2021: A Year in Gear (What You've Bought or Want to Buy in 2021)

[justin3am]

As you are already deep in Euroracking, where do these Make Noise devices fit? Does it fill a different niche (since they also make eurorack modules)?

I've been considering that same trio, vs the Moog trio (DFam, Mother-32, Subharmonicon), vs none of those at all.

The small form factor of the Make Noise devices has my attention plus I'd finally get to play with patch cables that can be combined with CV modulation of the CBA pedals I have.

The Make Noise stand-alone boxes are fun. I had my 0-Coast mounted in a case with some other Make Noise modules and a sequencer for a while and I've always thought it was a nice sounding voice. I have basically had the functions of the 0-Ctrl in the form of the 2x Pressure Points + Brains combo, so I thought it would pair well with the 0-Coast, which it certainly does. I tried a Strega at Perfect Circuit and found it sounded different from any other Make Noise synth. I tend to buy Make Noise stuff, sight unseen but I wasn't sure about this one until I heard it. It's difficult to explain, other than to say it's easy to spend hours listening to it drone and drift. Such a trippy instrument.

As for how they fit with the larger modular? The probably won't. I used the 0-Coast in a small 6U system to supplement it's features but I still ended up using it on it's own quite a lot. I will probably use these as a contained system or maybe as part of larger patches with my Share System.

I'm actually in the process of pairing down my eurorack modular to help fund a 4 panel Serge system. The Make Noise stuff will all be sticking around.

One thing to think about when putting a modular together, is how each module works with the other stuff you have. Does a parameter act as an offset or an attenuator when CV is patched in? What voltage ranges does an input expect? What voltages does an output produce? How fast does a CV input respond to stepped or audio rate signals? Is an input AC coupled or will it pass DC? What voltage does a Gate input need to be triggered and is a Gate output buffered?

When you mostly stick to a single manufacturer you don't have to worry about that stuff and so exploratory patching doesn't require as much critical thinking. That isn't to say that I don't patch modules from different companies together but I do tend to keep modules which work well together, in smaller systems, rather than having a single large case.

[ghettosynth]

wants and desires are the root of all suffering.

Only when they are not fulfilled...

not listening...not listening...not listening....

ghettosynth does not need an 0-Coast, wants and desires are the root of all suffering.
ghettosynth does not need an 0-Coast, wants and desires are the root of all suffering.
ghettosynth does not need an 0-Coast, wants and desires are the root of all suffering.

[Shabdahbriah]

The Acid Rain Maestro will be arriving on Tuesday...

Mine comes Thursday or Friday.

[elxsound]

As you are already deep in Euroracking, where do these Make Noise devices fit? Does it fill a different niche (since they also make eurorack modules)?

I've been considering that same trio, vs the Moog trio (DFam, Mother-32, Subharmonicon), vs none of those at all.

The small form factor of the Make Noise devices has my attention plus I'd finally get to play with patch cables that can be combined with CV modulation of the CBA pedals I have.

The Make Noise stand-alone boxes are fun. I had my 0-Coast mounted in a case with some other Make Noise modules and a sequencer for a while and I've always thought it was a nice sounding voice. I have basically had the functions of the 0-Ctrl in the form of the 2x Pressure Points + Brains combo, so I thought it would pair well with the 0-Coast, which it certainly does. I tried a Strega at Perfect Circuit and found it sounded different from any other Make Noise synth. I tend to buy Make Noise stuff, sight unseen but I wasn't sure about this one until I heard it. It's difficult to explain, other than to say it's easy to spend hours listening to it drone and drift. Such a trippy instrument.

As for how they fit with the larger modular? The probably won't. I used the 0-Coast in a small 6U system to supplement it's features but I still ended up using it on it's own quite a lot. I will probably use these as a contained system or maybe as part of larger patches with my Share System.

I'm actually in the process of pairing down my eurorack modular to help fund a 4 panel Serge system. The Make Noise stuff will all be sticking around.

One thing to think about when putting a modular together, is how each module works with the other stuff you have. Does a parameter act as an offset or an attenuator when CV is patched in? What voltage ranges does an input expect? What voltages does an output produce? How fast does a CV input respond to stepped or audio rate signals? Is an input AC coupled or will it pass DC? What voltage does a Gate input need to be triggered and is a Gate output buffered?

When you mostly stick to a single manufacturer you don't have to worry about that stuff and so exploratory patching doesn't require as much critical thinking. That isn't to say that I don't patch modules from different companies together but I do tend to keep modules which work well together, in smaller systems, rather than having a single large case.

That helps immensely. My biggest worry is buying them and then after finally jumping in the eurorack pool, seeing them as redundant. That also gives me something to consider for later. I know with the pedals, I'm using 1-3 at a time, so I can see wanting to keep things on the smaller side.

