First confident rack idea, open to any criticism as I'm still learning. :-)

I've been learning about eurorack modules and modular synthesis for the better part of a year now, if you were to see my ModularGrid page you'd see a bunch of different rack ideas. This is the one I've become most confident with. I recognize some modules may be hard to get or are maybe out of the typical price range; but after researching Instruo and Bizarre Jezabel and hearing examples of patches made with their modules, it seems like a must to have them a part of my system. Especially pairings such as the Winterbloom Castor and Pollux into the Bizarre Jezabel Seju Stereo Filter. Any comments you may have, I'd be happy to hear them. I'm a novice and am slowly looking to dive into Eurorack.

The idea behind this rack is to be able to create ambient soundscapes, structured songs, and to have enough voices to have multiple tracks within a patch.
Harmonaig gives musical sequencing to any of the 6 voices (C&P, Troika, and Plaits) that I would have. Pressure points allow me to melodically sequence as well as have touch control.
Bitbox allows me to load samples into my patch.
Crater is a kick drum that sounds sick and I wanted a kick drum module.
Scion takes biometric feedback from organic matter and converts it to CV. F***ing awesome.
Troika, Castor & Pollux, and Plaits are beautiful voices in my opinion.
Lots of VCA's, Doepfer A-135-2, Optomix, and x-pan. As well as Attenuators inside modules.
Filters, Seju, Chloe MK2, Quarte and Sisters, Too Many?
Chaos provides modulation. OCHD gives 8 random LFOS for modulation.
Tanh is a limiter and feedback module that I can send Troika into.
Chloe MK2 and Athra MK2 sound absolutely gorgeous. They're tube-driven delay modules, it's hard for me to explain with my newbie brain but they sound beautiful. They act as a sort of effect in this setup.
Rosie lets me send the audio out of my rack, also allows me to connect to my pedalboard and send the effects back (I think).

Hopefully, this makes sense!

EDITED Mar 18th 2022, 04:25

Hey @jdesole,

My first impression is that you're trying to fit too much into a rack this size. Personally I would only go for one or two (maybe three, depending on the setup) voices in a case this size. I would cut the number of sound sources and filters in half, at least.

I think you may be misunderstanding Harmonaig's capabilities. From my understanding it is primarily a chord quantizer, not a sequencer. Also, Pressure Points only steps through sequences on it's own with the Brains expander module.

You will probably want to look into alternate VCA modules in place of Optomix and X-Pan, as they are not "traditional" VCAs. Optomix is a low pass gate, so it will alter what you're sending through it in ways other than amplitude (which you may or may not want). I find X-Pan inconvenient to use a lot of the time due to all three channels being routed to a single output. And the first two channels are crossfaders (but can still be used in a VCA-like way). You should look into Intellijel's Quad VCA or Veils (2020) for more traditional and denser "VCA" functionality, in addition to your Doepfer VCA module.

I think you should strongly consider adding some mixers and envelopes to the rack.

Those are just some major starting points, but I hope some of that helps!
-Chace

The idea behind this rack is to be able to create ambient soundscapes, structured songs, and to have enough voices to have multiple tracks within a patch.

trying to do too much in too small a space - very synthesis with modules, as opposed to modular synthesis

Harmonaig gives musical sequencing to any of the 6 voices (C&P, Troika, and Plaits) that I would have. Pressure points allow me to melodically sequence as well as have touch control.

iirc:
harmonaig is not a sequencer, it's a quantizer - you need to feed it sequences to get it to work
pressure points needs brains to get it to actually sequence - and probably some sort of clock module

Crater is a kick drum that sounds sick and I wanted a kick drum module.

but what about a snare and hats???

Scion takes biometric feedback from organic matter and converts it to CV. F***ing awesome.

yeah - nice to have somewhere down the road, maybe, but I think the space is better suited to other modules in a small cases such as this

Bitbox allows me to load samples into my patch.

it's a very big solution for this in such a small rack!!!!

Lots of VCA's, Doepfer A-135-2, Optomix, and x-pan. As well as Attenuators inside modules.

let's rephrase that as 'some vcas' - enough for the audio perhaps - but what about the modulation??? and very little in the way of mixing for either sound or modulation sources... there's not really enough mixing capability for the audio!

