What are your picks, anyone whose tried a few care to share their thoughts?

Easy of use and functionality are number one priority but feature wise I'd like it to support microtonal and have usb inputs.

The TR-8S was on my studio refit list for a hot minute...but it got dropped. I didn't like the sound; I thought it lacked the impact of the original Rolands.

Aside from your issue with the lack of ‘true’ Roland sound, how do you feel about it’s capabilities to integrate with a modular setup?

TBH, "you-know-who" probably puts out the better techno machines at this point

Any particular model you would reference?

Panel Versions

Added new section Panel Versions to the module detail pages. If there are different panel versions of a module available they will show up here and on click can be directly added to the current rack.

@gumbo23 this is a pretty crazy journey, thanks for sharing, I might just have to get a Panharmonium one of these days...
-- troux

It's an absurdly compelling module - I'm still early on in my learning journey with it, but it's a ton of fun. You can get into some true haunting territory very easily, so you have to listen incredibly closely to everything that is happening. But for sure it's a keeper!

bump

Oh, I forgot to mention that my DFAM is in its own case already so dont be sorry! and my black sequencer is in a 42HP case. My "system" is a bit splitted, Im using a 9U case 104HP and not 12U

A generative ambient patch, quantized to a minor scale, played on Loquelic Iteritas. PNW is the keeper of time and pace. QPAS, Imitor Versio, Desmodus Versio, and WORNG Soundstage create the spaces between. Gentle waves of modulation radiated by øchd. EQ and Compression by SCLPL and MSCL.

Good headphones and a cold beer recommended.

https://studio.

EDITED Oct 19th 2021, 15:20

That’s frigging awesome! I love the transition that happens at around 2:40. The detune effect is magic. This concept could totally be stretched out and not get boring. Cheers!

First up, I don't think anyone here would advise you to GET a bigger case. Most of us do tend to stress that you START with a cab that's oversized when working things out on Modulargrid so that you can easily pick out what you can exclude. But buying a ginormous cab at the beginning and then populating it has an inherent risk of creating "too much", and it's NOT what we'd suggest. Last thing you'd want is to drop several grand and then be confronted with a large, confusing maze of patchpoints, knobs, and sliders!

Really, for a good starter, you should be able to cram everything required into a Mantis or similar sized case. Want more? Just add a second Mantis and the Tiptop hinge kit to couple 'em. Using a method of THAT sort means you can grow the synth over time and as needs dictate. But start with just ONE Mantis crammed with the modules for your "voice" and "modulation", so that by the time you feel that you need cab #2, you're very versed in what you DO need.

The TR-8S was on my studio refit list for a hot minute...but it got dropped. I didn't like the sound; I thought it lacked the impact of the original Rolands. TBH, "you-know-who" probably puts out the better techno machines at this point, as they're voiced with analog circuits and/or the mid-fi internal sample playback of the 909. However, the RD-8 mkii fixes some of the level matching issues that were on the first version; I'll be watching to see if they nail the RD-9, although there's already one serious stumble in the "save" function for patterns...something which Roland NEVER had on the TR-909. They'd better be working on a fix for that!

Here's an idea: have a look at the Doepfer "LC" cabs. These are 84hp, unfinished MDF. It seems to me that if you modify these so that you can add some extra wood on the ends and add something that fits the Arturia stand/handle, you'll have what you're looking for here.

If it has a case and it has power, it DOESN'T belong in a more expensive case with more expensive power. Not only does that DFAM waste space in the cab, you're also bumping the actual cost of the DFAM up by the amount of hp it occupies.

Let's see how that works. Let's say, for the sake of the example, that your cab costs $718 (2x Mantis as an example here) and holds a total of 416 hp:

718/416 = $1.73 This is the per-hp cost of housing/powering something in the cab.
60 x 1.73 = $103.80 added to the DFAM's cost.

So, not only does this cost more in the long run, you're also stealing spaces from modules that DO need power and housing...as you've likely noticed. Pull it, enjoy the extra 60 hp you get back, and just use the DFAM in its skiff where it'll be quite happy.

A note about overseas purchases via USPS...

DON'T use the USPS for any overseas shipping. We're STILL currently experiencing the various problems caused by Trump's Postmaster General's dismantling of the USPS because...well, Fred Durst said it succinctly: "Break Stuff". But our "First Class" these days is more akin to making sure things arrive AT ALL.

