Need a bit of help with my current rack..(prob need more modulation)

Hi,
I'm about to finish my current 12U setup but often feel that I need more modulation and that I have more noise sources that I can use effectively.
This is a general duty rack but mostly oriented to drum duties maybe a synth line too and is supposed to be used along a machinedrum and a laptop running Ableton Live..
I was hoping to get into generative drum/percussion style patches to make things more interesting but probably need more probability modules and trigger generators so for now I'm just focusing on extra modulation.
I frequently patch it on its own and I seem to exhaust the modulators and VCAs pretty quickly so was thinking the following:
Get rid of Braids and Edges and replace them with NLC sloths, a second micro O&C and maybe a second Veils.
Another plan is to get the second O&C and a Pam's workout and start from there..
I could probably put aside Rings too since I'm not using it that much although it's nice for some additional bleeps.
Without Rings, Braids and Edges I think I could have a lot of space for extra modulation and maybe some more triggering options..
Any suggestions are welcome since I think I'm a bit stuck at this point.!

edit:
I also have a second rack in the making which temporarily serves as a storage rack for the modules I don't currently use a lot.

I could probably mix and match some modules between these 2racks if anyone has any ideas..Obvious choice would be the terminal tedium but I haven't finished it yet:P

EDITED Nov 16th 2019, 20:54

Well, first off...it's really...ah...BLACK. But that's not good. Invariably, if you're creating a Eurorack along a certain look, then all you'll wind up with is a decorative prop. You've done a little bit better than that, but at the same time there's weird flaws here. A 4 x 84 rig with only four VCAs is definitely a flaw...especially if you're trying to do lots of percussive work, because you need LOTS of VCAs for that sort of thing unless you're using percussion-specific modules (Tiptop et al).

The MIDI implementation is frankly lousy. You're running two of these mBranes to get 8 channels; why not dump BOTH and go with something from Expert Sleepers that fits in a similar space but which can be expanded AND provide a return channel for timing, digital audio return, etc?

There's an Elements...and a Rings? OK with the Department of Redundancy Department, perhaps, but a waste of space otherwise. Lose one or the other.

I could go on, but really, I think you've poured waaaaay too much effort into creating the synth version of the 2001 Monolith here and not enough in basic, practical modular design. All of these Mutable and clone modules might look awesome, but by ignoring very basic, boring-as-hell utilities and basic practicalities in favor of optics, well, it's a nice prop, and you'll continue to be frustrated. For example, your modulation source issue...you actually DO have ample modulation here, but because you've omitted utility stuff such as attenuverters or CV/mod VCAs, it seems like there's not enough when the real fact is you've just not got ways to implement what you have already. And having some of these huge, sexy modules means you're ignoring much better options in your "junk" rack; for example, I would think that using the Doepfer Wasp and Yusynth Synthacon VCFs would provide way more timbral character than the two resonant filters on the Shelves. And so on.

Musical instruments might seem like a fashion statement, but consider: is it important that Ornette Coleman plays a plastic sax, or is it more important that it's Ornette playing said plastic sax? Don't worry about looks...but be a lot more concerned about the music.

Thanks for your insight Lugia..
Really appreciate your constructive criticism and I'm not that proud to admit that I really liked how all these black and gold panels look together; but was often frustrated when patching as there was always something missing..

On to your points:

1) More VCAs (I have the 132-3s I could use and maybe get another Veils down the road as I like how clean it is)
2) Ditch Shelves and Rings; use Ripples and Wasp VCF for EQing/shaping sounds (gain some space for properly expanding)
Maybe ditch Edges too and build its 10hp version or just see if I'm missing anything.
3)I actually do have attenuverters from Blinds so I could maybe get some more (maths?!)
4) I like A-171-2 and plan to mod it for it to be more usable; maybe incorporate it to my main rack
5) no idea about the expert sleepers stuff; never used any of their modules but may need to take a closer look.
This may help to incorporate the modular in a hybrid setup more easily.
Could you please be more specific about utilities that you like/use ?
CV processing utilities, trigger generators etc?

This would only require me to purchase a A-140-2 and build a second O&C and a kinks.
I think this would be a more balanced setup altough this time I feel I would require one or two signal generators but peaks could provide a starting point if a patch is geared towards percussion.

idk why but the image is still showing the old rack ..

EDITED Nov 17th 2019, 17:52

Modulation and an all-black rig.

Okay...
Worng Electronics Vector Space - combining modulation sources for interesting results
Xaoc Batumi and Poti in their alternate black face-plates - quad digital LFO with expander.
Xaoc Zadar in black face-plate. Quad digital envelope generator. An expander is also available for this (don't know name).

You can get smaller versions of most of the Mutable Instruments stuff if you're okay with smaller knobs.

I'm looking for a vector space quite some now; I'll definitely snatch one if it pops up in a good price!Seems like a well though out module..
Batumi and Zadar are nice dedicated LFOs/EGs.
I'm quite pleased with O&C quad LFOs which is less than half their price..
I don't quite like the envelopes on the O&C though, I don't like the Peaks' envelopes either; can't exactly express why they just don't feel "right"/snappy enough..
My other gripe with Batumi is that it's basic signals only and I think I'm quite covered on those with my two Stages..
I should take a closer look to Tides v2, it seems more useful than Tides v1.

I'm looking for a vector space quite some now; I'll definitely snatch one if it pops up in a good price!Seems like a well though out module..
Batumi and Zadar are nice dedicated LFOs/EGs.
I'm quite pleased with O&C quad LFOs which is less than half their price..
I don't quite like the envelopes on the O&C though, I don't like the Peaks' envelopes either; can't exactly express why they just don't feel "right"/snappy enough..
My other gripe with Batumi is that it's basic signals only and I think I'm quite covered on those with my two Stages..
I should take a closer look to Tides v2, it seems more useful than Tides v1.

-- belzrebuth

Now is a good time to buy as we're getting into Black Friday sales. Check out Perfect Circuit if you're in the USA.

If you're looking for snappy EGs, you'll probably have to go with analog envelope generators the Z4000 EGs from Tip Top are designed to be very snappy. The Z4000's also include controls for scaling as well as attenuverting the output (negative envelope generators, or EGs that start out negative range and peak in positive... you get the idea.

I've found the Batumi to be pretty useful in a small footprint. If you have alternatives then its redundant... but an option. If I'm looking for a "less basic" LFO, I have VCOs that get far down into that range and with some additional modulation can create some interesting LFOs.

I was wondering if anyone used Neutron Sound QAT and/or QVCA ?
QVCA seems to be the classical OTA/TL0X4 design which from other modules I've tried is a bit blurry (for audio) when compared to say Veils..
For CV duties I think I could be better off with the quad attenuverter.

I reread your original post. You're want to use Ableton with your rack. Cool.

Here are some ideas.

The Expert Sleeper modules are very good when it comes to interfacing with a DAW.

The FH-2 and newly release ES-9 are worth checking out.

The FH-2 converts MIDI to control voltage. The 8 outputs can be set up as either gates/triggers or CV. So any combination is possible with CV, gates, clocks, etc. The FH-2 is also expandable if you need more outputs.

The ES-9 skips the translation from MIDI CV and acts as a direct gateway between your DAW and your rack: audio, CV, gates in both directions.

They aren't cheap and they aren't exactly easy to set-up/edit, even when using the browser interface. But they are very powerful. I'd do a little research on them as well as any alternatives by other manufacturers.