User Posts

Hi Funbun,

Nice video! Around 2:30 when I saw those rocks on the other side of the river, I suddenly went back in time, on Mars when there was still water running, beautiful! I also like the subtle sounds of your AE modular system, goes well with the video.

Nice flowers and nature impressions by the way, from your own garden or from the area of the river you live nearby?

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

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Oh yeah! :-) Both videos are nice and fun to watch but totally different approach, had seen indeed before from both persons other demos. Still difficult too choose, but perhaps I might choose in this case the user interface over the CV possibility; not sure yet though.

Thanks for sharing and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Klciuum,

Most of us write English here, I don't really understand French, sorry about that. Looks like you might not had this wanted to post it here? ;-) The section here (Forum --> Racks) is visible for everyone :-)

Little remark on your rack here, looks nice but please look into more classic/simple modules as well. Sinfonion is definitely a nice module, I got one and love to use it but keep in mind that's meant for large environments, meaning you need to provide it with lots of input (for this beast you just can't have enough VCOs, filters, LFOs, EGs and VCAs), so it can produce even more output. But... it's a fantastic module!

Similar comment for the Rainmaker, I don't have it but I am quite sure it's lovely to use it, but for starters I do think it's A) too large --> sucks up a lot of your available HP-space and B) it might be a bit too complex (like the Sinfonion) to start with.

Good luck with your modular planning and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Nashtyboi,

Fair enough, then just get an audio output module, Beface Out v3 is quite nice; it has headphones output too, so you can ditch that headphones module then ;-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Hmm... yes... good point :-) I also like to have some CV control. So from a CV control point of view the 104 is more attractive. The 103 is still attractive for me because of the user interface, the bigger knobs and the layout of this module seems to be better to me. Nicer to use I think but that CV thingy... 104... hmm... yes... you make me hesitating now :-)

Please share your experience with the 104 once you got it and have it tried out for a while, I am very curious!

Thank you and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Nashtyboi,

Welcome to ModularGrid :-)

Consider the 1U - Audio I/O module from Intellijel, that provides you proper audio input and output possibilities, then you don't have any worries there. The output you can then take to your mixer or directly to your audio interface (to DAW). If you want to use monitors/speakers (and not only headphones) then take a (small) mixer, you can then take the main output of your mixer to your monitors and one of the sub-outputs to the DAW.

For building a new rack (assuming you have no external synth gear already) please keep in mind a minimum classic setup of something like this: 2 VCOs, optional a ring mod, 2 filters, 2 EGs, 2 VCAs (1 lin + 1 exp) and don't forget to add at least one better two LFOs. For more details you also can have a look at a post between Metal_Serra and myself in the post called "First modular rack build" also here in "Racks"-forum where I go into more details, this is for most of the parts applicable here too :-)

Good luck with the planning and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Sislte,

Ha, ha, I love this phrase: "Slavic viking schlager" :-) Well being honest with you, I got a "serious" allergy for "schlagers"-music so I was actually quite scared just those fractions of a second before I pressed the play button of your track...

But I should have known! There was nothing to be afraid off :-) I continue like your creativity in your tracks and as Kel already mentioned, some nice (unexpected) changes.

I hope to hear more of the creativity that you are able to put in your (future) sound tracks! :-)

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

All right! STO, ADDAC 104 VC T-networks (let me know what you think of it once you have used it for a while, I consider the 103) and Disting's Stereo Tape Delay, wow! This sounds very promising as some superb ingredients for your next track :-)

Thanks for that interesting filter hint about CV swinging between BP and LP, nice idea, got to try that once I find time.

Cheers, Garfield.

