Right...the Nearness gets one stereo in, the Doepfer mixer a second, and the Fracture has its own input pair on the 3x Mix. Plus, now that you DO have everything in stereo, it should make much better use of the Monsoon for processing the overall mix. That's the funny thing about the nearness, also...it LOOKS like some sort of nothing module. But for setting up things like drum submixes, it's perfect for that. And if one or two levels into the Nearness seems a little too hot, you can send them up to an attenuator on the Quadratt and back 'em down a bit. Super-easy!

Oh, and don't forget that passive LPG in the tile row...send that some pink noise and hit it with a fast envelope, and you get yet another percussive! Lots of neat functions in that build...


... wow. This is crazy.
I didn't think it was even possible to get all this control over your mixing, in such a little space, without sacrificing too much modulation. I had to read a couple of time to understand how Takaab Nearness mixer works, haha. But it looks like a cool useful piece of gear. So basically I can pan every voice from the Soundforce module and then send the outs to the main mixer (Happy Nerding). Splendid.
And also PWRchecker, great addition! Thank you so much!


yeah it's already been noted that links aren't working properly - blank or this by the look of it!

"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia

Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities


Thread: Kallax

It's actually an open piece of furniture, with four equal rooms. I probably used the wrong term for cupboard. Just google IKEA kallax.
It will add a piece of retro / high tech / geek touch to any living room. I didn't find any bus board and power supply combo for this size, so I'll be startibg
With flying cables.
-- glennbech

I think the befaco lunchbox power supplies will fit

I think shelving unit would be the best description

you are going to end up with a approximate 1.5" gap in each section at either the top or bottom

to be honest getting some wood from the local diy store (if open!) is cheaper and easier to get the right size for rails etc screwing together etc is pretty easy - rather than getting rails the right size or cutting them yourself - remember you'll also need brackets for the rails so you can screw them to the insides of the shelving unit

"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia

Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities


Weird - why is the rack showing in the post different?
Let me see if I can fix that ....

Hmm - regardless of what I do, it's not showing the full rack in the post - neither is the link you posted.
Copying the link directly to another browser works fine though. Looks like we have a forum bug maybe ...


...for trying to find a bridge between the current Intellijel vs Pulplogic tile mess! EVERYONE making tile modules needs to have a look at what they're doing here!

and so simple it's clever

And I'll also point out: if XODES can come up with a full series of drum tiles, this could go some distance to fixing the "drums don't work with modular" issue. You could easily devote a tile row to this, along with the requisite mixers, etc, and this keeps these types of modules OUT of the 3U rows, meaning that you'd have the space for the intensive sequencing needed AND space for the rest of the build as well.
-- Lugia

but the drums do work, they just cost you more... much, much more!

and even then not necessarily - I use a fss portland, which I built for under €300 - or a set of prok drums and a cheap mixer isn't much more - of course you need a soldering iron...

"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia

Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities


Just to add I got a different image when I linked one - looks to be an earlier iteration of some sort

"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia

Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities


here's the link for anyone interested

ModularGrid Rack

it maybe a good idea to differentiate between what you have and what you think you want - maybe that's what's happening - one image is displayed in this post and the link displays another - I guess you have tempi, rene, quadrax, veils and plaits? and want the others - if so why replace veils with intellijel? unless it's based on availability

i would probably add some logic, mixing for modulation (matrix mixer, another cascading vca - or possibly a matrix vca!), an envelope generator (zadar perhaps), a wavefolder, possibly some effect pedal interface modules - depending on the pedals - I have some that can cope with modular levels

i wouldn't rule out effects in the rack completely - there's nothing to stop you, for example, adding a load of reverb to a sound before hitting a vca and/or filter, then sending that to your end of chain reverb too - same with delays - also the modulation possibilities - unless of course your outboard effects can be controlled with cv, idk - same with clouds - you can use it as a vco - record something into the buffer and freeze it - granular oscillator - just because a lot of people use it as an end of chain stereo reverb, doesn't mean that's all it can be used for - not that I am particularly recommending it - just pointing out that it can be used for more than you may think it can - saying that I would probably add an fx aid xl

"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia

Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities


That, basically. Screenshot seems to be offline, so nothing's showing in the forums where there's rack links.


