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Which two, though? Your build has FIVE Mutable modules in it...

Hi Kel_,

Wow! Not just one track, no-hoo! Straight away you surprise us with one complete album and a total of 13 tracks! Well done! The first track hit me directly and overwhelmed me with the professional level of music I am listening at.

While I am writing this message to you, I continue listen at your album. It sounds indeed like you put lots of work into this and I think it's pretty fruitful. He, he, I just hear now a lot of stereo effects in your "Kall To Answer". A nice of mixture of track-lengths you are using too. I discover a lot of creativity in your work that I admire; I am light-years away from what you are able to do here!

Sorry, I have no time left to write more messages, I have a more important matter at hand right now... continue listening at your album that is ;-)

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

Hey everyone,

First post and my very first LP release - finally!! It has only taken me 30+ years!!

I never do self promotion like this, but I am told I have to change my ways if I ever want to have any hope of selling, so here I am :)

https://kel-audio.bandcamp.com

Hope you enjoy it - I am pretty proud of it :))

Any purchases very, very welcome in these challenging times!

Feel free to ask me any questions about how I made it, kit used etc. I will do my best to answer :)

Be safe & stay healthy!

Lots of love
Kel

experiment with a lot of different things but mostly more ambient style, crazy chords, and endless randomnesss to experiment with. I already have a mother-32 and DFAM

also will the main picture in the first post update if i make changes?

And also would a marbles be better than the chance in ur opinion?

EDITED Apr 15th 2020, 15:28

Thanks for your take lovscho,

For this small rack I think I can use external splitters instad of mults, that saves some space. I agree on the LFOs and ADSR thing though. I'll see if I can manage with the Zadar and the Batumi, otherwise I guess I'll have to replace the Morphagene with some other modules.

I also try to figure out a nice setup with the Minibrute.

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/8536

At first site your setup is simple and I am almost sure anything can help to improve the versatility of the Minibrute. I think multiples, an Expert Sleepers Distinc, LFOs and ADSRs are things you can never have enough of

EDITED Apr 13th 2020, 16:07

Dear fellows,

I am also in the process of setting up a little Eurorack setup to compliment my Minibrute, DFAM and Grandmother, but flexible enough to work with only one of them if needed. I already own the the two modules of Mutable Instruments.

My music will be versatile, but based on deep house and ambient/chill.

Hope for your support!

EDITED Apr 14th 2020, 09:27

+1 for klavis twin waves and a woggle bug V1 would be nice also

Hi Ingsock. What kind of music/sound are you hoping to perform with this rack?

One more interesting thing...

what do you think about the Vermona random rhythm?

Thanks, very interesting stuff.

But I think the Mito does exactly what i need, unfortunately it is hard to get.
One more question: i see it has global shuffle, is it also possible to add shuffle to each channel separtely?
In other words with which module can i control the cv to get slight variations?
Do i need the DEVIANT as well or is it possible with other modules, too?
Thanks for your help

plan to go with the intijell 7U performace case 104hp.
A second set of eyes would really help

Also after a year i still kinda have no clue what im doin, so Here Goes!

thx in advance

EDITED Apr 16th 2020, 20:52

Maybe you can look into something like the MI Grids or the Eucledian Circles. Mylarmelodies has an interesting video about Eurorack drumming:

Also you may want to check out how he is using switched multiples:

Adding something like this into your workflow may allow yo to achieve what you need, or at least give you some ideas of what kind of modules can work for you.

EDITED Apr 11th 2020, 19:52

oh, thanks! Looks pretty cool, really like the Moffenzeef stuff. Gonna check that out.
By the way thanks for the tip you gave me for the Pique ;-)
Do you have any other advice for good modulation of the cv inputs?

My rack is shown an old version, strange, here is the current:

Look into the Moffenzeef Mito for on the fly clock division and rhythm adjustment. It’s a fun module.