Hi Quantum_Eraser,

You are welcome and thank you very much for your kind E-mail with the so detailed answer on your patch and how you made this music. Very interesting to read. No worries, I am not going to copy your music style or this track, I was just wondering how you did it. While typing this message, I listen again at your track, still beautiful :-)

I was actually asking about your recorder, so you did that with the 4ms WAV recorder, wow, didn't expect that :-) What's the technical spec of that one? Ah, 24 bits/96 kHz, okay not too bad, no wonder it sounds good (from a recording point of view). Good to hear that you didn't do any external processing, because I had that in mind as well: I am looking for a physical recorder and then hopefully not having the need for using a computer. Not sure if I am going to succeed, I still might end up with a computer based solution :-(

What is amazing is your nice (relatively) simple approach here: taking some Russian radio chatter (nice one by the way) from youtube and the way you used snippets of Mono is an interesting idea too :-) Yeah, I call that beautiful music engineering ;-)

The way you describe the Arbhar, it sounds like I need to check out that module and see if that's something I would like to use as well, I am going to investigate that module, thanks for the hint and highlighting that here in your track.

Okay, if you don't mind I continue listening at your track, the next click on your track will be the 12th time I am going to listen at it :-)

I hope you will share more of your music and if you ever come with the brilliant idea of coming up with an album you must let us know ;-) Oh yes, and include that above track to that album, please?! Meanwhile enjoy modular, good luck with music creation and greetings from Germany, Garfield.

Hi Kel,

Yes indeed about "nice all in one solution" that's what I am kind of hoping for as well for this sequencer. That's why I can't wait to try it out at my dealer, if the virus situation allows us... which isn't for the moment. Anyway, let's see when it will be released but I can hardly wait...

Another one to keep an eye on is the Erica Synths - Black Sequencer, that looks very promising too but without that mini-keyboard however instead it comes with 16 encoders that might be good too, so might be difficult to choose from...

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Ah, that's what you meant :-) Yeah I forgot sometimes the con of modular ;-)

Most of the times, even if I got a nice patch, after a while, I am okay to "pull the plugs" as you call it and start all over again with a plain rack without cables, ready for a new sonic experience!

However in your above case, it hurts, knowing that this wouldn't come back, because it's close to impossible to get all the same settings back, perhaps here and there a wrongly patch cable and it's just impossible to get an exact copy of that music back. So I hope you saved the sound file somewhere safely ;-) Or give me a copy of that last track and I will keep that for you safely, kind of backup ;-)

Have fun with modular, enjoy the unplugging of the cables for a next surprise!

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Quantum_Eraser,

I clicked your sound/track and still busy with reading E-mails, so my brain's task was focusing on something completely else, not really listening at your music, to be honest but I couldn't focus on that work any more that I had so urgently to do. Your music... I can't find the words, I was forced to walk to my listening chair, stuck there...

The sound, the music, so subtle, so gripping, my brain stopped working only focussing on listening... almost as being in a trance. My heart protested, not really wanting to beat any more, wanted to listen as well via my ears...
After a while, I don't know how long, I got a shortage of oxygen, not realising that I didn't breath any longer...

This is not happening to me very often, but this... this is something really serious...

To me this sounds like some serious A-class movie sound track music! I don't know how you do it... (please let me know how you recorded it, technical details, devices used, etcetera --> I am struggling to find a good way of recording, perhaps your way might give me ideas for my own recording)

Fantastic! Extremely well done, so subtle, so good, this is by far the best sound track I have heard here on Modular Grid so far. The harmony, how it all fits together... I am still not functioning well... difficulties to look at what I am writing with half wet-eyes... speechless...

I have to stop, sorry, you really got me there (in a good way), my most well-meant respect for this track!

Kind regards, Garfield.

P.S.: Going to listen at your track for the 4th time, I don't think I will stop listening tonight, let me know the link to your album where this track is part of. I hope there is an album of such good music?! :-)

Hi Klciuum,

Waiting for this module for ages... do you know when the real release date will be?

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Pull the plugs and delete the files? Are you nuts? ;-) You have to save the files, all the tracks you have done previously, make an album out of it, so we can get a copy too... before you are deleting it... are you serious or was that a joke? :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Metal_Serra,

Take it easy here is my advice. Don't force yourself into something by getting a wrong start or something. Why not taking a bit more time into checking a few more modules that you might like. Indeed read into those semi-modulars a bit more as well. It's not a must but it's at least a cheap start to confirm you really going to like this and while you need more time to check, you can save more money.

