User Posts

@Ajai - No offence was intended - and I see no (harsh) criticism - I just see facts - sometimes these are hard for us to deal with - possibly lost in translation or you are being over sensitive for some reason

I see no point whatsoever in sugar coating 'criticism' - that would impart ambiguity where none is intended

I do see the first line of your post as completely inaccurate though - no offense taken - I'm a thick skinned northern Englishman!

@Garfield -

no just the appropriate cable - that is your clock at the correct bpm

then just record the modular via your audio interface

pams and mimetic digitalis will complement each other well

you already have 2 adsrs in peaks - do you really need more? more vcas - good idea - you van never have too many!!!

dump - 30hp total

2hp euclid and pico trigger - these are redundant with pams

pico dsp - as the pico trigger is now gone - you want to even up you hp requirements and it only has mono in stereo out - and you have no stereo mixing capabilities

optomix - too big in this size case

monsoon - need space

intellijel buffered mult - you already have one buffered mult (links), do you really need a second? and third?

add

kinks - this will massively increase your modulation options in a small space

a cascading quad vca - veils or intellijel - these particular vcas can also be used as external inputs - as they are actually amplifiers instead of the usual vc attenuators

happy nerding fx aid - more effects - more choice - stereo - probably some dual mono effects as well

if you want stereo I'd also add: a panning mixer and a stereo mixer (maybe multiples of one or both)

if you want a metropolis - get a used one - they usually seem to go for about 70% retail - and if you don't like it you can flip it for the same money

or get a ryk m185 - maybe diy it - not a starter project though

great idea - but try this no more than 5-6 modules - just the ones you will start with:

a sound source, a sound modifier, a modulation source, a way to play, a quad cascading vca - and something else that you think you want/need

and then once everyone has gone - huh - looks ok to me - buy it and play with it, at least until you have a good idea how everything works together - and don't worry about what modules to buy to fill your case - they will work themselves out over time - maybe after a month or 2 add another module or 2 and repeat

generally sounds like a good plan

I would suggest not going for the 2-3 tier moog 60hp case strategy though

they work out quite expensive by the time you've powered them

the best decent (in terms of power and build quality), reasonably priced cases are still imo the doepfer LC6 with the PSU3 and the TipTop Audio Mantis and probably will be next year and the year after etc

and neither of them use a power module - so you get all the space you buy for modules you want - not loosing 4hp or so per case

use it as the clock - send it out on say channel 3 of your interface and set the tempo in reaper

if you are going to make several passes it can help keep everything in time - especially if you want to change tempo during a track - set the tempo changes in the daw you can also use it to start/stop etc - hopefully when you record then every track you record from the modular will start at the same place which makes life a lot easier

if you are going to want to add soft synths or any processing that is time based in the box

if you are adding to something already recorded

etc etc

Sequencing and Quantization: bloom and turing machine + scales and pams = overkill for the number of voices you have, if you ask me - get a few buffered mults, tune vcos to intervals, use sample and hold, use divided clocks for triggers etc etc and get rid of at least the tm

Why the field kit? - and it's a big module...

the quad vca - i don't think you'll get on with this one - or at least I wouldn't - it is a quad vca, but there is only one set of controls - great for playing chords, but not what I'd want as a first quad vca - get the a-135-2 instead if you want 8hp and doepfer - I prefer veils - especially for beginners it's a really useful and simple quad cascading vca - lots of gain for external inputs (unlike most vcas - which are really attenuators) and overdrives quite nicely - but is more expensive and bigger!

I'd want more utilities - especially for multing, mixing and modifying modulation - probably some more submixers for audio too, possibly a panning mixer so that you can take your mono sources and pan them to stereo - so that you can process them with the mimeophon and morphagene

taking into account effects from mixer - there is too much space taken by sound sources and ways to play

atlantis is huge, utsa is huge

unless these are both must haves - consider dropping one or both - definitely consider keeping only one of utsa and fh-1

modulation is ok for this size case (Maths and pams) but more utilities needed to leverage them into enough for all modules

do you really need steppy? (pams can do a lot)

the MMF is tiny and may be difficult to get to especially if you have medium sized or above fingers

