Hi Everybody,
Trying to get started with a modular setup for generative/ randomised music and general sound design.
The neutron is eating up space at the moment, but just wondering what you all think of this setup I am thinking of moving towards.
I'd probably replace the neutron with things like a Zoia Eurburo, Winterbloom Castor & Pollux & Morphagene.
I definitely need some focused feedback though....
First up, Braids is long-discontinued. Plaits is the official replacement from Mutable, but you can get Braids clones, although the "miniaturized" clones are often a total PITA to program, with tiny controls and tight spacing.
Second...yep, you get it. That Neutron should be back in its own case and on its own power. The case is for things that DON'T have those.
Third: this is a fairly small build. So trying to populate this with large modules will cause you to LOSE potential, as you'll not have space for various utility and "helper" modules that need to be in there. About the only "big" thing that should be in there would be the Maths; the rest can and SHOULD be removed and smaller alternatives (WITHIN REASON! don't go so small that you can't get at the controls when you need to) found that can do the same job.
Fourth (and related to the third part above): do you HAVE TO sequence from the Hermod, or would you be better off sequencing from your DAW and using something like Expert Sleepers' "soundcard" modules to send/return both control signals AND audio? Again, the Hermod is huge, but those ES modules are not. Same probably goes for the System 100m mixer, plus you can get similar stereo output mixers with ALL parameters under CV that can fit into a slightly smaller cab. See Toppobrillo's Stereomix2 for one example.
Best rule of thumb here is that you should have about 1/3+ of your modules as part of an audio chain, and the rest of the space should be controllers, modifiers, modulators, etc etc. And getting that balance is important to drawing out the power in the audio chain. Too many "helpers", and the synth will sound rather "meh", and not enough "helpers" results in a different sort of "meh" from not having internal motion in your sounds. Trust me on that; you want to sound like Klaus or RJD or so on, and NOT a microwave beep.
