First, thank you very much for this excellent and informative website and the extremely helpful utility that's enabled me to plot this out.

I initially thought of getting a few modules to support and interact with my DFAM and Delaydelus 2 funboxes. Then I started looking on eBay and seeing wondrous-looking things like the Octocontroller and before I knew it I'd assembled a rack with modules left over, so then I had to start a second especially when I found the Erthenvar Patch Chord...

There are two racks. The bottom row isn't a rack but is there to show my DFAM, as well as two modules I have on order, the Entropy Cannon and Disting EX. There's space for the EX at the end of the top rack, but not for the Cannon, so I'll probably have to start a third rack anyway. I anticipate it mostly consisting of mults and other mixing utilities, due to the presence of the amazing Patch Chord and its 25 outputs (yes, I do want to use lots of them).

The top rack is a Doepfer A-100, and the middle rack one of those Cre8Audio ones. In addition to the DFAM I have a Delaydelus 2 sampler/delay, which is currently being fed by the mixer.

I'm currently trying to arrive on a good configuration for what I have. Patch Chord has to be on the lower rack due to 5V requirement. Takaab 3LFO has to stay where it is due to stuck screw but this is okay as I really like it, bargain module. Otherwise I'm trying to centre sound sources around Patch Chord. I really don't know what I'll use GND CTRL for, it just looked interesting and a good deal.

ModularGrid Rack


I'm not very familiar with many of the modules here, so I can't really comment on the capabilities of the setup as a whole. I would recommend grouping your modules by type to make signal flow more intuitive (e.g. sound sources together, filters together, modulation sources together, sequencers together, etc.). I have a Void Modular VCA, and it's not too bad for the extremely low price. I may pick up the Entropy Cannon someday.
What kind of music are you making?


Thank you for your reply. That's the question I was dreading! It's quite open. Electro/jungle-ish dream pop, with plenty of soundscape possibilities but that can sound good when really minimal too? Think Kate Bush, Caterina Barbieri, Lee Scratch Perry, Cocteau Twins, Portishead, A Guy Called Gerald, Quasimoto, Jane Siberry, object blue, 90s pirate radio jungle... I also want the modular to be able to surprise me, a capacity I've always liked about the sampler as an instrument. I want to experiment with things like using loads of Erthenvar outputs simultaneously; using my Delaydelus to sample the rack's output then feeding it back in, and whatever else I can think of. I improvise and play around a lot. My previous musical background is making music with samplers/bass-station/effects and singing in an improvising group. I will be wanting to use vocals, both sampled and recorded separately. But I just love playing with musical boxes.

The whole rack outputs into the Delaydelus 2, which as well as being a fun sampler has a really great delay on it, and that goes into my speakers. Waiting for a TASCAM 8-track, then I'll be able to record.

I realised I've probably posted this thread too soon and should spend at least a few weeks with my setup as is so I can identify what works and what doesn't. I ordered another Takaab SMIX, so two of them can take up to 14 outputs from Erthenvar, and also a MI Links which just looks really useful, so that will be the first two rows filled and when Disting EX arrives I'll either have to swap something out or start a third row. This is what it looks like right now (bottom row doesn't physically exist, it's there to hold my DFAM and modules on order).

ModularGrid Rack


I love all of the artists and styles you mentioned. In fact, the ability to build an insanely versatile instrument is why I went down the modular rabbit hole. I was just experimenting with some Cocteau Twins-ish sounds the other day.
Have fun and good luck!


Cool! I've got everything contributing to a patch now. Using the Delaydelus as a delay and triggering samples from it with OctoCon and the Bastl. All quite ergonomic right now, so I'll persevere with this setup for a bit.