What single module would add the most to this?

What single Module would add the most to my rack?

Part of me is thinking; another oscillator, a Pamela's new Workout (with expander), a Mutable Marbles.

Let me know what you think.

Cheers

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

It's not an easy question if you "just look at the rack" :-) So what I did is I kind of "analysed" the modules you have in this rack and put that in a spreadsheet (contact me by PM if you like to have that spreadsheet per E-mail). It's a bit pity that I can't copy and paste it here, well I did, but it doesn't look fantastic.

So what I did is, I had a look at your rack from a "functionality" point of view, for each functionality, how many of such a functionality you have represented by your modules. I didn't include the power modules for the cases and even if some of the modules have multiple functionalities, I choose the "main" functionality only. Now I don't know all the modules well, so I did it based on the description I could find here on modulargrid.net but you might see things different, just adjust it then accordingly. The only module I counted double was the Addac - 105 - 4 voice cluster, I counted that one time as a VCF and one time as a VCO, all other modules just have been counted for just once.

If you look in the below "table" (pity copy/paste doesn't work proper here), you see in the last "column" the "Status". That's how I see it if it would be my rack. The way you might use your rack, my status indication might be totally wrong, so it's pure indicative meant to be.

First "column" is the functionality. The second column are the modules for that particular functionality followed by a number that's the total of modules counted for that particular functionality.

Having said that, I think you could need one more dual VCA module or if you find that your VCA (Veils) + ADSRVCA from SSF is sufficient then perhaps look into either one more VCO, one more VCF or one more Drum/Percussion module. If you love EGs a lot you might want to consider one more of that one; same then for the LFO. Up to you of course, but that's after I "analysed it", my 2 cents of conclusion :-)

Functionality - Modules - Total - Status

Attenuverter - DPW-Att Av-1, TH-At-at-at - 2 - sufficient
Clock & random - 2HP-TM, OM-Clock Div Mk2, 2HP-Rnd v2 - 3 - sufficient
Drum/Percussion - 2HP-Bell, AD-T-networks - 2 - consider more
Effects - ES-Pico DSP, MSW-Monsoon, 2HP-Verb - 3 - sufficient
EG - SSF-ADSRVCA, ALM-Pip slope - 2 - sufficient
LFO - NE-Clep Diaz, DK-øchd - 2 - sufficient
Mixer - OM-UPE, BF-StMix, IN-Mixup - 3 - sufficient
Multiple - 2*MA-4x4x4, MI-Links - 3 - (more than) enough
Others - 2HP-Vowel, ExS-Disting Mk4 - 2 - sufficient
Quantiser & Arpeggiator - 2HP-Tune, 2HP-Arp - 2 - sufficient
Sequencer - 2HP-Euclid, PM-µSeq., NE-Bin Seq, DM-Dot - 4 - enough
VCA - MI-Veils - 1 - requires more
VCF - HN-VCF, AD-4 voice cluster - 2 - consider more
VCO - MN-STO, 2HP-Pluck, AD-4 voice cluster - 3 - consider more

Good luck with the decision and the planning. Kind regards, Garfield.

Hey!! Thats an interesting way to look at things. :)
I recognise that I may need more VCA, though a lot of my patches only ever use one channel of the Veils at the moment, a VCA addition would be a MI Blinds as it will Offset as well as Attenuvert, I mainly started thinking about this when I was patching up for Ducking on the beat which meant setting an Offset with the AV-1 and inverting an envelope output from the Pip Slope which then went to 2 channels of the Veils so i could duck the volume when the Bass beat hit (I notice ST Modular do a well priced Stereo VCA with an offset, it looks like a perfect module for ducking).

Btw, my reason for asking for 1 more module, I have 1 power socket left with the current Tiptop uZeus' so 1 more module then I need to think about some Konstantlab Busboards and my future power use.

