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Right, that Happy Ending Kit should have have it's own power supply right? That's one thing I definitely would not try to build myself.

You can build your own case. There's nothing wrong with that if you have the skills. When it comes to the power supply, I wouldn't attempt building that myself unless you're experienced with designing and building those. There are tons of power supplies available as well. If you're mounting your power board underneath your modules, be sure to leave plenty of depth in the case as some modules are pretty deep and you'll need enough clearance to seat the module as well as plug it in.

Yeah that's a good point, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on the micro versions. When the time comes to pull the trigger on the next module I'll grab one of those unless one of the larger ones gets down to like, $150 or so.

Now I'm doing a lot of searching and making a list of all the DIY kits I'd like to try without SMT. That's the real clincher that would make me just buy something rather than put it together. Playing with VCV more I also realize how racks can fill up so quickly. Why have 1 sequencer when you can have 4! Rather than go sequencer crazy, after the O_c or Temps Utile (I'm leaning towards the former) I'm just gonna use a Korg SQ-1 for a bit to sequence so I can than turn my attention to simple DIY kits of stuff like filters, VCAs, etc.
I probably should mention that down the road, real time tweaking is absolutely a focal point for me as well, once I'm past the point where I can just make some noise that will definitely be a criteria for every module I add.

Also, so far my plan with a case is to start with an HEK, than add a second down the road if necessary. I can construct a wooden enclosure that will hold both rows. Do you think that would work fine, or am I really shooting myself in the foot there having two rows separately powered? If it's really necessary to grab something like those intellijell cases I can, but it seems silly as it might take me a year or more to fill one row on my current plan. Plus it's fun to build stuff :)

EDITED Dec 9th 2019, 17:47

What device(s) will be providing gates to step the Mimetic into its next position? Will you be using a reset gate and where will it be coming from? The Mimetic has an input for Next and Origin... next of course is the next step available (looping back to 1) while a trigger to the Origin immediately takes you back to 1. You'll need these two triggers/gates especially if you're using patterns that are less than 16 steps.

As far as "cool patterns" you can use a sequencer with a gate out for sure. But also check out Euclidian generators, random generators, modules like the Trigger Riot, etc. I find creating patterns indirectly (influencing a pattern rather than picking it) helps get me out of my creative box.

A couple of small tweaks to your new rack.
Here's your latest rack.

Though some modules appear to be missing here.. clicking the pic shows them.

You can get an even SMALLER versions of the uOrnaments & Crime and Temps Utile. They are 8HP... what you have are 14 each. I'd go with those so you save 12HP! The 8HP designs are pretty standard so you can buy them from a maker. I have a guy on the forum that I've used. I can pass that along in private message if you need someone. Take a look at Michigan Synth Works if you want to buy from a retailer.

You have up to 6 gate/trigger sequencers in Temps Utile and up to two CV/Gate sequencers in O&C. You can probably do away with the Steppy unless you're looking to make a lot of changes in real time. I'd wait on the Steppy if you get the Temps Utile first.

EDITED Dec 9th 2019, 16:55

I'd just written a long reply, when the website decided it was time to login again and just ate the whole thing… damn it. So here's a hopefully short summary:
I have the same issue of muffled sound, missing crispness etc. Can totally spot the same character that's been bothering me in your tracks. I have no such trouble with my other external gear, be it analog or digital. All going to the same interface, some balanced, some unbalanced.
Output modules seem to have a big effect here. The three eurorack output modules I've tried so far, in order from good to not-so-good: Waldorf kb37, Intellijel Audio I/O 1U, Befaco Out v3. The sound issue was present on the kb37 as well, but to a far smaller degree than on the Befaco. As I have since sold my kb37 due to space constraints (and the Befaco cause I didn't like it), I cannot do any direct comparisons but the Intellijel seems to be somewhere in-between, though closer to the Waldorf. Unfortunately I didn't have the time, money or space to do a scientific comparison. Also, my DFAM, Neutron and 0-Coast seem to have a bit more clarity and punch when recorded directly through their 6.3mm outputs, than routed though eurorack mixer->out->interface. Whatever that's worth.
The cables might play a role, but I'm not really convinced yet. I've got mostly BlackMarket, Make Noise and Doepfer ones, so not complete trash, I'd hope. Maybe it's worth getting a handful of Cordial ones for a simple patch to compare…

What output module are you using @Exposure? Or are the mixers, the VCAs to blame? Something else?
I'm glad someone is mentioning this with an audio example as I couldn't really find anything useful regarding this topic so far.

