I’m a couple of babushkas short of a picnic, how much you want for her?
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The idea to sell it all and go modular is becoming ever more distant and here’s why…
My primary goal is still to make music, old fashioned tracks/beats I can self-produce, mix and ship as a demo for release. The strategy worked as I released my first EP not long ago.
So here’s what I use (DT,DN,A4mk1, Oberheim Matrix 1000, Nord Rack2X, Analogue Solutions Leipzig V3, Bro-1). No, these weren’t cheap to buy but some of these costed me as much as a boutique Euro module. These cover a LOT of ground from pure analogue VCO mono to DCO Poly to VA Poly to FM Poly to multiple monos of different topology. These all have their own character and I love this.
The best part: they are all wired up and I only have to switch them on and get going.
Adding to that a few bundles from SoundToys, Eventide and Plugin Alliance and I’m in heaven with Ableton Live.
A year ago a thought has crossed my mind to buy a modular case and after watching tutorials I figured I can do it all with my existing setup. I only had to dig deeper and deeper and deeper. I mean, I know modular can do more but do I need it to get music done? Probably not? Do I tend to overcomplicate my compositions, hell yes!! Do I need more complicated soundforms I cannot mix, hell no.
And I think that is the key for me… to dig more and more in what you have and make music.
I guess my goal wasn’t to build and tinker with hardware to make sounds but to make music. So I only regret underestimating the power of hardware + DAW + good emulations of FX processing. Oh how wrong I’ve been, we live in great times and modular isn’t involved.
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Modular is a lot of fun! and it’s very educational. I feel like I know so much more about synthesis and what I want out of electronic music after spending time with the component parts. But I wouldn’t sell everything in order to do it. I recently came back to some elektron boxes after a few years in modular land (and slimmed down but kept most of my modular). My main advice is to buy stuff used and then you can sell it for pretty close to what you bought it for when you want to switch things up (which will definitely happen whether or not you stay in modular or not).
Get a couple of HP Test Oscillators and some old tape decks, and malfunctioning organs and guitars and you can be a Cluster one man tribute group 
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No. Mix and match. Sell your house, pony, car and inline skates but not gear you hear me? Don’t.
To build something like a digitakt in eurorack you need a shit load of money and space and spaghetti. Digitone is debatable, i love my DN but if i had to choose i kept modular. I like both. Eurorack does learn you a lot about synthesis but you easily get lost for years in the twilight zone and suddenly realize what the bleep you have got yourself into.
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Don’t sell your pony! Buy a pony-to-CV converter module.
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While I did not plan to sell anything, I did ponder the idea of investing in a full modular studio setup last year. Ultimately, I decided to go with an Elektron Analog Rytm MKII, Analog Four MKII, and Octatrack MKII instead, but also purchased a Pittsburgh Structure EP-420 eurorack case to slowly dabble with various modules later this year or next.
Modular setups are truly interesting to me. Sometimes I regret the decision of not taking advantage of the opportunity at the said time, but its not causing me to lose any sleep. It will happen in time, and then I can make a more informed decision of how far to pursue the modular world for my own creative efforts.
I’ve just started my foray into modular (Hermod, Plaits and Morphagene) but I will never sell my Elektron boxes or other synths (well unless I need money because life).
It all started when I plugged the sequence of my DFAM into a VCO of the SubH that was also running its own sequence. with just one plug, I had a new very fun and unexpected variation that I could have never come up with otherwise.
Gear is all about modifying my perception on how to interact with sound and create.
This is why I got my Elektron boxes in the first place.
Modular is no different. it’s another tool in my box, not THE tool to rule them all and it will never be.
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You mean get an OP-1? /s
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Any essential modules that are also good to start with? MI modules are great and maths is another one I can think of.
it really depends on what you wanna do.
Doepfer
Make Noise
Intellijel
Mutable Instruments
Noise Engineering
4ms
Erica Synths
Instruo
qu-bit
are a safe bet to start with (and “limit” your choices somehow).
