Starting over would be a good idea at this point. This isn't even functional as a synthesizer. Just like there's not much point in trying to resuscitate someone who drowned 8 hours previously, this isn't close to being at a "fixable" point. Plus, you've bought this stuff...so you've got your initial modules bought already, and this will force how you can build from this point...and that's always a BAD IDEA.

OK, so this build here is missing...

Attenuators
Mixers
A host of modulation sources
Proper envelope generators
Any effects
Sufficient VCAs
Power (unless you're using a powered cab here...at any rate, you can't jam 3U height modules into a 1U tile case)
Sequencing
Random sources/noise
Sample and Hold
Clock generator and modifiers
Logic

...and the modules you DID get are ones that are generally large, so this will force your hand on a proper build. And most notably, a SMALL build...you're not in the range where large modules sit comfortably throughout the entire build. That happens once you start into the range of cabs beyond 2 rows and beyond 104 hp per row. So if you're keeping those expensive modules, you're going to be pushed into a situation where they dictate the build...and NOT YOU. At least, not in ways you want.

This goes for everyone reading this post...and I do mean EVERYONE:

Just because you see some hotshot on YouTube building a small build DOES NOT MEAN that you can do this, too! Invariably, the synthesists doing this are experienced, and they're putting together mission-specific builds...NOT general-purpose synths that fit into 1 x 84 hp (and even that form factor is a PITA to work with). Unless you're trying to do what they're ACTUALLY doing...DON'T DO IT!!!! If you're starting in modular, build a proper all-purpose system FIRST. Leave the tricky stunt builds for LATER...once you've learned everything the general purpose build does!

Also, there's a lot of YouTube synth channels that I don't recommend...EVER. I've seen equipment being misused, false/inaccurate information being passed on, module demos where you can't see the module being demoed due to the patchcords or, very often, the YouTuber's hands, and sometimes just absolute, outright LIES because the YouTuber's doing their gig for the free swag and gear, and NOT as impartial information. YouTube's accurate info really only seems to come from a small handful of YT users, but moreso from the manufacturers themselves...and you SHOULD be watching THOSE. But that'll wind up excluding maybe...hm...at least 2/3rds of what's on the platform, if not significantly more.

If you want to sort this out before another rather expensive mishap, my suggestions would be as follows:

1) Ignore YouTube's various synth guys, for the most part. I would suggest Loopop as being useful, plus Hainbach, Sam Battle's "Look Mum No Computer" channel, Simon the Magpie (especially for interesting, envelope-pushing ideas), and one or two others...aside of the manufacturer clips, of course.

2) Get your info from users in the trenches. MG is a great resource, as are Muff Wiggler and Gearslutz, although some judicious "noise filtering" is necessary there.

3) Get a copy of THIS: https://vcvrack.com/ Get familiar with it. You'll see why almost immediately.

4) Make a zillion prospective builds on MG. Try doing this for a few MONTHS, carefully fine-tuning and critically ripping into builds on your own and with users of the forum here. Don't even THINK about further purchases until you've come up with something that includes what you already have AND which you can intuitively sense is THE build. Believe me, you'll know when that happens.

One last thing to consider: this isn't a video game. You don't get points for nailing your build on the first shot...because NO ONE can nail a build on the first shot. ModularGrid is here so that you have a resource for doing this over and over and over and over and...well, you get the idea. Get things right here...THEN pull out the Magic Plastic. BUT NOT UNTIL THEN!


Yep, that's a very serious overloading issue there. You don't want those indicators doing anything other than being on.

The problem here is that you're trying to run the power supply right up against (and over...we'll get to that) the current limits of those uZeuses. NEVER, EVER do this! First of all, heavy loading on a power supply leads to heat, and heat leads to a bunch of problems, such as component damage in the P/S, excess heat throwing settings and patches off, and potentially module damage if the P/S fails in a few specific ways.

Your rule of thumb with current loading in a synthesizer is to make sure that the P/S (the module's DC bus outputs, not the wallwart or power brick) exceeds the amperage load from the modules by at least 1/4th...if not more (I prefer 1/3rd excess amperage headroom)! This lowers the heat on the supply, which makes it work easier, but it also fixes a very sneaky issue that you've apparently seen first-hand here: inrush loading.

Inrush loading is a simple fact of the physics of introducing power to a circuit. In the first milliseconds at power-up, circuits can draw more than their rated amperage draw, and this inrush can exceed this by quite a bit if the circuit in question contains things such as tubes, major inductors, etc. Sure, it stops doing this in a tiny fraction of a second, but that's enough time to trash a compromised component, and the best way to get THOSE is to keep pushing the P/S too hard! And this is precisely why those uZeus indicators are yelling at you...it's trying to get you to STOP trying to blow it up!