Xodes' solution is simple, very smart.


Worked fine when I put the address in the browser directly.

Actually, what you've got already is fine as a source for odd clangers and bonkers. I would suggest adding some NORMAL percussion sounds at this point so that your listeners will have a "point of reference" that they can grab onto to get into the ABnormal ones. And right now, one of the best and cheapest routes I've seen for that would have to be a couple of modules from SoundForce, their Samples (808 sample playback) or S-909 (909 samples, natch). So, in order to wrangle things around in here, I did a few changes...
ModularGrid Rack
The "screenshot" function on MG seems to have Covid or something, so this probably won't show up until the admins beat some sense into it...

The most obvious switch was changing the Mutable Marbles for a Warped Circuits Pachinko...same module, but in 12 hp. I also tossed the dual LPG, but also tossed the USB Power tile so that I could drop an LPG into the tile row. But the total function LOST here was exactly that: one single lowpass gate. Everything else got beefed up...you have the Samples and a little thing that LOOKS like a multiple but which ISN'T. That's actually a fixed level stereo mixer with pan positions determined by where you plug sources in. The white-ringed jacks are a Left and Right output. Mixing now has a panning stereo mixer for your other sources. And at the end of that chain is a Happy Nerding 3x Stereo Mixer...so how this works is that you connect the Doepfer mixer's L-R outs to the HN's first input, the Takaab Nearness mixer to the second, and the WMD Fracture to the third, giving you level control over each stereo source. Everything got reordered, too...clocking/sequencing/CV on the left, audio on the right, and the HN mixer can feed directly to the Monsoon. Oh, and did I mention that the HN mixer also has a headphone out that you can use to check your pre-processed mix before it hits the Monsoon? That helps with tuning, balance, etc.

Last little sliver, since I had one more hp, was filled with a Konstant Labs PWRcheckr on the left end so that you can keep an eye on your DC rail behavior, something that the Intellijel Palette 104 doesn't have. This seems LOADS better...for one thing, you now have stereo field control over ALL mono sources, and your main mix is reduced to just three controls for balancing between stereo sources. The signal flow is a lot clearer, which should make this better at rapid-fire changes, especially live.


Coincidentally, I just saw that Michigan Synth Works released an updated Pique and expander for CV to each parameter of the ADSR (plus many other functions) in 6hp total.


That's easy enough: 2hp's EG. Most basic synth functions exist as 2hp modules, plus a couple of other manufacturers that also make modules in that 2 hp size.


I'm downsizing from a large Modcan system, and slowly getting my 208HP Euro together.
Doing mostly slow evolving soundscape type stuff.

Here's a really old track using the Modcan to give you an idea. Current work is a little more calming and peaceful. I was much angrier back then ...

Don't really need audio effects (Clouds ....) effects modules in the rack - using an external Empress Zoia and some Eventide ...

I've already got about half this system up and running. Also have a 0 Coast/Control to go with this.
Just out of curiosity, what seems to be my most "missing" areas at this point?

ModularGrid Rack


Looks like something's not working on ModularGrid.


I tried, but it didn't appear...

I try again here:

ModularGrid Rack


Try adding an https:// to the front?


Don't know why it doesn't appear, I posted the link like this tho.


Chiming in to say Cold Mac might be a nice fit here as well.


Hi!
Sorry if I make some language mistakes, but english is not my mother language.

So, I'm planning a little eurorack drum case, the only thing is that I wanted to limit myself to a single 104hp 3U row (so I thought of the Palette 104 case by Intellijel).
Another important thing is that this system will be connected to my Synthstrom Deluge (via midi and cv), so I felt free to save on particularly advanced sequencers.

The sound I'm looking for is on the unconventional / idm side (not your basic 808s), I wanted to achieve more complex beats with glitchy yet rhythmic percussion.
So i tried to build everything in a random fashion, and I also like it to be playable and tweakable live. There are only three voices but I did put in a lot of modulation and random sources.

The main voices are BIA, Plaits (which can also do melodic stuff) and Fracture for snippets and grains, processed by Monsoon. I know there aren't many VCAs, but all voices should have envelopes, if I'm not mistaken.
Marbles generates / processes irregular clocks and voltages, combined with A-160-2 clock divider. Euclidean Circles v2 as a trigger / gate sequencer, also for modulating BIA with short gates. NE Mimetic Digitalis is more of a modulation source on steroids here, since it's unquantized. I was thinking of using Intellijel's Noise Tool as an additional clock / random / s&h source.

