For modularesque sequencing, take a look at Loomer Architect!
I think Eurorack drums are fantastic but itās only worth it if you want to do some more experimental sound design. Iāll never understand building a modular 909 clone. I have a modular drum machine Iām sequencing with an MPC and itās awesome.
I would recommend full voices like Akemieās Taiko, BIA, Plonk. That sort of stuff. All you need are triggers, a mixer, and LFOs.
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Totally agree! I have a Noise Engineering BIA and Cursus Iteritas which are super for drum modeling and weird acid bass line synth model experimentation. For drums, I much prefer to use Elektron sequencer as it is way easier and less expensive. I make a great drum setup using Octatrack and A4 with my modular system. To me modular is for sound design and experimentation as performance is very difficult to pull off and too many things can go wrong. I plan to sample modular into OT and remix for taste. Drum machine wise- the Rytm Mk2, MFB Tanzbar v2, and Jomox Alphabase look superb.
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I just bought mk2 two weeks ago, this machine is amazing! form factor, build quality, sounds. . I have a4mk1, and wasnāt so sure what to expect from rytm mk2, but it is easily one of the best music machines ever build.
Iāve not used the RYTM but Iāve happily settled for modular drums after a while. Then those drums are put into DT and soon, probably OT. If you know percussion synthesis and approach sampling creatively the options and ease of doing it are infinite.
If I see a cheap RYTM somewhere I might buy it, but Iām not considering or anywhere near thinking I need one after modular percussion into elektron sampler.
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nice what are you using for your modular drum setup? I can get a decent kick drum out of my BIA and if I need claps or snares then I use my Elektron OT for that as it has 8 tracks and can sample modular into it and remix. Either that or my A4 has 4 tracks for drums and one CV channel to sequence modular. Works for me as modular full drum setup would cost me 5-10k easily including case/power, sequencer, mixer and modules. If I had the cash to burn and space for a large drum modular system it would be fun. Maybe one day.
Just these two atm. Itās usually 2/3rds Microvolt and 1/3rd sv1 atm. I have a midi splitter on the out of DT that fires them both at the same time, I like using the DT as its very easy to control the length of the gate. You can add saturation/distortion on the MV at about 4 separate points in the chain, the function generator is so snappy and thumpy, if you plug the gate out to the mod in on the FG you can also use the rise and fall knobs as well.
On top of that, one of the outs goes direct to the DT the other out goes to the Instrument in on the RME, into Ableton/Bitwig, through Software, back out, through the old 93 soundcraft mixer to the EQ and clipping distortion back into the DT. Plus I can add guitar pedals anywhere in that chain.
Mainly Iāve been doing kicks, other drums like conga, djembe, bongo, abstract stuff and hats and abstract high percussion, Iām not sure how well I can do claps and snares, itās been a a long time since iāve done them, going to try today.
Sticking something like that Neutron multiband transient designer in the chain is more than worth the time to set it up. The BX Opto, just for a bit of smoothing before, just sounds great, grossly underrated plugin, it sounds a lot like hardware and it works so well, itās all going back via analog saturation, all sandwiched between.
Late last night I realised the DT comp is pretty decent, you can really shape sounds then do the internal resample, multiple times if needed.
I was using the Lexicon MPX100 in mono and the Alesis 3630 but it slowed me down a bit. I think my next purchase might well be a FNR RNC that will add a tonne of options. When Iāve moved house at the end of the month Iāll be able to run stuff hot through the MPC 2500, that adds this odd kind of saturation in the mids, sounds like it removes a bit of low end, but that might just be psychoacoustic.
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Nice! I am having decent success using my A4+OT for claps/snares and sequencer and FX and in the modular having a blast with my Noise Engineering BIA module which is superb for percussion sounds and I can tweak and modulate it to get at least 2-3 different types of percussion sounds at one time so that has my drum needs covered for a while. If I was doing a live show, I would just use the A4 and get an AR MK2 and be done with it for the pure simplicity and ability to have a solid set ready to fire off. Modular is great for sound experimentation and design.