Another way to push things too hard is to take something with a big current draw and stick it in a cab with OTHER things that ALSO have a huge current draw. These often tend to be patchables that fit the Eurorack standard, but which don't belong in a system cab...such as the Subby and the VRL. If those have cabs of their own...USE THEM. Eurorack cabs need to be used for things which DON'T have their own housings and power, because there's a whole lot of those, and it's infinitely easier to have something like a Subharmonicon out of the main cab and in its OEM powered cab than it would to have a few VCO modules or whatever laying loose on your workspace with a flying bus attached. It's also cheaper, since you're not paying TWICE to house and power those devices. You should probably step back, take a deep breath, and rethink what you're doing here. Try and define what the Eurorack cab should be used for in your workflow, your music, etc. What should go in there? What is that system supposed to do? Is this something that you'll change your mind on in a month's time, or are you good with this for a matter of several YEARS time? All of these and more are questions you should be asking before spending any more money WITHOUT a game plan for this...and you DO need to be sorting this out before you wind up damaging equipment or, for that matter, winding up with gear you thought you needed when you potentially DIDN'T need it!


Hi All,

Here is a first impression of the Erica Synths - Drum Sequencer. I am still discovering this device so no big deal here, just wanted to share with you the first results. Using only one pattern, 32 steps for the 11 instruments controlled in this track of which 2 are samples (triggering the Sample Drum of Erica Synths). For a little bit of variation I have added one voice, the kind of tone that gets down and up --> once getting up in tone I slowly mute it.

Thank you very much for listening and kind regards, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Check out in the You section of this Forum for a first, quick and dirty demo of the Erica Synths - Drum Sequencer.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Cool story! Much of my synth background comes from having grown up around music tech in Nashville. That's actually a hotbed of prototype development, because Nashville's studios are sufficiently laid-back that engineers and producers love to screw around with these things. So I got to see and/or use some crazy things, such as...

An ARP-badged Chroma (only 50 of those came out prior to the CBS buyout)
A DX-1
Peabody College's big Moog system (the one Gil Trythall used)
A McLeyvier (no shit! Valley People were a dealer for those!)
A 360 Systems synth that was actually the rebadged Basyn Minstrel (also at Valley People)
A few Vako Orchestrons (mainly because Vako was in Nashville...explaining Kraftwerk's own Music City connection!)
An Alpha Syntauri (I implemented that thing when it was in MTSU's electronic studio, added a Soundchaser later)
Woodland's prototype Jeep Harned pre-MCI archtop fader desk (it was at a different studio by then)
Monument's bespoke Flickinger desk
The prototype 1U version of the Quantech Room Simulator

And several devices that had been cooked up by engineers there. One that I learned much from was Jim Gilmore, who actually built his own desk from scratch in the early 1980s because he couldn't get a desk that would fit his workflow (advertising and voiceover work). Lots of gear was also modified, with Scully decks being prime devices for that. Definitely a very strange environment for a young musician to grow up in!


“ This user rating is intended to make transactions on the marketplace more trustworthy. If you had a positive or negative experience either as a buyer or seller you can give... a thumbs up or down.”

While I agree, @kaskonauta ‘s post deletion makes this more difficult, nonetheless, rating people who you haven’t done a transaction with isn’t the point of the feature. All around.


They're pretty sick @sacguy71, here's one of my favs


Post deletion is a problem in my opinion, that should be a good user rating option


this user has left ModularGrid

Thanks Garfield,

Pamela is great. I thought that it was just a clock module until I started digging deeper into it can do LFO, random waves, logic, and Euclidian sequences for 8 gates plus CV inputs. Quite powerful for small module and easy to use not too menu heavy.

@Troux,

Cool as I had never heard of this band Wolf Eyes before. This is interesting album called Burned Mind

They remind me a lot of Wumpscut. Yeah I aim for dark ambient/industrial music. I am a fan of KMFDM as well but find getting their tone and types of sounds difficult in modular without more drum and bass modules and a proper sequencer.


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Hi Garfield,

Well right now I have plenty to keep me busy and also waiting for Doepfer monster base cases to arrive back in stock anyways. Will see if the new sequencers show up. Thus far, both Vector and Erica Synths Black sequencer look cool like Cirklon style which is nice.


Hi Sacguy71,

Indeed (regarding Launchpad).

Ha, ha, I waited since early Summer 2019 for both, the Ground Control (Endorphin.es) as well as the Black Sequencer (Erica Synths) but as mentioned Endorphin.es is not showing up till mid Feb. 2021 (and that's only if it's not then delayed yet again), though the Black Sequencer suppose to come by end of this month, so let's see...

Meanwhile, I wish you good luck with the waiting ;-) I waited for about 1.5 years and only then I gave up on the waiting part.

