#50

I use my Euro rig purely for live performances with a band. As such, The need to switch between one ‘song’ and another means I have to maintain a fixed architecture of sorts. However, I like to keep several modulation sources fluid to add in as and when I feel it and concentrate on playing with knobs and switches. I also like to wire up momentary switches between patch cables for quick bursts of modulation without the need for patching.

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#51

I always un-patch and start fresh, unless there was something I was working on that I wanted to record later or I’m rehearsing for a show. When its a new idea I need a blank slate, otherwise its too overwhelming. I inevitably re-patch many of the same ideas, but doing it over and over just reinforces my knowledge and improves speed. But, it also opens up a new variation I wouldn’t have thought of. Honestly, I also get bored very quickly and the nearly infinite possibilities of modular is one of the things that drew me to it. If I was going to leave it as one patch all the time, I’d probably prefer a fixed architecture synth as I feel its way easier to work with something that doesn’t have wires everywhere, plus you can save variations as presets. Ha.

8 Likes
#52

Indeed!
Roland TR-606 - Intelligel uMIDI to Tempi Clock In
2 CH of Tempi to X & Y of René 2
1 CH Tempi to Doepfer 149-1

All 4 CH of Batumi - 4 CH of Samara

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#53

I generally don’t pre-patch, although it does have it’s merits (such as using the modular in a group setting).
I do perform some ‘songs’ in a duo, I find if I have to recreate the patch ex nihilo each time we have a gig , I get a little bit better at controlling and anticipating what comes out, although it’s never exactly the same.
I use a smallish Bugbrand modular mostly, and recently discovered that those Pomona shorting bars fit across some of the ins and outs, so may try experimenting more with fixed patches.

#54

I tend to leave my clocks and resets to mults in my rack. My endchain reverb & delay stay patched to my mixer effects sends and returns also.

#55

I have the 4ms wav recorder. I always keep the left-right outs from my Panmix-6 directly into the wav recorder left-right inputs. :slight_smile:

#56

agreed. this aspect makes playing a modular so lovely

#57

I have 2 Doepfer A-119’s that are always connected to my audio interface. One of them is always getting a rimshot on 1/8th notes from my default setup in Ableton. The output of this gate is always sent to my PNW as a means to keep my modular in sync with Ableton Live. Otherwise, I unpatch everything every time…But I also don’t keep a HUGE setup, so the act of re-patching is pretty trivial.

#58

the only thing i like to keep plugged are final i/o to speakers.

maybe i fall in the sergish camp in that i approach each section as something that can be purposed in many many ways. i almost always patch from scratch. these days the only reason i leave up a patch is after the fact i like the colors of the cables and my cohabitants seem to like those as well.

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#59

My pre-patched cables are always the short makenoise pink ones. Clock in to PNW and through to another clock divider. Then audio out from Txn L/R to Rip A/B. I used to keep rene patched to reset on clock start/stop, I should probably do that again because I always forget how to do it.

#60

When i start patching, options start to reduce, so i always prefer to start fresh. Let the unknown be part of the game.

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#61

I have a Modcan Quad LFO which has a sync mode. Gate input 1 should be normalled to the remaining 3 but it isn’t. So I connect them as 99% of the time I want the same clock to sync them… that’s all.

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#62

I do a weekly backyard modular session with Pittsburgh Modular’s Richard Nicol and always show up with my case pre-patched. Largely because of the fairly weird way I generate rhythmic patterns.
Also since it’s a live stream, it could get dull if I didn’t have something interesting up and running.
It’s every Sunday night at 8:00 US EST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4dlbbvws7c

setup
setup4608×2176 1.43 MB

#63

cute little allen and heath, never seen that one before.

#64

Great thread, glad to see so many cool ideas here.

My “base patch” these days has Harmonic Oscillator > Monsoon > STmix, and Mangrove>Sisters>STmix. STmix>Octatrack. Octa is synced with Pam’s / Yarns, and modulation comes from Marbles, Just Friends and Maths.

I didn’t quite realize until I wrote this out, but my patch is actually pretty static - it’s been nice to have a sort of “instrument” vibe as opposed to a “playground” vibe. I still unpatch and repatch a bit different whenever I move my case though.

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#65

Ya, love the sound, feature set and form factor.
It is however pretty noisy and a little flakey.
A new version with PFL, mutes and a headphone
jack would be incredible.

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#66

I wonder if part of the decision to prepatch or not is dependent on the size of one’s system? If you have a large system it might make more sense to leave metamodules patched because you can afford to – there will still be plenty of modules left over for free patching. My system is small so I don’t feel like I can use up modules that way.

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#67

clocks to sequencer everything else goes after recording.
:cold_face:

#68

I have a Shuttle control that I leave mostly wired up with MIDI IN, MIDI OUT, USB IN, etc… and I tend to keep the master clock arrangement (START, STOP, RESET, MASTER CLOCK) etc all patched up to synch with various things. Sometimes I go mad and rip it all out, but it largely stays the same.

#69

Quantum Rainbow Gray noise > Mangrove air > Three Sisters low > Optomix + Maths env is my go-to lead voice, and this stays patched.

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