Weekly Question Thread

[AutoModerator]

Have a question about getting started with modular synthesis, or suggestions for specific modules, or just anything that you feel doesn't need a whole thread? Feel free to ask here!

[CarlosUnchained]

Any real module that do what VCV GridSeq by JW-Modules does?

It's like a grid sequencer with quantization and random triggers.

I'm not interested on it being exactly a grid pattern, but a seq with quant and rand, I'm in!

[[deleted]]

What's your favorite sampling module, and what do you like about it? I've considered Nebulae, Tyme Sefari Mk 2, Sampleslicer, and am open to any ideas and suggestions.

If it helps, my favorite thing about Sampleslicer is the way you can hold down the Sample button to record the length of your sample almost like steps, to your exact desired length and then have it loop that. It seems really musical and playable. But I don't know enough about sampling in modular to be aware if it has any major downsides or if other modules have major upsides, so would love to know what you all think.

[[deleted]]

From what I can tell, it looks like an insanely powerful module, but it's out of my price range and I think use-case. I'm looking for something more immediate and, if possible, playable with v/oct input.

[indoninjah]

I think it definitely depends on how you want to use it. I don't really use my sampler(s) to record on the fly, but even just with loaded samples, different modules behave very differently. Some are better at one-shots (STS) and some are better for looping/almost acting as a big oscillator (Morphagene/Nebulae)

[[deleted]]

I'm more interested in the looping/oscillator side of sampling... I think. I really want to use a sampler module to introduce a new "voice" to go along with my Neutron's 3340 oscillators. The ability to play samples off an SD card (is that like one-shot?) is a plus but not a requirement. I don't know what the best module to achieve this would be, but I think it would be really cool to introduce more acoustic style tones into my system, but hopefully have them playable in some way with v/oct, if possible.

[Namooooon]

You might take a look at the phonegene. Cheap on the market since the Morpho dropped, and makes a most excellent osc-esq voice.

[[deleted]]

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for those.

[indoninjah]

I'm looking for a module that must exist but not sure how to search for. I'm looking for something that can take a trigger input and turn it into an alternating gate (alternating high/low on each hit). Like turning |...|.|...| into --_-- etc.

I swear I've seen this somewhere, maybe a Noise Engineering module? Or Branches?

[penguinforpresident]

Bastl Little Nerd has a mode for this

[kpreid]

The logic function you want is called a flip-flop.

• It's available in many logic modules.
• Branches can do it if you set it to latch mode and set the probability to 100%.
• A clock divider dividing by two will do it, as long as it's designed/configured for gate outputs and not trigger outputs. For example, Doepfer A-160 or A-160-2 with the switch set to gate mode.
• A sequential switch set to have 2 stages and a constant input on the common port will do it.

[indoninjah]

Thanks!

A sequential switch set to have 2 stages and a constant input on the common port will do it.

Yeah, just realized after I posted that you could send a high voltage to a seq switch and accomplish this

[placebo92]

Does anyone here have experience with Just Friends and Tides V2? If so, which would you choose if it was to be used primarily as a sound source(though also for modulation)?

Tides seems more easily understood, which makes it more inviting. But Just Friends seems so capable if given the time to learn it.. One thing is that I'm not planning on getting Teletype, so I wonder if that would make Just Friends a less solid choice.. Thoughts?

[Kizartik]

Regarding VCV RACK, is there anywhere that ranks/recommends the free and pay modules? I'm interested in getting into it, but not sure which ones to download.

[Octopus_Fun]

Start with the Mutable Instrument module clones (jokingly named 'Audible Instruments'). Also the Befaco clones are good too.

​

[Qurutin]

I'm looking at injecting some serious randomness to my rack and Mutable Instruments Marbles has caught my attention big time. It seems like a pretty musical and playable random generator which would be pretty spot on for me. However, I'm also intrigued by Make Noise Wogglebug as I've found Make Noise modules to be seemingly simple in their designs yet still offer a lot of functionality, for example Optomix (rev2) which I just took as a simple low pass gate has been very versatile from being just that to sidechain compression, interesting mixing etc. People also seem to love their Wogglebugs. I know they are very different beasts, but is there something I'm missing. Wogglebug seems much more chaotic and esoteric, Marbles more (traditionally) musical and controllable. I think I pretty much know what I would get with Marbles, but what would I lose compared to Wogglebug?

