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I have just set up a new soundcloud page, some tracks will be DAWless, and some will be eurorack and ableton. I think they both have there strenghts, here is a deep tech jam with my eurorack and ableton, with a cheeky little sample that filters in halfway some of you may recognize.

Much thanks! downloads and rtfm

EDITED Feb 3rd 2020, 05:08

bought Ladik S-180 and S-183 from @pawal. friendly communication, smooth transaction and fast shipping! thanks!

Apologies if this has been covered before, I'm looking for a supplier of components for Mutable Instruments Clouds. I've got the front panel and the PCB, and the BOM, but didn't really want to by each component individually
Nice one

Good point, the Erica Pico is 67$, can get my by for the meantime, and then I could either sell it or use it for distortion

Thanks! You're absolutely speaking my language on processing audio with the Rings. If the eventual goal is to go Morphagene or some other granular machine would you still recommend going for an audio input like the Intellijel? Or just wait until I'm ready for the Morphagene?
-- Carlbberger

Morphagen will definitly be an awsome addition to ring but Audio In are cheaps and pluging a mic to rings to capture ambient sounds can produce cool fx.

With MD it's fastidious to enter precise notes for each step. Most of the time I use the shred function or just twist the knob while playing to generate notes progressions on the fly. I prefer to use MD for precise cv control like changing a Zadar shape or a scale on a quantizer. It's also possible to create logic gates....

Thanks! You're absolutely speaking my language on processing audio with the Rings. If the eventual goal is to go Morphagene or some other granular machine would you still recommend going for an audio input like the Intellijel? Or just wait until I'm ready for the Morphagene?

I have the Scarlett 8i6 and it handle modular audio level so rings odd/even audio Out to your scarlett audio In should work. With this minimal setup I would add an audio input module to process audio to the IN input of Rings.

Really nice! I like that they're tuned by ear, sounds great with the parametric eq in DivKids video. Thanks for the recommendation. I am trying to cut cost to make the initial investment smaller. Will this work if I output Rings directly into a Scarlett2i2 audio interface that can handle up to +22db input?

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1117508.jpg

Mutable Marbles
Mutable Rings
Instruo Ocht

EDITED Jan 30th 2020, 22:24

Check out the new module by DivKid, it's been released by Instruo and its called Ochd. Its basically 8 lfo's in one module unsynced but they all run at a different rat to each other, Very organic feel to it, perfect for generative.

Cheers :)

I've been looking at different modules and watching videos for about 2 years and am ready to go in, does this system have enough utility? Will I be able to out from the quad vca directly into the preamp of an audio interface? Anything missing? The idea is to make generative, random, resonant patches with some granular audio in there somewhere. Thanks!

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1116837.jpg

Makenoise Morphagene
Makenoise Maths
Makenoise Mult
Mutable Marbles
Mutable Rings
Intellijel Quad VCA

EDITED Jan 30th 2020, 03:10

One other point about having a quantizer: you don't have to use it with a sequencer.

If your quantizer is capable of loading different scalar patterns, you can restrict it to only the specific pitches you want to appear psuedorandomly, and then you can feed it things like complex voltage curves, sample-and-hold CVs, LFOs, etc, and you'll get randomish behavior each time the quantizer is stepped by the clock or gate/trig sequencer. Plus, a few quantizers take up less space than most full-on CV sequencers, so if the goal is to create these sorts of stochastic patterns, you can use a few of them to create shifting polyphonic harmonic structures off of various psuedorandom inputs. Think of this as being sort of like using a sample and hold, but with discrete pitch results as opposed to the randomness offered by noise signals.

One other useful point: you can also use quantizers as analog shift register stages. For example, if you wanted a four-note arpeggiation, you would patch quant #1's CV out to #2's CV in, then #2's CV out to #3's input. Quantizer #1, of course, would be your controller CV. So by multing that controller CV out separately, plus all of the quantizer CV outs separately, then "clocking" the quantizers with a multed trigger from your controller, you'd then have four CVs with canonically-related pitch outputs, and the "canon" would step each time a note on the controller was played.

