Question about modular

blakewalt · 2022-12-30T13:24:15.284Z

hence my Octatrack mk1 idea

love the OTO BAM for reverb but Strymon nightsky or bluesky are great too!

wowzer · 2022-12-30T13:28:32.817Z

Sorry, ot makes me sad

dokev · 2022-12-30T13:34:22.457Z

I think most important is the question to ask yourself - what do you want to get out of modular? The main reason (imo) to want modular FX is to heavily modulate them using CV or have FX for your modular sound sources, second of which doesn’t apply here. Analog 4 has 4 x CV outputs that can all send non-pitch CV, but the kind of modulations you’d be able to perform from the A4 are basically equivalent to what you’d get sending MIDI CC to a non-modular FX box. And this comes to the second reason you might want modular FX - something that only exists in modular land. Both Magneto and Starlab have pedal equivalents (Starlab’s equivalent is called Nightsky) that you could control with the A4 no problemo with basically equivalent results. Loopers in eurorack can be cool if you have interesting trigger sources to control record and playback, but now your case is getting bigger and more expensive, and you mentioned you weren’t interested in that stuff.

RE: integrating back and forth - most decent mixers can handle eurorack levels, and I’m pretty sure Model 1.4 has the headroom for that. Sending line level into the modular is where things begin to bite, as you’re discovering. Some modules can handle line level (for eg. Morphagene, Beads) but these might not be what you want to use.

wowzer · 2022-12-30T13:37:04.858Z

Elektronauts are really cool, nice land helpful

blakewalt · 2022-12-30T13:47:08.081Z

haha, I feel you!
Been watching ezbot videos on how he’s using the OT as a live sampler/fx box and that’s genius. If you didn’t check him out, you should try. He has a template too with all the FX ready to use (you need to be a patreon I think though).

I’ve been using the Morphagene for my live sampling recently though (it has an internal make up gain so line level works but it can add some noise, might be good depending on what you’re after) as I find it really fun to use (I don’t use the SD playback much because it’s a pain to set the right voltage to access the right sample) but I use it to create weird granulared reversed textures so I don’t care much for the timing.

Sternenlicht · 2022-12-30T14:02:04.587Z

Cookies!

blakewalt · 2022-12-30T14:19:59.782Z

dokev:

And this comes to the second reason you might want modular FX - something that only exists in modular land. Both Magneto and Starlab have pedal equivalents (Starlab’s equivalent is called Nightsky) that you could control with the A4 no problemo with basically equivalent results.

Volante / Magneto
Nightsky / Starlab

Magneto is closer to the Volante then Starlab to the Nightsky but it does have the shift delay mode that is gorgeous and not available on the Volante. If they added this in the Volante, I might let my Magneto go (even though it’s more hands on than the Volante as it was made to be used with hands, love the big knob in the middle!)
Now, Starlab and Nightsky really do not sound the same to me and I like the Starlab sound more, it’s more bread and butter reverb stuffs than the nightsky. I think Starlab is closer to the bigsky.

But yeah, going with Volante /Nightsky/Bigsky would be a better choice still!

The one thing the A4 is missing though is… sending out MIDI CC… so you can’t control the Volante with it via MIDI. You’d need one of the Digis for that.

wowzer · 2022-12-30T14:34:09.794Z

Dont understand

wowzer · 2022-12-30T14:37:02.541Z

blakewalt:

The one thing the A4 is missing though is… sending out MIDI CC… so you can’t control the Volante with it via MIDI. You’d need one of the Digis for that.

I want to work with my hands and without a computer. It’s not for songwriting but for jamming
And if I want to use it for songwriting, I will use ableton, then i can send midi. But I try to get rid of my computer and have hands on gear

Sternenlicht · 2022-12-30T14:48:17.815Z

The dark side is strong with cookies, i get the idea with modular fx, i am tempted myself, i just see that it can get expensive fast. I saw xompax or dash glitch utilizing modular to great effect, but these guys are pros and have the time to sink in. Without time at hand i would pursue a simpler setup, why not use tracktor /serato and play stems created /recorded from your looper? They have good fx aswell, pair it with a dj controller and its not feeling like a computer. (mixstream /numark).

blakewalt · 2022-12-30T15:04:28.139Z

then playing them live is best!
That’s why I like the big knob in the middle of the Magneto, it was made to be played live!

plragde · 2022-12-30T15:18:08.596Z

wowzer:

I want to work with my hands

Then don’t get 2hp modules, just saying

arctor023 · 2022-12-30T15:18:54.014Z

If you go modular, I’d suggest to limit yourself, something like a 4MS Pod for the beginning.
If you want to expand, then you will definitely have a use for it afterwards, or easily sell it.

