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In this video, I’m using three looping melodies and a baseline, each with a different length. In this way you can start with a simple melody and build it into something complex and beautiful. By using melodies of different lengths, they fall over each other in new ways. This creates fresh harmonies every time the loops start again. I’m using the Moog Mother-32, the Make Noise XPO and STO and Mi’s Rings for melodic lines, while Mi’s Plaits is creating deep and textured bass. Together, they form the core of the sound.To add more depth, I use the Quadrax envelope generator by Intellijel. It shapes the sound’s dynamics and builds up to a beautiful climax. Please enjoy the music!
Thanks very much.
Techno / Trance was at its peak in the 90's for me, though things were starting to get too minimal for me as in I do like a bit of Jeff Mills but I can't listen to it for a long time.
Need that acid squelsh!
Enjoy your spare HP, don't rush to fill every last space, this is not like filling sticker books. Resist the urge to 'complete' your rack, its never complete so just relax.
This is a recording of a Techno session with my modular system. Kickdrums and one shots are played by Bitwigs clip lauchncher, mixed my Akai APC40 MK2. Top drums are played by TR-8S.
Agreed on the suggestion for OXI One. I have an OXI One + a Metropolix and that covers plenty of territory. The OXI One is great for drum programming and chord progressions, while Metropolix / the in-rack sequencer is more for hands-on evolving bassline and melody exploration. They are good complements. The OXI One is very flexible if you need to interface with multiple pieces of hardware.
An Expert Sleepers FH-2 and its expanders are very useful with the OXI One if you are sequencing a lot of voices (and I'd say 6-8 voices is a lot for modular). The OXI One can output a lot more CV than there are physical jacks on the hardware, so you can use a MIDI-to-CV converter with lots of CV outputs to extract as much CV as possible. With an FH-2 and expanders, the possibilties seem endless.
With this kind of setup, I can sequence 8+ drum sounds, 3- or 4- part harmony / chord progressions, a bass line, a lead, a counter-lead, and possibly other stuff depending on what I am feeling. I can make whole song in one take, and I do sometimes, but my difficulties now revolved around coming up with good ideas, arranging, and transitioning between sections (all the stuff you need to do around sequencing to make a good song, which the sequencer itself doesn't really solve for you). Those are good problems to have instead of feeling held back by your hardware limitations.
Cheers for the suggestions, Amount of steps would be between 8 - 16 but more than likely i can extend the length and notes with someway of patching it up. I cant say ive heard of either of them sequencers so will defo have a check.
My aim for the system is to have a complete system capable of everything, Lead, Bass transition FX etc. ill have a DFAM and a TR8s tackling the drums externally.
I feel i just need a few utility modules and maybe another few bits to fill the spaces.
@ferranadsr I had a similar thought about Clouds and definitely agree that's where it naturally tends toward, but the Spectral Madness mode can get some pretty gnarly sounds so I thought, "Why not keep it in?" haha, but definitely agree the Versio modules are a bit better suited for industrialness.
@BenjaminPoirier The output of the modules will be substantially higher than the line level outputs on the Behringers, but I have a little Mackie mixer that I've used with my modular many times, and as long as you have enough headroom on the gain knob it should work fine. I'd still recommend a submixing VCA within the rack so you can experiment with mixing things pre and post effects with voltage control over levels, but even just adding the matrix mixer would give you a lot of flexibility minus the voltage control. Unless you want to go crazy and get something like the NonlinearCircuits Clump or the 4ms VCA Matrix!
Thanks for all the detail @Progspiration, about the mixing I have a good old mackie 1202 VLZ3 which then goes into my audio interface, is it a problem to plug some modular out in it?
Hi,
IMO Clouds is perhaps not the most suitable module for "industrial" sounds. I associate it more with "ambient" sounds.
Perhaps the NE Electus Versio reverb is better, more aggressive?.
As @Progspiration rightly says, Matrix Mixer is good for feedback
Generally speaking I'd say the Proton and Neutron already have power, and with the cost of power and rails it's more economical to keep them separate. One thing you could do is to get rack ears for the Proton and Neutron and get something like the Tip Too Happy Endings kit (or 2) so all of it could fit in a 9u (or 12u) standard 19" rack.