Blinds - are you sure you want a vca that doesn't fully close - it's difficult to dial in exactly 0 - as a starter I would recommend a simpler quad cascading vca - such as Veils (if you desperately want a ring mod - get a small one after freeing some space)

Do you really need 2 * row power - iirc the 40 should be able to power 2 rows - or get a better power solution

Utility modules are the inexpensive dull polish that make the expensive shiny modules, actually shine and stops them from tarnishing - switches, attenuators, mixers, mults, offsets, etc etc

and yes I can hear you going - but I've got Maths and Shades for that!! Treat Maths as Maths it is a complex modulation source - not just a collection of utilities strapped to a pair of function generators - see the Maths Illustrated Guide - between them they are a great start - if you can fit them in in a later iteration of this rack - I would add links and kinks (great starter utility set) and a matrix mixer

the usual way to get into eurorack is to spend a fuckload of time researching (months if not years) - so that you actually know what modules are before even looking at the pretty pictures - or you could just get a semi

whilst the pico system seems to be a reasonably well specc'ed system - there are drawbacks - the main one being that the individual modules (yes I know there's only 1 panel in the system) are all very small - usually best sandwiched between 2 bigger modules so that there is space to get to the control and the jacks and in this case they are sandwiched between 2 modules the same size they are

I think the only market for this (either as a rack module or as a standalone desktop unit) is beginners - so your re-sale market is starters who particularly want to get trapped with these modules

personally I would do the research, save the pennies, try and actually play with a modular either at a store or through someone locally and then buy a case and a few modules that you actually want and have a decent idea about what they do - rather than rushing into buying a system that you can't see any users of

it may be that after having done the research then you still decide you want this 'module' - then at least you are not going into it blind - as you appear to be

EDITED Aug 9th 2020, 19:55

Thanks @troux and anyone else who did the same off the back of this thread!!!

@mog00 - it really depends on the individual - I like the make noise, erica synths, mutable (braided) cables and stackcables - I also have doepfer, arturia and tinrs - which I'm not so keen on (although the tinrs are really useful) - generally the important things are flexibility, reliability and the size of the plugs and cable - cables aren't expensive just buy a few different ones and try them out - try to aim for roughly 1/2 the number of jacks you have in the case - at some point you'll need less - but it's a good starting point

well good luck with that I don't have particularly large hands and I definitely prefer bigger modules with larger knobs and more space between the knobs and jacks - but each to their own

go slowly buy a few modules at a time - that way you can answer these questions yourself - it's your synth - if you can get similar functionality to links from other modules (and you prefer those other modules) then do so - personally I always find it useful to have a buffered mult etc etc

yeah the bored brains things will work, but you'll probably want a few, easily loose them, drop them on the floor and step on them, spill coffee on them etc...

EDITED Aug 8th 2020, 19:35

If you are going to get a Mantis (great case btw, I have 1) then it really doesn't matter as you will have space left over anyway, ochd is a fine octal lfo, but in a small case with other modulation I think links is slightly more useful

to me really it comes down to this - buy a few modules - play with them - once you know them inside out, get another and repeat, within one or two modules you will work out which modules you need anyway

personally I would have fewer sound sources and get full size ones so that they are easier to play with

but more seriously, I would dump the ochd - pams and maths (plus pachinko) is enough modulation in this size case imo - instead use utility modules, such as mutable links and kinks and a matrix mixer to derive lots of related modulation

if you look around enough (2 mins on google) you'll find a pulse from make noise that you can just copy in an audio track and then place it on every beat and play that out at full volume on a spare audio channel - this works even if you don't have a dc coupled audio interface - I do and I still use this method

or you could use midi clock and a midi->cv module

Some thoughts from a relative noobie, but I'd probably swap the Links for an Ochd, I like a lot of potential modulation sources and Ochd's ratios are really nice even if you only use a few outs, this would let you use the Maths in some more interesting ways too. If I was going to pick a different filter I'd choose a Polaris, I like the sound a lot more than the new Ripples, it's more playable, and it has a lot more features. You'd have 2hp to fill there which is a lot less than 4 but might still give you some interesting options.

re ochd - I think 1 modulation source in a case this size is enough - kinks and links together with the matrix mixer provide enough useful utility modules to leverage Maths to suffice all the modulation requirements - ochd (or similar, maybe something with reset) would be a great early addition to the next rack, imo

I like the idea of swapping the filter for ripples or polaris!