Nobody answered - so I will.
I have a Cs-L. And I had a Rubicon and used the Ts-L as a modulator. The Cs-L is much more magical - particularly when you cross-modulate both VCOs with their wavefolders. It is also smaller in HP than Rubicon2/Dixie2+/µFold.
For the other COs I've tried - I'd still prefer the Rubicon over a DPO, Verbos or Endorphines.
But I think the new contender will be Frap Tools Brenso - it looks and sounds really impressive.
Sounds like it may be available by summer.
Even if I do get a Brenso - I will never let go of my Cs-L though. It's just that good.

Thank you so much for all this info! I seriously appreciate it! You’ve answered all my questions, haha.

Hi Wishbonebrewery,

Yeah, nice one :-) It's amazing what you can do with a few small modules.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Eduardinho,

Thanks a lot for your detailed information you provide, it's nice to read about how you do things.

I am currently looking for exciting filters and VCAs, oh and quad VCOs. So QPAS is in your opinion a module that's not only worth it but is a lot of fun to use it as well? That sounds like a filter for me then ;-) Any other suggestions for modules that really gives a lot of fun and you can't stop using them, those are the best! :-)

One of the modules I am particularly happy with and provides me a lot of patching pleasure and fun to use is the Erica Synths Black Octasource, that thing can modulate your modules like no other. It can seriously go bananas, just the right thing for me!

I agree with you about the Roland 1m. I thought would be a good one but once I had tested it at my dealer's shop I was pretty disappointed. It's not really bad but it doesn't give me that kind of wow factor either and that's what I am looking for in good modules.

Indeed the huge number of modules one can choose from and the flexibility of modular, that's priceless!

Kind regards, Garfield.

One sound source, just the 2hp Pluck, a fair amount of modulation from the Noise Engineering Clep Diaz and Clocked LFO from the Disting Mk4, the LFO is also controlling the sequence playing on the Pittsburgh Modular Micro Sequence, though the Pitches are taken from the Clep Diaz steps via the 2hp Turing machine and quantisized through the 2hp Tune. Audio split 3 ways to Intellijel Mixup, Dry / wet via Erica DSP and wet via 2hp Verb. I can listen to this for a really long time without getting bored!

I did exactly this with my Make Noise Powered Skiff and it worked fine.

I just upgraded from a 104hp 3u skiff to the Arturia Rackbrute 6u and I love it. The size and form factor are perfect and the stand/handle is great for setting it up to play at different angles. Enjoy it! I think you will like it.

If for some reason you have to replace a ribbon cable, they are readily available from most websites/stores that carry modular gear. In the USA, Perfect Circuit, Sweetwater and even Amazon have them(I just bought one to replace a bad cable on my 2hp Pluck from Sweetwater for $6 shipped). There are 2 flavors: 16 pin to 16 pin and 16 pin to 10 pin. Like others have stated, you will get a ribbon cable with each module and they are usually paired with either flavor cable depending on the design of the module. Also, you will almost always get 2 sets of screws with your module to mount it to your rack, a set of 2.5mm and a set of 3mm. The Rackbrute takes 3mm and comes with 8 screws to get you started. I would recommend grabbing a set of 3mm screws from amazon if you find yourself losing any of them or if you but second hand modules.

You can tune the Mimetic Digitalis's CV to notes but it will be easier to dial in melodies quicker with a quantizer since it does take some time to tune in melodies without one. For some people it might not be the most efficient workflow. I like to use it this way, but if you're used to writing sequences by playing keys or dialing notes, you may find it cumbersome. The shred feature creates random voltages across several octaves and since there is no built in scale quantization the results are not always in key or musical. It lacks dedicated gate outputs for each channel, but you can use the channels to out put a voltage to trigger an envelope per step.

If you can live with only 8 steps of sequencing, I would say go for the Varigate 4+ since it has built in scale quantization, a built in clock, probability, repeat, clock division and is expandable. MD is more of a modulation source so it lacks all of those features.

Have you looked at the Qu-Bit Octone? It's a similar module(size, price and features) but also have a few options the MD and Varigate 4+ don't

One thing you could try is to focus on using only 3 modules at a time together. Take a look at some of the videos in this series by Comparative Irrelevance I've learned so much from this series, it might help you too.

