Beep Boop 2 - Revenge Of Lugia

Ok @troux
This is what I came up with and of course its expensive as all hell just like I feared. I tried to think of options that gave me more variety. I didn't find SSF Toolbox, so I looked it up and honestly, I wouldn't even know how to use something like that. Like I said, I'm not that versatile in the knowledge of modular. I'm pretty basic when it comes to sound design. For instance, if you look at a few of my tracks below on my YouTube channel, I am VERY basic lol hence why I have been practicing with VCV Rack, but even then I still don't know how to use things SSF Tool box, or how to even work something like Maths to its full potential.

What I DO like about this build is that, I have all the functionality of things I want and know how to use. The quad vca is super helpful, as well as the triple lfo. I added a step sequencer to replace the lame S&H I had, and found a different basic 1U module that has S&H plus a noise generator. I still have the same Clock because I wanted a visual when it comes to tempo readings, plus i just like how it looks easy to use. I kept the Dual Attenuverter from Befaco, but if I have Maths as well, I have more options to attenuate/invert/slew signals, so I'm kind of debating on if I should just keep Maths and toss the Dual Attenuverter? (shrug) and the two random ADSR's, well, I just didn't see a whole lot of options when it comes to more functionality in 2 or less modules, so I just added the two by them selves. might add 3 if I can fit it somewhere.

As for the Oscillators, I wanted two basic ones that were cheap, one waveshaper by Erica Synths because I like their products, and I want it for more gritty/nasty sounds. As for the Instruo modules, I chose the Saich for super saws because I love making plucked deadmau5 kind of synths that arpeggiate, and that one is perfect when added to the right filter. Which btw, I love the Instruo filter, so I added that as well, but if you have better options on filters, let me know. I also added a fixed filter bank for more filter options. As for effects, I just wanted a simple delay and reverb, so I chose Chrono Blob, and Springray. And last but not least, I added a sampler just for extra effects, plus I've never tried a sampler before, so why not right?

So that's what i got.
What do you think can be added, taken away, replaced, etc?
Do you think a build like this is more or less versatile?
Should I have plenty of modulation options and functionality for the things I want to do PLUS more?
Or am I way over my head trying to do much with too little or vice versa?

First off, all your thought processes do make sense to me there so that's great. I took a crack at this and had dropped it over in the other thread, so let me copy all that here. The rack I built out is half as big as the one you put together, and has a lot of the starter modules that will help you learn so that something like the SSF Tool-box isn't so intimidating. From where you're starting I think aiming for 104HP in 3U is a good step, and will let you develop your understanding and comfort without spending too much cash up front. Anyway, see below.

@Nabroc I had a minute so I took your original rack as a starting point and made some adjustments:

Notes:
1) I don't believe the Mantis has a 1U row, so I removed that, but much of what you had there I replaced in other utilities.
2) The Ginko looks like a sick module, but I'm wondering if you have to code with it? Either way I might nab one.
3) I replaced the Erica Synths clock module with a PNW (which is really fantastic).
4) Kept the Ladik LFO, it looks sweet.
5) I added a micro Rings since you mentioned wanting plucks and strings and it's a really great Euro module.
6) Swapped in a Maths plus an Intellijel Quad VCA, Maths is great, can do EG and LFOs for you as well as attenuation/attenuversion.
7) Added an FX Aid since FX in the rack go a long way.
8) Added in a Happy Nerding Stereo Mixer as it's reasonable priced, three channels should be good, and it also has a headphone out so you won't need another module.
9) A contender that didn't make it into the rack above is the 4MS Ensemble Oscillator. If you're interested I can make a version with that guy in there, but tons of experimental range and can sound sweet and sugary too.

This comes in a good bit more expensive than what you'd posted, and I'm definitely using a few popular modules here, but I think it'd be a good starting point for exploration and that empty row at the bottom will give you lots of room to expand as you learn.

OK...now that we know where this is supposed to go, here's this:

Oh, yeah...now THIS is serious business!

Taking the cue from your explanation that this needs to be more of an "open-ended" exploration synth that can ALSO bang hard, this is my end-result. Several things got removed due to non-functionality (video LFOs, 921B VCOs [they need the 921A driver], non-Intellijel tiles [I'm presuming the cab is an Intellijel 7U x 104], uZeus), and others because of the need to correctly add "assistive" modules for others, and a few things (like the effects) because of that as well as the fact that you might get better results from outboard devices. Here's what this is about:

TILES: All Intellijel format now. Stereo audio IN, dual 1 to 3 buffered mults, Duatt, 1 channel of MIDI interfacing, Noise Tools (contains noise and random sources, sample and hold, slew limiter, and clock), another Duatt, Stereo VCA and Stereo OUT. The Duatts can be used as 2-in mono mixers OR as a pair of attenuverters...and yes, you CAN mix inverted and normal signals with these, which you might find very useful for messing with modulation to the VCOs and VCFs. And the Stereo VCA is placed so that you can impose CV level control over your stereo mix prior to the output. FYI, the Intellijel 7U has connectors for MIDI and audio I/O, and those tiles connect to those case connections. Also, this case has 3 Amps on the 12V rails, and since the build tops out at 1600+ mA on the +12 and just under an Amp on the -12, this should run pretty cool as you're nowhere near the max current load.

