Request to add options to Function / Secondary Function

These are not feature requests, because the feature (Function and Secondary Function) exist. I only want to start a thread for requests to add more options to the master list.

I have several at this time to start the thread with:

'Triple' — There's already 'Dual/Stereo' and 'Quad' but no option for three or a trio or triple or trinary in Function/Secondary Function, and yet several modules exist based around three channels or functions. The need is not so strong with above four, so by adding 'Triple' we'd have the ability to search for 2, 3 and 4, and that would do it.

'Analog' — There's already 'Digital' but no option to narrow Function/Secondary Function to analog-only circuitry, and yet it matters to some users (such as myself, in certain searches).

'FM' — for modules that have an input for FM, or modules that feature internal frequency cross-modulation.

'AM' — for modules that have an input for AM, or modules that feature internal amplitude cross-modulation.

The following two additional ones are more specific to oscillators and LFOs and as such may not have the same importance as the preceding four.

'triangle core' — for triangle core oscillators and LFOs

'saw core' — for saw core oscillators and LFOs

EDITED May 22nd 2021, 09:29

Yeah I think a lot of categories are missing and should be added. I'd love to see a Feedback category

I don't have much of an argument against the current module categories, but there DO seem to be some points where this could be improved.

For example, "Delay" contains EVERYTHING that delays a signal of some type somehow. So if you want an echo-type module, it's here...but then, so are trigger/gate delays, which aren't at all like the first example. You can kindasorta get past this by using the second category blank ("Clock modulator" finds the binary signal delays, "Effect" helps with the audio signal delays, and so on) but if the user who posted the module didn't add any of that to the "Category tags" on the module page, you'll miss it.

The "not-dual/not-quad" issue is another one. In some cases, posters for these sorts of modules that aren't either of those occasionally will put "triple" units into one or another...but it's far more normal for modules that fit that criteria to only be listed in their primary function category. For example, Zlob's VnIcursal VCA: six VCAs behind one panel...but if you're not looking for a "VCA + Mixer" in categories, you either might not notice it or, if looking in the "dual" or "quad" categories, you can miss it altogether!

Another annoyance: buffered mults vs. passives. Pull up "Multiples" with 2 hp chosen as a size limiter...and you get deluged, requiring you to pick through the results all the same. A "buffering" category could be an appropriate fix here, plus it can include devices other than buffered mults.

A few years back, I would've likely said this was all nitpicky. But given the explosion in the overall size of the databases here, some of these "basic" descriptors are running into problems as their categories are being stuffed chock-full of modules! "Oscillator", for instance, contains 1,235 entries in Eurorack alone. Sure, you can limit this further with a second category...but now, even THAT results in a plethora of entries; going to "Oscillator" and "Digital" still turns up 211 entries.

The worst part of this is that any fixes will require not only site recoding, but it'll ALSO require a knowledgeable crew to go through ALL module entries to add/remove flags as needed. And yes, without the manufacturer lock in place; this is another problem altogether, though, as manufacturers use the lock and then more or less abandon the entry pages, which helps no one. Frankly, if I had a dollar for every time I've had to point out that Clouds is a discontinued module, I probably coulda bought Mutable Instruments themselves, lock, stock 'n' barrel! So it's a potential nightmare if approached wrong...but if done right, it'll STILL be a huge undertaking, but it'll result in a fully-revised database.

I am all in for a revised list but it is a delicate matter. It is easy to add new tags, but very hard to delete them.
We have already a lot tags currently, while some are very special others are too loose.
That could be improved.
We also have descriptions (filter) and quantifiers (dual) mixed, but I think that is ok.

As Lugia says the problem is to go through all the modules. While I will not change data that is locked by manufacturers I am fine to remove the locks when manufacturers are unresponsive or even out of business.

I think for every new function tag added an old one should be refined/renamed/merged/deleted so we don't end with a frightening list of technical terms.
E.G. combine Expression and Controller, find a better name for Clock Modulator etc.
The function list must stay "noob" friendly, it was intended to give beginners a quick overview what's available. That won't work with a hundred entries.

Btw. here is the ModularGrid function tag cloud which exists forever but I never found a place to post it.
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/tags/cloud

I understand that removing terms from the functions/secondary functions dropdown list is a delicate matter. In fact, I personally don't think it's already too long at all, and while a bit of clean up seems like it could be helpful, I was mostly just interested in adding a few. But I get it: the admins at ModularGrid want to act parsimoniously.

So, I guess if I had to prioritize, I'd keep my request to just add "analog" to complement and contrast with the existing "digital" option. For the time being, anyway.