As for specific modules, Clouds is a classic and Data Bender should work splendidly for industrial effects. Chaos or another Marbles clone from a smaller builder gives a lot of modulation possibilities. Piston Honda is also great for industrial sounds, but do you have a plan for mixing it with the semi modular outputs? I would recommend a quad cascading VCA (like a Veils clone) for that. Personal preference, but I would also recommend an extra filter to tame it : )
As for feedback patching, a matrix mixer is a no-brainer. You could also use the matrix mixer to mix smooth random from Chaos with LFOs or envelopes from the semi modulars to create multiple complex mod sources. Maybe the Doepfer or AI Synthesis matrix for audio and something like the Tip Top Miso for CV (although any of these can handle audio or CV)
Overall, modular sound sources and effects are fun, but really shine when you have the utility modules to support them. Mixers, attenuators, vcas and the like are your best friends.
I agree that some alternative thing like panels listings would help reduce the noise from dozens of new panels pushing new actual modules down the most-recent list.
Mork makes great panels, and i get why you would want to list them in what is basically a storefront venue, but it is starting to become annoying.
Hi I already own a neutron and proton from Behringer and a beatstep pro. I would like to add some modular effects and modulation to it, what do you think about this little rack and what should I add/take off? I make noise/industrial/drone music.
I am also interested in making feedback loops with the effects. Finally, do you think I should get a bigger rack to put the neutron and proton inside? Thanks !
We will very likely change the alternate faceplate functionality soon.
Until then I have deployed today a filter option to hide Blank panels from search results.
-- modulargrid
You can have it both ways, as you wish! That's the beauty!
I don't know how many times I have put my SV-1 into the rack to have it all together and out again into its own case. As I move my stuff around a lot, the separate gear get's forgotten more often than not. And sometimes that's a shame.
Btw, right now it is out again because I need the space
There is a new filter option Show Blank Panels in the module search form that let's you hide modules with the function tag Blank Panel assigned.
This is a workaround until we have refactored the entire Alt Panel functionality.
We will very likely change the alternate faceplate functionality soon.
Until then I have deployed today a filter option to hide Blank panels from search results.
maybe with a zadar or dr phil ter, in a new thread, maybe in a couple months from now. im kind of obsessed with the idea of controlling 4 full voices from a brainstep in a not huge case. idk how im going to get over that to switch over to one or so fully sculpted voice, etc. thanks for commenting.
✌️
-- singular_sound
You don't really have to change the concept. The Demon Core isn't a trick. If you like it, you can totally get it and base your system around it. It even has the "gated" mode, so when you hit it with a note it will kind of automatically do the ADSR shape as indicated on the expander. With the Phil Ter, it'd be kinda like the Polymoog sound (think Gary Numan). It's not full subtractive polyphony but it does the thing. It's not the easiest way to learn modular synths, but it could be worse.
I know I'm walking into a trap here, and the joke will be all on me for getting involved, blah blah blah...but...
This is a (more or less) functional version of what you're talking about. It's just an example, and it's still a bit cramped, but hopefully this gives you an idea of how the things you mean to do can be accomplished in a way that does what you say while providing a number of musical options. I know you won't do anything with this information, but here it is, I guess. Enjoy your...concepts? If there are any specific choices you are curious about, just ask.
Or maybe just use a voltage controlled switch, e.g. A-150 or so. Not as fancy/flexible as the other options but should do the job. Just wondering while I write, that could be funny/wierd when triggered with audio ;-) Need to try myself later...
My bad. I thought the taigh was an lpg..
And i figured after i posted that most of the inputs would probably have attenuvertors.
Like i said. havent sat behind your rack.
What u think ur missing then? fx maybe?
Hey,
thanks for the reply! Several of the modules have in-built attenuators or input vca's, such as the bionic lester. In addition, the optomix, multi delay processor and also the CV processor can serve as mixers, the latter also as a VCA. But you are right, sometimes i could use for some attenuverters or offset modules and use them together with a multiple to build my own macro-controller. But I don't mind maxxing out the capabilities of feature-packed modules, so far I always found ways around that.
The instruo module is the tagh, which is a random, sample and hold, noise generator.
How many steps does it have to be? Why a second moskwa?
