Hi guys, I want to dive in modular synthesis for a while now. I am planning to buy the mother 32 this summer to start out, and the modules in my rack are those chosen by a friend of mine. I don't know exactly how they would complement my mother 32. Please, I would love some advise and/ or recommandations about nice modules that would go nice with my mother 32. Thanks in advance!
Hello all!
Trying to figure out how to finalize my two Doepfer LC9 racks. I also have 1 rack with 2 x Mother 32 + Behringer Model D (spaces left there as well = later topic). I think that Roland and Moog is well represented in my three racks. Now, I have two black holes in my right hand rack - one 14 HP and one 18 HP. I have a gut-feeling telling that I need more ADSR/ENV/LFO's. I like 2HP very much and the same goes with Make Noise and Dopefer. Suggestions, anyone?
Thanks!
I see what you mean (if only a little bit). It is amazing what we can accomplish so easily now. Hell we can do more musically on our smart phones than anybody could 100 years ago I'll bet.
That's too cool you got to use a Model 55... Damn.
I'm starting to realize maybe Generative is a bit above my head for now though. I love the idea of it, and I love listening to it, but I don't know if it's something that's so easy to just jump into as I first thought.
By the way that piece you shared with me was epic. Really beautiful. That would be amazing to witness in a concert hall or someplace I'll bet.
I'm toying with new ideas for Racks now, simple sound sources, lots of modulation like the one you shared (which looks really intersting by the way), I wish I could see it in action to better understand how it would all gel together.
Here's a little prototype of a build I made tonight, it could probably use more filters and VCA's and probably some other stuff I'm not thinking of. I haven't even gotten my first module yet and already 6u feels too limiting haha.
Here's the rack if you care to take a look:
That's great! Works a treat. No I think that's a very sensible solution and extremely useful. Many thanks for passing on the info.
Thanks for your feedback. I did also use a lot of digital processing and compression so the track is quite squashed. So you think I should get an exponential VCA? is there one in particular you would recommend? With an exponential VCA/Triatt/Cold Mac added do you think I'll have enough utilities?
Had a listen...and yes, not only is the lack of exponential VCAs obvious in the build, it's also obvious on the track. All of the dynamics are really sort of flat; there's no actual 'hit' to them, which is sad because the track, musically, sounds good...but had the different transient material been able to 'punch' more, it'd really be banging. Linear VCAs aren't bad per se (and they're what you need for controlling CV levels), but to get amplitude changes that listeners perceive as being more hitting, that punch thru the mix better, you need the exponential VCAs to get those big amplitude swings. That way, the track would 'breathe' better, not sound so all-the-same in terms of dynamic ebb and flow.
The only other thing I would question is losing the Tides. Having something that can do the slower LFO curves for gradual changes of parameters is pretty useful for just about any sort of music...slow change is what makes music 'go somewhere' over extended periods of time. Adding the Xaoc phaser, in fact, would be a prime use for the Tides' slow modulation abilities to give a track a trippier overall vibe. The Batumi, though, makes good sense as a swap for the A-143-3, but also see if you can find a way to jam the Poti expander switch module in for it as well. Maybe consider not going with the Rings? I kinda think that, given what was on the sample track, you'd lose a lot of the resonant subtilty that it can bring...it would potentially get buried in the mix. OTOH, adding something that could bring a bit more 'grit' into the sound, especially on your more lead-ish parts...that could work better, since the leads would 'cut' more and stand out. Just a few observations...
Hey everyone, I've been wiggling for about a year now and I'm planning on switching some stuff around in my system and expanding it. I produce idmish music but I'm not really sure what to call it. Here is a track I made with mostly my modular if you're curious about the type of music I make. Here is my current rack:
Here is what I'm planning on adding/removing:
What do you guys think of this as an expansion? What am I missing? Are there any glaring issues with my rack? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I've got to agree with dinorrific's observation above that a patchable system might be a better next step, although I'm more inclined to suggest an Arturia Minibrute 2 over a Mother32. I like what Arturia's up to with their system integration...the Eurorack cases that fit together with the 2 or 2s, complete with handle and stand, and nothing being hideously expensive. Plus with the Eurobrute cases being 88 hp, you can pop the DFAM into that instead and still have room for some further augmentation. Have a look at that setup: https://www.arturia.com/minibrute-2/overview . The price on the Eurobrutes are also really nice; the 176 hp 6U version retails right now for $359, power included.
