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I would drop the behringer envelope and get something else. (or use maths for envelopes)
+ drop the behringer vcas and mixer - and look for something like a Veils or Quad Vca with more Vcas in one module
I like Nano Modules ONA as standard vco (its small hp)
I would drop all the behringer - even the low pass filter, there are other cool filters in this hp.
As you own Pams already, I think its worth to try it with Pams.
I had great results with it.
Dont overlook its great powers.
You can do it all with it.
different trippy clock divisions and patterns work well on the BIA inputs.
Try to play with Phase, With and Level on Pams with different settings each on the channels, if needed with a additional attenuverter, polarizer.
like set the Phase 25 % off on (attack of the BIA) for noise/hats
looped random on (algorithms of BIA)
a different looped random on (octaves of BIA)
on fold
on harmonics
and so on....
When you find something that works, you can save the settings of the channels as presets and recall them later, to play the same patterns, when you need it.
(may combine it with euclidean patterns)
Also the turing maschine functionality is very useful.
A big thing are the logic functions.
You can set different operations to Mix Channels, like combine channel 1 and 2 and get the Min, Max and so on
There are many approaches depending on the modules you have.
I do it with traffic from olive tress at the moment.
(Traffic, let you defince cv states, so you can get 3 sounds like a kick, a snare and a hat, to be triggered seperately out of the BIA.)
Back in the days, I used Mimetic Digitalis with Lapsus Os. It gives in sum 8 outputs. (4 sequences, each 2 times)
Voltage block will work well.
You can do it very well with Pamelas Pro Workout. (8 outs)
With cross channel logic, you get amazing results
Metropolix, Atlantix and Sealegs are very nice and powerfull modules.
I guess a great combo and I would love to have them. They are bit like the rolls royce of modules. High quality and features.
Its pricey, but awesome.
Yes Atlantix is a complete voice and this saves some modules. So this is a good idea. Because this gives a good ground and you may only add some small modules to get more out of it.
Utilities are very important and its always good to have the basic ground covered. But this can also grow with time.
It can be a interesting approach to start with these 3, to experience the limitations and to add was is missing later. I guess, modulating these 3 on itself could be fun.
Modular can be everything, it doesnt have to be complex, as long as you like it. And even with this 3 modules you can do very complex stuff.
In general, I would recomment to get a bigger rack at the beginning.
Its good to leave space to build around the Atlantix.
Because if you start with these 3 modules, you will see very quick, which functions are missing.
This will be probably small utilitie-modules like: a mult, attenuverters, a dedicated LFO, a mixer for cv, more random, logic modules, clock dividers
It always grows. So better leave enough room for it - or you have to buy another case again.
One 1U row is not enough space for that, in my opinion.
something like Pamelas Pro Workout could be useful.
Atlantix and Cascadia are different in character, so its a matter of taste, which you like.
Plonk is very cool. But be aware, its menu divey. I have Plonk and I love and hate it. I think 1 Plonk is enough, its very deep and complex and you can save and load drum kits on it, which can be sequenced. So you can get very much out of only one.
For a FX rack better leave the voices out. As I understood you want to process your other synths.
I would keep the Ikarie and drop the rest for other stuff.
For Fx Rack:
-I like hands on modules like: Mimeophon as Delay, Reverb and Stereo-Feedback looper, all in one.
-Qu-bit Data Bender is nice for processing.
-Small and slow modulation sources like Divkid Ochd + Expander or NC Triple Sloths are useful
-Bastl Neo Trinity could be a good Modulation Hub for a rack of this size.
-Ikarie is cool for stereo filter, with drive
-There very small versions of rings and clouds, like nanorings and uClouds.
-to many voices in a small rack - Do you want / need that?
-lack of basic utillity = attenuverters, lfos, switches, mults ......
-lack of modulation
Maybe overthink the whole thing?
quick random ideas on this
-I would drop the a-118, a-156 and get a Pamelas Pro Workout instead.
You can use it for for clock, random, quantizer, logic, lfos and more stuff.