On another note @JimHowell1970 I hope we see some video work from you one day, that rack looks incredible!
-- troux

https://www.instagram.com/jimhowell1970 - enjoy

the case is more logical than physical - it's not all in one case, chromagnon is on order and the bottom 2 rows are my wish list - as is the fortress and diver is in for repair

EDITED Aug 8th 2020, 17:28

I would remove the adsr, the dsp, the quad lfo and rosie

do you really need an adsr? generally these are pretty much set and forget so 2hp work really well - or if you need something more variable sellf patch maths - see illustrated manual - if you really need a 'complex' adsr - I'm sure you can find another one that is a nice even 6hp so that you can upgrade the pico dsp to the happy nerding fx aid

the pico dsp is based on the same chip as the fx aid - but the fx aid however is much more versatile - you can swap the programs and can do both stereo in stereo out and mono in stereo out

you have Maths as a modulation source - which imo is enough in this size case - see below on how to make it go further

in my opinion Rosie is pretty pointless and takes up a lot of space for what it is - either use the vca or the effect module as a final stage and listen in mono or the effect module as a final stage and listen in stereo - use a 2hp headphone module if you specifically need headphones - if you desperately want a crossfader you can patch it with maths - see illustrated manual

that would save you 30hp

with that I would put in -
6hp - an original plaits - much more ergonomically friendly
2hp - 2hp headphone module
4hp - fx aid - much more versatile than the pico dsp (and an even size!)
8hp - mutable links and kinks - incredibly useful beginner starter set - adds a buffered mult, 2 utility mixers*, a rectifier, basic logic and a sample and hold - these are all incredibly useful in terms of both audio and (particularly in a small case like this) cv - you can use a minimal amount of modulation - ie Maths - and extend it in many different ways - to produce a further 7 related modulation sources (helps if you get some stackcables for this!) just from kinks

and then either

10hp - AISynthesis matrix mixer - just because matrix mixers rock - AISynthesis seem like a great company - and it fits in 10hp!

or

2hp - 2hp adsr - if you really need an adsr
8hp - doepfer quad vca - because you can never have too many vcas

or

8hp - disting ex - incredibly useful in any sized case - especially for beginners to work out what modules actually do
2hp - 2hp adsr or even better vca

or

4hp - disting mk4 - really useful in any size case - especially for beginners to work out what modules actually do
6hp - leave blank until disting tells you what to put there

a good starting point would be to get all doepfer modules (vco, vca, vcf, lfo etc) - they are reasonably priced and pretty good

the dreadbox chromatic modules appear to be quite decent too - but pretty much any brand within your price range is a good idea

for a vca I would suggest a quad cascading vca - either veils or the intellijel qaud vca would be my top picks for a starter case

otherwise maybe an idea of budget would be a good idea - i would go for simpler stuff to start with and learn how to patch before getting more (complex) modules (and get them slowly, if you can)

and don't forget to spend some time working out what different types of module do - especially ones that come under the banner 'utilities' - they are relatively inexpensive and are the dull polish that make the shiny modules actually shine

"I also added in another VCO"
I would do the opposite

well I'd want multiple delays - but maybe that's just me
other things i'd want -
some sort of expression pedal adapter - Bastl Clutch, addac expression pedal adapter, 7 dials cv express etc
and an fx pedal adapter for adding n pedals
maybe something to do pitch to cv - disting does this and a few others

Just treat the rack as a plan - and plans are great until you start to execute them - at which point they usually change

I think aesthetics are personal - I have a mix of red, black, aluminium and clear paneled modules - i'm more interested in what the modules do than what they look like to be honest

If I were to add modules I would add the following (you will need the bigger case!):

mutable links and kinks - an excellent utility starter set
a quad cascading vca - I like veils it is simple to use and has enough gain (20db) to act as an external input - you can also use it as a voltage controlled mixer (hence cascading)
a disting - either the ex or a mk4 - always there when you need it - if you keep using it for the same thing - buy a module that does that and use the disting for something else
a matrix mixer - there are a number to choose from - I'd probably go for either the AISynthesis one or the Doepfer

the usual advice is to just buy a few modules to start with - learn them and how they work together and then add other modules slowly - if you are in any way worried about being overwhelmed - this is definitely the way to go

maybe you should just get one vco, the filter, the modulator and the vca waveshaper ringmod - and seriously think about adding a few of the utilities above (links and kinks, maybe veils, maybe a disting) learn how to patch those together and then try to work out what you are missing - it might even be from your planned rack - who knows?

