Digitakt and Modular - What do you think of my rack?

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

I’m currently building a little modular ambient machine with Morphagene at the center.

I put together the below rack, though I’m hoping to answer a few questions:

  1. Something I’ve realized I’m missing is a connection for my Digitakt! CV to Midi would be a nice way to modulate using the MIDI channels, I suppose, though what I’m more concerned with is transport control and clocking to keep everything in sync. Any advice on what an affordable solution for this would be?

  2. Marbles seems like a good purchase for random modulation, though I’m wondering if I’d be better off buying something more deliberate and linear. Considering Pam’s, especially since the LFOs might mean I can drop OCHD and put that money elsewhere. I’ve read Pam can be a little menu divey and fiddly however.

  3. Anything else I’m missing?

Really looking forward to getting in to the Morphagene and QPAS more than anything, and all the other modules are icing on the cake. Advice would be much appreciated!

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#2

on point 1.
FH-2 !
its not very low priced, but anyway worth to fork out this more at first.
you have then also your sync (and transport) problems solved. ( i´d add then one gate expander for that. FHX-8GT)

otherwise the desktop unit called CV.OCD
thats a good tip too.

  1. the microcell can win by having external manual CV sources. not shure on the morphagene on this.
    my tipp is allways the happy nerding 3xMIA.
    it solves so many thing between “manual CV source”, “mixing CVs” , mixing a CV with a manual CV source", and also as a CV distributor to several destinations of one CV.
    there are 1-2 other modules in that vein. i use 3xMIAs

not shure if needed: a dedicated IN-Out module.
Morpha and microcell shgould be able to deliver some gain

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#3

Thank you! The only issue with the FH-2 is it doesn’t have MIDI Din. Digitakt’s USB cable is being used for my laptop/Overbridge : /

Will look in to the rest!

#4

Your setup lacks: vca’s, at least something like a vco to feed your Morphagene and an eg, and invest into a bigger case, you will need it, trust me… :wink:

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#5

Thanks - would something like Veils Quad or Intellijel UVCA II be sufficient, you think? Haven’t totally wrapped my head around how to use VCAs, though I know they’re supposed to be important.

#6

Veils or es black quad vca with their black dual eg would fit

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#7

You should get an a4!
Transport sync, cv outs, effects and analog filters to process your rack with.
And 4 synth voices. Wooooo

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#9

get the analog 4 and you’d be well set up. don’t need the digitaky thing …
id put a couple of low pass gates in there too. 4hp passives
a mult and a cv mixer. unless you’ve already got stackables.
and some random.

#10

One way to get started with the essentials is the NiftyCASE, you get two MIDI-CV channels and a eurorack-line level output.
Budget may not be that important though, from your selection of modules! :wink:
https://www.cre8audio.com/niftycase

#11

Yes! My friend has one of these and it’s nifty, indeed. Not wild about the look of it though. Call me shallow :tipping_hand_man:

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#12

Yeah, it’s ugly as ph@kk, I may still one day paint it, but for now it’s being covered up in various ornaments!
It’s quite sturdy though and saved me some hassle since I could just drill some holes in the back and bolt it to the wall.

#13

For expediency’s sake I am going to link to what I wrote a couple days ago rather than retype it.

Tl;Dr buy a mf’n Disting mk4

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#14

there are two things to say here:
what you´re saying is not how it is, thus not an issue :wink:
there is a midi-din expander available ( in fact the same as for the disting)
as a kit from thonk.co.uk for example or as a finished product.
Or one could just completly DIY something by oneself.

second: should you be aware that you can allways use one of these din-midi-USB converter cables.
usually around 15€ or so.

i have a DT, FH-2 ( plus midi-din expander) plus such dinmidi-Usb converter cables.
this is all working in all directions ( some of these converter cables seem to be shit. my ones are from thomann and work )

FH-2 is the nonplusultra in regards to midi2Cv.
there is no competition to it. ( i have had the CV thingy from endorphin.es which is also a great cv2midi, yet still not exactly a true competition. But close or even equal in many regards, true )
and i would allways recommend the fH-2 even if the needs are way smaller and modest.
since the FH-2 open up doors…

but it IS an investment at the end of the day, yes.
Dependent how many expanders one has to add.
i run two trigger expanders for example, one alone for clocks, another one alone for additional triggers ( drumtriggers , set to single notes)

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#15

Been thinking about trading my Behringer Model D in for a Erebus or Mother 32. Would either of those be helpful?

#16

An oscillator will just keep oscillating without a VCA.

A VCA is a volume control for your oscillator.

Usually you hook up an ADSR Envelope (at the most basic and common usage case) to the VCA and run your oscillator audio into the VCA (like an Amp Envelope on a regular synth). When you trigger the Envelope, it turns the VCA (volume) up and down according to your envelope shape. Otherwise you’d just have a continuous drone without any breaks in the sound.

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#17

Keep the Mother 32 cos of all the CV ins and outs… Trade in the Model D and get the Behringer Neutron maybe … for all the CV ins and outs. :+1:

#18

Sorry if OT but you seem to know a lot :slight_smile: Do you know if the Disting EX and the FH-2 can share the MIDI Breakout module?

#19

I have an FH-2 connected to a Disting Mk4 via their MIDI headers. I assume this would be possible with the Disting EX too but I don’t think you could connect them AND use the MIDI breakout without some kind of ribbon cable splitter hack. It would probably be better to plug a USB MIDI adapter into the FH-2 if you really need the DIN ports.

#20

For that kind of rack I think it’s useful to have envelopes and VCAs for modulation. For MIDI to CV a Mutant Brain is an inexpensive option.

#21

Assuming you want a synth voice not percussion.

Cvocd/fh2. 1 vca. 1 vco. Power supply. Something to screw them to. That’ll give you a basic synth you can build on.

Also need a usb to midi device if you want to programme the CV OCD. If you go fh2 it has usb in.

Wouldnt worry too much about modulation too much to start with as Digitakt can control the CV ocd or fh2 to create lfos and basic envelopes.

Get a vco you can have some fun with suggest FM in and a some interesting waveforms…

Use for a bit then you’ll be looking for filters and delays and etc etc…

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