EDITED Dec 9th 2019, 12:13

Hello Exposure,

My goodness, you "complain" about your music being "muddy" and I wish I could make music like what you just did here with "Animated Cheese". I love this mellow, long-ongoing music, fantastic! I could listen at that something like one hour in a row with perhaps here and there some small variations rather than your "short" 5 minutes :-)

I am not a sound- nor a recording-engineer, so let's hope some of our members are and can help you on that level with your matter. I took the efforts though to listen your music (both tracks) in my rather basic Hi-Fi stereo setup, being a NAD C368 digital amplifier and B&W 683 S2 speakers (so not monitors) in bi-amping setup with (basic) Audioquest cabling and I have to say this doesn't sound to bad at all! I have CD recordings that sound really worse compared to your recording!

Okay, to your recording, what exactly do you mean with "muddy"? Do you mean that it's kind of muffled? Kind of not 100% crystal clear? If that's what you mean, yeah... far away I recognise that but as said I got CDs they would kneel down for your recording quality.

But one thing comes to mind... and that's cabling, especially the quality of cabling which is seriously underestimated by many people (not saying that you are one of them :-) Just trying to make sure if you have thought of everything). With what kind of (quality) cables are you handling your audio path within your modular system? Not the one or two dollar stackable cables I hope? Nothing against it, for testing purposes, but if you are trying to boost up your recording quality, you certainly should check your entire audio path regarding cables and their quality. Now I don't want to go into the discussion of "define quality", everyone for themselves can decide, I guess, if you have reached the level of quality for your cables or perhaps not yet.

But let's say a stackable cable might be not as good as, just taking an example here, a Cordial CPI x ZZ ZZound patch cable. That one is using a cable with wires of 0.18 mm2 which I feel is still a bit less :-) I for example use for non-audio cables (CVs, triggers, gates, etc.) self made cables of 0.2 mm2 and the more simple patch cables of Make Noise (which might be less good in quality than the Cordial CPI x ZZ) and for my audio path I use cables with 0.34 mm2 wires (about the maximum that still fits within a 3.5 mm plug ;-) ). Not saying that you have to do the same thing but just as an example here. Anyway within the modular most likely not so important.

However going out from your modular, those cables to your mixer and from your mixer to the recording device, I would take there a bit more than a one or two dollar cable so to speak.

Your second track, the "Animated Cheese Edit" sounds to me just a fraction more crisp, which is good I think. Though the noise-hi-hat sounds I hear, these sounds could be improved in quality in my opinion, but we are talking here about "high level nagging" towards audio quality ;-) But I don't think these noise-hi-hat sounds are related to your muddy or muffled issue. I think that's rather the sound source of the noise-hi-hat itself. It also is a sound that you just might want to sound it like that.

Other than that (check the cables you are using I mean), I can't help you I am afraid. On my stereo installation I am happy to listen to your music.

For taking this to another (higher) recording level, I think you need advice of members who are more into recording engineering.

Good luck with your recording-quality-improvement and I can't wait for your next track(s)!

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Unfortunately my local modular shop turned out to not be open on weekends, but thanks to you I feel like I have a good game plan anyway. Here's my current plan:

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1067379.jpg?1575840756

I might switch out some of these for good DIY builds I find. My dad and I concluded that the uO_c kit would be a little too complex unless I ordered the kit populated, which kinda starts to defeat the purpose. But I feel confident about the AI synthesis kit, and so anything of a similar level I'll gobble right up. Thanks again for all your help, I'll check back in on modular grid once my rig is coming along, hopefully I'll be making music by then.

EDITED Dec 8th 2019, 21:32

Thanks for the heads up about the 1U standards :).

I think I'll start with a Metropolis+Atlantis+stereo line out 1U in a 104hp 7U case and play with that. After that maybe a Maths or a reverb, no rush to decide.

The Atlantis sounds nicer to me than the Mother on the audio I've listened to, and the Metropolis looks like soooo much fun.

I started my modular journey earlier this year and as part of my learning process I’m forcing myself to create tracks from start to finish.

This is working fine so far as I now have a better idea of what modules I need and how to better use the ones I already have. However, I’m having a hard time with the mixing part of the tracks and I’m not able to get the sound I’m really after. All tracks I record sound a bit muddy, and the sound is not as clear or as loud as I would like to.

I’m sharing this track and asking for advice as I’m not sure what should I do to improve my sound. I’m not particularly fond of this track, it’s just part of my the learning process as I said.

The first one is the original one, it sounded fine on headphones but then I realised it did’t sound quite as good on the monitors. I tried removing some elements to make it simpler and I mixed it again, but it still sounds a bit muddy.

What do you guys think are the two or three main things I should focus on to improve my sound? I would appreciate any tip you can give me.