Kind regards, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


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You are welcome, Garfield,

I found that tip from modular artist R0bin Rimbaud aka Scanner from the book Patch & Tweak interview using Plaits.

Definitely an incredible module. Almost could have 3-4 of these along with another BIA for ambient/percussion sounds.


Hi Sacguy71 and Troux,

Sacguy71: Interesting stuff you made there. So how do you like the Pamela? Looking at your videos I guess you like it quite a bit? The right choice of clock module for you?

Troux: Interesting those Wolf Eyes, didn't heard from them before. They make quite "scary" music ;-)

Have a nice Sunday evening and kind regards, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Hello Garfield,
Many thanks for your positive feedback!
We have not toured Europe yet, we still focused within the Pacifica islands.
Please check out our Bandcamp page for more cosmic modular synth electronica
https://cyberneticohm.bandcamp.com/
Regards from cyberneticOhm


Thanks, what do you suggest me to integrate to make it more functional?


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Thanks Garfield,

Yeah Cursus Iteritas is the lesser known member of the Noise Engineering family. Not even sure why I picked this by accident over Loquelic Iteritas but its a weird module and good for wide tones in wave shaper land. I still want a Manis Iteritas and Loquelic Iteritas Percido in my next case to complete the Noise Engineering collection along with a Harvestman Piston Honda and Hertz Donut.


Hi Sacguy71,

He, he, you are still having a lot of fun with your Cursus Iteritas! I perhaps really should consider to test this module at my local dealer. I wrote it down in my list of "devices to test" :-)

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

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


I would suggest doing a LOT more homework before you do anything. This is not close to being a functional system, and 8hp isn't going to fix that (you'll be able to make sounds with it, of course, but with very little variety).


Hi Mowse,

Wow, that's a beautiful track, so nicely, slowly, done. This is how a weekend should end... perfectly :-)

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

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


^^ I can't speak to the case you're planning to use, since I have no experience with it or the Intellijel interface. But XAOC modules are fantastic, and Sewastopol is roughly the same price as the Intellijel module, with less depth.


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Hi Garfield,

Yeah the Launchpad is not expensive either so a great combo with Vector. But I am waiting for Erica Synths Black Sequencer and Ground Control to be released next year.


Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Oh yes, this is great! Thank you very much for sharing this with us.

You know the new "rules" here on this forum right? If you do a drone, make sure it's 17 minutes or longer ;-) (see other post from yesterday about that)

Nicely done and kind regards, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Hi CyberneticOhm,

Wow, that's great stuff, interesting and beautiful done track! It makes me hungry for more :-) When was your concert tour in Europe, you said? ;-)

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

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


Hi Sacguy71,

Oh that's very interesting the Launchpad versus Five12 sequencer :-) I will keep this in mind, the launchpad might be indeed a good add-on for the Five12.

Kind regards, Garfield.

For review reports of Eurorack modules, please refer to https://garfieldmodular.net/ for PDF formatted downloads


XAOC makes the Sewastopol II (10hp and 3.4cm) and Ladik makes several I/O modules that are 4hp each. The A525 might work for your purposes (4hp, 3.2cm).
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/ladik-a-525
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/xaoc-devices-sewastopol-ii


Nice groove @sacguy71, did you ever listen to Wolf Eyes? If not I think they might be your kinda band.


I am aware of the modular rabbit-hole cause-effect. I want a very specific setup, base on a sampling and processing instrument or any audio source in realtime as well as in the studio. So I need something portable to bring with me to a rehearsal situation or concert hall. I am also still going to use my computer with my own Reaktor patch. At the moment I am only concern about the depth of the Moog Eurorack Case, which has 4.82cm. The intellijel audio interface II has 4.4cm and I don't know if it will fit probably. I hope so otherwise, I will have to rethink my setup since there aren't too many in-outs interfaces in a 10hp. Thank you for your suggestion.


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Fun today with Noise Engineering Cursus Iteritas in melodic sequence with Pamela New Workout using random LFO modulation and Euclidian patterns.


Thanks - I had a 12v 3a adapter that I was close to trying. But fear made me order the Boost instead and not take a chance!

I'll just have to wait.

Thx


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I also recommend start with a larger case. Getting a 6U or 9U Doepfer case would open up more options for you now and into the future.


Shakespeare thank you for your advice. It was really helpful. I actually replaced Maths with Quadrax in my setup. I saw the youtube walkthrough and it is a really amazing module. I would like to ask you a question. In my setup, I have the intellijel audio Interface II which has 4,4cm depth and the case I am planning to buy is Moog Eurorack Case, which as 4,82cm almost 5 cm. Do you think it will fit or it too tight?


Whoaa!!! this is alien technology!

Sounds fantastic, thanks for sharing.


