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It's Xaoc. Which I think might be Russian for "kickass!" There are so many sneaky and hidden functions in those (particularly when you add a module's expander) that you can just go on and on with them and it'll take you a while to exhaust the possibilities with ANY of their stuff. Batumi and Zadar are more or less "go-tos" for adding big bangs in small spaces, for instance. And when they go ALL OUT (think their Odessa module here), it really IS all out! Feckin' amazing design going on there...on both sound AND ergonomics.
-- Lugia
I only have a VCA and the multi from XAOC, but I can feel you're totally right. The design is one of my faborutes on the Euro sphere, and yeah, I almost clicked "add to cart" a few times bout the Batumi. Odessa seems to be a wonderful generator...

EDITED Jul 16th 2022, 05:52

as far as i know moving a row to a specific position is not possible
i already made a suggestion for this feature in the feature requests thread
but you can swap rows in the Edit -> swap rows menu:

-- modular01

Ok great. Cheers!

I agree, but I also think it's good to remind people that the extra 10% is going to cost them an extra 90% - just like it will do with modular in general...

-- JimHowell1970

My sentiment exactly. As an example, I've been scribbling down some diagrams for a multichannel sound projection system, and for shits 'n' giggles, I also did a version of this solely in Eurorack.

Original version, using Chinese copies of dbx speaker management hardware for the multichannel splitting and initial delays + inexpensive used processors for the effect delays and reverbs = about $750.

Eurorack version = about $2500.

So, yeah...it would be easier to implement the Eurorack version, since it would probably take up most of a Mantis and you would just have to jack into your amplified speakers. But when you're doing art on the sort of budgets we've had for art in the USA for a few decades, you're gonna be reaching for that AliExpress malt liquor instead of that Eurorack champagne. Just simple economics.

Like "It's Bond, James Bond"...
-- JimHowell1970

And if you can get someone to intone that slogan with the proper accent, it would be the PERFECT opening card bit for one of their promos. Yep...I like!

I bought into the hate for in rack percussion
-- xnax

I absolutely hate the use of the word "hate" in this sort of context, it's far too over the top... excessive hyperbole!!! hehehe

& don't get me started on the use of "gatekeeping" and "rules" (mostly on reddit, tbh) in relation to advice given on here and modwiggler...

brilliant rant though!!! and your percussion rack sounds great...

I agree, but I also think it's good to remind people that the extra 10% is going to cost them an extra 90% - just like it will do with modular in general...

EDITED Jul 15th 2022, 23:02

hehehe I knew you knew!!!

maybe "It's XAOC, kickass chaos" would be even better!

Like "It's Bond, James Bond"...

Oh, yeah...I know it's supposed to be "chaos", but I see a slogan possibility there: "Xaoc. Chaos. Kickass."

the way in rack drums are tossed out as unreasonable is silly to me as the entire point of modular is to build the instrument you want to build.
-- xnax

I totally agree @xnax. It's YOUR instrument. Build what you want and re-sell the parts that aren't working for you.
Personally, I've taken a hybrid approach with drums, incorporating a desktop 808 clone with modular drums. In fact, I've dedicated 104hp just to modular drums (not including various trigger sequencers and switches) and I couldn't be happier. I may even pick up a DFAM again just so I can (*gasp) take it out of its own dedicated case and put it in my rack, because THAT'S WHERE IT WILL GET USED THE MOST. All of these "rules of thumb" for building a rack need to be taken with a grain of salt. If you want a drum rack, build a drum rack. If you want to rack up a bunch of semi-modulars together, do that. It might cost a little more than alternative methods, but that's on each of us to weigh the costs and benefits. If I listened to every piece of advice given on this forum, I'd have ended up with a bunch of stuff that's great for generative ambient or West Coast-ish Buchla bongo sounds but useless for what I actually find myself doing most of the time.
Only you know how you will make the best use of your gear. Experiment and have fun.