Hey everyone,

i am new in the game and i need your help again.
This forum helped me a lot to build my rack and dig into the modular world.
I am looking for a rack or better for a module to perform intuitively live,
mostly with rhythms for industrial techno and harsh sounds.
This is what my rack looks like now and i am pretty happy with the sound
and the few rhythms i can generate. But i am looking for a module to change my
rhythms on the fly to get more dynamics. I don´t want to dig into complicated
moduls or working with saved sequences. I hope i express myself clearly, argh.
I thought i could add more dynamics with other clock dividers/ multipliers or even shuffle modules.
But here i need your experiences. I was looking at the Bastl Instruments - Little Nerd
or 4ms shuffling clock, modules where i can change stuff fast. Or mybe i need a module to
change/modulate my existing stuff better.
The numeric repetitor works fine and i also experimented with the cv inputs but it is too random
or i just didn´t figured it out yet.
Do you have any other advises?
Thanks a lot.
Phil

Hi Rookie,

Thank you :-) I try to help here and there if I can, and in the hope that when I have a question in the future, there will be persons willing to help me out too :-)

Keep up the nice music-work, happy Easter and kind regards, Garfield.

There's definitely problems on the horizon here. Jim's comment about "utility modules" is a very good point; you have a lot of "sexy" here, but no "sauce", because the boring modules that bring the REAL voodoo are missing. Also, loads of this could (and SHOULD) be reduced in size by using third-party builds for the Mutable stuff, which would also provide more space for the utilities, and by simply using smaller versions of the same ideas you have present. Presuming that this is a RackBrute 6U, you just don't have the room you need in 2 x 88 hp to do too much given the way things are going here. And yeah, if you opt for a different case with more room, you'll get a lot closer to the direction you're aiming for here. Remember, the Rackbrute was primarily intended as an expansion for the MicroBrute 2 and 2s, so it doesn't have to be huge because you'd have a whole other synth to patch into.

One other caveat that I seem to be giving more and more as of late: if you've not spent a MONTH or two (or more!) fiddling with, studying, and refining builds on MG, you're nowhere near the stage of dropping a wad of cash on the physical device. ModularGrid IS NOT a video game; you get no bonuses for trying to "speedrun" this process. There are loads of negatives that WILL crop up from trying to get everything right on your first MG builds, all of them rather expensive. Take this slowly, examine everything more carefully, and research deeper. You'll get a better result from it.
-- Lugia

Thank you for your recommendation regarding the MI clones. I notice that some of the clones have less HP but not all of them. Presumably, all of the clones are identical in processing and the only difference is aesthetic and layout?

The Rackbrute case is somewhat modular in that you can add another 6U to it later. I could use the TipTop Mantis which offers more HP but you can't stack another one vertically later. I guess it's just a matter of trade-offs.

Do you have any recommendations regarding utility modules that you think the rack lacks? Thanks in advance!

EDITED Apr 10th 2020, 23:43

I want to do all of the sequencing inside the rack. Are you suggesting a Varigate 4+ in addition or replacement to the Marbles? Just checking that module out now.

-- WeAreTheProject

I would think a Varigate 4+ for more predictable sequencing and Marbles for random duties, so both together would probably be a fun combo.

Maths is way more than 2 LFOs/EGs - it also has a mixer/attenuverter section that is really useful and take a look at the Maths Illustrated Manual for patch ideas

Data takes up quite a bit of space in a small case - I'd go for the tiptop Mantis instead of the Rackbrute - about the same price, but more space and no annoying power input module!!!

Other than that I would add utility modules - the dull polish that makes the shiny modules shine brighter - which are a fundamental part of a modular synthesizer that most newbs forget as they don't understand how to patch yet so fill their cases with expensive modules
-- JimHowell1970

I know that Maths offers more versatility - I was just referencing 2 vs 4 in terms of cost per LFO/EG, if that makes sense?

I placed the Data in the rack but it's something that I would only intend to get much further down the line.

I like the design of the Rackbrute and can get it £70 cheaper than the Mantis but you make a good point about the extra HP.

What utility modules would you recommend based on what you think my rack is missing? Thanks in advance!

