You should bring it along to the next delete on the 22nd of March. We just booked Peverelist.
modular etc etc
Re: modular etc etc
I don't even have a soldering iron. It would be good if you could build it for me.
You should bring it along to the next delete on the 22nd of March. We just booked Peverelist.
You should bring it along to the next delete on the 22nd of March. We just booked Peverelist.
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oblioblioblio
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Re: modular etc etc
Tony, I'll be glad to get you on your own way to a modular system!
I think I got the price wrong, looks like I'm going to have to pay customs charges and I'll need to bump the cost a bit cos it's gonna take 4 or 5 hours to build the thing. I think my standard of work is not that different to the professionals. I'll give you a warranty on it for a year or otherwise help out if it fails. I'll check the cost of everything and try to make it as reasonable as possible.
I'm going to The Good Robot the week after (posted on Freerotation fest facebook) so not sure if I can make Delete, was planning to go to the last ones but ended up changing my plans at the last minute.
I think I got the price wrong, looks like I'm going to have to pay customs charges and I'll need to bump the cost a bit cos it's gonna take 4 or 5 hours to build the thing. I think my standard of work is not that different to the professionals. I'll give you a warranty on it for a year or otherwise help out if it fails. I'll check the cost of everything and try to make it as reasonable as possible.
I'm going to The Good Robot the week after (posted on Freerotation fest facebook) so not sure if I can make Delete, was planning to go to the last ones but ended up changing my plans at the last minute.
Re: modular etc etc
That's alright. It will probably work out cheaper than what post modular sell them for?
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oblioblioblio
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Re: modular etc etc
Yep, I'm hoping it will be around or less than 200, have to see what customs take off me first.
Re: modular etc etc
Hello,
I’m looking for a satisfying way to produce techno again, and I realized that I need to do it live. However, my previous experiences with sequencing have been less than satisfying. I had a machinedrum, which was only good for drum sequencing and even very limited in that area. Tried a rm1x, and did not like it at all. I did lust over the cirklon, and other expansive sequencer boxes, but even if the features are impressive, I don’t think this is what I need.
Reading this thread I realize that the solution might be a modular setup! However, I really struggle to grasp how it works, and I guess the only way to know is to use it. Frankly I’m still scared that I won’t be able to do any music at all with it.
On another thread, steevio gave this sequencing setup as an example:
A155/ A154
2 x A151
A156
A160/ A161
I have some questions :
1) I’m under the impression that this is “mono”, i.e. drive one ”instrument at a time”. I probably lack understanding here, but how could I for example sequence simultaneously few drums, a bass line, a chord, and an evolving pad ?
2) How does translate the concept of switching pattern in an analog environment ? The idea would be to be able to switch quickly to a new set of parameters at the same time, to make a sharp transition.
3) Would this play well with a non modular synth, i.e. midi and cc ? I know they are CV to midi converters, but does it make sense at all ?
Thanks in advance !
I’m looking for a satisfying way to produce techno again, and I realized that I need to do it live. However, my previous experiences with sequencing have been less than satisfying. I had a machinedrum, which was only good for drum sequencing and even very limited in that area. Tried a rm1x, and did not like it at all. I did lust over the cirklon, and other expansive sequencer boxes, but even if the features are impressive, I don’t think this is what I need.
Reading this thread I realize that the solution might be a modular setup! However, I really struggle to grasp how it works, and I guess the only way to know is to use it. Frankly I’m still scared that I won’t be able to do any music at all with it.
On another thread, steevio gave this sequencing setup as an example:
A155/ A154
2 x A151
A156
A160/ A161
I have some questions :
1) I’m under the impression that this is “mono”, i.e. drive one ”instrument at a time”. I probably lack understanding here, but how could I for example sequence simultaneously few drums, a bass line, a chord, and an evolving pad ?
2) How does translate the concept of switching pattern in an analog environment ? The idea would be to be able to switch quickly to a new set of parameters at the same time, to make a sharp transition.
3) Would this play well with a non modular synth, i.e. midi and cc ? I know they are CV to midi converters, but does it make sense at all ?
Thanks in advance !
Re: modular etc etc
hi p_ACHE,
the whole mono thing is a misconception about modulars, you can drive as many instruments are as you like with a set-up like that, its a bit difficult to explain simply, but i'll have a go.
for a start you can run 4 different instruments from the A155 on its own as it has 4 seperate trigger/gate outputs. there are some limitations due to the fact that you have two groups of two triggers and CVs (notes) not 4 seperate triggers and CVs, but in reality this is not a limitation for minimal music, it actually helps to keep it solid and simple. effectively it means you have to choose between triggering one thing or another on each channel.
once you multiply the possibilities with the A151s, and the A160/161 and the A156 (which is in itself dual channel) you have lots of possibilities.
I never ran out of ideas when my setup was this simple and i was running 7 or 8 oscillators/instruments/percussion etc.
my set-up is now basically double that set-up and i can make highly complex music with it, with an unlimited amount of instruments.
this setup is perfect for switching between sets of parameters and you can do it automatically with the A151 sequential switches, but if you want manual control i would throw in a couple of Switched multiples (A182-1) theyre very cheap and it gives you the option to re-route your CVs to different places with a bank of simple 3 way switches. Ive got loads of these, theyre totally invaluable for live jamming.
yes a CV-midi comvertor means you can sequence and control your non-modular gear via midi.
