I just want to design cool stuff, and talk about design, and enjoy a little community, related to modular synthesis, in a low pressure environment, like I'm pretty sure I have told you at least twice, already. Yes, i have aspirations of mod wiggling my own rig. No, i do not have any immediate actionable plans towards that. The "Wumpus" module idea i shared in a previous thread, that could even toggle between ar and lfo, was something i had already previously built myself in pd. Why are you so hostile to me posting that sort of thing? Why, after posting: "Hey, do yall think this is a cool case or not?" did i get the impression of: "Naw. Get money and build something or your not worth our time." ??? Instead, that all could have been a fun AI experience using a built in chat interface. You probably havent even tried Claude 3.7 Sonnet, have you "zack" ? Try it out. There is an android app. You get about 5 free queries a day. Anthropic behaves ethically. Etcetera.
Peace.
I am no more certain of what your goal is here than I was a year ago, but I am more suspicious than ever that something more than trolling is going on. Probably nothing of importance, really, but that just makes it even more confusing.
I do not use the internet to start arguments, @zacksname . I just had an idea about mod wiggling four melodic voices sequenced by a brainstep, and yall basically told me to go back to kindergarten and made fun of me for not having $6,000. What if four melodic voices is what a brainstep craves """zack""".
Peace Out. ✌️🙃✌️
I would have, if i was ready to start planning a case, but it is a detail that i was confused about, that you missed an opportunity to help clarify for me, that if there was an on site bot that I could dialogue with, that i asked for help putting things together, could have just resolved this in the natural flow of things. I came on here as a noob wanting to bounce around ideas about design concepts and was treated with hostility. AI would have had emotional sensitivity training. What the eff makes you still think that there is zero chance I will ever become a modular performer @zacksname , its just disrespect.
(I did google it. Google actually did give me the right answer as the first result, which i wasnt expecting, because tbh i barely trust Google anymore, but, Fair Point. Etcetera.)
-- singular_sound
You 100% brought the hostility to the situation. Multiple people gave you considered advice on your designs and you just got more and more resentful of the fact they told you things you didn't want to hear.
I would have, if i was ready to start planning a case, but it is a detail that i was confused about, that you missed an opportunity to help clarify for me, that if there was an on site bot that I could dialogue with, that i asked for help putting things together, could have just resolved this in the natural flow of things. I came on here as a noob wanting to bounce around ideas about design concepts and was treated with hostility. AI would have had emotional sensitivity training. What the eff makes you still think that there is zero chance I will ever become a modular performer @zacksname , its just disrespect.
(I did google it. Google actually did give me the right answer as the first result, which i wasnt expecting, because tbh i barely trust Google anymore, but, Fair Point. Etcetera.)
It's just, wouldnt it be nice if The Admins could train a chatbot on that data, and i could get an answer without having to bother the forum?
-- singular_sound
Google it.
It's just, wouldnt it be nice if The Admins could train a chatbot on that data, and i could get an answer without having to bother the forum? I don't think im wrong about that. Of course, i would do a little more research before entering my card details, but what i really intended was to come on here to start a meta dialogue about instrument design. I don't understand why @zacksname needs to 'come at me' for that.
Leaving Forever. Peace Out. ✌️
Cases come in 2 flavours, Powered and Unpowered, if it powered it doesn't nessesarily take up Rack space, if its unpowered then you'll need to add either Case-Power or a Power Module.
The TipTop uZeus Happy Ending kit is by far the cheapest way to get a Case with power and start building a rack, I also find the uZeus power to be pretty resilliant.
From looking at Synth Shops I figured out what I needed to start with, I tend to read a lot about the subjects I'm interested in and only when I fall short do I ask questions of others who may know more than me. (This is how I do life and business, not just modular)
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.
Did you look up different cases over the past year you've been working on this? I seem to recall you constantly making 100hp racks, so I figured you planned to make the case yourself. I think it's more fair to say you didn't look this up or ask than it is to say you were confused about it.
