all hardware setup

[steevio]

^^^
apologies if you already have a beard and wear a cadigan

i have a beard, but no cardigan

yeah i could do with a shave myself.

maybe i should just stick to being cardiganist, thats fairly safe around here.

[Casanova808]

By the way, don't the patch cords do your headfs in when they are covering all the knobs and stuff?

I have been thinking the same thing. I am considering starting a modular myself, but I think I will go with a 5 panel format. There is a million times more going on in eurorack, but I just can't get behind the format.

i nearly did the same thing, i was so used to my Moog that i thought the eurorack would be too fiddly, but jeez i'm so glad i didnt now.

you get used to it real quick and you get more for your money and way more choice.... its where the expansion is right now.

yeah the big knobs would be really nice, but it would probably count out using it live, too big, too heavy
i think 5U may become the myspace of the modular world. you may have to grow a beard and wear a cardigan bro

velcro cable ties !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Honestly, part of it is really shallow, but I HATE the look of eurorack modules and systems. They just look and feel shoddy to me and I can't get away from that feeling when I look at them. I dislike the small jacks, I don't like how small the modules are. It's really weird, because I rarely have a strong reaction to the look of gear(function over form) but I just have a visceral reaction to eurorack modulars.

That being said, there is no reason why you couldn't make great music with one. There is a lot of variety and it seems like all the action is in eurorack these days. There are a lot of positive things about the format, I understand why people gravitate towards it. If it works for you, go for it. I don't think less of anyone for using eurorack, I just don't want to see those panels in my studio.

The thing for me is that I am not really interested in the esoteric or cutting edge stuff that seems to be eurorack's forte. I just want the basic building blocks of subtractive synthesis with a few modulation things like the MOTM730 and some homebrew weirdness.

I am more interested in good writing and classic sounds, rather than crazy noises or organic voltage controlled sequencing. The MPC is the center of my studio and I want to keep it that way. If simple 35 year old VCO based monosynths weren't creeping towards a grand each, I would probably stick with them. I figure for that kind of money, I might as well build a new small modular system. You can get a vanilla .com starter system for 1,400usd. I figure I will start with that and build out for there.

I am not really worried about development for 5 panel because I am starting an electrical engineering degree in the fall and I have a buddy with access to a machine that makes one-off PCBs. In a couple semesters I will know enough to cannibalize and tweak old designs and cook up my own PCBs. It seems like there is a void in 5 panel and I would like to step into that space. I am interested in making a business out of music electronics, so modular seems like a good place to start.

The other thing is that gigs are a 3-20 hour flight for me, so dragging studio gear around isn't an option. For me it is pretty much an MPC, a couple kaos pads, some cable snakes, a flight case and a hired desk at the gig. If I lived somewhere where gigging was an option, I could totally see the value of eurorack.

Also, that beard and a cardigan comment was fucking hilarious.

[oblioblioblio]

about small jacks...

it's interesting to note the origins of the 3.5mm cable and jack... I believe these cables were originally designed for use in telephone switching facilities, in the days when all calls were wired manually. So these cables are by nature designed for fast switching, and for long life from frequent switching. (edit. actually according to WIkipedia I am wrong... the 1/4" ones were designed for telephone exchanges... although the small jacks are perfect for fast switching)

There's nowt wrong with weird instinctive gut feelings, like look of panels or whatever.

[Casanova808]

That's just it, nobody is right or wrong about it. The only thing that matters is how the tools work for you. What other people choose to use in their studio is none of my business.

I totally understand why people use eurorack, and their reasons are valid, I just don't want to use it myself.

[Phase Ghost]

Yeah 5u has a sh!t ton of diy projects. I've really got into the diy stuff over the last year and there's a lot more available in that format. Problem is I'm fucking with circuits so much, I'm spending less time making music.

Actually, I've balanced it all pretty well. I breadboarded a clock divider last week. It was pretty easy to design. Had it working in a day. Almost makes regret buying one. Almost.