Just to note: as an owner of this module, it doesn't entirely mute but rather reduces the volume of the signal. If the signal is loud you will still hear the input signal, albeit at a reduced volume.
-- furusato
thanks, very good to know.
The other nice thing about the Expert Sleepers stuff is that you have a range of expanders, which allows you to configure their interfaces with extra CV/gate outputs as needed. But another option you might consider is not using the Varigate 4+, and instead putting in a Squarp Hermod, which offers a MIDI interface, 8-track sequencer, clocking, and plenty of I/O. By doing that, you then flip the equation around so that it controls the M32 (with a lot more capability than the M32's own sequencer) as well as quite a bit more in the build, with no need to kludge up some sort of interfacing between the M32 and the rest of the rig just to get all of the modules talking to each other properly.
-- Lugia
I agree that the Hermod would definitely make stuff much easier (plus 8 tracks are amazing), but the idea of having to program all of my stuff on a screen really turns me off for some reason.. I absolutely love the M32's sequencer precisely because of this immediacy that I think the Hermod would lack.
ok I see, is there a midi interface you would recommend?
-- juliancooliani have a yarns, which i like, but kind of wish it had usb midi. i remember thinking the expert sleepers fh-2 seemed awesome when it came out, but i haven't used it. i'm no expert on all the options though.
-- mrjorts
ok I'll look into that, thanks a lot!
you're right, I totally forgot about this. That's definitely a good backup, but I'd kinda hate losing the option to output gate on accented steps. Do you think what I proposed would work as well?
-- juliancoolianit looks like those cables are just din-trs adapters for use with the malekko sync module (or another midi port as long as the trs jack is wired the same way), and the clock in on the varigate is just an analog clock input. i agree that it would be a shame to lose the accent output from the M32, but i think you'd need another midi interface to get clock from the computer into the modular, or a device like the rk-005 (https://www.retrokits.com/shop/rk005/) that can convert midi clock to a gate.
-- mrjorts
ok I see, is there a midi interface you would recommend?
The Mother 32's assign output can be set to send clock out, optionally divided /2 or /4. It defaults to outputting a gate for accented steps. The different modes for the output are described on page 44 of the manual and the process for choosing a mode is on page 50.
-- mrjorts
you're right, I totally forgot about this. That's definitely a good backup, but I'd kinda hate losing the option to output gate on accented steps. Do you think what I proposed would work as well?
Does the M32's gate out not send pulses when the sequencer is running or when a note on/off message arrives in MIDI?
-- Lugia
I believe it does, but if I wanted to use that as a clock signal I'd need to always activate all steps of the sequencer in order to actually send gate on every beat, no?
I've had the Mother-32 for close to 3 years now and recently, I got another 60HP row as well as an Erica Synths Black Modulator and Black Hole DSP (and a Koma Strom for power). Now I want to built an entire system consisting of the Mother + 120HP and this is what I came up with. I want to make mostly techno kind of stuff.
Basically, the idea is to use the Varigate 4+ as clock source and to sequence the Black Wavetable (or any other oscillators I might add in the future) and either use the Varigate directly or via the Euclid to sequence the Basimilus for some perussion. Of course I'd also want to send tempo to the Mother-32. I'd use the precision adder to modulate the sequence from the Varigate. The rest is rather self explanatory I think.
Sooo I'd love some advice on the following:
- So far, I'm using ableton for drums (might add a drum machine or eurorack drums later), so I need to sync the system to my computer. Right now I have a Keystep hooked to my Mac and send Midi via 5-Pin to the Mother and that works just fine, but the Mother has no clock out so I need to find another way to sync. Could I, for that purpose, use this cable (https://www.loopsandbits.ch/produkt/malekko-midi-3-5-cables/) to send Midi from the Keystep to the Varigate 4+ (and then via its clock out to the different destinations)?
- do you know of any cheaper or smaller alternatives to the modules I'm using here?
- is there anything I'm missing completely?
Thanks a lot in advance!