Hmmm... Maths is a very flexible module. It really can do a lot (check out Loopop's YouTube videos), and would probably cover many of the functions of the Quadrax and Blinds. I've got both Quadrax and Maths in a larger case and I'm finding new uses all the time. You may find a Maths/Batumi combo valuable in this case instead of Quadrax/Blinds, but everyone works differently. Maths was not immediately intuitive for me, but I'm really appreciating it now.
I question the value of the Data in a small case. It's a lot of hp, but again you know your workflow and needs better than I do. The factory build of Clouds is discontinued and you will probably pay a premium for an original build. You may want to take a look at some of the smaller clones like the Monsoon if you want to save some money and space.
Finally, will you be relying on Marbles for all of your sequencing, or do you have an external sequencer? I would take a look at something like a Varigate 4+ if you want to do some more sequencing in the case. Adding some mults and switches might be something to look into as well.
I'm sure some of the other folks here will have other valuable advice for you. Good luck and have fun!
-- farkas

You can only use maths as a single attenuverter if you need to use channel 3 as the offset though, right?

I placed the Data in the rack, however, it's something that I would only intend to get much further down the line.

I knew that Clouds was discontinued, however, the module sold well so I presumed that there would be loads of them kicking around on the second hand market. I didn't think about the prices though so I should look into that.

I want to do all of the sequencing inside the rack. Are you suggesting a Varigate 4+ in addition or replacement to the Marbles? Just checking that module out now.

I didn't add any mults because I was intending to use stackable cables but yeah a basic Doepfer switch would be a good idea.

There's definitely problems on the horizon here. Jim's comment about "utility modules" is a very good point; you have a lot of "sexy" here, but no "sauce", because the boring modules that bring the REAL voodoo are missing. Also, loads of this could (and SHOULD) be reduced in size by using third-party builds for the Mutable stuff, which would also provide more space for the utilities, and by simply using smaller versions of the same ideas you have present. Presuming that this is a RackBrute 6U, you just don't have the room you need in 2 x 88 hp to do too much given the way things are going here. And yeah, if you opt for a different case with more room, you'll get a lot closer to the direction you're aiming for here. Remember, the Rackbrute was primarily intended as an expansion for the MicroBrute 2 and 2s, so it doesn't have to be huge because you'd have a whole other synth to patch into.

One other caveat that I seem to be giving more and more as of late: if you've not spent a MONTH or two (or more!) fiddling with, studying, and refining builds on MG, you're nowhere near the stage of dropping a wad of cash on the physical device. ModularGrid IS NOT a video game; you get no bonuses for trying to "speedrun" this process. There are loads of negatives that WILL crop up from trying to get everything right on your first MG builds, all of them rather expensive. Take this slowly, examine everything more carefully, and research deeper. You'll get a better result from it.

Oh, it is! Not only do you have the MIDI over USB interfacing, the setup memories, the expandability...you ALSO get arpeggiation and some basic sequencing trickery. Really, this module is the sort of thing you'd expect Billy Mays to be screaming at you about on late-nite TV...it even makes a killer grilled cheese!

Maths is way more than 2 LFOs/EGs - it also has a mixer/attenuverter section that is really useful and take a look at the Maths Illustrated Manual for patch ideas

Data takes up quite a bit of space in a small case - I'd go for the tiptop Mantis instead of the Rackbrute - about the same price, but more space and no annoying power input module!!!

Other than that I would add utility modules - the dull polish that makes the shiny modules shine brighter - which are a fundamental part of a modular synthesizer that most newbs forget as they don't understand how to patch yet so fill their cases with expensive modules

Hmmm... Maths is a very flexible module. It really can do a lot (check out Loopop's YouTube videos), and would probably cover many of the functions of the Quadrax and Blinds. I've got both Quadrax and Maths in a larger case and I'm finding new uses all the time. You may find a Maths/Batumi combo valuable in this case instead of Quadrax/Blinds, but everyone works differently. Maths was not immediately intuitive for me, but I'm really appreciating it now.
I question the value of the Data in a small case. It's a lot of hp, but again you know your workflow and needs better than I do. The factory build of Clouds is discontinued and you will probably pay a premium for an original build. You may want to take a look at some of the smaller clones like the Monsoon if you want to save some money and space.
Finally, will you be relying on Marbles for all of your sequencing, or do you have an external sequencer? I would take a look at something like a Varigate 4+ if you want to do some more sequencing in the case. Adding some mults and switches might be something to look into as well.
I'm sure some of the other folks here will have other valuable advice for you. Good luck and have fun!

