, but I like the idea of being able to create without turning the computer on, potentially take with me traveling. What else is needed, and is there any functionality in the modules I show here that may be redundant? I want to start small, but know I need some basic components to get going.

Thanks for looking - I know there are many similar newbie posts. Great to see all the interest.

Hello Folks.. I am new here and don't spend that much time on the internet but would love some feedback on what would be a gret new addition. I would love to meet any modular users in Portugal as well. Hope everyone has been well and making music.
Peace
Scott aka Dr Space from Øresund Space Collective, Black Moon Circle, Doctors of Space, Aural Hallucinations, etc....

Think I get what you mean, thanks

Sounds awesome. Something about this track gives me a feeling of nostalgia for the 90s. I'm not sure what it is, but it's a great feeling. :)
Thanks for sharing.

I completed my mantis case. Nothing exotic. It's basically an expanded cartesian system. Outside I have a 0coast and a keystep.
Thank you for your help

I've never heard Playboi Carti, but I'm digging this. I always enjoy the pad sounds you choose.
Thanks for sharing.

Cheers dude :)

Hi Sislte,

Yeah, nice beat! As always I love your creativity you put in your tracks, it becomes your kind of trademark :-)

No boos from me, only a big Bravo! Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Mowse,

No way! 2 hours live-jam? That's fantastic! How did you managed to do that? You must be in a very good "condition" ;-) Any link to that 2-hour session? Would be interesting to listen at during a dull meeting or something like that, to brighten up the day by your live session!

Nice intro by the way :-) Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Mowse,

Oh yes, nicely done. For me it's okay if it's every day the 4th of July :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Wow that sounds pretty advanced! Very nice rhythm as well as nice and interesting sounds!

Regarding the drop-out parts, I feel that's totally okay, gives it some nice variation to the track, so I don't mind those drop-out parts, I actually feel it completes your track.

Thanks a lot for sharing and kind regards, Garfield.

Like most people, I prefer to read a user guide or manual on modules before diving down the rabbit hole; but, with the case of the Soundmachines RC1 Radiostar, I cannot find sny documentation; nor, does the IOS app in the Apple App Store have any documentation/help.

I anyone aware of where a user manual is? It isn’t even on the company’s website.

Someone told me, I have no clue.

Any opinions, cheers or boos are welcome!

Opening patch from yesterday's two-hour live session. DivKid øchd is the pilot.

Nice work :) And Happy Yesterday :)

Probably shouldn't have done the drop-out parts, needs a Transposition module.
I had fun playing with it.

Choices for which module-direction to head next, probably some Stereo Panning of parts.
I'd quite like some Full/Half-wave Rectification thats outside of the Disting, I still dislike the Disting menu diving but its a module that lets me know which way I need to go next after trying a mode out.
Pamela's New Workout + the extra gate outputs expander would be nice, I realise i need to start including some Resets across the modules in my rack to keep things tight.

Excellent! many thanks - not come across that before, thought they always 'snap' to the bottom. Great it's sorted cheers R

Your modules are on the far right side, scroll the page to the right.

www.lomondcampbell.com

Hey thanks Garfield Modular. I should have posted a link to my website too as you can see all the drawings there, plus it has the code if anyone wants to have a go at building one. I'll put a video up on YouTube of how I built it. Many thanks for your kind support.

I decided on the Winter Modular Eloquencer. It looks like the best sequencer option for the way I like to work.
I'm sure I will share something soon. I hope you decide to share more of your music as well!

This is my idea for a palette case build. I wanted to keep it relatively simple since it’s my first system. I can sync it to my DrumBrute or trigger it with my KeyStep (which can be powered by the nifty little 1U module up top). I think there are many wonderful sounds in the Plaits and I like that the filters can absolutely mangle the sound. This will be my first build and I’m open to any suggestions or criticism. Thanks for looking

EDITED Jul 6th 2020, 10:02

Hey Wavne,

Wow! This is beyond enjoy, this is amazing and fantastic at the same time :-) And I am only talking about the harmonograph...

But then you connected it, with sensors, somehow the harmonograph with your modular system as well, that makes it even more amazing. From all the modular synth "usages" here on this forum, I think yours is the most amazing and beautiful way of combining two different devices so harmonious!

I would love to see more videos that combine this amazing drawing together with the music it creates with your modular synth! Beautiful!

Thank you very much for sharing this and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Farkas,

What sequencer did you give yourself? I hope you will make a demo track with that? Can't wait for that, I am sure you make something nice out of it :-)

As from Monday: Have fun with your new sequencer and till then have a great weekend, Garfield.