I love Pams Pro because its possibility of cross modulation of the channels and the logic functions
-T-Networks trough the waveshaper? - I was very disapointed from the T-Networks. Dry without a bunch distortion and processing its probably not very pleasing?
I would drop the T-Networks, 2-hp kick and get a nice percussion module like a NE BIA or Ultra perc which can be modulated very intense.
-Add a nice wonky dedicated LFO of your choice or (Pams)
-I would suggest a other mixer as NGM.
If you want to have a Rides on the Storm module, then maybe "XXM-mixer" (also good for cv)
-Bastl Aikido is mega cool (as mixer with sidechaining + feedback stuff + also as vca)
-3 FEGs - for what?
-I would drop Zverb - and get a Mimeophon :D
-Maybe get rid of the erica double bass. The A - 116 as bass voice is enough, or drop the A - 116.
-Everyone loves plaits - Do you really need it?
You can also use it for percussion and drums instead of dedicated drum modules
-Be aware of your filters. I think they are a bit similar. Do you need it?
-How do you sequence melodies, basslines etc?
maybe get a sequencer, some turing maschine module (or use also Pams for this)
-Bastl Neo Trinity could also be a nice fit for a small rack besides Pams
At first you probably need a bigger a case and more fundamental utilities, like attenuverters, polarizer, envelopes, lfos .....
Its all mentioned in recent posts.
My first impression, I might missunderstood it at first glance is:
drums:
come from the jomox drummaschine // you can just use samples from the web and put in your /Digitakt, elektron samples, computer or sampleplayer of choice
synth hook
- seems to be the combination of a analog complex vco processed with a modulated filterbank.
you could try to emulate this with different cheaper vcos and filterbanks - but I guess the particular Verbos Filterbank has a special character. So it will be propably hard to come exactly near.
But there are a few cheaper filterbanks, you could combine a fixed filterbanks with a vca.
Like a Zlob VC F3DB, ADDAC 601 .....
Sequencing
Mimetis digitalis is nice, but Im not sure, if this enough to get organic sequences. Maybe better a sequencer with more settings per stage. Maybe it gets more unstable and floating or more wonky with crazy settings on pams to reset and shift the mimetic? I had good results with marbles + mimetic.
DFAM is fun as hell, but you could add them later.
I heard on a crappy PA, but the examples I heard seem to sound a bit cold and vintage vibed.
I guess a analog mixer and some hardware for analog coloring and maybe sparse digital delay - could be useful
- maybe you can get also close to this with a software emulation from UAD or something like that.
Im not quiet familiar with the Oxi. (Im testing one at the moment for the first time)
But I guess you can do much like lfos, envelopes + logic gates and stuff with the oxi.
So its just a question of taste and workflow.
But in general, maybe you could focus on a more modular experience instead of just dropping voices to control it with the oxi. (Which is also fine, if this is what you want)
Your rack looks a bit shuffeled and incoherent to me. Seems to be a approach to become a groovebox rack .
A few good standard picks, almost everybody does like (BIA+Mimetic Digitalis+Lapsus Os) but not much coherence and context.
Maybe think about, which exact role your rack should take.
What does it need, what should it do?
If you go hybrid or with semi-modular stuff, a rack focused on utility could be useful.
If you use it with a analog rhytm - do you need a dedicated kickdrum?
So maybe focus on more standard building blocks.
Do you just want to replace the elektron stuff with a groovebox rack you patched once and set and forget?
Do you want to do complex patches and discover modular?
Do you really need the modular for generative stuff or is your oxi + elektron gear enough?
If you just do the same stuff with you modular as you do with the other gear, it could be a expensive toy at the end.
I think it depends how good you threat your modules.
If you have insuffiecent power in your rack it may occur that you grill a module.
If you buy used modules on MG, which gone through a couple of hands, there is always a chance that the people did some crap with it. + that they are not honest and sell you a troubled module.
QU-Bit for instance gives a lifelong guarantee. They will help always with issues and repairs for free, even if the regular guarantee time is over. I guess there are more manufacturers who do it too.