I'll keep watching the videos for now, but I do like this combo. Strega seems like a strange one, so I definitely get the need to test it out. The videos I've seen turn me off a bit, but that's the case with a lot of gear only because they're not doing what I think I'd do.

[pekbro]

I've always kind of thought of the 0-coast as redundant for me since I started out with a Make Noise system. At any rate, definitely in my case, I would skip over it for the 0-ctrl or the Strega, or both most likely.

[vurt]

id like two stregas

[thecontrolcentre]

I bought the v2 upgrade (eprom) for my Studio Quad ... 80 new preset patches to add to the 100 present on the original machine, plus 10 new effects modules. These include Smooth Pitch Shifter, Harmony Generator, Rotary Speaker, Analogue Delay simulations, Chorus/Delay, Flange/Delay, Pre-Delay, Room Echo and Compressor. Pretty great for £15

[ghettosynth]

id like two stregas

With a DJ mixer you could be a slow motion live PA powerhouse. Don't forget the pinky flair!

That said, after listening to the demos, I'm not that impressed. Blasphemy I know, but I'm not really a Make Noise fan. I like this title from Synth Anatomy.

"Make Noise Strega, Complex Synthesizer With A Lot Of Alessandro Cortini Witchcraft"

I think that about sums it up. Would it hurt Make Noise that much to include a block diagram in the manual?

[vurt]

no, not blasphemy at all. just different choices.
if we all did the same shit, we'd all be coldplay or u2.

vive le difference!

[justin3am]

Like I said, I was also skeptical of Strega but after I sat with it for a few minutes, I was totally sold.
It's bummer that more folks can't try this stuff out before jumping in. I find it's very difficult to tell what an instrument is really capable of, from demo videos. I can get a grasp of the features, but the sounds just reflect the video maker's style. That doesn't really tell me how it will sound when I use something.

I'm very lucky in that I have Analog Haven, Perfect Circuit, Noise Bug and to a lesser extent Big City Music, within driving distance (perhaps it's more of a curse). I do buy some stuff sight-unseen (anything Make Noise) but it's nice to be able to compare the different options directly and based on my own playing/tweaking.

[elxsound]

id like two stregas

From what I'm seeing in the videos, these seem made for you!

[elxsound]

I've always kind of thought of the 0-coast as redundant for me since I started out with a Make Noise system. At any rate, definitely in my case, I would skip over it for the 0-ctrl or the Strega, or both most likely.

If you were just starting out (with patchable sound modules, but not going eurorack yet) and planning to get both the 0-ctrl and the Strega, is there something else you'd recommend?

[elxsound]

id like two stregas

With a DJ mixer you could be a slow motion live PA powerhouse. Don't forget the pinky flair!

That said, after listening to the demos, I'm not that impressed. Blasphemy I know, but I'm not really a Make Noise fan. I like this title from Synth Anatomy.

"Make Noise Strega, Complex Synthesizer With A Lot Of Alessandro Cortini Witchcraft"

I think that about sums it up. Would it hurt Make Noise that much to include a block diagram in the manual?

I've actually hated almost all the videos I've seen of Strega and most of the videos of 0-coast. I saw one 0-coast video I liked, but I just try to listen for what it's capable of.

It's even worse on Instagram compared to youtube, where everyone now wants to push a couple of buttons connected to a reverb pedal, passing into a cassette tape with plants or a toy nearby. How this shit gets so much attention I'll never understand.

Maybe I'll get these and return the favor by pissing off the bleep/bloop community by making a pop tune with them.

[vurt]

I've always kind of thought of the 0-coast as redundant for me since I started out with a Make Noise system. At any rate, definitely in my case, I would skip over it for the 0-ctrl or the Strega, or both most likely.

If you were just starting out (with patchable sound modules, but not going eurorack yet) and planning to get both the 0-ctrl and the Strega, is there something else you'd recommend?

couple of questions...
have you already said no to an 0coast?
in your situation, it would give more "normal synth" sounds than the strega, so be a good addition as you don't have the equivalent stuff in a rack.

what is it for? bass/lead... blah blah, will you want onboard modulation (id imagine yes) fx?
something like the behringer neutron, adds a few decent modules worth of stuff, for a kickstarter set up

[sprnva]

I'd recommend mylarmelodies' 0-Coast video. I think that was the one that pushed me over the edge into buying it. I wouldn't mind but I was still all ITB at that stage. Then the 0-Coast arrived and everything changed.

Strega seems "interesting" but I'm fine for now with my trusty 0-Coast/Field Kit FX combo and 0-Ctrl.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FW8QYt6bio

(I'm gonna watch this again now for the first time in a few years)