Can we talk about modular synths?

[kbit]

I've been thinking about a potential set up pretty much non stop for the past week or two... I was thinking of starting with a skiff then upping to another 6U and then maybe another skiff on top of that... but right now I feel like concise module choices might within a limited space might be the best way to go to a) cut down on the lust, b) dig deep into the modules I may choose, and c) make music more than just dicking around.

Obviously my goals aren't everyone else's goals, and some modules that would be necessities to some I clearly wouldn't choose due to size... guess I'm just trying to back up my man here:

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.

[JTurbide]

Can't remember who suggested me to look at the Verbos Harmonic Oscillator but .. GODDAMN! It sounds so good. 4MS SMR seems really nice for drones too.

Just found this on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcu57sbBh2E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TebwTgxoX30

Anybody could help me with what do I need/don't need to achieve these kind of sounds above and right here: (Abul Mogard)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1zWDKWlcXo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxsC-7bsFU

Thanks

PS: I don't necessarily mean which exact modules but also like, lots of envelope? lots of vca? lfo? .... teach me

[kbit]

I truly don't have much hands on experience (so take this with a grain of salt), but I feel like I gained most of my understanding by reading through the manuals of modules im interested in, then googling the information/concepts I didn't understand. Not all manuals are written very well, but things from Make Noise and the WMD/SSF collaboration line helped me the most I'd say.

Also just googling VCA / Envelope / Filter / Gates / Clocks etc with "modular" added to your search will get you to the basics. & while knowing what all the different functions are important, control voltage is what ties them all together, so understanding that as best you can will be a major help.

[JTurbide]

I truly don't have much hands on experience (so take this with a grain of salt), but I feel like I gained most of my understanding by reading through the manuals of modules im interested in, then googling the information/concepts I didn't understand. Not all manuals are written very well, but things from Make Noise and the WMD/SSF collaboration line helped me the most I'd say.

Also just googling VCA / Envelope / Filter / Gates / Clocks etc with "modular" added to your search will get you to the basics. & while knowing what all the different functions are important, control voltage is what ties them all together, so understanding that as best you can will be a major help.

Thanks, yeah I know what most functions are and what they does but it's kinda hard to figure out if I would need like.. 4 VCA minimum? at least 2-3 envelopes? ADSR or simply AD ? Which filter would be great ? you know?
I've seen a lot of cool modules that I could see myself buying like batumi, tempi, benjolin, belgrad, Just friends, harmonic oscillator, SMR, Planar..etc but I can't afford all of this right now and would like to narrow it to my ''essentials''

Also I'm kinda confused when I see like the first or second link I posted just before, the guy is achieving some crazy good sounding drones with 3 modules (telharmonic, clouds and nano rand? no vca? no output module? no mixer ? no envelope ?

[kbit]

Well that's kind of the crux of modular. Its hard to say "you need this, this, and this" because everything is so open ended. You only need what you need for what you're trying to do.

For example, since drone doesn't necessarily need to have any changes in volume, you dont really need a vca to control the volume of an oscillator... unless you want to use a vca fade that drone in and out, or mix muliple drones, or manipulate other control voltage, or...

So really knowing what you want to do and knowing what modules will allow you to do those things will help you decide what modules you want to buy, especially if you areon a limited budget.


That's why im trying to learn everything I can before spending a dime.

EDIT: also that 3 module telharmonic drone patch is a patch example from the Modular Podcast which has a bunch of videos explaining aomw eurorack basics. That episode in particular was the "3 module challenge." I dont find those podcasts to be the most efficient educational resource as they are quite long and go off on tangents often, but they have some nuggets in there.

& this was probably the video that was the most eye opening for me in terms of how you can patch creatively:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvrxQbh6vAg[/youtube]

[JTurbide]

That's why im trying to learn everything I can before spending a dime.

Yeah same here.. feels like I'm going crazy with this

[Dark Barn]

You don't need an output module necessarily, you can take an output to your mixer or interface from any audio output if you want. For drones you also don't need a VCA necessarily, oscillators always drone, a VCA is an attenuator that stops the droning. If you want to do things besides droning that is where you'll use VCAs and envelopes most often. But you can use VCAs and envelopes in a drone patch too, there's no stopping you, and you don't need to apply an envelope (or VCA) to the audio path, these can be patched wherever you like, to modulate any arbitrary parameter.

That Telharmonic example sounded great btw.

Kbit beat me to it, so I'll just post this redundantly.

[Ruiner]

My they grow up so fast

[behndy]

dayuuuuuuuuuuum Ruin Dawg. OOF.

& this was probably the video that was the most eye opening for me in terms of how you can patch creatively:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvrxQbh6vAg[/youtube]

dood. i LOVE Mylar's videos. super informative, he's so good at breaking concepts down to a very understable description, and and just cute and funny and adorable.

when he gets all excited and "hah! FUHWAHHHH. YES."? LOVE IT.

[MrNovember]

Ruiner, that set-up is ridiculously awesome

[Dark Barn]

Yeah. Sexy case! And the modules.

[Ruiner]

Thanks fellas, got an O'Tools, Zetaohm Flux 1, 4ms Spectral Multiband Resonator and ER-301 on the way so I'll have to rearrange soon and decide what stays in this case and what goes in the next.

[actual]

Read the first half of ^^ and was gonna write "get another case", but of course you're already planning the next

[behndy]

also, what kind of case is that? SEXY.

[Ruiner]

also, what kind of case is that? SEXY.

Frapp Tools

It folds with patches in it too for taking places



That's the one I have but here's a different one folded for example