You might be right, three full-blown VCO's may be overkill, but an LFO would be very useful and free up your other audio-rate oscillator for things like FM or a secondary voice to mix in. You also definitely need a couple of VCA's - one for the voice to fully silence once the main envelope closes, and one to be able to play around with things like bringing modulation in with an envelope, etc. There are filters (granted, with only one filter) that include a built-in VCA, like the SSF Pole-Zero or Mutable Instruments Ripples, but a dedicated VCA - or even one included in a mixer of some sort - is a necessary utility to have on hand.
Thanks for the reply. Would 3 VCOs be overkill in this type of setup? I was trying to keep things pretty basic to learn. Assuming I have 48hp to play with, would there be anything wrong with building this module; and then addIng another 48hp case later with mixers, effects and VCAs and chaining then together?
Sorry if I’m asking simple questions. I have a DFAM now and will probably get a Mother-32 soon. It is also like to begin to understand how to build my own.
I have a few thoughts:
The filters and VCO's should sound great together, and the noise/s&h is a great addition!
You could really use a VCA and mixer. Some modules contain both. I recommend checking out something like Befaco's A*B+C, which can act as two 2 channel mixers, one of which has a through-zero VCA, allowing for both +V envelope cutoff's and ring modulation, which would be extremely helpful for weird drum sounds; or Mutable instruments Streams, which has its own built-in envelopes and a vactrol emulation mode for a LPG effect (in case you want Buchla bongo-type stuff, although you'll want an additional mixer).
You'll also want another oscillator or modulation source. I'd even consider replacing Pittsburgh Modular's ADSR with something like Mutable Instrument's Peaks, which can handle multiple outputs at once.
I'd also recommend not ruling out starting with an all-in-one semimodular. Pittsburgh Modular's Lifeforms SV-1 sounds phenomenal and has everything you want. Or even build around what functionality it appears to offer. There's plenty of options out there, but you hit on the majority of what you'd need for a decent monosynth or drum+snare system.
Hello, this is my first time attempting to build my own synth as well as my first time using any sort of modular system. What I wanted to do was make a module that could be versatile enough to work as a drum module with a sequencer or as a synth Voice through a keyboard. Am I going down the right path? Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thats it, add your suggested modules and anthor 2hp mult and im set. Thanks !!
As for a good source of loopable ADs in a smaller space, have a look at the Intellijel Quadra. Four envelopes, linear or exponential curve, either AD, AR or looping. And as far as VCAs in a tight space go, see what Happy Nerding has with their 3x VCA...it's quite a nifty thing, with three DC-coupled VCAs with some switch-configurable mixing abilities. And with that at 6 hp and 12 for the Quadra, you've still got 2 hp to jam something else in, so...bonus!
Thanks for the advice. I thought between The Mod1, Maths and the Pittsburgh Envelope I probably had envelope modulation covered. Any AD-Type envelopes and linear VCA's you could recommend that might fit my 20hp of the Cmp1? Also I was not aware that Braids was discontinued as I had just ordered one that was in stock but i see that on the Mutable site it is listed as discontinued. I love the sounds that it produces and was specific interested in its FM, Pluck and Bell type sounds, some of my favorites. The patchable Blofeld is kinda the vibe i was going for (I have one btw). So far i'm not real impressed with the 2HP stuff as the delay and comb filter get kinda noisy when turning the pots (not in a good way).