I'm looking to purchase my first Eurorack with drone / ambient in mind.

Any advise or criticism before I purchase anything would be greatly appreciated!

I was considering using a Maths or Stages instead of a Quadrax. I know that Maths has a much longer LFO rate but it only offers two EG's / LFO's. Thoughts?

EDITED Apr 10th 2020, 19:14

Awesome! thank you Lugia and Senor-Bling for your great feedback! I'll be watching more tutorials about the FH-2, seems like this module is a rabbit hole in it self ha!

Thank you very much for your remarks!
They make me very happy and you have such a kind attitude in all your posts in MG:s forums.

What Lugia said, basically. If you want to do more than sequencing drum modules with an Elektron device the FH-2 is perfect. Because the best thing about Elektron's Midi sequencers is their ability to plock Midi CC. And most other Midi-CV modules severely limit the CCs one can use. As far as versatility is concerned the FH-2 has very little competition (Endorphines Shuttle Control, Polyend Poly 2), but the option to expand it up to 64 outputs makes it unique (in fact, you could have 64 CV + 64 gate outputs). So far I've got 3 expansion modules and I could easily use a few more. The initial setup isn't exactly intuitive but it's so worth it - and most importantly it just works.

EDITED Apr 10th 2020, 06:52

My vote goes for the FH-2 here. Here's why...

First of all, it's intended to work as a USB host. This is a tad different, because it means you can connect MIDI-over-USB devices directly to it. This will result in a bit better timing, but also in that you can use the FH-2 to connect pretty much any USB controller into your modular rig...and your DAW, too.

Second, while it does require a bit more programming savvy, once it HAS been programmed for your use, then there's little need to do that again. But the FH-2 improves on this by adding some extra operational modes AND by allowing memories for different setups. So, let's say you're using this with the Digitakt in your studio, but you need to gig live with it being controlled by a Keystep. Simple...just switch your preset to a different one, plug in the appropriate device, and there you are!

Third: MPE, baybee!!! Yeah, you can hook up something like a Linstrument to it, and as long as the FH-2 has been taught what to do with it, you're golden. You can also assign any of the MPE controls to a CV output, so...well, that's a rabbit hole in of itself!

Last: expandability. If your modular grows, the FH-2 can grow...up to 7 more FHX-1 expanders can be linked to it for a maximum of 64 assignable outs.

And, oh yeah...you can use it to auto-calibrate your VCO tunings. Smooth!

EDITED Apr 10th 2020, 03:30

Hello fellow Wigglers! this is my first post, please be gentle :)

I recently ordered an Elektron Digitakt and it'll be a great standalone device but I would love to incorporate it into my current rig.
Youtube has already given me good options like the Mutant Brain, Hermod, Polyend Poly, and the Expert Sleepers FH-2. The CV OCD was also another option but i would prefer to keep everything contained in my eurorack. If anyone has ever had any experience in this situation i would deeply appreciate some sage advice. I definitely would like to future proof and have some versatility with whatever module i do end up going with!

The Mutant Brain seems optimal in terms of price and size and the favorite of the bunch from what I've seen and read but I'm a little intimated by the mutant brain surgery set up. My personal preference is the Hermod although i might be distracted by all the bells and whistles it has among the midi to CV capability not to mention a lot of menu diving.

My current set up:
- Main voice and sequencing is Intellijel Atlantis/Metropolis ( tasty tones, sh101 is one of my favs)
- Drums are a couple tiptop audio 808 modules and peaks in bass drum mode with a 4MS RCD tiggering
- Mutable Intruments Clouds with parasite firmware for FX (and music concrete magic)
- Make Noise Brains and pressure points transposing metropolis or triggering other things
- Bastl ABC and MI Veils as my mixer and vca
- Intellijel uJack sending out to my interface or headphones
I know I'm missing some plumbing and other useful modules but i have minimal space in my 84hp Doepfer rack.