Filters, Seju, Chloe MK2, Quarte and Sisters, Too Many?

probably - plaits already has a filter/vca - ie an lpg and you also have optomix - so there's another 3 filters!!!

Chaos provides modulation. OCHD gives 8 random LFOS for modulation.

not enough modulation sources compared to sound generators, imo

Tanh is a limiter and feedback module that I can send Troika into.

Chloe MK2 and Athra MK2 sound absolutely gorgeous. They're tube-driven delay modules, it's hard for me to explain with my newbie brain but they sound beautiful. They act as a sort of effect in this setup.

but what about other effects - reverb, phasing etc - or arre you just going to use

Rosie lets me send the audio out of my rack, also allows me to connect to my pedalboard and send the effects back (I think).

discontinued for quite a while - and will not do the pedalboard thing well - get a separate module (or modules) for this (2 or 3 or 4 aisynthesis pedal integration modules for instance)

if you have a pedal board - are you are guitarist?? - maybe an instrument interface is also a good idea - the sonicsmith ev1 looks to be the best at the moment, but is pricey - as a starter maybe veils and a disting mk4 would be a good idea - veils for more vcas and enough gain for guitar to modular level & disting as it has an envelope/pitch follower - you'll probably also want some logic to extract gates from this

and a better end of chain mixer - you probably don't need an 'output' module...

Hopefully, this makes sense!

maybe to you - but you're ignoring the interesting modules that actually make modular synthesis worthwhile compared to fixed architecture synths - utilities!

see my signature!!! the formula is how to get the most versatility from a modular for the least money... it works and is scalable to any size modular...

I'd want another row to add a couple more effects modules, another modulation source or 2 and some more utilities - at least more mixing (including some sub-mixers and a matrix mixer), sequential switching, offsets, attenuators, slew limiters, logic etc etc

If you are set on all or most of the modules in this case I would seriously suggest a much bigger case - at least 1 more row, preferably 2 - so that you have the space available for all the support modules that you will need to add variety and for some space to expand into after that!

Thanks for the honesty and clarification on some things. Again, I am a novice and am still learning.
Both of these posts mentioned the fact the harmonaig isn't as I thought it was, I think the Hermod would be a better solution for what I'm trying to do, would you agree?
I forgot to add Brains to this setup. I think I confused the functionality of Rene to Pressure Points. Would Hermod/Rene be a good combo ? Or Hermod / Pressure points? Or are they both bad ideas ?
I have the bit box for drum samples, also any sort of audio samples I want to send into my patch. I understand the hp but I value the interface. I only want an analog Kick for a counterpoint throughout patches I make. I have songs like Broken Hearted Kota by Joseph Shabason and Everything in its Right Place in mind. That steady kick, or whatever rhythm I choose. Odd choice, I understand. Considering this is a hypothetical setup, and I'm not getting all of the modules at once by any means, I don't think it'd hurt for me to add a snare and hi-hat module just in case I would want to use them. But I can trigger a sample in bitbox the same way as those drum modules, I just don't have control over the timbre as much.
I agree Scion is nice to have down the road; I didn't plan to get it towards the start of my rack. I'm willing to sacrifice the rack space. I'm going to post a revised version of this setup and start by adding an extra row and see where that takes me.
Idk why I said "Lots of VCA's", I can see clearly there is "some" as you said. Bad choice of words. I'll look into some mixing solutions, and for VCA's, starting with Veils seems necessary.
I had a feeling the filters were overkill. Optomix and X-pan are out of the rack, and Sisters may be as well but it sounds so good in the demos I've heard. Not as good as Seju though imo.
I'll look into adding more modulation, starting with MATHS.
My idea was to use my pedalboard for effects. I'm not a guitarist but I have a Korg Prologue, Monologue, Subharmonicon, Reface CP, and YC that I run into it when recording tracks. I'm looking to move away from keyboard-based synths and into modular synthesis. I started with the Subharmonicon. That being said, I'm not a guitarist, more of a pianist but by no means classically trained, more so musically educated. Hence why modular synthesis feels so right to me, the analog signal flow, different modules with different duties and capabilities, it makes sense to me but I have much, much more to learn.
I'll look into some effects modules, but I don't want to have a lot. I have the Empress Reverb and Zoia that I look forward to using with my future rack. I have other pedals but I'm trying to sell them right now.

