#1574

I am looking to get started building a rack, and I want to make sure that I go about things in the right order. I have messed around on VCV Rack enough to know that I really enjoy patching, but have also realized that a tactile experience would be much more rewarding. That said, I’m going to try to get in the ballpark of this build with VCV in order to experiment further with how the parts interact.

My priority is sample mangling, along with being able to generate interesting synthesized sounds and get them to be able to do fun, strange things either via patching or with my Monome devices/Ableton. I work primarily in melodic/noisy/ambient territory, but I like the sounds to be weird. I also make techno sometimes.

This was assembled based on modules I liked in Youtube videos, as well as a few other people’s specific racks. But I have a lot to learn, so I don’t know if it’s super well balanced. Is there a lot of redundancy in mixing/attenuating devices? Am I missing anything oscillator-wise? Is Morphagene/Arbhar/er-301 overkill? Is there any key practical utility modules I’m missing? Am I too sequencer heavy?

Finally, I think the rack consumes a lot of power, so I’m not sure what to do case-wise. And other than that, if this is a good end-goal… any ideas on where to start? I’ll probably spend $2k to get up and running, and then build from there over the course of a year or so.

A lot of questions. Any input appreciated.

#1575

Some of those questions are going to come down to your personal experience with the gear once you try some of it, and your musical goals.

I would say there’s not too much redundancy in mixing or attenuating, in fact you may find yourself wanting more, depending on how it goes.

I would probably choose just one of ER-301, Morphagene or Arbhar to start with, see how that goes and if you feel like you want to add more.

I have no experience with Morphagene or Arbhar, but I did have an ER-301 for a while – mostly not for sample/buffer manipulation though it’s certainly good at that. Its workflow is not like other modular gear in a lot of ways. You’ll probably want either an i2c controller like 16n, or at least another Shades or something for more hands on control. On the plus side, it can fill in for some other utilities (extra VCAs etc, and its own LFOs and envelope generators).

#1577

^^^ Accidentally responded to the wrong post :frowning:

A possible alternative to the Shades is an SSF S.P.O. along with some type of 2hp dual VCA like the Arcus Audio Dual LIN/EXP VCA. You would get 2 channels of attenuversion with dc offset and 2 vcas which can also function as attenuators. The S.P.O. also has two inputs per channel so you can use it as a very basic mixer as well. This could give you a bit more flexibility in the same amount of HP. If you are planning on using the Shades primarily as a mixer then you should disregard this suggestion though.

Also, if you are able to spare the room, I would get the expander for the RCD. It makes the module so much more useful when you can change the division ranges without needing to pull it out and move around jumpers.

Also, if you are concerned with power consumption then you might want to look into a Trogotronic case. These things can handle up to 10,000 mA. One thing to be aware of with this case is that the PSU uses a “floating common ground” which can cause some issues with capacative touch controllers. I don’t have any detailed info about this but it is what Make Noise support told me when my 0-ctrl was having issues with my Trogotronic case.

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#1578

Er-301 is like a platform not a module. After 1.5 years of owning it I still use it for prepared layers and as a source for granulars in live performances. its’s about 10% of what it can be. Build it reverb/hlf/lpf help granular units sounds musically.

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#1579

I had an S.P.O. and found the knobs a bit close together (like many SSF modules). Not unusable, just not as comfortable as Shades.

#1580

Thanks so much for taking the time with those very helpful replies @xenus_dad, @chalkwalk and @slowwild – much appreciated. It’s interesting to see the different solutions possible.

For now I’ll try keep it simple, so I’ve picked up the Quadratt, I’ll attenuate the levels and take the mono signal directly into the Volante. I’ll maybe add the stereo line out 1U ahead.

As a beginner I’m finding the Eurorack 101 on the Intellijel site really helpful. I do have a couple other questions specifically Palette related, so @slowwild I think I’ll take you up on the offer and send over a PM.

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#1581

Anyone have any experience with the Flame u16MCC MIDI CC-to-CV ?

I use a Mutant Brain at the moment, which is great - 4 midi cc->cv and 8 trigs/gates, but I’d like more CV modulation possibilities from my Electron Digitakt. The Flame has 16 midi->cc which seems ideal, but there’s not a whole lot of information on it other than a short video.