You might also want to grab a small 4ms pod or maybe throw together a small DIY skiff and pick 3-4 modules and spend time getting to know them and what they can do. Something small that you can sit and play on the couch or even throw it in a backpack and take it outdoors away from the studio can do wonders for inspiration.

Bought Verbos Multistage and Mordax DATA from @hadj
Very smooth communication and fast shipping! Thanks!!

Routes LFO output through Q111 to a) give physically easier access to mod level going switch and b) allow VC of that level later. Also aded CC1 to LFO rate and CC7 to pulse width.

Routes CC7 into Q125 signal processor first before then going to the previous destination (the Q106 PW level input).

EDITED Jan 29th 2020, 16:22

You nailed the words.

This is what i want from instruo, i have all the MI and all 1u in intelliel case.

What do you seek for sounds in your future rig?

Best regards

T

Tonys -
Thanks! here's a quote: Ralph Waldo Emerson — 'Its the not the Destination, It's the journey.'
At one point I had Marbles, Rings, Tides, Stages, Plaits, and Ripples and Clouds.
All of them are phenomenal works of art. Émilie Gillet is a genius.
If a synth doesn't work with your creative flow - you have to sell it and get something else -that's why I got rid of my Nord Lead, Waldorf Blofeld and Prophet 6.
Modular - you only need to change out a component. Marbles, Rings, and Tides all left me (maybe temporarily...) so I could concentrate on new ideas that they weren't a part of.
Instruo is another work of genius. Jason Lim has brilliant ideas, and phenomenal execution.
The Ts-L was my first Eurorack VCO. I tried out a lot of other VCOs since - and nothing, particularly under 12HP, sounds as good to me.
The Cs-L is a masterpiece of a complex oscillator - the two VCOs are so different yet complimentary (the bottom half is basically the Ts-L); there is a unique workflow to it, but once you understand the modulation routings the oscillator can create endless sounds, and a constant source of "happy accidents".
I had tried the complex oscillators from Verbos, Intellijel (Rubicon2+Dixie2+), Endorphines FG, and Make Noise DPO - and the Cs-L is far beyond in my opinion. We will see what Frap Brenso will be like - but my plan is to have both Cs-L and Brenso together doing duets. For me complex oscillators are my weapon of choice.
My latest Instruo module is the I-o47 filter, a homage to the 1047 filter in the ARP 2500 modular from the 70's - and I would consider it the best sounding filter I have ever heard. I can confirm now that these two modules are permanent residents for me.
I think Instruo designs are very complimentary to MI - different approaches, different results. Both very beautiful.
Cheers!
eduardinho in studio utopia

Realy Nicke setup. Is instuo worth buying? I an looking to put in instuo ecosystem under my MI ecosystem. Otherwise you can build a drum/perc/seq ect system under the system you have.

Realy good music take some years to be that good:):)

Garfield Modular,
Thanks for your kind words!! Glad you like the music!

I actually avoided going modular for over two decades. Did my stint with piles of analogs in the 90's, went "in the box" after that with the first releases of Propellerheads and Reaktor, moved to Ableton and over the past few years started going back to physical devices. the last few being Nord Lead 2X, Waldorf Blofeld Keys, Moog Subsequent37, Prophet 6 and now with a Prophet Rev2 16-voice. Even thought the Prophet 6 VCOs were so amazing - I prefer the more complex modulation options of the Rev2.
But then a friend of mine hooked me up with a Roland System 1m - which, in my opinion, is a very weak and poorly implemented "gateway drug". So here I am now with this modular - and I can't get enough of it. Eurocrack.
My actual next plans are to expand to 104HP Intellijel cases - which affords me another 80HP of 3U. And this is going to be a year of Frap Tools (not a paid endorsement). I love what Simone Fabrii and his team are doing. On the list is a FALISTRI (The second coming of MATHS), 333 (Italian Army Knife), 321 (Another Italian Army Knife), USTA (The second coming of the Buchla 250e times two), BRENSO (when it's released - Through Zero! complex oscillator!), and then I'm going to replace my Dubmix with the Frap CGM mixer - what a modular mixer should be.
To answer your questions - For Eve (Tidal) - it's not a module... :-( ....I used a sliced up sample in Ableton. The bass line is Mutable tides as a DCO clocked to an analog VCO.
Many Happy Returns - the granular vocal bit is a sample of a woman in an interview using Mutable Clouds. The Position and Size parameters are being modulated by the X and Y coordinates of Intellijel Planar2, and I am using Planar2's sense gate to trigger an ASR envelope on Intellijel Quadrax that changes the grain density on clouds from the midpoint (0 grains) to 75% (randomized grain spray at halfway) - so, basically when I touch the joystick the grains start to spray (Quadrax Attack segment), stay spraying while I move the stick (Quadrax Sustain), and dissipate to nothing (Quadrax Release) when I let go of the stick. The output of that runs in stereo to modulated low-pass filter in QPAS. REALLY FUN TO PLAY!!!
This is what I love about modular. the inventiveness in the industry is on overload! As an example those 3 modules - Quadrax, Clouds and Planar2.... you could go on forever doing outrageous new things with just those three.
What I really love to hear - is what new things have people discovered with the modules they have?