You have to add a small vertical padding for 1U modules that follow Intellijels standard.
Crop the module perfectly, read the height and multiply it with 1.082. That is the new height of the canvas. Center the module vertically in the canvas and save as .png, transparency preserved.

Thank you! I will try that.
-- rsdio

FYI: This worked perfectly. I just loaded my PNG (converted from SVG) in Photoshop and edited the height to be 43.18 mm. Photoshop automatically centered the content vertically. The resulting file fit exactly in my ModularGrid rack.

This module, and its buddies (uQMCV, uMCCGT,u16MCV), are 5HP in width, NOT 6HP as the original submission stated. Whenever this is inaccuracy is addressed by use of the 'Module Edit' facility, the algorithm to implement the width change seemingly fails, resulting in a severely screwed-up module image.
Anyone using MG to plan a future case should be aware of this discrepancy.

EDITED Dec 7th 2019, 21:15

When building your own modules, you're not designing anything. You generally can buy the faceplates, circuit boards, and either supply your own parts or can buy a kit that's ready to assemble. The only challenge would be kits that use tiny surface mount components. There's a micro - Eurorack group on Facebook somewhere that has all kinds of builders recommending and helping each other.

Mixers are a good thing. IMHO you need two mixers. One for summing audio and or CV and a larger stereo mixer as your main mixer. There are a TON of options. The caveats are how much space and much money do you want to spend? Pittsburgh's Lifeform's, Blue Lantern's Stereo-Sir-Mix, Happy Nerding's mixer (forget name), Roland's 6 channel mixer, etc. Some include line-level outputs built in, some do not. Some have more aux sends than others, some offer modulation of pan or volume level... others don't. Some have headphone outs... others don't

I bought the Blue Lantern option because I wanted more sends and the price was right. I'm happy with it. But it lacks headphone outputs, CV modulation, or line level outputs. But I didn't want them in my mixer (personal preference).

The MIDI to CV option is always great. You can go as low-end or high-end as your needs require. 2HP makes a small, simple MIDI to CV converter with a USB-C input. I use an Expert Sleepers FH2. Either option is good. It just depends on how deep you want that tie to be between your DAW and your rack.

Please note the most current Disting is the Mk4. Be sure you're buying the "Mark Four." Development of the prior versions has stopped and the Mk4 still receives regular firmware updates. It's not worth it to save a few bucks on a Mk3 IMHO.

What are the strong points and weak points of the Neutron and what direction are you looking to go in with your set-up?

There are lots of directions you can go if you're looking to beef up your Neutron.

The Neutron has a lot of great basic circuits on it.

The one thing I would suggest would be an output module capable of stereo line-level outputs. Eurorack level is a lot hotter than line level so you may (or may not) have issues if the audio path terminates in your rack rather than the line level output of the Neutron.

The Neutron lacks effects except for the delay. So you can stretch things quite a bit with a wavefolder or a swarm generator. Effects like reverb, chorus, and the standard lot that have CV modulation go a long way as well... check out the Tip Top Z-DSP as far as effects generation. It works off of hot-swappable cards. So you get a wide palette to choose from if you buy additional cards for it.

A third oscillator is always a welcomed addition as well.

There's nothing wrong with any of the kit you've selected (including your Intellijel wavefolder). The Disting is a nice sampler-plate of different functionality. So if you have your case and an output module, I'd get those plus the Disting and have a play for a couple of weeks and see what tickles your fancy before purchasing the rest of the lot. But that's my opinion. :)

EDITED Dec 6th 2019, 23:28

Wow, those are some crazy modules! I'm definitely intrigued by all three. I'm looking into the kits and they may be a little advanced for me, but I'm gonna run them by the old man and see what he makes of them. I can solder just fine, but I can't read schematics well. I found a Disting for about 150 so I'm tempted to pull the trigger on that for the value. One thing I'm definitely understanding is that it would be wise for me to start up with a few powerful modules at first so I have something fun to play with while I build the rig. Then I can add simpler things that I can further tweak the sound with. I will say though, I can tell that I enjoy working with simpler things and the limitations that they impose vs super super deep things that I will never wrap my head around.

I'll definitely want to get a mixer early on right? I need a way to send the signal out to headphones or an audio interface as well, so that's gotta be something I get early on too right? I also see that I'll want something that will take MIDI in, but it also looks like I could forego MIDI control and just use modules that gate and trigger CV all within the system, is that right?

I've played around with VCV for a bit now. I created a simple patch, messed with that, that ran that through a sequencer and had an hour fly by while I joyfully noodled with 80s era synth grooves, so I definitely know that modular is for me, lots and lots of fun. Thanks for all of your suggestions so far, I feel like I'm starting to get an idea of how I'll go forward.

