Beginner 6U/104HP rack for techno/EDM

Hi folks!

After watching a lot of demos, I've come up with the following rack, and I'm wondering if it'll do what I hope it will.

My goal is to be able to get off from work, get a patch going, and groove. I'm shooting for EDM sorts of sounds--a few drum sounds, a couple standard-ish synth voices, and the option for simple chord progressions if I really want to. I'd also like to be able to record my jams into a DAW.

I understand some of the joy of modular is going nuts and leaving more traditional synthesis, but for now, I'm just looking to get the hang of the modular workflow in general.

I'm also wondering how "playable" I might find this. What I mean is, are there enough immediate ways for me to directly influence the sound outside of patching to feel like I'm changing the music as it happens. Examples would include varying sequences, dropping an element that's playing, and otherwise keeping things fresh/building tension and release.

I'm sure something like this has been posted a hundred times before, but I didn't have much finding what I wanted with the search function.

Thanks!

and the link - jpgs really suck!!!

Hi folks!

After watching a lot of demos, I've come up with the following rack, and I'm wondering if it'll do what I hope it will.

My goal is to be able to get off from work, get a patch going, and groove. I'm shooting for EDM sorts of sounds--a few drum sounds, a couple standard-ish synth voices, and the option for simple chord progressions if I really want to. I'd also like to be able to record my jams into a DAW.

do you have an audio interface? can it handle modular levels? if no to either question consider an expert sleepers es9

Personally I think you are trying to do too much in too small a rack - there is not really the space for the support modules that are really needed to make the most of the number of voices (including percussion) that you are trying to cram into such a small rack - it's often said 1 voice per row - although, just like "you can never have too many vcas", this should be taken lightly

you might also want to look at "controller" modules

I understand some of the joy of modular is going nuts and leaving more traditional synthesis, but for now, I'm just looking to get the hang of the modular workflow in general.

I'm also wondering how "playable" I might find this. What I mean is, are there enough immediate ways for me to directly influence the sound outside of patching to feel like I'm changing the music as it happens. Examples would include varying sequences, dropping an element that's playing, and otherwise keeping things fresh/building tension and release.

maybe, maybe not - probably tending towards probably not, tbh...

mutes. switched multiples and trigger combiners, possibly trigger delays etc - more mixing - I really like matrix mixers - doepfer do a nice inexpensive ergonomic one...

stay away from micro modules (there may be some actual mutable plaits still available)

I'm sure something like this has been posted a hundred times before, but I didn't have much finding what I wanted with the search function.

there are lots and lots of newbie rack questions - they're almost all applicable to you - you are not especially different in any way than any other newbie - read a load of those threads and learn!!!

take a look at my signature - it's a rough guide to getting the most out of a modular synthesizer, for the least amount of cash

I'd take your goal and set it aside as a more mid- to long- term goal - start with a minimum viable synth and learn how to use it properly before adding more voices and percussion

EDITED Sep 2nd 2022, 00:53

Thanks for the response!

I do have an audio interface, but having done some research, I think an output module would certainly help me.

Feel free to tell me to just go reading, but do you have any advice on paring back? I'm having difficulty imagining that I'll enjoy making music with pretty much one voice. I guess there's always the option of building a single voice with a lot of modulation possibilities, and filling in the rest of things in the DAW itself.

I appreciate the reminder to go slow--so long as I get a decent case, I'll always have room to grow

Thanks for the response!

I do have an audio interface, but having done some research, I think an output module would certainly help me.

HAHAHA - to some extent they are marketing snake oil - 1st try without at all (probably will work fine), if you experience clippping (unwanted distortion) then try some passive attenuators (always useful) - if still not satisfied then try an output module...

Feel free to tell me to just go reading, but do you have any advice on paring back? I'm having difficulty imagining that I'll enjoy making music with pretty much one voice. I guess there's always the option of building a single voice with a lot of modulation possibilities, and filling in the rest of things in the DAW itself.

I'd start with (from the modules you think you want) Pams, Maths**, the erica vco, a filter, a quad vca - add a buffered mult and a module that does - mixing, inverting, attenuation - something like a happy nerding 3mia, if you can find one get it... yes I know maths has that built in - but see the 'footnote' - you want this on top of what maths provides, trust me...

pams can generate random quantized pitch voltages as well as providing clock and envelopes

the idea is to slew (reduce the rate of change of) the learning curve so that you are not overwhelmed and can properly learn the modules that you have before buying anymore... once you feel that you know those modules inside and out and how they interact with each other then add one or 2 more modules and repeat the process and so on...

it's not that this is mandatory - it's just a tried and tested method... and it applies to modular synthesis (using basic building block modules to synthesize sounds***) and to what I call synthesis with modules (use complex modules to reach the same goal) or anywhere in between... which is probably where I have (and probably most people) end up

*no plan survives contact with the enemy - which is you, btw!!

**download the 'maths illustrated supplement' work your way through it a few times - it'll take a while - a few weeks or months probably - work out why, what and how it is doing what it does for each patch... and then use this as a jumping off point for your own experiments

***for example use a cascading vca, an lfo and a handful of basic utilities to patch up a vc crossfader or a vc panner or a compressor, instead of buying a crossfader module, a panning module or a compressor - as you don't necessarily need these al the time, but you might want them now and then - in other words always ask can I patch that with what I've got without compromising anything else, before buying a new module - which might end up with you then buying another set of cascading vca, lfo, various utilities instead of the dedicated module as it's more versatile

I appreciate the reminder to go slow--so long as I get a decent case, I'll always have room to grow
-- vandewhatering

indeed, and there's always another case - I have 8!!

tiptop mantis is a great starter rack!! best bang for buck hp/cost/decent power/manufacturer reputation!!!

btw - the quantizer is superfluous - varigate can output quantized sequenced pitch and pams can do quantized loopable random pitch... and you may find you don't really need an adsr - a large proportion of modular users just use ad or ar envelopes

One module I would recommend considering adding to this setup now is some sort of effects...like the FX Aid Pro or XL (which unfortunately seem to be hard to find these days). Not sure what HP you have available but definitely something to consider for that "get off from work, get a patch going, and groove" jamming :)

One module I would recommend considering adding to this setup now is some sort of effects...like the FX Aid Pro or XL (which unfortunately seem to be hard to find these days). Not sure what HP you have available but definitely something to consider for that "get off from work, get a patch going, and groove" jamming :)
-- jb61264

good call there - especially the pro version - much easier to use when you can see what you are doing!!

A bigger case is recommended since you want room for support utility modules. I use an MDLR 14u case that is portable even though heavy and use a hand cart for it when I travel. With 5 WMD percussion modules, WMD Mixer, WMD Metron sequencer and few support tools it still takes up two of my 14u rows easily.