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Having a lot of interesting options is a fun part of this whole hobby. I think we are all building our own individual "dream voicing rig," so the answers you get here will probably be all over the place. In the search for my own perfect voicing I've tried a bit of everything. Had a Furthrrr Generator, still have the Recombination Engine, E352, and Panharmonium, tried a fair amount of the Mutable stuff, some of the Schlappi stuff, some Make Noise and Noise Engineering, etc.
The truth is my favorite sounding and playing modules are the AJH Synth stuff. They sound perfect to my ears. They are well-built. The envelopes, oscillators, filters, and VCAs react exactly as I expect. Just perfect. Traditional subtractive synthesis may seem a little "boring" or not taking advantage of all modular has to offer, but I'm extremely happy with my choice to add their stuff to my rack. In fact, I'm going to pick up a few more to expand my AJH stable (the 2412 filter, another VCO and Contour Generator, the Dual LFO/VCA, and the Wave Swarm for sure). Highly recommended for excellent high-quality subtractive voicing.
A module that I was pleasantly surprised by is Mutable Instruments Warps. I've struggled to connect with most of my MI modules (sold Plaits and Clouds is sitting in a box in a closet), but Warps with the Parasites firmware instantly clicked for me. I may just have weird taste, but I think it's pretty underrated for a multi-function waveshaper/ring mod/crossfader etc. etc. etc.

EDITED Sep 8th 2021, 23:53

Because you have an odd number of hp left, might I recommend the 9hp Patching Panda Punch v3? It’s a super useful and surprisingly inexpensive dual VCA/envelope generator and more. It looked kind of cool so I picked one up and now use it in everything. Definitely worth looking into.

Love it! Well done.

Looks like it sold quickly.

One just popped up for sale on Reverb in the last hour. Hope you can grab it!

My favorites that aren't already included here are the Noise Engineering Zularic Repetitor for some off-time/"polymetric" gates and the Low Gain Electronics Short Bus v3 for manual control of fills and gate sequence switching between different sound sources. NE also has the interesting but discontinued Confundo Funkitis that I have thought about tracking down.

Yes, the Quad VCA is a good choice. It has both linear and exponential response curves (for cv and audio, respectively). A lot of folks here like MI Veils for a quad VCA. Similar module in 10hp.

I can't say I really enjoy using Disting, but it is almost a no-brainer to add a massive amount of functionality in a small footprint. That would probably be near the top of my list for your rack.
Have fun and good luck!

Hi joesh. Post the link to your proposed rack here, so everyone can see it.
Links is definitely one of the handiest modules I own. It was one of the first I purchased, and has survived in my case ever since. As far as LFOs, the DivKid Ochd is popular for a reason, and the same with Maths. Maths can do a bit of everything, and while it's not immediately intuitive it is worth purchasing a well-cared-for used one (or waiting for a new one). PNW is also one of the most important modules in my rack.
I am a fan of the 3xMIA, but I recently discovered the Warm Star Electronics The Bends cv controlled matrix mixer, and would HIGHLY recommend checking it out over the 3xMIA. It can do similar things and more, but with cv control (which the 3xMIA doesn't have). Very cool module and excellent price to hp ratio. A quad or hex VCA should also be one of your earliest investments.
I'm sure others will have some recommendations when we see your rack, but it sounds like you are headed in the right direction with your initial module choices.
Have fun and good luck!

I think something like Plaits would definitely allow you to get rid of the 2hp sound sources. And for that matter, Warps (another Mutable module) with the Parasites firmware might come in handy here as well, allowing you to stretch the VCOs you do have a bit further while adding a limited internal oscillator for ring mod, waveshaping, vocoding, TZFM, frequency shifting, and a bunch of other fun stuff. I didn't recommend any module changes at first because this is your system. You know what you like and don't like about it.
And that sort of leads me to why I'm hesitant to recommend any module changes at all. You're already pretty deep into your modular adventure, and you chose your current modules for a reason. If I was to recommend a bunch of stuff that you don't already have, that would be MY dream system not yours. You already noticed that I proposed a workflow that focuses more on rhythm, which is how I use my own rack. I've watched a lot of your videos, so I know that your approach is much more melodic and sort of "generative-ish" than my focus on repetition and noise. Any module recommendations I make would reflect my own tastes and approach, not yours.
I will say, don't be afraid to sell off the modules that you don't use or that don't fit your developing sound. Just be purposeful in what you add and subtract.
Have fun!