You have to add a small vertical padding for 1U modules that follow Intellijels standard.
Crop the module perfectly, read the height and multiply it with 1.082. That is the new height of the canvas. Center the module vertically in the canvas and save as .png, transparency preserved.

Thank you! I will try that.

Sorry... I was not familiar with the Domino and I thought it was just an oscillator. From what I can tell it IS a synth voice.

We can work with that. So your synth voice is going to need gates to trigger the VCA and will need pitch information via CV plugged into the 1v/OCT jack. That's the basic requirement to get a pitched note from the synth. From the look of it, the only envelope parameter available is the decay time. Other synth voices have more options but also a heftier price.

If you're into DIY electronics, check out the Ornaments & Crime and Temps Utile. You can build the micro versions yourself and save a lot of cash. Between those modules you'll have a TON of functionality in 16HP and won't need the Steppy or the Scales (at first). Throw in a Disting for $200 and betwen those three you have a nice system for modulation, clocks, light sequencing, etc.

Hi, I'm very interested in (semi-)modular synths and decided to start my journey with the affordable Behringer Neutron. I've been playing with it for a couple of months by sending midi sequences from a DAW, but I'll be getting a Keystep today. I'd like to create a rack that will accompany the Neutron soon and in the future add another VCO or two and some sampler. After some research i came up with the rack shown below. It would be great if someone can give me their opinion on the rack and suggest what i could replace/add/remove.

EDITED Dec 6th 2019, 15:20

However, I just ordered an intellijel 7U, and I mocked up some images for a SynthAccess guitar module that should fit in the 1U space, but my image is getting cropped incorrectly. I designed for 44HP an 1U. If I edit the custom module to say that it's 48HP, the the height grows, so I must have the proportions right. However, I never see the pixels at the edges. It's like there's a huge inset, even though the proportions are correct.

There are two "standards" for 1U module dimensions. ModularGrid uses the one from Pulplogic.

Can anyone suggest a method for creating a proper 1U image?

You have to add a small vertical padding for 1U modules that follow Intellijels standard.
Crop the module perfectly, read the height and multiply it with 1.082. That is the new height of the canvas. Center the module vertically in the canvas and save as .png, transparency preserved.

See this rack:

-- rsdio

Got it! Thanks
4ms things are also on the Wish-list.

I've just been told over on FB that, as i kind of suspected, the Befaco Burst will do a 1-shot burst from a single pulse/ping/thing!

Hi Jim van der Steege,

Looking at your name you might be located in Europe. In case you are indeed in Europe and you purchased your module within the EU, you should be able to make use of the return rights of goods, usually within 7 or 8 days. Check with the dealer you bought from for the details; if you exceeded those 7 or 8 days, most dealers offer a period of 30 days (for example) where you can't receive the money back but at least exchange it for another item. Then you can replace it with Doepfer's A-190-x which is the MIDI to CV module series.

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield Modular.
-- GarfieldModular

I am indeed from Europe! Yes returning it is no problem at all, I just wanted to be sure that this module is of no use to me before I started doing so. It just feels really stupid to waste traffic services on a product that's going nowhere.

Thanks for the quick response anyway!

Google doesn't know how to distinguish search terms unless you tell it specifically. If you enter 'MIDI to CV', it will find everything it can that contains 'MIDI', 'CV' and 'to'. You have to enclose the whole thing in quotes (ie: ' "MIDI to CV" ') to get it to return that specific set of results.

-- Lugia

Yes, thanks for explaining but I actually knew that this was how Google works. In 99 percent of my search actions it doesn't matter tho, so I guess that's why I didn't stop to think about it. :')

As for why there's a MIDI in on the A-192-2, it's so you can merge the data coming out of the module with another MIDI stream if desired.

-- Lugia

Okay, makes sense.

Have a look at the Expert Sleepers stuff instead. There's several options there for converting CV/gate/trigger data into MIDI, or even sending it "raw" to Ableton's CV Tools via USB or ADAT optical, as well as several controller connection options, and expandability.

-- Lugia

Alright thanks so much, Isn't that again CV to MIDI tho? Because i need the inverse. I'll still check them out to see if they have any MIDI to CV modules.

Hmmmm, can't seem to get the current iteration of the rack to show up, maybe because there's empty space now?

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1067379.jpg?1575595811

Thanks so much for replying! Yes that definitely echoes a lot of the stuff I've been reading. My thought with the Domino module was that it would do a lot on its own, and therefore be a fun module to play with while I built up the rig, but perhaps that one is not such a good choice? Would something like Atlantis, or Plaits or something be better for that? Is that kind of in the ballpark of what you are talking about with stand alone modules?