Since today, I had no function issue with my modules, only knobs or nuts got a bit loose.
But in 3 cases, MG-sellers did withold that they sell me a broken or troubled module, which I didnt see immedately. I guess the previous owners treathed them harsh.
The first module worked at the first runs, but after a short while it was not completly working - 1/3 of the features and inputs didnt response
The second module, had the problem that the nut of the trigger-input was loose and fall completly off.
The third Module had a broken clock input, the rest was working.
I struggle a bit.
Thank you for your advices
Right now I see no approach to decide yet.
Maybe you could help me to thin things out?
(Writing this also helps me to recap on it)
I want something to keep things easier and play live.
I want to be able to play tracks / projects I did prepare before and mangle them live.
My goal is to play recognizable tracks, that I can fire of and do live variations.
Reduction and simplicity is also something I have in mind.
(Before I did more complex stuff, that is harder to recreate and to focus on on live situations.)
black sequencer -
has 4 channels + mod lane each
(Could be enough, if I focus on main parts and reduction)
Eloquencer -
looks very nice to me. Very simple to access and straight forward.
it reminds me on the oxi one but without odd magic features.
Oxi -
seems to be a good everything device. (Maybe also as a daw sequencer)
But I dont like to have much stuff in front of me outside the rack)
Im temped to try it for some magic in daw production.
A plus could be its versetility - to use it for computer, eurorack and hardware synths. - I think of it more as a playable sketchbook and producion helper
Im also temped to use a Acid Rain Constellation for drums.
In fact, I have much generative and random stuff and I think I need really something to give more of a leading structure.
.... the Black Noise Cosmos .... It's sort of an endless patching wormhole/analog computer thing like Maths or the Serge world.
-- Zacksname
May I ask about your experience with Black Noise Cosmos? Im very interested in this kind of modules. I also consider Ana 2 from mystic circuits. Could you tell me soemthing more about its use and benefits?
Right now I use Pamelas Pro Workout for logic stuff, but Cosmos and Ana seem to be very cool.
Im wondering, how something like a Cosmos could expand my possibilities? (In Pams you can also dial in specific logic operations and apply it on the inputs + add more operations with the cross channels)
Maybe there are some cheaper 1u alternatives?
....tbh I wish I'd bought 2 doepfer ones - ergonomics and attenuversion
JimHowell1970
Same here. I got the wyrd matrix mixer to save space....works well, but it is way to fiddly to use it properly with the small knobs.
I guess a good matrix mixer should have it´s space.
wogglebug has wilder random as turing maschine, if this is your taste. + special feautures like audio mangling etc - its more beasty stuff
Turing maschine is more straight forward, but lovely and nice with expanders - the Pulses expander does nice gates
especialy with Benjolin V2 from After Later Audio
- you can chain it with all expanders
(I love this combo)
Benjolin V2 alone is also nice for random + it has a nice filter
+ BV2 is a nice crazy sound design tool
thoughts
I would suggest to only get a few utilities for the start and just build stuff around your moogs.
Not a 3000 Dollar investment
As you say you are more in ambient music:
for random:
Marbles could maybe suit you better instead of a turing maschine.
or clank chaos
Clank chaos has also a sequencer mode and many scales for quantization
Marbles is more accessable with just twisting knobs
check them out
Dont forget Pamelas New Pro Workout can do most of the stuff, like lfos, sequencing, random, logic, etc
combined with things like maths, lapsus os, 3xMia, Miso or 4ms mingler - Pams can archieve a lot you would search in other modules
Modulation:
Ochd + Ochd expander is good for ambient - applying slow modulations
or NLC Triple Sloths
?
If you want fo go west coast - Do you need more filters?
those modules look interesting to me, but i havent looked into any of them, yet, personally, myself. i like that it looks like youre driving everything from a pam. i cant speak to how well i think it would work for performance. what would the whole performance setup be? just that? yeah, and i agree i dont see a lot of audio shaping or effects. why does everyone seem to want to include an ochd? what does it even do? super noobie, here, etc. etc.
peace.