Cheers!
eduardinho in studio utopia

I can’t thank you enough, I think if I can take it back to the basics and simplify things, it would remove the complexity that overwhelmes me, building off the simple patches have always lead to satisfying results, I tend to rush things a lot when I get motivated. Even Neil Peart started to take drum lessons after drumming for most of his life and being the best. I appreciate the help and feedback, it’s reassuring that it’s never too late to discover what I have and that I have not made anything more than productive use out of the whole process of this journey through the modular world

And yet another nice feature of the Disting Mk4, I know one can read and find that all in the manual, but reading it here, I feel is somehow more useful. Thanks Defragmenteur! Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Studio Utopia,

Wow! Bloody Nora! That's some nice and interesting music you provided there via your above link with some nice creative content in most of your tracks. I am not just miles away from what you can do here, I am light years away from that :-) !

Having said that... why do you "need" more modules to add? It sounds already fantastic, no? Well I feel it does. Perhaps the only hint I can give is: Just dare what you like to do, add some modules that you like or think can even boost up more your creativity and let us hear it once you have explored your new modules in combination with your already existing setup. I am sure that will sound even better with more nice surprises up your sleeve! :-)

Speaking of such, perhaps the only other feedback I can provide is that, at least for me, I wouldn't mind if you dare to put here and there yet another nice surprise sound or kind of change in the music, to give it a little extra touch of variety (unless you want on purpose to keep it a bit minimalistic); but this is complaining at a high level. It's already very good.

Sorry that I can't give you advice on specific modules you could add, I actually don't think you need any kind of advice, just follow your guts and I am sure you will surprise us with some more fantastic tracks!

One little question, that woman voice that speaks numbers in your track 20191224 - Eve (Tidal), with which module did you manage to do that? Good track that Eve, same goes for Many Happy Returns. Nice stuff!

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Hi, my name is Frederik Lipp from eurorack-essentials. I just posted a Video-Demo on YouTube for my eurorack module flip-sides active.
If you have any question about the patch - shown in the video - feel free to contact me.

If you like to patch - visit Schneidersladen Showroom - my modules are ready for patching!

ENJOY

For guitar pedals - go with Strymon's AA.1. Mainly because you can use it as two mono loops with a splitter (1/4" TRS to two 1/4" TS).
I'd check out Intellijel Quadrax or Frap Tools Falistri as an alternative to MATHS.

I had rings - not my thing ... but for what you are doing, it's perfect. I can only imagine what you could do pushing a cello through it!!!!
Can't go wrong with Plaits and Clouds. I'll never part with mine.
If you wanted to record grains of your cello or field recordings - look at Instruo Arbhar. Clouds might not be a greatest choice for this. Or even the Lubadh - if you wanted to get more into tape loop type stuff.
For sequencers - it depends on what you want - for more generative stuff, look at Marbles as a starting point. If you want to program specific movements - Rene2, or Intellijel Tete/Tetrapad - which can be programmed - but also do generative/cartesian stuff.
Lots of good videos from Make Noise, Intellijel and DivKid on all three of those modules.
I had Marbles - but I'm not a big fan of that type of randomness. Tete and Tetrapad are more my thing.