Here's where I left off, but good point about the small pots. Perhaps these little modules will be frustrating to work with:

Thanks again for taking the time to help. Yes it's a bit overwhelming, but really I can only justify buying one module a month or so, and I'm patient, so I got plenty of time to make a decent plan.

EDITED Dec 6th 2019, 01:30

Hi Jim van der Steege,

Looking at your name you might be located in Europe. In case you are indeed in Europe and you purchased your module within the EU, you should be able to make use of the return rights of goods, usually within 7 or 8 days. Check with the dealer you bought from for the details; if you exceeded those 7 or 8 days, most dealers offer a period of 30 days (for example) where you can't receive the money back but at least exchange it for another item. Then you can replace it with Doepfer's A-190-x which is the MIDI to CV module series.

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Google doesn't know how to distinguish search terms unless you tell it specifically. If you enter 'MIDI to CV', it will find everything it can that contains 'MIDI', 'CV' and 'to'. You have to enclose the whole thing in quotes (ie: ' "MIDI to CV" ') to get it to return that specific set of results. As for why there's a MIDI in on the A-192-2, it's so you can merge the data coming out of the module with another MIDI stream if desired.

Have a look at the Expert Sleepers stuff instead. There's several options there for converting CV/gate/trigger data into MIDI, or even sending it "raw" to Ableton's CV Tools via USB or ADAT optical, as well as several controller connection options, and expandability.

Yes, but keep in mind that it takes two clock pulses for nearly every divider/multiplier to calculate the incoming clock period that it's going to operate on. So if you're multiplying from a very divided-down pulse, well, it might take a hot minute for the multiplier to lock in. A much more sensible method would be to simply drive the multiplier from your 1:1 clock pulses.

Another pair of modules you might want a look at are 4ms's Quad Clock Divider and its expansion module. In this case, you have CV over your four clock divider/multipliers, so if you suddenly need a rapid-fire burst of pulses, you can simply send a CV (say, from a CV sequencer) at the right time to get that one output to jump way up in rate. Connect the same control signal so that it activates a start/stop on another sequencer, and there you are.

...and my calculator sits right to the left of my Push2. Welcome to the wonderful world of TIMING!

Haha :)

No , I’ll check that out . I did briefly look at the ER-301 but I’m still desperately trying to learn Shapeshifter so decided against it .

You're welcome. Have you thought about the 1010 Music BitBox rather than the Salmple? I found it pretty easy to use, especially for looping inside the rack so you're not dependent on Ableton. I personally found floating back and forth between a DAW and my rack to be off-putting and takes me out of "the zone" of Eurorack. The moment I pick up a mouse the magic is gone. :)

Welcome to Eurorack. There are definitely a lot of opinions out there.

I will try to take on some your concerns but out of order.

The first thing is system size. In my experience, most people want as small of a system as they can get away with because of the cost. That's a reasonable desire. But then you're trying to fit a handful of modules into a very small space, so not only do you have to really consider the size (in HP) of each and every module... but the functionality of that module in terms of features as well as the ergonomics (small pots are much harder to work with). So you're making putting together a brand new rack exponentially that much harder.

The reason for going with a larger case is simple. You're paying more up-front to save yourself paying more later on. If your system keeps growing you'll need to either add a second case or replace your starting case with a much bigger case and sell your first case. You'll more than likely keep adding modules to your core system as you learn and discover your own tastes in Eurorack.

The Intellijel 7U case is very popular. But if you buy one, you're committing to buying 1U modules in their standard. They make their own 1U modules and 3rd parties like Plum Audio and Shakmat, for example, are starting to jump on the bandwagon. Pulp Logic is the other 1U standard. Please note... that the 1U module formats are NOT compatible with each other. But the bottom line is that 1U modules are not the standard and almost everything in 1U can be found in the same or similar modules in the standard 3U.

As far as building your system overtime. Yes, you can do that. But just know you are buying synthesizer parts. No one part (generally) is an entire synth unless it was built for that purpose (look up "synth-voice"). What comprises a "basic" system is very arguable. But in my opinion, it's two VCOs, a VCF, at least four VCAs, an LFO, two 4:1 mixers, a noise source, and some attenuverters to scale down your control voltages. You will also need a way to PLAY your synth. So you'll need at least one sequencer that makes sense for you and an output module to go from synth to line level. The sequencer... you can go as big or as small as you like depending on needs. If you're going to drive the system via MIDI then you'll need some sort of MIDI to CV interface.