Multiples - yeah, thats plenty, though I could use a Buffered Mult for keeping some of my Clock signals at full strength as I sometimes find I can be stretching them a bit too far and it will miss triggering something at the end of line.

VCF - I have my eye on the Tiptop Forbidden Planet, its a good price and looks interesting.

VCO - I feel I have maybe 3 options here, Befaco, Electrosmith (good price) or Pittsburgh (bit expensive).

Percussion - I'm slightly torn whether to keep most percussion as outboard gear or whether to bring more into the rack, if mor percussion comes into the rack I would be looking at getting a good sequencer like the WMD Metron, I like that Drum Machines are easy to program and very direct as outboard gear, though when within the rack there are endless other possibilities for percussion that is not necessarily used as percussion.

Cheers for that Garfield, you have made me think!

One other thought... haha, is more ability to bring samples into the rack (but that would men me buying a digital recorder too so I could do some field recordings).

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

You are welcome :-) That's all what I wanted, have you made you think about some pointers I provided you. The rest is up to you, but looking at your comments, I think you follow up quite well on the subject :-) Provided the fact you have only one power socket free to use... that must give you some stress to make sure it's a good choice for the next module you are going to take ;-) Just teasing you!

Yes... for percussion I have a bit the same struggle as you do... shall I do that externally or also within Eurorack? Difficult to answer, I am not sure myself either. Hopefully time will teach us (hence more experience). I am still waiting for the Endorphin.es - Ground Control sequencer to become available, with that I hope to do some percussion, but I wonder if the Ground Control ever will be released?

Samples?! Yes good point, your feedback about my track I made is still in the background of my mind. I think I am going to follow up on your advice to use the Disting Mk4 for that but I need a few quiet moments to do some sample recording of some sounds and then see what Disting Mk4 can do for me. You done that already, so more sampling possibilities? How about the Erica Synths - Sample Drum? Or the Make Noise - Phonogene? I need to look a bit more into it as well but haven't come to a conclusion yet for my own situation. Let me know your experiences once you have moved forward with the sample "stuff" :-)

It would be interesting to know what your last/final module will be once you have made the decision before you have to think about some power extension.

Good luck, have a good weekend and kind regards, Garfield.

Some suggestions...

More LFO (classic and random modulations)
Another analog VCO with FM input and Sync to complement the STO
A wavefolder
Rings to rule them all

Sample and Hold (S&H) and a noise generator would be great additions. I came up with some crazy ambient textures just with one VCO and one LFO because I fed these basic ingredients into a S&H module triggered by an LFO and sample noise.

@garfieldmodular
Just now I think the next module may be dictated by price (quite possible the Tiptop Forbidden Planet VCF), I do feel I'm always running out of effects I like the Wash of sound that Clouds reverb gives but if Clouds is doing proper Granular stuff then I need something to help create that ambient smeared wash of sound.

@defragmenteur
I do have quite a bit of modulation, Ochd, 2hp RND which I'm really enjoying for the random gate lengths to control the Freeze button on Clouds, Noise Engineering Clep Diaz, but you are right, I do seem to run out of LFO's pretty easily. And I need to do more about modifying their range (Offsetting, Full & Half rectification and Mixing them).
Yes and Yes on the VCO and YES to Waveshaping, that is kind of the reason for thinking about a Pittsburgh Lifeforms Primary Oscillator as its already full of analogue waveshaping.
If I went for Rings or Plaits, I'd pick Plaits.

@sacguy71
Interesting, I quite fancy the Dual S&H from ADDAC, there looks to be plenty of options within it. Maybe a full on noise source like the SSF Quantum Rainbow.

Cheers All.

@wishbonebrewery

@garfieldmodular
Just now I think the next module may be dictated by price (quite possible the Tiptop Forbidden Planet VCF), I do feel I'm always running out of effects I like the Wash of sound that Clouds reverb gives but if Clouds is doing proper Granular stuff then I need something to help create that ambient smeared wash of sound.