"and a better end of chain mixer - you probably don't need an 'output' module...", I've really been curious about this. So I realize that in the scenario you have a pedal with stereo outs and you wanted to send that stereo signal to an amp, ideally you'd need two amps for the left and right signal. In the case of Modular and having multiple voices, there's no way I could have 3 voice modules: 2 stereos(C&P, Plaits), and Troika. With that thought process, I'd need 5 amps (or 7 if I ran the Troika out separately). So it seems evident that they're going to need to be mixed in a mixer module with a stereo out (Output Module). What would I do if you're saying I don't need an output module? I suppose I could take each stereo out into my audio interface but then am I losing sound quality?

"see my signature!!! the formula is how to get the most versatility from a modular for the least money... it works and is scalable to any size modular... I'd want another row to add a couple more effects modules, another modulation source or 2 and some more utilities - at least more mixing (including some sub-mixers and a matrix mixer), sequential switching, offsets, attenuators, slew limiters, logic etc etc" - Thank you for this.

Thank you for replying I really appreciate it.

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1871528.jpg

9U

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1871559.jpg

12U

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1871528.jpg

9U

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1871559.jpg

12U

-- jdesole

please post links not jpgs

OCHD gives 8 random LFOS for modulation.

-- jdesole

Hi Jdesole,

I don't think that's correct. I own a Øchd and yes it does provide me 8 LFO outputs but they are somehow all related to each other. You have one knob to adjust the speed of the LFO but the outputs are kind of "divided clock outputs" from each other. Or in other words, with an Øchd you don't have 8 independent LFOs, no you have in fact one LFO with eight (8) outputs. So it's great for simple LFO functionality for a large setup but for your case & casing with a rather small setup you should rather look for 2 or 4 independent LFOs (either in one or more modules).

When you get started, start with a bigger rack than you planned (you will not regret that in the near future) and start with a few major modules only, then gain some experience, learn from that and based on that new obtained experience and knowledge you then buy the next small batch of modules and repeat the same thing; in other words don't buy everything in one go.

Good luck with the planning, do some more research and reading and once you get into it, have fun with it :-) Kind regards, Garfield.

OCHD gives 8 random LFOS for modulation.

-- jdesole

Hi Jdesole,

I don't think that's correct. I own a Øchd and yes it does provide me 8 LFO outputs but they are somehow all related to each other. You have one knob to adjust the speed of the LFO but the outputs are kind of "divided clock outputs" from each other. Or in other words, with an Øchd you don't have 8 independent LFOs, no you have in fact one LFO with eight (8) outputs. So it's great for simple LFO functionality for a large setup but for your case & casing with a rather small setup you should rather look for 2 or 4 independent LFOs (either in one or more modules).

When you get started, start with a bigger rack than you planned (you will not regret that in the near future) and start with a few major modules only, then gain some experience, learn from that and based on that new obtained experience and knowledge you then buy the next small batch of modules and repeat the same thing; in other words don't buy everything in one go.

Good luck with the planning, do some more research and reading and once you get into it, have fun with it :-) Kind regards, Garfield.
-- GarfieldModular

I don't think that's correct. They are related to each other in the same way that metronomes in Ligeti's Symphonic Poem are related to each other. Meaning, it you let them run for long enough, you might stumble upon a repeating configuration at some point. From the description on Instruō's website: "Each independent core is free running with rates configured from fastest to slowest arranged from top to bottom. Each frequency range was tuned by ear during development to give the optimum spread of control frequencies running in parallel. Being 100% analogue, the LFO’s will phase organically with the ability to ebb and flow together with their global frequency control."

