#1596

I know with my Intellijel 7U there are certain layouts that just don’t want to work when combined with modules’ screw hole positions, across both my 3U and 1U rows, so I can relate to the NiftyCase issues. A module with slots instead of holes would probably have significantly less problems, it could just be a perfect storm of that particular module and case.

As someone who is both not a DIYer and likes everything to be “just so” Eurorack has made me crazy a couple times, but my experience is that eventually everything fits in the case somehow.

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#1597

I’ve had a mfg tell me that their screw slots were designed for M2.5 rails only. Somehow the screw slots lined up perfectly with the gap BETWEEN the threaded holes :expressionless:

I wish every mfg would just copy Intellijel’s published panel, slot, and PCB dimensions. The Doepfer spec is too tight and all these “well, it fits in my case” mfgs need to consider tolerances. And sometimes they make the PCB or panel heights so tall that I have to literally stretch my cases open!

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#1598

i appreciate all of that feedback . hearing this makes me feel a lot better. i think i will wait and see if i can fit them in. i guess if i managed to get the 2 i have in side by side, i can probably manage. very helpful, thanks again

the o_C that i added to the left of it looks the same as the nebulae does in the first photo actually (with the 2hp empty between the edge of the case and that module. so it does seem like the rail is maybe angled upward which is what i was worried about. but yeah, i think with the tolerance in some of the manufacturer’s screw holes, it should be workable

#1599

I’m not sure i understand correctly, but i noticed with my cases that you should not tighten any srews until you placed all that you wanted. I mean you start from upper left and srew it loosely, then do the same with the rest. And then tighten.

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#1600

Hi Y’all. Really looking for some help re: my first modules.

I can’t stop thinking about a small setup to compliment an 0-coast and I would love some guidance. I’d have to sell my Op-1 to fund a purchase like this, but my headspace has been overtaken by the idea of modular. I also have an old beatstep that has the single cv and gate outs.

Bloom and Chord seem like a helpful songwriting pair. Generated sequences that can be harmonized into chords is exactly what I’m looking for. I’m aware of the issues with Bloom but am willing to take the risk before choosing a Keystep Pro Or something similar instead and having to write my own sequences.

I’m hoping to make interesting rhythmic patters from a bass note or kick sound coming from the 0-coast. Will Maths be interesting enough to divide and mangle signals, or is it redundant with slope on the 0-coast? Or is the combination of 3 cycle-able circuits what I’m looking for? Do you think I can get what I’m looking for without a Basimilus for the juicy kick sounds?

Also- Animated panning is a goal for me, even if it’s just a single note bouncing back and forth at interesting rates. Am I on the right track with X-pan? How do I take the two L and R patch cables and put them through my monitors? Do I need another output module that changes the signal to line level? Or can I go through an audio interface or mixer like the Tascam 424 I have laying around?

I know I don’t have any VCAs, but what don’t I know about how that will feel limiting in the future? Will the cross fading capabilities of X-pan be a sufficient workaround for the time being?

I’ve sketched this thing out a million times with the acid rain chainsaw, zadar, tangle-quartet, pico dsp, Basimilus, steppy, clep Diaz- but I’m trying to simplify into something more affordable but still inspiring and fun to jam with.

Any and all thoughts are welcome because watching YouTube, lurking on the forums, watching I dream of wires and the new patch cv documentaries and reading patch and tweak is not fully scratching the itch.

Thank you,

#1602

If money is tight, I would recommend against this approach. The OP-1 is a more roundly capable companion to your 0-Coast. I would instead look into ways to better integrate them.

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#1603

Agreed with @mdoudoroff , seems like you will be trading a versatile all rounder for a very limited basic voice. By not having VCAs and interesting modulation you are going to be extremely limited by the sound output of Chord. Due to lack of other modulations Maths is going to basically be 2 lfos and 2 attenuverter channels, you can patch it creatively but still.

If you want random sequencing why not use Marbles from VCV rack and midi sequence your OP-1.

#1604

This is helpful. I know there is a $20 chord module in vcv rack, has anyone used marbles with it to generate chord progressions?

#1605

Plaits and it’s vcv version has chord mode. Unless you require something specific that should work

#1606

Is there a way to patch marbles to plaits so the chords progression changes? When I tried it I could only trigger changes using the op-1 into v/oct of plaits but it was maj7, maj7, etc. moving up the keyboard.

Is there a way to patch it so it harmonizes root notes info I, IV, V? (hopefully more interesting progressions but that’s what I’m after)

#1607

If I were to add tangle quartet and zadar, does that seem like the next logical step to shape things? Any other suggestions/directions?

#1608

One of the “dangers” of modular synthesis is the feeling that it will open some great, new musical door. In reality, this may be true for a large (think 12U+) system with a good balance of modules, but for a small system, not so much. Designing a small system (well) is about trading off flexibility for specific capability. The result is an instrument that has a lot of interesting scope, and modes of interaction, but a quite specific voice.

As a concrete example, trying to use a chord based modules to create chords progressions, whichever you choose, is far more limited than using a poly synth. You can select a root note and chord character (so they need 2 input sequences to play a typical progression) and some timbral parameters. The series of questions and changes you are asking suggest to me that you are falling into the trap of imagining modular is a musical promised land: trying to shake up your music making to reenergize yourself creatively. Instead, you can end up going down a rabbit hole with no end in sight.