Can you show me where I said you didn't belong here? I get the feeling that "basically literally" is doing a lot of work to qualify your statement.
A wavefolder? Definitely a big part of the Buchla sound, and it'll be perfect for those 258t sine waves. Intellijel make a pretty fun one, the Bifold, but there are multiple options.
A 296-style resonant filter bank/EQ? That's a pretty classic west coast design. The Buchla one may not fit, but the Serge or Erica Synths ones will. ADDAC also makes a triple bandpass filter like the one Buchla makes for their 4U systems, which might be a more useful version of the concept for you.
Some of the recent module concepts from Tiptop like the programmable pulser or the frequency shifter might be fun here.
I stated that I was confused about, when buying a case, if cases typically do come bundled with all the power components and a supply that connects from the outside of the case, or if its more typical to always need a spot on your rack for a dedicated power module, and you 'ignored' this 'misunderstanding' and 'i still dont have an answer'.
I don't want to sound angry, zack, but you basically literally told me you didnt think that I was welcome here in earlier thread.
"Peace".
~•✌️•~;
What's wrong with a power module? They posted a small case with a uZeus because that's one of the easiest ways to put together a small case.
What kind of "little misunderstandings" do you think AI could improve?
-- Zacksname
For instance @wishbonebrewery suggested a starting case that had a power module. You never cleared up my post stating confusion about this. A fine tuned frontier model could clear this up in 0.3 seconds.
Etcetera.
Traxams right - I think too much modulation as well!
Pams is a great shout and you should defintely get it. It's actually got built in sample and hold via its cross-ops functions, alongside a variety of other tricks like min/max, logic, euclidean functions, random etc. Great for creating accent variations! I think thats a good place to start, along with a single ochd+expander. 3x Mia is also a great a shout but again I think you should get one and see how you go.
You'll find you wont stick to this plan anyway and your needs will change :)
Recomendations of modulators would be Tides, Batumi+expander, quadrax or a nekiya obsidian (havent got one of those but its feature set looks hyper useful).
Function generators you cant really beat Maths. Schlappi boundary is great as well but only one channel (although built in envelope following, and bound which makes bouncing ball effects easy to patch). I have a boundary and currently have a delta-v in my case which is great, but i would get maths again in my next case.
Utilties aside from pam's and 3x mia which would have been my suggestions anyway, arkan, veils v2 and what the hell i'd suggest manic (gives your drums an extra sparkle, although you might not find its wavefolder useful). I'd look up monotrails on videos to get ideas on utilities which suit you- i basically learned everything from this guy. He covers modules like utilities you might not find useful in short term, but will maximise your rack in the long run. A lot of eurorack principles may not apply to a drum rack in first instance, but its good broader knowledge.
Another utility to research is matrix mixing. Can't beat the doepfer a138m. I personally have fewer modulation sources, however I derive variations through min/max or mixing them together them so they relate. Invetering an lfo for instance, and sending the inverted along side the postive to different sources makes your sounds dance along together. Its more clean and subtley brings your sounds together than having a billion different unrelated resources. The matrix mixer is good for this. Samara II is a good shout to look into as a mixer. Has built in sample and hold and also min/max features and its only 10hp.
I run my drums through a cosmotronic messor which is an amazing compressor. It uses the same chip as some boutique compressors, but comes in at half the price. I'd recommend that or something similar to glue everything together.
Of course a lot of these suggestions wont work for you, which is fine! Thats the beauty of modular- highly customisable. I love this hobby and happily fall down a eurorack rabbit hole everyday.
Start slow, work out your needs, and plot your course as you go. The thing you want now, might not necessarily be the thing you need later :)
EDIT:
Oo sorry forgot to mention your sequencer plan. I think that sounds sensible. Personally I'd stick with the Oxi One still due to the four sequencers. You could have one set up for each rack and use the Oxi Split to seperate out the different channels, with an additional one going to the pipe. For me it would mean everything is in one place and would be one less thing for my brain to handle. Although admittedly its more buttons to press and pages to keep track of, so it has its downsides!
