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And another... this time with some Contact Mic recordings from in the Brewery which are messed with in Clouds.

Hi all,

I am considering selling my Make Noise Shared System on MG, but since the marketplace is coupled to single modules only, how do I offer this system for sale here? Selinng the individual modules is not an option, I'm afraid. Suggestions are welcome!

Kind regards,

ds

I mixed the Saw, Square and Even outputs in Veils before going to the Happy Nerding HNVCF and its 18dB, modulation coming from the Envelope and a clocked LFO from the Noise Engineering Clep Diaz and I've now re-patched this to go through Monsoon Clouds instead of Mimeophon.

Thanks

Cool I need to use the recorder on my Disting EX. Had fun recording bunch of synths today on the Bluebox.

I wish this was real, instead it just sits here teasing me, along with all the other lightstrip prototypes!

Thanks Garfield,

Yeah I think it comes down to a hard limit inherent in the DPO module since it has only two 1v/oct connections so I could sequence two channels from Rene for two different VCO on the DPO for bass/melody. But I could see also if I can get a snare/high hat/ kick from Erbeverb and use Wogglebug noise as well to manage that. That would make me very happy and prove that the Shared System can hold its own as a stand alone beat making techno system against others like the Erica Synths Techno System and so forth.

always a good idea to check wigglehunt.com too (aggregator site)

Hello All,

Does one perhaps know if the 2500 modules from the brand of whom we shall not speak the name ;-) if those modules are 100% compatible with Eurorack standards or are there any surprises or other things to be aware off when using it together with one's Eurorack stuff?

Thank you very much in advance and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Sacguy71,

Ha, ha, great sound, that wacky bass jam :-) Nice to so you play around with your Shared System, you have some great moments there with the René module. That one has 3 channels, if I am not mistaken, so you could use that for two melody lines and your bass line for example. Then I see you have a Pressure Points module as well, that can be used as a small sequencer as well, for a few of your percussion sounds, for example.

I don't have a Shared System, so not too sure if more is possible however with Make Noise modules, creativity is almost endless! :-)

Thanks a lot for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield.

Made a crazy bass jam tonite on the Make Noise Shared System using DPO with Rene clocked by Tempi and Erbeverb for effects.
I am trying to figure out how to patch a complete track with bass, melody and drums (kick, clap, hi hats, snare) using only this modular system.

Enjoy!

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Nice jam that you packed full with variations in sound, wow! Looks like you got some good experience with the EvenVCO, I still need to get to know this module better to get the best out of it. You don't seem to have any issues with that :-)

Some nice echo effects (Mimeophon?) you got there just starting before 09:00, great!

Great jam and demo, thanks a lot for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield.

Thanks @troux that makes sense. BTW reminds me of some Heinbach vids I watched a little on YouTube. @broken-form if you haven't already watched Heinbach vids IMO there's a lot in his recent vids that would be helpfulfor interesting textures

For those interested now (2021) you should probably wait til the next batch is available...likely at the end of this year, according to the maker's website. Better than plunging for an exorbitantly priced used module.

EDITED Nov 7th 2021, 00:09

Hey @nickgreenberg, the ResEQ opens up a ton of textural space for drones, feedback, field recordings, etc. Take a simple field recording case, you've got some insects, you route it through the ResEQ and cut all the frequencies but let's say the top and the bottom (or whatever combo you want) and it still sounds like insects or whatnot, but in a new weird fashion that's connected but not identical to what your ears might expect. With drones it lets you emphasize the textures that might jump out as interesting or that you feel are interesting. Honestly it's a wonderful module.

No Problem - have fun!!! & hope all your builds work first time or are at least easy to troubleshoot

I think you can use the Beatstep Pro as a MIDI to CV converter. My Keystep and SQ-1 can do that.

@troux, I don’t get from looking at Serge ResEQ what’s good about it for creative uses. Would you mind giving some explanation / examples? Thanks! NG

I appreciate the guidance, Jim. I'll take all of this into consideration. Thank you.

Serge ResEQ

I use a Disting mk4 for this and it always works great, no multitrack but the convenience is worth it.

Agree. Well the Bluebox is fun so far and great little mixer and recorder for my Eurorack stuff. Should improve the process of using with my DAW.

Hi farkas

build a passive mult 1st - should be cheap and very easy

get a kit for the befaco module - not just panel and pcb - follow the order in the building instructions and you should be ok!