Hi Itsso,

Regarding your question: So, get those moogs out of the way. Does that mean that it is indeed a good idea to add a whole new chain to start building a proper eurorack setup in stead of just adding some FX?

That depends on what you want, either way is okay. You can either run a rack with your Moogs together or you make your rack an independent device; that still can run with the Moogs by the way. It's what you prefer :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hello,

I have been trying to design the perfect rack now for about two years. It has gone through many renditions, both in reality and in what I want to get out of it. I have a minibrute 2, along with the rack brute 6u, a digitakt, and a handful of the modules in this rack. I had a rene at one point, but never really clicked with it, and decided that sequencing within my rack took up too much space and wasn't really worth it. I am really comfortable with the Electron UI and sequencing, but I don't have a Midi to CV. I was wondering if anyone could speak on the FH-2? I've found a few videos about it, but none that pair it with the Digitakt.

At this point what I want out of my rack, is a complex monosynth with interesting modulation capabilities. I want the ability to sonically explore and have a device capable of working in any electronic music context. Drums I can handle with my digitakt, and I have a minilogue XD for polyphony/ pad sounds, so neither of those things are a concern. All I want is a robust mono synth that can inspire me and surprise me.

Sorry for this being rambling and all over the place. Would love any opinions. Please let me know if there are any gaping holes in this, or if you think I should switch out any modules. Looking to seriously invest in the next couple of weeks. Really appreciate any advice. Thanks!

EDITED Jul 4th 2020, 22:31

It looks like you have a lot sound generating capabilities already so let's think about playing live. You have a lot of synth here, but not too many ways of changing things around on the fly. You don't really want to be repatching things in the middle of a performance. So I would add a lot of switches, switched multiples, mutes, OR-combiners, and CV mixers.

I'm assuming you are mixing on a desk, but an audio mixer in your rack would give some extra flexibility.

Is your computer part of your live rig? If not, you may want more sequencing. I don't know the Rene or the Stillson Hammer, but I do know the BIA, and it can easily eat 10 channels of sequencer by itself. Even if you are using your computer you still probably want more sequencing, especially for triggers. I like the look of the Intellijel Steppy, but an external sequencer like the BeatStep Pro might be better for you.

What about hands on control? Are you playing this with a keyboard? You might find something that gives you a bit more expressive control to be nice, like a Tetrapad or a Pressure Points. Even a big old slider can good!

Hey folks,
I connected an 18th century harmonograph to a 21st century synth. Lissajous drawings, each with their own modular soundtrack.

You can hear the whole album here:
https://lomondcampbell.bandcamp.com/album/near-unison

Hope you enjoy!

Thanks for your time, Garfield. I really appreciate your willingness to check out my strange art projects.
I love all of that early post-punk and goth (Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, the Cure, Bauhaus), and I love more obvious synth music like Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, techno, Aphex Twin, etc. I just like to see what genres my rack and I are capable of with some limitations. My new sequencer should arrive Monday, so I will probably start working on some more complex music soon.
As far as the videos go, I have a whole theme or philosophy behind the muddy distorted aesthetics. Maybe when I am done with this project I will clean my tape heads and put together something more clean and modern. :)
Thanks again, and have a great weekend!

Rack was duplicated and re-ordered but data sheet claimed 3 more items than there were?
So emptied rack to see 'hidden' items but none there. Rack now empty but data sheet claims 3 items in it - rack is called B50 Rack Funny??

Thanks for the feedback, although next time you think a module is too evil, big, and scary, it would be much more helpful for you to write "I would replace module X with module Y for this reason..."

I think I laid out pretty clear criteria, and this rack wasn't built in one go, but rather put together to meet specific needs for film score requests over the last 4 years or so. The only "vanity" module at the moment is the Ensemble Oscillator, but it has a digital grittiness to it that can't be replicated as easily elsewhere.

Thanks for the tips! I guess I should have left the film part out as its a bit confusing. I'm not composing for film, I'm a sound editor and re-recording mixer. The music part is just a hobby, the work part less important. For some projects I already use some synths to shape noise or add electronic FX.

So, get those moogs out of the way. Does that mean that it is indeed a good idea to add a whole new chain to start building a proper eurorack setup in stead of just adding some FX?

Appreciate the help!

First up, get those Moogs out of there. This might seem convenient, but in reality it's a big money-waster and space waster.