Thanks for the feedback, everyone :)

I am inspired by birth, death and the events inbetween.

https://youtube.com/@aphewgoodman


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Thanks, yeah it would be cool to add a row of Rossum modules: Trident, Morpheus Z Filter, Control Forge, Assimil8or to a new setup. For a complex oscillator, I would get Verbos, Instruo Cs-l, and Frap Tools Brenso. That with few filters, good sequencer and modulation tools would be sweet with some percussion modules.


I really dig Trident.

The 'voices' in my main modular build consist of three complex oscillators (DPO, Odessa, Trident) alongside Plaits and BIA. Trident has a different take than DPO or Odessa and tracks very well for analog oscillators. It loves to modulate itself or eat modulation from any number of other sources. Build quality is exceptional. Layout is a bit crowded and perhaps confusing at first glance. I wish for a bit more space between knobs. Overall, it's an amazingly capable oscillator and, for my build, gives me a lot of new and exciting options. Totally happy with the purchase.

DivKid shows it off nicely here:


The Subharmonicon pulls 360 mA +12V.
The Voltage Lab pulls 525 mA +12V.
The MSCALE pulls 6 mA +12V.

So, we're up to 891mA @ 12V, very close to the limit of the uZEUS 13.5V 1000mA PSU. Step up to the uZEUS Boost 3000mA 13V Universal Power Adaptor.

I grew my first modular build into four 104HP skiffs, each powered by a uZEUS. It was my experience that a conservative approach was necessary and often found myself needing more power per skiff. The uZEUS was often temperamental with certain modules, mostly those wanting more and consistent draw and operating on arduino/pi/microcontroller/single-board type builds. The flying bus cables were kind of a drag to manage and keep organized. I still have three of those skiffs but now only use one with a 3000mA 13V PSU.

Good, clean, consistent power is vital.


Getting the 3 blinking blue lights on the uZeus when I plug just these three modules in.

The VRL or the Subharm will work fine if I unplug one of them.

Is it the wall wart? I bought the case and the power supply used and the WW says Tiptop audio on it. Says is outputs 13.1v @ 1.1 amps.

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1343489.jpg


Thanks :)

Enjoy your spare HP, don't rush to fill every last space, this is not like filling sticker books. Resist the urge to 'complete' your rack, its never complete so just relax.

https://youtube.com/@wishbonebrewery


/applause!

Real nice Wishbone!


I was trying to create something droning, long gates from slow-clocking the Noise Engineering Bin Seq and notes from the 2hp ARP, Befaco EvenVCO (Just DIY'd) Saw output on the low notes, MakeNoise STO on the higher buzzy folded notes, 2hp bell going through Monsoon Clouds in Granular mode with lots of Freeze action from the 2hp RND gates output, a little light percussion here and there from ADDAC103

Pretty sure I'm going to enjoy my new Befaco Even VCO :)

Enjoy your spare HP, don't rush to fill every last space, this is not like filling sticker books. Resist the urge to 'complete' your rack, its never complete so just relax.

https://youtube.com/@wishbonebrewery


Very cool. Thanks for sharing. Mylar Melodies made a good video about generative patching too.


Amazing -- I want more!


There is a very good You Tube video explaining how to patch generative music.


The new ep from NZ modular synth collective cyberneticohm gets its initial release via bandcamp > available in all stores from 24th November >
https://cyberneticohm.bandcamp.com/album/3-before-9-ep


Hi at all, I assembled my first modular with these modules:
ModularGrid Rack
I have 8 hp left over.
Do you have any advice for me?
I was thinking for a mixer and in particular the make noise optomix because I probably must mix verbos oscillators and voltages.
If I control everything from Qunexus via vca i feel frying of pressure on controller keys.
Could it be that it is not correct to control via vca? I saw online that through Optomix you can control well with Qunexus.
After that I plan to expand an additional 84 hp row of effects and maybe another oscillator.
With the Vermona Tai-4 I can connect my drum machine right? The xls attack is a bit uncomfortable but I found the right cable.
Thanks
FB


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How do you like the Rossum Trident? Is it considered a complex oscillator and is it worth the money as it is an expensive module?


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Had fun experimenting with Euclidian patterns with Pamela's New Workout as sequencer/clock:


Just a relaxing jam on the Make Noise DPO and Rossum Electro-Music Trident.


Oh, man! 17 minutes... something to achieve, for sure!


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Vector works with Launchpad. Steve Turner has a great video on it:

That is a game changer. Yes, expensive but no more than WMD Metron or Winter Eloquencer with expanders. All modular sequencers are super expensive. You are right, never enough room. I already filled 2 6U cases in first year working modular. Now want another 500HP new case space. Doepfer Monster base plus MDLR 14U case with 1u row of Intellijel tiles will help solve that dilemma for a while :-)