Two important questions. Should I do it? And what should I get?

Okay, so I am contemplating diving into this rabbithole. But first of all, I am really unshure if this is the right way to go for my needs and wants.
The main thing I am looking after is creating cool textured soundscapes and drones both for my solo works (Neo classical and ambient I guess you would call it) and for my metal band project that where i make dark ambient interludes and soundscapes to use in the background and some times foreground of the music. If i had to give you some comparison to what I am after I guess I would say Johann Johannson´s last and first men, Vast by Yair Elezar Glotman and Viktor Orri Arnason,
The main focus will therefore be on darker ambient soundscapes and textures for my music. My thought process is that a eurorack system, with the rigth modules could help me create really interesting and cool soundscapes and drones, with a lot of texture and detail, but I have not found any good examples of someone doing stuff like this and showing it so I am not shure if this is the right way to go. To be clear my main focus would not be on creating whole songs and beats on the system, but more on creating drones soundscapes, textures and ambience.
Now I mainly do drones and soundscapes through creating pads in vital, and with my Software Juno 60, and mixing in some field recordings here and there. Sometimes timestreching recordings of my piano and using the reverbtails of my guitar.

So that is the first question. Is a modular setup, going to be good for this kind of thing, or am I better of just doing it in other ways. And that is one more question I guess. Is a modular setup going to enable me to do stuff in this vein that I could not do/would be hard without one?

Okay, so if I where to buy a modular setup, what should I go for? One important thing is that I could use it with my DAW (Logic). I would probably like to run fieldrecordings, and audio from acoustic instruments thorugh it, recordings of my piano or guitar. I am kind of confused about this. Can I hook my modular setup up to logic, and record stuff from the modular in to logic all with the help of the expert sleepers es9? I know it allows you to record multitracks into the daw which is nice, but does it also work as an input? I am kind of confused.
I will make this easier by just stating what I need.
I want to be able to use the modular in tandem with Logic. I want to have a modular where I can make cool drones textures and soundscapes from scratch and then record it (preferably in multitracks) into logic. I also want to be able to send audio, and maybe midi, from logic to the modular for this reason. It would be nice if I could send more than one Audiotrack into the modular at once, say for example I want to make a drone/soundscape, with a low pianonote, a Cello and a violin. Could I do all of this with the es9? Or do I need something like the bitbox 1010? I am a bit confused.

I have made a rack with the things I am considering for this kind of setup(I would preferably narrow it down to around 3000 pounds):

What do you think is a good setup for my needs? For the case I think I will go for the mantis, as it has a lot of space and is cheaper than the intellijel cases. Thank you for your help!

EDITED Mar 28th 2023, 13:53

Hi,
Better share a link to the rack, so we can see the details of the different modules.

If you search on Youtube for Eurorack ambient or Eurorack Drone you will find many videos, some with in-depth explanations, especially for drones.

Modular is neither better nor worse for what you are looking for, what it is is very flexible and scalable, and mainly very expensive.
< Can I hook my modular setup up to logic, and record stuff from the modular in to logic all with the help of the expert sleepers es9? I know it allows you to record multitracks into the daw which is nice, but does it also work as an input?>
ES9 is basically an audio and midi output module. There are pre-amplified input modules, since you need to amplify the signal to Eurorack levels. Interesting that they have Envelope Follower, so you can generate CV from external sounds. For example the cheap Doepfer https://www.modulargrid.net/e/doepfer-a-119

I don't understand the two power sources. If you need more power you can include a source like https://www.modulargrid.net/e/4ms-company-row-power-45
I think Brains and Plaits overlap. I would stick with Plaits (or a clone) and add another oscillator with built-in modulation like https://www.modulargrid.net/e/erica-synths-black-vco2
You would also need an effects module, like clouds or Monsoon
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/calsynth-monsoon-aluminum
And a matrix mixer would be a good idea, to modulate the cv, it takes up little space https://www.modulargrid.net/e/crazy-chicken-matrix
And now, to finish for now, vca's
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/nano-modules-alt

Lastly, the two hundred pound thing is a typo, right? Because that's worth it Maths....
Best regards

EDITED Mar 28th 2023, 12:35

Thank you for replying!

I have updated it now, it was the wrong link earlier.

So I only need the es9 and an inputmodul to meet my needs for connectivity?
Lastly, the two hundred pound thing is a typo, right?
I would at least be able to do this for below 300 pounds, if possible.

EDITED Mar 28th 2023, 13:09

Lastly, the two hundred pound thing is a typo, right?
I would at least be able to do this for below 300 pounds, if possible.
-- Markusbjorli

ModularGrid evaluates the above rack at €4.049

Thank you for replying!

I have updated it now, it was the wrong link earlier.

So I only need the es9 and an inputmodul to meet my needs for connectivity?
Doepfer Input module has only one Input, if you need more inputs, you will need more input modules.
Although it is not necessary for everyone to have an envelope follower
For example, you have this one from Ladik, very cheap with 4 lines.
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/ladik-a-520-4ch-in-line-preamp

Lastly, the two hundred pound thing is a typo, right?
I would at least be able to do this for below 300 pounds, if possible.
Only ES-9 costs more than 550 pounds new....
And you also have Arbhar and Morphagene.... Forget about spending less than 3000 pounds even getting good second hand
-- Markusbjorli

EDITED Mar 28th 2023, 13:35

Only ES-9 costs more than 550 pounds new....
And you also have Arbhar and Morphagene.... Forget about spending less than 3000 pounds even getting good second hand

Sorry I meant 3000! And I should have said it in the post, but I will eliminate modules from the rack as it stands now, when I get a better grasp of what I need. I could use some help on that point.

ES9 is a DC-coupled audio interface - it allows you to send both audio and cv to and from your computer - it can be controlled by midi to some degree - so that it can also be used as a mixer - I don't know if it can be used as an interface and a mixer simultaneously - you would have to read the latest manual, which is available on the Expert Sleepers website

if you want to bring external instruments up to modular levels then you will need some sort of pre-amp module - or some vcas will also do this - the intellijel quad you have racked, for instance - but you may find you are using multiple channels to get enough gain - a mutable veils clone would be better as it has a lot more gain on each channel (if you want to use a vca for this) - personally I would get a dedicated input module - but be sure that you buy what you want by doing research and thinking about how many channels you want and what other features - envelope follower, gate extractor, pitch follower are all possible - and are all available in other modules - examples would be doepfer (cheap and cheerful and a bit gritty), befaco (more expensive but clean) and the sonicsmith ev1 converter (which adds pitch following amongst other thing) nb all of those are mono for inputting guitar/bass and
possibly vocals

other points: the Pams you have racked is the original - which was discontinued years ago - I would at least get a Pamela's New Workout (used - as again discontinued) or a Pamela's Pro Workout - the latest version which adds quite a few features...

do you need scales, the midi to cv module, pams and an es9 for sequencing? probably not all of them...

using es9, pams and the midi to cv module as sources of pitch - they will all be already quantized - this makes scales redundant (& I intensely dislike this word in regard to modules)

keep pams (one of the newer versions anyway) - as it can be used as a random pitch generator as well as the many other things it can be used for

keep the es9 - as it will be your audio interface - and install either cv tools, silent way or vcv rack (vst version) to allow you to sequence from your daw... whichever works for you

get rid of the midi->cv module it's superfluous

and get a matrix mixer...

tiptop mantis is an excellent choice of starter case - I have one & if I were to buy another case (most of mine are DIY) I wouldn't hesitate to buy another mantis

also read my signature: and think long and hard about what it says... apply this to your thinking before you start spending money on modules!!! you don't have to follow the advice therein, but at least think about it...