Opinion! What do you think of my system?

EDITED Aug 30th 2020, 12:53

if you post an actual link to a public rack - not a link to a jpg - you will get a lot more feedback

👍🏻

thanks!

looks great, but I would want another row for utilities - another quad vca (mutable or intellijel), a matrixmixer, a sequential switch, attenuators, kinks etc and all for modulation

how are you mixing - out of the box?

Yes I have an external mixer and 2 effects pedals...

thought as much - a few sub mixers would be useful though before filters!
as I said another row for utilities for making more, more interesting modulation from what you've already got - I'd probably squeeze an fx aid xl in too

You're not going to be able to use that external mixer for CVs and mod signals, though...and you NEED that functionality here.

This build has lots of sources, to be sure. BUUUUUUUUT...

...as usual, there's lots of utility stuff that should be here...which isn't. You got the "sexy" part...and ran a bit too far with it, seems like. Jim's advice is very good. I would also suggest removing the drum modules; fact is, you can probably get more cohesive results with a present-day drum machine than by trying to work with this in what's actually a rather sonically-crowded and not all that big build. You would be in a far better position and have a much better build if you did this, then reallocated the space as Jim (and I!) suggest.

Yes guys you are useful and for this I asked for an opinion !! explain yourself better lugia: taking off the mutants what would you wear?

Hmmm...probably better if I show you. Lemme bang on this for a hot minute...

EDIT: OK, here we go...

First off, I deleted the discontinued modules...notably Braids and the Stillson Hammer. Removed the drum voices, also, then I restructured the signal flow so that your "voice" is on top, "modulators" in the middle, and the sequencers, effects, and performance mixer on the bottom. Left to right flow, also. These tweaks make the general environment of the instrument a LOT easier to navigate.

Top row: buffered mult added, since we've got four oscillators here, plus the potential of VCF CV routing. Next to this is a little Doepfer multimodule that contains a sample and hold or track and hold, slew limiter, and a ring modulator. Oscillators next, with the Braids subbed out with a CalSynth clone. Then a four-in mixer with dual outs, which lets you sum the oscillators down...then you can feed them into the Tiptop Fold. Or you can send some oscillators into one of the Fold's inputs, and send another down to the #2 input on the Fold for extra wavespliced craziness. Lastly, Morgasmatron...why have two separate VCFs when you can jam 'em into the same module and make them cross-feed, right?

Middle row: Noise and random pulse gen, then the WMD/SSF Toolbox, which is one of the best jam-things-in-tiny-space utility modules I can think of. After that, a Stages...which can be either a multistage envelope gen OR a 6-step sequencer, depending on what you need. Maths next, then the Batumi and Zadar with their expanders. The Tiptop MISO then provides plenty of ways to screw around with the modulation signals, and next to that is a Happy Nerding 3x VCA, primarily for the use of the modulation row BUT since the module allows you to "split out" individual VCAs, you could also press them into service for audio.

Bottom row: Stillson's gone, so I put in a Squarp Hermod. Internal quantizing, MIDI interface (including a host connection for directly connecting USB devices, such as keyboards, etc), all the bells 'n' whistles across eight channels. Then for kicks, next to that is a Hikari Eucrhythm sequencer for creating crossrhythmic patterns with a touch of statistical randomness. It's also useful for doing random gate/trigs for other devices in the build. Mimeophon after that, then next to it is a Frequency Central module for reverb, tap delay, and chorus. The performance mixer here is Toppobrillo's revised 4-channel Stereomix mkii, which gives you your audio VCAs (four, one per channel) plus VC panning, VC AUX send, cue send, mutes, metering, and your phones preamp. This then connects to the Happy Nerding Isolator to convert synth to line level and to isolate the modular from any crud coming back thru the audio out lines, plus it has the master stereo level control, allowing you to kill the audio feed without having to change any mixer settings...very handy!

Yes, this IS different from your start point. But at the same time, it still has the same sound generation capabilities as the original version, the same modulation source, and a beefy sequencer like before. But in this case, this is what you get when you drop all of the "boring" modules in, which then tunes up the build and makes it into a ready-to-rip modular. Without these tweaks, synthesis is a big PITA...but WITH them, you wind up with a boxful of sonic trouble that I doubt you'll ever hit the bottom of. And yeah, no drums...trust me, you're much better off using the safety of a quality drum machine, because even if everything on the modular goes bonkers, you've still got that groove going and you can turn the modular catastrophe into a trippy and gnarly "improv" while you're busy fixing shit! And believe me...that happens more than you think!