-- singular_sound
Ochd has chained lfos that related to each other and are unsynced.
This can be handy to get a bunch of slow movments going, that drift a bit out of time and phase to send it to fx modules and other stuff that is itended to envolve slowly.
I think it shines in contrast to time synced modulation. You change it all by the twist off one knob, whats pritty easy to handle.
With expander it adds a huge functionality - it extracts triggers, cv, rectived signals and more stuff from the lfos.
So you get a huge kind of cv- and function generator in just 8 hp.
Maybe drop the bloom for a neo trinity?
You can use 6 channels for seqencing, envelopes, lfos, sample and hold and stuff.
The sequencing is differet to the bloom but if you like it, it works.
Its made for small systems
I guess you use Pams to trigger the drums on the rample, because of the channel logic feature
Pams + neo trinity could be a good combo
I personally find that ochd + expander is pretty neat for ambient stuff, but I guess you might choosed the caixa case also because you want to focus on those 1 row utilities. So this is more the cherry on top
Im pretty sure that the Nautilus can do delays that summ up in reverb-alike textures.
otherwize
maybe its an idea to drop the data bender for the monsoon.
Different firmwares of clouds offer also some feautres of the data bender + the reverb.
Then you probably lack of a filter. But there are also good 4 hp filters like wmd sclpt
depends on how you use it.
I have both next to each other and think they compliment well as a combo for granular clouds and glitches.
But its a matter of taste.
Beads can do much stuff other modules can do, but I think mostly you can not apply all these functions at once.
I use Morphagene to sample and mangle my modular sounds live, which adds some tape glich and beatslicing - and send it into Beads to add more texture and ambient clouds.
I like Morphagene because it´s very hands on.
Where is the noise in your fx / noise rack?
Maybe add a nice noise source?
-Intelijell Sealegs could be intersting for you.
Delay / reverb with saturation and noise
or
-Qu-bit Nautilus
-Make Noise Mimeophon
Maybe drop that Echoez?
Maybe a smaller and more vesetaile LFO like Batumi or Ochd+Expander?
For wavetables I like the "4ms Spherical Wavetable Navigator". Adding a Joystick to this would be great.
it has 6 voices with chords implemented.
Do you have all the modules in the rack?
Which music genre do you focus?
With the other gear you seem to be very good set. Because of that:
If you not mainly in modular, maybe think about to only add some eurorack modules as utilities to compliment your grandmother and dfam. Just said, to save money.
Otherwize:
do you need 2 maths?
maybe less erica synths?
what about noise sources, distortion / saturation?
maybe some schlappi engineering stuff like interstellar radio, 100 grid or a Benjolin?
I like the Benjolin V2 for sound design. It has also a nice filter
a nebulae or morphagene for resampling, glitches and tape effects?
qu-bit Aurora combined with noise sources?
Befaco Noise Plethora = great noise source with analog filters.
By this small casesize maybe only one envelope/Lfo-combo, just stages or tides?
Maybe drop the Milton for a Pams and a 3x MIA?
Something like a Mimeophon or Nautilus?
Or Beads?
SGR-20 from Know Technology = Drone-Noise-Drum-Percussion-Mayhem. + It´s analog
Error Instruments red teleblender = chaotic + bubbly cvs and also noise
What about something like that?
Just a impulse
(Would have no chords)
I like the marbles a lot.
I guess its the most complex and easy to use random module, while you have Instant access by tweaking knobs.
If you understand it you can archieve incredible results.
The selfpatching abilities are great and you can get endless evolving random cv and gates.
The fact that it is like a kind of turing maschine comes really handy and makes it very playable.
Another idea cold be clank chaos.
Chaos seems to me more drastic and chaotic. You get a chaotic random mess and can thin out the chaotic cv and gate results afterwards to fit it to be less what you not want and to be more musically.
It has also a cv looping feature and got a sequencer ability in the new firmware.
I have both and enjoy them.
I use the marbles to dial in controlled random for basic and dominant functions. The chaos I use for glitchy, unpredicted and wild random.
