#1451

I only have ripples v1 for a vcf right now

#1452

speaking of big and expensive my local shop has a Rossum Electro-Music trident in stock, seems pretty similar to the verbos, lots of modulation options etc but the verbos has so many outputsā€¦wish they had one i could demo

#1453

Any oscillator that can do FM has the potential to sound harsh. You could try filtering it or running it through a reverb. Also play around with putting the filter and reverb at different parts of the signal chain. A reverb before a VCA could turn a harsh sound into smoothness without sounding like an ambient wash.

2 Likes
#1454

Interesting - Iā€™d also like a Mangrove, but for me itā€™s partly because I find the STO a bit mellow and predictable.

2 Likes
#1455

Also, remember that you can use Chords as 4 separate oscillators (though all the same bank/wave). I often run in tuned poly mode and use one out to fm and then send them to various places as voices or modulation. Lots of options in that module.

2 Likes
#1456

Well Verbos has pretty characterful sound. Not sure how it compares to Rossum, probably it doesnā€™t. Also Verbos has a lot of inputs, but I would not necessarily call them modulation options.

Better think about it as 8 related oscillators and you get to adjust their volume.
Other modulation options are FM and thatā€™s it.

From your response I get the feeling that you are kinda tired or familiar with what you have. In this case I donā€™t think oscillators are really good way to get new sounds, I think filters, modulation or granular/FX is generally a better way.

Or giving things a little break :slight_smile:

3 Likes
#1457

You guys were right. I just got done messing around with patching sto into ripples and it sounds totally different and pretty cool. I think I will look into audio modifiers first before getting another osc any time soon. Itā€™s crazy how many ways you can shape a wave but thatā€™s what modular synthesis is all about.

5 Likes
#1458

STO is quite versatile and you can get tons of timbres with a nice VCO and filter pairing. I often enjoy cross modulating it with a Dixie II, filtering with a uVCF and finishing with an LPG. Lots of very nice tones and plucks.

4 Likes
#1459

I ended up deciding on the Ooots after all. It has the features Iā€™m looking for including being AC coupled along with the tilt eq and saturation.

It seems like shipping is still happening pretty quickly considering (between 10 and 25 days for shipping to the U.S.). Ivan from Knob.Farm went as far as to send me a screenshot of their last dozen delivery confirmations to ease any concerns. Anyway, Iā€™m excited!

4 Likes
#1460

Just looking for peoples views on the ergonomics of shrunken Mutable clones, in particular Nano Rings?

Iā€™ve got some full size Mutable modules which I enjoy using, but due to space Iā€™m considering a Nano Rings, just a bit concerned about the playability.

#1461

I use Rings as a resonator for external input, or as a drum voice, and I find the nano version to be ā€œjust fineā€ for my needs. To offset the ergonomic concerns I had MSW construct my module using alpha metal shaft pots with panel nuts, so the action is as solid and smooth as any full-size module.

If you wanted to use Rings more as an instrument unto itself then you should consider a factory unit first. For me, changing a knob position on Rings usually means disaster since I carefully set-and-forget its tuning and rely instead on CV modulation. For this, the stiff and small alpha pots are perfect! Plus I honestly donā€™t like most of my ā€œhand modulatedā€ results from Rings (too easy to get too Rings-y).

In contrast, I would never again try to shrink Elements, Frames, Plaits, or Tides. They are either too much fun to play by hand, or too perfectly designed for ergo. Selfishly I wish someone would make a microBlinds, though!

5 Likes
#1462

If youā€™re planning to mostly set and forget or rely on modulation they can be ok. I have one, itā€™s fine but not ideal. You can always use a manual offset generator to control one of the values if you want to play it live.

2 Likes
#1463

Thanks. Yeah My plans are similar, to be mainly used with an exteranl input for processing. The model Iā€™m looking at also has all metal shaft pots, so thats good to know.

I think Iā€™ll still probably also tweak it manually, but if it was a major aspect of a patch Iā€™d most likley use a controller module anyway.

#1464

Iā€™m thinking a lot at the moment about module placement lately (almost to the point of distraction). It started with a limitation on where I could place a Teletype and a Just Friends for the i2c connection and now I feel like I want to rework my rack entirely because Iā€™ve spiralled out of control.

Iā€™m working with 6u and 106HP. Iā€™m looking at the dedicating the top row to voices and filters, the bottom left quadrant to sequencing/clocks/utilities and the bottom right quadrant to effects and output focused modules (VCAs, and an ALM HPO).

How do you all approach module placement? Iā€™m sure itā€™ll eventually bed in but if anyone has a systematic approach I could start with thatā€™d be amazing.

3 Likes
#1465

I set it up left to right with order being oscillators, filters, envelopes, vcas. in general effects and outputs on the right sides of case. I tend to put clocks, lfos or mults in the centre along with sequencer.

anything playable on bottom row or in separate skiff. midi/other connections I do on the edges.

i2c connections have definitely made that a bit more complex to do but it feels most ergonomic to me to follow similar rules

2 Likes
#1466

My loose strategy, for whatever itā€™s worth:

  1. Put the modules I physically interact with most often front and center, within easiest reach.
  2. Put the ii modules close to each other, obviously
  3. Try to group big clusters of jacks together to prevent cable clutter. Some modules tend to be just a bunch of jacks with very few or no knobs.
  4. Try to put things that connect to outboard gear (e.g. midi modules, audio i/o) on the edges to keep the bigger thicker cables out of the way
  5. Every now and then, re-arrange things as it creates new patching synergies and inspires new ideas
9 Likes
#1467

Beyond placing modules you often patch together not too far from each other, I donā€™t think itā€™s worth thinking about that much. Iā€™ve never seen a strategy for module placement that has worked on a deeper logic than being a mnemonic device.

3 Likes
#1468

Yeah. Just buy longer cables and donā€™t worry about it.

#1469

There are a whole bunch of conflicting factors. Expansion cables/i2c, ergonomics, focusing attention, aesthetics and just trying to find someplace to cram everything. Also in cases with multiple PSUs, balancing the load can be a factor.

The couple of times when I was really proud of a particular arrangement because it seemed like a great compromise of all the factorsā€¦ I still wound up changing things around as I switched modules anyway. :wink:

1 Like
#1470

I think only about easy access to controls I like to tweak.