One misconception though is that smaller racks are more “hands on”, you either have larger HP knob-per-function modules, or multi-button-combination smaller modules.

A4 as a sequencer and modulator is a good start, but you will quickly need more modulators, mixers, utility- and logic modules. I’d suggest to start with only one fx module and a poweful modulator, like IME Kermit MK3 or Quadrax with expander. Maybe also only Maths and FX Aid, to keep it simple and fun

wowzer · 2022-12-30T15:25:09.046Z

I don’t go modular thank you all!

Sternenlicht · 2022-12-30T15:39:19.789Z

Djs 1000 is also a simple thing, and can live sample, allthough sample ram is limited, the fx are good though. Not sure if it can work as fx box in that sense, i.e. have a through track.

wowzer · 2022-12-30T20:38:19.059Z

too bad 32 seconds max sample length for djs 1000

wowzer · 2022-12-30T21:13:56.479Z

bought a zen delay though

GaryPHayes · 2022-12-30T22:18:56.456Z

Hey Wouzer

Yes I did go very much down the modular route (in addition to my two existing analog fours and digitakt, and cycles now sold) … reason being I wanted to do more hands on modulation without too much menu diving, also as you can see from my rack it is now very portable (which I take with me outdoors a lot!) Mountain Portable - Eurorack Modular System from GaryPHayes on ModularGrid … In answer to some of your specifics
I went for quite an extensive FX in my rack. I actually got two FXAidXLs (which can have hundreds of different reverbs, delays and more etc: They do fantastic emulations of strymon and other top reverbs AND the XL part means I can have four CV modulation points in to control all parameters, I like using bitdepth to phase grittiness in and out, but also reverb depth to go from almost dry to big washes in live performances.
I do have the two 2HP loopers, one for each side of the stereo. Which when triggered at exactly the same time, start and loop start, will go on for an hour + in sync. I have for example done pieces which are 90s sound on sound loops in perfect sync when I add rhythmic parts later, so I sometimes treat it as a multitracker sometimes vs a looper. The A4 can send a range of triggers out which can emulate my Steppy which I use as a timed trigger. I have a bunch of videos on my channel YT with how the A4 and modular are just great together.
I normally feed the main stereo out of my modular into the A4 inputs btw when uysing the two together.
The big question should you go down the rack route - well really depends on style of music - if you want purely some nice long reverb and delay, a couple of pedals might work, if you want to do some experimental cv control over FX then something like a small 84hp modular FX rack might work for you, but remember my 2 FXAidXLs (32 onboard fx on each one), 2HP loopers and I have a couple of other things like a line out and granulator and small mixer to combine the above in the chain - will set you back about $1000 USD new, so the price of something like a couple of strymons or zens. Look at a small intellijel rack if you go the modular route and good luck!!

wowzer · 2022-12-30T23:00:36.054Z

thank you for the clear answer.
For me, now, is to add reverb and delay to my mixer
I think later I can build out the A4 with modular fx, and a compressor, but… step-by-step

for me, the fascinating thing is, that only with a looper, a mixer and an A4, I can make full life sets. So I sold most equipment, and now have some money to spend on music equipment, and now I don’t add more sequencers, samplers or synthesizers. Really inspiring .

Sternenlicht · 2022-12-30T23:17:58.147Z

Dosent sound like a lot, but the pitch algo is very good, you sample a synth hit and can play it over 2 octaves, or have some drum loops, which could be manipulated. I am a littke curious about it, and its simplicity. We have here a very profi user jogginghouse, who did really nice sets with it.