EDITED Sep 4th 2021, 09:00

Well, I'm not Lugia, but here's how I would probably set this up to start with. Of course I would tweak it as necessary after experimenting.
I tried to keep the plumbing along the sides and separate the 2hp stuff a little bit for wiggle room. I would probably want all of my clocks/gate sequencers along the bottom with mults above so you could mult gates around the system. Modulation and matrix mixer just above the sequencers. Links at the top left for a buffered mult/adder near your oscillators. Sound sources, filters, drums, FX, and maybe VCAs all grouped together with other mixers and attenuators sprinkled throughout. It's always hard for me to find the right spot for Disting, so the top right of the case seems to work here.
This seems more organized for the way I work, and the way my own rack is set up but obviously this may not be a sensible approach for your workflow. Either way, it was a fun exercise.

*edit: I placed Marbles above the other sequencers due to the jack placements.

EDITED Sep 3rd 2021, 21:48

Hmmm... I duplicated your rack to have some fun tweaking later today or tomorrow. The number of 2hp/small modules creates an interesting puzzle to solve.

@Farkas - yeah I live in Carmel. Where are you?

-- TumeniKnobs

I’m in Yellow Springs, Ohio, just outside of Dayton.

Well, you have officially become my second favorite acid artist (behind Richie Hawtin, of course). Well done, my friend.
And yeah, the 2LPG v2 finds its way into every patch I make. Ridiculous value.

I would probably arrange it like this, if it were mine. That's sort of how I have my rack anyway.
Sequencing and mixing at the bottom, modulation and FX just above that, then filters and voices on top. I got rid of the 2hp ADSR to fit all of your filters in. You'll just have to experiment with placement to figure out what works best for you.
Have fun and good luck.

What problem are you having now that requires a reorganization?

This is beautiful. Well done. Perfect mix of field and studio.
If you live in Indy, I'm not too far from you. Three cheers for the midwest! :)

Sounds great. There's just something magical about the Moog sound.

Hi Snarky. Considering the Subharmonicon already has a case and power, you could make space for the Morphagene (and more utilities, etc.) by leaving the Moog in its own case. That’s what I would recommend first.
Have fun and good luck!

Nice! That was the exact perfect length to make me want to play it again. Well done.

I'm looking forward to hearing some of your more refined work too 🧐🧐 don't keep us waiting
-- troux

Don't hold your breath. Haha.
If I can stop being lazy and buying modules, maybe I'll finish something more substantial over the winter. I've been working on structure and songwriting, but I don't know that anything will ever see the light of day. :)

As a kind of tangential question to this thread, I wonder what people consider their favorite "budget" VCFs to be, VCFs for under $200 that hit above their pricepoint in your opinion.
-- eexee

I'd say any of the Doepfer filters. I've had so many of them in my shopping cart, but haven't bought any of them yet. They all seem great and I just can't decide. The SEM and Wasp filters get a lot of praise, and the A-106-1 Xtreme filter looks great too.

This might be a contender (though I have personally enjoyed the FX Aid XL)?
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/noise-engineering-desmodus-versio

How can I upload my rack screenshot to this conversation?
-- CostasP

Just copy and paste the URL from your rack page.

Ah, that's nice. It sounds like a conversation between oscillators. :)
Are you sequencing from the Sinfonion? Also, that Ventris reverb sounds incredible. I had never heard of that pedal until now.
Thanks for sharing!

