First-time modular guy, but long-time synth guy. I've been lucky enough to play with my friend's modular rig and my favorite piece of kit he had was the Nebulae--we always get great ambient textures out of it. So I wanted to build a rack that's solely for modulating Nebulae and coaxing out great soundscapes, while I likely record it into my DAW and layer some sequences, VSTs, sample libraries etc. on top of it. Hence no clock, sequencers, stuff like that. It's really just going to be a floating landscape (although I'm not opposed to maybe adding some of that stuff in the future!)
You'll notice I have two rows there, the second of which is almost entirely empty. I had planned on just buying a small Arturia Rackbrute 3U, but there was a 6U on reverb for only $50 more and figured I may as well future proof myself in case I want to add more modules. Famous last words...I'm not opposed to maybe eventually getting another sound source (plaits? qu-bit chord2?) so I can feed my sampler something else. But that's potentially down the road and I want to start small!
Everything you see above is already purchased and is coming in the mail soon. Is there anything you think I might miss? Maybe I should get some sort of mult? I considered a mixer, but honestly unless I get another sound generating module I don't think I need a mixer because I'm really just going to be taking a single stereo output through the whole rack and out to my audio interface (hence the little pico out).
Thanks in advance for any help! Go easy on me, it's my first rack!
If you put your rack on public and post the link, it will appear on the forum as an interactive rack.
For a rack like this, it is common to add something like Mutable Instruments Ears or Mikrophonie right at the front. It boosts the signal to Eurorack levels. It's essentially your output module, but in reverse. Things like filters and distortions react differently to different gain levels. Both of these are not in stereo though.
Alternatively, VCAs with extra gain (i.g. Mutable Instruments Veils) can also boost the signal to the right level for both L and R signals. The advantage of the first method is that you also get a gate, envelope follower and a piezo microphone. The envelope follower will work nicely with the Nebulae. The raw piezo noise works surprisingly well with tons of reverb and effects.
If you're not going to record with the in L & R from the Nebulae, but will only put samples on the USB stick, you can skip the above contemplations.
Behringer is obviously hideous and shite, but you don't need me to tell you that. I always mention ARC by NANO and Rampage by Befaco as affordable Maths equivalents.
I wonder if Zverb and FX Aid will play too much in the same ball park. Zverb is also mono in, while the rest of your current setup is stereo.
A mult could be good, but in your case I think two small stackable cables would suffice. You can stack on both ends, so it's essentially 1 signal into 3. It's cheaper and you don't lose the (soon to be very limited ;) ) HP space.
plaits? qu-bit chord2
I don't think Chord has an use case in your system. It will be similar to the samples you recorded in your other synths or DAW or on the Nebulae. If you record some chords on your usual synth, you have total freedom and complexity. All of the notes you play on a synth have their own timing, envelopes, individual filter movement. Chord just outputs a set of notes without all that (im)perfection. I'm not sure what your further synth setup looks like, but have you considered a Moog Mavis or Mother32 or Labyrinth as a future sound source? You have the space on the second row. Plaits, as you mention, is also a popular choice.
XAOC Zadar could be good, it has very complex envelopes/LFOs. There's many shapes, but it's a set library though, some people don't like that.
If you have a friend with a 3D printer, they could print you some blank plates, to hide that empty second row. It's a little safer and nicer to look at.
If you put your rack on public and post the link, it will appear on the forum as an interactive rack.
Done. Feel free to click through. For some reason when I post a link it's to an old WIP I had that isn't updating. It's been like this for a few days.
For a rack like this, it is common to add something like Mutable Instruments Ears or Mikrophonie right at the front. It boosts the signal to Eurorack levels. It's essentially your output module, but in reverse. Things like filters and distortions react differently to different gain levels. Both of these are not in stereo though.
I'll consider this, thanks! I'm fine with my initial input being mono. I even considered a mono filter, but figured maybe down the road I would want to modulate L and R separate on a filter, or filter a crazy FX signal from FX aid, so I just hedged my bets and bought a stereo filter just in case.
Behringer is obviously hideous and shite, but you don't need me to tell you that. I always mention ARC by NANO and Rampage by Befaco as affordable Maths equivalents.
Yeah, I plan to get Maths if I get more comfortable with Abacus. I just can't justify spending upwards of $400 on a module that everyone seems to love and consider essential when I'm not even sure I'll get on with it. I've been watching tutorial videos though and I can see why everyone loves the module. I looked into those other units you mentioned and they don't seem as versatile as Maths?
I wonder if Zverb and FX Aid will play too much in the same ball park. Zverb is also mono in, while the rest of your current setup is stereo.