I bought into the hate for in rack percussion when I was first getting started and bought a drum machine and immediately regretted it. It takes up more room on the desk. It's another power supply, bag, and cables needed to carry to gigs. It's more wires and connections to remember to make at the show. People say it can do what in rack can do, but it's just not true. Yes, it can make drum sounds and can even have accents. Yes you can program sequences and store multiple sequences to switch between. Yes it can be clocked from your system or be a clock for your system. That's about it though. It can't be immediately tweaked and adjusted to fit an improvised set. It cant react to changes you make in the melody as you make those changes, or build and swell and fall with an LFO that is building dynamics within your set. It is not immediate and it is not a part of your system. It is a thing on the side that needs to be adjusted constantly or preprogrammed methodically to not just be a constant rhythm marching through your set and not allowing it to breathe and move. Yes, it will cost you more money, but what you get is miles beyond what a drum machine can do. That argument is like saying don't build a modular synth, just buy a keyboard synth. It completely ignores the whole point of modular. The setup I am building towards will be about $10k and it will have one acid bass line with a simple VCO, filter, distortion, delay. It will have a kick drum that uses three different modules to get the shape and flexibility I want. It will be using Erica Synths Sample Drum with two different noise samples being triggered at a time(and the two samples being triggered cycle via CV from Mimetic digitalis for variety/accents) and crossfaded into one voice. It will have high hats that probabilistically cycle between two variable noise sources fed into two low pass gates which are then crossfaded together into a hit and an accent which will also be varied by the gates/triggers sent to the LPGs. There will be multiple feedback sources that can be shaped into tones/textures that can be modulated by the rhythm, or an LFO, or both. Feeding all of it, I have Pams, Knights Gallop, Time Wizard, and Bin Seq feeding two different rhythms into a sL3kt to switch between on the fly, so I can be shaping/modifying one rhythm while the other is playing. They will also be providing timing for the bass line, effects, feedback shaping etc. From Sl3kt the triggers get fed into Idum which can mutate/modify the rhythm at will. I have mutes to shut down or change gate routing at will. There will be effects after all this, but the effects could be after your drum machine if you wanted to do it that way(which you should). The point of my rig is to be able to play it spontaneously and be able to shape and shift the rhythms to fit the feel of whatever I am doing in that moment. I am an improvisational person so this is ideal for me and was the whole draw of modular synthesis for me. I'm sure that a drum machine fits a lot of peoples needs, but the way in rack drums are tossed out as unreasonable is silly to me as the entire point of modular is to build the instrument you want to build.

Yes.

thanks !
waiting this extra for perfection.

Is the entire world slipping closer to recession?

Love this. So simple and beautiful. I’m a sucker for slow Rings melodies into a huge reverb. Could listen to this for hours. Cheers!
-- TumeniKnobs

Thanks for listening! Slow rings melodies -> big verb describes most of what I've been doing lately. I think I might actually sell my rings module though, I tend to spend more time flarfing with it than producing sounds. Might have to get my greasy mitts on a Basimilus...

I generally agree with @Lugia's advice to avoid in-rack percussion, especially in smaller racks, and followed it myself for a long time. However, I got a good deal on EC + SS while filling my fourth 104hp row, and after working with that and external drum machines for a while (using a CV-to-MIDI module), I bought QD. This still may not be the right decision for you, but here are a few points in their favour. EC is very playable. Euclidean capability is relatively rare in standalone drum machines or sequencers, and even when it is present, it's unlikely to have a good UI. Pam's gives you the capability in-rack but I didn't consider it playable (it's fine for set-and-forget).

Unsurprisingly, QD works very well with EC, and is also quite playable on its own. With both EC and QD, you can do most of what you need in a straightforward manner, but for some functions, you will need to consult the manual to understand what the lights mean (often these are just configuration settings). QD can play your own samples (it comes with a good library) and it has the mini-Rings part of Plaits and, I suspect, the percussion models (or something very much like them). You also have Plaits and One in your proposed rack, but I would encourage you to instead consider for that space some of the more complex and unusual oscillators available, such as the new Bastl Pizza. QD also has a compressor and (as an Easter egg) a delay and reverb. You could eliminate the tiny 2-3hp effects modules, which are going to be a nuisance to work with. (If you don't think QD's effects plus Beads is sufficient, consider the 6hp FX Aid XL.)