Simply put: use UPS, FedEx, DHL, whatever you want, because the USPS will get things there whenever they damn well feel like it now. Not reliable with anything of significant value!

CV Tools isn't a bad way to work, really. Since it's an Ableton plug in an Ableton DAW, the integration should be very easy with the ES-9.

But as for that rack...yep, go bigger. The REAL thing you want here is FX processing with what would essentially be the entire modulation section of a proper build, and that's not going to fit this "beauty case". But make sure to use this build for, as plragde notes, FX that your DAW can't exactly do with the same level of control you'll get manually with a FX build. One other change I'd recommend would be a much beefier power supply, since your build lives or dies depending on whether you get a hefty enough P/S. Always overspec the supply due to inrush currents; if your +12v rail has 1500 mA on it, you want a 2000 mA capacity on that rail. Go at least 25% higher in amperage than you appear to require, as most any circuit has a degree of inrush on power-up. It only lasts a few milliseconds, but it IS enough to pop the supply and shut down the rig in that tiny sliver of time.

Hi Gumbo23,

He, he, a lot that you just wrote here above, I recognise myself there as well. As you already mentioned, it's not always exact science, sometimes it's error and trial, other times it's just experimenting around (or effing around) till you got that sound you weren't really looking for but sounded great anyway :-) I love that too!

Well... "music" as such I don't have much to share with, here is one of the rare situations that you might/could call it music:

Sequencer's violence:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/10041

Otherwise I rather make "noise" than music ;-) Some noisy recent examples (since I don't use or barely use dynamic compression you might want to increase the volume):

Thunder replica:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/10555

Polygogo demo:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/10497

Doepfer meets Dixie (demo of Dixie 2+ and some Doepfer stuff):
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/10405

For more noisy demos check it out on Soundcloud. Thank you very much for listening and kind regards, Garfield.

I’d say the TR8S is the best drum machine available. If I didn’t already have an RD8 and some modular drums, I would buy one in a heartbeat.
Have fun and good luck!

I was looking at a Rackbrute 3U to compliment the 6U I have (in conjunction with my Minibrute 2S and Hydrasynth desktop and noticed that they aren't really available anymore (a couple used here or there on Reverb).

What case would be similar to a 3U in terms of how it is on a stand. I like the height and design of the stand overall...anything similar? or close that I should take a look at?

Looking for something a drum machine that could be used in conjunction with my modular setup for playing remotely. I purposely didn't do any drums in my Rackbrute 6U (yeah its too small to do any drums anyway).

Looking at the Roland TR-8S and wondered if anybody had any better suggestions in that same price range. TR-8S looks like it has a lot of cool ins/outs that could be used with a modular setup...and it sounds like it can do track out so if I wanted to I could route individual drums to my DAW (Ableton). Only thing that concerns me is that there are a lot of TR-8S for sale...maybe they found something I haven't read about yet.

Thanks for any other suggestions...

Hi Mowse,

There are some (very) rare situations where one has to listen more than once to realise...

How damn well this track works! :-) Great little track, I just pressed the third time the play button and enjoy in one way the simplicity of it, yet the other way the complexity of it, no idea how you managed to do that, but it sounds great to me! :-)

I guess you will release soon an album on Bandcamp? ;-) As long as this track is part of it, I am okay with it! :-D

Thanks a lot for this great enjoyable moment and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Farkas,

That's great news that you are more and more moving into the Berlin School direction :-) Sounds to me that there is lots of good upcoming stuff coming from you, yeah! He, he, yes besides electronic music, German rock aka Kraut-rock (I am fan of Grobschnitt, complete idiots but they make idiotic good music in a fun way) is fantastic too. These Grobschnitt guys are now fathers and didn't do much however recently (meanwhile some years ago again) they went on tour together with their sons! I missed those concerts, which is a pity. I hope that wasn't a one-time thing and hope they will somehow continue.

If you are ever going to play in Germany, please let me know, I will try to visit you then. Leipzig is "the other side" of Germany for me from a travelling point of view, so it might be challenging but I will give it a try then!

I am curious to your future works possibly together with your drummer's friend, can't wait for a jam of you two and see how that works out :-) Thank you very much for creating pleasant and enjoyable music and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi ModularGrid people,

My current setup that I enjoy playing with is the following:
- Torso T-1
- Elektron Model:Cycles
- Moog DFAM
- Moog Subharmonicon

I am looking to build an Eurorack system that would first complement the Moog semimodulars I have and eventually be a standalone system as well.

