mnml.nl

i wanted to talk shite about modular but that old thread was a bit haunted and long and thought it might be nice to start a new one.

My system is being changed quite a lot and i think I'm about to settle on something permanent for a long time. Here it is. P.S. God bless BST on muffwiggler forum for throwing up a lot of rarities that I've gotten my greasey hands on!

Wiard

Model 310a New Controller - 2 JAG modules plus joysticks in 2U 19" rackmount thingy... very very interesting and playble system this. I usually use 1 side to control a load of different things with the joystick. And the other one is wired up to 2 different modulation sources and I use the 10 outputs to control lots of stuff.
Sequantizer - very very interesting sequencer module. not too far away from a selection of Doepfer modules, but condensed into something small and a couple of magic tricks up it's sleeve (voltage controllable stage select whilst it is stepping)
Dual Envelators
Dual Mixolator - I would keep an eye out on the upcoming XMIX if I didn't have this module. VERY interesting panning
Wogglebug - love this module so so so much. it warms my cold heart and sings to me in my sleep.

Boogie filters, Borg Filters, Noiserings

Malekko Wiard:

Anti Oscillator*2, Oscillator, Anti-Envelope*2 (one they are released)

Blacet:

Mixer/Processor, Splitter Mixer , Time Machine, Super VCA

mainly utility stuff from Blacet. I love his modules but had to sell them.

Metasonix:

R54, R51, TM1, TM2

I fucking love Metasonix products. I sold the D-1000. Had to get some money for other stuff and wasn't feeling it enough to keep it. GOod product though.



Would be interesting to get updates from other people. I'm planning to do some recording once I have a computer again. I've been enjoying the sounds coming out from my machines.

you can bring your gear over mine and use my computer if you want!

I am trying to build one at the moment, but its a full time job. i keep loosing the bug, until i hear a steevio set. then i start doing it all again....

...post some recordings!

_________________
http://soundcloud.com/lemundsoul

Heya Lem.

I recorded this earlier this year and i really liked it at the time. I try to make my music come out like flowers and happy dancing people but usually it ends up coming out like dense distorted drones. Oh well. At least it keeps me busy.

http://soundcloud.com/diffuse-1/01-110420-0339


Been working quite hard since i recorded that and got some new pieces of the puzzle. The panning mixers are fucking glorious especially if you take advantage of interesting modules with multiple outs like the Boogie filter. You get this filter that morphs across the stero image, morphing between lowpass and bandpass and highpass... no way to describe it.


I found soldering really enjoyable... I built a module yesterday actually. But I always working with Blacet kits and a good soldering iron and good solder. Blacet kits have spacious PCBs, and he orients all the components the same way so you don't get caught out having to desolder stuff. There's really good advice about soldering in the DIY subforum on Muffs BTW.

Keep at it, it's really rewarding to see electronic machinary that close. I know the feeling though when everything is breaking and you just want to smash everything up into a million pieces.

Okay. I'll play along. Here's a photo of my current setup:



Oscillators/LFO:
Cwejman VCO-6
Tip Top Z3000 MKI
Harvestman Piston Honda
Doepfer A-143-3 Quad LFO (no resets)
Doepfer A-145 LFO

Filters:
Tip Top Z2040 LPF
Doepfer A-102 LPF
Doepfer A-101-2 LPG
Doepfer A-106-1 MMF
STG Wavefolder (This is the opposite of a filter actually. It's super super fuckin' awesome)

Sequencing:
Expert Sleepers ES-3 (all the sequencing is done in Numerology, but this sends the voltage
4ms Rotating clock divider
Doepfer A-151 Quad Switch
Doepfer A-162 Trigger Delay
Doepfer A-156 Quantizer (I rarely use this anymore)

Envelopes, VCA's, Other Stuff:
Doepfer A-132 Dual VCA x 2
Make Noise Maths x 2
Doepfer A-180 multipes x2
Doepfer A-140 ADSR Envelope
Bubblesound CVWS WaveShaper (still not sure about this thing)
Doepfer A-119 External input / envelope follower (for guitars, mic's, external stuff that needs to be at modular levels)

I think that's about it. I've bought and sold a few things. I have an analog solutions MT-9 out of the case along with the CGS ring mod I put together. I can still use the ring mod if I want since it's a passive module.

My initial plans were to use all analog sequencing, but I soon realized I'd need an entire 9u case with sequencing modules to do what I wanted. The ES-3 (with Silent Way software of course) plus Numerology method is easily the second best option (in my opinion). It resembles a modular sequencing setup more than anything else in software land. I do play some things by hand and record the midi notes in Logic as well. Eventually, I would like to use an all analog setup, but until then I'm happy with the ES-3. Another added bonus of the ES-3 is you can send samples or audio on the computer direct to the modular.