I can't speak for @Lugia, but we often have similar points of view...

the main reason that it's often better to get a standalone drum machine as opposed to a modular one is expense - drum modules and modular drum kit synths etc and sequencing them is always going to be much more expensive, especially when you take into account case space, than a similarly functional standalone drum machine - most of which include both sequencing and drum kit oriented effects and are reasonably easily and cheaply synced to modular and often have way more channels for different drum sounds

this pretty much equally applies to everything related to percussion - with the exception, perhaps, of using more generic modules to generate drum sounds and either sampling them or recording track at a time in a daw or similar, this to some extent covers both modules such as plaits or peaks and rolling your own sounds from fundamental synthesis modules (vco, noise, vcf, etc etc)

take the quad drum for instance - it costs more than a cheap drum machine to start with, it needs to be put in a case, it needs sequencing, it doesn't have any effects, it needs to be fed into to a mixer and it's only 4 voices...

take say erica or wmd drum modules - you really want a few of them (probably at least 3) which adds up in cost very very quickly - and then you hit the same issues as with the quad drum...

take something like the queen of pentacles or blk_noir - mostly the same issues again - except mixing and effects are on board

the only advantages of modular percussion are convenience, "it's in the rack with everything else" and modulation - but you pay a major premium for that, generally many multiples of that for not necessarily that much gain...

saying that I have an in rack drum synthesizer (FSS Portland, which I DIYed), Peaks (which I often use for kick and snare), plaits (which I sometimes use for hats or other percussion), a general cv, a few lpgs and marbles, erica black sequencer and a zularic repetitor (which I often use for drum sequencing) and a befaco cv thing (again that I built) that I will use for sequencing my external midi drum synths - & I'd like (but not so much I'm running out to buy asap) a blck_noir and a crucible...

that's at least a couple of thousand in modules alone + at least a couple of hundred in case space (most of my 8 cases are DIY & under £1/hp) - when in all reality I could do 90%+ of what I use it for with a pretty basic and inexpensive drum machine... and get 90%+ the same results much quicker

at the end of the day it's your money... do what you want with it... find your workflow and make your peace with your money... no one cares, except you... take or leave advice as you see fit... etc etc etc

Elevator Sound in the UK has it listed on preorder, and the manual is available from the VPME website.

Love this. So simple and beautiful. I’m a sucker for slow Rings melodies into a huge reverb. Could listen to this for hours. Cheers!

Very nice track and great artwork too. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

I was planning on buying the QD and a new sequencer, but I bought Elements and Cloud Terrarium because both makers are no longer making new modules. I’ve had my eye on both modules for a while and learned early that supply of Eurorack stuff is fleeting, so I just went for it, and glad I did. It is a shame to see synthesizers.com in trouble and other manufacturers closing shop these days. Hopefully it doesn’t get much worse.

@Lugia @Vow3ll Many thanks for the suggestion of Tiptop Mantis, I'll definitely switch for that: more space and more power with roughly the same cost! My French patriotism led me to Arturia too fast haha!

@Lugia If I understand your point correctly, you don't really believe in drum-oriented modules (voices and sequencing) like the QD. The reasoning would be the same with "fancier" modules like Queen of Pentacles or Erica Synth analog drum modules? The latest clones from Uli are definitely tempting either the 808 or 909, I might get one one day. That being said, they do not provide modulations option right?

any news on this?

as far as i know moving a row to a specific position is not possible
i already made a suggestion for this feature in the feature requests thread
but you can swap rows in the Edit -> swap rows menu:

-- modular01

Thanks so much for the help!

as far as i know moving a row to a specific position is not possible
i already made a suggestion for this feature in the feature requests thread
but you can swap rows in the Edit -> swap rows menu:

EDITED Jul 15th 2022, 05:01

Bump, also trying to figure this out.

EDITED Feb 27th 2023, 07:34

Thanks no I think I’d run it externally to save on rack space

@Lugia - it's chaos, not kickass, but they might be that too!