AISynthesis has a lot of beginner material - videos and kit lists - watch these

if you haven't bought a soldering iron yet - seriously consider the hakko fx888 - https://www.hakko.co.uk/product/fx-888d-digital-soldering-station-blue-yellow/ (it's the one I have)
it may be the only soldering iron you ever buy - and has a good variety of tips available in case you need to do smd in the future

other than that get:

solder with lead (pb) in it - it's easier to use as it flows at a lower temperature than lead free and isn't a problem for the small amount of solder that you will probably be doing - and won't cause problems as you won't be selling modules you build for a while at least - buy the thickness that AI recommends - buy a decent amount

desoldering braid - you will make mistakes and once you get the hang of it works really well - better than solder suckers imo

a basic multimeter

side cutters - for trimming leads

a magnifying glass on a stand (maybe a 3rd hand one)

hope this helps
Jim

EDITED Nov 6th 2021, 20:49

Okay, some other ideas, if you're open to digital
-- I'm hearing some really buck-wild stuff coming out of QuBit Organic Wavetable and NE Loquelic Iteritas Percido
-- the Xaoc "Leibniz Binary" system & modules are worth looking at

I've had some really interesting results in the DAW from some heavy digital smashing put through really lush delay / reverb. The digital harshness is beautifully tempered by a lush spatial effect.

SO if I wanted to put a bunch of $s towards an interesting texture setup I might do something like:
-- a wide ranging and barely controllable digital OSC like NE Loquelic Iteritas Percido
-- a granular module of choice
-- the Xaoc "Leibniz Binary" system
-- Panharmonium
... with some mixing thrown in where needed in the middle of that, plenty of CV modulation, and some lush FX on the end of it

I really don't focus on textures myself, so take this with a grain of salt. BUT you seemed hungry for more ideas, so here's a few more!

Cheers, NG

NP
if you can find veils get that instead of the intellijel... slightly smaller module and has more gain available + a couple of other features that make it marginally better than the intellijel imo

Hi,

Yeah i had not realized that with the erica sythns so am taking it out. I wanted a module to hook up mi DAW to the rack that would take on midi and convert that to use inside the rack.

I would be wary of the doepfer that you have replaced it with - most doepfer modules rock - but their midi modules don't

Also I have a beat step pro to use as standalone with the rack.

I added befaco because where i live i cant get the Maths.

do you live on the moon? make noise are slowly getting back to business - so if there is a make noise dealer anywhere on the continent you live on then you should be able to get one at some point - I'd suggest Maths too over the rampage - particularly because of the 'maths illustrated supplement' which is a fantastic primer for modular patching

be wary of any small 2-4hp modules - they can be particularly unergonomic and so frustrating to play with

do you really need an output module? chances are you don't, but it really depends on what you're intending on sending the output to...

I would suggest a good cascading vca module - either a triple (happy nerding 3*VCA) or quad (mutable instruments veils or intiellijel quad vca) as an investment for the future, that you need asap and almost definitely more than an output module or random or a 2hp mix... nb cascading means it will act as a mixer as well as x number of vcas

-- JimHowell1970

Jim,

jjajaj yeah I know I might just as well wait until Maths is available for order then.

the output is to be able to play the modular using headphones on the go and at home without waking up everybody in my house.
I will add the the intiellijel quad vca to the rack as per your suguestion and remove the smalle ones.

Thanks for the feedback

Hey all! I've never picked up a soldering iron in my life. I'm a reasonably intelligent guy so I suppose that I could probably figure it out without too much trouble. Thought it might be fun to build a few modules beginning with a Befaco InAmp.
To any of the experienced DIY'ers, would this be a decent project for a beginner? Thanks in advance!
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/befaco-inamp

Hi,

Yeah i had not realized that with the erica sythns so am taking it out. I wanted a module to hook up mi DAW to the rack that would take on midi and convert that to use inside the rack.

I would be wary of the doepfer that you have replaced it with - most doepfer modules rock - but their midi modules don't

Also I have a beat step pro to use as standalone with the rack.

I added befaco because where i live i cant get the Maths.

do you live on the moon? make noise are slowly getting back to business - so if there is a make noise dealer anywhere on the continent you live on then you should be able to get one at some point - I'd suggest Maths too over the rampage - particularly because of the 'maths illustrated supplement' which is a fantastic primer for modular patching

be wary of any small 2-4hp modules - they can be particularly unergonomic and so frustrating to play with

do you really need an output module? chances are you don't, but it really depends on what you're intending on sending the output to...