Second, having done that, remove two of those cabs. Condense the remaining PROPER modules down into the remaining cases. You might also consider removing those mults, since the build would now be small enough that you won't need them, and anything of that sort can be done with inline mults. Plus, you don't have enough destinations for your pitch CV to justify buffered multiples anyway...only use these if/when you're branching off a single CV to more than three (as a rule) destinations to avoid voltage sag.

Third...and this is KEY if you intend to use this for film scoring...you need this: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/expert-sleepers-fh-2-factotum And the reason for this is because you need to-frame sync for scoring, which means that your DAW will need to be SMPTE-capable, and it'll need to translate/lock the MIDI clock to/from that SMPTE clock so that your synchronization between film and sound is spot-on. The FH-2 is Expert Sleepers' clock-oriented MIDI-via-USB module, and you'll find it essential for locking up the Rene and the RCD to your visuals.

Hi Farkas,

How can a weekend better start than with a video track of yours? :-) The amazing thing I always feel with your tracks is that you completely make that with your modular system, that's pretty impressive!

At certain moments and parts of your music, it reminds me a bit of Cocteau Twins and earlier music of Dead Can Dance :-) So I guess your late 70s/early 80s fits quite well, I like those references to those "good old times" ;-)

Personally I wouldn't mind if you would clean your video/recording heads to get slightly bit clearer video effects ;-)
I am just teasing you! It's obvious you do this on purpose, nice that you used Cure material for that, not that much is left of it but it's nice to know :-)

But that's the fun-factor of your videos, it makes the listener and viewer curious to what you come up with next, so keep it coming and thanks a lot for having such a good start of the weekend! Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Itsso,

I had a look at your rack, the size of the casing is okay but I would remove all those Moog modules and leave them in their own casing, that saves a lot of space and money on the long run. Considering that you want to create music for your films, why don't you take a workstation instead of a modular synth? A workstation is so much easier, has so much more sounds ready to start with? You might want to reconsider if you really want to go into Eurorack for the purpose you mentioned.

If you insist on staying with your Eurorack then of course I wouldn't stop you :-) But look then into less fancy modules and more classical components like VCOs, EGs, filters, LFOs and VCAs to start with. One or two effect modules perhaps, a mixer and an Audio Input/Output interface/module.

But please consider a workstation, I think for film music that might be an easier start. Good luck with the decision and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi BrainBasement,

Leave the free space as it is, don't fill up everything in one go, you need the free space for adjustments in your rack as well as your opinion on certain modules might change and that costs HP space :-)

If I were you I would ditch a few of those nice looking, fancy modules and concentrate a bit more on building up some experience and then slowly add more modules to the rack. So keep 1 or 2 rows free for the moment and start a bit smaller (it's good though to have a larger rack, so you don't need to buy a smaller rack the size of the rack is fine).

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Sumo,

You got quite some "bling" in your rack ;-) Or fancy modules, which is of course on one hand very nice, tough for a small rack like this perhaps a bit too fast to start with, reconsider the (larger) modules like: Rene, Falistri, Arbhar and Mimeophon. Also consider either a larger rack or plan less and keep some space free.

Since you have already planned a quad VCA, perhaps you can ditch the µVCA first and consider it for a later stage.

Beside (or instead of) the Stages you might want to consider additional EGs and LFOs as well. One more filter wouldn't harm either. If I am not mistaken, I only see one oscillator (Plaits)? Consider at least one more oscillator, an analogue one perhaps (VCO)? The combination of Plaits (DCO) and a VCO might be nice.

Consider to start with a few modules only, keeping some space free, build up experience and then add a few more modules, you will see that your opinion on the original planned casing might change here and there a bit. In general I would focus a bit more on classical components (like VCOs, filters, EGs, LFOs, VCAs, etcetera and a bit less those "real nice" (i.e. fancy) modules, that's more once you build up some experience with your rack.

Well, good luck with the planning, keep reading & checking on everything to obtain more information and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi OldTimer,

I am not sure if you have any external equipment? I guess the effects you will do with your guitar pedals?

Your original plan to use the Plaits & STO is I think a better idea than Plaits & Kinks. If I were you I would look into at least one more filter, I am missing LFOs I think, a Eurorack mixer before putting the signal to the outside world and do you have an external sequencer? If not you might want to consider that too.

The Maths is of course a good module but for small racks it's rather large, so you might want to replace it by a smaller more efficient module.

Even if you want to keep this as a small rack, go for at least 3 rows instead of just one here, keep at least one row empty for future use.

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield Modular.