EDITED Jul 14th 2022, 21:24

It's Xaoc. Which I think might be Russian for "kickass!" There are so many sneaky and hidden functions in those (particularly when you add a module's expander) that you can just go on and on with them and it'll take you a while to exhaust the possibilities with ANY of their stuff. Batumi and Zadar are more or less "go-tos" for adding big bangs in small spaces, for instance. And when they go ALL OUT (think their Odessa module here), it really IS all out! Feckin' amazing design going on there...on both sound AND ergonomics.

I wouldn't recommend building an entire system to simply do audio effects, given that you can find a buttload of physical rackmounted effects processors for damn near dirt. Seriously...if you can pay something like $180 for a used Lexicon LXP-15 ii (it was about 10X that when new!), why in the hell wouldn't you go for THAT rather than trying to cram functionality on that level into a module that goes in a Eurorack cab? And if patchability is the key here, just route all of the outboard gear's I/Os through some patchbays. I've been working like that for decades...and the idea DOES come with a "pedigree" of sorts, since I cribbed that from Syracuse's analog studio...

...which Uncle Bob designed. Not much better in the way of authorities than that!

It's useful...but it also has its own case and power, ergo it's probably not a good idea to toss those aside to spend even more to house it in the more expensive Eurorack cab spaces. Plus, if you really want that Moog sound, it might be a better idea in this case to just get a proper lowpass ladder-filter clone of the 904 and a clone of the CP3 mixer. Those modules are where the "mojo" resides, and the rest of what's in the Mavis can be replicated in a more flexible manner by basic Eurorack modules.

TBH, Moog should've followed their usual pattern of releasing their Moogfest workshop synths, and given us the Spectravox to use alongside their other 60 hp devices. But they didn't.

First off, I think you'll be better-served by going with a Tiptop Mantis cab instead of the Arturia. They also expand easily; Tiptop carries an extension bracket for those that lets you add a second cab above the first one. And power-wise, the Mantis uses a beefed-up variation on Tiptop's uZeus which is built into the cab; the Rackbrute requires 5 hp right off for its P/S. But the best point: 104 hp x2 for $335, as opposed to the Rackbrute's 88 (or 89, depending on who you ask) x2 - 5 hp for the power for $359.

The other point here is that trying to build a "drum machine" into a modular rig is a losing proposition. It requires that quite a bit of the space go to voicing and sequencing modules, which then diminishes the space available for synth modules...so, in the end, you wind up either with a huge and spendy system, or a more sensibly-sized result in which both the synth and drums wind up being somewhat compromised. And then...the cost!

OK...we'll take the obvious drum machine function modules, namely the Euclidean Circles and the QD, and check those prices...which come out to $772-ish, depending on the exchange rate. Doesn't sound too spendy? Well, to my immediate left as I type this, I've got one of Uli's 808 clones, which nails that sound, adds a few useful functions that the original didn't have, and puts all that in your hands for $329. And if you think that's not sufficient, add another machine and lock it up with the first one. In the end, using these purpose-built machines is the RIGHT move; you cannot replicate the RD-8 mkii's functionality in Eurorack until you're on up in the $1k+ zone. It might seem more convenient to put it in the modular, but in the end, you lose too much and pay too much for that to be tenable.

have conviced me to keep it well preciously!

My new work, with the Shetland artist Belinda Sales

Patch notes: Pachinko sequencing Surface > Imitor Versio > Desmodues Versio > Timiszoara > Starlab

do you want us to critique it for you?

if so please post a link to the public rack (ie the url) - this helps us, help you - as there are mouse over informatics, click through and roughly 10k modules of which most of us only have experience of a few 10s, maybe a couple of hundred, at best

any worthwhile effects rack is very, very close to a full blown modular synth...

a synth is made up of sound sources, sound modifiers, modulation sources and utility modules

an effects rack is made up of an i/o module of some sort (you sound source), sound modifiers, modulation sources and utility modules

but here's the rub... a powerful technique is audio rate modulation - for this you want a sound source - ie a vco - & the i/o is a utility - so effectively they are identical...

do you have an audio interface with at least 4 outputs? you'll want one of those if you don't have one... why do I need 4 outputs? I hear you say... because you need master outputs to hear the mix and 2 to use as sends to the rack... but I can use headphones to monitor! I hear you say - hmm, no the headphones mirror the master outs (1&2) - so unless you want to be that blind deaf and dumb kid - get at least 4 outputs!

if you want to do things like tempo syncing - you'll either want more outputs than that or a midi interface (& potentially a midi-cv module), personally I use audio as much as possible...