I would like to explore two avenues of music:
- deep/minimal techno, so think of solid kicks, nice hi-hats, hypnotic percussion loops, and rolling bass lines
- some kind of nasty electronic version of Indian shruti box and percussion, so think drones, noise percussion, clicky sounds, vortex of reverb, and polyrhythms

Starting out is the most difficult thing, but I think first I need some utilities to get more out of the Moogs. And before that I need a case! I browsed the forums and it seems regarding the first case good advise is "go big or go home". I'm prepared to invest into a proper case right from the start that would have space to house my final system (it's never really done though, is it?).

This is the part where I need advice from you experienced modular system designers: considering my musical goals, how much space would a system like that require? It would be nice to be able to move it to jams and such, so I am thinking if everything necessary could fit into something like 9U 84/104hp? (not counting the Moog semimodulars, they can stay in their cases)

I listed some modules below I did consider to obtain if I were to get started by myself, but I thought it makes so much sense to ask for advice first before I sacrifice my coinage to the gods of the Eurorack.

You can also see that in order to have a standalone system I lack voices, percussion, filters, additional utilities, sequencer, mixer, and who knows (well, you do) what else. I appreciate any and all advice regarding those! If I were to name some names, regarding the sounds I have been intrigued by: Dinky's Taiko, Rings, Plaits, Mangrove, Manis Iteritas, Basimilus Iteritas Alter, and 2hp Hat.

After I get the case, what would be the best way to go about building first the complementary and then the standalone system?

Thoughts on modules (from left to right):

Maths
I guess Maths is never a bad thing to invest in?

Crow
I own Norns, so this would let me integrate the two ecosystems. I'd see this being among the first modules I get because I can program it to play a role of a module I do not (yet) have.

Countour 1
For some reason I like the layout of this module. But if I am going to get Maths, maybe I should be looking into something like Quadrax instead?

Mimetic Digitalis
This just seems fun. I can see how that is both a good and bad argument at a same times. There are probably better sequencers out there and I also already own the T-1 and can sequence from that (and both DFAM and Subharmonicon have sequencers too), but it feels this module cold lead into some "happy accidents".

Lapsus Os
Attenuators/attenuverters seems like to good things to have and I like how this one has two outputs per channel so I could use it to control modulations to eight destinations if I'd so desire.

Pamela's New Workout
One thing about the Moog semimodulars is that they operate at 1 PPQN while the T-1 can only go as low as 4 on the sync outputs. A clock divider would do the job here, but Pam's seems to be one of the de facto modules to stuff into a rack and I could feed it 24 PPQN and have it divide the clock for the Moogs. And since I want to eventually grow the rack to also function as a standalone system, Pam's seems to be a good master clock in that realm.

Rnd Step
This feels like a nice utility to have. I like how you can also use it as a noise source if you trigger it fast enough. I am enjoying making noise percussion with DFAM, so I can see myself enjoying making similar things with this one.

Øchd
This was actually the module that got me interested in expanding my setup more to the Eurorack realm. Eight sources of modulation would keep my DFAM sound moving.

Mutes
To me this feels like a buffered mult with benefits.

Veils
Quad VCA seems like a good thing to have and I've seen this one being recommended on the forums.

Transmit 2
Eventually I need a way to output sound from my system. I picked this module because of the XLR outputs, option for stereo in/out, and separate headphone output.

+1 on pulling the DFAM out of the rack. If you're looking for modulation...there is always Maths and Quadrax w/QX expander.

Unfortunately, Control says my modular shipment has been lost and that they have to refund my money. Not a happy camper

EDITED Oct 18th 2021, 22:34

@Ronin1973, you make an interesting point above. Could you give an example or two of practical use cases?

Personally, I've don't think I've ever changed pitch more than 4 octaves up/down on a patch. So I can't easily imagine the types of use cases you're suggesting.

Woggle Bug, 2hp LFO, Function and Disting MK4 give me sufficient modulation options for my
small 44 hp case with morphogene as the center piece.

It's an additive module. So having a huge range makes it a lot easier to audition the highs and ultra-lows of a sound. Also in additive you can have modulators that are in the extreme ranges as well. Having 20 octaves of range isn't that useful in a VCO. But in a digital additive module... yes... but not necessarily for playing that full range.