I have a little space left... what do you think I should add? Some other VCAs? Or maybe I have too much modulation and I should remove / replace something? Should I put in a quantizer like o_C if I want to use MD as a traditional cv sequencer? Or a small full-packed envelope generator like NE Pons Asinorum? Or maybe another filter?
Any suggestion or critique is well accepted! Thank you!

www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/1442143


Hey, glad it could help ;)
I fully agree with Lugia by the way. Hard to be assertive about what YOU need because "ambient" can mean a lot of things and I don't know how you like to approach making music, so it's the point of view of a guy who's never patched your system or heard your music. You already have a lot of CV sources with the PNW, Maths and Shuttle Control, I personally feel that it can be enough for the size of your build, but having a CV manipulation toolbox of sorts would allow for more complex "generative ambient" patches. Something that allows your CV sources to interact, so your entire patch movement is an orchestra playing together rather than a bunch of lonely musicians each playing on their own, if that analogy makes sense...
Of course it's harder to get an idea of what your build lacks if you don't have patch ideas in your head. I believe the way to get there is by adding to that "mental toolbox" I referred to above. For me, it works by reading forum posts on here (I had a very interesting discussion about the modulation section of my build here if you want to have a look: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/9395, also keep an eye on the Racks section), and pages similar to the ones I listed above. Then try the suggested things, that's the important step ! By actually doing it myself, either on my system or in VCV/Drambo, I get to HEAR what those theoretical concepts can sound like, and also which of those things work best for the sounds I want to make and the way I make music.
Here's another one I learned a lot from:
https://www.noiseengineering.us/blog
The Noise Engineering blog written by Markus Cancilla, a really nice guy whose extensive patching experience is generously dispensed through those pages. Some of it can be really "advanced" and will most likely lead you on other searches for more info, I guarantee it will spur new patching ideas in your head !
What also worked for me to get new ideas was forcing myself to try and use Disting MK4's algorithms I didn't know about when I started modular. What could I use a comparator for ? What's the craziest patch I can come up with using a quantizer ? I saw Divkid experimenting with self-patching modules, so what can I do in those lines (PNW is a nice candidate) ? Those sort of "training exercices" helped me to add things to the mental toolbox as techniques I think of "naturally" when building more "serious" patches later on, maybe that could work for you ? You can of course try the same thing in VCV with modules you wouldn't know what to do with.
Finally, a more obvious one: look at videos and forum posts about the modules you already own. You're bound to end up reading/hearing something you've not thought of, or simply forgot. I'm often guilty of the later, I can't believe I waited so long to use my XAOC Belgrad as a voice, silly me

--- Voltage control all the things ---


Toodee... that’s very kind of you. It does really really help indeed !! I have already ordered the book as well. Thank you.


Thank you again Garfield,

just in the spirit of sharing my process and journey I'll be showing what a relatively small and basic setup can do. Also showcasing my black tape 6,3mm to 3,6mm jack module


Yes, if you click on the picture of Lugia’s rack, you should be able to select edit/duplicate rack in the top left of your screen.
-- farkas

Thanks


Yes, if you click on the picture of Lugia’s rack, you should be able to select edit/duplicate rack in the top left of your screen.


I would highly recommend QPAS. It’s really just an unbelievable filter. The stereo applications seem tailor made for your purposes.


this user has left ModularGrid

Good communication and nice transaction with @filipl.
Bedankt Filip.


Hi there,
my new case will arrive tomorrow and the new setup will look like this:
1. MDLR 14U / 126 HP with 2x1U rows
2. Endorphin.es Shuttle System
3. Intellijel Pallete 62 HP
4. Digitakt

I'm mainly interested in creating Ambient / (Dub) House/Techno. Just for fun and experimentation. No real recording ambitions for now.

Which modules would fit into this setup / what is potentially missing?

Some ideas I have in mind: Rainmaker, Rings, disting EX, a stereo filter like Blades, Ikarie or QPAS, Imitor Versio

Thanks in advance!

ModularGrid Rack


Is there some way I can copy Luiga's suggested rack setup to My Modular page so I can work on it please?