If you wanted to start small - you need something to make notes - get Marbles, plug it into an envelope generator (maths/Quadrax/Falistri), with pitch into Plaits (with internal LPG/VCA) and rings (plucked), mix it with Veils or Intellijel QuadVCA and then pass it into Clouds. Instant ambience.

This going to be a beautiful and quality Sounding synth. This is case nr1

Any opinion

EDITED Jan 28th 2020, 22:13

Just wanted to get ideas of what people would add or swap from my current setup.
I have plans to change over to a pair of Intellijel 7U104HP cases in the future... but for now, here I am.
I connect this to an Ableton/Push 2 setup so I can drive the µMIDI and Expert Sleepers FH-2 for up to 4 different simultaneous voices. And interface the audio by using the two Stereo outputs to bring audio into Ableton via a UAD Apollo 8 interface.
I use the Mixup to blend waveforms from oscillators.
From Dubmix, I use the AUX send to send signal to a Line 6 HELIX effects processor, and then bring the audio back in to the Dubmix AUX returns via the Audio I/O stereo inputs.
Clock comes in via µMIDI and gets distributed to Pamela, Mimeophon and Tête.

To hear what this machine sounds like - listen to anything from the last 3 months here: https://soundcloud.com/eduardinhobranco

Two suggestions -
Get Frap Tools Falistri, instead of MATHS. Take a look - it's pretty awesome.
Also - Xaoc ZADAR instead of Batumi. ZADAR can't do clocked LFOs, but for "atmospheric/weird" sounds - it has some of the coolest glitchy modulation curves. It can do standard LFO modulation, but it also has a multitude of envelopes and other options for creating movement.
Mordax DATA is AWESOME. I will never let mine go.
Consider Intellijel Quadrax vs. Mutable Stages as well. Really awesome for snappy AR and ASR envelopes. Burst generator is cool too.
For tempo-sync'd modulation - get Pamela's NEW! Workout. 8 LFOs or Gates on the clock!
Also - contrary to Lugia's statement - I use my Stages almost exclusively as a combination of AR, ADSR envelopes or LFOs. I never use the gate triggered sequence function - the CV output is too wild and uncontrollable.

EDITED Jan 28th 2020, 19:19

Yes - Mixup can link directly to the 1/4" outputs... but you lose two key features of using the Stereo Out 1U module:
1. The output from mixup has no master volume - so whatever you have plugged into Input 4 L+R will be output at full volume to whatever you plug into the 1/4" outputs.
2. The output from the1/4" jacks will be unbalanced. I noticed a significant reduction in noise when I switched to using balanced I/O between the modular and my UAD Apollo 8 interface, and having that master volume knob is awesome for taming the output.

Thank you. Exactly what I was looking for.

Don't panic. Start slow. Learn one module at the time. Be sure to read the manuals. Start with simple patches and when you explore few modules then just add another. By time you will see which modules you don't like and you can sell them.
PS: You have not enough VCA's!
-- reflecture

I fully agree with reflecture here, excellent advice. Simple patches are the way to go when you are lost, simplify your signal path and take things slow, you don't need to be creating masterpieces on your first minutes with your rack. Just exploring a few modules at a time and see how they respond to being fed different types of signal can be very rewarding (and give you ideas you can use musically). This will also teach you what you like to do with a modular setup and how you like to patch, which varies a lot from one person to the next and while trying other people's ideas can be fun, trying your own is equally if not more important.
Take Plaits for example : when I first got it in my rack, I needed a week of simple patches with it just to have an idea of which algos I could prefer in which context. The module is so deep, I even feel I have rushed things by spending only a week with it in "isolation".

And in the end, it can be a question of how you patch and your personal taste/needs, but I would also consider more ways to control modulation, like VCA's and attenuators.

Have fun with your setup, it's a good one !

I've been lurking around here for awhile, and would like to hopefully get a bit of guidance on my first Eurorack.

My end goal is to create a rack that I can create 'ambient' music with, which I appreciate is quite broad. More specifically, I love the type of music being done by people like r beny (https://rbeny.bandcamp.com/) and ann annie do (https://annannie.bandcamp.com/).

