modular synthesis

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 11:46 am

STML wrote:Would you guys mind posting your setups? I'm getting ready to take the plunge this year, and I've been doing a lot of research. Not sure if I'm going to go Eurorack or Blacet at this point, but I'm very curious as to what you guys are using.

my advice would be to go for euro, its where its all happening. one of the things which you realise when you get going, is how many utility modules you need, and these are so cheap in euro.

my set-up consists of all sorts, one of the few makes of module i dont have is Malekko / Wiard strangely, as they are oblio's favourites, no particular reason, will probably gets some at some point.

i use mostly Doepfer for sequencing ;

A155 /154, A150, A151, A152, A156, A160/161, and ive got at least 2 of everything + Tiptop Z8000.
A166 logic
4 x A185-2 for mixing/adding/subracting scales
4 x A162 for creating gates of different lengths and delaying them
4 x A183-2 for controlling LFO cvs.

this is alot of sequencing, but it also controls my Moog Voyager and other analogue synths, and its totally self-contained, no computer.

oscillators ;

ASys RS95e
Livewire AFG
Tiptop Z3000
MFB Osc 02
ASys RS40

Filters / LPGs ;

Tiptop Z2040
A 106-6
Makenoise QMMG
Bubblesound Sem 20
( + 2 x MF101s, sherman filterbank 2 )

envelopes / LFOs :

Makenoise Maths
A143-2
A141
ASys RS60
A145
Bubblesound uLFO

VCAs / distortion;

Metasonix R51
A132-3
A132-1
QMMG
A136

extra percussion ;

ASol SD99
ASol HH88

+ lots of utility stuff, mixers / attenuators etc.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 4:47 pm

steevio wrote: my advice would be to go for euro, its where its all happening. one of the things which you realise when you get going, is how many utility modules you need, and these are so cheap in euro.

my set-up consists of all sorts, one of the few makes of module i dont have is Malekko / Wiard strangely, as they are oblio's favourites, no particular reason, will probably gets some at some point.

I think it's fair to say to go with euro over 5u or whatever, but frac rack is easily combineable with euro, they'll fit into 3u size racks, and the signals will be no less compatible than modules within euro are. (even Doepfer's own modules don't conform to a particular standard... like +/-5v for audio and 0-10v for control). With a bigger system you'll need multiple power supplies anyway, which is one main difference with Frac. If I was starting again I would definitely think about it if I saw a good price on a Frac rack.

With Malekko/Wiard... the important thing, to me, is designing a system that takes advantage of the power of modular, but that has the feel of a full instrument. I think everyone has their own take on this.... some people just buy modules from whoever, and based on whether they like them or not (nothing wrong with that). I've been trying to keep things within a small interrelated system. It;s one thing that I think euro suffers from... with Buchla and Serge, everything is specifically designed for everything else... all the machines follow a similar philosophy...I think there's a bit less constant shuffling of buying selling modules with users of Serge/Buchla, and I've tried to recreate this with my Euro by focussing just on a few manufacturers and making sure everything I have fits very carefully into a specific vision. (That probably sounds like a lode of horseshite.)

I would vouch strongly for Malekko Wiard though... Grant Richter is really a wonderful designer... somewhere between Buchla and Moog but in his own unique style.

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:29 pm

^^^

everyone has there own plans,
i cant justify limiting myself to one manufacturer, i wouldnt be doing even a tiny fraction of what i'm doing now if i had limited myself to Wiard modules.

the thing that attracted me to euro was the huge choice of designs from different manufacturers. i'd only go down that route if the chosen manufacturer was in a totally different league to the others, and i dont think theres an amazing amount of difference in all these modules. i'm also not necessarily that impressed with vactrols tbh. they have a character thats ok for some things but not others.
alot depends on what kind of music youre making. i'd say i'm only partially experimental, therefore i need a core of modules that do the bread and butter jobs of techno.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:48 pm

everyone has their own style, of course. I'm just saying the route that I've gone down and why. It's not about certain manufacturers being more or less amazing than others, it's about being quite sensitive to how everything fits together. But that's something that most people will do naturally anyway, whatever route they go down.

Obviously I couldn't get the same results sequencing wise with my set up. But it has strengths in other areas.

I do miss warm kinda filters... the vactrol based filters are defnitely quite precise and not harmonic and hazey in the same way... but that suits waveshaping style synthesis where you're using the filter in a different way, and you add the warmth in other areas.

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Sun Jan 30, 2011 10:37 pm

i dont think theres any compatability issues with euro modules at all.

ive never yet found anything that didnt do exactly what i expected it to do when i connected it to a module from another manufacturer.
everything works like a dream, they all speak the same language, thats all that matters.
theres definitely lots of different character to be had from all the different makes,
i need a wide palette.

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 12:09 am

steevio wrote:i dont think theres any compatability issues with euro modules at all.

ive never yet found anything that didnt do exactly what i expected it to do when i connected it to a module from another manufacturer.
everything works like a dream, they all speak the same language, thats all that matters.
theres definitely lots of different character to be had from all the different makes,
i need a wide palette.

There are little things, for example what strength signal a VCA will open fully at, and what strength an envelope outputs at. but yeah there's nothing major. certainly nothing that can't be worked around (it is modular after all, there's always a way to get something work). Euro manufacturers are all working towards the same goals, and it's not bigger deal if you need to use a few utility modules to fit stuff together.

I like a focussed set of tools, and to find wideness within certain constraints. there's something for everyone.

STML · Post by **STML** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 5:14 am

@steevio: Thanks for the kit list. Very helpful.

I guess Euro is the way to go. Certainly lots more research to do. I guess I can always expand to Blacet very easily.

arns · Post by **arns** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:53 am

hi all,

ive been farming this forum for some time, and first of all, friendly atmosphere around here.

so up for the modular thingy : i'd like to start building a system, but i cant really get my head around it, and my question : do you guys see it possible/likeable to start very small with setting a couple modules together that fit so i have a synth, and then built from there on? or d'you reccon i just buy a semi modular box (like mfb or something).

i very much like the idea of only getting what u need/want without having to buy a box for 1 or 2 specific sound/filter

thx in advance, this thread has at least thought me some basics