Theoretic "huge" modular

[schmidtc]

If you we're to patch all that up, you might find it sounds quite a bit like an analog polysynth you already own.

[phesago]

pflosi's advice to buy just enough to make simple patches is best i think. Build on it slowly over time.

I cheated and just got the nord modular. Cheaper, and there is this lovely resource too which is using a nord for patch examples.

http://www.cim.mcgill.ca/~clark/nordmod ... k_toc.html

I might not have the modular bug quite yet though. I seem to make the most boring a*s patches on it. Like generic LFO>Cutt off Freq type stuff. Totally freaking boring, but there is a patch there that helps circumvent that "digital sound" which is kind of cool.

[sequentialsoftshock]

I wish I could simply detune each individual oscillator on the BitOne or Prophet Five.

[phesago]

Cant you use auto tune on the p5 to detune the oscillators?

[Automatic Gainsay]

15 sine oscillators.
15 envelopes (for amps).
15 envelopes (for LFOs).
15 amps.
15 LFOs.
15 channels of mixer.

You're set.

[sequentialsoftshock]

15 sine oscillators.
15 envelopes (for amps).
15 envelopes (for LFOs).
15 amps.
15 LFOs.
15 channels of mixer.

You're set.

Why ? I can't tell if you're being facetious / trying to make an a*s of me..?

[bouzoukijoe1]

+1 pflosi. start slow. you're going to need more than just VCOs. slowly add individual modules as you progress, and start with a balanced basic voice first. you will soon find out that for every VCO, you need various support modules.

a balanced starter system would be something like:

1. min. 2-3 VCOs (consider dual-duty VCO/LFO modules -- more bang for your buck)
2. min. 2 VCA channels (one for audio control, one for cv modulation when needed)
3. min. 2 ADSRs (or a more flexible function generator like Maths/Quadra with EOA, EOC, voltage control of stages, linear/expo variable curve, etc.)
4. min. 1 multimode filter or combination of two (HP+LP)
5. min. 1 mixer (for audio and/or cv mixing, Xmix is a great example because it's multi-functional -- also a balanced modulator, xfade, etc.)
6. cv tool/utilities for attenuation, offset, etc. (like CV Tools, A-183-2, Maths, TriAtt, etc.)

also keep in mind that if you are going to use multiple VCOs simultaneously in a layered way, different VCOs may track differently across octaves. in some cases this may not be an issue especially if you stay within an octave or two, but if you need them to track very tightly overall, do research first. some people opt to get matching VCOs for better performance (at least theoretically).

and don't forget: waveshapers and wavefolders which are becoming more and more common in many systems. warning: there is a vast world to explore beyond multiple VCO patches. out of my 60+ modules, I only have 6 "proper" VCOs. the rest are various other types (some of which can be oscillators too, like Maths, Dr Octature).

good luck!

[Automatic Gainsay]

15 sine oscillators.
15 envelopes (for amps).
15 envelopes (for LFOs).
15 amps.
15 LFOs.
15 channels of mixer.

You're set.

Why ? I can't tell if you're being facetious / trying to make an a*s of me..?

I don't want to make an a*s of you!

I'm actually not being facetious… but I suspected that people would think I was.

What I'm advocating is an additive arrangement as opposed to a subtractive arrangement. In this arrangement, you'd have a fundamental and 14 harmonics to work with… which would allow you to make a broad diversity of timbre. The amps/envelopes would control the amplitude of the harmonics over time. The LFOs/envelopes would control frequency variations of those harmonics over time.

As filters engage in wholesale removal of harmonics, with an additive arrangement you have a far greater control over harmonic content, and you don't need any filters. With an arrangement like this, you might also be able to roughly duplicate acoustic sounds.

[sequentialsoftshock]

That was my alternate thought. Additive synthesis. How many people do additive with their modulars ?

[sequentialsoftshock]

Could one of the mods move this to Buyers Guide ? That's probably where I should have actually put this thread.

[RetroSynthAds]

I'm embarrassed to admit that I cheated a little when I first starting putting my eurorack together by including a Doepfer A-111-5 Mini Synth Voice module as part of phase 1. This way I knew I had at least one VCO, VCF, VCA, ADSR, and two LFOs, along with a variety of inputs and a few outputs.

I also figured that if I later thought I made the wrong decision to not put that money towards expanding my old Moog Modular, at least I had one whole synth voice to integrate into my studio.

I ended up buying a second one when I heard they were discontinuing the original version.

Buying five of them may be overkill though. And you may have to re-classify your system a "semi-modular".

[Stab Frenzy]

What did most of you start with ?

I started with a Z3000, Z2040, Envelator and A190-2. That gave me an oscillator, filter with VCA, Envelope (Only AD or AR, but that works for what I wanted to do) and a Midi/CV interface. Within a few weeks I'd added an e350, A132-3, A138-m, Vulcan Modulator, SEM-20 and a bunch of other stuff.

Whenever anyone starts thinking about a modular they always forget to add enough mixers, VCAs, attenuators, mults etc which actually allow you to do the modular part of using a modular. If you just buy a few oscs, a filter, an envelope and a VCA then you have a system that's pretty much a really limited monosynth. The power of a modular is in the ways things can be interconnected, as the number of modules increases the functionality increases exponentially.

[tekkentool]

That was my alternate thought. Additive synthesis. How many people do additive with their modulars ?

Sounds prohibitively expensive.

[bouzoukijoe1]

That was my alternate thought. Additive synthesis. How many people do additive with their modulars ?

probably rare. it's too expensive and also probably a pain in the a*s to get all the VCOs to track consistently with each other. maintaining the harmonic structures sounds like it would be a hassle. anyway you could probably do a basic one, but I can't imagine it being any "fun". there's are many other fun things to do on a modular, especially when you start approaching the atonal music world (just generally stuff that is not so harmony-based).

for a brief time I was obsessed with FM synthesis and frequency ratios on modular but then it became completely *not fun*, real fast. imo there's just some things that are more pleasurable to do on a modular than others. well, right now at least, until someone designs a new module that pushes the boundaries.

[pflosi]

What did most of you start with ?

My modular is for processing mainly so far... A proper "synth" and complementing sequencing will follow soon

I started with Intellijel Audio Interface, MMF1, A124, A199, A-142-4, PEG, SCM, 4ms VCA Matrix and some mixers and mults. In the meantime, it's grown to this:



Still awaiting Res4 and Pamela which hopefully should ship in the next weeks...