But this has nothing to do with the OP. You clearly need to research a bit more how some modules work, specially the sequencing ones. It's a big search as there are lots of possibilities and none is perfect, although one might be perfect for YOU. Between interface, functionality, flexibility, amount of channels, etc... it gets quite difficult and you normally don't know how you get along with one until you try it... So I'd take advantage of the 2nd hand market for trying some out! ;)
Regarding that and your 12U project, I remember having read that Pressure Points does not need the Brains expander, if you're pairing it with the 2nd version of René. I might be wrng, but I think that is something that you should research, before you waste money on something you don't need.
As per utilities you do need much more, but their use only becomes apparent when you do start patching and don't have the means to achieve something you're trying to do, IMO. Otherwise its very theoretical and even I didn't get the point of having some I had from the very beginning... But sure enough, things like clock dividers, sequential switches, rectifiers and, in fact, mixing of all sorts, do open all your modules up, as I'm slowly finding out!! :D You need much less big 'guns', if you have the right 'ammunition', I suppose. And those are the utilities.
But they are also, somehow, connected with a kind of patching that lots of people have no interest in apparently, so yeah...
Your build is still very much full of inputs (on the big modules) and almost nothing to send them (as in modulation, event creators/modulators, etc) and even less ways to control how much and how often they are going to be sent (as in, enough VCAs and attenuators/verters). So my advice is to reduce, research and redraw.

Hi jdesole,

I had an interesting back-and-forth with Jim here on my first ideas for a modular, just like you. Jim is 100% correct about the utility modules. Make sure you get enough VCAs, multiples, etc. I have only a few sound sources but I'm already adding 8 more to the 8 I already have. That's because my current 8 can also be used as mixers and you'll need plenty of mixers and attenuators. And attenuverters. And, as I said, multiples.

Another tip: start small. I was looking at the Harmonaig as well, but I decided to start monophonic. That was a good move. For drums/samples, I have the Squarp Rample, which is small and very powerful. I would advise you to look at it. I only have 1 Plaits, 1 bOSC (analog oscillator) and a Feedback Static noise generator. But I've been having a lot of fun mixing analog waves modulating them in several different waves. I've now done a short track with the noise with envelopes for drums (nice old school) and the Rample is doing some bass percussion. I haven't even received my FX Aid and I have only 1 filter and 1 LFO (not really - my envelope is a Xaoc Zadar that I can also use as an LFO). So I'm finding it's much more flexible than I expected. I'm having a lot of fun expanding beyond what I assume are limitations, by creative patching.

You can check out some of my jams in this playlist . Everything was made with this rack. Of course, with one track per day, it's nothing spectacular, but I think it shows some of the flexibility of even a limited setup.

From the description on Instruō's website: "Each independent core is free running with rates configured from fastest to slowest arranged from top to bottom. Each frequency range was tuned by ear during development to give the optimum spread of control frequencies running in parallel. Being 100% analogue, the LFO’s will phase organically with the ability to ebb and flow together with their global frequency control."

-- jletra

Hi Jletra,

Okay perhaps I explained it a bit wrong and you might be right about the above part description. My point however is that you don't have really 8 independent LFOs. Okay they might be "free running" but what is free running in this context? There is just one button for all 8 LFOs to speed them up or to slow them down. If you want to call that free running... okay... however that's not what I understand under free running or at least they are not independent from each other in such way I mean that I can't choose (just as an example), LFO 1, 2, 6 & 8 I want to increase their speed. LFO 3 & 7 should stay at their current speed and LFO 4 & 5 should go a bit slower. That's just not possible with this module, they either all 8 stay the same or all 8 go slower or all 8 go faster. That's what I meant. You might be right that they might have their own independent core but to what use is that to me if I don't want them all 8 go faster (for example)?

I hope it's clearer now. I therefore think this module is more suitable for larger setups and not so ideal for a smaller setup, but that are just my 2 cents :-) Kind regards, Garfield.

From the description on Instruō's website: "Each independent core is free running with rates configured from fastest to slowest arranged from top to bottom. Each frequency range was tuned by ear during development to give the optimum spread of control frequencies running in parallel. Being 100% analogue, the LFO’s will phase organically with the ability to ebb and flow together with their global frequency control."