1 I'd pull the DFAM out of the rack and put it back in its case. Now you have a TON of room. I'd add the 3HP Poti expander to Batumi for the alternate LFO waveforms and ability to toggle between reset and sync. You'd also be able to hold on to the Verbos a little longer or keep it since you have more space.

I'm not sure if using modular as an effects rack for Ableton Live is the most prudent use. There will always be that latency round-trip between your D-A, effects and then back through the A-D converters. That's not an issue in the studio as you can compensate for latency after-the-fact.

The majority of effects you'll find in Eurorack aren't dependent on sync. You might find yourself better off with a bunch of guitar pedals and an analog mixer when it comes to cost effectiveness, bang-for-buck, and so forth.

Thanks a lot Garfield.
I’m still learning it but it gives a lot of nice ideas to build a patch around. It clearly opens my rack

The rougher the seas, the smoother we sail. Ahoy!

Your background is pretty similar to mine and your thoughts about modular could've been written by myself.
I kind of jumped the gun and already designed a modular system based on little knowledge and lots of intuition.
I might have chosen differently after consulting other more experienced patchers but I would've missed out on creating
something by myself for myself and learning from my mistakes. I have two complex OSCs and modules to control
them so I'm already getting interesting results from my system. But it'll take time before I'll really start to comprehend
the full potential of this particular system.

EDITED Oct 18th 2021, 14:58

Hi Gumbo23,

Oh that's a lovely ambient track. Great sounds and it's nice to see your rack being in action here! :-)

This demo gives me a good appetite for modules like Usta and Odessa... hmm... and I "promised" myself to buy less modules for a while... help... ;-) Beautiful track and thanks a lot for the great demo, kind regards, Garfield.
-- GarfieldModular

Thanks Garfield - I just love to share the things I love - and these modules just hit all the sweet spots for me, and also have that slightly mysterious quality I love in modular. I never quite know what I'm doing or what will happen, but that's my happy place!

Do you have any music you can share?

Thank you for the input! I think I need a bigger case :)

Fixed it

Im thinking of letting go of my Verbos Multi Delay Processsor. I really LOVE it but im thinking of replacing it with something else, like modulations, or voice (?) or something else?

Do you have any suggestions?

Im kind of blind at the moment so would appriciate others input as well :)

Thanks in advance

Hello Garfield,

Thanks for the colorful narrative. That was a fun read and I am glad that you found some fun in the track. Never been to Tryondip 59E but sounds like it is worth a trip.

All the best

Just enough time this for a quick session on the Moogs.

Thanks so much @GarfieldModular. You are far too kind.
I am moving more and more in the Berlin School direction. As I assemble some pieces I'm really happy with, I will be glad to share them with you. I'm also starting to collaborate a bit with a drummer who is a huge fan of Jaki Liebzeit and the 70s era of German rock and electronic music. Hopefully some cool experiments will come out of that.
My friend in Leipzig has tried to convince me to play in some electronic music venues or festivals the next time I visit. I would feel silly if I looked like Rick Wakeman surrounded by synths on stage (haha), so I would probably just take a small portable rack if I ever decide to do something like that. That's probably a few years away though.
Seriously, thanks for listening to this demo. I'm pretty passionate about that era of and style of music, so your feedback really means a lot.

Hi Ryan,

Ha, ha, I feel much honoured, thank you! :-) I was on holiday last week, hence the reason of my slow reply. I almost overlooked your post. So if you or anyone else posted something and you were kind of expecting a reply from me, my apologies, I was on holiday and didn't check my E-mails neither all posts here on this forum.

Great track you made here, it really rocks! Em, I meant it really dubs ;-) Funny and nice video effects with your hands & arms too! That sound that kicks in around and between 5:16 and 5:18, that's a great sound, how you did that? With some great filter?

I really don't mind more of this style of your music here in the You section however you don't have to do this just especially for me. At the end it must be you enjoying making the music. Looking at the video you did though! :-) Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Farkas,

Do I dig it? Yes Sir! :-) Great track and oh what a nice moment that is at 2:45 where you really show those Berlin School musicians what real electronic music is about! ;-)

Wow-oh-hoo! This is some serious shit! Lovely that sequence, it keeps on going, I am sitting on the tip of my chair and... and... I am totally speechless! This is so good, this brings me back (in a good way) to the end of the 1970s and 1980s where those Berlin School people still knew how to make music ;-) Yet you managed to dip it in a modern sauce that gives it just that extra bit(e) what we needed then in the 1990s and onwards were no longer decent music (with perhaps some exceptions) have been made!