Thanks so much.. Yeah i've realised that nobody is selling or reselling Clouds (sadness) will look into the modules
cheers
Well, take note of the fact that you've overrun by 1 hp, but since that's with the Clouds and the Clouds is discontinued, that gives some more room. Now, if you also tossed the Erica module, that would open up a few more hp, enough to drop a Morphagene in...which is sort of Clouds-ish, but way more hands-on, control-wise. But then, there's another problem in that the 104 Moog case doesn't have the line-out that the Mother32 case itself does, so you're going to have to add an output module...which kills the Morphagene, space-wise. Hmmmmmm...
Ah! The SDS Reflex. 16 hp, all of the bells and whistles of the Clouds and more besides, and THAT will give you 4 hp for an output module, in stereo even. Maybe look at Happy Nerding's Isolator...transformer-isolated and balanced stereo outs with a ganged stereo level control. Nice...and a good combo with the Reflex. Should work just fine!
Yeah, losing the CMP-1 isn't that big a deal, I shouldn't think. That's one of those functions which, unless you're building a cab for drum modules, just doesn't click in all that well. May as well lose the Braids, since it's out of production and having two NW1s is going to be pretty killer, source-wise. As for additions, maybe consider one or two oscillators that can do double duty as LFOs for some extra modulation sources...always useful with wavetable souces. A couple more AD-type envelopes that can also loop would be useful too, I think, and maybe a couple more linear VCAs for modulation CV control...but that's not all that much, change-wise. This is going to sound quite cool, indeed...the architecture is not too dissimilar to a Blofeld, but in mono mode!
It's an admirable idea...there's a lot of interesting DIY out there, and these are pretty good choices. However, there's a couple of key bits missing here. First up, you're missing a multiple. Now, with something this small, you could just as well get away with stackable 3.5mms or inline mults...but the other thing missing is an output stage, and that could be problematic unless you've got something that can step the voltage level down from modular to line. My suggestion: toss out the 4-step sequencer and use something inexpensive and outboard for that task (like an SQ-1) that gets you more functionality while still keeping the cost down. That would give you ample room for something like an Elby ASM-306...and that not only gives you balanced stereo outs, it also has an onboard headphone amp, plus it, too, is DIY. Olitronik's PRO Out wouldn't be a bad choice, either...it also gives you some stereo metering for your output levels.
Other than that, I'd suggest changing the order of the modules to make the signal flow a bit more intuitive. Something such as:
uBraids / Bermudas / Swisso / RPG / Loafers / Dopes / Lola / 2VCA / Output
...which gives you a clear left-to-right flow with a minimum of 'backward' patching. If you go with a multiple, also, that would be best to the far-left end of the case so you can branch out CVs to the oscillators.
Yeah, now...that new iteration is making a lot more sense...at this point, the only two things I'd do would be to add some more modulation sources, preferably something that can do double-duty as an envelope or an LFO, like a looping AD. I'd also consider adding some simple DC-coupled linear VCAs so that you'll have those for manipulating modulation signals. EMW's Triple VCA is about the right sort of thing for that, and as for the looping envelopes, either Intellijel's Quadra or Qu-bit's Contour would be a decent fit, and you've got the space for both. It's turning out pretty decent!
As a former owner of this panel i can say it's a great configuration coupled together with an Animal/oo.
Still lack the ResEQ & VCFS which are great on their own but for a 2 panels configuration it's an amazing combo.
Thank @tFunk for the nice Black hole he send me. All with original box and manuels. Quick sending too. Happy
nice, efficient ... happy to have done business with @Goldencatfish !
I sold my Black Hole DSP to @Onsturicheit. Smooth transaction. Fast payment and friendly guy. Thanks!
Hi there, I'm looking to build a small sound design row. Have purchased the moog 104hp case and just waiting on the power unit to arrive but from what i've seen this seems like a good way to have something versatile and not to excessive..
Thoughts would be incredibly helpful
...added a 180° flip function.
-- modulargrid
Use it all the time so thanks a heap!