What kind of "little misunderstandings" do you think AI could improve?
I used to be able to do this on the drop down hover menu. Where did it go?
Your link is weird, but I assume you mean the "(Current)" one.
An LFO module of some kind (Ochd, Batumi, or whatever seems fun to you)? Maybe even a spring reverb for that classic Easel sound. It's hard to go wrong here. Maybe even a filter if you want to expand your palette beyond traditional Buchla sounds while keeping things fairly simple and focused.
I would rank my suggestions here in the order they appear in terms of relevance/usefulness.
I suggest keeping the ring modulator, too. They sound great with the 258t sine waves and it can also act as a bipolar VCA.
-- Zacksname
Good advice. right next to my current (yes that the one) setup, I have an Behringer 2600 GM. This give me four LFO, sample and hold, a filter, spring.. all the 2600 bits.
I guess I want something unique but still west coast.
You are entitled to your opinion @Fruarse , but can you not agree that if ai at least detected patch points on the module graphics, you could implement an interface that would create a much more seamless experience in posting patch configurations? I fundamentally disagree with the Chinese Room theoretical premise. I personally believe it is not even possible to create such a room without somehow also in some sense copying the relevant structure from a human brain, thereby implying that 'the room understands Chinese'. I dont want to get into a philosophical debate about AI. I just think a certain usefulness threshold has been crossed, and would personally rather get an instant reply from Claude 3.7, than a reply 2 days later, from, say, @zacksname . If perhaps only the Haiku model was used, all accounts were limited to one use per day or week, and the right kind of data sharing toward mutual advancement deal could be struck, this could likely be implemented nearly free with very little impact. Etcetera.
I do not think it is possible to convince everyone to love our new AI overlords.
(Also, the gap width indicators are broken, because everything is not treated enough lile a state-machine.)
Peace. "✌️";
(edit)
I just think the whole community would be improved if little misunderstanding could be cleared up by AI, and the forum could be reserved for all the more "human" parts.
link:
https://www.noemamag.com/the-prospect-of-more-than-human-intelligence/
(Peace. "✌️";)
((edit edit))
Sorry I made an 'AI overlords' joke. Don't come at me modulargrid. Kidding. Peace.
(((edit edit edit)))
Yeah, ok. Maybe im just a bit frustrated. If you want to just ignore all my threads etc. then thats perfectly within your own free choice. I did not 'mean' to offend. Peace. ...
TBH I feel that other than some UX improvements when it comes to module navigation, selection, and rearrangement in the case, modulargrid does everything it needs to do, and 99% of it for free.
On another note, personally I am exhausted by this unfounded need to throw "AI" at everything. Not only is it not sustainable, both in terms of environment and business (it for sure won't be for free), but also completely removes the human connection with other people and listening to different suggestions. It's just unfathomably sad, boring, unnecessary.
On an extra side note, there is nothing intelligent, nor technologically revolutionary about "AI", it's just the greatest marketing naming of the century. Look up the Chinese Room Experiment by John Searle.
hey @zacksname , it is bothering me that you are giving me a hard time about not owning any modules and having no exact plans to pick up any new modules in the immediate future. i spend a good deal of time researching models. i have a beyond novice understanding of synthesis. i follow a lot of eurorack creators. why do you think i dont deserve to interact with 'this' forum community? if collecting modules is the ultimate pursuit of modular synthesis, zack, then, please, for us, list out every eurorack module that you actually own, so we can all see how seriously you take eurorack. etc. ...
(you think youre freaking bob moog zacksname but you aint. 'reference'.)
peace ✌️
I, personally, feel this site is due for a total overhaul. I dont think it would be anywhere near impossible to gather enough data to fine tune a frontier model, like Claude 3.7 Sonnet, to perform the task of answering modular questions, giving feedback and advice on in progress case designs, and detecting where patch points are in your image database to greatly simplify the patch diagram creation process, etcetera.
