#86

Hah, I literally just made a patch like that 5 minutes before I saw this. Made a nice stutter tremolo patch along with it.

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#87

This might be a silly question. Iā€™ve been learning to use the Make Noise Rene through a Behringer D, clocked with a Tempi and using an Optomix as a low-pass gate.Iā€™m starting to get the hang of the Rene, but I find myself feeling limited in what I want to do, which is compose, and wanting to get another sequencer. Does it make sense to get a second sequencer? And would that mean Iā€™ll need to get a mixer to balance the two? Thank you!

#88

I use the Rene and IME Stillson Hammer MKII. They are an amazing pair! However, Rene is an extraordinary deep module. I suggest spending as much time as possible with it to learn its tricks before you get anything else. Make sure to check out James Ciglers videos if you havenā€™t yet.

#89

can you unpack this a bit more? How does RenƩ hinder you in this regard? (This is an open question, but sequencers turn out to be hugely personal and not everybody wants the same things out of them).

#90

The short answer is to have contrapuntal voices. The Rene is great! I love it. Itā€™s extremely flexible and I love how responsive it is.

#91

Thank you! Iā€™ve watched James Ciglerā€™s videos on Rene many times each, and yes, Iā€™m definitely still learning. Youā€™re 100% rightā€“the Rene is really flexible and responsive. But (as I said below) it doesnā€™t have the ability to program multiple voices at the same time.

#92

Actually it does. You can get independent sequences out of the Quantised CV and Unquantised CV with a little effort.

#93

Possibly not quite what you are looking for and has serious limitations but itā€™s possible to use the quantised output of Rene for stored voltages and have the un-quantised for the knobs (with an external quantiser).

Edit: @GoneCaving beat me to it.

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#94

That said, if itā€™s really multitrack you want, there are lots of other options out there. Itā€™s hard to narrow it down without a clear idea of what you do need from a sequencer.

#95

If you want multiple voices, I highly recommend the aforementioned SHmkII. But, you use an external quantizer on the non-quantized cv out, and with stored voltages change them to be totally different. Also, you can always use sample and hold to create new sequences out of a quantized pitch cv sequence, mixing using percussion adders, and lots of other creative ways to get many sequences out of the Rene!

#96

I really love it but I donā€™t think the morphagene is for me :frowning:. Iā€™m hesitant to admit that on this forum! Iā€™ve noticed all of the love for the module but, again, I just donā€™t think itā€™s really for meā€¦ That said Iā€™m still giving it a shot! While Iā€™m learning how to use it Iā€™ve been looking around and flirting with the module(s) I would replace it with. This is sort of what Iā€™ve been thinking: replacing the Morphagene with a Xaoc Batuni and MI Rings.
Instead of the Batumi I wish I could fit Verbosā€™ Harmonic Oscillator but for now I think Batumi will do.
I choose Rings to add color and sparkle to long drones and textures to sequenced patterns. Iā€™m not sure if Iā€™m missing the point of the module or not but I think with the help of the rest of the modules I should have no problem integrating Rings.
The Pico VCF is currently there for no reason really, just a place holder.
Does the Batumi seem like viable substitute for the HO?
Is this the sort of thing that Rings is actually used for? Are there any other filter/resonators that you think may be better.
The goal is to build harmonically expanding and resonating drones, I feel like these two modules could really help with that.
Let me know what you think, let me know if you think Iā€™m missing the point. Feedback is chance to learn imo. Watching videos helps me but I really need to get hands on if I want to understand something, conversation and open forum help me more than watching a bunch of videos.

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#97

Somebody might correct me if Iā€™m wrong about this, but I donā€™t think Batumi is a substitute for Harmonic Oscillator at all. I donā€™t own a HO, but I do own a Batumi and that is a LFO that donā€™t work that well as an audio source. And I donā€™t know how low HO can go, if that even works as a LFO.
Rings and Batumi are a pleasant combo though. I really like Rings and that thing is all a matter of taste. I know people tend to dislike it cuz itā€™s so easy to point out in patches. If youā€™re looking for resonating drones Iā€™ve heard lots of good things about the Resonant equalizer from Random Source and the drones you can produce with it.

#99

Haha nice! The more research I do the more I see the Butami is really in now way a HOā€¦ That said as much as I mayā€™ve missed the point I was trying to reach itā€™s good to hear that Butami and Rings work well together. Someone recommended considering Just Friends in the place of Butamiā€¦ Always as the scope narrows more targets come into view!!