EDITED Sep 2nd 2020, 04:34

Ohhhhhhh thank you so much Lugia !! new buil new life !! you gave me a lot of work for the next few months !! it is difficult to part with some things: i would like to keep e440 e355, but now it works much better i am sure ...
wow tanks!

Yeah, I pulled those two because...

...with the LFO, the Stages is far more flexible. You can literally define the modulation curve via the sliders, tamper with the behavior while it's running, and if you need an extra sequencer, it does that too...besides having a crap-pile of other useful tricks. And remember, that Tiptop MISO is purpose-built for tinkering with modulation and CV signals, making it yet another key to what the Stages is capable of. And...

...the VCF was too...ah, basic. Sure, it might have an SSM circuit in it, but in the end, it's still just a lowpass VCF with some extra skirt taps. The Morgasmatron, though, is clearly the product of a brilliant but deranged mind. You can run it as a single filter pair (like an MS-20), or split the pair out to be two separate multimode VCFs (yes, with CV over resonance!), OR run this as a stereo filter pair. Or you could just let the two filters in there duke it out for sonic mangling supremacy via its internal crossroutings. Plus, now that there's a proper CVable waveshaper there AND a ringmod, you've got the complete kit for timbral screwing-around. Also, keep in mind that even though the "flow" here is left-to-right, that's not a hard and fast rule; you might find it super-twisty to feed the two sides of the Morgasmatron back into the dual Fold inputs to see what THAT might spit out.

Also, that Hermod can also serve as a MIDI interface for a controller that needs a USB Host connection...meaning that you could strap an Arturia Keystep Pro to this thing and get even MORE sequencing channels! Or if complex expression control work sounds right, it'll be great with a ROLI.

If you construct this build, my bet is that you won't feel a pressing need for anything new for a hot minute. At least. You'll be finding new tricks for YEARS. Or so I hope...

"If you construct this build, my bet is that you won't feel a pressing need for anything new for a hot minute. At least. You'll be finding new tricks for YEARS. Or so I hope..."

That moment when we learned @Lugia is actually an optimist at heart 🤣🤣🤣

"If you construct this build, my bet is that you won't feel a pressing need for anything new for a hot minute. At least. You'll be finding new tricks for YEARS. Or so I hope..."

That moment when we learned @Lugia is actually an optimist at heart 🤣🤣🤣
-- troux

hahahahahaha

but what's a hot minute? may literally be a minute

I still think it's way too light on utilities

I'd at least consider replacing both the tiptop modules with smaller modules -

or replace batumi and/or zadar (and expanders) with more utitlities - a matrix mixer for example for mixing your other modulation sources together

or as I suggested earlier - an extra row - but maybe that's the future

An extra row or longer rows really would be the solution here. One thing I noticed while reworking this was that there was too much "oversizing" going on, which is why some things got changed out to shrink them and open up more space. But 84 hp rows really do put a clamp on what you can do; add one large module to a row, and that row is pretty much locked into what that module does. The Tiptops are a little large, but when you look at the functionality (and price!) they offer, they're worth it. The MISO, for example...basically a CV manipulation toolbox. And the Fold also adds an audio subdivider to things, besides the CVable waveshaping.

But yeah, I get that. I'd much rather try and get this build's functionality into something larger so that a few more useful widgets can be added. More logic comes to mind, plus clock manipulators. But I figured it was best to stick with the OP's original form factor and basics for clarity.

How to blame you guys!! ... there are some modules I don't want to change ... So the third line is the solution...but i would like to stay a while in this case and have to plaaaay .. i like tip tops and i will take them ...

well there are no wrong paths, as such, just more expensive ones and a few dead ends!!
good luck and have fun!!

Great lesson and tutorial here. I also recommend the free VCV Rack software as that lets you experiment for FREE with different modular configurations and types. Before I buy modules, I try to experiment with that and see what works. Now I need to save for that Doepfer Monster case to fit the bigger modules that are cool.

Well I have already taken the important steps ... now I would like to fix something hoping to stay in these 3 lines for a while!!!
Thanks for the advices guys..