Chromatic Ideas

Tips on this idea ?

I really like the Chromatic series, I have purchased some already.
Thinking about making a stand alone set from mainly chromatic modules.
But I have some uncertainties regarding this composition.

1) I have a feeling I can not put the Percal to its full potential .
2) there are 2 modules I am not sure enough to have 2 copies: Ataxia and Euphoria

Do you have any thoughts on that ?

EDITED Apr 4th 2021, 12:33

Quick question: what are you sequencing/playing with here?

Quick answer :
I have a MiniBrute 2S and a Keystep, for now that are the sequencers and keys/pads.

Newest version of this rack :
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1531584.jpg?1617557269

EDITED Apr 4th 2021, 17:28

too many voices - 10? maybe - I'd only want to 4 or 5 max in this size case otherwise there is not the space for the modulation sources or utility modules to support that many voices - and those that are there are not well chosen

is this meant as a 'performance' synth? - ie totally hands on twisting knobs and nudging sliders - or is it meant to be more self playing? - ie you patch modulation sources to modulation inputs on modules so they alter over time and can do crazy things like FM and AM synthesis

solutions - double the size of the case or throw out half the modules and fill the rest with modulation sources, utilities and performance controls

or start really small (just Maths, maybe, considering you have the minibrute) and grow slowly - working out what you are missing for what you are trying to do along the way

EDITED Apr 5th 2021, 00:28

Mostly agreed with @JimHowell1970 here, looking at the rack it feels like a really focused version of what you think you want now but you probably need some room and time to explore to see what you really need. So I'd start off with half the modules here, scratching all the Dreadbox duplicates to start and then a few more, and give that some time. (I'll also second the suggestion that you fit a Maths in, it was my first thought looking at the rack.)

I have only 3 real voices in the rack (2x Hysteria and the MCO).
The Antidote are also voices, but I mainly use them as processing modules.
And the 2 other you could name voices are the clap and the pico drums, but these are dedicated to drums.
And yes sampling is also a kind of voice, but these are also specific for drums.
so for drums/percussion I have the 2 antidotes / 2 samplers / 2 dedicated modules and the MCO.
For normal voices I only have the 2 Hysteria modules.
And a lot of the other chromatic modules are about modulation (lfo's/envelopes), mixers and filters.
But Maths and a bigger case are good options.
I had already removed 2 chromatic modules, and I am thinking about 3 other modules.
First the antidote, maybe 1 is enough, and also nostalgia and Dystopia, that also leads that the second Eudemonia can be seen as overkill.
The new version is now without those 4 modules, and added the Batumi / Maths and Pamela's new workout.

I had reasons to keep 2 Utopias, but how nice the features are, it is not worth 2 times 10HP, so I ditched the 2nd utopia also, and 1 buffered mult, the chromatics work good together, there is almost no need for them to have a buffered mult, and there is enough mixing in the rack, so I also ditched a unity mixer.
So from the starting 16 chromatics, I have now 9 of those modules .

EDITED Apr 5th 2021, 02:59

This rack is mainly to be used for techno and generative music.
So the one thing I am missing is randomisation I think.

sound sources I see:

2 antidote, 2 hysteria, disting ex (potentially 2 voices), mco, 2 tiptop one sample players, a pic drums, prok clap

and that's not counting the filters which may also be able to be used as vcos

tooo many!!!!!!!!!! not enough space for support modules - not enough mixer channels for them probably as a starting point

Pams has random, quantised random, euclidean and clock division

I would probably replace it with something like Marbles or consider ditching the rcd and euclidean circles

that's taken care of random - but maybe chaos would be better - either way mixing a bit of random/chaos into something else - an lfo or envelope or both and/or attenuating/attenuverting it is a useful technique

imo what you are missing most is utilities - especially for generative - and an ergonomic performance interface - for techno

for generative most people want layers of modulation and utilities to introduce variation over time and stop it becoming boring

a basic utility starter set of links, kinks, shades and veils (or equivalents) will massively help

add a matrix mixer (VCAM perhaps) and a sequential switch and you have an even better starting point

as for performance style module - I am considering a TNSMv2 - might be worth taking a look at! tetrapad and tete may also be worth investigating etc

Thx JimH,

I know it are all voices, including the filters, but I only have 2 voices (both Hysteria's) for playing melody and bass.
(Antidote, mco with Carbin are mainly (almost sololy) for percusion, and the forbidden planet will be used on the melody and bass, so it is never a stand alone voice.)

I already changed a lot, but that is not yet visible in this post, in my racks is already another version, I wrote most in my reaction:
I ditched 1 Antidote, and a lot of double modules, only the 2 Hysteria's is still a double in the chromatic modules.
The MCO I want to keep for making custom drumsounds, but maybe 2 tiptop one samplers are still redundant, that is option, but only takes 4 HP.
also I went from 2 rows to 3x 104 HP, so space is not as important it was before.
I added a Butami, Maths and some small modules.
I was considering Veils but I am not sure yet, that is more as a mixer, there are other VCA's more for modulation etc. So a pair of ADE 50 (abstract data) was more interesting (6 vca's in total), but I do not know if that is still available.
So for now I added 2 ADE 50.
For Mixing I have an Eudemonia, an Utopia, 2 A138N's, a A138S (stereo) mixers, the Percall and 2 channels on the Rosie.
I also added 2 Malekko Unity mixers.
I already have a Pamela New Workout, but I do not like the deep menu diving, so I have a set of triggers/clocks etc that I use for all my patches, and because the display is not really good visible in darker places I almost never change those parameters.
I will look to other smaller/cheaper 'Euclydian' modules, and maybe the Disting EX can be a help to that.
But the Disting is also still a question mark, I like to have so much power by hand, and the original disting with the small display is not what I want, but the EX is a lot of space and money (and still deep menu diving).

EDITED Apr 5th 2021, 19:13

I was looking at the changed version!

not sure about abstract data availability - but veils is perfect for all vca duties

remember Disting Ex can be used as 2 mkk4s! it is very handy, but if you don't like menus?!?!?

I know what you mean about the screen on Pams - it's difficult to see in any light!

I know what you mean about the screen on Pams - it's difficult to see in any light!

-- JimHowell1970

That PNW Display is really hard to read. Especially because its red.

I'm not sure but I think that I've read somewhere that this is only a red foliage. The Display should be the same as the one in the System Coupe.