I unfortunately overlooked that Zverb is mono in :/ that sucks. I liked how it sounded quite a bit from the demos, too. I was planning on using FX aid as chorus, flange, phaser, delay, other sorts of stuff and not using it's reverb. But I'm also considering getting a chronoblob delay because I used one in VCV rack and quite liked it. So then maybe I could use FX aid as chorus/verb and chronoblob as delay. Keep the Zverb for when I'm fine with a mono input signal.
A mult could be good, but in your case I think two small stackable cables would suffice. You can stack on both ends, so it's essentially 1 signal into 3. It's cheaper and you don't lose the (soon to be very limited ;) ) HP space.
I actually bought two stackable cables! And then 8 each regular cables of different lengths from sweetwater, so a total of 26 patch cables to start me off. Hopefully that's enough.
I don't think Chord has an use case in your system. It will be similar to the samples you recorded in your other synths or DAW or on the Nebulae. If you record some chords on your usual synth, you have total freedom and complexity. All of the notes you play on a synth have their own timing, envelopes, individual filter movement. Chord just outputs a set of notes without all that (im)perfection. I'm not sure what your further synth setup looks like, but have you considered a Moog Mavis or Mother32 or Labyrinth as a future sound source? You have the space on the second row. Plaits, as you mention, is also a popular choice.
Thanks for the input on the Chord. I have actually considered the Labyrinth, and now I'm considering a Subharmonicon as well which I bet would be GREAT sample material for the Nebulae. The labyrinth interests me with its generative sequences. I'm not opposed to this rack being completely atonal. I'm well versed in diatonic music, keyboards (I'm a classical pianist), all that stuff and sometimes just want to get away from thinking about notes entirely. That's kind of the inspiration with this rack. Still, either Moog unit would leave me only 28HP in the bottom row, though. I'm going to get started with what I have, and as I get more used to my gear/equipment I'll consider what else I'd like to buy. If I were to buy one of those units though, I would also likely need a mixer then, wouldn't I? Any recommendations there?
What if I ran a reverb as a send effect, how does one go about that in eurorack?
when I post a link it's to an old WIP I had that isn't updating
Oh I'm not sure why that would be.
bought a stereo filter
I think that makes a lot of sense. And they work as dual mono as well. As you may know, resonant filters on full resonance are sinewave oscillators. FM one into the other, or both into eachother, and you'll find a lot of crazy sounds there too.
they don't seem as versatile as Maths?
In what way? Focusing just on the ARC now, it's really similar to Maths, both are Buchla/Serge style envelope generators. On the downside, ARC doesn't have the two passive attenuverter channels that Maths has in the middle (channel 2 and 3). But in return, ARC has logarithmic to exponential control on both rise and fall right on the panel, one more logic (X>Y) and End of Rise and End of Fall on both channels, instead of just End of Rise on Maths on the left channel and just End of Cycle on the right. You already have the Befaco Atte for attenuvertion, so the ARC sounds better to me for a lower price.
was planning on using FX aid as chorus, flange, phaser, delay, other sorts of stuff and not using it's reverb
Okay, that makes sense. I assumed that the FX aid could play multiple effects at once.
classical pianist
If you're a classical pianist then I'm sure you won't enjoy the Chord fully.
either Moog unit would leave me only 28HP in the bottom row
The good thing about the Moogs is that if your rack is full, you can banish it back to its own box and you have a lot of new space.
I'm going to get started with what I have
Sure, some people never have any sound sources in their rack and just treat it as a pedal board and that's totally fine.
also likely need a mixer then, wouldn't I? Any recommendations there?
It seems to me that the Befaco Atte that you already have, could work as a simple mono mixer, its page mentions that it can handle audio signals and the panel signals that the Ins are passed down the chain. But I do notice that the grey label at the top of the module page doesn't mention mixer. I find that these labels are quite accurate, if the label is not there then there's usually something else going on. I would give it a try and if it doesn't work, a mixer doesn't have to be complicated. If you do later plan on adding voices, many (quad) VCAs pass their signal to the last channel, then you don't need a dedicated mixer module to re-mix those signals. I already mentioned Veils and Intellijel has the Quad VCA. For a dedicated mixer, Doepfer (stereo or mono) modules are good value for money. Some more expensive mixers may do things like overdriving etc. .
What if I ran a reverb as a send effect, how does one go about that in eurorack?
I'm not sure what you mean. You can double the outgoing signal anywhere with your stacking cables and put one exit on the reverb and one exit on a VCA/mixer. Put the reverb full wet so the signals don't cancel out on eachother. Does that answer your question?