My main goal was to have a eurorack able to handle late night acid jams and more experimental soundscapes and its certainly capable of both but with the addition of the Digitakt I'll be able to free up space (i.e, get rid of the drum section) for the midi to cv module and other versatile options!

Sorry for the long post! thank you for taking the time to read this and for your input!

• Keep on racking in the free world

Hi Rookie,

Again, after a hard day work, then listening at your music, this track, fantastic! I couldn't wish for more, other than one more of your tracks ;-)

I still love the view of your rack, it's a nice combination!

Kind regards and I look forward for your next track, Garfield.

Plaits and 2hp Pluck plays the chord sequence Am Dm Bdim and Em. Minibrute VCO1 and a Disting sampled flute plays an A minor pentatonic scale randomly.

I bought from @yari an Intellijel Morgasmatron and it was as new.
Excellent communication and fast delivery.
Highly recommended!!!!

EDITED Apr 9th 2020, 11:51

Hey Farkas,

The Happy Nerding mixers are really interesting, in fact I used the 3x stereo mixer in the first draft of this rack but finally replaced it with the Intellijel Mixup because it can do 2xmono and 2xstereo plus it has mutes, which I think I'll be using quite often.

I've heard mixed opinions about the Morphagene and I'm eager to give it a try anyway. I'll be purchasing it last, just in case, because it takes a lot of space which I may decide it's better used with some other modules.

Thanks for sharing your opinion!

Hi Saramago,

You wrote: Sent a trigger from beatstep to kick, mult it to the doepfer envelope, envelope out to vca but no luck, still a lot of decay.

Hmm, are you splitting many signals from your multiple to the envelope? If yes, is that a buffered multiple? If not, then try a buffered multiple otherwise nothing comes to mind. Which envelope are you using, would that be the A-140(-1)? If yes, if you need a quick response then don't forget to put the switch on the A-140 to M (medium) or even H (high) speed, so the EG can follow your rhythm. Needless to say that the D(ecay) knob should be at 2 or less for your case. The VCA you are using, which one is that?

Good luck with the troubleshooting and kind regards, Garfield Modular.
-- GarfieldModular

Thanks mate !
Will try for sure

Hey Garfield Modular:) It is what I already have.
Yes sure, once it is full and if still in need of more modules then the DFAM will certainly be the first one to come out and go back to its case:) But will try to first make sure that I cannot make do with a full case as it is for now. Thanks

Hi Sislte,

Wow! You got your case from the video quite a bit updated and transformed to a rather large modular system :-) Yes, I agree, seeing the real thing is nicer :-) However for planning the "My Modular" racks are nice to use and are very helpful.

How is your experience with the DPO of Make Noise, is it worth the investment? I am (extremely) happy with the STO of Make Noise but I wonder (looking at the price) if the DPO can cause me that much pleasure as well?

Enjoy your modular system and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Yiannisel,

The above rack, is that what you are planning to have or did you got that already?

In my opinion, I would either go for an extra rack for some extra space, so you don't have much planning-worries about those 21 HP or, the cheapest solution, remove the DFAM and put that back in its own casing, that saves you here almost one third of your rack space... well at least 60 HP :-)

Kind regards and good luck, Garfield Modular.

Available for purchase here: http://detroitunderground.net/modular/du-ino/

Again, big thanks!

Both cases are available here:

Even though that isn't really the same thing as seeing them for real!

EDITED May 6th 2020, 20:04

ganymede published this text on all of the forums and has been equally casuistic and agitated about the response everywhere. Best ignored, I'd say.

• I have an issue with Thonk caused by X and Z, here's my story with no details
• Really, can you explain this a bit more though ? This is too vague.
• I have an issue with Thonk caused by Y
• Wait, where is X and Z now ?
• I will now stop explaining.

Indeed, let's leave the public to decide.

Not to beat a dead horse, but the facts are laid out about as plainly as i can make them. I am not going to post any further detail, and will not be including private correspondence to illustrate the episode as that is beyond the pale of the intent i had in making this publicly known.

It will stand as is, people who read it may be able to take heed and use caution being informed as they now are about this man and his way of treating customers. Believe it or not? It's up to you. But i know myself which company will never see another red cent of my money, and that's a word i can be sure of keeping to. Do as you will, it's your choice.