If you can't start with 12 modules (that's just an example, it's not a must), perhaps you can start with 6 or 8 or whatever by that time you can effort. But as mentioned, this isn't going to be cheap, as long as you keep that in mind, you should be fine.

Take it easy, read and check a lot and then make up your mind :-) I know, it's easier said than done, but we all have gone through that "starting, learning & exploring" phase; a phase by the way that never really stops, there is always something more to explore and find in the modular world.

Naturally don't hesitate to drop here and there a question in the forum if you need more information on certain subjects.

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield.

Edit: removed typo.

EDITED May 10th 2020, 17:36

Hi Spencerdeathwaltz,

Main advice: Look into a much bigger case, the one you showing here is far too small. Depending on what other gear you might have you might need a large or a medium size casing but I advise strongly against such small case.

Depending on how much synthesizer experience you have, you might need to read yourself into the basic principles of synthesizers and of modular in common.

A good start would be the post I just replied today to, which is here in this Forum as well, also in this Rack section and then look for the post that's called: "First modular rack build" from Metal_Serra. I explained there in many details about rack space, modular basic setup, etcetera. That should give you a good jump start then.

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Heard,

You definitely need an audio (input/) output module. The audio levels of modular are not the same as audio line levels.

But if that solves the problem you described, I am not too sure. If you look for a small, reasonable audio output module, you might want to have a look at the Beface Out v3 module, that one is small in size, has a headphone option and gives you stereo output at the usual audio level.

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Metal_Serra,

Yes please be aware that this forum has a kind of "bug" that if you write too long messages, I mean if you need long time to write a message, that there is likely to be a time-out and you loose everything you just wrote :-( It's pretty frustrating, I have mentioned this already to the owners of this website but not sure where exactly problem lays, it looks like it's not an easy problem to solve. To me it looks like a time-out timer issue for this website but that hint didn't seem to help ;-)

So the only thing what you can do, at least that's what I do, since I also lost a few times quite long texts I prepared to write to people, is... just before you click on the send/submit button is that you select the entire text you wrote (control-a) and do control-c (copy). So if the submit goes wrong because of the time-out, at least you can login again, reply to the message you were busy with, and control-p (paste) it back in there. Still not nice or perfect but at least a workable workaround.

All right, so you are going full for modular system then?! :-) Well, welcome here at modular grid and welcome into the financial black-hole :-) But you seem to be capable of keeping yourself under control if it comes to buying pedals, so let's hope you can do the same with the modules.

All right 2 * 104 HP doesn't sound too bad and since you got already here and there a few bits, to start with, let's hope that's enough for the moment. But then your next question is a difficult one... only 3 modules to start with? Let's have a look at a minimum classic setup:

2 VCOs, if you like a ring mod one of that too, 2 filters, 1 LFO (2 would be better), 2 EGs, 2 VCAs (one linear and one logarithmic), mixer and audio input/output module and then we are not talking yet about some utilisation modules, other kind of fun stuff, just the pure basic stuff. That are already 2+1 (ring mod)+2+1 LFO+2+2+1 mixer+1 audio = 12 modules, as a minimum...

Now I understand that you got here and there already a bit but how you want to reduce from 12 modules to 3 modules is not very clear to me. To me that sounds you want to do the impossible ;-) In my above example you can skip the ring modulator for the moment, that makes it 11 modules. Let's say you go first for just one filter and one EG as well and let's say you start with a logarithmic VCA only as well, then you still need as a minimum 8 modules... you could go down to 6 modules by only having one oscillator (then you might not need the mixer as well) but by reducing to so less modules there isn't much modular synth fun left if you would ask me...

So with reducing to 6 modules you are looking at this: 1 VCO, 1 filter (VCF), 1 LFO, 1 EG, 1 VCA (log) & 1 audio output module.

