Where would you go next with this setup?

Hey everyone!

Thinking of selling and buying some modules for my Eurorack and would love some opinions.

My current setup is the Rack above and a Moog Grandmother.

I mostly use it for Acid like bass lines, drones, and other random things but I'd like to maybe sell a few things and buy some new ones.

Thinking of selling
Arpitech - because...its ok but I don't love using it.
Rene - I like it but maybe sell this for a Metropolix

Also, I have a lot of room for new things. Been thinking about a Pam's New Workout, Happy Nerding 3xMIA, HN fx aid, an X Y controller, Ls1 Lightstrip maybe another Oscillator or a Jove Filter.

What do you think is missing from this setup?

Several things, but I've tried to get some of those back into the build.

OK...Row #1: I put in a Doepfer A-119 so that your input can also have an envelope follower, allowing you to fire gates and output the dynamic info as CV in addition to getting the sound into the box. Kept the buffered mult since there's a lot of potential pitch CV needs in this. Then Wogglebug, Trident, Veils, VCF-74...and then a different filter altogether. Since you had the 2hp vowel in there, which is sort of a restrictive module, I blew that open by adding Limaflo's Motomouth vocal formant VCF, allowing ANY sound to have vocal characteristics. The Minsk then takes the mono signal we've had through the voicing and allows that to be formed into stereo...with a few extra tricks such as being able to use a Mid/Side matrix to broaden the sound to OUTSIDE of the stereo field. Lastly, FX Aid and then the Clouds clone.

Row #2: Went nuts here. You needed random, so you got THE random source. Does about a bazillion things, which you'd expect from a Buchla module. Maths comes next, then there's this mixer/scrambler module from Modulaire Maritime that can process modulation, paired with a triple linear VCA for controlling mod levels. Then Buchla's fine 281t is there for a pile of functions. Envelopes, obviously...but way more than that, plus you can have quadrature pairs of mod signals. Kept the Magneto, also.

Row #3: Took out the other EXPENSIVE AF MIDI interface and went with a more capable and cheaper one from Expert Sleepers. Then I added a bit of logic via Tesseract's dual VC logic gates. And then...I think I've fixed your Rene problem; the Tempi module is designed to work as Rene's clock source as well as a complex time source, plus it opens up a few "hidden" Rene functions. This should make it a lot smoother to work with, and also eliminates the need for a Pam's. Annnnd...once that's fixed, the Triad/Arpitecht pair should be somewhat more straightforward to use. MUXslicer is next so that it can either work as an adjunct sequencer or an audio MUX, then your Disting EX is after that, right by the last Veils...which serves as a VCA "front end" for the Doepfer A-138s.

But yeah...some of the issues definitely came down to not having the paired modules in a couple of cases. Once they're in, it opens those modules up and that then frees the other modules up from you needing to worry about whether or not you've got the right modules. And that Tempi can also kick up the MUXslicer's game by providing a complex clock for it as well. This should be able to really tear up now.

Wow Lugia!

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond in depth! There are a number of modules in there that I am not familiar with so I'll have to do a little research.

It looks like the Buchla stuff hasn't been released yet so I'll have to wait on exploring those, but I'm really excited to dig into you suggestions!

You only have the Trident in there for oscillators. Think that will be enough with that setup? I guess you are considering I have a Moog Grandmother too and the disting.

Are you mostly suggesting the Tempi over a PNW because it pairs with Rene? From videos I've watched I feel like i'm leaning toward PNW.

Last questions. Where would you start with your suggestions? I can't get everything at once and some have not released yet.

Again thanks for your time!

Yep, the Tempi + Rene combo has a backplane connection that locks these up as sort of a "hybrid" single module with pretty elaborate clocking tricks. Also notice the dual logic module next to the Tempi, which allows you to majorly screw with how clock pulses get generated and from what. In theory, you could lock the Rene to the Tempi, then use two other clock modifiers to mess with how those interact in the logic gates.

If you don't know about Boolean logic, you'd better! Using Boolean gates to create complex gate patterns is a killer way to get even more out of a system than JUST having a clock. What Boolean logic is are basic operators and how they react to incoming gate signals...

AND only fires a gate when both inputs to a gate are active

OR only fires when there's a gate on one or the other input. These can also be used to combine pulses, which is why you see so many pulse adder-type modules

NOR only fires a gate when there are NO gates at EITHER input

and NAND only fires when both inputs are NOT active, but is on in all other states.

You can also get the "N" via using an inverter on the gate output so that the gate's resulting "high" state converts to zero, and vice versa. But these slightly-confusing Boolean gates kick the door off the hinges when it comes to creating complicated patterns...and all you need are a couple of gates to input. Now, as for the rest of the Pam's trickery, did you look at this?: https://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/fh2.html You'll note that the FH-2 isn't JUST a MIDI interface, but it ALSO has some sneak functions that kinda overlap with a Pam's. Have a look at that link.

Now, where to start for building...my suggestion would be to start with the top row and then you can work on how to optimally use the synth's voicing. Then the second row, which should be fillable at that point since Tiptop should have some of their Buchla "t" series modules ready. Get used to how the modulation works, and how it works together with the top row's voicing. THEN do the control row on the bottom. By getting used to the primary functions of each row one at a time, when you finally get to the point of implementing MIDI and a controller, you'll be very much up to speed.

Tempi and Rene are a great combo and it’s fun hands playable like an instrument. You can tap in tempo for the tempi channels to Rene and quickly change tempo and clock division for example in real time. I’m really enjoying Rene v2 has cool way of sequencing different than most sequencers plus touch based fun.

Good point, sac...the Rene isn't JUST a sequencer. It's just as usable as a controller. Sixteen neat little touchplates...VERY West Coast!

Exactly right Lugia and Rene feels more like an expressive touch controller inasmuch as programmable sequencer. My other modular sequencers feel like programming a computer except for Stillson Hammer that has live slider controls. Really a unique and fun approach. Make Noise is a very clever modular group of genius inventors.

What do you guys think of his critique of the Tempi in this video? Critique starts around 8:58 and he gets more detailed over the next few minutes.

Are these issues still present or have they been fixed since this video came out?

EDITED Nov 5th 2021, 12:47

I’m sure I could find some creative uses for Tempi, but I don’t know why anyone would choose it over Pamela’s New Workout with the Pexp-1 expander. I think ALM really nailed it with PNW. It’s an essential module for me.

I have both Pam and Tempi. Still learning Tempi. For precision and complex clock tasks, Pam wins easily but for quick and dirty clock tasks then Tempi is way easier for live performance since there is no menu diving and no need to turn the dial to set tempos just tap tempo and configure with a few button presses. I like them both. Tempi is more fun to use since it feels like playing an instrument. That said if I’m clocking a bunch of drum modules and need precision and features like Euclidean patterns without relying on a sequencer then Pam wins easily. I like them both for different reasons.