Eurorack: discussion, advice, learning, questions (archive)

[dsiah]

Very easy! You simply use CV-input on either X or Y and go to the final channel (quantization) and setup the scale you want (and octaves 1-4 or deactivated)

[dsiah]

Ah yeah, I’m actually doing the same with an old Tascam 16 track but hate running wires from my eurorack 3.5mm ins to the quarter inches on the board since the connections (especially with a adapter) are kinda finicky.

[12eightyseven]

Ok just recently began running 1.2 A in a case (the make noise case) with a 1.4 A capacity. Cold Mac seemed like it wasn’t working correctly, wasn’t getting any type of output from it. Made sure cold Mac was plugged and was plugged in the right way. Unplugged Rene (biggest power needs in case), still no output. Could Cold Mac have become fried by there being too much power in the case? Every other module seems to be working ok. Any ideas? Would hate to have a fried Mac

[desolationjones]

Assuming a decent power supply (like your Make Noise bus), you can’t easily fry modules by overloading your power supply. Most often you will experience a small voltage sag as you load past the rated current draw. Look at the derating curves for the regulators and you will see this behavior explained as a thermal effect (more current, more heat). I am personally drawing 1.6A @ +12V and 900mA @ -12V from the same case with minimal issues.

Lower supply voltages can make modules act funny. Analog modules (like Cold Mac) might have bad pitch fluctuations. Digital modules will sometimes fail to boot up, or will behave inconsistently.

Unfortunately it sounds like your Cold Mac is busted. I’d recommend trying it in a different case before sending it in for repair. Triple check your polarity! And I’d recommend getting a cheap multimeter to check whether your power supply is working well.

[12eightyseven]

Thanks for the advice! Really good to know that this case won’t just kill modules. Was planning on testing in another case. Had it outside of the case for a little while for a few days while I reconsidered my configuration but it didn’t experience any falls or jostles or anything.

[yes]

hi!

Newly joined, after having lurked here for a while. I tend to avoid signing up for forums because when I do, I have a bad habit for posting walls of text like this

I’m seeking some feedback on these ideas — also trying to make this a useful post for any wayfarers who might pass this post with similar ideas/interests. The links aren’t special, but hoping to share some thought process too.

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Are you a newcomer too? If so here are some really useful resources! LearningModular.com, Patch & Tweak book, “Why to Modular” video series, this post I had open in a tab about pros/cons of exploring modular… and of course muffwiggler.com, starting with the sticky posts in the Eurorack forum… Of course there’s many more resources, those have just been some of the quickest-clarifying ones for me.)

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my current rack ideas

I don’t own any of these modules yet! I thought I should think of a possible final vision and then work backwards from there to find an entry point.

Complete idea: https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/781106

Reducing it… https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/776187

Reducing further… https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/781913

I know suspect it’s sort of an atypical rack (omits some “essentials”), but I think it will have a lot of potential when integrated with my existing setup. So I like this direction, but I’m new to this and I’m sure I’m missing details. But tell me!

• Anything obviously Wrong
• Are there any obvious suggestions/substitutions that would achieve similar intentions, but more effectively or creatively

context/intention

The beating heart of my setup is currently {Elektron Analog 4, Digitakt}, sometimes together with Ableton. The Digitakt is fed by a mixer[1] (or sometimes Patchulator)… such that various instruments and sample sources can easily go to it without interrupting my flow for too long. Or from the hardware to software and back, etc.

[1] That mixer is a SoundCraft 12MTK and I love it by the way. Did not know I could love a mixer so much.

I extended that Elektron setup with a 0-Coast and I’ve loved it. Now, I want to add the Make Noise Morphagene, and make it part of the resampling multiplex. I started by brainstorming 54hp (that other thread is great BTW)… but I am pretty sure I will end up at 104hp so I’d rather grab a case with room to grow and just fill with cardboard blanks in the meantime.

I’m very curious to explore hardware modular more, but I don’t think it’ll displace the Elektrons as the “organizing principle” of my setup. A guiding question has been… SinceI don’t need it to be a workhorse, it doesn’t need as many general utilities. So what possibilities does that open up?

thoughts on how I’d use this rack

The rack is light on synthesis/ synth voices, intentionally.

It is meant to have basic fun synth possibilities, together with the 0-Coast. But the focus is on the Morphagene. (I enjoy the 0-coast’s sound and when I’ve heard it integrated into racks. I also enjoy the sound of rich synth voices and textures from pretty big rigs, but there’s a big expensive gap between those two things, seemingly… So for now I’d rather stick with external synths for richer synth voices, 0-coast + a bit more in the rack for gritty and weird sounds. That way I have more room for resampling/sound-sculpting possibilities in the short term.)

I’d expect to use it in two main flows to start …

• One flow is to focus on the external audio, into Morphagene (and the other modules like Maths might just be modulating)
• Other flow is to make synth sounds from the 0-coast together with the modular bits (then again feeding into Morphagene).

I’ll play with both directions in isolation or a while… Get to know them.

Then I’ll end up combining it all of course.

mixing audio when needed: missing 3U module? 1U Quadratt? out to external mixer and back?