Yes, this is theoretically possible but I would strongly advise against it, keep my initial basic setup of 12 modules in mind, you can tweak there around with one or two modules but don't go down to only 3 or 6 modules, I don't think that makes sense.

So my offer still stands... try this out first with a Neutron :-) Even if you are deep into modular, the Neutron still can be used. I regularly still use the LFO of the Neutron, very useful one and the dual VCOs aren't too bad either.

Be careful with what you are planning, it sounds a bit scary to me, good luck with it and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Ha, ha, someone only needs to give you the Pluck module and an effects module and you are happy and making fantastic music! :-)

Listening at your latest track, I can hear the happiness that you shine through out the music. If I may compare it with your previous, above track, this latest track is more balanced and in harmony. Don't get me wrong though, your previous track is a good one too, it has a lot of nice surprises on its sleeves for the listener. However if you would ask me to choose between the two, I would go for the latter one.

It's a good relaxing song (this latest one) with an almost kind of Buddha sound-touch to it, so peaceful, so nice to listen at. I don't think I over-exhilarate to say and claim here that this is so far your best track/song!

Very well done, this makes my Sunday a complete, back to earth, and so peaceful in mind experience. Thank you very much for that!

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Metal_Serra,

Where shall I start? ;-) Perhaps with a big welcome into modular synths? :-)

Fun putting aside, please be careful when you plan a modular system. May I ask why you "must have" a modular synth? What is your real reason to have one? If it would be anything into the direction of: "Because everyone has nowadays one" or "Because it looks cool" or something like that, you might wonder if you really should get one. No matter how carefully you plan, how much time you read in the evenings and nights about it, preparing yourself, etcetera, a modular synth, there is no way of getting around it, is bloody expensive. And once you are hooked into it, there are things going to happen to you, you start thinking of selling your car, house, partner, kids, whatever you can find to sell to get more gear, more modules and more rack space. Naturally I am kidding here about partner and kids but the thought of selling your car or house shouldn't surprise you once you are into this! :-)

Okay having said that, just as a warning, so you can't claim, I haven't warn you ;-) Having said this all, a modular synth is fantastic but you need to be willing to let it cost a fortune. Think in several thousands of dollars/Euros as a very minimum, likely a factor "X" of that.

That's one thing, the other thing is, that you might want to take this a bit slower first and get a better conceptual thinking of a synthesizer in common. My way of doing this was by getting a Behringer Neutron, it's reasonably priced, so if you discover after that exercise that modular is nothing for you, at least it didn't cost you an arm and a leg! The Neutron is nice to start with because you got all the basic components in one device with quite a few patching possibilities. Components like: 2 VCOs, LFO, filter, two EGs (envelopes or ADSRs), VCA and it even got: a delay, overdrive, sample & hold (S&H), slew rate limiter and two attenuators.

Don't think because of all that "basic" stuff there is no fun with the Neutron, no the opposite I would say. With the Neutron you can test basic functionality, get surprisingly quite some nice sound out of it, and it gives you a "pre-tasting" of modular synthesizers. It's a kind of test for yourself to see if you are really into modular synths or not and it's a cheap way to discover it. If you go directly into modular, it's very costly and if you don't do your homework right, it's going to be a frustrating and expensive experience that might go wrong :-( So I would like to avoid that, if I would be you.

Don't get me wrong here, I don't want you to think modular synths sucks, no it isn't but you have to be very well prepared, very sure about this. Once you are (and my advice is to have that tested with for example a Neutron), you can go all the way with modular synths :-)

Okay, let's put that all behind us, let's say you are very sure about this, checking your E-mail further:

It's good to see you got already a guitar with lots of pedals. I recently got the Source Audio - Ventris Dual Reverb pedal, what a fantastic pedal that is! I don't have a guitar but I am using this effect pedal/module for my modular synth and wow, what a beautiful sound you can get with that Ventris! So having a few pedals wouldn't harm to lift up your sound a bit :-)

The Digitakt and the Circuit Mono Stations are nice too, so that helps you and since you got those already, you might need indeed not straight away a full blown modular synth to get started.

