Hey guys, I need help. I’m trying out my first modular system and am struggling to even get a sound. It’s a Black Polivoks system from Erica Synths, and I probably have no business owning it. I think the thing that is messing me up is it doesn’t have a regular audio out. So I’m not sure how to get the signal out to my mixer. Can anyone help a brother out and suggest a basic patch that simply makes sound? I have a Keystep keyboard hooked into the MIDI module. But from there I need help. Here is what I’m working with…
SAW out of VCO into input of filter… out of filter into IN of VCA… out of VCA into your external mixer.
open the filter cutoff all the way. turn the VCA up. you should hear the saw wave from the VCO.
that’s basic audio signal flow.
now, patch gate out of the midi module into gate in of the EG. OUT of the EG to CV1 of the VCA.
close (attenuate) the VCA by turning the knob left.
patch CV1 out of the midi module into 1v/oct input of the VCO (you still need to turn the tune knob to set it where you want or use a tuner to tune it to middle C or whatever the manual suggests.
patch your midi cable to the midi module… so long as you have the midi module set up to receive on whatever midi channel you’re sending… playing a note should trigger the EG to open the VCA and you should be able to play the patch monophonically.
after you’ve played around w/that a while to get a feel for it… then you can alter the patch. take various waveforms from each oscillator into the erica mixer then out of the mixer into the filter etc…
Thank you so much, @ignatius. I finally did stumble on to a patch close to what you described here, but I was going out of the Black mixer to my external mixer instead of out of the VCA to the external mixer as you described. I think your suggestion opens me up to more possibilities. Now I need to figure out how to integrate the second VCO.
Really, thanks for taking the time to spell this out. I appreciate it.
Okay, i’m getting it. I go directly from each VCO to the mixer and that is what allows me to get both into other modules, such as the filter. Baby step number one, done. Yes.
Congratulations.
Ah I see you are in US and probably got it from a shop there…?
I thought erica delivered it superquick
How you like the sound compared to bassline?
Will try out one day patches from that book with vcv, thanks ( more distractions…)
Erica is there,
And instruo i liked a lot there
Or get bassline or one of the polivoks things in real life maybe one day
@dogur! This is like a learner driver getting in a Ferrari!
Good for you though, I imagine these systems sound pretty awesome. I won’t be much use here, I’m not much of a modular guy, but I’d love to hear it some time!
now that you have the basics down, start using the modulator module. Put it on LFO mode and take the different shapes out into the CV inputs of the VCF or the PWM inputs of the VCOs (when you’re using a square wave)
just curious, why is this the deep end? it’s a pretty basic system: voice, eg, vca, vcf, lfo. it seems like a nice way to learn. why the gatekeeping attitude?
Have to agree… easier to learn on something this than a 0-Coast IMHO. Maybe it’s the cost? But it’ll always cost something.
I’ve really come round to the idea of single manufacturer systems as a starting point. It kind of guarantees consistency in how things are going to work and be laid out and that you won’t be lacking anything fundamental.
Also, as a general point, IME different people learn differently. It’s an intrinsic thing. Some people absorb information by reading, researching, and then taking gradual steps towards their goal. Some people learn best by getting stuck in, experimenting, making mistakes and learning from them.
Both methods of learning are effective and equally valid.
The cost, the manual patching and the fact that while its a Basic system, it would have made more sense to learn the basics like how to get sound out of a synth on a cheap monosynth or software, like VCV rack before investing that much in modular. I find it amusing but do not see myself as gate keeping, quite the opposite. Welcome to the world of synthesizers!
Let’s face it, fairly few things (if we talk about purchases) on this forum make sense. Hardware in general probably doesn’t make sense. In the context of diving into modular getting a compact one-manufacturer system is probably closer to the makes sense end of the scales.
Nobody is gatekeeping. It’s just that most people start their synth journey with a basic monosynth and learn subtractive synthesis that way, then eventually get into modular euro rack. It’s just kind of amusing haha
Whatever gets you there, man. Have fun. Physically patching things will probably be a really good way to learn synthesis.
Lots of assumptions being made here. I’m well into my journey of learning subtractive synthesis. This is the beginning of my journey in modular synthesis. is that okay with everyone? May i ask a question without being judged? That is what i mean by gatekeeping.
Kind of a fair assumption considering the questions being asked, but nothing to get upset about. Friendly bunch here - take things as either humorous or well intended. It’s not Reddit!