I'd like to be able to create sounds that I can also combine with my Cello (not actually through the modular) and also using some interesting field recordings. I've put together a starter rack, with some of the modules that have caught my eyes, but was hoping for a few recommendations. I've linked my rank below.

Firstly, due to cash restraints I'm likely to just get a few modules to begin with. I was thinking Plaits, Rings, Maths and Veils would be a good start. Would that be enough to play around with and get a feel for what else I may want to add?

Secondly, I'm a bit unsure on the importance of sequencers. I understand I can use something outside of the rack to do this, but without an external sequencer of some sort, is it possible to do this using other utility modules or through patching in a specific way?

Finally, is there anything specific I've missed or any further recommendations people could make. I do have some guitar delay, reverb and loop pedals that I can push the rack through, but it's also my understanding I probably need a module to convert the signals to pass through these?

Rack:
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1108762.jpg

I think it will work together. Don't panic. Start slow. Learn one module at the time. Be sure to read the manuals. Start with simple patches and when you explore few modules then just add another. By time you will see wich modules you don't like and you can sell them.
PS: You have not enogh VCA's!

I think I dove into eurorack too quickly, I got excited and I bought all the necessary modules to make a system work, but I am unsure if I messed up along the way by impulsively buying some of the stuff without doing any research, in some cases, watching a demo on YouTube for 10 seconds was enough to convince me. Now I have so much gear, and surface level intuition with most of it so I feel like I’m left in the dark not knowing if my gear really makes sense together, or if I just need to uncover those locked doors on how each component is related. I’ve heard people say that not all modules will “work together” very well to create something that makes sense. I have found myself very frustrated with how I can rarely create something that I like. I knew it was not a healthy decision to impulsively buy modules with minimal research and experimentation before buying the next, but I couldn’t help myself, I wanted to create bigger and better sonic possibilities, but maybe the complexity of it all just overwhelmed me, and I made cluttered sounds that I didn’t like...It would be very helpful if someone with a lot of experience could take a look at my rack and give me some feedback on it, maybe let me know some imbalances are as far as functionality goes, and maybe even let me know what comes to your mind on what this rack is capable of making (ex: experimental, techno, ambient, etc.) and how I can integrate myself into it to let unleash its full potential, I love this thing more than anything and as much as I understand how it works, I really could use some help and feedback with this crisis of not knowing if I should regret my quick purchases or if my gear works together and is waiting for more sonic combinations to be revealed from it.
https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_915684.jpg

The N-1 switch on the disting mk4 can do that. You can apply a crossfade to avoid clicks with audio signals and use a trigger or cv to switch the 2 signals.

Hey

No i dident see that can you sned it agen?, my Biggest change now is that its a good and strong Perc/synth sound with layering, case number 2 is going to be Heavy on drum/perc. I buy 1-3 moduls a month so i have time to learn them. The problem is that when i think i have learn my moduls in group i leran somthing new abought it hehe.

I think its not what moduls i buy its how you learn and Connect to them thats important, coz then i realy use them 100% and dont have to have a Big system to make realy good sounds.

I forgot to say that i build this together with my daughter :)

EDITED Jan 27th 2020, 21:31

Does anybody make a module that could, with a trigger, swap a left and right channel? I rather like the idea of integrating a mono guitar pedal, and having the effect hard pan from left to right and vice versa on a drum beat in both ears

EDITED Jan 27th 2020, 15:41

Just my starting piont, from here I can add modulation as a where I feel it needs it. The O_c is running hemisphere, so one half has a midi cv and gate in and the other half has two trigger sequencers which can be selected via the tesseract switches. A clock trigger is coming from the drumbrute into the Takaab multiple on the right. The Steffcorp oscillators, DFAM, and Qu-bit chord are all routed thru the Divkids mutes and into the mixer, also chords has a second output going to the dreadbox delay via mutes.

bought from @Liminal_boundaries, very fast shipping and mint condition!

You are on the right track. Did you see my failed attempt to reply to your post? What changes have you made?

EDITED Jan 27th 2020, 11:21