Still, my advice would be to look into a bit bigger rack. You might not want to believe this at this stage but you can't have a big enough rack. Go for at least 3 * 84 HP or 2 * 104 HP as a real absolute minimum. Even that's too small but for your case, it might be a good start indeed.

What I like of your "design" is that you left a lot of space empty, that's good. Don't straight away fully plan it because you need space "to grow" with your experience and your changing needs within modular synthesizer. So in your above example that's enough reserved space or better if you would go for a 3 * 84 HP rack, leave at least one row empty to start with.

Going into your planned modules. STO and Plaits are good modules that also can give a good benefit to those who just starts in modular synth. However modules like Stages might be good but to start with? I would advise against that. Start easy and simple, grow in experience and then look more into those "fancy" (or a better word is perhaps "complex") modules.

Back to the roots: My question stands... are you sure you are ready for modular synth? You seriously might want to get started with for example a Neutron first to create an appetite for modular and test your likings.

If you are now already very sure that you want to go into modular then welcome to modular and enjoy :-)

Good luck and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Harko93,

Difficult to advise on an already existing rack, since I don't know your (background) thinking of how you came to this rack, the ideas behind it, etcetera; but I will give it a try:

In my opinion you could do this two ways (or both, perhaps the best!). One way is, adding a nice basic LFO for some simple but good LFO modulation, nothing fancy, just a semi-plain LFO, that can provide you sometimes at least as much fun as a "fancy" LFO. For a good and basic LFO, I can recommend the Doepfer A-145-1 LFO, it's a basic but good LFO and it has parallel outputs for the different wave shapes: pulse, triangle, sine, saw and reverse-saw. It has a switch for speed ranges: low, medium and high that enables you to use this from being a slow LFO to a pretty fast one. This is a reliable LFO that I use in almost all of my patches and I am really happy with it. Naturally you can take any other "basic"/"plain" LFO you prefer, this is just an example.

The other way would be the opposite and get a wild or "fancy" LFO that might give you a lot of more modulation possibilities. If you really want something seriously crazy then I can recommend the Erica Synths - Black Octasource, I call this a psychopath of a module, which it really is :-) In a positive way that is. Because this module is so crazy, you need some time to understand it and tame this beast but once you get it under your control (can you ever have a psychopath under control...? ;-) ) you can really have joyful modules with your dullest modules and you get very interesting results.

Since a basic LFO doesn't need to be too expensive, I would actually advise to take two LFOs, a good basic one, and a "fancy" one, so you can do everything you want from basic stuff to crazy stuff.

Good luck with the choice(s) of LFOs and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Farkas,

Thank you very much and you are welcome.

Have a good weekend, enjoy modular as much as you can :-) And kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Harko93,

Well, looking at your rack, I don't see too many VCOs, EGs and filters, since you are going to ditch the Ripples ;-) Depending on your own needs, you might want to look into those components. LFOs perhaps as well?

My main advice would be not too hurry with it, take your sweet time for it and rather extend it module by module then getting everything in one go.

Good luck with the planning of the rest of your rack, enjoy modular and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Farkas,

Sorry to hear about the lost of Florian Schneider :-( Kraftwerk is indeed an inspiration for me too.

It's very nice of you to honour him by creating a very nice track by the way, amazing how fast you come up with this, so good!

Thank you for sharing and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Sislte,

Oh.... that makes it, to decide what to consider to be the next VCO/DCO, even more difficult, because the other one I am considering is indeed the Cs-L, if looking at the larger oscillators.

Why can't we just all win the lottery so we don't have to choose and just can buy whatever we want to have it tested and play with? ;-) Just kidding.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Farkas,

Thanks a lot for the additional information, it's nice to hear how one comes to certain sound creation! :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Mucho,

Some more ideas...? Well, then you might perhaps want to consider the Erica Synths - Black Octasource, a hell of a psychopath of a module that can make even the most boring module sound like a good module. The modulation possibilities are fantastic, mind the modulation possibilities that the Octasource can provide to other modules. It might be in the beginning (when you get to start to know this Octasource) a bit rough module to tame, but once you got it in your way under control, you can do influencing other modules on some real nice modulation level with this beast.