I would suggest a good cascading vca module - either a triple (happy nerding 3*VCA) or quad (mutable instruments veils or intiellijel quad vca) as an investment for the future, that you need asap and almost definitely more than an output module or random or a 2hp mix... nb cascading means it will act as a mixer as well as x number of vcas

Thanks to you both. Glad you liked it.

sampler based rack few voices

Hi all heres what im thinking for a sampler based rack, so far i only have the 104 intelljel 7u case, assimil8tor, performer sequencer and WMD pro output, and f8r sliders, so enough to make noise in a non-modular way. Will be buying about one module every couple of months to keep costs down :)

I like the work of Colloboh
https://colloboh.bandcamp.com/album/entity-relation-ep
and Yosi Horikawa

not sure if a setup like this will take me there or maybe even a lidl version!

Thanks any comments welcome!

EDITED Nov 6th 2021, 16:50

I think that means that if you want your files to load in a certain order, start with:

A File name
B File name
C File name.... and so on
-- wishbonebrewery

Ah yes that makes sense

How are you planning on providing pitch cv, the erica synths module is for trigger only, what are you going to be sequencing this with that you require dedicated trigger midi only?

I personally think given the single voice in the current rack that, having both the behringer and the befaco envelope/lfo is not necessary and would lose the behringer, also consider Maths as a replacement for befaco (though that is a personal preference).

FX Aid is a solid fx replacement.

Filters, there are a ton though I would look at doepher both the Wasp and SEM are great affordable and readily available filters. Intellijel Polaris is a great overall filter as well (though harder to source)

Given this is your beginning what is your end, what are you trying to do within modular, having a better sense of that will help drive some suggestions, what gear are you pairing this with. Are you using external mixers? Is this going to be a standalone groove box?

I would look into getting a Disting as well since there is a lot of utility baked in a small hp and is great when you need some function to try out in a patch before committing to a dedicated module and comes in handy in small racks.
-- mog00

Hi,

Yeah i had not realized that with the erica sythns so am taking it out. I wanted a module to hook up mi DAW to the rack that would take on midi and convert that to use inside the rack.

Also I have a beat step pro to use as standalone with the rack.

I added befaco because where i live i cant get the Maths.

The end is to use the rack to complement my music production, creating new sounds.

Looks like a good start! I'd personally add an analogue oscillator and a wavefolder, maybe an STO or a Dixie II+ and a Joranalogue Fold 6... also FX Aid is pretty flexible and might be worth considering over an ECHOZ. Last thought, ALM's HPO is 2HP vs Pico being 3HP here and about the same price.
-- troux

Nice will look into the FX Aid

Fordidden Planet is a very good filter module. I think I remember @Lugia using it and being happy with it. You have to ask him... :) For my part I use several filters including Overseer which would be perfect for a DJ / House work. Other comment: Plaits is a wonderful module to start a modular and will stay in your rack until the end of the road... So, have a good trip!
-- Sweelinck

Thanks for the feedback

I think that means that if you want your files to load in a certain order, start with:

A File name
B File name
C File name.... and so on

EDITED Nov 6th 2021, 14:56

Have downloadet the manual.
Buy think i read somewhere.the samples needed to be named in a certain way.but in the manual it says that the samples will be chosen in alphabetic order?

Befaco EvenVCA as the main sound source, ignore the messy bit with the fast Chainsaw bit.
Throwing lots of modulation at a couple of filters, one heads out to Erica Pico DSP and the other to Mimeophon.
The 2hp Turing Machine is driving the pitches, always good for Acid lines.

Ah ah ah... reading all the advice here, it's enough to make you dizzy... and that's normal, everyone is trying to help you, and I myself will bring you another advice (at the end).

Modular is actually 'a long and winding road'... not a motorway.

You have to take your time.
Because anyway, a lot of time will pass before you stabilize a set-up that you will really master and be (at least temporarily) happy with.

Time:

• The choices constrained by the availability of the modules (especially nowadays...), and maybe time for another (good) choice :)
• Time spent studying how the modules work (reading manuals, watching videos, reading ou discussing in the forums), finally producing a wonderful track on the basis of what was just a simple test in the beginning.
• Oops! That sudden discovery (and order) of another great module that has just been released, or that you were totally unaware of, or whose possibilities we did not suspect.
• The installation, uninstallation and reinstallation of the modules.
• The revelation of another philosophy of use of the modular in your producing reorienting your first vision.

The modular path is really long and impossible to program completely by advance.
But this is also one of its attractions.

‘A splendid time is guaranteed for all’ (Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite).

So here is my advice (of the day), and of course just an example of what is possible: a 'simple' module like the E352 (the best choice, believe me, I got one :)) means days and days of exploration, learning and pleasure!

So you start with that one, and with all the bare necessities around.
Take time and pleasure. Well, E352 is around 600€ / 700$...
You'll start to learn and love it step by step. Modular is a love story with your instrument too.
And you'll start to know step by step by yourself what you (two) really need else and in the end.