#100

Batumi and rings is great (my first 2 modules if you discount veils). Lots of interesting modulation of rings is possible. Donā€™t forget that batumi can also run at audio rates (although i wouldnt say that is its strength).

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#101

Batumi is mainly an lfo (I think it tops out around 500 hz or something once at at audio rate). Harmonic Oscillator seems to have quite a wide range (3 Hz to 20 kHz) but most people use it for audio. So, it really depends on the purpose. Batumi is one of my favorite lfos, very flexible and the self patching gets really interesting.

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#102

Also, you can make a ā€œpotiā€ for a few Ā£Ā£ to let you select LFO shapes.

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#103

My advice/take: donā€™t ever feel bad not digging a module. Everyone has different goals, workflows, and ideas of what is fulfilling and appealing. Ignore the pressure of hip modules with some imagined cachet and follow your own vision :slight_smile:

10 Likes
#104

Hi all this is my first post, I really dig this site, as a forum itā€™s so refreshing!
Anyway Iā€™m getting a 38hp rack and MI Rings for my birthday and that will be my intro into euro!
Iā€™m looking for some advice on my ideas on how to fill the rest of the (tiny) rack!
Definitely going for a filter and clock divider, and I like the disting as multifunction will be really useful in such a small space, but in terms of modulation, my original thought was this

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But Iā€™m worried I will get frustrated with the screens and menus of the O_c, I really donā€™t like mini computer type synths, so then though maybe this:

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Though Iā€™m worried this wonā€™t give me enough modulation options.

I know Pams New Workout would be obvious and maybe i upgrade to it in the future, but for now Iā€™m keeping stuff cheap and diy so I can put the rack together sooner!
My main worry is that O_c will drive me mad with screens and menus, I really donā€™t get on with that sort of stuff.

Iā€™ll be using an SQ-1 for sequencing and will mostly be using the rack for ambient textural stuff, in combination with tape loop drones and things (Iā€™m a sound artist) as well as a way of processing audio (with a diy amp to boost line input levels).

Anyway, these are my ideas, anyone think thereā€™s something horribly missing, too much of one thing? Not enough of another? Any space wasters?

Thanks so much for the help!!

2 Likes
#105

Iā€™ll be honest. I started with rings batumi and veils being sequenced my a novation circuit. Then added an O_C. I hated the menus and got rid of O_C within the month. Lots on here love the ornament and crime, so really depends on how much you hate the menu. There is at least one member here who leaves O_C in a particular mode. Given MI marbles is due out very soon Iā€™d be inclined towards that rather than o_C.

I have used my adventures in euro to work on acquiring new skills e.g. soldering so am happily working away on Radio music which may give your setup some nice textures. Also if you can expand the space Uraltoneā€™s Eurorack mixer is a steal if you have the space - 4 channels with pan, FX sends etc and a great learning experience.

#107

I can understand this statement, and generally agree with it. Iā€™ve built all three synths I own and intend on starting an all open source, all-DIY eurorack case soon. However, Iā€™d like to offer a potentially interesting cautionary counterpoint to this: making music on an instrument which youā€™ve developed, designed and built yourself can be extremely stressful.
I design and build complex, maintenance-intensive acoustic instruments (hurdy gurdies, for anyone interested) and while I love them and play them as my main instrument, relying on my own instruments as my musical voice and main performance instrument can be extremely stressful, because Iā€™m directly responsible not only for the musical content but for how well the instrument works! This can really drain the fun out of making music and is something I struggle with a lot. I remember reading an interview with Olivier from Mutable Instruments where he mentions the same thing; he has a small eurorack system at home, but never has his own modules in it because then making music feels too much like testing/debugging work.

For me, building existing DIY synths and kits is a good balance, where provided I put everything together correctly, I know it will work. I still get the fun and satisfaction of putting the instrument together, but I donā€™t have to design it or put a lot of ongoing brain-work into development and maintenance, leaving me free to have fun making music.

Anyway, to get the thread back on topic: I already built a MI Anushri which is going to be my starting module. Iā€™m going to start by building a 9U case which will act as my ā€˜working module libraryā€™ where I experiment and store modules before probably building smaller, focused cases I can play like an actual instrument rather than a wall of lights. Can anyone suggest good modules to pair with the Anushri? DIY preferred :slight_smile:

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