I see enough sound sources, modulation sources and sound modifiers for this size rack

I would keep links - not only does it have a buffered mult - which you should use for v/oct - you can then send a single v/oct to the 3 potential sound sources (odessa, e352 and clouds) but it also contains 2 basic mixers - which you will almost definitely be glad of - I do not see a dedicated sequencer!

the deficits in this rack are the same as in most newbie racks - although, yours is reasonably balanced - links and kinks are a great utility starter set imho - the lack of utility modules to support the shiny expensive ones - clouds (if it is an og or a 'faithful' clone) benefits greatly from some attenuators (I have a 2hp trim module either side of mine) - yes I know you have attenutaors in Maths, but why waste them like that - check the maths illustrated manual for why you shouldn't just see maths as a collection of utilities - but as a self contained analog computer for self-patching interesting functions

you have too many big feature modules and not enough support modules

In my racks I have about 30% of the space dedicated to utilities - this feels about right to me - whereas you have under 10% (the only thing I would class as a utility module that you have is a mixer and a single vca) - I might not use every single module in every patch - but quite often I do

spend some time thinking about how you would patch this - try arranging something similar in vcvrack and see just how many mixers, mults, vcas etc you really need to get the most out of that number of modules - play with a number of different types of utility module to understand how you would use them in your workflow - for example how you really need a sub-mixer to mix the vcos before hitting the filter etc etc

if you are 'married' to the modules you have chosen go for a bigger case (6u / 104hp or 9u /84hpfor example) - add in a quad cascading vca, some logic modules, sample and hold, rectification, utility mixers, mults, switches, matrix mixers

some people describe these modules as boring and whine about not wanting to spend money on modules that don't produce or effect sound - but these are generally people who have not learnt to patch modular synthesizers, yet - these functions are easily ignored if moving from a fixed architecture synth (or soft synths) to modular as most of them are almost always hidden or obscured in some way

but utility modules are the (relatively inexpensive) dull polish that make the expensive, shiny modules, shine brighter and prevent tarnishing

I don't have one - but maybe it would be a good idea to check what psus you are all using

someone mentioned a uZeus - which is not known for being particularly quiet

try to find someone to test it with either a Doepfer PSU3 - which are generally pretty quiet

so it might be that the rainmaker is particularly susceptible to noise on the power rails

in which case the options are simple - put up with it, get a better psu, get rid of the module

I would seriously suggest a slightly different approach

1 - bigger case - in the long term cheaper and less physically constraining - you do not need to fill it ever, if you don't want to
2 - get something smaller and simpler than the shapeshifter to allow you to get the modules that you actually need - this will also allow you to spend more time ;earning to use a modular then learning to use a super complex module - I'm not saying don't buy it - I'm just suggesting not yet

just get the following - it'll be a better learning experience for you I think:
a sound source - something relatively cheap and inexpensive is good - the dreadbox chromatic one for example
a sound modifier - a filter is a good - and going out to a H9 will add delay and/or reverb I think
a modulation source - modular without modulation is pointless
a way to listen - yeah you have that in the palette or whatever it is - but if you have a H9 you probably have a mixer - use that
a way to play - you basically need one of midi interface- for DAW, sequencer, midi keyboard -personally I would go for sequencer - so you can wiggle whilst a tune is playing - just get something relatively simple to start with - although clock and gate outs would be useful

on top of those some utilities are good to have - I like links and kinks from mutable instruments - a disting never hurts and you already have a quad cascading vca so keep that in there

Maths is way more than 2 LFOs/EGs - it also has a mixer/attenuverter section that is really useful and take a look at the Maths Illustrated Manual for patch ideas

Data takes up quite a bit of space in a small case - I'd go for the tiptop Mantis instead of the Rackbrute - about the same price, but more space and no annoying power input module!!!