Volca Drum seems a great idea.
How about controlling the Volca Drum?
I had a Volca FM once and I found the parameters hard to access and menu divey.
So I guess it could be similar with the volca drum?
drums should be covered
Any idea for a small synth voice?
Softpop 2 is quiet expensive (I will leave it out)
Right now Im thinking like this:
drums: elektron: samples + volca drum (remove the dfam)
FX: Mood MK II (reverb, delay, looper, granular)
small synth voice: ?
small mixer: Bastl Bestie?
I could add a bluebox and blackbox later, but still to expensive right now.
Im thinking about to take a break from modular for the moment
things start to become to big and complex for my brain right now (while I have to focus on other non musical stuff)
For the meanwhile:
Im looking for a small performance setup which is small and easy, maybe just focusing on up to 3 devices or so.
So im asking for some ideas and tips for a non modular or hybrid setup - maybe some groovebox or drummaschine oriented setup. minimalistic, easy to use without to much brain cells involved :D
This is my first attempt:
(I have the DFAM and Mood MK II, not the rest)
(Sry, the rack doesnt shop up directly, because its a "pedal rack")
the purpose of the rack is to be a live groovebox. A allrounder for live sets.
I intended the bitbox to trigger drums and also be able to sample own sounds to trigger later.
I thought to limit it to 1 voice for simplicity.
Depending on your advice, I changed a bit.
moving most utility to 1u row, like attenuverters etc
swapped maths with delta
Lainakea as main vco trough the (Ikarie Filter)
Ona as standard vco trough (Steady Fate Gate LPG)
Jolin Agogo as LPG or multiple
I think you have all what you need. anything more will be luxury and G.A.S.
but if you have the money
Filters:
I like bastl Ikarie - 8 hp stereo filter with drive
or Winterbloom Neptune
Mimeophon, Nautilus or Sealegs could be an idea depending on your taste.
Morphagene or Nebulae
for great sounding percussion, SSF Ultra Perc is the shiiiit in my opinion
for dark stuff - SGR 20 from Knobtechnology
its my favorite new toy. Its a analog vco, noise maschine , Industrial drum voice, drone maschine
The vco is a variation of the buchla triangle and it has some buchlataste in it.
I think the SGR gives a new special flavour and im a big fan of it.
Sry if this goes to far, but I just want to share my euphoric
I had a run with the Ultra Perc and Im very impressed.
You can do great kicks and whole drum kit whit it.
It just makes me smile.
Im asking myself, if there is a need to keep the ultra kick, if I have a ultra perc
Honestly I didnt dig deep into the ultra kick. It just delivers a instant awesome kick, that is always great, but I didnt go much further.
I like it very much and it does percussion sounds as well.
What do you think?
Maybe you could tell me how you use them?
Maybe I overlook something and leaving the UK for the UP is a hastly decision?
Why so much external sequencers and grooveboes at a time?
I think the oxi is enough and perfect to sequence evetything e.g. your modular + syntakt and more devices
Or do you want to build several different setups?
I mean, it might could be to much and confusing to keep your eyes on all the stuff, to control it and even learn it all at the same time.
I may be wrong.
Has anyone a idea which one is good to get?
I can not get both right now :(
I know they are total different.
My thoughts are:
the Ultra Perc seems to me more like a full analog drum kit - nice sounding good to go - instand high quality drums for live purpose. Suitable for Techno percussion and also real-world percussion.
The SGR1806-20 seems to me to be very great for a kind of special analog industrial noise-drums with a raw flavour - like a analog BIA, with a huge sound palette and a kind of new very interesting character.
Im after a Ultra Perc for a while and now this amazing SGR1806-20 got my attention.
Blows my mind
I also have a Ultra Kick and I archieve to get also nice percussion out of it through modulation.
Maybe the Ultra Perc would replace the Ultra Kick. But will it be such a change and benefit?
I got a bit bored of using BIA these days, maybe I had it to long and Im more after analog sounds at the moment.