Hi guys! I’m trying to build my first modular rack and I’m researching a lot lately abt it. For my first build, I would like not to “break the bank” because I’m young and I don’t really have the resources to buy fancy modules so I would just want to ask yall from your experience if the Behringer clones (especially Brains, Abacus and Chaos) are a bang for a buck for what modules they are actually copying. Thanks!
For those who have been through the mill a bit, I was just wondering what you would consider the 3 best manufacturers in euro that you've used/collected over the years? For me, I consider a combination of the modules themselves and any relevant experiences with customer service and the general company reputation and vibe.
So for me:
1. Xaoc Devices: I've accumulated a lot of Xaoc modules and have a definite brand loyalty here at this point. I like their aesthetic, they're generally very well built, and generally unique and well-thought-out modules. Praga + Hrad is a terrific mixer, their utilities are awesome, Moskwa II is a great sequencer, Leibniz subsystem is fascinating, their filters/phasers are all great, Batumi II is a modulation powerhouse. I have had some issues with a couple of their modules over the years, but the customer service is excellent and always has come through for me. Their Instagram page is frequently updated with cool patch ideas and module uses. My favorite brand overall.
2. Joranalogue: I think build-wise they do just about everything right. They're extremely consistent with well-organized modules that all line up so nicely. They always have firm (soft touch) knobs with just the right amount of give/resistance, nice diffuse LEDs, consistent jacks, shrouded power connectors, cool packaging, and the prices are not too grandiose given the quality. I also like their WYSIWYG approach -- no fussy digital modules, nothing with button combos or menu driven, everything is right there above board. I only own one module by them currently but have used many over the years and have a lot of respect for this company! Over the years I had to have one of their modules diagnosed and repaired and the customer service was responsive & helpful.
3. Make Noise: The build quality is nothing super-special, but they're kind of the king of classic innovation in the industry, to me. Maths is a legend that's still relevant/useful, their effects are all really unique, patchable, and fun to use, and they continue to explore new territory with the NUSS modules. Customer service has generally been responsive & helpful in my limited experience with them. Very cool company.
Those would be my top 3 I think, but definitely also high up there would be: Instruo (great modules, if a bit button-combo-y, solid customer service, infamously deep-divey tutorials); 4MS (underrated brand, PEG is a classic in my book, very good customer service); Erica Synths (bevy of cool, well built offerings, particularly the "black" and "fusion" line, responsive customer service); and Doepfer (the original pioneers; very sturdy modules for the price, tons of offerings).
Sorry to leave any other worthy companies out -- Schlappi is very well made, ALM is fun and Pam's is a legend, New Systems is too often overlooked (Inertia and Discrete Map are fascinating modules!), Intellijel is very solid, Mannequins is innovative and cool, Sovage is doing interesting things, etc. -- I haven't tried every company out there, but tbh most of the boutique eurorack manufacturers I've used over the years have been pretty awesome with decent customer service more often than not.
Title pretty much says it! Looking for an ADSR/function generator in 6hp 🤔🤔 got any faves?
Already have all the modules except Filter 8 and Caress of Stars. Put a lot of thought in how to make this small and as fun as possible and was wondering if anyone would find this rack inspiring.
Hello everyone! Been playing around in VCV Rack for a while, and want to begin moving towards a physical setup with real knobs that I can turn and perform with. Most notably, I use modular stuff for textures and ambience in indie folk, experimental folk, and death metal. The main way I play with VCV is by feeding signal from a guitar or banjo or something into it, and then using it sort of like an FX processor. However, I also will create a generative patch when the occasion calls for it. In VCV I have as many modules as I want, and I never have to think about rack space or multi function units. For a real unit, I’d like to be able to play it via an instrument or MIDI keyboard, and have it integrate with my existing guitar pedalboard. The Starlab is the module I’m most excited about, as I got into modular via Andrew Sarlo and his production work with guitar driven eurorack setups.
This is a first pass at what I think I should be building towards, starting out with just the case, input, output, and Starlab and building from there as I can afford.
From a more experienced perspective, does This setup have any glaring flaws or gaps? It’s more of a texture and ambience generator than anything else, but I don’t know if I’m over or underestimating my need for utility modules to drive the core sounds. I have some open space left to fill, which I was considering filling with another oscillator.