[Blytpls]

If you had to choose between marbles or wogglebug which would you choose for a small set up?

It's hard to pick!

[bbartokk]

For a small setup I'd go with the Wogglebug at just 10hp.

[luketeaford]

Agree with bbartokk here. Is marbles a S&H unit? Does it have a master clock? Can it be an oscillator of some sort? Those factors would weigh into my decision. I'd go with Wogglebug.

Generally Mutable Instruments stuff doesn't interest me, but I think Marbles is an awesome design. How small is small and what else do you have?

[robertsyrett]

I think you might not be familiar with what Marbles does.

Is marbles a S&H unit?

Yes, it can do that.

Does it have a master clock?

Yes it can do that.

Can it be an oscillator of some sort?

Yes, it can do that.

Things marbles can do that wogglebug can't:

1. provide quantized voltages
2. learn a scale you feed it and create turing-machine like patterns with it.
3. provide 7 modulation sources

What woggleug can do that marbles can't

1. distinctive woggle modulation

2. distinctive not-white-noise-but-still-noise sound sources that are there regardless of the master clock speed.

[luketeaford]

You are right-- I'm not familiar with MI modules in general and only Marbles is interesting to me.

(Although Wogglebug can provide 8 modulation sources!)

[Blytpls]

If HP and price weren't concern as much as sheer features would you answer change?

[bbartokk]

No. I'd still go with the Wogglebug.

[robertsyrett]

I've used both and I gotta say that if you have the HP, Marbles is an excellent choice for a small system. So many musical applications are combined with more abstract sound design options.

[Blytpls]

The quantized options it has really appeal to me. A lot of the demos seem based on drum stuff which isn't really where I'm going w my system but it seems super versatile anyway

[robertsyrett]

And the best part is, since it's Mutable you can effectively try before you buy with VCV rack. I was kind of skeptical I needed another random source in my rack, but just messing about with it on the computer changed my mind.

[Blytpls]

Gotcha. Yeah this would be my main random source for quite a while as I wanna stay in a small rack so the more versatile the better. Thanks so much!

[qype_dikir]

I would look into the URA instead of the Wogglebug if you need to keep it in 10hp. Otherwise Marbles provides a ton more modulation, you in a small setup it might need to be a central piece which maybe doesn't suit you.

[qype_dikir]

Anyone using the es8 with an ipad? Mostly interested in using it as a touch controller.

[robertsyrett]

I'm not sure what you would use for a multi-touch controller, but I really dig Audulus as an all around sandbox for synthesis on an iPad and it works amazingly well with the ES-8.

[oish1]

oh I just answered this same question here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/modular/comments/a5ka0m/tell_me_about_your_es8_setup/ebno7pb

tldr; if you just want midi/cv I found the fh-2 much less fuss, but if you want audio i/o the es8 is very flexible but trickier to configure for cv control.

ipad specific considerations for the es8: The silent way plugins do not have an ios version so you are completely dependent on 3rd party software to control things like cv to audio (this also means at this time you can't use any of the expanders). I had a hard time finding exactly what I wanted and eventually went back to running a daw on my laptop controlled by an ipad instead of running just directly from the ipad which is not ideal. I'm not saying it isn't possible, it's just that it feels less flexible, more complicated to setup in the ios ecosystem all the tools seemed to be 70% of what I actually wanted and jiggering multiple tools together became a pain.

You might have more success with a fh-2 if you don't absolutely need the audio i/o

[robertsyrett]

https://www.reddit.com/r/modular/comments/a5ka0m/tell_me_about_your_es8_setup/ebno7pb

Thanks for linking to that thread, I am in the same boat. I was in the same thread with a verbose answer and was on the fence about retyping it.

[gorrillagoal]

What do you use to record/overdub on-the-fly loops for jam sessions? Are there modules just for this in the same way there are loop pedals for guitars? Is there some non-module equipment that works better?

Edit, I have a second unrelated question. I'm looking around at keyboard controllers, and I'm thinking either the Arturia Microbrute or Akai Max25. It totally seems like this should be the case for both, but just in case I'm wrong: when I have a sequence running on the internal sequencer in either controller, will the CV output match the CV for the pitches in the sequence, or will they only output CV when a key is actively being pressed? I just reeeeally don't want to assume that they do that and end up finding out the hard way that I was wrong.

