Help Getting Started With Modular

[flextone]

Hi guys,

Great forum!

I want to get into modular synths and was looking at stuff like the Analog Solutions Red Square or Future Retro xs (semi-moduar i know). Basically, i don't even need oscillators, can i just get five or six modules to filter the input so i can run a drum machine and/or synths through them?

What would you suggest on a small budget? I love the harvestman stuff, though a little expensive. I saw doepfer have nice little small racks for four modules, but four seems a little to small. Can i go DIY on a rack?

Anyway,
I'd love to hear your thoughts,

Flextone

[blue hell]

while waiting for the "real" answer you could browse around a bit in the DIY section here, maybe posting a question there about DIY racks.

[elektro80]

Blue Hell´s advice is good.

You should roam the DIY section first and gather some opinions and ideas.

You shouldn´t rule out the dotcom stuff either. Huge is good and it´s quite easy to build a signal processing plant out of dotcom modules. Since the dollar pretty much ceased to be US made products are pretty much for free too. The dotcom filters are absolutely OK.
http://synthesizers.com

You´ll find something called the Klee sequencer in the DIY section. A Klee clocked by your DAW and then patched for controlling filters is quite nice.

Europeans need a free dollar. Be humane! Please vote republican!

[flextone]

Thanks for the tip,

What i want to know first is if i can build an oscillatorless modular (can an osc give me anything except tone?) , if so, then i guess i'll try to mix and match interesting modules together. what would you consider a must except an audio input.

Thanks

[elektro80]

Some VCOs can also work fine as LFOs. You might also want to explore oscillator sync. THere is a moog pedal thingie doing that and if you find some demos of that one you will get some ideas about what osc syncing can do for you.

Essential stuff?



An input module which will ramp up your line level or HI-Z to modular signal levels.

Ring modulators!?
Envelope followers.
VCAs
VCFs ( go wild! )
step sequencers for stepping filter or modulation controls
a MIDI to CV module
Envelopes
LFOs
Pan/Fade modules
utility modules like multiples

[flextone]

When you say osc sync, do you mean a simple pitch sync like on "regular" synths? what is so special about that?

[elektro80]

[flextone]

Thanks, cool stuff.

Basically what i want is to input any audio material and create strange and beautiful little synthesized mini loops. can this be reached with only 4-5 modules?

[elektro80]

Perhaps something like that... at first...

You might consider using outboard like reverbs and delays as well ( within a modular patch )

Before you buy anything at all.. you might want to download and play with the Clavia G2 demo app. Besides from being a software demo of the G2 hardware it also gives you access to playing with modular synthesis and you might get some ideas about what you can do.

[flextone]

I was offered the micro modular a while back for almost nothing, any thoughts on this unit?

[blue hell]

[elektro80]

Buy it!

[Danno Gee Ray]

Actually, you don't want it, need it or care for it at all...lookinto my eyes you are getting sleepy...now have this person send me a PM with all the details and let me buy it for next to nothing...when I snap my fingers you will forget we were ever here...snap

[elektro80]