Other than that I would add utility modules - the dull polish that makes the shiny modules shine brighter - which are a fundamental part of a modular synthesizer that most newbs forget as they don't understand how to patch yet so fill their cases with expensive modules

I wouldn't put anything in the whole - I'd get the next case first - so there are no constraints on hp

But, if I wanted CV mixing in a case this size I'd be tempted to replace the doepfer LPG with a MengQi DPLG and a DC coupled quad cascading vca (so you have a voltage controlled CV Mixer)

I'd just fill the rest of the case with utilities - kinks and a small matrix mixer, or kinks, disting mk4 and a filter - possibly one that can be used as an lpg too

out of interest I use Marbles as my master clock, what do you find are the advantages of using tempi instead?

EDITED Mar 21st 2020, 11:59

Mantis - almost always slightly better value for money ($/hp) and doesn't use a power module - so doesn't waste space!!!
I'll probably buy a second one next year - when I run out of space in my current racks
I use a guitar stand for each of my DIY 9u/104hp and they are reasonably stable - the Mantis would be more so - if you want portability this may be a good solution instead of the bracket

What do you have already?

I think you are probably alright for modulation sources - maths, pams and a triple sloth is not much less than I have in my racks at the moment - envelopes or cycling envelope (lfos) are the cornerstone of modulation - but utilities make them go so much further - in interesting ways - for example combining modulation from triple sloth and maths or pams works very well

Modular for video - love it - at least as much as the audio side

it really is a niche within a niche - I have absolutely no idea how many people there are into modular synthesis worldwide - I suspect somewhere in the 10s of thousands, maybe more, into eurorack alone I guess - but I have a reasonable idea of how many people use LZX based video systems - about 1000, maybe a few hundred more (including Vidiots - based on sales of core modules as of a year or so ago- but there is a lot of overlap - people having multiple core modules) and there are maybe a few 100 people extra who have either a the Dave Jones MVIP(?) or Erogenous Tones Structure or BPMC Fluxus 2(?) - which can all be used standalone or with LZX - there are a few other video synths that are standalone and some vintage ones (but these are very few and far between - often 10 or less were made of each)

I often post on instagram - username is the same as here - if you want to check out what I do: https://www.instagram.com/jimhowell1970

its related to the 1.6A -12v and 900mA 5v - don't ask me how exactly - but that is where the answer lies

there are simple answers to your problem - buy fewer or different modules - buy a different case - buy another case

2HP Tune Quantizer. 2HP. - why? what are you going to quantize? I see Marbles and the outputs from that are already quantized - as are those from the minibrute - don't get unless you can justify this properly (so -2)

Doepfer A-151 Quad sequential Switch. 4 HP. - brilliant module - get

Ladik B-010 Bool2 – logic module. 4 HP.
Doepfer A-118-2 Noise S&H. 4 HP. - replace these 2 with kinks (-4)

Ladik S-186 Trig/Gate Delay. 4 HP. - ok - get

After Late Audio uBurst (Clouds).8 HP. - replace this with a happy nerding FXAid (-4)

Doepfer A-135-2 Quad VCA. 8 HP. - wouldn't be my pick but you will always need more vcas - get

Michigan Synth Works uO_C. 8 HP. - what are you intending to use this for? again think long and hard - do you really need 4 channels of whatever right now ? would a 2nd disitng make more sense in the short term - before the inevitable second case!!!

I've freed 10hp for you - amounts are in brackets at end of lines -maybe more depending on the answer to the ornament and crime questions

If you desperately want clouds - a word of warning - you will probably want 4 channels of attenuators as well for the cv inputs

EDITED Mar 15th 2020, 19:30

I would look at utility modules instead of (or as much as) more modulation sources - I've typed why in multiple answers here, on muffs and on reddit recently - use google too find out why - or find my posts - I'm either JimHowell1970 or Agawell on all eurorack centric sites (reddit/muffs/here) - but I would seriously consider getting Maths - see the illustrated manual (google it) for why

I don't really think that what you've bought is "heinously expensive" though, as that implies overpriced, but definitely not cheap - it's comparable to a decent slightly over mid priced electric guitar - and that still begs the same again (at least) on an amp and effects - and lets face it how many guitarists do yuo know with only 1 guitar and 1 amp etc?