Since I'm pretty much full (6hp left), my obsession of what to get next has gone down. Until I get another case one day. Then the cycle starts again.

I checked out your drones, nice stuff. It has such a weird effect on the senses!
I too find soldering really enjoyable. Have been doing it for many years, so I think I am ok at it. The only thing that puts me off is that rather than already owning a modular and building a module or two, I am building the whole thing (30 or so modules). I have finished the boards, but then when you look at the amount of connections to solder, thats when I start to get disheartend.
I love soldering to PCB's, quickest part of the whole process. Much quicker than etching, drilling and soldering pots and sockets!

The modules I have that are working feel like a massive achievement! Watching envelopes on an oscillorscope did entertain me of an unhealthy amount of time ....thinking about that makes me want to dig it all out again!

_________________
http://soundcloud.com/lemundsoul

(sad to see the old thread archived as 'haunted', but i guess it was halloween.)

yes this is true, i think 9U minimum for a real sequencing set-up.

when i started i used software sequencing thinking i would rather spend my money on quality boutique modules till i realised that while interesting, they didnt actually sound any better or do much more than i could do with cheaper seperate modules and configure them how i wanted, and the one thing that really wasnt being tried in the modular world was innovative sequencing.
this is because most people seemto have one of two mindsets,
- sequencing modules are boring, if you have the choice between an A155 and an AFG, there is no contest, and you can always sequence with a computer anyway, so why waste all that valuable space in your rig, and money. (which is where i started)
or - sequencing itself is boring, why do i want to sequence anyway, i'm making drones and deep soundscapes etc..

so i decided to go against the grain and see what could be done with analogue sequencing. i'm so glad i did, i find it fascinating. half my rig is a sequencing system. the sound producing and shaping modules are still capable of drones or techno, or whatever floats your boat, so if i want to experiment with that side of things i can, but its how that all fits with the sequencing thats got me buzzing.
i can start with the absolute simplest of sequences. i have 4 rows of 8 steps and at the moment i have only two note values per row and one of them is always C (of course this can be tranposed later in the chain)
eg row one C and F#, row two C and E etc.
so my entire palette ois only 5 notes, however these notes can be added together and subtracted because they are not notes, theyre voltages. so from these 5 notes i can construct an almost unlimited no of scales by combining the rows in different ways, (eg row one + row two - row three + row four, also i can add or subtract an offset to any of the rows.)

but its rhythmically where it gets interesting, if i only have one trigger per row, say row one has a trigger on step three, row two has a trigger on step five etc... but i run the 4 sequences in lots of different ways, eg. polyrhythmically, directionally, intermittently etc, with delays on some rows etc. and with other sequential switches later in the chain, i can produce the most complex of rhythms from the most simple few elements.
add to this the ability to control the sequences through feedback from various points later in the complex chain. (eg. say everytime a rimshot and a bass note occur at the same time, sequence one is stopped, sequence two is reversed) i can very quickly produce a very complex piece of music, and the creativity comes from how you imagine the chain of events.

so when i write music now, i dont think ' i will have a snare drum on beat 3, and a bass note on the 16th before the kick, an offbeat hi-hat' - i imagine a system of future interactions of basic elements, and then try to accomodate the chain of events.
its a completely different way to make music for me, based on how the universe works, a few basic building blocks creating infinite complexity through systems.

at the moment i'm imagining systems to make techno, but i could do anything i wanted, its all still in an early form..the future seems limitless.

sorry to describe the modular thread as haunted... was just describing some general views on this forum about modular and remembering some hostility and dragging on that happened.

can easily move this stuff into that thread if it's better. i don't want to take anything away from the info in that thread, lots of great stuff.

i've actually forgotten what it was like not using modular, so i take it for granted a bit now, but it's impossible to put a value on being so inspired, but of course not everyone gets excited by the same things that i do, so of course there are gonna be people who don't feel they need to use modular anything.

Most of my sound generation tools are just very simple ones really. the Wiard oscillators and filters that I have are nothing too fancy, very simple and minimal. The Metasonix stuff is more unusual and complex but still quite raw.

The important thing for me is to have everything interlinked, and to put a lot of effort into how all your building blocks fit together. I think modular systems work especially holistically, and as long as you find something that works for you, and you know what you're looking for you can really explore places that no-one has explored musically before. THat's a very powerful thing.

Ok so here is my fresh little 6u:


Also interatcting with my modular i have a dark energy, machine drum with 2 tracks dedicated to sending impulse triggers, and jomox t-res sitting on the main out of the modular.

Still trying to figure out what my focus is and thoroughly enjoying most of my modules. i picked up the 6u second hand and ignored people's telling me i'll want more as my funds are very tight, but now i need more.

here are some one take unedited jams and experiments:
http://soundcloud.com/audio-dependent/sets/modular-jams-and-experiments

_________________
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http://www.ml-limited.com http://www.after-dinner.net