Here, ... is a resource to consider:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43623589
Thanks for putting all eurorack modules in a single easy to navigate location. It is helpful.
Peace. Out. ...
✌️✌️😎✌️✌️
Hope everyone is well. Finally getting more bleep bloop time. Added an Arturia Minifreak to the modular studio and... it's really working out. Being able to play live over my patches is a game-changer but I need a third hand.
Lead is played on the Minifreak. Backup voices are DPO, Mother 32, DFAM and BIA.
-mowse
maybe it has something to do with lack of support from people like you @zacksname
get a life.
peace ✌️
Many thanks to all the viewers for refraining from dissing dis ting bro's...
Knight Industry
Personally, and it is just personally my opinion!
I think you have too much modulation. Probably an anathema comment here.
But I count at least 32 LFO outs not including the PAMs and the Ochd expanders.
For, by my count 9 drum voices.
Also you have alot of CV out with the Voltera expanders.
If it was me i'd be using some of that HP to add more drum modules, maybe some that can do a large variery of different things, especially under modulation.
Also i'd be putting one of the ADDAC bridges sort of in the middle of the drum modules as, I assume, you'll be using it to bring them all to the mixer in a neat way,
Thanks Chris! I"ll check out the Error Instruments stuff!
Hey guys wassup,
My latest track - Daw version.
Namaste.
YV.
Another iteration done, would love to hear what you think ^_^
I've removed the Scrooge and introduced a bunch of modules to handle CV generation and modulation. Most notably I've introduced Pamela's Pro Workout, mainly to a) handle clock manipulation, and b) as a LFO module, but there's probably a lot more I can use it for. There are more LFOs, a couple of S+H modules, and a couple of 3x MIA to mix some interesting CV signals. There are probably more things I could add (like switches - I'm not too familiar with them, but I'll research more on their uses), but I think these changes should bring a lot of possibilities.
Hi all, thanks for your replies. You've convinced me that I should add more modulation modules. I'll revise the design and come back when I have an update ^_^
Just wanted to give some more context, to paint a better picture so to say, and to reply more concretely to some of the feedback.
Pulsar-23 it's definitely an interesting choice. I already own the Lyra-8, and in "money's no limit"-land (aka fantasy world) I'd have a Pulsar-23 and Ornament-8 as well. In fact, if money were no limit, I would buy Pulsar-23 and build a drum machine with eurorack modules, just because it sounds like a bunch of fun. Completely overkill, I know, and there are probably other, more efficient ways of producing music, but it sounds like a bunch of fun.
Wrt using only the Oxi One sequencer: I'm planning to have multiple racks covering various functions, and the idea is that the Oxi One can step in as a sequencer in all of them, but for the drum machine I want to have an additional sequencer to offload the "main sequencer". I have this setup in my Suitcase rack, using the M185 sequencer to handle some of my sequencer needs, and the Oxi One for the rest. I've watched some videos of people using the Metron module, and it looks very good for drum modules, and more importantly, it looks like fun ^_^
I do have 1U modules in the suitcase, and I agree they are very handy, so I'll consider switching out the drum machine case for something with 1U modules as well. I chose the Eurorack Go rack because it fits neatly into what space I have available in my home studio, but I'm aware of the problems with Behringer, so I'll take that into consideration as well.
Just to give some ideas of the current setup of my racks:
In addition, as mentioned, I also have a Solar 42F, which I use mostly for drones, textures, and "background" noises. (I also use Lyra-8 for drones sometimes, especially the bassy, gritty sounds are awesome, but I find it a bit hard to control, so most of the time I use it for the effects.)
I want to add another case at some point, about same size as the planned drum machine, to facilitate a bit more spacious and "out there" modules, such as Deckard's Voice, Collide 4, and Oneiroi (for those interested, you can see the current state of this idea here - but note that it's very much a work in progress, and it will need to offer more modulation features as well).
