Hello!

Im brand new to the modular world. Big into rhythmic stuff and drum machines. I was going to buy a jomox alpha base, but when i went to a shop to demo one it was already sold, so i was shown some modular stuff instead. Long story short, I decided to go for a 'hybrid' setup where i would control the rig from a digitakt. Here is the rack I ordered:
ModularGrid Rack

still waiting on the expert sleepers stuff, plonk and plaits to arrive. I have a doepfer dark energy which I've been using with my digitakt to control the BIA for now. Already really enjoying the workflow, and can see how the fh-2 along with the other sound sources should make this really fun. However, one thing thats kind of a bummer which Ive experienced before when controlling gear with the digitakt is that when recording automation of any type of performance controls like pb or mod wheel, it ends up sounding "step laddery" as the envelope recorded can only be as smooth as the 16 steps permits. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this or if theres some nifty workaround!
So long term goal is to get another 84hp skiff box, and put all the "controllery" type stuff in that box, with the other dedicated to percussive type stuff. So im wondering whats the best way to have smooth recorded automation?
I was looking at the planar2 and the voltage block
Any thoughts on one of getting one of theses or something else? both :D ?

Thanks for any help with this. All feedback appeciated!


Flame has a couple of things worth looking at for those purposes...both use manual controllers with internal sequencers to store controller actions. EMW, also, has a couple of devices: a pot-action single channel recorder plus a gesture recorder that uses something akin to Roland's D-Beam controller. If they're still around/available, those might be worth checking out.


thanks @Lugia for the response/recommendations!

the Flame Quad Cv Recorder looks like the exact kinda thing, even mentions in the manual that the:

Smoothing algorithms eliminate the so-called 'stair-step effect' and ensure smooth playback even at very slow speeds

That said, it does look like it might be tricky to record fixed length automation without sacrificing a gate track for specifically start/stopping the record. I think thats where the voltage block is more appealing... downside being its limited to 16 steps and has quite a lot of crossover with what the digitakt would be used for anyway for the size of it.

I tried out just slewing the recorded envelope from the digitakt through the maths. Couldnt get as large a range wthout having the stair step effect occur, but worked pretty well!
With this in mind ive revised what I think want to buld next:
ModularGrid Rack

feedback and advice on what I should add/replace again really appreciated!


not sure why that rack isnt rendering properly above... may need to click it to view whole thing.


Kinks is really useful in 4 hp (there's a wave modifier, a comparator, noise and sample and hold) and so is disting (yeah it's a bit difficult to use, but it' so useful)

Marbles could add a nice degree of randomness into the mix and maybe a smaller vco (dixie 2 or something) and an lpg (lxd)

"some of the best base-level info to remember can be found in Jim's sigfile" @Lugia

Utility modules are the dull polish that makes the shiny modules actually shine!!!

sound sources < sound modifiers < modulation sources < utilities


huh actually nevermind, i found in the fh2 manual that:

Each output has a 'smoothing' amount. When enabled, a low pass filter is applied to the output to
smooth sudden changes into an exponential response. Zero means off; other values apply
progressively more smoothing, up to a time constant of about 1 second

so i guess wont need one of these modules after all!


@JimHowell1970
wow just watched a video on the disting! very cool.
looks like that coupled with an lpg can make some cool noises (along with a seemingly endless other uses haha).
also didnt know what an lpg is so googled that and learned something else too :D

thanks for suggestions!