BTW, doing this with real hardware modules too, even when they are not ment for flipping. In my two row system I like to keep the jacks in the center as much as possible. It clears some of the cable spahetti.
with the somewhat recent "panel selector" feature, i'm finding quite a few modules have dozens of redundant images. Can there be a mechanism to help clean these up? (ie a remove a duplicate image)
The top row is actually in Waldorf KB37 , the bottom row in a 104hp 3U skiff. I already had an NW1 and picked up on a deal for the loaded (NW1,Mod1,Vca1,vfc1) KB37 as a package. The compressor may go as I don't really need this so its just a space holder for now. Thoughts, ideas, criticisms ?
Ah, only if I use a computer?
-- sislte
I thought it works everywhere, but I was wrong:
Rating on the mobile detail page was disabled for mobile phones.
I can not remember why, so I have enabled it again, should work now.
Beep, Bopp, Bleep: info@modulargrid.net
After doing some research, I have decided to build my first modular rack and modules from scratch. I am planning on building all of these modules based on the schematics provided by Noise Reap. I have plenty of experience soldering, analyzing and troubleshooting circuits, so no need to worry about that. I'm currently studying electrical engineering and have plenty of desktop/hardware synths (LXR Drumsynth, Roland Juno-106, ...) and am excited about getting into modular synthesis. I understand the two different schools of thought (east and west), and I think I could start out with the east-coast subtractive style. I started out with a couple modules, or at least the ones I thought covered the basics. Let me know if this rack works or if you have other suggestions, thanks!
Hello all !
I would like to know if the behaviour of my Sara VCF is normal: you see, in LP mode, it won't open fully. By ear, I'd say it opens up to 8KHz but no more.
I've tried calibrating it, but while making it open a bit more, it still wasn't enough, and moreover it then made the filter not close fully.
This affects both cores, so I suspect it is normal, but I'd like to be sure. Could anyone here owning one confirm that please ?
Thank you.
Thanks a lot for your feedbacks ! So I first put the mixer out of the case. I'll use the Hot Glue that I already have and use the integrated compression with the send of the Rosie that I also already have. The Hot Glue will go into Rosie In1 et Veils into Rosie in 2 so I have a 8 channels mixer with compression and out line level.
I added Waveshaping, filter bank and move out all the percussive part that is not that much important at the moment. I also move out the Erica Synth VCO. I take your point about basic VCO's but actually I really like those I already have and like their versatility. I'm not sure about the Quadra. Envelopes will be use as modulation in combination with Quadra LFO of the Ornament and Crime. Maybe you were not thinking about that when you talked about a miss of CVs modulation ?
I also tried to reorganize the rack a bit. What do you think now ? Much better or worse ?
New rack is here :
Edit : You need to click on it for the real current state
I use crayons, myself...although it does make the arrangement view in Ableton a little confusing after a while...
KICK ASS! – for February 2018.
Yet again, it's another crazed month (right after NAMM...go figure) for new Eurorack toys. So let's dive in and have a look at some of the new entries here in Modulargrid that I find particularly jazzy and cool. Shall we...?
1) Antimatter Audio Crossfold. OK, this thing is just...well, if you're into timbral wavefolding, this thing just knocks it out of the park. It's amazingly capable, taking two audio signals and applying what Antimatter called 'crossfolding' to combine and distort their respective waveforms. It also has a limiter onboard for nice, nasty clipping. Go have a look at this thing; they say that this gives you West Coast-type complex oscillator behavior from any two VCOs, but the audio clips hint at this being even more nuts than that!
2) CaviSynth Bufflide. Simple and smart: put a buffered 1-3 mult on the same 4 hp panel as a basic slew limiter. It's cheap, it's convenient...so simple that you kinda wonder why you don't see more utility-type modules like this. Did I say cheap? Yeah... A one-stop for CV prep for multiple VCOs.