At this point, your head is probably spinning because there are so many choices and so many ways to build a system. Here comes some more boilerplate recommendations that I seem to repeat over and over to people just starting out: buy a synth voice or a Eurorack compatible stand-alone synth. Intellijel, Pittsburgh Modular, and many other companies make complete synths that fit in Eurorack that are patchable. They are great as the core of a new system and will stay useful even if you expand to a monster system. A stand alone system like a Moog Mother 32 or even a Behringer Neutron are great as they don't eat up any rackspace and you can buy a smaller "skiff" rack of additional modules to supplement what you have in the stand-alone system. As your knowledge grows, then get into specialty oscillators, different filters, effects, and modulation. This would be the cheapest way into Eurorack.

The other is to just buy a standalone system preconfigured. Then you're guaranteed to have something useful without having to do all the research first. Roland, Pittsburgh Modular, Doepfer, Make Noise, all have their own turnkey systems. Again, you can always add your own specialty modules once you find an area you want to explore.

DIY is a great way to save money on a module. But once it's built, you still have the same issues to contend with. However, you can offset your costs by building modules for others that don't want to pick up an iron.

And finally, posting your rack. I found your rack. To post a link to it that pops up in your thread, simply visit the rack like you're going to edit it. Then copy and paste the URL into your post. Your URL should look like this but without the spaces:

https: // www.modulargrid.net / e / racks / view / 1067379
And show up like this:

Thanks for your response Ronin, I fully understand what you mean. For me personally I haven’t found a better sounding kick anywhere , I love the Jomox. I was considering losing the rest of the perc , adding a ModBrane and adding extra perc via ableton. A separate rack does sound like a great idea though .

I did have a Squid Salmple but didn’t gel with it ....

The Analog Rythm does look tempting !

Thank you :)

There are drum modules in here enough for a basic beat. But nothing to write home about. Have you gone through all of your options for percussion? Eurorack percussion modules are an expensive way to add drums to your system. Unless you're going to modulating the hell out of them, then you're basically building an over-expensive drum machine. Though, there's nothing wrong with doing this... it will just be expensive on every front (money, space, additional utility modules).

If you do want your percussion in-rack, then how do you intend on mixing all the drum modules together? You have one four input mono mixer/VCA and have a bass drum, clap, cymbals, and hi-hat... no snare. The ES9 can be thrown in... but then you're relying on your DAW to mix.

There seems to be a schism between a Eurorack synth and a Eurorack beat-box with half of what you need for each. Though, you're definitely loaded up on filters.

In my opinion (just my opinion), I'd look for an external drum machine and use my rackspace for synths or effects. The Eloquencer can drive the drum machine via MIDI and you can save your CV and gate outputs for the synth side of things.

If you're really wanting to build a Eurorack percussion set-up after-all, I'd consider putting it in a separate case and building it separately. Granted you can always patch between cases if there's something you'd like to use that's not in one case and not the others.

Have you looked at any of the Erica Synth drum stuff? They even sell a full system designed for techno... including so basic synth modules for leads and basses. It's not cheap by any means. But I'd really think about the turn-key system and then maybe adding some additional modules in a skiff or other rack if you feel that you need them later. Sorry if this doesn't answer your question directly and seems to meander. But I'd definitely explore some other options before making a decision or finalizing this build.

Hello dear modular enthousiasts,

I am a fairly new modular user and I think i have ordered the wrong module and the manual isnt really giving me the clarity i want before sending it back.

[SITUATION]
Module: Doepfer A-192-2 CV/Gate to Midi/USB

I guess it's in the name of the module, but google search results gave me this module as a first result when i was looking for a:

-- MIDI to CV-- module.

I figured it could translate MIDI to CV and vice versa because it showed up in the results. It even had a MIDI out AND a MIDI in port. Yesterday when my package arrived, it seemed like it was actually a module that could only translate CV to midi and not the other way around. This makes the module useless for me right now and i still cant play my synth with a keyboard.

[QUESTION]
Is there no possible way for the a-192-2 to translate MIDI into CV?
If not, what is a good alternative? Also why does the module have a MIDI in port??

I see there's on the market:
- Erica Synths Black MIDI-CV V2 (195 euros)
- Intellijel µMIDI (245 euros)
-Doepfer A-190-2 (110 euros)

Ive read the descriptions of all of these modules on diffent sites, but it would be really helpful if someone could help me choose the best one for my situation.

I would like to play my modular with my (pitchbendable) midi keyboard and possibly also via MIDI coming from Ableton later (not too important right n0w tho.

Thanks in advance :)

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1011537.jpg?1575574647

I make techno . I’m looking to start a new sample / effects based rack . I also use H9 Max .

Would like people’s opinions / constructive criticism on current set up .