This is due to the very nature of both the market and the manufacturers - the market is tiny so you are never going to get the economies of scale that are possible even with more mainstream musical instrument manufacturers (especially behringer) and really not compared to more mass market items

Most eurorack modules sell in the hundreds - a few sell a thousand, a very few sell multiple thousands - the Lubadh I suspect might sell a thousand, but probably not

The companies that do make them are generally small and based in the first world and most don't seem to outsource manufacture to 3rd world (although I think this is starting to happen more)

Even the economics aside - I estimate I spend at least 1000 hours a year playing with my modular (not including the amount of time I spend on the internet in relation to it) - as a hobby and I spend let's say 50€/week on my hobby (2.5K/year) - it works out at 2.50/hour - which is actually compared to a lot of other hobbies very reasonably priced indeed!!!

Expert Sleepers Little Mikey - phantom power and combination xlr/trs input - MSRP: UK £129, US $160 (exclusive of sales tax), EU €126 (exclusive of VAT)

I'm glad you appreciated my response, but really everyone else has been trying to help you too!

so don't be confused or unhappy - relax and enjoy people trying to help you - even if you have to answer a question or 2 along the way!!!

it's quite a common thing to ask questions in reply to questions, when you think the question is too broad and needs to be more focused more to give a good reply - the more information the better - "this is exactly what I have now", "this is what I want to do" , "this is the genre(s) of music I am interested in" and "this is why I want to use a modular effects rack over vsts" are all really useful bits of pertinent information for focusing a reply

I can see why you might take exception to - what are you intending to use for modulation?, but really it's just the same as you need some modulation, think about it and come back - this is the internet - it's never (fingers-crossed) going to be the most polite place in the world - but it can be one of the most efficient (and for that matter one of the least efficient) ways of getting information there is

tbh - the first line of my reply is actually meant to do a similar thing - make you think - is this really for me? in that a lot of people think that building a cool modular effects rack will be a cheaper way into modular synthesis - when really it's not - or that it's a way to get great effects - which maybe it is, but only if you understand the fundamentals of modular synthesis and realise that if you take out the instrument interface and replace it with a vco - you have a modular synthesizer

the rest of the reply I gave was pretty much the reply I always give - because mostly that's what's missing from generic starter racks - utility and modulation - and those are good modules that I have had since I started and that I use constantly 3 years later - and I spent at least 18 months - 2 years researching before I bought a single module

but it only gives you what and not why - answering the questions is a better route to gaining that knowledge - or replying to my response asking why you need modulation and utilities, for example, rather than just blindly buying whatever modules someone on the internet says you should!!!

Yeah - you do indeed have to start somewhere

you know I think those cases (anything under 6u /84hp to be honest) should come with a warning - "buyer beware not suitable for a starter case, unless you want to buy another one in a few months" - imo great for a dedicated and focused single purpose once you know what you are doing - ie to house a few controllers or a mixer or whatever

but anyway good luck and once again enjoy

Link works - thanks
There's quite a bit of duplication there

I would either get Marbles or Turing Machine/Clock Divider/Wobblebug/Quantizer - why? because Marbles does all these things - the only exception being processing audio - but you can use the random from Marbles to modulate the audio source instead - or if you desperately want to explore randomizing audio then get a wobblebug as well, later - so I'd get Marbles

I like to use a combination of Kinks, Links and Branches as utilties to expand Marbles (If you get one - get Kinks - you can get 7 related modulation outputs from a single source, with some self patching and stackcables) so I would get those next

I'd also add a Disting mk4 - as it's a great learning module, will show you the way to further modules, and will always be there to fill in when needed

I'd get a quad cascading vca instead of the matrix mixer (I'd get a matrix mixer too they are great - but in the future) - you may find very quickly you want a second one of these as they are so useful, for cv as well as audio - my pick here is Veils - it's simple to use and has a lot of gain available if needed

Then I would get Rings and Warps (and probably at least try parasites firmware on warps)

Then I would stop and see what else I needed - maybe follow disting - maybe a wogglebug NB if you want to use this for processing audio - you can't send the audio output through a quantizer to get it in tune (that's not how quantizers work) - it will just be what it is

