Can we talk about modular synths?

[D.o.S.]

You... Don't do that?

[MrNovember]

You... Don't do that?

Never really have unless I was specifically making a drone. For anything rhythmic or melodic I never really bothered. I would just mess with things until they sounded good together. Whenever I heard someone talking about tuning oscillators I always just assumed it was to integrate other instruments into the mix.

I don't know. I guess it was a major "aha" moment, a minor stupid moment, and overall I felt like I should share

[rainlet]

So I've been bitten by the modular bug. I didn't want to go posting on Muffs, since they seem less cool with fielding entry level setup questions. I'm thinking the Trogotronic case, since I can't justify a gigantic system to the wife. That gives me 6U at 84hp to work with. The goals are:

• Something self contained. Like I said, I need to keep things tight. I like the idea of just having a small setup I can easily drag around to wherever, set up and jam.
• Feature rich. I'd like every module to be able to pull its weight in multiple areas, don't want anything that isn't going to be awfully useful.
• Able to integrate with my guitar junk. I've got a pretty fair pedalboard at this point, and I still like playing guitar. I'd like to be able to use it with this every once in a while.

So, I whipped up a rack.



The Mutable Instruments modules seem to be the pinnacle of feature rich, since every module does a load of different things. I'm willing to put out a bit more money for functionality, I'll just have to add things slowly. Am I covering all my bases? I figure I have multiple sound sources (Mangrove, Three Sisters, Tides, Rings, Rampage, and to a lesser extent Clouds and Peaks), envelope generators and modulation (Tides, Rampage, Peaks), a control surface (Voltage Memory), VCAs (Streams, level inputs on Tides and Mangrove), mixing (Links, Shades, and to an extent Three Sisters), utilities (Links, Rampage), effects (Clouds, Rings), input and output (Sewastopol, ADDAC Pedal Integrator). And then I've got the Disting, which is basically the ultimate pinch hitter.

I'm figuring I'll start by picking up the case, Mangrove and Rampage, since that'll give me a base to work off of, then build up from there.

I've been trying to think this through for a while, and I'm sure the plan will change at some point, but I'd like a general goal to start toward. Is this a good path to go? Am I neglecting something obvious? Are there any picks in there that wouldn't be great (maybe because I'm really on that Mutable Instruments kool-aid)? Maybe switch out the Kinks for a Brainseed or a Radio Music?

[oscillateur]

I haven't got much time so I only looked at this quickly but you need more proper VCAs I think. You'll want to use them for voltages too and not just audio.

[rainlet]

I haven't got much time so I only looked at this quickly but you need more proper VCAs I think. You'll want to use them for voltages too and not just audio.

Hm, it might be worth it to swap the Kinks for the Doepfer A-132 or the STG VCA. Links and Kinks were the parts I was least sure about, anyways.

[psychic vampire.]

I am also fucking inexperienced about modular, but the voltage memory seems huge for what it does, and i have no clue how you might feel about having/not having mults, noise/S&H sources, et al. I might be totally wrong that the Zlob VnIcursal provides the most VCAs per HP?

[oscillateur]

I am also fucking inexperienced about modular, but the voltage memory seems huge for what it does, and i have no clue how you might feel about having/not having mults, noise/S&H sources, et al. I might be totally wrong that the Zlob VnIcursal provides the most VCAs per HP?

Voltage Memory in that case is probably intended to be used to play/sequence the whole thing I suppose.

Mults are not that useful unless they're buffered, and there are actually a few buffered mults in Links. For unbuffered mults in a small system, use Stackcables or things like the Intellijel Hub.

And he has at least 4 noise/random sources in there : NanoRand, Peaks (actually 2 channels, each one can be a random LFO for example) and Disting (which can do everything) and there is a white noise output in Kinks too. Kinks, btw, also has a Sample & Hold. I'd probably keep it in a system like that, it adds some useful utilities.

But yeah, depending on what you want to do the Sewastopol + the Addac in/out module might be a bit overkill. And Streams too, unless you have specific plans for it. You could replace it with a couple of modules for mixing/VCA duties for example.

[oscillateur]

Sorry, double post.

[MrNovember]

I've only really heard good things about the Voltage Memory and it would pair incredibly well with Rings and Clouds. I would definitely keep it in there.

I would also definitely be keeping Kinks in there. Pretty useful utilities. And I don't think you'd need any additional mults. Stackcables and Links would be more than enough.

I agree with oscillateur on the Sewastopol and Addac module. Seems like pretty overkill for such a small system. Not sure I agree on Streams though, I don't really know enough about that module. The new version of the Optomix might be comparable and smaller though so you could check that out. You could also look into swapping the Tides for a Batumi to save some more space, but still have an incredibly versatile modulation source.

[psychic vampire.]

I am also fucking inexperienced about modular, but the voltage memory seems huge for what it does, and i have no clue how you might feel about having/not having mults, noise/S&H sources, et al. I might be totally wrong that the Zlob VnIcursal provides the most VCAs per HP?

Voltage Memory in that case is probably intended to be used to play/sequence the whole thing I suppose.