#1582

what’s everyone’s favorite random source? I’m considering replacing my o_c with one - something about working with theory-defined scales short-circuits my brain. for what it’s worth the MN wogglebug is what’s catching my eye the most, so anything that functions along those lines is what I’m looking for.

edit: by which I mean something that can output randomly-intervaled gates / voltages. if it’s random seed is based on radioactive decay that’s even better.

#1583

For me, Teletype. Because I have so much control over the randomness.

2 Likes
#1584

Marbles is my favorite, due to its clever quantizing, the ability to loop it (while allowing it to mutate over time), and also sample incoming CV and use that instead of the internal random source.

Another one I enjoy – though it’s not actually random, but not necessarily easily predictable either and the patterns can run on for a good while – is Zorlon Cannon. I like it for audio rate noise and oscillation, as well as patterned gates and CVs.

(And also Teletype, but most of my Teletype use is either non-random, or uses random probability of extra steps alongside non-random algorithmically generated patterns. I could script some stuff in TT that would be similar to what Marbles is doing, I suppose :slight_smile: )

#1585

+1 for Teletype. I love random sources and have several, but for me Wogglebug < Sapel < Teletype

#1586

Noise into S&H; noise into comparator, etc.

6 Likes
#1587

SSF Quantum Rainbow into a Toppobrillo Sport Modulator. Lots of fun options for smooth random, stepped random, gates, chaotic modulations, etc…

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#1588

@ElectricaNada these are the answers I really love

as much as I’d like to give teletype a shot I don’t wanna forcibly shove a high-level module like that in my system right now (ex: I use 2 of my disting’s 59304 programs)

I really wouldn’t mind a marbles, tides has shown me how intuitive mutable modules are. something really simple (doepfer random out-level simple) would also be nice though.

#1590

Sapel is the one I use the most.

I like Marbles too, but in timbre and percussion based patches with my own rhythms generated elsewhere, I usually prefer the two channel manipulation and noise options Sapel offers.

Marbles is cool in external sampling mode and can do more on its own for generative though.

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#1591

I don’t have one yet but I was psyched to see Qu-bit bring back the Nano Rand in a v2 model.

It’s on my list…

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#1592

My random volts/gates source of choice is the Music Thing Modular Turing Machine (with Pulses and Volts expanders). It’s perhaps a bit more basic than some of the other suggestions here, but I like it a lot - its simplicity is what makes it immediate. I love the big knob right in the middle that controls the randomness - it wants to be played. Self/feedback patching reveals an infinite depth of happy accidents.

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#1593

I built this ages ago as I wanted a compact 4hp noise (independent) and s+h (it’s 3 stages of kinks s+h)
483-modular_jinx image

7 Likes
#1594

i just noticed this from a picture i took when i first put the nebulae into my niftycase. i’m already regretting getting that case, but the built in midi is nice for now. anyway, is this normal? see the top left where the panel should line up with the rail? i couldnt get my ornament & crime or the nebulae to fit at all without moving them over 2hp from the left edge. the cre8 website mentions that you should make sure your pcb width is 1mm less than the panel since the sides are flush, but that’s not the issue here:

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i just ordered the rest of the modules to fill the case so i’m going to need to use that 2hp of space and i assume if this is a problem on that side, it will maybe be the same on the far right side of the case/rail too.

someone mentioned using a dental pick type thing to line the pcb hole to the rail and then insert the screw from the front, but there is no give to this case like i’ve seen people say about the 4ms pods and i can’t stretch the panels on the modules, so i don’t know if that’s gonna work.

this is the only spot i could actually make them fit, and even then, i can only get two screws in the nebulae, not that i care too much about that on its own:
2

any ideas? send it back? is this a typical issue? i haven’t seem any posts about this issue with this particular case online, but that may be because people are smart enough not to buy it in the first place

#1595

Some module manufacturers have wider holes on their modules so having those modules in your case will allow for looser tolerances on the screw positioning. Given the price of the case I think this case is fairly popular. If you’re not seeing any complaints about it online I would say wait until you get all your modules to see if it will work itself out. If you’re still having this issue after all your modules come in then contact the maker directly. If someone else with this case chimes in with this same issue then you can ignore me and I will delete this post :slight_smile:

1 Like