First post speaks about a "misread comment" and implies the refund is blocked by an "expected apology", all that is gone in the second post... Apparently Thonk answered when you initiated the Paypal claim, but that is left out. The "misread comment" is also left out. According to my calculations, 2 weeks after the 24th of March was yesterday, a bit more than a week after the set deadline, which isn't completely out of the understandable realm given that Thonk proposed a refund because of delays I'm assuming. So far, it looks like you're PayPal claiming someone because they are late. I'm also not getting the "urgent purchase" during the confinement times, I certainly wouldn't count on accurate delivery times lately, wouldn't even be surprised if PayPal takes it into account. I'd like to sympathize with you but I need a coherent story.

There is a whole marketplace on this website...accessed with the (quite obvious) blue button labelled "Offer on Marketplace".

Hey guys:)

I need some opinions. This is my rack till so far. I have 21 hp space left and was looking for recommendations about what I should go for next.

The style im usually playing/hoping to achieve ranges depending on the occasion, from techno, industrial techno, to melody/arpeggiated lines in the likes of colin benders/steevio(i wish it was that good, just giving an example as to the style). Ambient/experimental is another genre but i think that can be achieved with the appropriate patching.

Patches usually involve the pitch of the Dfam sequencer and Stages going into the a138-2 matrix mixer and blending the two to varying degrees to alter sequences on the fly before going to uscale for quantazing.
Temps utile is on clock duty. Rampage, Tides (again blended in the matrix mixer) and remaining gates of stages provide modulation for the rest of the modules.
Dfam provides percussive or bass sounds depending on the style, same with the Basimilus. Also I take the 2nd VCO of DFAM out separately from the whole VCA, giving me any additional voice that goes usually goes through the MN LPG.
Elements is for percussive stuff, or more droney depending if going for experimental

In addition to the rack, i have a semi-modular dreadbox erebus which gives me another 2 voices,
Also an elektron AR taking care of the drums so im not so keen on using the remaining space for drum modules, and an octatrack for looping the modular or occassional pre-recorded background loops.

I really like Verbos modules and of course Cwejman but prices mean have to wait for a really good deal or waiting to save more.

Thanks for any recommendations:)

EDITED Apr 8th 2020, 12:56

I was sent an e-mail, as all customers with outstanding orders were, on March 24th, giving me the option of three choices to go forward with my order:

1. immediate refund.
2. wait for delivery, but accept a very long delay
3. receive credit note for full amount plus 15%

I told him i would have to take the refund, as the items i required were urgent, and i would have to go elsewhere to buy them.

He did not respond with a refund, even after the date of 29th March set out in the e-mail. So i followed it up several times, with no reply.

The first response i got was two weeks after the initial request for a refund, once i had opened a PayPal case against them, for items not received.

I did not initiate a request for a refund, but was forced to make the choice, and note it stated 'immediate' refund, so two weeks later i'm still waiting for that refund. Now i will get it from PayPal, but it needn't have been so difficult. He did not keep his word, and has made me run about trying to get what was promised.

That is bad faith practice for any business, and in the current climate it is to be expected your customers might have limited resources to work with. I am out for the cost of my items twice, having bought from two sellers now, one of which is withholding my money out of petty personal reasons. That to me spells 'unprofessional' in glaring neon letters. Make of it what you will.

Thank you.

I should note that this is all a tad vague. You give no actual, verbatim examples in a disagreement where the verbatim record might clear the situation up. Instead, your response is to troll Thonk, which of course will simply make your situation worse.

If you're going to lob crap at a longstanding and respected vendor, you'd better be willing to post ALL the details, not merely a sanitized one-sided screed. If there IS a problem, and you know about it, then I would think that you would want the modular community to know exactly what that is. But this looks far more self-serving and makes me think that the problem probably doesn't lie with Thonk.

So, if this is for real, explain.

I'm not sure if this is a bug, but if I create a patch, then edit its name before hitting the save button, the patch is reset to nothing and the work is lost. If its too much to fix it, maybe just say "Save the patch before naming it!".

Wonderful useful site!