First eurorack system

I want to start building my first eurorack system soon. Could you please check if everything is "good" and I am not missing anything. I understand that it's totally up to me and my needs but I just want to make sure I won't end up with something ridiculous :)

Here's the link:

Hi there,

I just started as well and built my first modular system. Some recommendations:

1. Always get bigger case than you think.
2. More VCAs needed and good mixer.
3. Buffered and passive mults for spreading and distribute VC around your system.

It looks like you have a small case and used up the space already and no room for these key support modules.

Hi Miroslav,

Welcome to modulargrid.net and modular synthesizers. Sorry about what I am going to say next, so take it easy on that but rather you know now then you start buying the stuff for your above rack and you get unpleasantly surprised (see it from that side please).

To be honest with you, for me, there is not too much good about this rack, here a few guidelines:

• Perhaps you did but in case you didn't: One must do an enormous amount of "homework" before or during "going into modular synthesizers". This means that you have to roughly know the concept of a synthesizer plus you need to do a lot of reading for all (or at least hundreds of them to get to know what's on the market and what do you prefer) the modules. Think here rather in several months or towards years than a few days or weeks (the homework I mean). I know that sounds awful, it is if you don't like reading but I am afraid it's necessary to give you the knowledge on those modules you are interested in
• The rack size, for such, on average, large modules you chose, you need a much larger rack, take at least 3 rows and/or take a wider rack --> if you go for 3 rows, keep one row completely empty for future extension(s)
• Keep an eye on the basic and classic setup of a modular synthesizer, roughly to start with you could consider: 2 VCOs (I think you got those?), 2 LFOs (missing?), 2 EGs (seeing one large one), 2 filters (seeing one only? That combined one with VCA but you want a "real" independent filter too, multi mode for example to start with), 2 VCAs (lin + exp), a mixer (missing) and an audio output interface (missing; optional, some members prefer not to use it). We didn't even talk about effects, utilisation and other modules yet...
• Don't look too much for nice/good looking modules, rather check in details their functionality and compare that with your plan of approach and of what you specifically require
• Cjewman are (very) good modules I heard, I didn't had the chance yet to test them but they are very rare as well as difficult to get (long waiting lists, etcetera). Also those Schippmann modules, most of them are unavailable, sold out or not available yet --> conclusion for all modules you are interested in: check if you can test them at your local dealer, it's good to have them tested first (you will be surprised that some modules of which you thought would be great stuff, isn't that great after all after testing and those you might have thought are useless and tested them at your dealer seems to be the perfect modules for what you need). If you don't have a dealer nearby then you have to do even more homework on them to really make sure they are what you think/hope they are. Read the user manuals of those modules for example, check the websites of the few shops you consider to buy from, etcetera. Especially look for those modules that are currently available :-) You got quite a few modules in this rack that are not available (yet) or sold out
• For a small rack like this you don't really need a multiple or at least not a passive multiple. If you feel for your own usage you still prefer to use a multiple then consider a buffered multiple instead

To summarise: Read and check "a bit" more on those modules you are interested in, get the general concept of a synthesizer well implemented in your rack and show us your updated rack and we will take it from there.

Good luck, have fun with the preparations and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

In addition to what Garfield said,

I highly recommend that you download of copy of the free modular software called VCV Rack to learn more how to setup modules and route them. Do that before spending a penny on real hardware. Thank me later.

My take on this...it's unusable. There's no mixers, attenuators, only ONE thing I could refer to as a VCA, and there's a mult in this tiny build where something FUNCTIONAL could have gone. Worse still, it's EXPENSIVE unusable.

The Cwejman and Schippmann modules on this site are really on here mainly as reference. No one in their right mind uses these unless they're capable of pooping Krugerrands.

Follow sacguy71's advice and get a copy of VCV Rack. With that, you can build up something very much like the above...and find out why you'll hate it literally in SECONDS if you made the capital mistake of actually building it. And conversely, you'll find out how to alter the above with the "boring" modules to actually arrive at a workable result...which you desperately need here, because all you've got at present is a boxful of expensiveness.

Go Shopping! You'll quickly find that the build is not realistic.
It's a good idea to know what's on the market in planning your build.

Start at the beginning. Ocillators, LFO's, Envelopes, VCA's, Filters, Sequencer/Logic, Ouput.