Thanks guys much appreciated. Lugia, thanks for spending so much time on it. Much to consider and probably a bit more than I have time or money to achieve it. Looks like a great setup and I can probably take some of that and run with it. I've been thinking about getting an extra case, something small like an Intellijel pallete but I would probably get more bang for the buck from upgrading from 6U 84HP to 104HP, reorganising it and adding some of the suggestions here.


A couple suggestions come to mind:

1) Add something like a DannySound CaliOsc + a Timbre or a Make Noise STO + an Intellijel Bifolder to get into some analog wavefolding and variation territory, I've been doing that with Random*Source Serge modules and really loving it.
2) Get a 4MS Ensemble Oscillator, tons and tons of stuff to explore in it from chaotic drones to lush synth strings.
3) Get a Tanh, don't change anything else and start exploring feedback patching.

Specific additions aside, the main thing that comes to mind for me looking at this rack is actually to set aside the Rings and to keep the Kinks. It's too easy to dial in good sounds with Rings which ends up making me lazy at least. Substituting it with something that requires more effort and skill will bring some of the excitement back into your patching, imho.
-- troux
Thankyou food for thought to check out. I really like Rings but starting to feel I am overusing it. The 4ms module sounds interesting


The Bastl Grandpa granular sampler and Spa expander are an interesting, quirky, 10hp, lo-fi combo. I've been eyeing it for a while myself. Seems like a deceptively powerful texture generator.
-- farkas
Thanks will look into those.


Thread: Kallax

And it's a perfect vinyle record storage!


Thread: Kallax

It's actually an open piece of furniture, with four equal rooms. I probably used the wrong term for cupboard. Just google IKEA kallax.
It will add a piece of retro / high tech / geek touch to any living room. I didn't find any bus board and power supply combo for this size, so I'll be startibg
With flying cables.


this user has left ModularGrid

Fun jam using my new Winter Modular Eloquencer to create songs and random modes plus scale and ratchet patterns:

I think this is now my favorite Eurorack sequencer as it can create presets, save hundreds of patterns chain them together for future edit and playback plus random, pendulum and other modes to spice up patches.


I think you'll have fun with this rack for awhile and learn a lot. One suggestion: I personally wouldn't duplicate modules this early, instead add an STO or a Dixie II+ so you get a little variety in your analog oscs.

Once you get started let us know how it goes!


Hi Farkas, All,

I gave my above idea and approach a few more thoughts and I came up with this below figure. Please keep in mind this is just an example, I am not saying one must do it like this, just a quick example I could up with.

Now imagine that each of the below blocks is either one row in your rack or perhaps even a rack, how big each block (i.e. a category as per below figure), is entirely up to you. If there are too many blocks then pack some together to reduce the number of blocks till you reach the size in HP as well as in finance-size and voila there you/we are :-)

The examples of type of modules below the header of the categories are just examples and those lists are certainly not exhaustive.

As far as I know of all those examples at least one module of more exist of it, with perhaps the exception of leslie and vocoder. I mean as a (n Eurorack) module of a modular synthesizer, at least of these two I wouldn't know any module in Eurorack format, if you do, please let me know.

Any suggestions, feedback, typo updates, etcetera are very welcome, I will then update the picture and publish here again.

-Hmm... this seems not to work, how to add a JPEG here? Please let me know and I add the figure... -

Thank you very much and have a lovely modular day, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Hi Steve,

Ha, ha, indeed a funny and happy accident but a nice one. Lovely surprises that Eurorack often provides us with is one of the biggest charms in my opinion.

Kind regards, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


@GarfieldModular funnily enough that's a happy accident, I mispatched the CV output from Stepper Acid into the Chainsaw's Detune when I meant to patch it into the 1v/oct input... turning the Chainsaw into a weird tam drum which the filter then distorts. Just another example of why Eurorack is so great 🤣


Hi Steve,

Wow yes! Nice long track, that kind of track that you never want to end kind of track :-) I like the distortion you put on top of a few sounds, nice effect in this matter!