And if you and the Octasource completely want to go bananas then modulate the Octasource too, nothing is real after that any more ;-)

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Yavilec,

Oh that's nice! Thanks a lot for sharing and demoing the Lyra8-FX module. You got some nice sounds and effects there :-)

I like the Plaits module by the way, got it myself as well, was worth the effort to get it and real nice sounds can be created with it, as your demo track shows, obviously.

Thank you, take care and kind regards, Garfield.

P.S.: It goes without saying that I can't wait for your next track ;-)

Hi Hedgemunkees,

Wow! You can produce new albums faster than I can listen at them ;-)

I like the Cabrakan Tri track as a kind of light breeze before you get really serious with Haplkern Chetire, that's a nice track all right! And continuing listening at your album...

By the way, any chance that you are using the Deluge from Synthstrom Audible? If yes, would you mind to share your experiences with it (pros/cons, etc.)? On one hand I feel it's an interesting device but there is no dealer in Europe that imports it, so no way to try it out and it isn't a very cheap device either, so taking the risk of importing it: freight charges, import taxes and the struggle with customs is most likely not worth it. So the more (user) information & experience I could get about it, would be great and helpful.

Thank you for sharing and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Are you sure about in-rack percussion? That might use up quite some (future, new) rack space... Having said that, I got myself Tea Kick module from Bastl Instruments and I am (very) happy with that one, simple but nice and good to use. I am also enjoying Kick_Me from Snazzy FX, also an interesting module, with the clip switch you can change the sound quite a bit, that gives it a certain "bite" to it ;-)

Well good luck with your percussion plans and I look forward in hearing some interesting tracks with your hopefully soon acquired percussion stuff :-) It would be nice to hear from you what you decided on the percussion part.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Farkas,

Wow, that's nice! What were your main modules making this music? Completely within modular or did you use other stuff as well?

I wouldn't mind to hear more of this kind of stuff. You wrote that's not your usual sound, then what's your usual sound; any examples? :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing and I look forward in hearing more music from you, kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

I had to listen your track straight away for a second time, just to make sure... that I was right... and yes I was, again a fantastic track from you :-) Lots of nice sounds and fun to listen at. First I thought I was being at home listening at your music but a bit after 7:30 you hyper-spaced me in somewhere far galaxy horizons!

What just one filter can do with your creativity! Amazing :-)

I really mean this. I recently started to try to record myself some stuff. While playing (and recording it), I seriously enjoyed it, it's a lot of fun to make music. But once I was ready and listening at it in my "listening chair" at what I just recorded, it was just flat boredom, nothing exciting about it... :-(

So that's why I am amazed and I am jealous that you can make so fun sounds and music that's so interesting to listen at! :-)

Well done and kind regards, Garfield.

HI Hedgemunkees,

Thanks a lot for the additional information. It's interesting to see how one comes to certain sounds and realisations!

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Migdzio,

Welcome to modular! Since you bought already a case, it's useless for me to say that it's a too small case but never mind since you got that already, you will discover that soon enough for yourself ;-)

I have myself the Waldorf NW1, it certainly is a nice module and worth the money since it's at a special offer for quite some while already. But ehm... are you sure about it's MIDI capacities? I haven't come across that. I just checked the manual again and I only could find this:

USB for custom / text wavetables transfer and firmware update
and
USB interface with galvanic isolation

Again, I can't find anything about MIDI, but please let me know where in the manual I can find that, because that would make that module even much better as it already is. Anyway, I don't believe it has MIDI but even without MIDI, yes this is a fantastic module however... considering your available space as well as, and that you start into modular, so for starters I wouldn't recommend to start with the NW1. It isn't the easiest module as a starter to start with. I would indeed advice you then to take a "plain" VCO from Doepfer or any other brand with a plain VCO, like for example Make Noise, the STO. Yes, the STO looks plain, easy and simple and indeed it is but don't under estimate the possibilities of this little powerful VCO that can produce some fantastic nice sounds! It's currently one of my most favourite VCOs.