My plan is to be able to do a 30-45 minute set without boring everyone to tears. I can riff on the Moog side for a bit, bringing in the DFAM last. Then start adding bits on the "Light Side" while fading the Laby and Subharm out, bring in more aggressive drums from the bottom set of Tymp Leggio, Plaits, Drums. Jam out a bit more aggressively for a bit, and then lighten out again.
The top Pam's would provide one clock out, multed in the 07 Mult for almost everything else. THe clock divider can sync Chronoblob and TTLFO at intervals of clock. Modulations can be mixed in 3X MIA and adjusted on the fly. (missing a tuner which will probably be an issue, I know)
All mixed into the Ladik mixer, which feeds into the 2hp Reverb, then into TX and out to PA.
Thoughts? Additions, subtractions?
Since you all love VCV Rack, I thought someone here might appreciate my game that is in development. I just released a Demo and would love to get feedback from people.
You can record the output of the game and save it to your harddisk, where you can of course use it how you see fit!
A short pitch about the game:
WastelandFM is a cozy managment-sim about running a radio station.
You make the music live on air, plan your shows, and grow your audience by performing DJ tricks & Combos!
Demanding sponsors force you to sharpen every performance and expand your sound library in order to become a legendary wasteland radio host!
I removed some modules and i want something to complete the case, there are 25 hp left, and im looking for a module that can manage to modulate voltage in different ways, something like a data bender ( which i dont like ) but can manipulate voltage also act as and effect maybe or modulation generator, basically something mysterious that creates surprises within the signal path.
Im not looking for a module that does 100 things, it can have a few functions but excel at them.
I make dark experimental music.
Thank you!
This'll be my first ever foray into modular. I researched for like at least 20 hours over the last couple days and ended up on this setup, piecing it together from a few compact cases I came across in some YouTube vids that have the sort of sound I'm going for, and that also work within the same, or similar, constraints I've chosen for myself.
I'm intending to use it for ambient/drone/texture plus some melodic sequences. Hoping that second oscillator (Dixie) could be used for like a dedicated topline melody maker over chords or a drone from the Plaits. Not sure if this setup supports that kind of thing very well, which is why I'm posting it as an invitation for any kind of feedback or advice to help me refine what I got down so far. Barely know what I'm doing, so I'm seeking counsel from the elders.
But yeah that's essentially it. Please take a gander if you care to peek into a newbie's nascent modular logic. Would love to get some opinions on this to see if I'm headed in a decent direction, in terms of maximizing efficiency and utility within such a small sandbox. Or if you happen to know of any similar modules that might be better purposed within the case for a similar or lesser price, those suggestions are totally welcome as well.
TLDR: Are there any glaring flaws in this build for a beginner in modular?
Been slowing things down latley, its been a while since I haven’t dropped below 130, but I like when things have space to breathe 🙏🏼
I've been making music with modular synthesizers for over 7 years now, and over that time I've accumulated a ton of photos and short videos of different patches that I made in the past, but this was always clearly an unmanageable mess.
It's taken me a few months to build this thing and it's far from perfect but I think it's a decent v1... I'm thinking of making a sound design course and I figured something like this would be better than having to use some software to draw my patch schematics and share the patches as images. There's some VERY BASIC dsp engine written in javascript, which is definitely not optimized for sweet-spots, but it does the work (also, not all of the modules are programmed yet). Still, you can upload your own audio snippets if you want to show someone else what your patch can potentially sound like, and you can also upload a photo of your patch and add comments if that helps someone reproduce it.
I purposfully limited the scope to generic modules (LFO, VCF, OSC, switches, logic, comparators, function generators, S&H, etc) instead of trying to reproduce any real modules, since VCV rack does that way better than I could ever attempt. If you need to, you can also create your own modules based on stuff that you have and use them in your schematics.
You can tag your patches so they are more easily sorted, save favorites from other users and you don't even need an account if you just want to check them out.
Link to some patches: https://patchatlas.cv/browse
If you have any feedback or ideas I would love to hear about it, but the DSP will probably remain shitty for some time since it's not the main focus right now. I've been looking for an excuse to learn rust so maybe at some point I rewrite it with something more up to the task.