Generative music normally requires a lot of plumbing (utility modules) and modulation - so you will probably want more of these - sequential switches, mixers, function generators, lfos, evelopes, lpgs, etc etc - for slowly evolving chaotic modulation the nlc triple sloth is hard to beat

As for cases - get a bigger one than you think you need - the tiptop Mantis is a great size and is usually the most economical case ($/hp) at the moment - behringer may change this with their larger case which is due soon, but the power may not be so good

Cool man - have fun - which case did you order?

no that's a jpeg - you need to copy and paste the url

EDITED Mar 13th 2020, 22:45

NP
If you decide to go for a bigger case in the future - then also take a look at the schlappi engineering modules - I think you will like them

I understand

As I said it will make noise - which is what you want

I would check the depth of the 2hp mixer it may be too deep for the case (allow a bit for the power ribbon)

tbh I'd probably want this: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/bastl-instruments-waver instead of the 2hp mixer - which I think would leave you with 2 hp free still - maybe a multiple

And then I'd just play and see what else I needed down the line, if anything

BUT just reviewing I noticed you asked if you should add another filter - and to be honest I don't see one

I see a clock module, a rhythm generator, a percussion voice, a noise voice (I'm guessing that you are seeing this as a filter) and a mixer

I quickly read through the specs of the shard on modulargrid and it's mostly a highly modulatable vco and recommends running it through both a resonant filter and clouds, but it can be used to process sound

So I would also look to replace both the clock and the numeric repetitor with Pam's New Workout - which will give you a clock and 8 channels of triggers/envelopes (so modulation as well as percussive triggers)

This would free up a further 6hp for a filter - if you can squeeze the 2hp LPF into the case (see point above) you would then be able to cram in a happy nerding fxAid - which will give you access to about 100 effects - some of which I am sure will work well with what you are going for - possibly including granular processing

Congratulations on getting started!
Availability of modules is also an influence of what modules actually get in your case
Take it slowly and have fun!!!

I'd want modulation and utilities - you may not think you want them now - but you probably will find you need them down the line - maybe go and do some research! this is where modular shines in my opinion

On top of that I would look at the size of the case and abandon it if you have not already bought it - get a bigger one - TipTop Mantis is generally best bang for buck, but the large behringer may change that when it appears - if portability is a factor, then the mantis is probably better - the new case looks significantly better than the original

However, saying that, what you have already selected looks like it would generate some harsh noise, to me

Personally I would not buy or recommend Mutable Instruments clones - unless they are discontinued, or are something like supercell - which is expanded - or I was going to build them myself
Why?
1. you have the space in a 104hp/6u case for full size ones
2. the originals are designed with ergonomics in mind - ie they are nice to play with - a lot of the clones - are not they are designed to fit in as small a space as possible
3. and most importantly - Emilie does not get paid for clones - you want more exceptional MI modules - buy the originals - the money goes to the original designer - buy a clone - the money does not - also MI support for MI modules is great - for clones non-existant

yeah you might save a few $/€/£ (and a few hp - but it's the same really), but in the long run is it really worth it?

EDITED Mar 13th 2020, 14:36

you lost me at jpeg - post a link (zoom and mouse-over are really useful) especially as there are thousands of modules out there

It's always a good idea to understand that a "modular fx rig" is a modular synthesizer minus it's in rack sound source

I would look at more utility modules - the plumbing - the (relatively inexpensive) dull polish that lets the shiny modules shine brighter - I personally don't count Maths as a utility module - although it can be used as such - because it is so powerful

I always recommend Mutable Instruments Links, Kinks and Veils as a good starter set for this in a relatively small space

Expert Sleepers Disting mk4 would also be a very useful module - as would Ornament and Crime (both are swiss army knife modules)

A matrix mixer and sequential switch may also be useful

I would look at ornament and crime - the source code is available on github and some of the existing functions are similar/ partially what you want so creating a new one should not be that difficult - and it will do exactly what you want it to

did you find the illustrated manual? it does way more than you think depending on how you patch it

and how do you patch the fx aid in to the LHS?

mix out to fx aid?

I go directly to a smallish Yamaha mixer - clouds is on the send but sent back to a stereo in for a bit of feedback