#1107

While i can see the benefit of stand alone… if you’re convinced you want to go down the modular rabbit hole i would recommend constructing a rack from all Doepfer. It’s likely the cheapest way into euro, esp if you go second-hand - many modules are sub €100. Quality is excellent and although you may find other manufactures doing fancier things (or doing the same things but in a smaller footprint) starting your journey with doepfer is a brilliant way-in (or for many, a brilliant end goal). All the building blocks are covered with tonnes of module options.

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#1108

The hard piece of your question to me is finding something that will both output MIDI or triggers/gates/modulation and also do audio input. Not impossible at all; in a way it’s helpful, because that limits your options a lot, which will help you make choices.

In terms of sending MIDI out from your iPad to modular, you can get a MIDI to CV module, of which there are many. I’ve been eyeing the Hexinverter Mutant Brain as a flexible option for percussion sequencing myself, but really there are many options here.

With this path, you also need to have an iPad interface that handles audio input and MIDI. I am not sure how many there are of these that are iPad compatible but certainly there must be some. Others may be able to chime in here.

The other way to do control would be to send your trigger and pitch information out as DC-coupled signals. This requires an ‘audio’ interface that is DC-coupled, of which there are not that many. The ES-8 from Expert Sleepers is the go-to option here, though there may be others. It is not cheap, but it offers 8 channels of signal out and 4 channels of signal in. These can be audio or CV. There are a number of videos showing Audulus controlling or being controlled by modular via an ES-8, and presumably this would work with other iPad software also. This would take care of your in-out problem without the need for two pieces of hardware.

In terms of a voice, your minimum ‘requirements’ are a VCO, a VCA or low-pass gate to control the loudness of the oscillator, and some sort of envelope to control the VCA/LPG and give shape to the sound. I put requirements in quotes because you can make sound without the VCA & envelope. But if you’re starting with making ‘notes’ that have duration and attack/decay shape, that is what you’d need.

The Mangrove is actually not a bad starting choice, because it has volume control built into it, saving you a module. That said, you could have a simple oscillator and VCA or LPG for less than the cost of a Mangrove.

If you go the ES-8 route (or other CV out of your iPad), you can generate your envelopes from your iPad and have your trigger from the iPad timed with it. However, I would actually recommend that you invest in a Make Noise Maths if you’re starting out. Maths will take care of your envelope needs and still do much else besides. It is a bit daunting looking, but actually in the end very simple, very flexible. It can do many things with its component parts, and is very ‘modular’ in spirit, if modular is the idea of combining simple building blocks in ways of your choosing to create complex behaviors. Maths really is all that. It’s also very well documented on YouTube and such, so you’ll have a lot of tutorials to get you going.

Semi-modulars are nice because they’ll give you all these things in one package: oscillator, VCA/LPG, envelopes, MIDI. I would give consideration to starting with one.

Good luck! Ask more questions :slight_smile:

#1109

If you choose to go the DC-coupled interface route, here is a list of interfaces that can do this: http://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/siwacompatibility.html

This compatibility is not limited to the Silent Way software, AFAIK.

#1110

Rebel Technology Tonic seems to be pretty close to what you have in mind?

https://www.rebeltech.org/product/tonic/

#1111

I’ve got a Tempi, which I like a lot, but it feels weird to hold on to it for some reason? I pretty much use it as a 6 channel clock divider with tap tempo for the main tempo, which is A use for it, but it feels a little overkill for the purpose (and I’m not considering a Réne v2). I’d welcome some opinions on the myriad of clock divider options out there!

#1112

Integra solum gets a tonne of use in my rack because of its immediacy. Even though it sits next to and is driven by pams new workout.

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#1113

That’s kind of how I’ve been using mine too, however I’ve only had it for a few weeks! I think the secret is in using the Mod function, as well as changing state via gate/CV to create complex, rotating patterns. Also being able to mute each output is a rad function for performance.

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#1114

Been looking for a clocking solution a few months back and after a long research phase, I eventually ended up with a fairly down-to-earth Doepfer A-160-2 Clock Divider II and an Intellijel OR Gate Combiner (external clock source/LFO needed).

So far, this is catering all my needs and I don’t miss anything.
I’m into that basic suff, I guess. :smiley:

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#1115

People using Pamela’s NEW Workout (any feedback is appreciated) -

When you save a pattern, do you need to execute the ‘Save’ action for every involved output/track, or does any save action (on any output) save all the settings for all the outputs? The manual implies the latter, but it’s not entirely clear.

