All valid points, as i expected they would be. The resulting conclusion - meaning buying a bunch more modules from other manufacturers, no matter the color, which I get is how it is supposed to be done, is a deflating outcome making modular even less enthusiastic for me.
Obviously, the proper way to build a modular rig is to take the best or most suitable module from all available modules and combine them in whatever finish they have. I mean, it is the entire point of modular. Had I started from scratch, I would have not abided by color scheme at all. But once I bought the black & Gold system from the estate; First, I thought that would be it on all modular purchases; that it was its own instrument, self-contained and would surely be enough with my Grandmother (hate that name), Mother 32, DFAM, 0-Coast, System 1-m, Arturia MiniBrute & Microbrute flanking it on all sides; Second, I got boxed in with a black & gold color scheme and my OCD wanted it all to match.
Make Noise even taps into that evil OCD by making me have to prove that I had a black & gold to even be able to buy the upraded modules in black when I angrily discovered Make Noise retained the exact same names for modules that were significantly changed in hardware and were not able to be updated by firmware. Since I was not original owner and didn’t have a receipt, I had to provide a ransom photo, so they were milking that black is limited thing. It cost another $3k on the upgrade skiff to get the new versions.
The last and final 4rth row skiff is on track to beat that, of which I've got modules ordered and arriving soon, including an external custom mount Euclidean Circles kit, all quite pricey, that now may just stay in the box. I only started the 4th skiff to pick up some new module releases and wanting to add percussion in the system because coming from the DJ world, if there’s no beat, it’s not a song. It’s movie soundtrack ambience at best. I mean, if that’s all it can ever do. But, then I discovered gating and clock modulation for percussion was a big factor. It wasn't so easy as adding in 2hp drum modules. You have to trigger them with offbeat, synchopation, rhtyhms, etc. I probably should have just used any of my other drum machines. I have all the Volcas and boutiques for Roland drums as well as big boy ones like Tempest and TR-8s and Drumbrutes.
I can see why now you maybe wanted effects processing down low where hands may be required twiddling knobs. My thinking was voices would be the top two rows, for the most part. Mimeophon can turn into a Karplus-strong voice – a sound I am quite fond of. Telharmonic supposedly can do some pretty voicing with chords. So those first two are technically synth voices, but as I planned on doing my mixing off-rack in two separate line racks, the main one located just above the top row, I was trying to get my effects processing (usually last in the chain) next to my mixer outs so that they could just pop into the external line rack mixer.
My second row was to be almost all Voice, which even MATHS can turn into oscillator in audible rates. I’m used to my filter being next to my Oscillator, which is why Q-Pas sat inbetween DPO and MATHS and I knew MATHS would get heavy use, so I wanted it kind of centrally located.
For the most part, I figured the third row should be all the rhythm, sequencing and clock gear. It would be close enough to the bottom that I could reach it for manipulation of more on-the-fly play, but I never intend to play it as a live rig. It’s not going anywhere. I’m not anywhere close to being able to play live. I just wanted a bit more “demo wow” factor for friends who come in a see this huge crazy thing they haven’t seen before. So, far, it’s not be great for displaying anything but chaotic or buzzy sounds, but I’ve been in theory mode, not play mode. I’m watching videos non-stop.
Of course Pressure Points just demands bottom placement where hands-on is very likely. But I also figured both of the tape-delay “gene” modules, where you can very granular with dicing up samples, likely required a lot of hands-on play, even though these two are technically voices.
For that matter, Wogglebug, probably known more for randomization clocking, can be ran into audio rates and become a voice rather than a clock. But as it has clock features, I kept it near Tempi. Now Tempi, Disting MK4 and Rene 2 are all shared bus select state modules, so to save patch cables, those had to be on same power bus, i.e. same skiff.
I was definitely worried about EG limitations. Having only one MATHS is just not enough if it has to pull EG duty. So, I totally get the quad looping EG Zadar inclusions (which does come in black). It was unlikely EG function from my semi-modulars could be used to salvage this apparent shortfall.
I’m surprised the BIA got canned as that seems to be a live rig staple. I just bought BIA & MI and they were very expensive. I probably shouldn’t have bought Numeric Repitetor, but I hadn’t known of the far better looking and more featured Via logic Sequencer Rhythm Engine you added. That one looks like a far better add, so maybe I clip NR rhythm out of mine.
I was familiar with Delphonic. Seems they are a kit outfit though. Not sure I am at the DIY module making skill level yet. Some reviewer said the drums were good for confined space, but not the best sound and I think that comment hung in my head, plus it was silver. I figured somewhere there had to be black faced module selection that would work.
So, I guess the solution set provided where I need to source and possibly build several modules from kits myself proves so substantial an effort, particularly after the hours I have put into trying to make this system work for me, that maybe the decision is to part it all out, sell it and take the loss and just move on. I may not even turn it on again. I’m kind of done with it after seeing all the changes I’d need.
I guess goodbye to modular for me. Christmas is coming around. I’ll turn it on one last time for a makeshift tree.
KJ