Hermod something for you? Maybe more handson like erica black sequencer?
4 ms catalyst look pretty cool and capable. not that many hp aswell.
Good luck picking something u like .... So many out there
Seems like a capable system at first glance.
I can't really comment. Never sat behind that rack so.
But what i am seeing is only a few vca's. 2 in doubla andore and 2 in taigh which is an lpg
I'm not trying to bash or anything but ..... i would opt for more vca's, mixers, attenuvertors and utilities.
Allows for more (precise) sweeping or gradual fm'ing, am'ing, etc, or whatever floats your boat.
Just my 2 cnts
this is my current 180 HP setup (barring tagh and the teia shifter for which I currently have the Kamieniec). Don't get me wrong, I have tons of fun exploring the system. I use it to produce backbones of tracks, such as basslines, lead patterns or sometimes pulsating drones with the multi delay; or generally any weird elements that might be missing from my productions.
I am just wondering whether you spot any redundant elements, if you would replace one module or set of modules with something more versatile that I am not familiar with, and above all, what you would patch up first when sitting in front of the system. I would love more people come over and take a spin with the rack, but unfortunately, I don't have many eurorack people around.
What I tend to do a lot lately is to clock pamela's with some triggers from the rack (EOR, EOD of the Double andore, for instance, or with a square wave with a small pulsewith at varying frequency from the kermit) and in a sense desync it from a general master clock, or let the eurorack system determine the clock of the overall production. That way, I feel like I can achieve more organic results and grooves. Sometimes, I send the modular sounds into the analog heat fx or the octatrack if I feel they are missing something, because I don't want to go bigger with eurorack necessarily (so please be modest with your suggestions, haha). Another thing to share is that one can and should use kermit/zadar as support oscillators, they provide some interesting results. The mutant brain might look like overkill, but I use it to send triggers or CV to the Pulsar 23. I also havean outboard mixing desk, so I don't need much of that in the rack.
Just one more thing, for those who have a make noise control - would you recommend it for a more exploratory approach to techno production?
I hope this is interesting to somebody. Anyways, thanks for engaging and have a good week!
Not sure but maybe there's a way to set an og panel as default? So when someone uploads an alternate panel, one can choose to show that in your own rack (as you allready can if there'd alt panels available.
-- geusensdriesmusic
Yeah, that's a good idea! There are two problems:
We need a way to add panels to existing modules, even if those modules are "manufacturer locked", as some sort of add-on that users can pick.
There needs to be a way for these alternative panels to NOT replace the default/OG panel art, so the pic-upload thing needs to have a setting for "primary" vs "alternative" panels, with different links for the alternative panels so that you can know where to get them / who makes them.
And of course the hidden third problem of fixing the existing mess, which is probably bigger than these two obvious problems.
Not sure but maybe there's a way to set an og panel as default? So when someone uploads an alternate panel, one can choose to show that in your own rack (as you allready can if there'd alt panels available.
I hear you, and I also use the "newest first" view to watch for new releases... so an avalanche of panels does clutter things up.
Looking at other manufacturers of panels, this seems like a long-lived problem that MG doesn't care to solve. For instance: check out Grayscale's manufacturer listing, containing dozens of "modules" that are panels (also great panels, but still: same problem). https://modulargrid.net/e/vendors/view/191
The thing is, these panels are uploaded as modules.
I like to filter my lib view on newest additions to check out what's going on. I do not support modulargrid to see alternate panels listed as new modules, (which has nothing to do with wether it's a nice panel or not).
Is there a way to make it so it greys out all the other options if a manufacturer chooses "Blank panel" so you can't choose anything else when it is selected? I don't know the process for submitting modules.
I agree that some alternative thing like panels listings would help reduce the noise from dozens of new panels pushing new actual modules down the most-recent list.