I'm not going to pretend that this is a complex sequencing set-up, but for our kind of music its easily adequate, and everytime you add another module to the set-up, the possibilites multiply.
personally i use ADSRs to control my A154s this really gives you so many more possibilities, so to that list i would add at least one ADSR. how this works is impossible to explain here, i discovered it by experimentation, now its at the heart of everything i do.
this is the amazing thing about modular, you find your own way to do things that have nothing in common with regular DAW style timeline/pianoroll sequencing, you invent your own way to sequence.
i hope that helps
the whole mono thing is a misconception about modulars, you can drive as many instruments are as you like with a set-up like that, its a bit difficult to explain simply, but i'll have a go.
for a start you can run 4 different instruments from the A155 on its own as it has 4 seperate trigger/gate outputs. there are some limitations due to the fact that you have two groups of two triggers and CVs (notes) not 4 seperate triggers and CVs, but in reality this is not a limitation for minimal music, it actually helps to keep it solid and simple. effectively it means you have to choose between triggering one thing or another on each channel.
once you multiply the possibilities with the A151s, and the A160/161 and the A156 (which is in itself dual channel) you have lots of possibilities.
I never ran out of ideas when my setup was this simple and i was running 7 or 8 oscillators/instruments/percussion etc.
my set-up is now basically double that set-up and i can make highly complex music with it, with an unlimited amount of instruments.
this setup is perfect for switching between sets of parameters and you can do it automatically with the A151 sequential switches, but if you want manual control i would throw in a couple of Switched multiples (A182-1) theyre very cheap and it gives you the option to re-route your CVs to different places with a bank of simple 3 way switches. Ive got loads of these, theyre totally invaluable for live jamming.
yes a CV-midi comvertor means you can sequence and control your non-modular gear via midi.
I'm not going to pretend that this is a complex sequencing set-up, but for our kind of music its easily adequate, and everytime you add another module to the set-up, the possibilites multiply.
personally i use ADSRs to control my A154s this really gives you so many more possibilities, so to that list i would add at least one ADSR. how this works is impossible to explain here, i discovered it by experimentation, now its at the heart of everything i do.
this is the amazing thing about modular, you find your own way to do things that have nothing in common with regular DAW style timeline/pianoroll sequencing, you invent your own way to sequence.
i hope that helps
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oblioblioblio
- mnml maxi
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Re: modular etc etc
it really fucks me off too when people call multi oscillator synths monosynths... I think we should retaliate! and call poly synths mono timbral synths, ha !
My heaven with synthesis is maximum possible timbre control. Even the A-155 annoys me with 2 rows... I like EVERY function to be isolated from any other function. So with a sequencer I like to just have 1 set of variables, and then the link between other functions can be my choice.
I would give some general advice that whilst it's really sensible to try and learn as much as possible before jumping into a big decision, to a certain extent all the learning is going to be done when you're using the system, and it requires some trust and instinct to go with it and not rationalise or predict it. I radically changed my way of thinking about and making music when I got a modular. But even through all this change, I ended up back in the same place that I always was musically, the same idea, but much more focussed, much more real.
Sharp transitions takes practice, or a set of modules to hard wire that functionality like Steevio mentioned.
I don't think many midi instruments play well with CVs. The midi on most machines nowadays seems to be designed to make the machine controllable by a computer and not by a modular system. I was trying to get control by CV of an Octatrack but it would have cost £1000 to make an approropriate interface, as none of the modular companies have made any really good midi to cv or vice versa units. Perhaps that's because that's not where the fun is!
My heaven with synthesis is maximum possible timbre control. Even the A-155 annoys me with 2 rows... I like EVERY function to be isolated from any other function. So with a sequencer I like to just have 1 set of variables, and then the link between other functions can be my choice.
I would give some general advice that whilst it's really sensible to try and learn as much as possible before jumping into a big decision, to a certain extent all the learning is going to be done when you're using the system, and it requires some trust and instinct to go with it and not rationalise or predict it. I radically changed my way of thinking about and making music when I got a modular. But even through all this change, I ended up back in the same place that I always was musically, the same idea, but much more focussed, much more real.
Sharp transitions takes practice, or a set of modules to hard wire that functionality like Steevio mentioned.
I don't think many midi instruments play well with CVs. The midi on most machines nowadays seems to be designed to make the machine controllable by a computer and not by a modular system. I was trying to get control by CV of an Octatrack but it would have cost £1000 to make an approropriate interface, as none of the modular companies have made any really good midi to cv or vice versa units. Perhaps that's because that's not where the fun is!
Re: modular etc etc
yes bro but it depends on how you look at it, you could say that it is a two row sequencer that is expanded to 4, rather than a 4 output sequencer limited to two rows, glass half full / half empty .oblioblioblio wrote: Even the A-155 annoys me with 2 rows... I like EVERY function to be isolated from any other function.
the fact is that every function is rarely isolated from any other function in most modules, there are always connections hardwired on the PCB. the level of modularity is limited by cost and functionality. yes it would be awesome to patch into any point of the circuit at will, but there are limits, i'm happy that the modules ive chosen have enough CV control to give me a useful platform for my ideas to blossom, thats all that matters to me.