I wish you would kick off every week like this! Beautiful week for me thanks to you :-D

Kind regards, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Hi, I need this, the smallest possible, or lowpassgates also...
Thanks


Thread: Kallax

Hi Glennbach,

Ha, ha, that's a fun idea :-) ! Though, for my own rack, I would feel it's a pity and hide it in a cupboard, from all of them it had to be Ikea? ;-) I rather like to see it and play with it. That's just my humble opinion.

Still a cool idea though, kind regards, Garfield Modular.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Thread: Twinkly

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Hi Mowse,

Nice one again! I love that kind of double-calling-sound or would you like to call it, like an electronic owl or something like that, beautifully done :-)

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

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Driven by Analog 4



I had a different take on this. Since much of the architecture of the original build depended on normal-sized Mutable modules (or around that same general size), I opted to yank them and replace them with smaller clone versions. This freed up quite a bit of space, as you could imagine...
ModularGrid Rack
So, when you examine this, you'll notice that nothing was really removed as such...but the additional space in the top row allowed me to add a noise/random source, a second oscillator (the Knit, clone of Plaits), a waveshaper that can also crossmodulate signals from both oscillators AND which also gives you an suboctave source. Nanorings, your multimode, then a Monsoon, which is an expanded version of Clouds, ONE, stereo mixer, then Verb. This also puts all of the audio (save for the output module, which I kept here) in the top, modulation and control in the bottom.

And in that bottom row, I went off...first tiny thing there is one of Konstant Labs' PWRcheckr modules, lets you keep an eye on your DC rail behavior. Then I tossed the old Doepfer divider and dropped in a six-way clock divider/logic/multiplier to really punch up your timing control. Sequential switch next, then a dual CVable Boolean logic module for further messing around with timing behavior (plus, Boolean gates can also make for nifty waveshapers in their own right). Then we're back on track all the way down to the Batumi, which now has its Poti expander. ADSR after that, then I shrunk the Veils down to a Codex Modulex clone in 8 hp. Disting's next, then the output module which now has more to deal with, so yeah...it makes more sense now.

Sure, this is a massive reworking, and it does require a number of module swaps. But it also massively expands the timbral and timing capabilities. And in this case, I kept the original cab size...but it strikes me that you might actually do better by first expanding the cab itself to a dual 104 hp, which would allow you to keep much of the original Mutables AND also allow for the expansion. You might even consider one of Intellijel's cabs with the extra 1U (Intellijel format) tile row for additional functionality.


Thread: Kallax

This module is designed to fit within an IKEA Kallax cupboard. You would be able to fit four of these in one piece of furniture.
Put a soft pillow in front of it, and get lost in sound.


So this is the 4th rendition of my past modular builds. I decided to go with a 104hp Moog case, something simple to start with because I'm new to the world of modular. I was looking for basic basic BASIC stuff to start with and still have plenty of functionality. Eventually I'll make a second rack with the same case and power supply so I can daisy chain them together, but that's a couple of years away. So for now, I hope this is enough to start with.


Those're expensive synths, yep. Too bad they weren't expensive before you opted to uncase them and stick them in a 6U Rackbrute.

Nope, not kidding. Let's do some math...

An Arturia 6U Rackbrute = $359. It has 171 usable spaces in it (176 minus the P/S), so 359 / 171 = 2.10 per hp.

Moog Subharmonicon = $699. It occupies 60 hp. 2.10 x 60 = $126.60. This makes the Subby's actual cost $825.

B. Neutron = $299. It occupies 80 hp. 2.10 x 80 = $168. The final cost of the Neutron then becomes $467.

This idea might seem convenient, but as in the rest of reality, convenience has a price. If you keep these two synths in their own cabs, with their own power, you wind up saving just short of $300. And there's another factor to consider: what will it cost if you screw something up in the uncasing and recasing of those synths? You might be able to get Moog to fix the Subby if it gets damaged, but the Neutron? Nah...Uli built those to go in the trash if you blow 'em up.

Frankly, Jim's plan above makes a lot of sense: populate the cab with modules that expand on not just the 2S, but all of these synths together. By not cramming 140 hp of a 171 hp cab with just two patchables, you then have space in which to build a pretty beefy expander system for modulation, timing, extra VCFs and VCAs, etc. But as the build stands at present, you've got a whole 31 hp for actual modules. That should raise red flags immediately...because while the Neutron and Subby already have power and cases, the Eurorack modules you'll want to add do not.