Yep, More Vocoder please :)
-- wishbonebrewery

As you wish. :)

This is a beautiful journey. Well done.
Man, you're going to make me re-buy the Chainsaw eventually. You get great results from it.

Hey, thanks for listening Garfield. Believe it or not, slower styles with a new wave or Boards of Canada feel are what I write more often than anything else. The techno and improv stuff is just quick and fun (for me). I get lazy and don't finish structuring a lot of songs, so these improvisation things force me to put something out in the world while I work on other stuff.
That Nord Drum 3P looks amazing. Unfortunately, no. I don't have one. You'll have to share some of your experiments when you get one. :)
The only issue I can find with the VC340 is that the keys feel kind of cheap, but they still feel better than my old Arp Omni. Just a minor concern. Otherwise, the sound is pretty phenomenal.
Thanks again and have a great weekend.

Went in a different direction with this latest (mostly) improv session. Sort of a mid-tempo synth-pop/new wave/mid-period Depeche Mode kind of sound. Too much going on with the patch to explain everything, but mostly the E352 and AJH Minimod oscillators into an Optomix and Patching Panda Punch v3. A little bit of the 4ms DLD, Milky Way, and Clouds. FSS Makrow doing its thing. I finally broke down and picked up a Behringer VC340 vocoder and threw that in towards the end as well (@GarfieldModular I know you were looking for a vocoder a while back. I can confirm that the VC340 is outstanding).
Thanks for your time and have a great weekend. No worries if this isn't your thing. :)

What started me thinking about this stuff is that I picked up a DFAM for cheap and at present I have just been working some rhythms out on it and running it into an amp and then plugging guitar into another and playing along. Kind of a crude way to use it but it’s still neat. I know nothing about synths but have always been interested in them. I just found a Mother 32 in a 2-tier with an empty case in the other tier so I will have 60 hp to play with when it shows up. At present I will probably mate the 32 and DFAM so I can get some patching 101 done and a better understanding of how it all works. Then I can ask some better informed questions.
Thanks
Mitch
-- OlDefGuy

The Mother 32 is a great intro to synths and modular-land, and with the DFAM is a powerful combo. I would recommend experimenting with those for a few weeks, and when you find that you are unable to do something that you want to do, then start researching modules that will help you solve that problem. When I first started, I bought a few things that I thought I would use but didn't really end up needing so I wasted a little time and money.
Have fun on your synth journey!

@farkas, I saw this today and thought you might want to take a look

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/adventure-audio-merge-white-panel
-- mog00

Whoa! That looks crazy (and useful)! I will definitely look into that. Thanks for the heads up.

That IntrFx looks pretty slick. Thanks for the heads up.

I'm sorry to hear about your A103, Garfield. That has to be a disappointment.
The SEM filter does interest me more than the A103. I can't believe I haven't gotten one yet. I'll look forward to checking out your report.
Have a great week.

Hi Mitch. I have been experimenting a little bit with the Doepfer A119 and Strymon A.A.1 as input/output/effects loop modules. I also have several effects pedals, modules, and filters that have been fun to incorporate, but I haven't done much recording of the outcome yet.
As far as adding rhythm to your guitar stuff, you would likely be best served with a nice external drum machine like the Roland TR8S. The cost/benefit/usability ratio is very high with that one. Check out some demo videos.

The specs on the manufacturer product page say: Multiple - 8 x 3.5 mm TS jack, mono, Arrangement - 2 sets of 4 parallel jacks, passive

might be worth getting a jumble henge to try it out,so my D.O.MIXX would be like a sub-mixer of some sorts?

-- Broken-Form

That's probably how I would use them. I have a few smaller "character" sub-mixers that lead into the Toppobrillo Stereomix, which I like, but I've considered both the Jumble Henge and Soundstage for my end-of-chain mixer. I've also looked at the SSF Vortices for a completely different flavor. I just like to experiment with creative mixing in the rack. Ultimately, you will have way more control with volume, EQ, and panning in your DAW, but these fixed EQ mixers seem like a good solution for live situations and capturing an acceptable quick studio mix.

