Advice starting in hardware modular

[Shabdahbriah]

[...] of course, you can add to the taiga too, i was just looking at keeping things less costly

Indeed. Just screwing around for some west-coasty versatility:

West pest
Plaits (clone)
Marbles (clone)
Ripples (multi-mode filter, clone)
Clouds+ (clone)

{+ 84hp case/power of course} like Nifty case, or Tiptop, etc.

Modulargrid-starter-01.png

... let the deluge begin.

that's a pretty good starter.
id keep the pest separate for additional space though

Yep... had that option ready.

Modulargrid-starter-02.png

With a West Pest and East Beast, still slightly over $2K w/case-psu.

[vurt]

nice

[Stefken]

[...] of course, you can add to the taiga too, i was just looking at keeping things less costly

Indeed. Just screwing around for some west-coasty+ versatility:

West pest
Plaits (clone)
Marbles (clone)
Ripples (multi-mode filter, clone)
Clouds+ (clone)

{+ 84hp case/power of course} like Nifty case, or Tiptop, etc.

Modulargrid-starter-01.png


... let the deluge begin.

Nice stuff

[zerocrossing]

use virtual modulars more first, both to figure out if its worth getting the hardware and to help learn which modules you need/decide which modules you want. It's not worth it just for basses

You'd need to spend like 1000 just to get started

When I started putting together a Eurorack system, I quickly realized that I could easily spend $1000 just on utility modules and have nothing that actually even produced any sound… and I still wouldn’t have as many modules as I needed to do what I was thinking of.

Here’s my take. Go big, or go home. A small Eurorack rig is sort of useless. You’d be better off with a Prophet 12 and a MiniFreak. I gave up on my rack pretty quickly. VCV Rack, Reaktor and Softube Modular are plenty for me and I never feel like, “oh, if I only had one more CV mixer…”

[ghettosynth]

[...] of course, you can add to the taiga too, i was just looking at keeping things less costly

Indeed. Just screwing around for some west-coasty+ versatility:

West pest
Plaits (clone)
Marbles (clone)
Ripples (multi-mode filter, clone)
Clouds+ (clone)

{+ 84hp case/power of course} like Nifty case, or Tiptop, etc.

Modulargrid-starter-01.png


... let the deluge begin.

Oh hell, let's just go all in on this discussion. I like much of that, of course, but, it's definitely all new-school modular. There's very little that's analog, hence, there's very little that isn't about the same in a virtual modular. I'm not saying that's wrong, I'm currently going all-in on disting-ex + Befaco lich *k for some similar aspects, but, I have a focus on why I want that in hardware as opposed to just in Reaktor/VCV. There is definitively something to the physicality of patching wrt discovery that's not always the same in software, but personally, I wouldn't start there without playing with the virtual versions of those modules for a long time.

While I don't like this guy's setup, whatever, that's just my opinion man, I like this video where he goes down the line on his modules and discusses whether or not he would swap them. This is something that I think that you can't avoid. You WILL buy things that don't work for you even if you think that they would. I have a Noise Engineering quad AR/LFO that I really dislike. I dislike it enough that it's really turned me off of their stuff. Yes, I got it on a sale, damn those sales!

[ghettosynth]

use virtual modulars more first, both to figure out if its worth getting the hardware and to help learn which modules you need/decide which modules you want. It's not worth it just for basses

You'd need to spend like 1000 just to get started

When I started putting together a Eurorack system, I quickly realized that I could easily spend $1000 just on utility modules and have nothing that actually even produced any sound… and I still wouldn’t have as many modules as I needed to do what I was thinking of.

Here’s my take. Go big, or go home. A small Eurorack rig is sort of useless. You’d be better off with a Prophet 12 and a MiniFreak. I gave up on my rack pretty quickly. VCV Rack, Reaktor and Softube Modular are plenty for me and I never feel like, “oh, if I only had one more CV mixer…”

I hear you, but, I think that what you need and what you imagine that you need aren't always the same thing. Ok, let's be clear, $1000 isn't much for a modern modular, but, you can create small systems with focus that can be a joy to use. Here's an example of a modern small ambient machine. The top row alone is about $1000.

