It’s absolutely phenomenal - really deep and clever. Plus it’s eight channels. Using a usb grid (ie launchpad) makes it very hands on….
Different flavours of hands on can be had with Grids in euclidean mode.
Marbles is really deep as well - it’s one of the modules that can be very hands on and wigglable whilst generating sequences in a very different way….
For me, Zadar is not a classic envelope module that gives you quick access to ADSR,
but rather a wavetable with very good modulation capabilities.
As an envelope module with a lot of flexibility I recommend Klavis Quadigy.
With the Zadar, I usually set each channel to loop and run the waves at different speeds.
Some of them I control with an LFO (assign. inputs), for example to modulate the response or to change the direction of the wave.
Others serve as envelopes for the volume of other modules, or send CV signals to create a little randomness.
I think that the Zadar can be used in many different ways, but it invites more to experiment than to immediately access like a classic envelope module.
Yeah, Zadar is a modulation source as much as envelope. I don’t generally use it for classic envelope sounds, I like to use it for more unusual things… Which is kind of the point of modular for me! I don’t really want to do classic synth stuff, I have self contained synths for that.
I often have at least one channel looping. I sometimes input an lfo or cross patch from another Zadar channel to change the speed and shape of a Zadar wave in interesting ways. It’s a little experimentation module! And super easy to navigate without having to remember complex things / look at manuals etc.
I’m finishing up a new record, so I have gone deep with Zadar. Hope to crack the code for my workflow, but at this moment , I’m not loving it. It’s kinda neat and I want to love it, but not yet
I‘m doing the same. The only Problem I have with that is that it basically becomes a random generator for modulation. I‘m not really using a specific wave most of the time and that bothers me somehow.
how many drum triggers do you need? how much cv modulation?
what’s your workflow… more generative? or programming lots of patterns? probability?
if its mainly for percussion… then perhaps also look at ‘gate sequencers’ , as they can be a bit cheaper. perhaps in addition to main sequencer. (also things like logic modules, to combine gates into new related patterns)
I don’t do techno but
I like my Hermod - buts is not hands on enough for your use case I suspect.
I also like my Frap Tools Usta … this is hands on, and may be interesting.
I have to say, for programming stuff, I actually prefer something on the desktop/shelf - its more ergonomic that reaching over a rack I find… so often ending up programming on my Octatack or Pyramid and sending that as midi to the rack.
(of course, you can use a console like rack for modules, which is what Ive done with my Usta)
If I didn’t have enough sequencers already … Id be very tempted with the Oxi One .
a desktop unit but with a ‘pipe’ module - this basically means one cable from the unit to a module in your modular , to given you 8 cv/gate pairs, tidy solution.
For drum machine style trigger sequencing, also check out Robaux SWT16+ … looks very fast and straight-forward.
Perhaps paired with an algorithmic sequencer like ‘Other A’ 
My 62HP Palette case. I think this setup works perfectly for primitive, hard techno and abstract, generative IDM. However i’d like to fill my other case (Doepfer 48HP, where I have a Marbles and Ears wich I use for even more modulation) with a more melodic sequencer. What would you guys recommend?
This was my sense when evaluating it and why I removed it from consideration. But it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s not much different from setting up some sort of sum or cross-modulation of more basic LFOs and then tweaking knobs to see what sounds good.
French speaking walkthrough of my Verbos system right here right now
Braids forever 
I don’t know if you have the space for it, but René combined with a gate sequencer or a clock divider is a wonderful melody machine. With independant control for both directions and the adressable inputs, you can program beautiful evolving melodies. Here are a few examples I recorded:
Another option is to combine several simple sequencers with the help of a quantizer to keep everything in check. Just take a look at the principles behind the fors.fm Roulette sequencer in this video. It is only a few basic sequencers going at different speeds combined using summing and sample & hold, but you get wonderfully rich emerging melodies. For example, just combining a few tracks of Varigate 4+ together would get you a whole lot more than the 8 steps suggest.
This is the sequencer panel in the Serge Red Fun Station, as you can see, you only have one 8 steps and one 4 steps sequencer, but with the reset, up/down and hold inputs, as well as the shift register, clock generators and divider, mixer/VCA and logic module between then, you can only imagine what result may emerge. And then you just have to feed it to a quantizer.
As a last example, this is the video that convinced me for the René:
This is really interesting… Ive been shying away from big sequencers as they usually mean contrived restrictions and/or weird UI choices or even a lack of flexibility.
I’ve been meaning to try and put together a sequencer network of sorts, but that would probably mean that It will take up a lot of HP.
would also love to try out this one:
Thanks for all the tips @thetechnobear @trackerjack etc
I am absolutely interested in this:
I’ve watched loads of YouTube videos and looks to be just what I’m after for hands on.
I’ll end up with a few other sequencers for sure for other stuff but this Malekko looks fun.
funny, I was walking around Superbooth (a couple of years ago) with a friend, and we both found sequencers were some of the most exciting new modules.
sure, the various filters and oscillators sounded nice, but sequencers, I think just get your mind racing with possibilities 
I think complex modulators comes a close second !
I’ve now come to think of (cv) sequencers as modulators, so that justifies we can have more!
(of course, downside, is sequencers tend to also be the more pricey modules ! )
Iv’e mentioned using external drum machines before here because I’d like to fill up my first case with OSCS filters FX and sequencers etc so I’m looking for midi modules today that’ll sync the drum machine. I gave up trying to get the audio outs of the RD-9 into my case and will just feed them in to my Yamaha 01v96i and mix the modular in there too. What midi modules do you guys use to trigger/sync external drums?
Thanks
Im using a Hermod for midi -> cv -> midi etc , but its overkill … and I often consider swapping it out for something like an FH-2
generally for sync I do it the other way around…
Ive got two setups I use which are slightly different.
if Im using the Octatrack as master - so midi out from that goes to Hermod (for eurorack sync), and also midi sync goes to non-eurorack gear.
if Im using the Pyramid as master - then I can do the same as above OR it has cv out, so I can use that directly in the Eurorack (Hermod can then either sync via midi or that cv clock)
this approach means I don’t need a lot of cv->midi… so my hermod is enough.
cv to midi , is not as ‘common’ as midi->cv… and often (like hermod) only have a cv few inputs.
if I wanted more , then Id look at befaco, they have cv-thing and vcmc , which look good for cv to midi.
could be others, but those are the ones Ive looked at a few times
of course, depends how many trigs you want to send out.
PS
Spot the difference 
I have to admit that Iv’e just ordered the one on the right for £84 after discount. I guess they do the same thing right?
I got the vpme trig31 recently. It’s compact and seems to work quite well. Just the interface is a bit obtuse, shouldn’t be too much of a problem if don’t need to change settings all the time.
