modular synthesis

::BLM:: · Post by **::BLM::** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:18 pm

steevio wrote:
::BLM:: wrote:Is there someone in London I can go and try modular systems out? I have been looking at them since this thread started, but there is so much out there.

Is everyone here using a hardware sequencer? I could plug Ableton up right and use the midi from there?
all you need is a midi /CV convertor to convert your midi data from your Ableton into control voltages. you dont necessarily need a modular or hardware sequencer at all.

trying modular gear out is difficult, because you need time to work at it and set things up. the best way is to find someone who has a modular and spend a day with them.
i recently showed a friend the way round my modular and after a day he was sold, before that he didnt have a clue and was intimidated by it.

Did you buy everything based on spec then?

I was thinking about buying a Mono synth for bass, but after seeing nothing but positives coming from people who use modular I am thinking about setting up a small rig.

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:34 pm

::BLM:: wrote:
steevio wrote:
::BLM:: wrote:Is there someone in London I can go and try modular systems out? I have been looking at them since this thread started, but there is so much out there.

Is everyone here using a hardware sequencer? I could plug Ableton up right and use the midi from there?
all you need is a midi /CV convertor to convert your midi data from your Ableton into control voltages. you dont necessarily need a modular or hardware sequencer at all.

trying modular gear out is difficult, because you need time to work at it and set things up. the best way is to find someone who has a modular and spend a day with them.
i recently showed a friend the way round my modular and after a day he was sold, before that he didnt have a clue and was intimidated by it.
Did you buy everything based on spec then?

I was thinking about buying a Mono synth for bass, but after seeing nothing but positives coming from people who use modular I am thinking about setting up a small rig.

yes i bought everything on spec after spending 3 or 4 months researching.
i have a very good grasp of synthesis, so i found it reasonably easy but confusing at first and time consuming.
i wouldnt bother with the monosynth if you've got a feeling you might go down the modular route at some point, all that is in modular terms is a couple of modules, ADSR, VCO, VCF, VCA. maybe £250, as long as you're going for non-esoteric makes.
you can even buy a Doepfer Dark Energy in a module form for about that.

lem · Post by **lem** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:05 pm

steevio wrote:
lem wrote:Can I come over Steevio?
where do you live?

Pm'ed you

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:39 pm

i've been thinking about the whole bleeps and bloops thing, and how to dispel the voodoo, so i dug up this short video clip my GF did while i was jamming in the studio.
its about the most ordinary thing i could find, just plain old techhouse, nothing fancy or experimental, no bleeps no bloops, just basic percussive grooves.

all the sounds / sequencing are just done on the modular live.( bass, percussion, other sounds ) + the 'chord' sound on the Voyager.
in other words nothing pre-planned, its not a 'tune' i wrote, i started with nothing, everything set to zero, and got to this point after about 4 minutes (unfortunately my GF missed the beginning)

i think it shows how quickly you can 'write' a tune on a modular synth using simple analogue sequencing and scale mixing +quantizer.
it would have taken me days to get to this point using software sequencing, and i might not have liked it and just moved on. it took me 7 minutes to decide i didnt like this one and moved on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbrdEBgj05o

::BLM:: · Post by **::BLM::** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:47 pm

I really like that. You have something that sounds like a chord in there. Are you just tuning different oscs to create that on the moog?

Bass is fantastic too... nice round square or triangle it sounds like. What unit is that coming from?

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:50 pm

::BLM:: wrote:I really like that. You have something that sounds like a chord in there. Are you just tuning different oscs to create that?

Bass is fantastic too... nice round square or triangle it sounds like. What unit is that coming from?

yes, no chords, just VCOs and rhythmic PWM

bass - MFB VCO pulsewave through Tiptop Z3000 (edit sorry should have said Z2040)

::BLM:: · Post by **::BLM::** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:52 pm

ok thanks... refreshing sounds for sure.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:56 pm

nice sounds and a good idea to post it.

i'm gonna stick to my bleeps and bloops, but someone needed to find a way to show that they aren't the only way.