Thanks

Hi there. I'm totally green to modular synth, finally starting to dip my toes in. I plan on visiting my local modular shop in the cities this weekend (Midwest Modular in Minneapolis dontcha know), but I figured I'd start a thread on here too to get some opinions. So my plan so far is to build a little synth that will:

1. Allow me to generate some drum and rhythm background sounds that I could have fun with and shape the sound of.
2. Allow me to practice the basics of synthesis with some of the bare essential elements.

People keep saying to buy a larger case than you need, but it appears to be cost effective to buy a HEK and then just buy a second one later. Am I wrong here? The intellijell cases are substantially more expensive and so is everything else I've found.

It will take me a long time to build this rig, so I'm also trying to decide what the best order to purchase everything in is. My current idea is to get the Domino first, then a mixer, then a sequencer, then a midi gate. This would give me something fun to play with while I slowly build the rest of the rig month after month, or am I wrong here?

The rest of the case so far is just simple basics because for all I know my goals will change as I learn more how modular synths work. I could always sell modules if I decide they're unnecessary, this stuff all seems to hold it's value pretty well, or am I wrong there? Should I be wary of purchasing any particular modules? I also have some DIY modules in there because while I am certainly no expert, I do have plenty of experience soldering amps, cable, guitar parts etc, and my dad is basically an electrical engineer, so I'm also looking forward to doing some of this stuff with him. Anyway, I'm totally open to opinions, just trying to get an idea. Oh and I also already grabbed the domino because it was on sale, maybe jumped the gun there.....

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1067379.jpg?1575567217

Also I apparently am a moron and can't figure out how to get a screenshot up of my rack, so hopefully that link works.

Wow, that's awesome. That would make signal processing so much easier. I found an ALM version with an offset that takes up 4hp vs the Befaco 5. I'm starting to think planning out a rack is just as fun as actually playing. Thanks again, Ronin.
-- omegasnk

Learning, learning, learning. The more you know how this stuff works... and works differently than "traditional" synths, the better you will be at planning out a rack that works for you. But it's really tough that in order to gain experience, you have to plan a rack out before you really have a handle on the environment.

IMHO, your first case should be big (at least 208HP total) and you should put just enough gear in it to get going. Then as you master what you've got, start adding modules that excite you. But you have to have a "basic" system first so you can explore in different directions. Again just my experience doing this.

The Intellijel 7U would be a great choice as it's in the same series and you can still plan on using the 1Us... just note that the Intellijel 1U standard IS NOT the Pulp Logic standard for 1U. So be sure any 1U modules will fit in your specific rack.

With the Mother32, you CAN put it in the rack. But that's something you should really have a good think about as the Mother32 comes in its own case with its own power supply. So putting it in a rack means you lose that many HP for modules that need to be in your rack.

The more you research, the more you'll know. Oh... and always devote some space in your build for adding a few more modules. Even if it's 20HP... the ability to squeeze in that ONE module that would really set things off once you've started USING your system is some good headroom to have.

Hey all, I need some eyes on this. I'm leaving some room to add things that I haven't thought of or really want to add once I get used to this but do you see anything missing here? I won't be playing this live and it'll be part of my other hardware gear ecosystem so it doesn't need to stand on it's own. It's for generating cool patterns, textures, or single sounds to resample. I'll be using the Mimetic sequencer but occasionally will also use the Beatstep Pro - it will at least send clock when I'm using the Mimetic. Lastly, I also will be incorporating my DFAM, Nuetron, and Minitaur into this setup for additional voices, filtering and LFO options.

Thanks in advance!

I think I will let go off the idea of the small system, and look for a bigger case (maybe slightly bigger even than the 4U 104HP you mentioned, as long as it's still relatively portable) with at first "only" a few basic modules including either the Atlantis or Mother32.

I'll be back when I got a clearer plan, thanks for your kind advice and encouragement. :)

Did some trades with @airfrankenstein , cool dude , fast & strong shipping , module in perfect shape : I absolutely recommend :)

Cheers guys...
Someone over on the FB Eurorack group suggested the Qu-Bit Pulsar, this might be a thing as i think it will do a 1-shot burst of gates from a single pulse rather like hitting its Burst button.
The X7 idea is great though, for the moment the Pulsar is probably a little way off in my plan for buying modules. I'm mostly thinking smaller and cheaper at the moment.
So could a Divided by 16/32/64 Clock Pulse - Clock a Multiplier to trigger that flurry of Sequencer notes? Or would the Clock already be so slow in tempo that the Multiplier would be too slow?! I need a calculator to work this out!!

Wow, that's awesome. That would make signal processing so much easier. I found an ALM version with an offset that takes up 4hp vs the Befaco 5. I'm starting to think planning out a rack is just as fun as actually playing. Thanks again, Ronin.

