ModularGrid Rack


Hi,

I received the news at work that I have to work abroad for a while.
So I want to make a travel friendly setup (digitakt + modular) to carry around the world and
this setup can be an addition on my main setup at home.

I choose to use all modules which I don't use in my additive/subtractif workflow.(don't flame me for my grammar)

My intension is to make a very playable synth focussed on the BIA voice. Where tweeking knobs and plenty modulation is
central. This setup is not genre specific.

Any advice is welcome!

Regards

Jazzy


Make sure to check out the Delta VCF aswell!

I got the tip from Lugia (thanks again!) I own a Wasp, a Forbidden planet and the Delta VCF and in my opinion the Delta sounds the best in all the situations I had to use it untill now!

Best of luck!



In 2018 Xaoc devices announced a Moskwa 2 model is in the making.

Is there any news about the progress from this module? Since it was not announced on superbooth 2019.

I want to add a Moskwa to my eurorack and want to know if it is better to wait or not...

KR

Jazzy


I updated my 1.0 version.

In the empty space I added the disting mk4 to have some logic possibilities and just because it is just such a useful module.
And a stompbox/guitar pedal interface to add some effects such as delay and reverb to the system.

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_902841.jpg?1558527867


Hi,

I'm not new to modular, I own and play on a techno based eurorack system.

I want to deepen myself in ambient eurorack music. So I set up a small
system which I don't want to expand in the future. I want this compact system to do it al since a
lot can be achieved with a few modules. Especially the ones from mutable instruments.

My question is about the technical aspect of the synth do I forgot any important (basic modules).
Or would this system work fine like this?

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

ModularGrid Rack


ModularGrid Rack

The new Intellijel Palette case seems like the perfect opportunity to work out my new additional case I want to add.
To my already existing setup. I want to ad a small synth which only focus on playing melodies. The style that I'm aiming for is:

(This clip is really packed with the things I want to achieve with this addition.)

The meaning is only to receive a clock signal from my main synth. As you can see the 2-voice modular will be focussed around 2 noise engineering modules. But I cannot get further than that... First of all a need some CV generation. I tried the Qubit Octone but I will need 1 for each voice which will take up a lot of space. I also thought about the Varigate 4+ but after watching some movies it seems to work better as a drum sequencer. The other options that crossed my mind were the Noise Engineering mimetic digitalis in conjunction with a proper sequencer (disting MK4? , 2hp).... I can't figure it out.

Second, What modulation should I add since this are already complete voices... an ADRS, some LFO's, filters....

Then should I add some audio processing such as the TallDogg uClouds?

I'm really blocked on the start. I hope to have some input from the guys who know more about a wider range from the existing module's so I can get off and fine tune it to my desires. I got a LOT help with my first synth which I enjoi! I hope we can achieve the same here.

Thanks in advance!

Jazzy!

Edit: what about the 1U modules?


Thread: Tuner

Hi Lugia thanks (again).

I'm goin to have a look to it!


Thread: Tuner

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I own 2 Disting MK4 so that is nice! I did not knew they had that feature.

It seems that most audio recorders also have a tuner function. I own a Tascam DR-40 and it also has a tuner
on board.

So more money for modular!

regards


Thread: Tuner

In order to tune my VCO I want to invest in a decent tuner.

After some research I narrowed down to 2 options. The First one is one
mentioned a lot in various forums: the turbo tuner from Sonic Research.

https://www.turbo-tuner.com/

The second one is the Boss pedal chromatic tuner.

https://www.boss.info/us/products/tu-3/

I choose for this one because I already own a lot of Boss pedals and this would be a nice addition to my pedal
collection. But this one is stated as "chromatic tuner" Are all tuners chromatic? Or can all tunes be used to tune
your instrument/system. I also would like to use the tuner to tune my other stand alone (semi/modular) synths.

Are both of these good choices? Which one is the most useful or should I pick none of both?

Thanks in Advance for your help!

Jazzy


Hi great you found the answer yourself.

If you have te possibility to pan manually you also can have a look at this module:

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/happy-nerding-panmix-jr

or the more advanced version:

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/happy-nerding-panmix

Greets

Jazzy


For the ones interested I came up with a solution myself.

I changed the PanMix for the 6xMix so I can mix all my voices. Then the mono out goes to the left B input from the Bastl Ciao! The manual states that the signal is then normalled to all other channels which gives my a line level stereo output!


Hi Guys,

While my first rack is getting finished I'm already driving myself crazy for making an additional rack.