Mults are not that useful unless they're buffered, and there are actually a few buffered mults in Links. For unbuffered mults in a small system, use Stackcables or things like the Intellijel Hub.

And he has at least 4 noise/random sources in there : NanoRand, Peaks (actually 2 channels, each one can be a random LFO for example) and Disting (which can do everything) and there is a white noise output in Kinks too. Kinks, btw, also has a Sample & Hold. I'd probably keep it in a system like that, it adds some useful utilities.

But yeah, depending on what you want to do the Sewastopol + the Addac in/out module might be a bit overkill. And Streams too, unless you have specific plans for it. You could replace it with a couple of modules for mixing/VCA duties for example.

Agh, both didn't see the Nanorand on my tiny screen and didn't know that about Kinks! Thanks/sorry. And I assumed that Voltage Memory was for that, it's just huge.

[Warpsmasher]

Voltage Memory is worth the HP expense because of all the different modes. It might seem like a lot of HP, but I don't know of a smaller module that does as much. It was one of my first modules and that definitely helped with learning the ropes of it. The custom sequencer mode is my favorite, it's just like the gate sequencer mode, you can tap in a long step sequence on whichever keys you want, skip and repeat steps, and change direction. Arpeggiator mode is also cool as fuck, and limited only by how many pads you can touch with your fingers.
Big modules are definitely a shortcut to faster growth & row completion, and if you don't mind using up the space it's not a big deal, but if you want the freedom to choose more big ones (frames, erbe, elements, etc etc), you'll have to up your starting mission to 9 or 12U, or go wider on the case. Otherwise you'll constantly have to rule out the big ones to save space, and that's a drag. Playable modules need the size to be enjoyable, too...something to consider if you're a knobtweaker and don't always need to CV everything. Even 20 HP is a lot, but modules that go that big usually justify it with lots of hands-on fun and playability.


That said, goodbye Eventide money, hello Rainmaker! Just paid the bloody price to Detroit Modular, gave me 5% off. Clouds and Maths will have to wait a little longer. I'll probably get that new Snazzy filter before either of them, too.

[rainlet]

Voltage Memory in that case is probably intended to be used to play/sequence the whole thing I suppose.

Yeah, I wanted some sort of sequencer/performance surface, and I was wanting something integrated rather than an attachment. I was actually really set on a Rene for a while, but the VM is cheaper, smaller and has less stories about things not working right with the pads, etc. I had also thought about a Pressure Points with a Brains, but that would end up costing as much as a VM and almost taking the same space, but having significantly less functionality.

Kinks, btw, also has a Sample & Hold. I'd probably keep it in a system like that, it adds some useful utilities.

But yeah, depending on what you want to do the Sewastopol + the Addac in/out module might be a bit overkill. And Streams too, unless you have specific plans for it. You could replace it with a couple of modules for mixing/VCA duties for example.

I'm getting less sold on Kinks actually. The NanoRand has a S&H, and I'm not sure how much I'd actually use the various logic utilities in Kinks. I'm feeling that if something gets replaced, it's that. I don't think there's anything in there that's necessarily vital. I may cut that for a STG VCA.

Streams, I'm still not sure about. Sure, it's 12HP, but it also does a whole shitload of things. VCA, VCF, vactrol emulation, compression, envelope generation, envelope following, and it has two independent channels to do each of those. Plus random modulation and wobble for CV/audio That's a lot of functionality in there.

The whole Sewastopol/ADDAC in/out portion, I feel like it could be fun to integrate my guitar with this, but I don't know. I might cut that section for maybe something like a Gozinta, so I have some way to get signal in, but without the serious business that I had before. Unsure what else I'd slot in though.

[MrNovember]

The whole Sewastopol/ADDAC in/out portion, I feel like it could be fun to integrate my guitar with this, but I don't know. I might cut that section for maybe something like a Gozinta, so I have some way to get signal in, but without the serious business that I had before. Unsure what else I'd slot in though.

I'm pretty sure the Sewastopol would be pretty much perfect for that. It's always been my plan to replace my Rosie with a Sewastopol so that I could integrate different instruments into my system. From my understanding, the bottom section would allow you to plug a guitar into it and send it where ever you want in your system. On top of that, the envelop follower and comparator are normalled to the input, so you'd be able to use that to control different things in the system as well. Check around 5 minutes in the demo video here: http://xaocdevices.com/main/sewastopol/

[Warpsmasher]

The 3HP Erica Pico series is on MG now...total game-changer! Fuck. Definitely getting the drums, to even out the 15HP Trog VCA I've got coming, and probably a few more for the next rack. These will open up all kinds of room for larger modules, and eliminate wasted space pretty much wherever you want.

[psychic vampire.]

The 3HP Erica Pico series is on MG now...total game-changer! Fuck. Definitely getting the drums, to even out the 15HP Trog VCA I've got coming, and probably a few more for the next rack. These will open up all kinds of room for larger modules, and eliminate wasted space pretty much wherever you want.

God damn, some of those picos seem great.