Can we talk about modular synths?

[worra]

Yeah I definitely want to figure out how much space I need before I buy any modules or a rack. I do think the first thing I'm interested in is making drum sounds.

That said, I'm not buying shit till I spend some serious time with the 0-coast figuring out what I want more of, and what I don't really care about. I mostly have effects covered, I'm not really interested in buying lots of modular effects type gear (with a few exceptions, of course, I'm looking at you, Clouds).

[MrNovember]

and dood. GET A MODULAR BUDDY. someone that KNOWS. THINGS. and is fine with you constantly pestering them with questions and links from Modular Grid and will point out the stupid things you're planning and the better way to do that shizz.

Dood. That's yous guys

100% available to field any and all modular questions through PMs if anyone needs advice! Although, I am definitely veering to the side of less modular lately, I can still help.

Also, regarding drum module recommendations, I am all for Noise Engineering modules. Basimilus Iteritas Alter is the ideal drum module in my eyes and some of their upcoming trigger modules seem pretty great and intuitive (Bin Seq, Variatic Sequent/Multium, Horologic Solum). Pair all that with a Malekko Voltage Block, Varigate 8+, and a couple Pico Drums and you'd have a pretty nuts drum synth.

On another note altogether, this happened:

[oscillateur]

That's an awesome little case...

[oscillateur]

Also, how's the 1U Intellijel reverb ? I'm seriously considering that one too but I haven't found any proper demo/review...

[Warpsmasher]

OOF, dat Belgrad.

[behndy]

beauuuuuutyyyyy.

[resincum]

do any of yall have a phonogene? having a tough time falling in love with this piece of kit. every composition I've heard centered around it sounds incredible. I'm having trouble getting that magic going tho.. producing tons of awesome vaporwave/glitch kind of samples, but I don't know how to keep the jam going if that makes sense. reminds me of the ct5; super fun to dick around with, but can be intimidating when composing with it. if I could figure out a way to erase the buffer with CV that'd be amazing! for now I'm kind of wishin I went with a clouds instead. not ready to give up just yet, but dang this thing is fucking with my head

[Warpsmasher]

Can I get some recommendations on drum modules?

There are so many ways to go about it...I think Pico Drums is just a perfect sample module. Compact, efficient as fuck, and unlimited potential for a lifetime of heavy use. You can even load whole songs onto it. The CV'd pitch shifting alone is worth the buying price, which is a bargain already. It is not whammy-style pitch shifting though, it's the kind that slows down and speeds up the sample. So cool when you use it on drum loops instead of oneshots. It can also be used as a time stretching (& shrinking) pitch delay effect, by playing the same sample in both banks, and pitch shifting one of them.
The Tiptop Audio One is really quite an interesting alternative, with some pretty major differences...and the Qu-Bit Wave is basically the jumbo quadbeast version, but you can only load 16 samples to each bank in the Wave, vs. having the run of all 64 for each bank in the Pico. The Wave does offer the best set of control features though, I think. Separate CV for pitch and sample selection of each channel. They nailed it there, where the others missed.

Noise sources into VCAs and/or filters is the standard means for lots of drum sounds. Meng Qi DPLPG or Make Noise LxD is great for this...simple lowpass gates that decay just like a drum when you hit it with a trigger. Noise sources tend to vary a lot in volume, so it's good to have some distortion and/or mixer space available to sort things out. And other effects...for me, I think modular drum machine heaven is filled with separate reverbs, delays, freezes, phasers, pitch shifting, fuzzes and everything else, for as many separate sounds as you may want to apply it to. This is where small wonders like the Disting and Pico DSP come in really handy.
Hexinverter stuff is nice, and available for DIY. I like the whole mutant series, Jupiter Storm & Galilean Moons, really cool stuff.
Audio Damage Proton, Neuron, and BoomTschak are also some very nice drum synths. Nothing quite like them on the market. The Enso is also going to be crazy awesome, uber-deluxe granular buffer override stutter effect thing with CV over all the right bits, and a nice display screen...I could see this one being gassy enough to make even more people start diving in. Imagine it amidst some Rossum modules, and the new Morphing Terrarium.

[behndy]

I'll be the one slightly dissenting voice and say that you don't necessarily need a huge system, and many people can do the things they want/need in 6/7/9U max.

It all depends on what you want to achieve, though. That's the important thing, and it takes some time to realize what it is.

But having limitations can be very efficient creatively, if these limitations are known/understood. Lots of people buy tons of modular gear, get overwhelmed and just do fart noises or bad techno that could be done with an MC303. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you don't think a modular will make you a great musician or something.

A modular is a potentially awesome instrument, but it needs to be *your* instrument.

hoooomiiiieeeee. VERY much my fear. i like STUFF. but i don't want to end up with a bunch of stuff i have no idea how to use properly. i mean, i got a 9u x 90 case, so it WILL take me a while to fill it. but. yesh. learning pieces. understanding their uses. GOOD.

also, mebbe a dumb question, but would it be expensive/difficult to replace the rack rails in the Pittsburgh Modular Structure 270 case i got? seems like threaded rails are way easier to deal with than the slidey nut style they use?

[Ruiner]

also, mebbe a dumb question, but would it be expensive/difficult to replace the rack rails in the Pittsburgh Modular Structure 270 case i got? seems like threaded rails are way easier to deal with than the slidey nut style they use?

I almost got that case but read like 10 pages of people complaining about the slidey nut style on the Muff thread.

[Strange Tales]

Only have ever used sliding nuts and don't understand the hate. Line it up -> put a washer on the screw because you're not a fucking barbarian and don't want rack rash -> screw it in.

[Dark Barn]

I have a Monorocket case with sliding nuts, they really aren't as bad as some people say. In fact the sliding nuts don't bother me at all as far as getting a single module in and out of the case. The problem is when you are moving a module and have to remember which module you hid most of the nuts under. But on the flipside sometimes you can move modules around with out even unracking them if you have enough play in the power cable.

[Dark Barn]

I might have finagled a Modcan Quad Envelope for a reasonable price from a nice local fellow. Excited to try it it, a little unsure if I'll dig the jump to position knob action or hate it.

[Strange Tales]

I'm not sure if I want an OP-1 or a O|D ER-301. I think 301 though.

[behndy]

lol. cool. i will RESERVE JUDGEMENT.

urf. been swamped at work, had a bunch of Relationship Obligations yesterday. have to run an errand or two after work in an hour or so, stop at the hardware store to BUY WASHERS, then home to setup and PLAY.

so. damn. IMPATIENT.