ModularGrid Rack

The rack is quite straightforward a 4 voice synth which combines all the elements from a techno-ish beat.
The Varigate to drive all the voices which will receive a clock signal from my main synth. The Dinky for the drum sounds, The Mutant for some hat action, BIA ripples and Quad LFO for a bass line (the LFO will be used for more modulation with other modules) and yes I stole this setup from Ricky Tinez ;-) , the AI to add some melody and the Prism to add some effects. In my opinion a solid build which has all the basics to make some music. This synth will be an addition to my existing setup but also needs to be able to function as a stand alone unit.

This build is designed around the Noise Engineering modules because I really dig their sound!

First of all thoughts on my build? Would you make changes? Please tell me!

My second question is about the mixing section... I cannot sort it out properly and could use some advice!

Thanks in advance!

Jazzy


this is lit!!


Hi,

Does anyone know if there are any differences between the Divkid mutes and the Noise Engineering - Muta Jovis except from the price?

Thanks in advance,

Jazzy


Thread: Patch cables

Thanks! When I check Muffwiggler I see the brand "BlackMarket" passing by a lot.
They are easy to get here in Belgium. Do you have an opinion on them?


Thread: Patch cables

I know technically this is not the question to ask here but since I don't know where else
I'm going to give it a try!

What are the most commonly used patch cables? Budget wise let say from mid range to the more expensive ones.

I was thinking to use a combination of the tiptop stackables and EricaSynths patch cables.

Thanks in advance!

Jazzy


Hi doc11

I'm also not that long on the forum but let me help you with the knowledge I already have.

You will need an output module that brings your signal from synth level to line level I use the Bastl Ciao!

You will need a mixer to mix your signals together. HappyNerding offers some good mixer modules or since you are tight on space the 2hp mix you can use a couple to mix CV and audio signals.

I don't know all your modules and how they interact with each other I leave this to the experts but here you have some basics!

Good luck!


Hi everyone,

After reviewing all your comments I came up with my new (final?) design.

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_861193.jpg

Since the Disting is such a versatile module and is mentioned here several times for different applications I decided to add an extra module. It can fixes a lot of problems in my build.

The Mutes also got a place in my build because I think it is a good aid in live performances.

A 2hp and HappyNerding 6mix (which can also handle 2 stereo channels) in conjunction with the Bastl Ciao! can handle
all my mono AND stereo signals and output the synth to line level.

For all the guys following this thread and and helping my to build a synth that follows my philosophy can we consider this as a solid build?

Thanks in advance for al the comments!

Jazzy


The Chronoblob 2 has dual delay modes, which when clocked and fed audio from something percussive like the Digitakt create polyrhythmic delays bouncing from one ear to the other. Also your rack doesn't really have a spare filter or something to put in the send/return loop of the chronoblob, whereas the new module can be run mono with a feedback loop OR stereo. Again the Disting has a clocked delay, but the chronoblob 1&2 have a lot more functionality.

-- JohnnyCogs

Yes you are referring to a ping pong delay. It sounds cool but in my opinion I don't know if it is worth sacrificing the 2hp and the cash. That is what I meant :)

Also the latest image of the rack I posted didn't update either, I left a 6hp gap which you could fill with something like a Dixie 2+ from Intellijel which is an analog VCO/LFO with sync.

-- JohnnyCogs

Strange things happening here...
I tried hit the picture from your rack but I get a large question mark as result.

Thank you for your answer!

Jazzy


Edit: I don't know why but modular grid is not showing the synth the way I saved it... If you click on it you can see the good version.

Ok,

So I put all the thoughts together and came out with the following:

ModularGrid Rack

First of all I moved the power supply away to avoid noise issues.

To start from scap. The Pamela is the general clock that drives the whole system. It drives the Digitakt for drum rythm, the Octone that drives the Moog and the Memetic Digitalis which is the main drive for the modular part. Not keeping modulation in mind. The oscillators are patched to the Pico SEQS for some crazy sequences since the twin waves can output quantized signals I can keep everything in key. All my mono signals are patched to the mutes and then the signals go to the 2hp mix. The output from the 2 hp goes to the Happy Nerding Panmix Jr. Which if I understand if you put a mono signal on the input it outputs a stereo signal. The output from the Panmix is routed to the Bastl Ciao and I have a line level output.

This is the general idea.

Question...

  • the mono signal after the mutes can be routed trough the delay and then to the 2hp mix or to the Panmix. The signal can also be routed to the Purrvurb but then the output is stereo, to process this with I need a stereo mixer not? Or do I have an alternative way to do this in my setup?

Does this sound like a good general approach for this setup? As always tips are welcome, Is this working in a technical way? Musically/soundwise that is al about taste but if it does not work technically no sound can be generated :)

Thank you all for your input!


AAaaaaah! So much input! (love these emoticons!!) thank you so much guys!
I need some time to process all the comments and figure out what suits my needs!

