How do You Control your Modular?

[01010111]

So, I want to build a modular synthesizer with the goal of making a small system that can make complex bass/lead/whatever sounds. I frequently get frustrated with the routing options that are available on fixed architecture synths, and for the price I could buy an ARP for I could build an enormous modular system.

Up to this point I was planning on getting a mother 32, and using it as a controller for the rest of my system as well as a solid sound source on its own (partially because I could keep it relatively small and keep adding blocks of 60hp as needed). However, the more I think about what the Mother 32 can and can’t do the more hesitant I am to use it as my starting point. It’s a very basic synth with somewhat limited patch abilities and a solid step sequencer. I’m not opposed to getting another controller, but it has to be able to be able to be mounted in eurorack format. For me the eurorack I build has to be a self-contained instrument.

What controller modules do you guys use? What I like about the Mother 32 sequencer is its ability to transpose, and it has enough steps to create something more complex than the standard 4/8/16 step sequencers. It’s also midi syncable which I know can sometimes be an issue in modularland.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I use a mother 32.

I know vidret got a Stillson Hammer recently and he lurves it. He's a smart modular guy.

[alexsga]

does any of yous use a microbrute or a volca as controller

[greyscales]

Sequencers/controllers are one of the most subjective pieces IMO.

I currently use a Orthogonal Devices ER-101/102 for all of my melodic (and some drum) sequencing. Once you get your brain around how it works you can get it to do just about anything. Great for purposively composing and totally random riffing. Two lanes of CV per channel with four channels total makes it a good central sequencing hub.

If you only need one channel of sequencing, it's hard to beat Metropolis. Very immediate and does more than acid basslines. I stopped using my M32 sequencer after picking one up since it is so much faster to use.

I also like patching up my own sequencer with a quantizer, clock divider, euclidean sequencer, and such. Lots of fun and truly modular.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I agree with that stuff greyscales. The options are really quite different in function. It's the hardest thing for me to decide on for future expansion.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Oh yeah I used to use a beatstep too when I was using several devices a lot. Have considered getting a keystep a bunch of times purely to control the euro. As in, an easy way to just play melodies on top of having in the case sequencing options.

[01010111]

It seems like the general approach to euroack is almost similar to acid? Instead of using a quasi-fixed voice instrument and creating a song by arranging different patterns of notes, you create music using fixed sequences and drastically altering tonal variation to create musical complexity?

I’d use something like the beatstep/keystep but where I’m limited on space I’d like to try to keep everything contained in the eurorack. The MakeNoise Rene looks promising, but it still looks like the Mother32 is the one to get...

[jirodreamsofdank]

formerly: Rene v2 (I think you may need a larger system for this? I only have one 'module' the Voltage Research Blackbox)
currently: Keystep
soon: 0-CTRL

playing with a keyboard still makes the most sense in my head, what I'd like to look at are the NerdSeq and Five12 Vector for controlled randomness with probability

[coldbrightsunlight]

It seems like the general approach to euroack is almost similar to acid? Instead of using a quasi-fixed voice instrument and creating a song by arranging different patterns of notes, you create music using fixed sequences and drastically altering tonal variation to create musical complexity?

Hm. That's definitely something I do a lot because I like that sort of music. But I'm not sure I'd go as far as to say it's the 'general approach'. Nice thing about modular is that it can do.... whatever you think of. A lot of people seem to be into self generating music these days (i.e. sequences that morph and evolve and aren't made by the composer plugging them into something). I also am a big fan of drones with not much sequencing, or using it as an effects bank for other gear.... You get the point.


Also just remembered it exists, 0-ctrl might work for you as well IDK. It's smol. But it depends whether the limitations of its sequencing work with what you're looking to do.

[01010111]

It seems like the general approach to euroack is almost similar to acid? Instead of using a quasi-fixed voice instrument and creating a song by arranging different patterns of notes, you create music using fixed sequences and drastically altering tonal variation to create musical complexity?

Hm. That's definitely something I do a lot because I like that sort of music. But I'm not sure I'd go as far as to say it's the 'general approach'. Nice thing about modular is that it can do.... whatever you think of. A lot of people seem to be into self generating music these days (i.e. sequences that morph and evolve and aren't made by the composer plugging them into something). I also am a big fan of drones with not much sequencing, or using it as an effects bank for other gear.... You get the point.


Also just remembered it exists, 0-ctrl might work for you as well IDK. It's smol. But it depends whether the limitations of its sequencing work with what you're looking to do.

The 0-CTRL is interesting for sure, and its features are actually really nice. I just don’t want to have a separate controller (i.e. not part of the rack). The generative music thing is part of why I’m not super into modular. Generative music seems like a way to remove yourself from actually thinking about music while still making music? It seems like it’s similar to harsh noise except it’s for people who don’t find harsh noise soothing? So, I’m not really interested in making a modular that’s “generative”, I’d rather be able to play it and interact with it in predictable ways in order to be able to write and record songs that are repeatable.