PNW is great, but using a single knob/press for every function feels really detached (for making rhythms/patterns) and unituitive. I suppose it’s the price you pay for deep functionality in a small footprint.

#1116

Damned, I have a Mutable grids but this Integra seems to be super nice !

#1117

Pamela is a top module and it’s auto-saving on it’s own. And it’s intuitive for me who tend to avoid menu diving !

#1118

you can save each track individually, as you’ve discovered, but there is a top-level save which is accessed within “long press at bpm display” menu.

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#1119

Thanks @Jonny I think the sv1 might be a good option for all the reasons you stated and can be part of a larger setup later so it’s definitely on my list of possibilities. The Knobs series was great!

#1120

Thanks @crushthered - the sv1 does seem like a great option, I’m definitely considering it - but at the same time I kinda like the idea of building something custom like you mentioned - I’m a bit torn and will continue to research. If went the latter route I could only afford 3, maybe 4 modules at first, so I need to choose wisely - definitely gonna check out vcv rack today

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#1121

Thanks @alanza - I looked at the ms20 but it seemed geared towards really bassy club stuff which I love as a listener but not really the kind of stuff I want to make, I like making airy ambient kind of stuff. Could have just been the demos though - I’m sure a lot of that is what you do with it, what do you think?

#1122

Thanks @Ravel - I’m looking at all the doepfner modules for sure and I think you’re right - particularly since it seems the functions of some of the modules are pretty straightforward there’s no reason to pay more than necessary for modules designed to do basic things, at least from what I can tell so far.

#1123

The MS-20 can definitely do sweet as well as sour. For example, everything on this track, including the noise washes and percussion, was made on the MS-20 and then lightly edited and collected in Ableton, and I wasn’t even overtly going for airy.

That said, let me be clear—I’m not trying to get you to buy an MS-20; I’m sharing how I learned how to think of synthesis in terms of interacting signals.

4 Likes
#1124

Thanks @xenus_dad - the es-8 is a wonderful suggestion and sounds like it’ll do exactly what I would need to incorporate my iPad, but I’m starting to wonder if that’s the best thing to do. My initial thought was that since I’m just starting out and could only afford to begin with a few modules (VCO,VCA,EG) that having my iPad compatible would give me more creative options with them and compensate for not having a lot of the modules designed to do some of the more specialized things like sequencing, etc. While that may still be true - I wonder now if it might just confuse me. I have a lot to learn and feel like I might be better off spending that es-8 money on a better initial setup and learn this thing well as a solo instrument before I incorporate outside functions - anyway I can always do it later. No sense having like one mangrove and es-8 when I could get a mangrove, or any other good vco, and possibly a few other modules for the same money. The more I read about and understand eurorack the more I think I like the idea and philosophy of just focusing on this as a solo instrument and getting to know mine inside and out and explore all I can do with it. I’m in a $ position to start with three and definitely no more than four. Although I know I won’t be able to do everything I want with so few I imagine there’s probably a lot to explore with just a vco,vca, and eg, for example. I’d love any suggestions for a good three module start leaning in a softer, ambient direction, but only in terms of functionality, I know it’s very subjective and taste driven of course - I just don’t want to mistakenly get redundant modules or ones that don’t make sense together. I plan on taking a look at vcv rack later today too which should help quite a bit…Thanks again!

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#1125

You mention a ‘softer’ and ‘airier’ sound that you’re looking for. It might help to describe this further. To me it calls to mind string modeling like Rings, Elements, or Plaits, all of which you can try on VCV rack (at least I know Rings and Elements are available). A monosynth like you’ve been describing might be too ‘heavy’ of a sound.

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#1126

VCV rack is a great idea for learning how things work for free. You can pay for certain plugins, and I certainly encourage you to support people if you like, but it is not necessary.

I think your assessment is right, integrating the iPad might be a tall order. I don’t think it would be complicated to get a simple audio interface for the iPad however, so you could have your modular as a standalone instrument but still record and/or process the sounds you’re making.

My first recommendations would be Plaits and Maths. That gets you a ton of functionality in two modules. I might recommend a Disting as a third, since it’s basically an anything-box, which is really helpful at the beginning (and possibly later on too!).

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