Moog DFAM

The Lounge Other Gear
#231

I’ve got a question here for the more experienced users of the Mother, and now recently the DFAM. I should start by stating the obvious, that I have no idea what I’m doing - and I like it.

So here’s the issue:
Me and a friend of mine picked up a DFAM each yesterday. We went to town with those two and a Mother 32, routing the audio from the VCA to the External Audio in, from the DFAM to the Mother, from the Mother to the second DFAM.

Each time, the signal got a little weaker and at the end of the chain, it didn’t pass for much. The difference between the first DFAM into the Mother wasn’t all that much, but as it passed into the second DFAM, it was too weak to be useful.

I’m pretty sure this is not the way to do it, hence the obvious that I have no idea what I’m doing.

But how does one go about doing this? Is an external mixer for each and one of them the way to go here, or is the intention that you can route audio from one unit to the other, without a mixer to boost the signal? If so, what goes where? As I mentioned, VCA out into a Mother or DFAM works fine, but as you keep on doing this, the signal losses strength each time, so this doesn’t seem to be the intended way to play audio through multiple Moog semi-modulars at the same time.

Thanks for any help and shout-outs in advance.

#232

Ok, so I’ll reply to my own question, since I believe I’ve found the answer elsewhere now -

To anyone it might help - it seems, people go for one of two options. Either each module out, into its own input into a mixer - or they actually do route the VCA through the External Audio In, which is cool if you wanna route stuff through all the envelopes and filters and stuff, but not so cool if you don’t want to.

I’m still having issues with the weak signal when I’m doing this, but I guess I’m just really bad at this whole semi-modular stuff :slight_smile: that’s okay, though, I mean pretty good tacos and we’re having those for dinner tonight, so no worries, we’re all good here.

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#233

At this point, I wanna bring in @darenager into the mix - literally :slight_smile:

Do you build mixers that might work for the purpose of just combining a bunch of Moog modules into one coherent audio signal?

Like that one you made for the Volcas, awhile ago? The passive part, not requiring an AC adapter or stuff, is part of the appeal here. Just a way to route all Moog modules into one place, without the need for sliders, knobs, cords and stuff.

#234

@andreasroman sure - take a look at my ebay page here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/micro.tech/m.html?item=302670371691&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

If you have any questions or whatever let me know :wink:

Can sell direct to save a bit on postage as ebay global shipping can be a bit pricey.

3 Likes
#235

Thanks :blush:if you had two Moog Mothers and a Moog DFAM and wanted an individual out per Moog into one of these beauties, which one would you recommend?

#237

Short and painful, dedicated to my dear old mum who is in hospital with a broken leg.

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#238

I’d probably use the 4 channel one, nice and simple, it is probably the most popular one that I do, I use 3 of them myself in my own setup for submixing and as a mult for my eurocrack. Obviously being passive you do not get any additional gain as you would on an active mixer, so in the case of 3 devices the total level of each would be one third of what it would be if it was directly connected, however the gain is easily made up at your recording device. They are 10k impedance for industry standard summing without loading on audio gear, the mixing is done using precision resistors which are matched by hand, you cannot connect directly to headphones without some kind of pre-amp as headphone impedance is typically in the sub 500 ohms range.

Feel free to PM me if you are interested or if you have any other questions :wink:

4 Likes
#239

Excellent, thanks, I’ll give this some thought.

#240

Here’s my second go. I’ve really lost it when it comes to proper recording, mainly cause I’m enjoying the DFAM so much, I just can’t be bothered with the details. But there’s charm here anyway, I think.

4 Likes
#241

I used a rimshot/trigger of the Drumatix to the Advance Clock , works like a charm . Plays nice with the AR aswel .

1 Like
#242

Here are my two first try-outs with the DFAM . There are two clips in the audio file . 1) DFAM = the ACID-ish line 2) Lots of blips and blops and a clap from an external source run through it… :slight_smile:

https://soundcloud.com/crisp_2307/ep1-teaser-variations-12

10 Likes
#243

Haha, bleeding brilliant stuff! Excellent work, mate! I can tell you like the Noise envelope too, it’s pretty damn hard to resist. It’s definitely my most overused knob so far.

#244

I’m completely blown away by this machine . It truly is a unique piece …

3 Likes
#245

Yall are’nt helping me at all! Ive been eyeballing dfam for awhile and have been unsure if I just go for it. I really love what both of you have brought to the table with it. If it’s as fun to play as it looks I’m going to have to go ahead and get one. Really want a mother as well but I’m afraid she will have to wait a little while. Great work!

2 Likes
#246

Thanks. Keep in mind, it really is a drum synth, not anything like Moog’s mama for sequencing. The DFAM sequencer is for sound design, not for proper pattern creation. So it’s like the Vermona in that respect, but with an eight-stepper to make it more interesting.

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#247

What that in mind, can it be externally sequenced? From what I can tell, that answer will be no. Which is ok too.

#248

I’m still just using the DFAM to learn it, but given that it has 24 patch points, I’d say that it can. All the sequencer does is trigger the sound, as well as allow you real-time tweaks for velocity and pitch. But both those parameters have patching points, and the trigger in as well has a patch point. So while I haven’t tried it, I’d assume it can be sequenced externally with anything that can sequence a CV-capable synth.

Given that even for an analog synth, this beast is particularly organic and evolving when it plays its own 8-step sequence, I’d be surprised if this can’t be sequenced. It would lose some of the point, cause using it only as a sound module, from which you can sample or potentially then create short loops, would be a wasted opportunity, one that I don’t think Moog would miss out on.

But don’t take my word for it. I’m pretty sure anyone around here who knows anything about modular - which excludes me, cause I still have no idea what I’m doing - would take a look at the patching area and give you a straight answer right away.

As it happens, I’ve been offered a stupid great price on a Crazy 8 Beats sequencer, which is perfect for sequencing the DFAM. I might just take the leap and try that, though I kind of like the simplicity of the 8-step sequencer and then use that material to record whatever comes to mind, and then develop it outside the DFAM. So we’ll see.

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#249

I have no issues with the 8 steps. From what I’ve seen from YouTube examples, that’s nothing to shabby. It does well with the organics within the unit itself and there most likely isn’t a real reason to sacrifice the fluidity of the unit just for external sequencing. I’m not in the modular scene either but this with the mother or lifeforms sv1 looks to be hours of experimental bliss. Thanks you for your input.

1 Like
#250

We’re in the same camp. The two tracks I posted, I made those in one evening each. While they’re nothing much, they’re still just eight steps and live tweaking as I was recording. And with some care, it’d still qualify as the base for something larger.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. So I agree with you. As eight steppers go, this is the funkiest one around for a long time, maybe since ever.

#251

Yes. If you look closely at the video I posted above, you will see the DFAM sequencer is being advanced by the active steps of the M32.
= Easy polymetric patterns.

2 Likes