My advise, before listing out modules and selling you OP1, is to ask yourself, ignoring what you have and what you think you want to buy: what do you want to achieve musically? Not in technical, or musically specific terms, but at the highest level. An example might be: I want to be able to perform live, improvised, beat oriented music; I want to perform sonic experiments which I’ll sample and arrange; I want to created textured drones which I’ll perform in extended contexts…

Once you understand where you are going, you can think about how you can get there. Note that this isn’t a process to use to justify buying a modular synth, it’s a process to understand what you want. At present, modular, for you, sounds like a solution looking for a problem. With some clarity on your goals you can start to decide if modular is an effective way to get there. If it is, there is a huge amount of knowledge in this forum, and elsewhere to help you. Good luck!

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#1609

You’d need to sequence it manually using the harm input on Plaits.

It’s not possible to use Marbles to sequence the chords types in a generative way that make sense. Marbles can generate pleasing melodies by sequencing the root notes, but as you’ve correctly surmised, the harmonisation would quickly throw things out of traditional scale progressions (which might be ok…).

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#1610

I really regret selling my OP1 to buy modules, now that the price has gone through the roof. I created more music when I had it.

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#1611

Thanks for taking time to respond.

I’m gonna reflect on this.

I want to make interesting textures/chord progressions/rhythms to sing over.

Using the 0-coast and a minilogue I made a song I’m more satisfied with than anything I’ve made in years: https://galenbaby.bandcamp.com/track/cats

At the highest level I think I am looking for a partner to jam with…and trying to make that with a synth. Something that will generate chord progressions that I can freeze when I like em and something that is more fun to generate rhythmic ideas with than tapping out drums on a keyboard.

I’m not a great piano player. The keys are a barrier to making songs. I’ve also been doing online piano lessons, but I guess I’m looking for something more immediate.

Not sure if that clarifies much, but I’m open to thoughts on if modular is what I’m looking for.

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#1612

Modular is a superb playground for creating rhythms, although not necessarily ones that are easy to sing along to. Not cheap, but a plethora of good tools to repatch in interesting ways.

Modular can be a good playground for creating textures, although it is a relatively expensive one.

Modular is a terrible place for creating chord progressions—particularly ones you plan to sing over—unless what you’re doing is quite experimental in nature, and you specifically want to tap into the weird, counter-intuitiveness (often dissonant as hell) that a modular will tend toward. Still expensive.

It sounds like what you might want is one of those MIDI controllers (or synths) that is good at serving up chords that are always “in key”. Not necessarily this one, but something in this general direction:

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#1613

I’ve never seen this. Thanks for sending. I do like the pads, hence the quantize-able old beatstep, but something about not being able to choose chords outside of the key irks me.

I use the TONALY app, but there’s no way to harmonize a note from a sequence

#1614

The Qu-Bit Chord (v2 in particular), especially with the Bloom or another rhythmic pitch/modulation generator (Marbles, Mimetic Digitalis, etc) is a wonderful playground for interesting chord progressions I’d say. I know nothing of singing along to those but this kind of a combo will give you a lot.

Driving base note with one CV sequence and “quality”/chord type with another, “voicing” with an LFO, bank and wave with more LFOs and voilá, you have a myriad of chords in your hands.

Oh and the Chord v2 nicely quanitises everything you want it to.

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#1615

Do you want something that will generate the control voltages for the chords (ie you have several oscillators?) or the audio itself? If the former, you could use something like the Make Noise Pressure Points or even the 0-Control. They both output un-quantized voltages, you would essentially just adjust the voltages on each step until you find a chord you like. Running the sequencer then sequences the chords.

#1616

So I checked out your track and I think I have a better idea of what you are going for. You’ve got a sort of indie pop style vocal with more experimental and textured musical elements. As for your concept of a synth that’s a “jamming partner” I think you have an interesting concept there, but one that may be tricky to realise. That is to say that can run a spectrum from a completely automatic chord progression (play a 2-5-1 in the following key) to choosing exactly which notes sound when. If you want the progression realised as actual chords, then a poly synth (like your minilogue) is a good option.

The (musically) tricky part is how much control you want of the elements that work within the harmonic framework of the progression. How are rhythms defined and how much control do you want over them? How are melodic lines created and repeated (or not)? There is a tension here between randomness, variation and repeatability. In the least controllable sense, a keyboard with auto accompaniment (an arranger keyboard) gives you little explicit control beyond selecting styles and playing chords. At the other end you have purely generative sequences (repeatably, or not) which may or may not be constrained to make “musical sense”.

That theoryboard that was linked is an interesting thought and reminds me of something else that may interest you, the NDLR. It’s a similar premise but with more of a generative slant. My feeling is that, the key with such instruments is to use them to create an idea which you then refine. In this regard, not having them use chromatics or non diatonic chords isn’t that restrictive: you can expand on what it made manually afterwards.

It is definitely possible to realise your concept in a modular environment, but I think you will have a long design process to find a combination or hardware and workflow that supports you best. Specifically, I’ve come to the conclusion that workflow matters the most for being creatively productive. Modular can theoretically give you your perfect workflow but in practise that can be extremely hard to find. Moreover that workflow, if designed apriori, may not be realisable but rather you iterate. You create a system then allow it to guide your musical choices and see if it satisfies: You find a compromise between what you think you want and what the instrument will provide. Eventually your wants and the instrument’s provisions will converge and your workflow will emerge. I can all but guarantee that such a process will be a slow one.

My suggestion would be to experiment with different ways of working with what you have. The Beatstep, a computer, the minilogue sequencer (and maybe a NDLR of similar, or something more flexible like the Pyramid which has some generative capabilities). Try and push those boundaries and see what you are really missing then figure out what will address that limitation the best, and remember: the grass may look greener, but it doesn’t mean you’ll like the taste.

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