[Shabdahbriah]

[...] of course, you can add to the taiga too, i was just looking at keeping things less costly

Indeed. Just screwing around for some west-coasty+ versatility:

West pest
Plaits (clone)
Marbles (clone)
Ripples (multi-mode filter, clone)
Clouds+ (clone)

{+ 84hp case/power of course} like Nifty case, or Tiptop, etc.

Modulargrid-starter-01.png


... let the deluge begin.

Oh hell, let's just go all in on this discussion. I like much of that, of course, but, it's definitely all new-school modular. There's very little that's analog, hence, there's very little that isn't about the same in a virtual modular. I'm not saying that's wrong, I'm currently going all-in on disting-ex + Befaco lich *k for some similar aspects, but, I have a focus on why I want that in hardware as opposed to just in Reaktor/VCV. There is definitively something to the physicality of patching wrt discovery that's not always the same in software, but personally, I wouldn't start there without playing with the virtual versions of those modules for a long time.

Yeah, I'd been awake too long, and forgot the 'addendum' where I meant to say, aside from liking this stuff myself, and having most of it (the non-cloned versions) I used the Mutable (clone) stuff specifically because it can be 'auditioned' in software.

Ben's video definitely exemplifies the inevitable, yes. I don't have (nor intend to get) any Noise Engineering stuff either. Just personal taste, and the only things they have (currently) that I might use, I already have covered.

[zerocrossing]

use virtual modulars more first, both to figure out if its worth getting the hardware and to help learn which modules you need/decide which modules you want. It's not worth it just for basses

You'd need to spend like 1000 just to get started

When I started putting together a Eurorack system, I quickly realized that I could easily spend $1000 just on utility modules and have nothing that actually even produced any sound… and I still wouldn’t have as many modules as I needed to do what I was thinking of.

Here’s my take. Go big, or go home. A small Eurorack rig is sort of useless. You’d be better off with a Prophet 12 and a MiniFreak. I gave up on my rack pretty quickly. VCV Rack, Reaktor and Softube Modular are plenty for me and I never feel like, “oh, if I only had one more CV mixer…”

I hear you, but, I think that what you need and what you imagine that you need aren't always the same thing. Ok, let's be clear, $1000 isn't much for a modern modular, but, you can create small systems with focus that can be a joy to use. Here's an example of a modern small ambient machine. The top row alone is about $1000.

I’ve been around the block enough times to know what I need to be happy. For instance, if I can’t modulate the modulation, and all the modulation amounts, I’m not going to be happy. I do stuff like that all the time. So even doing something simple, like modulating FM and AM of an oscillator with two different rates and having those modulation amounts being controlled by envelopes ends up being a complex and costly endeavor in Eurorack, yet simply done on my Prophet 12 module, which set me back $1000. Add a MiniFreak to that, and we’re still not breaking the $2k mark. I honestly don’t see the point of modular, unless you’re ready to drop $5k. Then some pretty cool things can happen.

[j wazza]

When I started putting together a Eurorack system, I quickly realized that I could easily spend $1000 just on utility modules and have nothing that actually even produced any sound… and I still wouldn’t have as many modules as I needed to do what I was thinking of.

Here’s my take. Go big, or go home. A small Eurorack rig is sort of useless. You’d be better off with a Prophet 12 and a MiniFreak. I gave up on my rack pretty quickly. VCV Rack, Reaktor and Softube Modular are plenty for me and I never feel like, “oh, if I only had one more CV mixer…”

I get you, but I think if there are some specific things you want you might not need to go big, like I wanted to do analog fm, so I didn't need a massive rig for that, but if you want a modular for doing lots of experimental patching, that would need a lot of modules and not be worth it for a small rig. That's why I do most of my experimenting in the box with unlimited modules, and use hardware for a few specific things

[ghettosynth]

When I started putting together a Eurorack system, I quickly realized that I could easily spend $1000 just on utility modules and have nothing that actually even produced any sound… and I still wouldn’t have as many modules as I needed to do what I was thinking of.

