What am I missing from my simple setup [budget to begin with] to make some sounds...I'm very knew to this. I would like to make some interesting basslines, maybe acid noises to begin with.
Thanks
A lot, actually...let's see...there's no modulation sources, for starters. If you want punchy basslines, you're going to have to have some way to modulate that VCF with an envelope. Otherwise, it just goes 'oooooooooo' instead of the 'pwom!' you're hoping for. There's also no LFO or any other sort of periodic modulation, so there's not going to be any variation to the sound that changes back and forth over time intervals.
Secondly, that VCO/RM will prove totally useless without a second VCO. Ring modulators require two inputted signals to produce their sum/difference spectra. The Analogue Solutions VCO/RM's also not a very cost effective choice; if you want two seriously wild VCOs for about the same price as one VCO/RM, check Noise Reap's Bermuda, a rather nasty VCO with a self-modulation feedback-type capability. For good, in-your-face bass, dirtier signals work really well.
That sequencer won't work the way you're expecting. The Ladik S-180 is a trigger sequencer only...which means it doesn't send any CVs with which to make the VCOs change pitch. You would have to use the S-183 or S-184 expanders with that S-180 to get pitches, plus the addition of a quantizer would probably be necessary to keep the sequencer steps in a proper scale.
About the only things you have right here are the use of that Polivoks VCF (great, nasty filter) and the Optodist to get your levels punchy. My advice would be to stop building for the time being, and instead spend some time studying other builds, looking up articles in the MG forum and elsewhere online on what proper synth architecture should be, studying "the greats" in synth design over the past 50+ years, and the like. Get a better idea of what needs to be in a build first, then come back to MG once you've gotten a better idea of what to do. Otherwise, you're just going to wind up wasting your time and, potentially, your money should you try to realize a MG build before understanding what makes up a proper synthesizer.
A lot, actually...let's see...there's no modulation sources, for starters. If you want punchy basslines, you're going to have to have some way to modulate that VCF with an envelope. Otherwise, it just goes 'oooooooooo' instead of the 'pwom!' you're hoping for. There's also no LFO or any other sort of periodic modulation, so there's not going to be any variation to the sound that changes back and forth over time intervals.
Secondly, that VCO/RM will prove totally useless without a second VCO. Ring modulators require two inputted signals to produce their sum/difference spectra. The Analogue Solutions VCO/RM's also not a very cost effective choice; if you want two seriously wild VCOs for about the same price as one VCO/RM, check Noise Reap's Bermuda, a rather nasty VCO with a self-modulation feedback-type capability. For good, in-your-face bass, dirtier signals work really well.
That sequencer won't work the way you're expecting. The Ladik S-180 is a trigger sequencer only...which means it doesn't send any CVs with which to make the VCOs change pitch. You would have to use the S-183 or S-184 expanders with that S-180 to get pitches, plus the addition of a quantizer would probably be necessary to keep the sequencer steps in a proper scale.
About the only things you have right here are the use of that Polivoks VCF (great, nasty filter) and the Optodist to get your levels punchy. My advice would be to stop building for the time being, and instead spend some time studying other builds, looking up articles in the MG forum and elsewhere online on what proper synth architecture should be, studying "the greats" in synth design over the past 50+ years, and the like. Get a better idea of what needs to be in a build first, then come back to MG once you've gotten a better idea of what to do. Otherwise, you're just going to wind up wasting your time and, potentially, your money should you try to realize a MG build before understanding what makes up a proper synthesizer.
-- Lugia
Hey Lugia...firstly than you so much for taking the time to offer these suggestions, I really appreciate it. I also recognise I need to do a lot of learning...I just wanted to get something going, and see where I should be heading. It's quite a learning curve and like to be hands on too, so maybe rushing in lol. I have the opportunity to get the sequencer [and i does come with the S-183 expander] - I forgot to add it to the box!
I updated the box now with your recommendations and wondered if this was more what you were saying? I may struggle to get the Noise Reap Bermuda as I'm in the UK. So would need something instead of this. Not sure if the rack has updated for you to see?
Thanks again
Had to click on it, but did have a look...yeah, that's getting better. If you can get the Noise Reap stuff, it's likely worth it...typically, the Bermuda has a 'dirtier' audio profile, so that will add some bite to the bass. But if you can do two of them, that's even better, because mixing together a pair of very slightly detuned VCOs sounds quite huge when compared to just a single VCO by itself. And driving those into self-oscillation (which is the Bermuda's 'special trick') the waveforms get even crazier, which is something you can tweak live to good effect, not unlike screwing with the resonance on a TB-303 to get it to do the trademarked "acid squelch". But this would be more distortional and crazy...a very nasty, overdriven sound which you could really work in the bass ranges. Hopefully they'll be available, and given the size, not at all a difficult thing to ship from Portland, OR to the UK.