Bonus: the pleasure of receiving a package from time to time with that new module you've been longing for...

When you enter a bakery, do you remember you reason with yourself ;)

The Rossum Panharmonium is fairly expensive but excels at texture.

Keep Them coming

Awesome have to download the manual

Hi Larya,

You might want to have a look at this picture:

It's from a previous post:

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/9489

The picture might give you some ideas of which modules you might want (or not want) to consider :-) It also might give you an idea how to arrange certain types of modules within a rack.

Good luck with the planning, take it easy with the setup of your new rack and please keep some empty space left for future extensions. Kind regards, Garfield.

Our posts crossed and I didn't see your reply, so here is an addendum. For evolving textures in Eurorack, I look to slow modulation sources that can provide CV to FM and wavefolders of VCOs. To complement my Elektron boxes and other out-of-rack gear, I look to analog VCOs with, well, lots of modulation options. I'm not particularly impressed by wavetables, in or out of rack, but this is a personal opinion. My VCOs are Frap Tools Brenso and (just arrived) Joranalogue Generate 3.

I have a DB-01 and love it, so I understand your thinking, but: the DB-01 is a tweak on the Erica Synths Bassline module, and you may have noticed that the output is really hot? If you turn it up to max, it is at Eurorack level. So you can turn the DB-01 envelopes full open, and then feed it pitch, gate, and filter cutoff CV, and take the output straight back into your rack for further processing. Yes, you can't use the DB-01 filter for anything else, but you don't want two of those sounds around, really. Of course, you can just sync clock, use that great DB-01 sequencer, and mix in the sound separately.

Delta-V is my suggestion for replacing Maths. It doesn't have the logic or skew limiter, but you can get those from Disting (one at a time) and see if you need specialized modules for those purposes. I chose Frap Tools Falistri over Maths, but that is more of a boutique choice, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to everyone. Each of the two Falistri envelopes does quite well as a VCO that can track V/oct while holding pitch as shape changes (for timbre), unlike Maths. Quadrax can do this also, but with less timbre variation, and more nuisance in dialing in pitch, and it doesn't sound as good.

MI Stages is another matter, and what I am watching in this space is the announced but not yet released Joranalogue Step 8. At this point, slow acquisition may be forced on you, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Just try to get an initial set of modules (50-80 hp at most) that are usable and will not frustrate you.

EDITED Nov 6th 2021, 00:17

Some more suggestions. Think carefully about the 2hp modules. They may not be as usable as you think. Do you need an ADSR? For me it seems more useful for keyboard-driven sounds. A Cosmotronic Delta-V gives you two AR envelopes and two VCAs in 10hp. You can probably lose the 2hp VCA. As for the Buff, you already have one buffered multiple in Links. You only need buffering for pitch CV, so needing two would imply four VCO-type destinations, and you don't have that many. Stars or stackables can take care of other duplication, 0hp and much lower cost. Instead of Miso, I would suggest Klawis Mixwitch (same hp, more functionality), and instead of the Polivoks VCF, I would suggest Bastl Ikarie or another stereo filter with character. At this point you can just remove Maths, hold the space for future expansion, and see if you miss it. My guess is that you won't.

EDITED Nov 6th 2021, 00:15

Maths is wonderful, keep it. Also, I don't normally say this but I think you need more VCAs, at the very least swap out the Qx for a Doepfer Dual VCA in 4HP or swap your MIA for the Happy Nerding VCA in 6HP.

@Ronin1973
Thanks, I'm only using the DAW these days to record, mix and master, with composition happening on hardware. That said, I know most things can be done in the DAW, and that's how I used to work, but I feel like I enjoy hardware a lot more. Now, as for the modules not making sense, I've followed the advice and updated the rack.

@nickgreenberg
Thanks so much for all of these tips. I've heavily updated the rack based on them. I think my proportions of voicing, CV, utility and others is much more on point now.
- As much as the Bitbox micro was appealing, I've decided that it's more of a priority to have the VCOs for the voices. I've also dumped the Cloud Terrarium in favor of much simpler (and smaller) Erica wavetable VCO and Joranalogue Fold. It's a compromise but I guess it makes more sense in this build.
- I've added the Quadrax and expander as suggested, as well as Doepfer LFOs. As for sequencing, I'm not sure I have the space for anything bigger than the Ornament and Crime, but I do plan to get some sequencing going from the Digitone through FH-2.
- Also, as well as the Links which was aready there, I've added the Miso and a 3xMIA. Does the Maths make more sense in the current context?
- As for the ES-8, I can see it being really cool for having so much IO, but I'm not really using the DAW that much, and feel like the FH-2 is much more important in order to make the most of Digitone's MIDI sequencer. As for the OUT, do you mean the Listen Four? What are the advantages other than the embedded mixer? It's 8HP more than the Befaco so it would have to be at the expense of maybe the 3xMIA and the Buff.
- Haha I've been doing exactly that, checking out the forum for other starter racks and trying to learn as much as possible.