Here’s my take. Go big, or go home. A small Eurorack rig is sort of useless. You’d be better off with a Prophet 12 and a MiniFreak. I gave up on my rack pretty quickly. VCV Rack, Reaktor and Softube Modular are plenty for me and I never feel like, “oh, if I only had one more CV mixer…”

I get you, but I think if there are some specific things you want you might not need to go big, like I wanted to do analog fm, so I didn't need a massive rig for that, but if you want a modular for doing lots of experimental patching, that would need a lot of modules and not be worth it for a small rig. That's why I do most of my experimenting in the box with unlimited modules, and use hardware for a few specific things

Yes, you're not going to get the same kind of happy accidents with a menu-divy desktop synth that you are going to get with a modular. I don't think that most people who think that they want modular really do, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a point to it because it can't be made general at low cost. There's a reason the P12 desktop is cheap, jacks, pots, and knobs are expensive. So are analog oscillators, at least in terms of calibration when compared to digital. So you stick an analog filter and vca on the back of a digital front end and you can sell a high voice count synth for low cost. That's fine, but it's not a modular synth and doesn't have the benefits of a modular synth. It has other benefits, sure, if that's what has value to you.

[zerocrossing]

When I started putting together a Eurorack system, I quickly realized that I could easily spend $1000 just on utility modules and have nothing that actually even produced any sound… and I still wouldn’t have as many modules as I needed to do what I was thinking of.

Here’s my take. Go big, or go home. A small Eurorack rig is sort of useless. You’d be better off with a Prophet 12 and a MiniFreak. I gave up on my rack pretty quickly. VCV Rack, Reaktor and Softube Modular are plenty for me and I never feel like, “oh, if I only had one more CV mixer…”

I get you, but I think if there are some specific things you want you might not need to go big, like I wanted to do analog fm, so I didn't need a massive rig for that, but if you want a modular for doing lots of experimental patching, that would need a lot of modules and not be worth it for a small rig. That's why I do most of my experimenting in the box with unlimited modules, and use hardware for a few specific things

But why not just buy a fixed architecture analog synth with FM at that point and save yourself some money? Get yourself a GRP A2 for about the same amount.

[pugilistas]

When I got the modular urge, I decided to build an effects unit system, found a funky used case and went from there. The ZDSP was a centerpiece due to Valhala reverb. Added the Roland Aira delay and distortion, fixed filter banks, all in stereo.
Feet wet but not the full plunge into the pool. The software, semi-modular, or small focused concept eurorack gives you different aspects of the experience, to see what resonates with you.

[ghettosynth]

When I got the modular urge, I decided to build an effects unit system, found a funky used case and went from there. The ZDSP was a centerpiece due to Valhala reverb. Added the Roland Aira delay and distortion, fixed filter banks, all in stereo.
Feet wet but not the full plunge into the pool. The software, semi-modular, or small focused concept eurorack gives you different aspects of the experience, to see what resonates with you.

Agreed, and fixed architecture synths don't give you this at all really. So you don't get the chance to make adjustments and figure out your personal workflow quirks.

[Shabdahbriah]

Agreed, and fixed architecture synths don't give you this at all really. So you don't get the chance to make adjustments and figure out your personal workflow quirks.

Speaking of workflow... just trying to get the stuff to FIT in some manner of functional work-flowy-type order, is such a

[j wazza]

Yes, you're not going to get the same kind of happy accidents with a menu-divy desktop synth that you are going to get with a modular. I don't think that most people who think that they want modular really do, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a point to it because it can't be made general at low cost. There's a reason the P12 desktop is cheap, jacks, pots, and knobs are expensive. So are analog oscillators, at least in terms of calibration when compared to digital. So you stick an analog filter and vca on the back of a digital front end and you can sell a high voice count synth for low cost. That's fine, but it's not a modular synth and doesn't have the benefits of a modular synth. It has other benefits, sure, if that's what has value to you.

There can still be a point to a small rig like mine and there are a lot of different ways to patch a few modules together, but there is an economies of scale to it, each module you add multiplies the number of possibilities for what you can do with it. If you just want 1 vco, vca, adsr and filter it would usually not be worth getting modular