For Doepfer, the A-111-2 is a nice one to start with, single VCO but with quite a few patching possibilities and you straight away got a VCO with 6 different (parallel) wave shape outputs. Not that that is so important (to have 6 outputs, for example 3 or 4 would be usually fine too) but it's sometimes nice to have and to play with that and experiment.

It's good anyway to have at least two VCOs, preferable a ring modulator too, so you can start doing already a few nice things there!

The Doepfer Wasp filter is bang on! It's so far one of my best filters, if not the best. The "best" as in, most nice filter to play with and to get easily some nice effects. You might want to consider a second filter, just for the necessary variation. A low pass filter might be an idea. Doepfer (for example A-120) or any other brand.

Since you want to control everything by MIDI, consider a MIDI module as well (no, again, NW1 is not a MIDI module ;-) ). There are many brands but in my opinion not too many that gives you an easy to use module that has enough possibilities at the same time. Brands you might want to check are Doepfer, Expert Sleepers and Vermona (of course there are other good brands that have MIDI modules too). I am actually a quite big Doepfer fan however with the exception of their MIDI module(s), I wasn't happy with my Doepfer A-190-5, I exchanged that one with Vermona qMI 2 and wow, Vermona is so nice and easy to use, no struggles there. It has four channels, so if that's too much for you to start with, look into smaller MIDI modules, then there is more choice too.

Oh yes, since you have very limited HP space in your casing, another advice is to look into not too big modules, so another reason to look for another VCO than that NW1.

The Behringer 911 EG hasn't been released yet, most likely end of May is the current availability date indicator of my local dealer but it's pretty common with new announced stuff that the real time-to-market date keeps postponing. Since one can't have enough EGs and LFOs anyway, consider for the meantime another EG. Two EGs to start with if you would ask me. At least one LFO, if possible two LFOs as well.

Teasing you here but... are you already start to realise that one row Eurocase is getting (too) small? ;-)

I don't have myself Equinox equipment so I can't comment on that. But consider at least another LFO if you like to stick with that Equinox LFO. Since you are into Doepfer anyway then consider the A-145-1 LFO, I am quite happy with that one and I use it in many of my patches.

Generally for most modules it's advisable to look into their CV input possibilities, it's nice to have a module that has some CV input so you can modulate such CV parameters. It gives an additional "fun factor" to such a module and in general.

Let's stay with Doepfer and look at "your" Doepfer VCA A-130-1, yes that's a VCA but it's a linear VCA, nothing against that fact but it's usually (so it isn't a must!) used for CVs not for audio. Usually (so again... it isn't a must) one uses an exponential VCA for audio signals, so consider the VCA A-131-1 instead or even better take both.

Oh yes and how are you going to get your "sound out of the Eurorack" to your mixer and/or to your DAW? So you need an audio interface as well, since you don't have much space, the Befaco Out might be just doing the suitable trick here for you. There are other audio interfaces that have more options like the ACL Audio Interface or the Intellijel Audio I/O, both nice modules (using them myself ;-) ) but they are far too large for your current available space. Though... the Intellijel is space wise actually quite good for the possibilities it gives you.

You also might want to consider a mixer, preferable one that can handle CVs and audio or split that into two mixers (one for CVs and another one for audio), up to you but look at your limited space, so be careful to take not too large modules.

Did I mention already that you need more space? ;-) Just joking... though... you really have to be careful planning your space, lucky you got already some existing other gear so you should use that as much as possible to keep the modules here at a minimum for your limited space available...