If you don't already have an audio interface, there are a few in eurorack (expert sleepers es8 or 9 and there's a new one on it's way from befaco)

if you already have a suitable audio interface then you'll need to boost the audio levels to modular levels - because modular operates at a much higher level (peak to peak voltage) - so you'll probably need an audio input module - or at least a module that can amplify with a decent amount of gain +20dB is good!

plugging the audio from the modular back directly into your audio interface may or may not clip, depends on the audio interface, or might want balanced inputs - so you might need either attenuators or an output module...

there are some combined i/o modules

so that's your sound source taken care of...

I'll assume you want to process stereo tracks from the DAW...

there are thousands of eurorack effects modules - so it really depends on what sort of processing you want to do - but take note a lot are mono - so that may rule them out, unless you want to buy multiples of the same module, or a LRSMSMLR module (which will take your stereo signal and turn it into Mid and Side channels - these can the be processed by mono effects and then it will recombine them back into a stereo signal) - furthermore a lot of people using DAWs want to get some 'analog goodness' into their workflow... most of these modules are mono!!! most of the 'interesting' stereo effects are digital... but don't let that put you off...

some 'interesting' effects modules that you might want to look at (in no particular order) are arbhar, clouds, beads, mimeophon, morphagene, erbe-verb, bunker archeology, magneto, starlab, rings, doepfer filters, fixed filter banks, dual looping delay, spectral multiband resonator, fsu, plague bearer - it really depends on what you are trying to do - which you didn't specify...

the real advantage of modular effects, is the level of cv modulation that you can achieve, using a combination of lfos, envelope generators, function generators, random sources and chaos... so you'll want a decent selection of those - now I hear you say "but I can twiddle knobs and use my hands" - well yes you can but you only have 2 of those - and you'll almost definitely want more, which is where these modulation sources come in very handy - as they replace your hands!!

and don't forget a vco for audio rate modulation!

now for the really important bit... utilities! mix, merge and mangle your signals - both cv and audio & probably in lots of cases not together - which is why you almost definitely need more of these than you can imagine - vcas (a good start is a good quality quad cascading vca - veils perhaps - grab one whilst you can), mixers (sub mixers, matrix mixers, unity mixers, end of channel mixers), mults, attenuators, attenuverters, switches (both manual and sequential), slews etc etc... in general these expand the capabilities of everything else you have exponentially and are comparatively inexpensive (doepfer and ladik are really good brands for these types of modules)

and you might find that a trigger/gate sequencer and a cv sequencer (possibly with multiple channels) are a good idea...

so when I say get a bigger case and go slowly with the module purchases - so you learn what you actually need - as opposed to just the effects modules you really want - you may have an inkling of why

as for a case - I'd recommend a tiptop mantis as a great starting point - it's the best meeting point of hp/cost/good quality power/manufacturer reputation...

now I hope this hasn't put you off, as modular is fantastic, but I'm just giving you an idea of what you are getting yourself into...

if you look into my signature you will see a formula - it is a rough guide to how to build a versatile modular for the least cash...

now go create a public rack (on here) throw a few modules in and post the url - so that we can critique it...

NB there is nothing unique or particularly rare or cool in modular - there are just modules - the most unique thing is you and how you combine them, patch them and play them!

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1978238.jpg

Boths Moogs are not in case.

hey guys

I wanna put together a rack only for processing sounds coming from my DAW, so I'm looking for some input on modules that are great for sound design/processing purposes.

my criteria are intuitive usability (no quadruple-layer submenus) and unique sound processing capabilities (i.e. something you cannot easily program in MaxMSP - but can also be interesting takes on simple effects like delays!).

any suggestions are much appreciated! thanks!

Thanks very much :) I've not spent much on new stuff lately, need to sell some stuff first.

Cool track! Thanks for sharing that. Cheers!

If you like the Moog sound and will make use of the patch bay, it's probably an incredibly useful addition for not much money.