At some point I'm thinking of buying a big rack, something like the Erica Synths Megarack, but that's waaaaaaay into the future. Who knows, maybe my interest in eurorack will fade before I get there. (All of these expansions are going to take me years, so this is nothing that's going to happen anytime soon.)
Also, in case it's relevant: I'm not a professional musician, I do this on my spare time. The music I make is mostly leaning into ambience, but I also enjoy more "harder" styles from time to time (e.g. techno).
Yeah, it's an expensive hobby, but it's a ton of fun ^_^
I would like to drop the idea to just do a very small drum rack.
I had much fun to assemble different small drum maschines in eurorack in just a palette case or nifty case.
Sure its easier to get just a pulsar or something, but I really like the format and for me it works well and unique.
It could be fun
Greetings
Chris
i will most likely never pick up any eurorack modules.
-- singular_sound
Shocking.
I'm going to add some 1U switches also so I can distribute modulation to different drums.
-- Traxam
+1000
Switches including sequential, switched multiples, gated switches are all super powerful. Boring but a fantastic thing to add. Doepfer sequential switch is a good place to start. Couple it witch a simple clock divider, or trigger from a sequencer.
Hey,
I'll throw my 2 x cents in also!
I have a case dedicated to drums i've been building and I love it. Glad I didn't hear the advice not to go down this route before spending so much on it.
In my scenario i've gone with the concept of building 2 x kits in the one case, using 1 x sequencer with enough trig outs to control many things (I use Erica which has x16), 2 x mixers, one for each kit, and a cross fader.
I'd agree with all of the above recomendations and add:
Consider getting a case with 1 or 2, 1U rows, very handy for additional functional modules.
I use a couple of 1U (Bear modules) connector modules for cable management as once I have the triggers from sequencer patched up I don;t really need to chage them so it avoids a big spagetti. So you're onto a good idea there, in my opinion!
I'm going to add some 1U switches also so I can distribute modulation to different drums.
As some "drum" modules can be used to make non drum sounds, a few times I've ended up just jamming my drum rack and having great fun.
nothing wrong with that rack configuration, but im trying to do my own thing. yeah, i wasnt sure if power needed to be its own module or if most cases took care of that from the back. ai is getting pretty advanced right now, and i still wish the admins would consider fine tuning claude 3.7 sonnet to be a total advice and feedback ai chat feature to provide the kinds of hints i was seeking. ...
yeah, but im leaving forever, tho. i will most likely never pick up any eurorack modules.
im used to more active forums. modwiggler doesnt seem like exactly my thing. last post.
We all face the simple fact that this forum is secondary to the main function of ModularGrid so activity is very slow on here.
Its no one's fault and you can't blame people for not being here 24/7 or for not knowing how to give advice if they don't have experience of people's module choices.
Have you tried Modwiggler? https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/ there's probably more forum post action over there.
Buy a cheap case, get a few modules and start learning, its that easy, though never cheap!
This was my starter suggestion from a forum post that no one responded to:
That is where I would start if i were to be a beginner, the rest is personal learning and experimantation.
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.
Hello megoth, ive been doing this a couple of years now, thought i'd stick my head above the parapet :)
The main advice you'll get from other users is to not do drums in rack as its too much cost for little gain. I'd recommend looking into something like the Pulsar-23 for a good drum machine that can interface with eurorack. It only handles 0-10v instead of -5 to +5 so you'll need additional modules to offset/attenuate as necessary. But, it'll still be a lot cheaper than whats proposed here.
That being said drums in eurorack is fun! And even better when paired with modulation, so I think it would be good to know what other modulation your planning on getting in your other case. The key to good drum sounds is decent modulation and utilities otherwise your voices will sound static and boring. Things like sample and holds, clock dividers, shift registers can spice up velocities and gate sequencies. Random CV is also great for sound design- you can get this from a sample and hold and noise source. Noise in particular is very useful- it can also be used to create percussion!