After researching some sequencers, it still looks like the Mother 32 is the best for what I want to do. I’ve found some other things that are theoretically better, but given the price it makes more sense to just pick up a Mother 32 and have the sequencer I want as well as some other synth features that could be handy.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Yeah totally understand, different strokes and all that. Personally I like both approaches. I don't think generative/morphing/drone patches are removing yourself from the music making so much as taking a different role in the composition - you're still setting the parameters and the tonality and choosing bits that sound good to record/loop. They're just different methods to the more traditional approach of writing every note, opening the process up to serendipity and chance. I enjoy setting things going then listening to them.

I have a lot of fun using my (not racked up) M32 along with my eurorack. If you like those specific sequencer features it has then it's probably not a bad choice. Then as you use it if you find limitations you don't like you can look into other stuff. I think there is probably purely euro gear that does what you want in a sequencer? And would be smaller too, though yes the price for good sequency things is typically quite high. And I can't remember the good examples off the top of my head. And the M32 is a nice sounding voice, though kinda huge as a module. The patching capability is actually quite good for what it is but yeah not as much as most synth voices built out of separate modules.

[D.o.S.]

people who don’t find harsh noise soothing

mid 17th century: originally as plural plebs, from Latin plebs ‘the common people’. Later a shortened form of plebeian.

For controllers I just use my hands like Steve Jobs intended it when he created electronic music by crafting the world's first Macbook.

[eatyourguitar]

there are a LOT of options. there is no wrong answer. some of them suck, those are wrong answers. assuming no one wants to use the modular like I use the modular, I will show you sequencers.

http://www.five12.net/

https://squarp.net/pyramid

https://omsonic.co.uk/product/stochasti ... sequencer/

https://frap.tools/products/usta/

https://reverb.com/item/10521008-detach ... e-keyboard

[coldbrightsunlight]

people who don’t find harsh noise soothing

mid 17th century: originally as plural plebs, from Latin plebs ‘the common people’. Later a shortened form of plebeian.

For controllers I just use my hands like Steve Jobs intended it when he created electronic music by crafting the world's first Macbook.

[01010111]

there are a LOT of options. there is no wrong answer. some of them suck, those are wrong answers. assuming no one wants to use the modular like I use the modular, I will show you sequencers.

http://www.five12.net/

https://squarp.net/pyramid

https://omsonic.co.uk/product/stochasti ... sequencer/

https://frap.tools/products/usta/

https://reverb.com/item/10521008-detach ... e-keyboard

That five12’s really interesting. Given its feature set, it seems like it could be a nice way to turn your eurorack into a control center for your entire setup. But where I’ve sort of lost interest in having a setup where I sequence every piece of equipment centrally and control it from a single hub. The Five12 can do it everything I want, but for that price I’d rather own a Mother 32 and supplement it a little to get the instrument I want. With the Five12 I’d still have to build out my system, and just doing that raises the cost of the entire system substantially. I’d imagine a system with the Five12 could easily jump the $2k mark (or maybe even twice that).

I can afford to buy a car, but that doesn’t mean I want to build a eurorack that‘s as expensive as a car.

Yeah totally understand, different strokes and all that. Personally I like both approaches. I don't think generative/morphing/drone patches are removing yourself from the music making so much as taking a different role in the composition - you're still setting the parameters and the tonality and choosing bits that sound good to record/loop. They're just different methods to the more traditional approach of writing every note, opening the process up to serendipity and chance. I enjoy setting things going then listening to them.

I have a lot of fun using my (not racked up) M32 along with my eurorack. If you like those specific sequencer features it has then it's probably not a bad choice. Then as you use it if you find limitations you don't like you can look into other stuff. I think there is probably purely euro gear that does what you want in a sequencer? And would be smaller too, though yes the price for good sequency things is typically quite high. And I can't remember the good examples off the top of my head. And the M32 is a nice sounding voice, though kinda huge as a module. The patching capability is actually quite good for what it is but yeah not as much as most synth voices built out of separate modules.

I suppose that’s a good way of thinking about that. I can’t really imagine myself enjoying that process more than creating pretty, ambient tracks using what I’ve got now. Conceptually I’d be doing something similar, but the amount of cognitive effort involved in doing it via eurorack verses me doing it with a guitar, a looper, and a handful of pedals seems kind of stark.

I think this discussion has me excited about the mother 32 again. My plan right now is to pair it with another 60hp of eurorack (build a little two tier moog rack). It fits in with what I want and like about gear: hands on, easy to use, and sounds good. One of my gear rules is that it should be simple enough to be understood by me when I’m drunk. The Mother 32 fits this, the Metropolis does not.