3) TAKAAB's at it again! I mentioned their LFO module last time, and now they've got some new and CHEAP basic things to tempt us with, such as a dual 1-3 buffered mult for $34, a THAT2180 VCA with dual inputs and dual attenuated Cvs for $62, and a basic 3 channel DC-coupled mixer for yet another $34. This is very cool, even though none of these are very 'sexy', because you still need plenty of basic devices like this and Siam Modular (that's who's behind these) is making 'em affordable enough to have in piles. And no, I didn't stutter...'Siam'...as in Chiang Mai, Thailand, which is where they're located. It's an interesting development; I'd always thought that if/when module design and manufacture made it to SE Asia, we'd start to see some meteoric price drops, and this does appear to be the case. I really wonder what they're going to drop next?!
4) Audiospektri HG-30. From Thailand to Finland now...no, it's not cheap, but given what they've managed to jam into 32 hp, you shouldn't expect it to be! Howsabout a 30-band additive spectrum generator that can double as a vocoder? And more besides? This thing is massively capable...go and see the material they have on their website at http://www.audiospektri.com and you'll agree that it's all that and a bag o' chips for about a grand.
5) Super Synthesis 2OPFM. OK, that last one was spendy...but this isn't, and it's neat. A 2-op digital FM voice with analog controls for $99? Huh...you can cram a DX7's worth of FM generators into your Eurorack for $297, you say? Why, yes, son...and just as cool and digital is...
6) DSP Synthesizers CZ1. Also $99 (assembled, I presume...the kit on their wordpress page is $75). It's what you think, a Casio CZ-type VCO using the wonderful phase-distortion synthesis method from the CZ-101 and others of that Casio line, but in this case it's here under analog control. In a very real sense, this thing can function as a self-contained voice jammed into a measly 3 hp.
7) Seismic Industries spink0. No price on this yet, but Ableton Live users are going to plotz over this. It's a 6 hp device that works with Ableton Live Link so that you can lock up clocks between your DAW and your modular, all based on Raspberry Pi so that tweaks to its firmware over time and further development are doable. Hopefully we'll see this module in a broader release before long...?
8) Malekko Drum. A 4-channel drum sequencer, this also links with their Varigate-based architecture, allowing data saves to that module as well as lockup and control functions. This is pretty smart; I like the ideas behind the Varigate and Voltage Block, and this just adds another blade to that Swiss Army Knife. Supposed to drop in April.
9) Golt! Red Light District. Ohhhh, yeah...now this is a piece of kit! A straightforward CV/gate sequencer, but with loads of clock mutability, plenty of hands-on performance control, MIDI and DINsync capabilities. Not cheap, but very much worth the $895. Capabilities are way too complex for this short blurb here...you need to check this out for yourself!
10) Erica Black Mute Mixer. Now, this is another of those 'why aren't there more of these'-type modules. It's a basic AC-coupled three-channel mixer...but Erica's gone a little further and added some nice convenience touches that make it more than just your average audio mixer. How about mutes on each channel? Or a three-out buffered mult at the output stage? And diode protection against reverse voltage oopses? It's got 'em. Simple, not sexy, but damned smart.
11) Ladik A-570. No price here yet (I tried, couldn't find one on Ladik's site) but it's worth keeping an eye on for when that comes up, because Ladik stuff is a great value for simple, useful tools. In this case, it's a little more than just that, though...it's an output module, but with some amazing twists, such as programmable metering, a separate 3.5mm out that can either be jumpered for line level or synth level voltages, and a balanced 1/4” TRS line out for pro-grade audio connection. Most output modules tend to fit in 4 or 6 hp, and while this is only a single channel in 4 hp, this is going to be an important piece of circuitry for synthesists using multichannel rigs for making sure your four (or more) channels are all symmetrically balanced. Buy 'em by the sackful!
So that's it for this month's installment. What...you say it's a day early? Well, sometimes good things are worth NOT waiting for!
Hey, now...I think it would be sort of interesting to run Whitney Houston through some pulsed low-pass gates...
-- Lugia
Whapor Houston :D
bought stg .com from @modemboy, very safe packed and good communication. module works perfectly. thanks.
excellent seller !