Looks like the D.O. MIXX has direct outs on each of the five channels, so you could set volume levels there and then send each channel to the Jumble Henge for EQ and panning. The Jumble Henge would allow 11 more inputs and be your main outs at that point. You might be able to do some interesting feedback patching too.

@farkas do you set it so the pitch is kind of going between the + and - on the Disting. I can never get it to be exact on a C.
TIA

-- greenfly

Mine is usually just about spot on at the C+ pitch. Close enough for me anyway.

if you have a disting you already have a tuner built into that
-- JimHowell1970

Lately, I have used Disting almost exclusively for its tuner and sample & hold functions. It works very well for both.

The Worng Soundstage and ALM Jumble Henge mixers seem to solve this problem with EQ and panning pre-set for each input. Every demo I have heard of each sound great for standard usage, and they can be used more creatively too.

I like the Zlob Diode Chaos. It's sort of like 1/3 of a Triple Sloths with a random trigger out at 3hp. I don't typically like odd sized modules but I had a 3hp hole about a year ago, and it was a welcome addition to my rack.

Maybe check this out:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/joranalogue-audio-design-compare-2

Sounds great as always! That's cool that you were able to incorporate FM and still keep the acid vibe. I tried some similar experiments with the 2-op FM and wavetables from the E352 and wasn't getting anything I really liked. May have to give it another try.

Good idea. Approaching $1000 for the 2600 and Keystep, but far more versatile than anything in the initial $400 budget.

Eh, I don't have any guidance for you there (aside from maybe Plaits if that is the right sound for you). I've already kind of given the best advice I have for you. Maybe some of the other members would like to chime in on specific low-cost modules/options.
Have fun and good luck.

I started with a used 104hp powered Make Noise skiff for about $200 plus tax. If you want something versatile, Mutable Instruments' Plaits is a good place to start looking, and you might be able to find a used one for about $200... and there's your budget.
But what about all of the other stuff to actually make it work? Cables, filters, LFOs, a sequencer, envelopes, effects, blind panels so you don't accidentally touch a cable to a power header and short everything out...
If you really think that getting into modular is the right direction for you, spend your $400 on a decent powered case (TipTop Mantis or small Doepfer for example), and then save up again until you can afford your first module. Then save up again for your next module. Repeat, repeat, repeat. I don't know your financial situation, but it may take a considerable amount of time until you have a useable system. Whatever you do, don't go into a large amount of debt.

Well, it will be important for you to do a considerable amount of research for your individual needs. What is "versatile" to you may not be very useful for me. You will need to plan out exactly how large of a case and power supply you will need in the long run (not just right now). Are you interested in manipulating samples in your rack, or do you just need a good monosynth built to your specs? How many simultaneous voices do you need? Are you just wanting to sample the sounds of your rack into Logic, or do you hope to perform fleshed out compositions?
What exact problem do you see eurorack solving for you that you can't achieve now?

He's a fairly famous DJ/producer/composer. He recently liquidated a massive amount of gear that had been gathering dust in his studio.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junkie_XL

Hi Ethan. This is going to be near impossible at your current budget. You can easily blow through $400 on a case and cables. Any modules that you can squeeze into that budget will be severely limited in their usefulness, as you likely won't be able to fit in all of the most basic components of a functioning synthesizer. I would highly recommend saving up AT LEAST a thousand dollars/euros/etc. to get close to something that is a bit more than a single oscillator and filter with onboard VCA. Save up for what you really want and buy those modules one at a time if necessary, and don't just buy something because it's an affordable alternative.
The Behringer Crave is a good inexpensive semi-modular alternative for under $400. It has everything you need to get started making some sound and you can incorporate it later on when you start building a rack.
What equipment do you currently have to use with a eurorack setup?

EDITED Aug 17th 2021, 19:44

Beautiful! Very impressive.