ROW 1: Envelope follower (for use with the external input to extract envelope/gate from incoming audio amplitude), dual slew limiters (with selectable direction response), then a Doepfer A-111-4 which is a Quad analog VCO. Following this is a MakeNoise Modemix, a dual ring-mod/mixer with which you can seriously mess with the A-111-4's outputs. You can also screw with those with the Bifold, a multi-input wavefolder and crossfader. Then we have some digital VCOs, clones of Mutable's Braids and Plaits, with a Happy Nerding FM Aid to allow FM crossmod between these (or these and a VCO from the A-111-4). After this is a 4-in mixer for summing, then there's a pair of VCFs...a Steiner-Parker Synthacon clone, very prone to wild, messed-up and very COOL filtering, plus a Doepfer A-121-2 multimode VCF which is more "sensible". Veils clone next, then a Happy Nerding PanMix, which is a six-input stereo mixer with CV panning capability. It's also got a headphone preamp for handy monitoring and tuning.

ROW 2: I chose a Temps Utile clone for your master clocking/initial sequencing. The Fractio Solum is a CVable clock divider/multiplier and the first of a few modules for screwing with the clocking. The Ladik Composer is a psuedo-random pattern generator, and their Comparator allows you to extract gate/trigs from LFOs, EGs, and the like. So then, I put a Tesseract VC Logics after those so that you can use the dual Boolean gates there to really mess with rhythm patterns and the like; with the incoming gate/trig/clocking from these first modules, you can go as wild as you want with clocking and pattern generation. Then sequencers...a 4-step Ladik is first, then a Qu-bit Octone for your 8-stepper with quantizing. The idea here is that you can use the 4-stepper for transpositions of the Octone, or even as a wholly separate 4-step CV sequencer.

Then, we've got LFOs...a little Quad LFO from Doepfer, then the Noise Reap uLoaf, which is a dual LFO with some very fun crossmodulation capabilites. Right after those, there's a Tenderfoot attenuverting mixer for cooking up complex LFO results, followed by half of a Veils clone from Antumbra. Following those, then there's the Maths and a Quadrax (quad envelope) with its Qx expander placed with the intention of letting it cross-connect with the Maths to turn BOTH modules into something completely over the top as modulation sources go. And you can even break out Quadrax EGs to use "normally" while you've got one or two handy to mess with the Maths' behavior. After this, I had to cheat a bit on the layout, but managed to include Bastl's well-regarded GrandPa and its expander for sampling.

Yes, it's denser. Yes, it's more complex. And yes, it overshoots costs...but this is a serious, comprehensive experimentation modular that ALSO operates in a straightforward manner for live gigs. The idea was to take things beyond the "beeps and boops" to some really wild, tripped-out territory while still being basic enough to work just fine for that original intent. Now, the effects, I already mentioned. Seriously, get on eBay or Reverb and pick up some cheap AF outboard processing while it's still going for dimes on the dollar. Then regarding the drum sounds...just get a proper drum machine, and you'll have a syncable device which has a UI that's intended for drums and controlling them properly. And it's cheaper than trying to assemble one in the build, too.

One other thing as well...ALWAYS consider what a build like this connects to outside of its box. If you don't have a decent small stereo mixer at this point...well, now's the time to get one. Then you can properly use outboard effects, mix this thing with some drum machines, and so on. If you keep those things in mind WHILE designing a build, you'll find you can eliminate a lot of superfluous modules...which then lets you make the functionality of the build denser and more capable. As for what to get...well, this might be surprising, but I'm going to suggest hunting down an ORIGINAL Mackie 1202...the square, boxy-looking one. Yeah, it's over 25 years since these were made, but I still use mine and it works 100% even with lots of live gigs and general abuse since I got it in 1993. You can't kill them. Look for some rack multieffects such as a Yamaha SPX90 (great, gritty 14-bit effects) or a Lexicon LXP-15 ($1400+ new, now about $125), and you'll be on the right track. And NEVER neglect the power of stompboxes...I have a "library" of about 40+ of those, with many being very oddly-behaving Chinese models, all of which have something interesting and unique that they can contribute to the results. So, LITERALLY think outside this particular box, and on outward to start considering what to build up AROUND this, with the modular as a centerpiece.

EDITED Jan 9th 2021, 05:30