-- jletra

Okay perhaps I explained it a bit wrong and you might be right about the above part description. My point however is that you don't have really 8 independent LFOs. Okay they might be "free running" but what is free running in this context?

To me, free running LFOs are the opposite of triggered LFOs. They start and you cannot reset/restart/trigger them.

Instruo's description to me sounds like they're all on a independent frequencies but you cannot change the ratio between them. So if one is 100Hz and the next 120Hz, if you go down one octave it'll be 50Hz and 60Hz.

From the description on Instruō's website: "Each independent core is free running with rates configured from fastest to slowest arranged from top to bottom. Each frequency range was tuned by ear during development to give the optimum spread of control frequencies running in parallel. Being 100% analogue, the LFO’s will phase organically with the ability to ebb and flow together with their global frequency control."

-- jletra

Hi Jletra,

Okay perhaps I explained it a bit wrong and you might be right about the above part description. My point however is that you don't have really 8 independent LFOs. Okay they might be "free running" but what is free running in this context? There is just one button for all 8 LFOs to speed them up or to slow them down. If you want to call that free running... okay... however that's not what I understand under free running or at least they are not independent from each other in such way I mean that I can't choose (just as an example), LFO 1, 2, 6 & 8 I want to increase their speed. LFO 3 & 7 should stay at their current speed and LFO 4 & 5 should go a bit slower. That's just not possible with this module, they either all 8 stay the same or all 8 go slower or all 8 go faster. That's what I meant. You might be right that they might have their own independent core but to what use is that to me if I don't want them all 8 go faster (for example)?

I hope it's clearer now. I therefore think this module is more suitable for larger setups and not so ideal for a smaller setup, but that are just my 2 cents :-) Kind regards, Garfield.
-- GarfieldModular

Maybe it's a semantics thing, but the LFOs in Øchd are indeed independent. BUT, you have only one control to influence their rate.
That's how I understand the description of the module and how I experience it in practice.
It's the same as if you would use one offset signal to modulate the frequency of different LFO modules. Are they free running and independent? Yes. Although now they share one control, that you made yourself! ;)
Of course, your point of lack of control is valid, but in my opinion that's exactly the strength of Øchd, even in a small rack. You have a range of available frequencies and when using the rate CV input with different flavours of modulation, you can really get a lot out of 4 HP. You can have trigger like behaviour, audio rate modulation, and skewed triangle waves, all happening at the same time. Then with a flick of that knob, you're in a completely different territory, or if you switch between two different CV modulation sources...
But then again, it's limited in use without attenuation, so there's that...

Kind regards to you sir!
Jorge

Hi Jorge,

I guess that's it indeed: a semantic thing :-) And as it seems this might be for each of us a slightly bit different ;-) Fair enough.

I use the Øchd in rather large and complicated patches where I need lots of modulation (and have a lack on LFOs) then I like to use the Øchd and where it's not too obvious when I turn that one knob that all behave the same but as a listener you still notice a difference.

Indeed for 4 HP the Øchd offers pretty much.

Anyway, I wish you lots of fun with Øchd and have fun patching around with your modular system, modular synths are the best there is ;-) Kind regards, Garfield.

Instruo's description to me sounds like they're all on a independent frequencies but you cannot change the ratio between them. So if one is 100Hz and the next 120Hz, if you go down one octave it'll be 50Hz and 60Hz.
-- Arrandan

Hi Arrandan,

Indeed, nicely summarised :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Jdesole, planning racks is fun (I spend so many hours on ModGrid myself) but I suggest you log some hours and build up some experience with Modular on VCVRack2, maybe focus on the ‘real world’ modules available there, like Instruo, Mutable and Befaco. It’ll also solve all your mixing needs.

If you’re still early in your physical rack, get an Expert Sleepers ES9 so you can patch into VCV. It’s the first module I ever bought - invaluable for learning. Even if you want to be fully physical in your modular, unless you’re loaded and have immediate access to any module you want, it’ll be a long time before your rack is fully realized. You could learn with the ES9, help you make the right choices of what to purchase, then sell it later - they’re in constant demand.