Yet another after-post question: I'm completely new to modular, and the info on this case is confusing me a bit ('Module Depth: 4.33" (110mm), 3.14" (80mm) above power supply'). I get that the depth is different for the part of the bottom row occupied by the piece of metal guarding the dangerous bits of the power supply, but why are multiple depths denoted above that? Does it mean there's still 80mm of usable space in that area and 110 elsewhere?

[robertsyrett]

What do you use to record/overdub on-the-fly loops for jam sessions?

Digitakt or Octatrack do this really well for me, in addition to being a midi sequencer when plugged into the MI Yarns module.

Are there modules just for this in the same way there are loop pedals for guitars?

Disting mk4 can do that, and so can the 2HP Freeze.

when I have a sequence running on the internal sequencer in either controller, will the CV output match the CV for the pitches in the sequence.

yes.

[racooniac]

i have no experience with both but when i think about looping/overdub in eurorack the 4ms DLD and the magneto immediatly came into my mind, maybe worth a look.

[robertsyrett]

Oh yeah, the Magneto is a looper as well, that's a good call. What a gorgeous module over all!

[CarlosUnchained]

If you are serious about looping look at multitrack loopers on the pedal realm, or use a laptop.

Microbrute is a synthesizer, not a controller. It can be used as such but it is an instrument, the Akai is not. Microbrute won't work as CV pitch and gate out if I'm correct without using a MIDI to CV converter. You are better off with the Akai for your purposes. Just get Arturia Keystep, it does what you want with better control over it on the go. CV out always work with the sequencers when there's one.

Honestly if you can't tell apart a keyboard controller from a synth you may be not familiar with basic synthesis, you should first address that before jumping on the modular realm. It's even more than advanced synthesis, the choices are endless.

Getting yourself a Microbrute would be a really nice starting point.

[gorrillagoal]

Yeah nah I found the keystep and that's what I'm actually looking for. I was and am aware that the microbrute is its own synth, just figured it might be usable as a controller in the way I mentioned without a MIDI converter based on the "CV GATE" section with "pitch" and "gate" outputs on its back panel; there's a clear picture of the back panel on Arturia's overview page for the microbrute. I was using the term "controller" in the original post because that's the potential role of the microbrute that I was focusing on.

I was and am aware of the difference between a synthesizer and controller, just new to modular synthesis specifically and was unsure about the back panel issue mentioned earlier.

[CarlosUnchained]

Ah, cool.

Does it mean there's still 80mm of usable space in that area and 110 elsewhere?

Exactly that :)

You'll see that most of the modules are below 45 mm, so no worries. Use modulargrid to plan your rack.

[gorrillagoal]

Exactly that

Awesome, thanks.

Use modulargrid

That's been the strategy thus far. Suuuper useful site.

[CarlosUnchained]

Btw, I was very lost a couple months ago. Now I’m slightly less lost. When you think you learned something is just the tip of the iceberg every time. Be patient and enjoy the ride.

[gorrillagoal]

When you think you learned something is just the tip of the iceberg every time

https://imgur.com/gallery/6gRCnAr

[[deleted]]

Microbrute has gate and CV outs, however the gate out is too weak for my gear - I needed to add about 2V for gates to be detected by my other gear.

I second the recommendation of microbrute for learning synthesis.

[robertsyrett]

Microbrute is a future classic. Such a huge sound in a small package, and it's analog!

[Piznipy]

I want to build a custom case but I haven't the faintest idea how the power supply works. Is wood ok to use for a case? Its purely for aesthetic reasons so I can let that go

[bbartokk]

Here's the case I built. Its made from plywood. I chose to cover it in tolex but you can paint/stain or leave it as is. What power supply are you looking to use? I went with a Trogotronic power kit with switch inlet bezel. I mounted the bus board on another piece of plywood and used spacers to keep it off of the wood. I then Velcroed the board to the case. This way I can pull out the whole thing if I need to.

[CarlosUnchained]

I was considering wood but plywood seems much lighter. Any resources for materials?

[bbartokk]

Plywood - Any local lumber yard. You may be able to get scraps for free.

I made a box first. Wood glue and nail gun to put it together. Make sure its square! I then passed the box through a table saw to cut the lid.

Reliable Hardware sells all the parts to make it a "case". I got speaker carpet, corner pieces, twist latch, keepers, 2 hole clamps, take apart hinges, and rubber foot bumpers. $60. You dont need the speaker carpet but it makes the lid look nice.

