modular synthesis

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:11 pm

oblioblioblio wrote:
coldfuture wrote:Ok so I have been silent on the modular front for a bit because we had our first baby son this year and I had to curb the ol' GAS.

But now I am saving up for various bits of kit and am looking into modular again... been making a lot of acid lately and really think some modular stuff will be absolute madness with my 303 and 606.

Anyone seen the Analogue Solutions Station X and Y? I've considering one of each paired with a Dark Time as a modular primer.

Of course the eurorack modules are what really get me crazy, but sometimes I wonder if I am ready to make a year long project out of building a synth as I am fairly productive in my studio right now.
can't talk from too much experience... but modular does pretty well when you drop everything else from your set up and embrace the entalgled organic beautiful mess. Although I think there are lots of people doing half and half set ups or just a little taste of modular.

If you're not too sure about the best time to get into it, honestly, it's good right now. Some of these manufacturers might not even be around this time next year, and the prices are only going to go one way from this point... in many ways analogue is a dying industry... important components are being discontinued all the time... we are lucky these modular guys are keeping it real and fighting against the tide.

Get a little case like tiptop zrails desktop thing (you can easily sell if you decide to expand), and get stuck in... if you have analogue gear right now there are plenty of ways to fit modular signals into your current machines.

Yeah, I don't think I will be selling my other gear anytime soon. I have researched and specialized and bought everything I have for a reason. I don't want to change the way I generate drums away from the MD for example. I am just curious about modular as an expander to what I do, not as a central station like you and Steevio are doing. At least not at this point.

Do you think any kind of setup and really be put together with just one 3u rack? Those Tip Top things are nice and cheap, but using the modular planner I can't seem to put together much?

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 10:45 pm

3u is pushing it, but if you try to focus on a particular side you will be able to find something. you will probably want to strip back non modular gear to absolute essentials, cos in lots of ways non modular gear can put up a bit of a fight unless it has lots of options for CV or other control... but you will definitely be able to keep some stuff and have modular compliment it.

with just 3u, you could get some sequencing stuff, like doepfer 155/154, which, if surrounded by the right modules can come alive like you wouldn't imagine... maybe use that to sequence the 303? Live modular sequencing is magical. Clock dividers / logic modules / sequential switches / Buchla style envelopes(e.g. Maths)

6u would probably go a bit further to be honest. But you don't need to fully sacrifice everything and start from scratch. The 606 outputs or inputs clock I think? I think the 606 is popular amongst modular guys.... it's live as well, which to me is one of the joys of modular.

I think Phase Ghost has an interesting set up and still uses other gear.

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:24 pm

oblioblioblio wrote:3u is pushing it, but if you try to focus on a particular side you will be able to find something. you will probably want to strip back non modular gear to absolute essentials, cos in lots of ways non modular gear can put up a bit of a fight unless it has lots of options for CV or other control... but you will definitely be able to keep some stuff and have modular compliment it.

with just 3u, you could get some sequencing stuff, like doepfer 155/154, which, if surrounded by the right modules can come alive like you wouldn't imagine... maybe use that to sequence the 303? Live modular sequencing is magical. Clock dividers / logic modules / sequential switches / Buchla style envelopes(e.g. Maths)

6u would probably go a bit further to be honest. But you don't need to fully sacrifice everything and start from scratch. The 606 outputs or inputs clock I think? I think the 606 is popular amongst modular guys.... it's live as well, which to me is one of the joys of modular.

I think Phase Ghost has an interesting set up and still uses other gear.

Yeah the 606 has clock outputs from each of the toms, the 303 also has CV and gate outputs and the MD has an impulse machine that outputs proper ticks for a variety of voltages. I have seen the MD used for anything from eurorack to Serge and Buchla. This is why I don't plan on selling my gear, because it all has modular friendly features.

I was thinking I would start with using my 303 to sequence and my 606 clock outputs to screw with the timing of the sequences... but now I am thinking I just might build myself a 9-12u case and start slow... Since I live within 2 hours of Analogue Haven, Big City Music, and Noise Bug I can go test out modules if I really need to.

steevio · Post by **steevio** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:55 pm

coldfuture wrote:
oblioblioblio wrote:3u is pushing it, but if you try to focus on a particular side you will be able to find something. you will probably want to strip back non modular gear to absolute essentials, cos in lots of ways non modular gear can put up a bit of a fight unless it has lots of options for CV or other control... but you will definitely be able to keep some stuff and have modular compliment it.

with just 3u, you could get some sequencing stuff, like doepfer 155/154, which, if surrounded by the right modules can come alive like you wouldn't imagine... maybe use that to sequence the 303? Live modular sequencing is magical. Clock dividers / logic modules / sequential switches / Buchla style envelopes(e.g. Maths)

6u would probably go a bit further to be honest. But you don't need to fully sacrifice everything and start from scratch. The 606 outputs or inputs clock I think? I think the 606 is popular amongst modular guys.... it's live as well, which to me is one of the joys of modular.

I think Phase Ghost has an interesting set up and still uses other gear.
Yeah the 606 has clock outputs from each of the toms, the 303 also has CV and gate outputs and the MD has an impulse machine that outputs proper ticks for a variety of voltages. I have seen the MD used for anything from eurorack to Serge and Buchla. This is why I don't plan on selling my gear, because it all has modular friendly features.

I was thinking I would start with using my 303 to sequence and my 606 clock outputs to screw with the timing of the sequences... but now I am thinking I just might build myself a 9-12u case and start slow... Since I live within 2 hours of Analogue Haven, Big City Music, and Noise Bug I can go test out modules if I really need to.

haha you're gone now bruv.

you can also convert the 303 to make the CV and gate outs into inputs instead with very little effort. one of mine had a switch on the back to flick between ins and outs, and it was a very simple soldering job inside.
i sold it, so i cant check it to see what was done.

i wouldnt advise drilling holes in your 303, but it could be done without damaging the case somehow, maybe by feeding wires out through the battery hatch.
i forget exactly how it was done, it was a long time ago, but i'm sure there must be something on the net about it, i can't have been the only one with that done.

tone-def · Post by **tone-def** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:55 am

i think telling people they need to sell all there other equipment has a negative effect on your quest for modular world domination. everyone is different and what works for one person might not work for someone else. lots of people have modulars intergrated with other equipment including computers. there are MIDI to CV and CV to MIDI converts so there is no reason why you couldn't intergrate a modular into other kinds of setups.

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 5:45 am

Yeah I think I can see why the push to sell gear tho, its because most people never go modular because they can never see past the cost of it.

I will take my time and build my case, but after years of going to NAMM and this last year getting to sit with several Buchla systems I can delay no longer.

I agree with you Tone, in the sense that I am different and won't be willing to pare my studio down to just a modular... I can also see Steevio and Oblioblioblio's (sp?

) rationale because the absolute "meditation on sound" that is modular cannot be avoided forever by the serious techno head.

coldfuture · Post by **coldfuture** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 5:50 am

steevio wrote:haha you're gone now bruv.

Thats mostly your fault!

oblioblioblio · Post by **oblioblioblio** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:12 am

I'm not on a quest for modular world domination. It's actually better for me personally that I don't tell anyone else about modular, cos then the sounds / tonalities / rhythms I am making are utterly unique, and people would think that I''m totally gifted or something.

With selling old gear I'm just saying what works for me. I tried to hold on to my old methods/machines but they couldn't keep the pace. My set up is 12U, and does absolutely everything. I will expand into 15U at some point but not today.