So Covid-19 rules are disappearing here slowly in Europe, when did you say you were planning to come here for a concert tour?! Use this style and you conquer all the European electronic music fans! Thanks a lot for this very exciting experience and kind regards, Garfield.

P.S.: Thanks a lot for mentioning and using your VC340 vocoder again. Decent use in the beginning of the track, nice touch! I am going to press the play button again, this deserves some serious listening...

Edit: Removed typo.

EDITED Oct 17th 2021, 22:43

Hi Mowse,

It has been awhile ago since I have heard from you, but here you make it worthwhile our waiting! :-) Some great funny sounds around 13:00 in the first track by the way. Great transition around 16:00 too!

I agree here fully with Troux, your music is definitely Bandcamp worthy, so go for it! :-)

The beginning of the second track "Orb Weaver", is just sublime! The third track is a little nice track too. Thanks a lot for sharing this with us and I hope to see, sorry, to hear you soon on Bandcamp, kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Cmb_,

Great beginning of the track, I love that, all those funny and weird sounds, somehow that fits so well! :-)

If I may reply in the same kind of fun style as the music sounds, at least to me it does sound like a lot of fun :-) The below is meant as a compliment by the way!

To me it sounds you use a plastic PET bottle, inside you managed to put a mouse and with your both hands you are trying to kind of wrangle the plastic bottle however, clearly, the mouse is protesting. Then you take a saw to cut iron and you are trying to cut that plastic bottle with that saw however the mouse has some super powers and stops you from doing that ;-)

The music style reminds me a lot of what I have heard back in January 2021 (Earth date system) when I visited planet Tryondip 59E. Yeah good stuff, I don't mind to hear more of that, brings back some good old memories. Were you by any chance on Tryondip too? Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Gumbo23,

Oh that's a lovely ambient track. Great sounds and it's nice to see your rack being in action here! :-)

This demo gives me a good appetite for modules like Usta and Odessa... hmm... and I "promised" myself to buy less modules for a while... help... ;-) Beautiful track and thanks a lot for the great demo, kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Cmb_,

Thank you very much :-) Ha, ha, yeah sometimes effing around with stuff leads to nice results ;-) Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Yunyun,

Lovely demo track of the Marbles! It's still on my wish list too, your demo track reminds me of getting one :-)

Thank you very much for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield.

it is man, it is!!

I find it extremely welcoming and friendly - especially after 16 years in the lowlands...

you just have to realise that our default settings are sarcasm and taking the piss - often out of ourselves and our friends - and that no harm is meant ... you ought to start worrying if we don't, though!

EDITED Oct 17th 2021, 20:12

For a small effects rack, especially if you want to continue to use Ableton, you probably want to focus on effects that you can't get on your computer. FX Aid XL is a good in-rack choice for its size and variety, but I don't think it does anything that you can't do better outside a rack. You can try VCVRack for free and see how you like it. That might also be a good way to learn what modulation and utilities you need, though some effects or processors you might want to use in a physical rack won't be available, like Beads.

Maths is big for a rack this size. I prefer Falistri, but it's only slightly smaller. These both have many uses but you may not need their full functionality. Do you know what you want to use them for? Cosmotronic Delta-V is half the size of Maths and does much of what it does. If you just want basic envelopes, you can get smaller and simpler modules (and of course you can get envelopes and LFOs out of the computer also).

In summary, I think your modulation needs depend heavily on the particular physical effects modules you wish to use, and some manual reading and demo watching might shed light on that.

well - not meant to be condescending - forthright perhaps, but not condescending... at least you find it interesting!

possibly to do with the fact that I'm in my 50s from the North West of England, have lived nearly a 3rd of my life in Europe and don't take shit from people, even if they are paying me.. and you aren't!

-- JimHowell1970

Such a welcoming place...

EDITED Oct 17th 2021, 19:48

Using eurorack Serge for all of the modular sounds combined with a couple percussion tracks and guitar.

https://audiomack.com/embed/song/solitaire-ou-solidaire/67p-surface?background=1

All the best

Nice, works fine nearfield monitors with plain bottled water as well.