And with modulation you'd need VCAs. Super useful for modulating modulation. And also accent creation. In conjunction with sample and hold and you can extract velocities from modulation! if you attenuate and rectify before hand you can get it to play nicely. And rectifiers open up a world of possibilities - when combined with slew you can get an envelope follower which is great for sidechain effects. I'd look into function generators like schlappi boundary or make noise maths. The ultra kick/perc has this built in but doing it in other modules has its benefits.
You'd surprised at how much mileage you'd get from an Oxi One. I had one for ages before I sold it for a Hermod+, which is an insanely powerful sequencer. I would question why you would need 3 sequencers, and just stick with the Oxi for now. See how you go with that and properly get to grips with its functions. It's a mini modulation centre in itself!
Havent even touched on ringmod, effects, mixers, clock dividers, more utilities etc. There will come a point when you wish to do something but can't because you dont have the right utilities. Also a good way to save money instead of having dedicated modules (already touched on building random generators and envelope followers, there is a ton more).
Finally you may wish to consider to get something not behringer. Eurorack is a boutique business, and a massive company stealing designs from much smaller companies, is not a good thing.
Enjoy the build!
TLDR/EDIT:
Essentially do drums outside of rack unless you suplement with all the things that makes modular, modular. If you do them in a rack where your only modulation sources is just a sequencer, youve just spent a ton of a money on essentially a very limited drum machine. Manually drawing accents and swings is fine, but in the modular world you can automate to get far more inspiring patterns with a turn of a knob. Drums only becomes killer when you pair it with modulation :)
EDIT 2:
I know youve got 2 ochds, but you may need something which syncs. And mixers, analog logic functions like min/max to make the wave forms more interesting than triangless.
I'm thinking of buying a Behringer Eurorack Go (2x140hp), and it's primary function is being a drum machine. Currently I only have two of the modules (Ultra-Kick, Pipe), so I'm very open for suggestions on other modules people might recommend. Also, this is probably waaaaaay overkill, but I think it could be a very fun and powerful system, which is the end goal ^_^
To give a bit more context: the rack will have two adjacent systems, which can provide some functions such as various effects (not sure which), LFOs, VCAs, and mults, but apart from that this system should be mostly self-sufficient.
Some thoughts on the modules:
I know I probably should have more attenuaters and voltage manipulation modules in general. And the Scrooge will probably go in later iterations, as it takes a lot of space. But I really like the sounds it make (from what I've heard on YouTube), and I've grown quite fond of its sibling, the Elmyra 2, so I'm pretty sure I'll enjoy it.
This is my first post in this forum, so apologies if I've forgotten to cover anything vital. If you have any questions, please let me know and I'll try to answer ^_^
im leaving forever. i cant seem to get enough respect about wanting to share my case layout ideas on here. etcetera. ...
yall should check out 'muezig' on youtube, though. he posts new live content regularly, and it really embodies the 'concept' of a unique sound and all-in-one ness that i was looking for yalls feedback on. he could use the engagement. etcetera. ...
peace ✌️
Thanks for sharing, hope you're able to realize this setup in the future!
“You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
@zacksname i just told you the modules i would get first. i cannot afford them. i just want to post ideas for rack configurations on here as creative stimulation. get a life.
peace ✌️
I thought you wanted people to engage with you. I'm the only one still willing to do so, and I've been as reasonable as anyone could be about all this. If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine, but if you don't like what I've said then there might not be a point for you in coming here to engage, especially if you continue to be combative about any advice that conflicts with your idealized version of modular synths.
id want it all at once. if i could only get less at a time, then i would get this all at once:
i just want that perfect improv toy and im not there yet is all, why do you keep asking?
peace ✌️
yes. i would like to have this one, even though the design is not perfect and the clocky is not actually really doing anything:
also, just to include this, too, here is the $30 yoyo:
peace ✌️
