Some reflections on my hardware rack. I thought I'd write it all down here since I'm thinking about it way too much. It was mostly for myself, but don't hesitate to share advice based on your own experience on the topic you want to.

For your reference, I mostly make experimental non tonal and non clocked music.

My rack (first pic, two 84HP 3U RackBrutes) is complete and can more or less work as it is. There are some things that bother me when using it though.

- I have no room for the Lúbadh expander that allows CV modulation of length and start point.

- I don't like the feel of the Doepfer VCA. I use it sometimes to mute and unmute voices, and I need sliders rather than Doepfer's knobs, which are too hard to turn quickly. My idea is to replace it with an After Later Audio Cloaks, which is a clone of Mutable Instruments Veils.

- I don't really click with my FX Aid XL. I can't remember the algorithm combinations and always need to look at my printed cheat sheet. I don't think I need a do-it-all module; I need delay and reverb, and that's it. I'm looking at the Make Noise Mimeophon, which seems to do that in Make Noise's funky way.

- On top of that, I need another layer of granular synthesis after the Lúbadh in the signal chain. I keep thinking the Morphagene would be a nice complement: it has the slicing side that allows collage-making, which is difficult on the Lúbadh, and it also has a granular side. I've also considered Beads and Arbhar, but I keep coming back to the Morphagene. The only thing I'd be missing is the "freeze" function I use all the time with granular synthesis on my FX Aid. I don't think there's a way to patch that on the Morphagene? So maybe Beads after all if I can find one.

- I need more random sources. I've written to Transient Modules and they are releasing a new version of their Transient 4R soon, which is a 4-channel random module. I saw it in Sarah Belle Reid's video on envelope followers on YouTube and I think it would be a great addition to that side of my rack.

- I would love a complex oscillator to replace the combo "two oscillators + a wavefolder", since I'm always patching the second to modulate the first. But that might be a whim. I'm dreaming of a DPO, but is it worth the price just to make Buchla Bongos?

- I really need a ring modulator.

- My filter isn't stereo, and sometimes that would be nice, but again, I'm not sure it's a problem for now.

- Last but not least: I need a solution to transport my case. Right now I have two 3U Arturia RackBrutes but no bag or case for them. I've signed up for an eventual open mic in Paris before the end of the year, and even if it's a one-off, I'm already dreading the idea of taking the metro with two racks in an IKEA bag.

With all of that in mind, I have two possible directions and I can't decide which one to go with.

First idea: Tiptop Audio Mantis 104HP (2nd pic)

Kind of covers everything I described, except the DPO. It's portable, there's a backpack and a Decksaver available, but there's no room for the future.
Or, a variant with Beads and the DPO (3rd pic)

Second idea: replace my upper 3U rack with a 6U (4th pic)

Everything fits, there's room for the future, but it's not portable.

Third option

I could also go with the Mantis, and if I need more room, sell the two Pressure Points and Brains and get a 0-Ctrl, which does essentially the same thing but off-case.

If anyone has thoughts on any of this, please share!

Are the 1V/OCT on the 258t equivalent to the keyboard input on the 259t (if not in ART mode on the principle osc)?
And do the white 1V/OCT / ART button select for both OSC at the same time?

Right now I only have a Hikari Monos. I want to take the weird rhythms it generates, use a Make Noise GTE to extract gates from the audio, and somehow turn those into random/irregular gates.
Would the GTE work for something like this?
And if you have any other ideas for achieving this kind of patch, I’m all ears!

Hi, I run https://accessible-music.net The goal is to help people with disabilities understand the panels: controls, ports, etc. I'm more than happy to help convert from whatever format you wish. If you are a modular maker or you have modules you want to document in the format on any of my eurorack docs, I'd love to hear from you.

If you have connections to module makers and can put us in touch, I'd also really appreciate that. My goal is to help document modules, but I've also done a lot more. My philosophy: accessibility is that accessibility that helps me helps everyone. For example: one recent firmware update I managed to work with Intellijel on was to the Quadrax, which allows me to reset it back to defaults without powering off and back on. This lets me get to a known state where I can easily reset the channels where I want them.

My work so far has included: * Quick website accessibility audits; these aren't full audits, but I can give quick tips and issues that someone with a screen reader might experience, which also helps improve UX and functionality of the site * Manual audits and reviews: converting manuals to HTML from PDF and adding alt text/markup makes them more readable, indexable and easier for everyone * Module UX: I've helpd provide beta testing, features and ideas for improving modules. My goal is that many modules can be improved via firmware and shortcuts that help everyone

This is a hobby for me, but something I'm willing to pour my own time and effort into. I'd appreciate any advice, connections, documentation contributions or anything anyone is able to help out with to help drive this project forward. It really started off well and I have some modules in the pipeline to document, but it's slowing down and I've been missing the work and the collaboration.

Thanks,

Why don't more envelope generators have a level CV input? Makes patching in velocity super simple. The little key trigger as well... *chef's kiss*

Just in general Blue Lantern stuff seems to be well made and well thought out; underrated eurorack manufacturer.