Meanwhile I have some questions:

Actually, I'd suggest keeping the 2 x Mixup version, or maybe consider substituting a pair of Happy Nerding PanMix Jr.s for the Mixups, which would then give you panning over each mixer input. Summing down those into the Ciao! would then make a lot of sense.
-- Lugia

What is the advantage of panning my audio signal? Should you use it to create more "space" in the sound or more effect wisely or am I seeing this wrong? :)

It's worth noting that the Chronoblob 2 is 2hp wider than the original, so if you want to keep that rack configuration pick one up second hand while you still can!
-- JohnnyCogs

I considered purchasing the stereo version but I don't see the win of a stereo delay compared to the loss in hp and the extra investment.

Quattro Figaro can sum 2 stereo channels together (A&B,C&D) and be used for panning with it's normalled CV inversion.
-- JohnnyCogs

Can you explain this more in detail please?


The dual Doepfers kind of kill a lot of HP. Malekko has some interesting options that combine sequencing with envelopes or CV modulation. You can make room for them by switching to a 7U rack and using tiles for some of the functions (I/O, power, mixer). I added a steppy sequencer but you could also use two Quadratt tiles as sub mixers. Also, consider a dual FX in a more compact form, unless full parameter control is a critical component.
Ditching a few modules with non-essential or now redundant function allows you to add a BIA plus compressor, which is a Techno workhorse. Consider a Pico Polivoks VCF for a sub mix. Tallin combines a dual VCA with drive and a stereo mixer plus Pico A-Mix for FX sends round out a alternative version of “your” rack:

-- liquid_air

Hi Liquid_air,

Thanks for your thought on my rack but that is not really the "path I want to walk". The modular will be an addition to my current setup where I use an Elektron digitakt for drum rythms and other sounds which I can not generate with the synths and a moog minitaur for bass. The first thing that I notice is the Noise Engineering Basimilus which is a drum synth and not useful in my setup.

As you mention I want full parameter control for my delay and verb and therefore I'll stick to the Chronoblob and Purrverb I prefer to have more control on a few specific effects than have a bunch and use them all because then it is going to sound "cheap".

I see 6 modules that all can act as a sequencer which is to much for this relatively small synth.

I already own the rack and 50% of the modules most of them are coming from the modulation section so so abrupt changes cannot be made any more. I can imagine this synth can perform but not in the way I want it. All though thank you very much for your thought and input!


I need some help to sort out a dilemma

After reviewing my rack for the 10th thousand time. I think that maybe I have a little bit to much audio processing for my size of synth. Originally I want to use a Chronoblob delay, Purrvurb reverb and uclouds audio processor.

So I came up with an alternative version of my synth

ModularGrid Rack

I took away the uClouds and the 2hp mixers. Instead I used 2 Inetllijel mixup's. These audio mixers have mute switches and can be chained together underneath the control panel. In this configuration I can route the audio from my Moog in the modular synth if I want, mute it and,... Is sacrificing the uClouds a good choice for this alternative? I'm in doubt and can't figure it out. Hope I can find the answer here!


I love techno too .,

Erica Synths :Drum Sequencer, Bass Drum, Hi-Hats D,Pico Drum , Black Hole 2, Dual FX, Mutable Instruments : Stages, Marbles , 2HP : Verb, Qu-Bit : Chances, Scanned, Noise Engineering : Loquelic Iteritas Percido, ACL : Dual State Variable VCF

hope you like it .
-- modularfreq

Sounds good! The movie is a bit dark so I cannot see clearly what is going on but since the sound is good that does not matter! keep on having fun!


Speaking about a mixer...

I'm thinking about using this mixer:

https://mastersounds.co.uk/collections/mixers/products/radius-4v

The master sound radius 4V, maybe not the mixer you would come up first with but from my perspective not a bad choice.
I need at least 3 channels (Digitakt, Modular and Sirin). It has a 3 band EQ on each channel which is very handy, each channel can be cued. It has an AUX send/return on all the 4 channels which can be pre/post fader. It is truly analog and rotary which I want to have since I started DJ-ing. Beautiful piece of gear!


I would also suggest at least one dedicated quantizer. The Disting can do it. But I would definitely NOT recommend the Disting in a live set-up unless you can set it up before your set begins.

-- Ronin1973

It seems that the Klavis twin waves can output it signal pitch quantized which deals with biggest part of my problem. And as you pointed out I can use the Disting's quantizer in case I need it.


The Mimetic will give you CV voltages and even a gate out. But, it's not the easiest device to program in a live situation. If you save and store your patterns, then you'll be okay as you can load them on-the-fly.

If you plan on setting up your patterns live, you might want something that has traditional analog faders or pots.

-- Ronin1973

I was planning to stick it to pre programmed patterns to start of. Maybe sometimes some random sequence to add some movement. We'll see were it brings me ;)

I would also suggest at least one dedicated quantizer. The Disting can do it. But I would definitely NOT recommend the Disting in a live set-up unless you can set it up before your set begins.

