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I’ve been playing with modular for a while and I’m looking at integrating my setup with a DAW, something I have no experience of.
I have pretty standard modular system with a mixer that has stereo and headphone outputs that goes to my active speaker.
Now I’m looking at integrating the system with a DAW, so essentially taking the sound my module are producing route them through a DAW and integrate them with other digital sound sources but I’m lost.
From what I could find, I understand I need an interface like the Expert Sleepers ES-9, I would connect the output of my modules via USB-C to my MacBook and from their have individual track from my modules that I could integrate with other tracks coming from within the DAW (looking at Ableton).
Then I would need to take the sound out of my MacBook using a USB DAC and then output to my mixer.
Is my understanding correct that the ES-9 would do the analog to digital convertion, interface with Ableton and then take all sound source out through a DAC?
Then I’m also very confused about clock handling and midi interaction, I have an arturia keystep and beat step pro so I’m really wondering how all those things will ‘talk’ to each other.
Any help or ressources would be extremely welcome.
There are several issues here:
(1) Using your DAW to 'play' your rack by sending it v/oct, gate and other CV signals
(2) Capturing the audio from your rack and feeding it into your DAW
(3) Getting the result to your speaker.
(4) Sync
A common approach for (1) would be to use a MIDI-to-CV converter (Mutable Yarns, Expert Sleepers FH-1/2, many others) to take MIDI signals from your DAW and give you v/oct, gate and mod signals. In fact, your Keystep will already do this - feed its v/oct, gate and mod outputs to your rack (probably what you're doing already) hook it to your Mac by USB create an external MIDI track in your DAW, enter a few notes on the MIDI editor and bingo.
The common approach for (2) would be to feed the output from either your mixer or your rack to a regular (non-Eurorack) USB or Thunderbolt audio interface box. You can then add an audio track in your DAW and it will get its input from the rack. Most audio interfaces will also drive your active speakers and have a 'mix' knob so you can fade between the output of your DAW and the 'input' from your rack. Its your choice whether you get an audio interface with lots of inputs and use your DAW as a mixer, feed the stereo from your mixer into the audio interface... or feed the output from the DAW into your mixer. Depends what you're doing.
The ES-8 and ES-9 are, fundamentally, Eurorack-format audio interfaces. They do integrate nicely into your rack, and transfer multi-channel audio to and from your DAW. The ES-9 even has an extra pair of outputs that will drive your speakers or mixer. However, the main reason for choosing them over a regular (and maybe cheaper) non-Euro audio interface is that they can also carry CV, V/Oct, gate, mod etc. to and from your DAW. Regular audio interfaces are (usually) 'A/C coupled' which means that they'll filter out anything below audio frequency - so if you try and pass control voltages they'll get mangled. ES8/9 are 'DC coupled' which means that they can carry slowly-changing control voltages as well as audio. This lets you do cool things like using 'modular' software synths like VCV Rack or Reaktor as an extension to your eurorack system and enjoy infinite free modules. You can also use them as an arguably superior alternative to MIDI for controlling your rack from the DAW, but you'll need a plug-in like Expert Sleepers' 'silent way' for Logic/Reaper or Ableton's CV Tools (I think Bitwig has built-in support - may be worth checking out if you're shopping for DAWs) but it's more hassle than just using MIDI-to-CV.
As for sync - if you're using the KeyStep, there are mini-switches on the back that let you select the 'sync' source - if you set that to USB, tell your DAW to send MIDI clock and start/stop data to the KeyStep then the sequencer and arp should be nicely synced to your DAW. You've also got a sync jack on the back which you can feed to sequencers and stuff (clocked delays etc.) on the Eurorack. I guess the BeatStep will have similar settings.
I wouldn't rule out the ES-9 but it might be easier to start experimenting with the Keystep and a regular audio interface (if you don't already have one, Behringer do some cheap'n'cheerful ones like the UMC404 that won't hurt too much if you change your mind ).
You also might want to have a look at this: https://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/usamocompatibility.html This page shows interface compatibilities for their USAMO interface...basically, interfaces that are DC-coupled. I use an older MOTU 828 mkii myself, with Live's CV Tools.
MIDI to CV and CV to MIDI. This allows note data to flow between your DAW and your Eurorack. This may also include MIDI CC messages being translated to CV in Eurorack and back again. The more CV inputs and outputs... the higher the cost.
DAW audio to CV. This can be done via a USB module acting as an audio interface (like the Expert Sleepers ES8 or ES9) or an audio interface that is DC coupled. The ES series can be used for audio AND CV flowing between the DAW and Eurorack rig. So you can record, playback, and modulate the DAW and Eurorack modules... true integration. But be aware of latency. It's a fact of life with audio interfaces.
Many audio interfaces remove DC voltage because it's typically not audio and is usually an unwanted artifact. So it's best to check around.
As far as DAW software: Ableton Live with CV Tools, Bitwig Audio, and for a free virtual Eurorack environment VCV Rack.
