Favorite support and utility modules

We all know that the sexy voice modules and filters get the screen time on Youtube whenever Divkid or someone else promotes the gotta have it big module. BUT support and utility modules while not sexy are super essential sauce for a good modular setup. What are your top ten must have ones in even a small setup and why?

Here is my list:

Mults- passive and buffered
Logic: Kinks, Cold Mac, Klavis Logic xt
Quantizer
Clock and clock divider
Attenuator/Attenuverter
Mixers: audio and CV
Switches: ALM Busy Circuits Boss Bow Two, Doepfer sequential switch

So far I have Links, Kinks, tons of passive mults to plug patch cables into as well as mixers and attenuators in both my small setups. Looking at getting WMD/SSF Toolbox and Mannequin Cold Mac and perhaps an Expert Sleepers Disting EX.

The most important category you're missing from your list are offsets. I'm not sure how people get by with so few offsets, but I can only conclude that their music must simply lacks the nuance that comes from being able to dial in a specific range of CV voltage...

I wouldn't say clock and clock dividers are utilities, more like LFOs. But comparators and rectifiers are two other important utilities that you're missing there.

EDITED Sep 21st 2020, 15:15

By offsets are you referring to mixers, rectifiers and inverters? I use the ones in Kinks to good effect with LFOs and envelopes quite a bit now that my Kinks arrived. WMD SSF makes a nice offset combo module as well as Mannequin Cold Mac. How many of these would you recommend per 6U rack that has 3-5 voices? Logic modules are fun as well. I want to get another offset module and logic module.

You might already have one. Check your attenuators without an input to them to see if they output CV offsets in that state, as many active attenuator modules double as offset gens.

EDITED Sep 22nd 2020, 01:25

Thanks Lugia,

I have a Befaco Hex VCA, Doepfer DVCA, and Intellijel Quad VCA in my two 6u racks and passive mults, buffered mults as well as Kinks for offsets/logic. My follow up question regarding utilities and support modules is this:

How many support/utility modules would I need in a setup for each voice? Like if I have 4-6 VCOs and 4 LFOs, how many logic modules, matrix mixers, switches, VCAs, EGs, and logic/offset modules would I realistically need for a good setup?

an offset module would be something like shades NOT kinks

How many support/utility modules would I need in a setup for each voice? Like if I have 4-6 VCOs and 4 LFOs, how many logic modules, matrix mixers, switches, VCAs, EGs, and logic/offset modules would I realistically need for a good setup?
-- sacguy71

as many as you need is the answer - do you find yourself reaching for an extra mixer? or logic module or EG or VCA or whatever

if so you need that module so buy it - this is why disting/o&c/maths are particularly useful - as they can stand in for so many things as and when you need them

a good starting point is 2 vcas per vco - but that really only applies to east coast style synthesis - more is useful - and remember some 'vcos' etc have vcas built in

for my 7 voice/4 filter rig (total 63 modules) I have Triple Sloths, Maths, Stages and Peaks (plus a second peaks to be built) as envelope generators/lfos, links, kinks, 3 shades, 2 passive mults (+ a handful of headphone splitters and 2 dozen stackcables), 2 2hp trim, a sequential switch, a buffered mult, Marbles, sinfonion, an a-151 sequential switch, a morphing controller, an 8 way attenuator, a switched multiple, a bank of 8 a/b switches, 2 clock dividers, veils, a dual vca, 2 clock dividers, a panning mixer, a matrix mixer, a 2hp tune/tm combo, Streams, 2 pedal interfaces (one with a cross fader), an instrument input, 2 compressors, branches, a micro mixer, an inv mix, a joystick, an erica swamp, 5 waveshapers and an ES8/ES6 - so roughly 2/3rds of the modules are 'support modules' and I think I need more envelope generators and mixing - currently mixing outside the box - NB I use and abuse as much of this as possible with my video rig - mostly the waveshapers and morphing controller

EDITED Sep 22nd 2020, 13:34

Hi Jim,

Well so far I have not have to use anything but sequencer, VCAs, mixer and mults in my patching learning experience. Below is my second rack and I am open to suggestions and recommendations before adding more voice modules. Right now I just have 2 the BIA and Cursus but the Kermit can be a quad LFO, EG, dirty VCO or combination of these which is unique in a module.

I will check out Sloths, Shades and Streams modules to see what they can do for my setup. I do want to add Pamela New Workout for clock duty and ALM Busy Circuits Boss Bow Two - 8 way sequential switch in the short run as these would open open patch ideas for clock generator, clock divider and switch patches.