-- Ronin1973

Damn a quantizer, totally forgot about this! hmm the Disting offers me that but I will have a look around what other options I have. The other problem is space in my case... Thanks to mention the sequencer problem!

Also, Lugia once recommended to a Eurorack mixer with cue mix abilities. Perhaps he'd be kind enough to tell you about it as I don't remember the name... But you might be better off mixing on a traditional mixer that has pre-fader cues as you'll be mixing Eurorack with your line-level hardware synths... and finally, MUTES. DivKid just released a vactrol controlled set of four mutes built to avoid audible pops when switching them in or out. You can use the mutes on a traditional mixer for audio. But if you're trying to mute CV, then I'd definitely look into the DivKid mute module.

-- Ronin1973

For sure the plan is to use a external mixer as you mention. For now a have a pioneer Dj-mixer laying around but I'm planning to buy something more travel-friendly in the future. Anyone has thoughts on a mixer that will suit this setup? My dream has always been to use a rotary mixer but I think this does not work well in this kind of setup... or am I wrong.

Anyway, thanks for your input keeps me evaluating my system and growth as synth/music lover!


Taught you well I did, young Jedi...

-- Lugia

Hi man, thanks!
Really nice to hear a compliment like this coming from you but it is because of your help I could start of anyway!

The search for modules is going well in own about 50% now and when I'm back from the sea (job). I go and get
my hands on the rest.

Yeah the relation with the Pam and other devices over Midi is sick! I need to have it immediately!
Like you said I love the fact I can quantize the Sirin through the Octone.
I added the power checker to my want list! I looked it up and it seems like a small interesting module
which should be added to any case if there is space!

I hope to show you guys some movies in the future!


Hi Guys,

I want to show you my rack which I am building now in able to (start and) enhance my live setup.

After Dj-ing in the techno scene I want to experiment with my own live productions. I began as many of
you guys with asking questions around here on the forum and I got A LOT of help from Luiga which pointed
me in the direction I want to go.

My setup exists of 3 main components. An elektron Digitakt, Moog Sirin (when I get my hands on one) and my modular synth.
My plan at first was to use my elektron Digitakt + Doepfer dark time as the main drive for the setup. But after al lot of reading here, watching even more video's on YouTube my perspective for my live setup changed. To drive all the modules and gear from my modular gives me more flexibility (read fun!). So my modular will be the main drive and to be even more specific the Pamela's Workout. This module will act as master clock, drive the Digitakt trough the midi out port (which I use for drum grooves and sample playback) and the other sequencers in the system. Off course I will experiment with the Pamela's outputs with my modular and external gear later. The Mimetic will mostly act as the drive for my modular to create some wicked synth patterns and the Octone will drive the Sirin for some cool baseline melodies although I'm still doubting about using the octone (any tips welcome!).
At this point I'm not 100% sure what to expect from my modular. But I'm convinced this will be a nice addition to this setup. That I will discover by just using it.

By posting my rack a hope we can discuss a bit about the experiences you guys have with this kind of workflow. What would you change, is there too much redundancy (I'm thinking about LFO's and sequencers). Also if you guys have questions for me shoot! I'll try to answer. To give you an idea what I like Patrick O Brian who gives the demo's from the noise engineering modules plays the sound I really dig.

So I hope you enjoyed this thread. I start making my case from scratch every single part is made by hand by myself. The aluminium enclosure, wooden side panels as well the PCB bus boards. Is it customary here that cases are shown to eachother?

Have a nice day!

Jazzy


Hi,

Does anyone know the measurements from the side panel used on this rack?
https://www.mdlrcase.com/product/3u-126hp-eurorack-railset-complete-row/
I need in particular the position from the 2 holes used to mount the mounting plate to the case.

Thanks in advance

Jazzy


Hi guys!

I just decided to expand my musical workflow with some modular synthesis. Because I'm an electrician I just like to patch cables and turn knob's :-)!

Mainly I use an Elektron Digitakt, a Moog Minitaur and a Doepfer Dark Time occasionally combined with some sounds from a Korg monologue and roland synths to make melodic techno "music" and I want to add some modular synthesis (nothing extravagant) to give me some extra options.

So after a lot of reading and even more YouTube movies this is what I came up with for now. So what are my intentions? I want t control my modular synth either way through the Dark Time Sequencer or send the sounds from my Minitaur through it and from there process the sound, experiment with it and so on. I also want to add some modular synth basics.

Since I'm completely new to this subject I want to ask you guys if 1 this is a good starting point? what would you change, add or let out? And 2 if there are any tips you guys can give me that help me would be very awesome!

Thanks in advance,

Jazzy