You might actually look into driving a trigger/gate sequencer with a clock multiplier. In fact, this has more potential IMHO; if you want to have your pulse sequence timed in some strange tuplets, this would definitely be a solution. Taking, say, an output at x7 would give you seven timing pulses per "main" clock pulse, or what you'd call a "septuplet". Use that to drive a sequencer...and if you have trig/gate sequences longer or shorter than 7 beats, then the crossrhythms will start to get quite complicated.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Interesting thought. I don't think I came across such module yet. If you do please let me/us know, might be an interesting one!

Good luck for the search of such module and kind regards, Garfield.

The Maths will be enough to get you started with attenuators. Channel 2 and 3 are dedicated to this. But you may find you'd want something like a Befaco Attenuverter. It also includes an offset dial. The offset allows you to center your CV around a point other than zero. Just imagine taking an LFO that goes from -5 to +5v and then attenuating it to -2 to +2V. Then using the offset knob to change the range from +1 to +5.

Ronin, thanks so much. Yes, I think I'll start with the ES-9 and slowly figure out things from there. This will also save my wallet as I expand the rack. Thanks for the input on the Voltage Block and the attenuators/mixers. I was hoping the hex VCA and Maths would be enough, but I'll look into dropping the Block and adding some more attenuverters and mixers, maybe still have room for Mimetic Digitalis too. I promise if I ever hit the lottery, I'll make sure you find that 'evaluation' 4MS SMR. Cheers.

I don't have experience with the 4MS... but I'm willing to evaluate one! :)

A module you might want to try is the Expert Sleepers Disting Mk4. It's under $200US. I hate the interface. But it's full of different routines for reverbs, compression, resonators, etc. It's great for trying out different effects and figuring out if you'd like a dedicated module. Your Erica DSP will have some overlap but not too much as the Erica concentrates on just effects and not processing.

Another benefit you have is the ES E9. You can use your DAW as a virtual module with audio and CV flowing between. While not convenient, you can explore different effects and decide if you'd like something in hardware.

If you're keeping the MiniBrute, then you have access to additional traditional envelopes, filters, etc., I'd hang on to the Neutron for a while as it can serve as a utility box of modules until you're ready to retire it.

The biggest lack I see are mixers and attenuators/attenuverters. Most people overlook them. You're missing out on the power of modular if you can't submix signals or attenuate/invert them... both audio and CV. If you have an SQ-1, then the Voltage Block might be a bit redundant vs. adding some more utility modules. You have to make that call, though. Be aware that the Ornaments and crime does have some basic sequencing abilities in it that will cover a portion of what you get out of the Voltage Block.

Also... order your modules in stages as you are meaning to fill this rack. As you get to know each of your new modules it might influence where you go in finishing off your rack... priorities will change. So don't be in a rush to fill this thing.

EDITED Dec 4th 2019, 22:42

Hey Ronin,

Thanks for the reply. I plan on keeping the Minibrute 2s and 0-Coast as a core part of this setup. My original reason for getting the Rackbrute was to further sophisticate my desktop modulation and I quickly found myself planning out the rest of the rack. The appeal of the Rackbrute in specific was how easily it marries with the Minibrute 2s.

I was also flirting with the 4MS Spectral Multiband Resonator over some of the effects modules. Any thoughts on that?

How would you like us to evaluate your rack? The current state of the picture or functionality without the semi-modular synths you've mentioned (Neutron, MiniBrute, 0-Coast)?

If you're dependent on your semi-modulars then anything in the rack is a bonus. As a self-contained rack, there are a lot of holes or things I'd be concerned about if it was given to me to use without the semi-modulars.

If your plan is to ditch the Brute, then having a Rack-Brute case may not be the best option for your modules. You've already bought it so we're stuck with it... unless you really like the format. Again... where should we be aiming?

I hope that doesn't put you off of getting into Eurorack. Most semi-modular synths are a good value for those just getting into Eurorack. Small systems just don't provide a lot of value for the money. If you have the money and are going to expand in the near future... they make more sense. But you have to cram a lot of features into a small space and that too has to be a consideration.

You'll also find something called a "synth voice" which is basically a Eurorack module that contains all if not most of what you need for a synthesizer. Intellijel also makes the Atlantis module which is based on the Roland MS101. That too would also make a great starting module. But you'd have to supply a MIDI to CV converter if you want to use a controller or you DAW to address it.

Just don't think of any starter modules or synths as entry-level. Most of them aren't. The Mother-32 or Atlantis still hold there own in a massive system. So you won't lose value if you expand. You just might end up with some redundancy or options depending on how you look at it.

Are you going to take another crack at sketching up another rack? You didn't pick bad modules at all. It's just the configuration would make things difficult for you. I hope you try again.