So, that's for starters, then you just can start but you still haven't looked into utility modules like attenuators, switches, sequencers (you might want to use your existing gear for that), effects, etcetera but I guess quite a bit you can use your existing gear for that plus whatever can be done nowadays with the computer. I know it's a lot but I am using modular to not use the computer :-)

Anyway, this should give you enough food for thought to start with. Good luck with your planning and checking a lot of modules should be your homework before buying any modules at all. Read reviews, download manuals and if possible, test the modules you are interested in at your local dealer to make sure it delivers what you expect or at least that the module doesn't disappoint you.

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Benneb,

Looks like it's not ;-) I got the message "This video is unavailable."

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Hedgemunkees,

Nice album you got yourself there! :-) I specifically like those longer tracks with the topper being "Pacs (Main Mix)", it goes on and on and it just can't go on long enough for me :-)

What are you using for the drums? Everything else by modular? Also those voices in track "Head Related Transfer Disorder"?

Thanks a lot for sharing and I look forward in more exciting music from you! Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Aphew Goodman,

Thanks a lot for sharing this. For some reason when I clicked on your link, the music started to play with the track #4 "The Tribe", a very nice and impressive start! I love the creativity in track #3 "The Merry" and track #7 "The Welder is a pretty high energy track ;-)

Perhaps most interesting is your track #8 "The Anti", full with nice and interesting sounds!

Well done! I wish you good luck with making music. Personally I wouldn't mind to hear more of The Anti or at least music into that kind of direction but that's just my personal taste.

Oh yes, have you done all with a modular system?

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Kel,

You are welcome and I am glad to hear that things run well. So it looks like it was worthwhile mentioning it here in this forum :-)

I wish you good luck and I look forwarding in hearing from you as soon as your second album is ready! :-D

Kind regards, Garfield.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hello Wishbonebrewery,

Yes! Yet another track from you, always nice to listen at :-) I sat in my "listening chair" and soon I had the feeling I was sitting inside a huge kind of old fashion clock. I was very intrigued by the sounds you produced. Nicely done!

One small remark, but it might be just me, did I hear it correctly that most of the sounds were either in the stereo-middle or on the left channel? I don't think I heard much on the right channel (other than the stereo-middle)?

I like your picture as well, those pictures getting nicer by each time and the number of patch cables are increasing too, isn't it? :-) I love that, your patches are getting more complicated and your compositions keep intriguing me. So, impatiently, I am waiting for your next track!

Thank you very much for sharing and good luck with your music, kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Sislte,

Then I am not only looking forward to your next track but to your next video about your most recent modular case too ;-)

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

Hi Funbun,

Fair enough and I get your point. Good luck with your videos!

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Funbun,

Yes you are right, health care employees must be under huge stress now, so it's nice of you are making a video with music for them.

The modular system in your video, is that your AE Modular system? Looks pretty nice and neat :-) I wouldn't have mind to see a bit more of that in one of your videos!

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Sislte,

Thanks for sharing your music and your video. I liked your video, gives a nice overview of your modular system :-)

I like the Crenulated Orian, nice track! Messy? I feel it's all right, it's very creative. The creativity you put in your music is lovely to listen at. Unglued? Perhaps at one or two spots but it doesn't really disturb me as a listener. I took the efforts to sit in my "listening chair" and I was swinging in my chair on your music, so yeah, I liked it! :-)

Also those "Plaits random sounds" were nice and enjoyable to listen at. Overall I feel this is a good piece of music and I will be honest with you, I am jealous :-) Jealous that you can make music that currently I wouldn't be able to create/make it. So keep up the good work and I look forward in hearing your next track! :-)

Oh yes, by the way, this track (especially the, roughly, first half of it) reminded me a bit of the music of Pyrolator, for example the Wunderland album. So, nicely done!

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi Igor,

You are welcome and about panning. You might want to have a look into Make Noise modules (of course other brands have stereo modules too), they might have here and there an interesting module for you helping on stereo effects. The most obvious one is of course the X-Pan module (I don't have this module yet but I am considering it).

Or have a look into mixer modules with panning knob (I am using the Doepfer A-138o & p, the 138p comes with 4 channels and each channel has its own panning knob).

You stay healthy too and kind regards, Garfield.