Hey, now...I think it would be sort of interesting to run Whitney Houston through some pulsed low-pass gates...
3 go in, 1 goes out. A mixer!
It has even the crazy sum Σ sign on the panel. To remix Whitney Houston there are better options available, though. Like SSL or Neve consoles.
-- solitud
LOL :)
Yep worls alright hovering. It's c and v though, not p. Which I am used to anyway. THx!
-- wiggler55550
Of course it's v! Thanks for correcting, it was even listed wrong in the shortcut descriptions
Beep, Bopp, Bleep: info@modulargrid.net
3 go in, 1 goes out. A mixer!
It has even the crazy sum Σ sign on the panel. To remix Whitney Houston there are better options available, though. Like SSL or Neve consoles.
solitud.de | YouTube | Soundcloud | Bandcamp
First check that you are logged in.
I tried to make them stand out while in reality I put camo on the functions.
Beep, Bopp, Bleep: info@modulargrid.net
Yep worls alright hovering. It's c and v though, not p. Which I am used to anyway. THx!
The sum output in the bottom is the justification for that I suppose.
Sure it's not a mixer but it's got that feature nonetheless.
Not that I'm the one who will be deciding if it's gonna be listed as a mixer or not...
I press 'c' flip to the other browser tab, press 'p' - nothing. What's the secret?
-- OurMod
The secret is to hover with your mouse over the target rack before pressing v.
The reason: there has to be some kind of focus, else people would paste a module when entering "VCA" in the search field which is on the same page. That is a bit confusing and not ideal and I will think about a better solution.
edit: shortcut is v not p.
Beep, Bopp, Bleep: info@modulargrid.net
And sophiajoseph is a spam pattern for dumping spam into the forums.
-- Lugia
She is gone.
Beep, Bopp, Bleep: info@modulargrid.net
I would like to know why this listing says the Optomix is a mixer.
Not really a question of too many voices, I don't think...but too many different audio sources. Consider why many modulars tend to have several of the same VCO; it's not a matter of being 'simple', but a matter of having something on which you have a level of programming ease that allows you to get back to sounds that have worked in the past. When you have a hodge-podge of sources, as in this rack, it becomes more difficult to program each different element in its different way to go back to a desired result. That's why I feel it's a better move to have several basic VCOs, a few different ones besides those, and then rely on waveshaping after mixing/crossmodulating these sources to get a result. Also, having all of these disparate sources carries a problem in that you can't exactly 'gang' them...so to get each signal path to perform properly, you have to have loads of envelopes, VCAs for both audio and CVs (the latter is apparently missing from this rack), and loads of filters, and this gets into a huge amount of panel space being overrun by the needs of all of these signal chains. I would suggest finding a way to simplify this, possibly losing a lot of the 'sexy' modules in deference to a number of more compact 'boring' ones...because once you start interconnecting them, they stop being so 'boring'.
Couple of other things: first off, too many final mixers. Both the Hot Glue and the A-138 set take up a good bit of space and, at the same time, they're pretty redundant. If the important factor with the MHG is the waveshaping, chuck it and get a waveshaper plus a little submixer for its input. But the A-138 also has some problems here, in that there's not any way to use that stereo compressor after the A-138o. That module does your final gain control, auxes, and final step-down to line level, and the MSCL will want to still see things at synth levels, ergo it won't work well at the very end of your signal path...and there's no way to insert it into the final stereo bus of the A-138 since that's bussed behind the panel and has no patchpoints.
Secondly, this is a real scrambly layout...and as a rule, it becomes harder to work with intuitively and less satisfying as an instrument. I'd suggest taking everything out of your build except the P/S inlets, then making a simple paper map of what functions go where in the open space (generators, modulators, modifiers, controllers) and then sticking to that map when laying it out again. It's a lot trickier, but the disciplined effort is worth it, especially when there's a huge chunk of change involved. Take some time to look at other builders' efforts that follow that method (a lot do) as well as some of the 'classic' prebuilt modulars and then rethink.
Good luck!