A bit more pricey - but a Happy Nerding FX Aid XL would do a significantly better job of 'ambient smeared wash sound' than a filter

@defragmenteur
I do have quite a bit of modulation, Ochd, 2hp RND which I'm really enjoying for the random gate lengths to control the Freeze button on Clouds, Noise Engineering Clep Diaz, but you are right, I do seem to run out of LFO's pretty easily. And I need to do more about modifying their range (Offsetting, Full & Half rectification and Mixing them).

I'd concentrate on the multing and modification of modulation rather than adding more - shades, kinks and a matrix mixer (AI Synthesis for example), maybe a sequential switch and some passive mults or stackcables will go a lot further than a few extra lfos

I'd also consider Maths as being an interesting complex modulation source - especially if you work your way through the online manual enough times that you can patch program it without thinking too much

EDITED Aug 29th 2020, 12:36

I think I'll second @JimHowell1970 here, add a Maths.

@JimHowell1970 & @troux

I have had my eye on that FX AID too, I'm mostly always going for the keener priced options.

I also want to get the 8NU8R from Malekko Heavy Industry as it does Rectification, I could easily mult and i can mix and attenuate in the DPW AV-1. I've been suggested the Happy Nerding 3xMIA which looks like a good option for further LFO mixing, though if i didn't need Befaco STMIX for audio I could use that for blending some LFOs.

Good call on the AI Matrix Mixer, and its a DIY thats my sort of PCB density for my sanity when soldering!

Ah but have you checked out the XL - extra modulation points - it's a bit more than a forbidden planet, but it is very good value for money

Same with Maths (again a bit more expensive) - there's a lot there for your money - and it would fill a lot of empty space!

another option for rectification is kinks - and you get sample and hold, noise and logic in a small inexpensive package

if you like inexpensive, then there's a lot of very good options with doepfer

Kinks is a thought, I feel I would need two of them.
For whatever reason I've not considered much Doepfer gear, its probably for more aesthetic reasons than function.

Kinks is a thought, I feel I would need two of them.

I would get one first and then the second if you still have the urge to buy it - excellent module though!

For whatever reason I've not considered much Doepfer gear, its probably for more aesthetic reasons than function.
-- wishbonebrewery

doepfer "invented" eurorack - lots of excellent basic building block modules at very reasonable prices - there are always special editions, vintage versions and the ability to change the knobs if aesthetics are important

EDITED Aug 30th 2020, 12:38

*Ordered an AI Matrix Mixer kit. I fancied the possibilities this offered anyway.

*Just spotted I actually have 2 spare power sockets :)

*Ordered Kinks.

EDITED Aug 30th 2020, 15:29

Nice - I have a York Modular Active Matrix Mixer and a Reverse Landfill Video Matrix Mixer - If I ever get another - and you never know, the AISynthesis one is at the top of my list! Don't forget to experiment with feedback mixing!

Next purchase looks like a power upgrade, then - I've got an befaco excalibus kit in the mail (overhaul of power for case 3) - I've got one already (case 4) and it seems solid and reasonably priced + it doesn't take up rack space!

EDITED Aug 30th 2020, 18:01

I was looking at the York Modular one a couple of weeks back.

Power-wise I was thinking of Konstantlab, a couple of their bus boards first and see if I have enough power for a couple of extra power sockets / Modules then get their proper case power and sell the uZeus modules.