I'm looking for a precision screw for my Rubicon 2 calibration. I already got one online but it's too big. The trimpots are completely minuscule!
What screw could I use? Im looking everywhere online and can't find anything.
I am scared.... I have been watching many videos about modular synths lately. And I have sold some of my gear and have a sum to spend on the new ones. I feel I am getting hooked but I know what are the consequences of going down this rabbit hole. Some rational part of me still wants to buy at least a semi-modular one, but the other is pushing me towards amazing world of "lego" blocks. I am saying to myself "I will just build something tiny and we will see" but I know it is not true :) Dear YT, please stop showing me mylar videos.
Look how colours of sliders match patch cables and how neat the routing is.
I'm considering starting with modular Synthesizers.
But I don't have a lot of money and a lot of modules I find in recommendations are too expensive for starting a hobby and finding out if it's for me.
Although I've found that basically every standard module (vco, lfo etc.) can be bought between 10 and 30€, but I've never seen any of those in recommendations for starting.
Is that because they are just that bad? or is it possible to make good music with cheap modules?
Im seriously considering selling my xcelon for the SL, i find myself don't use the cv in so much for the SL and my doepfer case is not so ergonomic for performance regarding the xcelon....
thoughts?
For me the ADDAC702 would be up there. I sort of wish I'd hung onto mine, it's a bit hard to find them, especially at reasonable secondhand prices. But it had this great howling resonance that you could use as a voice, and all kinds of features, including: distortion toggles and limiters, attenuators for all CV inputs, phase cancellation features, CV inverter, CV over resonance, smooth(slewed)/raw CV input toggles and adjustable slew, and more. It wasn't the best sounding filter for sharp acid squelchy kinda stuff, but that aside, it was a blast.
Blue Lantern Asteroid VCF is another very interesting one. Its distortion modes were really unique and gave some brutal, interesting output. Mk 3 didn't wow me quite the way Mk 1 did for some reason, but it had more features, with a S&H and VCA and sub-harmonic divider all built in.
I'm also quite partial to the Verbos Amp & Tone (the second, later one). The first version is much cleaner and smoother, but Amp & Tone also has a real "howl" to it, as well as a soft fuzzy cassette-tape-like noise floor, which I actually like. It's got a dark, vintage vibe that I quite enjoy.
What are some of yours most unique-sounding filters, past or present?
Sharing info and links for our upcoming tour, come through if you are in the area ✌️✌️✌️.
8/20 Grand Rapids, MI @ Backwards Compatible 7pm.
8/21 Detroit, MI @ TBD 9pm.
8/22 Cleveland, OH @ Little Rose Tavern 8pm.
8/23 Dayton, OH @ Skeleton Dust Records.
Bakantez is a solo experimental electronic project integrating ethereal synthesis with electro-acoustic sample-based composition & heavily processed vocals. Compositions journey through a tumultuous, dissonant mixture of bodily organic romanticism with libidinal synthetic self-mutilation.
Sarah Lutkenhaus is a sound artist and designer whose work explores interiority, contradiction, and systems of memory. Through performance, archives, and voice, she investigates one’s position within networks of bodies and histories, creating subtle, textural works that resist resolution.
https://industrialcoast.bandcamp.com/track/appendix.
https://bakantez.bandcamp.com/album/rubedo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAEMZc848U8.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viBaHdCnYq0&t=2s.
Have been experimenting a lot with feedback patching, cross modulation, and non-linear processing lately.
Wanted to build a Serge inspired system using more modern but still analog, building block style modules.
Make Noise GTE has been especially fun to use as a comparator to turn chaotic signals into gates that spike various parameters.
Other key players here are a few from Nekyia: Ceremony (twin peak cross modulating resonator), Occult, & Opal along with Intellijel Bifold, Angle Grinder, and some others. Also featuring my newly built 2nd case I made from oiled black walnut.
I found some new comms this week. Tempera shifted with T1 and Spotykach passed thru S4.
0-Coast provided the engine thrust while Pamela managed the clocks.
Full piece on SoundCloud.