I have an external mixer for general use and all the “external audio” (A4 etc) is coming from there. I’m curious, though, about mixing that external audio w/ the modular’s synth voice(s), before it goes into the Morphagene. I really want to be able to do that, since I typically sequence the 0-Coast with the Analog4… So they’ll often be tempo-synced and complementary, good food for Morphagene

At first I had a small (Stereo) Mixer 3U module in there but I wanted to clear it out for non-utilities…

I was initially thinking that when I use multiple sources, I could rely on 1U in/out and mix modularsynth audio with my external audio, then back in, to Morphagene. (Possibly directly from line-in to Morphagene? Since it has autoleveling… but that might not bea great idea). Just want to avoid taking up 3U space with a mixer…

Actually, typing this out made me curious again, and I just learned that the IntelliJel Quadratt 1U can be used as an audio mixer (source). I was already going to include it for its CV utility functions, so that’s perfect. That should hold me over for “mix audio before going into Morphagene” duties, at first… (Then if I have a more complex patch where Quadratt is needed for CV duties, and I need mixing at same time, I will just fall back to that external mixer approach.)

Anybody have experience to confirm/deny the Quadratt’s usefulness as an audio mixer

misc notes

I don’t think I’ll need more than one buffered mult, will mostly use hubs/splitters and stackable cables. (A relevant LearningModular.com post for other beginners.)

I also recognize I may not have enough VCAs, since You Can Never Have Enough VCAs. But… I am thinking between the 0-Coast, Maths, and LxD, I have some VCA options. Yes it’ll be a quirky and constrained set of options, but I lean towards that (prefer West Coast approach I suppose).

Plus, thinking “hybrid” path might fill some gaps here for some patches. Doubleplus, I’m thinking if I needed a bunch more basic utilities (aside from getting those with hybrid/VCVRack after getting ES-8) … then I would consider another semimodular, as a way to get a relatively cheap bundle of generic utilities but also a fun standalone unit at the same time.

eventually: hybrid

Of course a big part of the appeal is to do more in a tactile way, and get away from screens some. (Dayjob has me staring at screens all day.) So hybrid with the computer isn’t my first interest.

I think I’ll enjoy using Disting’s many functions right off the bat for the short term … Then eventually add that ES-8, to use with VCVRack. (Good illustrative video of this approach, BTW.) Those will extend the rack to many more possibilities, I’m sure! Without buying a ton more hardware modules

sorry/thanks!

If you read any of this, thank you! Sorry for the wall of text, hopefully the bits of useful stuff for other newcomers can excuse it.

[grey]

I skimmed your post. Buy a Maths and the Morphagene and see how you feel. Maybe the LxD or Optomix if you want to chop up the output from Morphagene.

As someone who has done a lot of this kind of planning - my modular grid is a nightmare of iteration, I’d say you’re overthinking things. It’s fun to think about, but the most important thing to understand is that you only have a cursory idea of how these things might work in your practice. Get to know those two and see what else you want. They’re both great modules, and if you stick with modular you’ll likely keep them. It will also take you a while to get comfortable with them. So pick those up when you can safely afford them with a case. Don’t be afraid to start with a smaller case. You can buy a bigger one later and flip the old one or keep the small one for storage/experimentation.

[yes]

Love this response, it helps a lot. Appreciate it!!

[yes]

And indeed I tend to overthink things. Fun sometimes and ridiculous other times. Such is the ADD brain (not saying that figuratively, my brain is one of those)

[Jonny]

I know it’s sort of an atypical rack, but I think it will have a lot of potential when integrated with my existing setup

Not that weird. Reminds me of the System Concrète from Make Noise. If anything, I’d just start with only Morphagene, Maths, and Wogglebug. Those should pair nicely with your other stuff.

[alanza]

have you tried always leaving the cable plugged into Mangrove when repatching?

[yes]

Walked over to Control Voltage today and played with Maths and Morphagene and a lot more modules… but focused on those two. So great to get hands-on. Was thinking of your advice here and @Jonny’s too. Also talked with the kind folks at the shop too and got their take.

Definitely starting with just Maths and Morphagene and I’m very excited. OK maybe Wogglebug too. Thanks again.

[prussian_zen]

The Mangrove’s pitch shift has to do with its particular implementation of grounding (difference in internal ground potentials). Apart from @alanza recommendation to leave a cable plugged, not much you can do about it. I take it as Mangroves very unique personality and appreciate it.

Not sure about voltage jumps in other modules …

[jrdnrndl]

Hey friends! Very happy to have found this forum.

I’m a euro newbie who started building my rack this summer. Although my rig is currently pretty spartan and mostly useful for basic (albeit thick and juicy) patches + delay (DLD) and reverb (Z-DSP), I’m keen to expand it to create more robust and complex patterns and sequences.