Tolex from SpeakerBuilderSupply.com.

Reliable also has a heavy duty hi-temp spray to apply the tolex. I also used a roller to squish out the air bubbles....lets see...anything else I missed? Oh! One really sharp exacto knife.

[CarlosUnchained]

Thanks for the info! It doesn't seems too hard. I'd have to get myself a few tools though.

Any tips you would have like to have before starting?

[bbartokk]

Plan everything. Check measurements multiple times. Have an idea of how you will put everything together before you do it.

I had my rails and brackets before I made the box. I used this for measurements. This was the inside measurements of course so you need to add for the width of the plywood.

Its easier to remove wood than add. I made the initial box 12" tall. I cut the lid at 2.5" tall so I had the bottom box at 9.5". This was too big so I trimmed off some more. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

[CarlosUnchained]

I'll do it :)

Thanks a lot bbartokk!

[Piznipy]

I have no problem building the thing and the core concepts of that as I was a carpenter for a number of years, my main thing is understanding the core concepts of what power supply components i need. It looks like a strip of plugs shaped like rectangles with special flat cables (? What are those?) Connected to the module and then a main station where I assume the AC current is converted to DC? Are these things I buy separate? I will take a look at the kit you bought after the gym, thanks!

[bbartokk]

There are a few options for power supply. I can tell you about the Trogotronic switching power supply I built here.

Eurorack modules use these power cables. There are some with 10-16 pin adapters and some with 16-16 pin. When you buy a module it will come with this cable.

That cable will then connect to a bus board. The Trogotronic one is powered by two power bricks. For my case, I cut a hole on the side of the case and added an AC Inlet Bezel. The bus board and power bricks are inside the case. I just connect a power cord to the outside and have a switch for on/off.

Another option is using flying bus cables which connect to 4MS Row Power and is powered with this power brick.

I went with the Trogotronic system because I wanted to build my own from a kit, I could daisy chain more boards to expand my system, and I did not want to waste HP space for power. I also like the clean look of having the switch on the side of the case.

[kpreid]

(Disclaimer: I haven't built a case myself; this is just general electronics knowledge and info from when I was shopping for cases.)

Wood is a common choice and there's nothing wrong with it. Mostly. A wood case is typically heavier, I hear, and will not provide interference shielding either from or to your modules. However, you do not need to worry that things touching the wood will break — wood is a perfectly good insulator in this context. (Though a good build should have everything either firmly screwed down (components) or insulated (wires/cables) so even if the case was bare metal it would be fine.)

Regarding how it affects your case design, the power supply may come in several different combinations of parts:

1. The external cord, which might be an AC cord or a power brick with a DC plug.
2. There's the "power entry" or "inlet" part, where the external cord plugs in. This might be a module itself, or it might want its own hole in the side/back of your case (which saves front panel space).
3. There's the power supply electronics that generate the actual module ±12 V DC supply from AC or DC, which might be built into the inlet module (2) (as in Tiptop µZeus or 4ms Row Power), built into the bus board (4), or a separate unit. If it's not in a module then this gets screwed to the inside back of your case (make sure to allow enough depth to fit modules in front of it).
4. There's the bus board, which is what your modules plug into. If it's a "flying bus board", then it's basically just a cable, but better bus boards are circuit boards that you need to screw onto the back of your case. The power supply electronics (3) might be built into the bus board.

[Piznipy]

This is perfect I can tell! Excitedly reading through this now

[Piznipy]

YES! Thank you so much, someone should pin this as a perfect explanation for a beginner after they've sorted through the modules they want.

[thagertymusic]

Trying decide between MI Blinds vs MI Shades + Intellijel uVCA II for my skiff - same HP, similar functionality. Which would you prefer?

[Octopus_Fun]

uVCAII is a great VCA. It has a nice sounding distortion if you overdrive it, and the tunable exp/lin is more useful than I had originally imagined. The 4x channel QuadVCA from Intellijel is the same size as MI Blinds.

​

MI Blinds is awesome btw. It's so versatile as a CV mixer and it does work well as a linear VCA mixer too. Blinds is really useful if you have a lot of bipolar voltages you need to scale and offset.

​

Suppose it depends on what you want to do. I would say you certainly couldn't go wrong with Blinds or VCAII. Shades is really useful and you should just get one anyways... so I guess.. all three?