10 minutes in and really enjoying the dynamics and evolving sections you arranged into this. It's something I need to work on. I got a bunch of new modules recently and I've been spending time learning them (Elements, VPME QD, Cloud Terrarium and Metropolix - all quite deep, so lots of learnin' to do). Thanks for sharing.

I can get a Moog Mavis for under £300 and wonder how useful and beneficial it’d be to have it in this basic starter rack

So excited, just got my EuroPi module kit, brilliant job Rory.

Hi all,

As a rather long list of beginners before me, I’m submitting my first euro rack idea to your expertise to see if I missed something in this first draft and how can I fill those empty slots. To bring some context I’m new to fully modular setups but I already own the Moog semi-modular Trilogy (Mother 32, DFAM, and Subharmonicon) which I love and want to keep (but out the rack). I now want to go deeper into that path by making this first rack. I want to make some “ambient/melodic techno” I would say with a lot of randomness in the texture but a structural base of kick-snare to rely on. This rack should be able to generate cool jams by itself but will of course be completed with my current gear.

I intend to use the Arturia RackBrute 6U because it seems rather convenient to use and to expand with another one, but let's no go too far from now on. So from left to right, from top to bottom let’s start the review.

First, the Pamela New Workout is the main clock, it provides division and some randomness so quite a strong module. Then for sequencing triggers, I wanted to go with the Euclidean Circles with the expander switch. All the drum/percussions sounds will come from the following sources: QD, Plaits, and One. I conclude this first row with effects with Pico DSP, Beads, and a 2HP reverb and mixer.

The second row starts with obviously Math for modulation. Then the sequence of the Turing Machine, a Quantizer, a VCO and a filter will be used to generate the main melodic line of the jams. Finally, I have added a Noise generator and LFOs for additional modulation. I conclude with a 4 VCA / Mixer as the main output.

Does it seem complete to you? What is it missing?

Thank you for your time,

Cheers!

Just to say I had the pleasure of using this in beta and it's superb. Beautiful construction, clean aesthetics, unique user-controllable Lin/Log taper response (while remaining an entirely passive module—very clever!). A great first module from a company you're going see a lot more from.

Phin Head
Stochastic Instruments

Thank you Garfield and Tumeni!

Looking for a simple headphone output for my eurorack which I can also use as an audio output to my audio interface (Steinberg UR22C)

I've narrowed it down to the ALM HPO and the Joranalogue Transmit 2

Second hand I can get the HPO for £70 ($82) less than the Transmit 2

Would welcome advice on which one to get

I'm starting out and will principally be using it for headphones

Thanks!
-- MrMojoRisin

The HPO is the no-nonsense solution in a small rack and does a decent job for me.
More often I am using the Erica Pico OUT since I usually do monitoring on a set of 3.5 mm jack earphones and record on a pocket recorder at the same time. It's my go to for that scenario so I have one in all of my small cases.

EDITED Jul 13th 2022, 09:13

Ive got a hpo for sale if you Are located in the EU

Well, whip on this, then: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/happy-nerding-isolator-2022-silver

With this new 4 hp-er from HN, you not only get a PROPER 1/4" TRS headphone jack and preamp, you also have balanced TRS outs for left and right. And the cherry on the cake here, you CAN'T see...because it's the transformers inside the module, which not only isolate your modular from the interface to control noise and ground loop issues, but you can "punch" them a bit harder and, like any good audio transformer, you wind up with that "big iron" warmth due to a touch (or more!) of saturation.

Some don't dig having an output module of this sort. But having seen ground loop and signal crud issues in both dive bars and high-end Nashville studios, I think it's a pretty useful addition, as you never know when you're going to come up against those sorts of issues.
-- Lugia

Hi Lugia,

Not doubting your experience with the HN module, but the Joranalogue claims to have all of that in some form or shape as well. The headphone jack is 3,5mm instead of 6,3. But you get XLRs which are very common in pro environments and easily converted to 6,3 jack with a cable. The module claims to overcome the problems of galvanic isolation by using solid state components. I don't know enough about it to evaluate if that's going to be true or not. I'd like to hear what you think of it. I was considering this module as well.