#1

Hi guys!
New here, just starting to approach the modular world for the first time, just little experience with monome…
I’d like to start a small modular setup, using White whale and Monome as a sequencer controlling a Mini Brute.
Any suggestion? What would i need apart from the obvious components (Monome + White whale)?

#2

forgive me if you already know but along with the modules you’ll need a case with an adequate power supply and some patch cables

#3

Peaks from Mutable instruments is perfect for small setups.
You get with 8HP an ADSR envelope, with A, D, S, R control.
An LFO with frequency, waveform (square, triangle, sine, stepped, S&H), shape/asymmetry and phase controls.
Tap-LFO with amplitude, waveform, shape/asymmetry and phase controls. Frequency is locked to the rate of the incoming trigger signal or to the tapping of the front-panel button.
808-style kick and snare generator with frequency, decay, tone and snappy controls.

take two of them :smile:

#4

also check Bastl’s Patcheni video series

2 Likes
#6

I guess monome switch is just for powering the grid. I’m planning to just have white whale as a kind of standalone which I can use either with a larger eurorack system or with some small synths. I love the idea of freeing my 128 from the computer with it’s constant updates and incompatibilities. I’d also like to know how small I could make this? Any suggestions on the smallest eurorack power supply I could get away with for white whale? and I guess I’d definitely not need switch if this small supply was only feeding WW and a 128?

#7

i’m using uZeus with ext5v
the downside is two power bricks – but it’s cheap.
for a little more $$ you could do the 4MS row power 40 + barrel connector + monome switch as shown here:

#8

Thanks. What is the benefit of having switch in this setup? is it just so you don’t have to hot swap? or are there other benefits which i’m not getting? (some kind of isolation which I don’t understand?)

#9

the benefit in this setup is that you only have one power brick running your setup. switch is also convenient if you’re running two grid-controlled modules, or using a computer.

#10

what HateNames said is basically what i’m looking at too!
so, @shellfritsch, what if i don’t want more than one grid-controlled module?
would the uZeus and ext5v be enough to power the white whale and the grid using them as a standalone sequencer?

#11

@koerby: that looks good!
i’m gonna ask what’ll probably sound like a dumb question: does peaks have to be routed into a vca? :grin:

#12

more than enough. i’m using the uzeus and ext5v for an 84hp row of modules with power to spare.

#13

great! and what would i need to make the uZeus power the white whale?
i know there are connectors to share power between various modules or something like that… :smile:

#14

@aevi_balti: for the drums no. But If you want to modulate a VCA, yes

#15

uzeus comes with two flying bus boards. they connect directly to the modules. this will provide white whale with the necessary voltages.

the grid will plug into the ext5v before plugging into white whale. ext5v provides the grid with power and prevents it from drawing from your uzeus power supply, which would otherwise cause damage.

#16

I am with you! I have been a monome user for years but am diving into Eurorack as we speak. Picked up a White Whale and Switch last week. I got a case from Pittsburgh modular its crazy nice. If you go to the web site store they sell them scratched and dented for a big discount!!! I just got mine and it looks far from damaged. I am now looking for some oscillators. I think Pittsburgh modular synth block might be a good start because it has a lot built in to one unit so you can get an understanding of things and you can add to it later. They also sell nice packages that are not that expensive. The mangrove and three sisters looks fun also! Check out control in NY web site they have tons of info and a great used section.

#17

Thanks everybody, i found plenty information to start looking around!

What about using White whale with semi-modular stuff? Like mother 32 or a much cheaper minibrute? :smiley: anybody tried that out?

#18

I’m using it since a couple of days with semi modular stuff, i only have sequencers in my small eurorack setup (Klee, White Whale and René) Using them with Cwejman S1 MK2, Buchla 208r and some other CV in vintage synths…

#19

the pgh synth box was my first module. a basic, but great sounding full voice that works without any patching, or you can completely break it up into separate functions as you add more modules. i like that they chose to voice it with a low pass gate.

#20

yeah, i was checking the pittsburgh synth box myself! good to know you had a good experience with that…
i’ve also read great things about mannequin’s mangrove. does a single oscillator module require an envelope generator to modulate ADSR?

#21

Yes. A single oscillator will only drone. Normally you would need at least an oscillator, vca, and envelope generator, but the mangroves have a built in vca as part of their architecture, so you would just need an EG or function generator for your amplitude cv.