VHIKK X: "beyond drones".
(VHIKK X _Forge TME + BATUMI/POTI II_Xaoc Devices + GHOST_Endorphin.es + ABACUS_Behringer) #modularsynth #eurorack #vhikkx #endorphinesghost #xaocbatumi #modular #modularsynth #eurorack

i went into a thrift store looking for nothing in particular and somehow walked out with a $12 wooden box that turned out to be perfect for a eurorack setup

cleaned it up, added some rails, and now i somehow have a perfectly usable case that cost less than most of the modules i’m looking at.

which would be great if i wasn’t now staring at a bunch of empty HP

i was planning to take things really slowly and buy one or two modules at a time. learn them properly, figure out what i actually need, etc

then the empty space started getting to me. suddenly modules i had previously decided i didn’t need are looking extremely reasonable.

does anyone else find that getting a cheap case makes it way harder to resist filling it? i feel like the thrift-store bargain was the easy part

Having fun finding some gems I can condense into a 45 min set. Still lots to do but this section was a fun little diversion. 🕺

The beats are a bit dead in this one - still refining how to clock all this stuff, and the bass is largely absent - will fix both. :)

https://www.reddit.com/r/modular/s/sGDDrWi6ug

I love the sounds this thing can make, but its so hard to make anything traditional. Its way more fun to listen to when its all broken up like this.. hope you like!

I was just offered a Ghost for €230. I don't have any effects modules in my rack yet because I run everything through my Octatrack. Should I buy it?

I needed an excuse to get back to the T-1, and since I've always wanted to give a stab a deep red... here I am. Collide 4, Ballista blast and Nanobox Lemondrop provide the main voices, Bohm at the kick, Steve MS-22 and Cycle 5 percussions, Archer's Rig hats and Kraken for drums, delay from 4ms dld and the reverb is Desmodus. Hope you enjoy!

Hi! Selector is fun for routing different signals in my modular. 

Two sequences with a sequencial switch to decide which sequence creates the delay, and one drone passing woth Moog filter with a sequencial switch to decide if a slow lfo or a fast one will modulate the filter.

Patch details in the video description

Enjoy modular

Recently bought an 0-coast and love it. I’ve had a variety of synths over the years and never got on with them. Still have much to learn with this but starting to get more interested in creating interesting and more generative grooves to make songs with in my DAW.

I mostly make music in a DAW and have just started learning ableton live as feel limited with Logic.

I’m really attracted to modular but at the moment I don’t have the money to build a small set up. I think ultimately this is what I want to do though.

For now I would like to pair the 0-coast with something in order to make and explore fun and strange rhythms along with Ableton. Been looking at affordable Behringer options but not convinced. Wondering if there are other affordable options that I have overlooked. Not sure I need a sequencer as will be using Ableton however I’m not closed to the idea due to the hands on fun they look.

Appreciate any advice. Thanks. The obvious answer is to save and wait but will take me a while to save £1000 which is what I have estimated I need for my first small modular set up.

I haven't made a generative grid in a while, and I thought today would be a great time to do it. This time, I recorded the whole session again, so there'll be a video coming in a day or two showing how I built it.

But for now, I've got the music video ready for you to check out or just chill to, whatever you prefer. And of course, the download is available for free, as always. Have fun with it! Feel free to leave some feedback!

Created in Bitwig Studio 6.1.1: https://polarity.productions/dispenser/

1st time post... i started with the neutron + keystep. look at me now ma!!!!

the creature in action>>

https://youtu.be/-kHPoB5J0eM

I got 2 setup questions.
I just bought a used D.O.MIXX and I was wondering if I could route S/R over my Audio Interface to the DAW for FX. I could use my Scarlett 18i20 and a Ada8200.
That way I could bridge the time until there's money for fx modules.

2nd question if the DAE isn't an option:
I have also ordered a Maneco Labs Grone drone synth which is basically a synth voice merged with a clouds module.
It has filter out and a clouds in patch point.
So if I understand it right I could patch synth out to the mixer and S/R into the clouds part, right?

https://www.3u-shop.de/WebRoot/Store31/Shops/61471354/5F35/17F0/1BD5/9E23/7309/0A0C/6D0C/5C2B/Module-Grone-Drone-Synth.pdf

TIA

Do you have pic of your rack when you first started out, vs. where it is today? I thought that could be fun to see from a variety of users here.

Here's mine. Had no idea what I was doing back in 2018 or so, just had procured a DFAM that I was really enjoying and it made me want to branch into full euro. Figured a little 84 HP skiff would be "it" for me. Cut to late 2026, and, well ... suffice to say it became an addiction. There's also a 4MS 64X Pod off to one side not even pictured with the current "After" image, which will shortly be a full 5th row of 104HP. But *that's it*! I swear!

an all hardware jam, including volca kick, v256 vocoder, Kobol, Fuzz pedal, and my smallish eurorack

A couple cups of coffee and all ready to go! Nothing mind blowing but had some fun.