Mork makes great panels, and i get why you would want to list them in what is basically a storefront venue, but it is starting to become annoying.
i was thinking, specifically, about a way to interpolate bezier curver between fixed points to hand code in a custom envelope shape and a(s)dr values, perhaps with a reverse attack shape and maybe an added lfo sine lfo signal frequency modulating another sine lfo signal, or other experiments that might produce novel envelope packets, then setting all the parameters and saving it out as a wav, all in puredata. also, the simple melody you chose also highly resonates with the conceptual ideas ive been playing with, but i was thinking about also 3 additional melodic voices harmonizing and playing different parts at the same time. maybe, if the universe ever grants you more rack space you might consider trying to fill out exactly this with 4 full melodic voice parts which it sounds like to me is totally possible, if the rample wasnt also doing some drum parts in your patch. i dont mean this as a slight, only that i can already kind of hear 3 more melody parts in what is there r now.
Uploading as a panel would be better, I think. There's many more brands that have several versions with an alternate panel uploaded as a new module. Not ideal...
It needs a tick box to remove Mork modules, thats it.
Unpopular opinion: If they don't make actual modules they shouldn't be listed as a manufacturer.
-- wishbonebrewery
It needs a tick box to remove Mork modules, thats it.
Unpopular opinion: If they don't make actual modules they shouldn't be listed as a manufacturer.
Enjoy your spare HP, don't rush to fill every last space, this is not like filling sticker books. Resist the urge to 'complete' your rack, its never complete so just relax.
Why can alternative panels be uploaded to the lib without being a module?
It's a bit annoying, kinda cluttering the library.
-- geusensdriesmusic
Agreed - makes using the module finder super annoying. Alternate panels should either be loaded as alternate panels, or at the very least only marked as blank panels so they don't show up when filtering on a real module type.
Is the noise persistent even if u pull back all the gain on your modules?
I mean ... i see a stereo preamp, a timewarp distortion and a mix buss distortion before a mod2line convertor.
That to me sounds like a potential gainstaging problem.
-- Chrissozz
Hey,
I think that's a very interesting idea and I have to admit that I've neglected it a bit or at least didn't understand it properly. In terms of the modules I have, what should I have done correctly to have good gain management?
If you have any idea what it could be, I'd love to hear from you.
-- Hoggres
I don’t have a definitive solution, but I do have a few suggestions to consider:
-- modular01
Hi, thank you very much for your suggestions.
I tried already the technics that you mentionned in Approch 3.
Also, since I don't get any noise when I plug in other synths, including when recording, I don't think there's any of the interference described in Approach 4. But I'll keep that in mind in case I run out of solutions.
Approaches 1 and 2 are very interesting and I'm going to try them out as soon as possible. I'm just not sure I understand exactly what Approach 2 is all about. Can you give me a little more detail?
Though I don't have solutions, I do have a few thoughts.
* Is your audio coming through clean, but also has this noise, or is the audio itself distorted?
* Can you describe your external interface situation / what is the outboard mixer?
* What are you runnning your pre-amp module into / at what point are you introducing the balanced cables?
* Do you have a recording of the sound? Maybe one of the more keen-eared electrically minded folks here can identify it.
* Output module - I'm not familiar with your output module, and I certainly don't mean to bad-mouth a company I'm not familiar with, but perhaps it's introducing some noise? Also, it's description on the manufacturing page says that it's main use is to go from line level (significantly lower signal) to eurorack level (significantly higher signal). If you're already putting a eurorack level signal in there and adding gain, I'd imagine some noise or distortion would be introduced.
-- HGsynth
Hey, thank you very much for your answer.
About your questions :
- My audio is clean, I don't think it's a distortion of the sound. It's just that the more I increase the gain, the more noise I get.
- I recently bought this mixer (https://www.thomann.de/fr/the_t.mix_xmix_1202_fx_usb.htm) but i don't think this is the source of the problem because i don't have this issue with others synths that i use. My soundcard is a Komplete audio 2 by Native instruments
- I don't use a preamplifier module as an output but simply to send the audio from my Analog rytm MK2 into the modular system. It's a Sovage engineering Duo stereo. Do you think I should use it as an output?
- I'll try to record a sound soon and send it to you. (Sorry for taking so long to reply, I'm very very busy at the moment)
- I don't think this module is the cause of the noise because I already had this problem before I bought it. I thought that this converter module would allow me to convert the level of the modular to the correct level for my mixer and then allow me to record on Ableton.
In any case, thank you for all your advice. I'm taking note of the modules you've recommended, and I may buy one of them later if I don't find a solution to my problem.