I did buy the Squarp Instruments Hermod sequencer because it can do a lot of things and is a nice hub between both worlds (sequencer, random sequencer, euclidean sequencer, harmonizer, arp, polyphony, slew, LFO, MIDI to CV, USB) but there are quite a huge number of sequencers from pretty standard one to more esoteric. but well… do you need a sequencer? you could also only buy fx modules (from wavefolders to delay, reverb, granular samplers)to manipulate the sound coming out of your DN/DT or just try to recreate a synth voice.
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Local blood center told me I can make $1000 a month by selling plasma. That’s $12,000 a year for a monster rack + modules! Might sell sperm too, but not sure.
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never ever buy new. only second hand.
If you have GAS for a module, you’ll have to wait for it to be available on the second hand market. this will give you plenty of time to really ponder your needs 
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DFAM, Klavis Mixwich, Expert Sleepers Disting Mk4, MI Peaks, FX Aid, you know, modules that provide a Swiss army knife type aspect.
DFAM does that, plus offers an 8 step sequencer, two oscillators, simple envelopes, and a nice filter that can be used with external gear. Plus it rules!
If you haven’t already, go to Mod Wiggler and venture through the forums. This question has been asked a few times, with lots of great insight. Also the amount of information to behold is invaluable.
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I’ve had the same thought. PNW, maybe Erbeverb, but then the rest Doepfer.
My issue with my Eurorack setup (when I had it) was that I found it way too easy to just fall into the noodly ambient jam trope, with it being pleasant and satisfying enough that I didn’t have any motivation to take it into weird directions, like I have when I’ve played on more limited systems (like Keith Fullerton Whitman’s “Generator” Doepfer system, or the Bastl Rumburack).
Ultimately though, I think I prefer exploiting fixed architecture synths, because there’s more of a sense of achievement when making them do something weird.
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I’ve had two eurorack systems over the last couple of years. My thought in having them wasn’t to try and beat what I can do in a DAW or produce polished tracks. What I wanted was a system that was truly improvisational in nature. I’ve owned just about every groovebox you can name and, while many of them are great, most of them you can’t play like an instrument. I wanted a system that required little to no prep. Like a guitar I could just pick up and play.
I watched so many videos on this then finally went and made my own take on the live techno modular rig. As an in the moment performance system, eurorack is second to none but you have to know what you’re after and do your research. It’s the sequencing you really want to nail.
Worst thing you can do is buy a bunch of modules that, at the end of the day, will leave you with an un-unified system.
I have a video demonstrating the first system with a walkthrough / jam. I also have a video demonstrating the second system but without a walkthrough. The idea behind the second system was to see if I could do it cheaper, which I could. Let’s face it though eurorack ain’t cheap regardless.
Both systems below are based on the same sequencing philosophy using shared pitch but different gate and trigger patterns. There’s lots of info on line about this technique. If you’re interested I have my particular method explained in detail below……
Initial system walkthrough / jam
Jam only
Second system jam
Ultimately I wound up selling both systems (lol) because, as I said above, eurorack ain’t cheap by anyone’s definition.
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No, but I am definitely feeling the urge to sell everything and go completely in-the-box.
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I did it three years ago.
It was the best choice: modular’s workflow is perfect for me, I had great fun and I learned a lot of new things. Going fully modular made me grow up.
Last year I started using synth boxes again, but with a brand new approach, thanks to the modular “school”. It truly changed in better my mind process. I’m not saying that thanks to modular my music is better (probably is the usual shit) but my mind surely is better.
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i can imagine modular Frankenstein built from a human corpse, modules and electricity.
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Looks nice, I followed the idea. Started small, 84HP. I read that Arturia MicroFreak was based on Mutable Instruments Plaits. That was the first module I started with, then I got caught up in the Monome stuff (Grid, Ansible, Teletype). Which led to Mannequins Just Friends, via I2C, Rickey Tinez fueled me on, with Qu-Bit Surface and Intellijel Scales. So here I am, constrained by 84HP, I like that it fences me in, not ready for a sprawling rack, plus it’s somewhat portable. Try something small, like a 54HP, or 62HP palette. Or maybe 0Coast. It is definitely addicting. BTW, I will never give up my Digitone or my Deluge 
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