ModularGrid Rack

I'm planning on getting a shared system plus, but want a small skiff for overflow/experiments/mobility. (For example take only my laptop, the skiff, and maths or more from the system.)

  • Dedicated midi input
  • Play with mutable modules, leave room for system modules
  • Cue patches in a live setting

(The Rosie can live in the shared system)

What mutable modules would you add (besides clouds) That pair well with system plus modules?

Also thanks Lugia in advance for all your replies here.


You're welcome! I figure that after 40 years of prodding various electronic devices into musical service, it's probably time to start 'paying it forward'. After all, I definitely think that experience squandered = knowledge wasted.

Hmmm...what to do. Well, actually, I'd opt to take the Shared+ out as well, as it's not overly huge and the case makes it very portable, especially compared to some of the modular (and buttloads of other) stuff I've been known to drag out for live work. You can certainly find a sizable case that can house the laptop and skiff, and the Shared+ is in a metal briefcase-ish thing, and I think you'd still be able to drag along the line-lump supplies and a pile of patchcables in the bag with the laptop and skiff. It'll just take some ingenuity.

OK, given that plan and sticking with Mutable stuff, I'd opt for an Elements and a Ripples once the Rosie's in the Shared System+. MakeNoise doesn't have any of its modelling toys in the Shared Systems, such as the Mysteron and Telharmonic, and the Elements' sound would be killer against the other west coast things. And having a multimode filter is still important, because even Don Buchla figured out that some sounds just need subtractive tricks to make them work, ergo he even eventually came out with a multimode VCF, albeit as quirky as you'd expect from Don. As for a Clouds...nah, not in this case, since the Morphagene does a lot of the granular mangling, plus you have the Erbeverb as well. But everything seems fine; you even have the requisite VCAs in the Shared+, in the form of the Optomix (LPG) and the Modemix (you can use that as two DC-coupled VCAs in a pinch by using CVs, etc as the modulator signal). The only thing I kindasorta wish was in the Shared+, tho...a Brains, because then you can also sequence up that Pressure Points with it, and it's a natural combo alongside the Tempi and Rene. Maybe if you use a big enough hammer to try and fit it in there...?


The modal synthesis makes sense thanks. So then starting it off like this:
ModularGrid Rack