Functionality - Modules - Total - Status

Attenuverter - DPW-Att Av-1, TH-At-at-at - 2 - sufficient
Clock & random - 2HP-TM, OM-Clock Div Mk2, 2HP-Rnd v2 - 3 - sufficient
Drum/Percussion - 2HP-Bell, AD-T-networks - 2 - consider more
Effects - ES-Pico DSP, MSW-Monsoon, 2HP-Verb - 3 - sufficient
EG - SSF-ADSRVCA, ALM-Pip slope - 2 - sufficient
LFO - NE-Clep Diaz, DK-øchd - 2 - sufficient
Mixer - OM-UPE, BF-StMix, IN-Mixup - 3 - sufficient
Multiple - 2*MA-4x4x4, MI-Links - 3 - (more than) enough
Others - 2HP-Vowel, ExS-Disting Mk4 - 2 - sufficient
Quantiser & Arpeggiator - 2HP-Tune, 2HP-Arp - 2 - sufficient
Sequencer - 2HP-Euclid, PM-µSeq., NE-Bin Seq, DM-Dot - 4 - enough
VCA - MI-Veils - 1 - requires more
VCF - HN-VCF, AD-4 voice cluster - 2 - consider more
VCO - MN-STO, 2HP-Pluck, AD-4 voice cluster - 3 - consider more
-- GarfieldModular

@GarfieldModular Words cannot express how much I love this. How would you order the list if you were to rank them by importance, instead of alphabetically? And how many of each would you say meets the criteria of sufficient?

EDITED Sep 12th 2020, 23:13

Just for the record.... Until another month or two I won't have any more power sockets to fill.
I just added the AI Matrix Mixer and MI Kinks and I'm experimenting with both.

@GarfieldModular Words cannot express how much I love this. How would you order the list if you were to rank them by importance, instead of alphabetically? And how many of each would you say meets the criteria of sufficient?
-- TeslianCowboy

It's not a bad list of suggestions at all. But trying to categorize specific modules as more or less "important" is sorta pointless. Instead, you should look at a modular NOT as a collection of parts, but a bespoke SYSTEM that you've assembled, which has functions specific to your music. But if I answered the question literally, I'd say it was the power supply...and beyond that, the "importance" of modules really is something between you, your music, and the device itself.

It's not a bad list of suggestions at all. But trying to categorize specific modules as more or less "important" is sorta pointless. Instead, you should look at a modular NOT as a collection of parts, but a bespoke SYSTEM that you've assembled, which has functions specific to your music. But if I answered the question literally, I'd say it was the power supply...and beyond that, the "importance" of modules really is something between you, your music, and the device itself.
-- Lugia

Sure, but outside the esoteric nature of 'connection,' there are obvious necessities when it comes to building a modular. It's the same thing as when building a guitar. There are going to be required parts, and the luthier (and maybe the customer) gets to put their own fresh take on that particular instrument. And as I appreciate Garfield's semi-scientific approach to categorizing and enumerating those vital parts, I am interested in his further elaboration of the concept. After all, if there is no such thing as importance in a modular build, then nobody really needs VCAs, do they?

Speaking of percussion, I am really loving the Noise Engineering Basimilus Iteritas Alter (what a tongue twister name!) module that I just put in my setup and it can do crazy bass lines to wild drums. Plus it is small and easy to learn. Here is a demo of it:

It also holds up quite well in a mix like this:

No menu diving, dead simple to figure out how to patch and use and endless percussion options from weird kicks to cowbell sounds.

@Lugia Power really is the next upgrade, and ensuring that I have more power than I need.
The List and other people's suggestions helped.

"What single module would add the most to this?" The single module that would give the most wide-ranging enjoyment, the single module that would expand the possibilities the most.

Since adding Beats into my case with the DNi Pro Dot + ADDAC103 T-Networks I've been enjoying much more beat and rhythm based music, I now need to take a step back and experiment with more long-form ambient with what I've got. A lovely moment was discovering what the ADDAC103 was like going through granular processing in Clouds without the reverb wash and lovely step away from beats with a creaky, glitchy and slightly spooky sound.

Other sensible additions with the most advantage would be:

Arturia Keystep - so I can get a bit more hands-on with the notes.
Pamela's New Workout with Pexp-1 Expander - so I can properly sync my external gear (While adding re-sets across my rack) while still leaving the Disting for Sample Playing.

I think Pam's has to be next after a case power upgrade.

EDITED Sep 13th 2020, 08:34