@plragde
As for the Cloud terrarium, I think it's Hiro Kone's main eurorack voice and I had a look at some videos and it just seems very capable at making unusual waves and creating textures that evolve over time. Let's just say I know the Erica wavetable VCO is a significant downgrade. The reason for the Plonk was to use it more for stringy platey sounds than drums, and to run it through the beads for granular stuff, but I can see there is no space for it. The polyvoks is just a filter I have come to absolutely love through the DB-01 but you're perhaps right that it might be better to get a different sounding filter. Sampling will definitely be done out of this system, if at all, I can see now that it didn't make all that sense. Finally, would you swap the Maths for MI Stages or something else?

Thanks again!

EDITED Nov 5th 2021, 23:11

Can you say more about how the Cloud Terrarium appeals to you and how you might use it? The choices of the Polivoks VCF and Plonk seem curious given you have a DB-01 and an Analog Rytm. Did you consider doing your sample manipulation out of rack, with a 1010music Blackbox or a Digitakt? I also think Maths might be too large for this rack.

Page 7 of the owner's manual gives you everything you need regarding putting samples on to the SD card. The cards are formatted in FAT32, which shouldn't be an issue. I'd buy additional SD cards. It seems Play can only read the first 32 sounds on your card. So if you have sound sets that you regularly want to use, then buying a few small SD cards would be helpful. Oh, and label them or their plastic storage containers.

How are you planning on providing pitch cv, the erica synths module is for trigger only, what are you going to be sequencing this with that you require dedicated trigger midi only?

I personally think given the single voice in the current rack that, having both the behringer and the befaco envelope/lfo is not necessary and would lose the behringer, also consider Maths as a replacement for befaco (though that is a personal preference).

FX Aid is a solid fx replacement.

Filters, there are a ton though I would look at doepher both the Wasp and SEM are great affordable and readily available filters. Intellijel Polaris is a great overall filter as well (though harder to source)

Given this is your beginning what is your end, what are you trying to do within modular, having a better sense of that will help drive some suggestions, what gear are you pairing this with. Are you using external mixers? Is this going to be a standalone groove box?

I would look into getting a Disting as well since there is a lot of utility baked in a small hp and is great when you need some function to try out in a patch before committing to a dedicated module and comes in handy in small racks.

My rule of thumb for small to mid-sized builds is:
-- 30% or less HP is voicing (OSCs, filters, waveshapers, etc.)
-- about 30% is CV (sequencers, envelopes, LFOS)
-- about 30% is utility (VCAs, attenuverters, etc)
-- 10% other (finishing FX, etc)
... I find this reliably gets me a usable mid-sized build. For larger builds, once you have your CV/utilities core, then you can take a freer hand with what else is in/out and still get a usable setup

So a few points of feedback on your "get started" rack above
-- it looks heavy on voicing and light on CV, I think you'll miss having some CV sequencing, and could use more CV envelopes / LFOs. Consider MI Stages, Intellijel Quadrax + Expander, Instro Ochd. Those would help give you more useful CV.
-- its also light on utilities, kind of bare minimum above. Consider things like MI Links and 4MS SISM or Tiptop MISO, though Maths gives you some of that type function. Also, Maths is great, but I'm not sure it makes sense above given how little other CV there is in the system
-- you do have IN and OUT modules, which is good. But these are worth some real homework, e.g. maybe something like ES-8 will be a better longterm fit round trip to the DAW for you? And the OUT merits more attention, depends on what your needs are. Lots of OUT options on the market, I use 4MS ones because they have good headphone and mains outs. This is not to say the options you have are bad, but to highlight that there's a lot of variety available in the marketplace and better to get IN/OUT modules that are a particularly great fit for your setup and uses.
-- regarding sounds sources, there are tons of options in the market. If you're not set on one, I'd say shop around more and consider what will be inspiring for you.

Regarding learning modular, there's lots and lots and lots to learn. My best practical suggestion is review a ton of Lugia's draft racks and posts describing draft racks. That will give a lot of insights on "what and why" for particular design goals.

Hope this helps. Good luck, enjoy!

EDITED Nov 5th 2021, 20:08

+1 on @troux suggestion: FX Aid.