Can we talk about modular synths?

[Strange Tales]

I just want the Phonogene from that thing. I'm still thinking about selling/trading my Clouds for a Phonogene.

[bob the r0bot]

Tiny jacks and a second mortgage.

Seriously. I realize price is relative and all but damn dudes this shit is expensive as hell.

The Make Noise System Concrete (but spelled like the method) really interests me as a replacement for a lot of my sampling stuff, but I'm not sure it's worth 2G to upgrade from my SP303 and Ableton, you know?

It's really just down to taste and ergonomics. Between the 303 and ableton, you can probably do most of the things the system concrete does and a few more, but to get all the real time crazy tape manipulation shit that the system concrete is geared toward takes some patience and planning with an SP and a DAW. If you're happy with the pace and results your current set up is getting you, then there's not really a reason to upgrade. If you want a more streamlined approach and some of the added flexibility of the modules, then it might be worth the money.

[D.o.S.]

Yeah the real time stuff is the big thing (as well as not having to roll with a computer). That and SHINY NEW THINGS but that's negated by the price tag.

[Deltaphoenix]

Buying used and piecing it together over time is an option. I know I was SUPER scared to start messing with modular synths a couple of years ago. I would dip my toes in, then sell off the 60hp of stuff that I had acquired. I think I was mainly scared because I knew that I would end up selling most of my pedals and amps, etc. Today I am glad that I have gone this route. The price of entry is high but the fun, unique results, exploring sounds, etc is so worth it. Obviously there are limits to how much one can go this direction ($ mainly) but it is worth exploring.

I have to admit that if I haven't sat down at my Buchla for a few days, I start to get weird: :"That thing is so fucking expensive...I could sell it and put together a nice Eurorack modular, buy a Dave Smith Tempest and a few nice pedals and STILL put thousands back in the bank". Then I play it and stop thinking that. I guess my problem is that I have an amazing instrument that is super expensive and I feel a little guilty about that. Granted, I bought none of it new and got some amazing deals.

[Strange Tales]

Yea buying used modular is the way to go. I did that for the majority of my stuff and saved a good bit of cash.

I'm down the rabbit hole though and theres no looking back, not that I would want to.

[D.o.S.]

So the problem with piecing it together would be that I don't have a well-defined sonic goal to get out of modulars, just a vague idea of what I can approximate with stompboxes anyway and with none of the convenience of quarter inch ins and outs.

[Strange Tales]

I bought my stuff with no defined goal in mind, just that I wanted to get into it. Do research on stuff you'd think you'd like to do and things will start to take shape. Just slap the Pittsburgh Modular Outs module on the end of your idea.

[Deltaphoenix]

I think ultimately sonic goals change when one spends time with a modular anyways so you're golden!

[D.o.S.]

enablers. All of you.

[MrNovember]

It's really hard to have a solid goal when starting with modular. That's why I always recommend starting small with a few essential modules like the those in the System Concrete or a full voice like the Mother32 or Intellijel Atlantis. The more you patch, the more you'll figure out where you want to go with it. You'll quickly realize what's missing

[behndy]

Kind of figured you'd be coming back soon.
Now we just have to get behndy. He's the white whale.

....... are you calling me fat?

pfffffft. yeah. i love the stuff y'all come up with moddy moddu style, but i would need to be like.... not working and rolling DEEP in the money to even start down that road.

i don't have the extra cash right now to buy stuff unless i'm going to use it for musics, and i barely have room for a MICRO home recording setup.

NEED ALL THE MONIES. AND A BIGGER HOUSE. THEN MAYBE.

[Invisible Man]

So the problem with piecing it together would be that I don't have a well-defined sonic goal to get out of modulars, just a vague idea of what I can approximate with stompboxes anyway and with none of the convenience of quarter inch ins and outs.

Have you ever messed with one? I felt the same way until I found a coworker who (miraculously) lives near me, and has a really cool system. We played with it for a couple hours, and I have a much better idea of what I'd like to do.

I'll second the use of the Moog synth to get started.



Figure start with the Mother 32, then buy one thing at a time to build it up slow, and learn how each one can do cool new stuff before committing a shit ton of money to this.

[D.o.S.]

I have before, but not in a very long time, and not since I started thinking about actually getting into it.

[Strange Tales]

The Mother 32 comes in its own case. You can take that out and use that space for many other modules.

[D.o.S.]

enablers. All of you.