The question I’m hoping for some advice on pertains to a particular technique I’ve been mulling over but not totally sure how best to accomplish based on my limited knowledge. I think I have some ideas but want to hear from the hivemind. I’ll describe it as succinctly as I can:

I want to be able to flexibly repeat and “ratchet” the frequency of a trig/gate up and down based on another input (lfo/envelope/function generator). I want to be able to quantize the notes to different time divisions or have the slope be smooth, at my choosing. An example: I have a kick triggering every so often and a single hi-hat triggering at the same time. I want the hi-hat to begin retriggering at, say, 1/64 then smoothly slow down to effectively infinity, a.k.a. stop triggering, before the next initial trigger repeats this process. Or, the reverse, or maybe I want it to start slowly, reach a peak frequency, then dip quickly again. I basically want really fine and granular control over this concept, with the ability to sequence changes in the slope.

The best and most obvious example I can think of that demonstrates what I’m going for is Aphex Twin’s 4. I can’t imagine these were all programmed by hand, but I’m mystified by the technique to get there. I know this is not a single module thing and probably more to do with complex and deliberate patching, but I’d love to hear exactly what combo of modules or methods might start to get me there.

Thanks in advance y’all!

[gnome666]

So, tried out the guitar stand, but the back wasnt long enough to support the 2nd 6U box. So, i tried a few different things (including tabletop art easels…) and the only suitable thing I found so far are these tiltback amp stands. The back is high enough to provide good support to the 2nd tier 6U rack and I can patch without worries of anything falling over. Also, the tilt makes it super easy to patch standing up. Only issue I have is the bottom lip sticks out way farther than I would prefer, but I’m going to see how it feels for the next few days.

[razzkazz]

I am going to update my case soon, this is my current setup. I am currently making ambient type music though I also drift into more experimental areas. My main interest is timbral variation/flexibility, not so interested in pattern/melody based options. The system is for hands-on live performance/improvisation.

This is the update I thinking to make, swapping the A-143 OSC for a Mangrove, adding more modulation (not 100% on Stages), and add some erbeverb (currently use Bluesky reverb pedal). I’m dropping the Ladik quantiser, Dual VCS and 4MS RCD as they don’t get much use. I can put the CVPal in some sort of external box.

Then, after listening to lots of examples of the Mangrove (never tried one) I feel the DPO covers some of the timbral area that it covers, so thought to change to the Telharmonic (though only used one briefly), to give more variation to sound possibilities and drop the extra modulation, though there’s space for something extra, was thinking an o_C or P. New workout put also want to keep it hands-on, though a powerhouse/mini computer module could be interesting.

Things I am still deliberating over;
In the final option, do I have enough modulation, maybe some utilities or …?
I could still drop the erbeverb and continue using the external reverb from the Bluesky, that would leave a lot of space

Any thoughts? Thanks, Alan

[Gexex]

Sorry, my 12U mixer case is a single unit - I should have clarified! I meant that the stand could easily support 1 6U (a second being required for another 6U).

Glad you found a workable solution!

[louis]

I’m fairly new to all this but your module choice seems similar-ish to mine. I love the Telharmonic through Erbe-Verb. With some slow modulation on the centroid and flux you can produce some lovely timbres which can act as a base upon which you could build other sounds with the DPO or Mangrove - at least that’s how I often use it. I’ve not used a DPO but I love the Mangrove (usually through Three Sisters). I think that much like the DPO it probably forces me into trying different sounds other than the straight sine waves I usually crave. I’ve still not modulated Erbe-Verb. I’m sure a reverb plugin or foot pedal could do the same job for me but… it’s just so nice having it right there… I have a Stages too. Being able to use it as a modulation source and as an envelope is super useful. Again, it does so much more that I’ve not had a chance to use yet. Perhaps you need some attenuators?

[razzkazz]

Hi Louis, thanks for the input. Yes the DPO is capable of some great sounds, had it for a couple of years and still learning new things. That said it takes up a lot of real estate so one day I might swap it out. I also heard great things from the Erbeverb though never used one, the reverb pedal does the job, but doesn’t allow cv modulation and I am thinking of making “space” more of a priority in my work, so the erbeverb would take on the ranking of a voice, rather than just an end-of-chain effect, though it might be positioned there. I think the mod sources I have so far offer a lot of flavours, that’s why I looked at Stages as it offers something new, and it’s hands on, but I also want to maximise the power of what I have. Such a quandary

[mahler007]

Hi Forum,
Complete and utter newb here. I am having trouble getting the Morphagene basic audio ins/outs to work the way I believe they should.

I have the left (mono) Morphagene input connected to a mixer via a mono send, returning on a stereo input. With the SOS knob turned fully CCW, I hear incoming audio as I should, but only in the left channel. When I turn the SOS knob fully CW after recording to listen to playback, it’s the same — there is no audio in the right channel, only the left.

I thought perhaps I should use another, separate send to feed the Morphagene’s right channel, so I tried that too. Unfortunately, the same thing happened — no signal in the right channel.

I managed to get some cool stereo sounds by cranking the “Morph Control” knob fully CW. At that point, I was hearing what I thought I should from both channels. But, as I turned the Morph knob back down, the signal went back to he left channel only.

Is this the way it’s supposed to work? I would have thought that using a single mono input would simply sum to mono at the stereo outputs, but it’s entirely possible I have no idea what’s going on. Many thanks for any advice!

Best,
Andrew