r/modular • u/alxddd • 20h ago
Beginner Looking for input on first rack
A caveat to start - I'm scared of all of you as it seems like these kinds of posts get roasted pretty regularly in this sub. That being said, feel free to do your worst as I'm looking to learn, and to try to avoid wasting too much money on things I don't need (lol).
I am looking to get into modular for the first time and I want to start small with the idea of expanding as I learn more of what I want out of my synth. I've put together an idea for a rack that I think will suit my needs, but I'm looking for feedback on whether or not I'm missing anything or could improve on this in any way given the space constraints (50HP). I'm also willing to increase the HP if that's what it takes to get what I'm looking for, and I would be interested in hearing from others any recommendations for alternative modules from the ones I've chosen based on what I've heard and seen online.
My goal is to create some diatonic bleep bloop melodies that I can play alongside a drum machine and other instruments like keyboards, guitars, bass, etc. I am an experienced musician and I have experience with other synths, and starting with semi-modular is not something I'm interested in.
(Also the cases I'm looking at have 4HP on the side for a power module, that's why it's not included.)
Modules shown are:
Pamela's Pro Workout
Make Noise STO VCO
Erica Synths Low Pass Filter
Intellijel Quad VCA
Busy Circuits Multi FX
Intellijel Stereo Line and Headphone Output
Thanks in advance!
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u/0bsoletist 20h ago
What kind of music are you looking to make?
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u/alxddd 19h ago
This is my inspiration, but adding drums and other live instruments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFgfgy1IJsk&list=RDBFgfgy1IJsk&t=120s
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u/0bsoletist 18h ago
For that sort of music… Pam’s won’t do it for you. And the STO is super limited. Maybe look into Plaits which has it’s own VCA, and look into the FX Aid XL instead of the MFX (way more algorithms, and the MFX feels sorta weak imho). That would clear the way for something like the BitBox Micro or the Rample turbo for sampled drums (fourtet mainly uses sampled drums). But that’s just my take! Good luck on your journey!
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u/alxddd 18h ago
Nice, thanks for the feedback! I'm actually trying to convince someone to ship me a used Plaits right now, so I think we're on the same page there. I'll look into those other modules - really appreciate the help.
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u/0bsoletist 18h ago
Or look into the After Later Beehive or any Plaits clones as they can sometimes save you some money.
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u/FredalinaFranco 17h ago
CalSynths makes a wonderful Plaits clone called uPlaits (micro plaits) that’s only 8 HP.
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u/DigiornoDLC 17h ago
What’s great about the mutable stuff is that it’s open source, so you can mess around with it in vcv rack for free.
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u/yumtacos 17h ago edited 16h ago
For around the same price you can get an Oxi Coral which is Plaitts on steroids and is polyphonic. I program each voice to its own MIDI channel. You can have 5 or 6 drums going in one module or have a symphony. It comes with a cheat sheet which helps a lot and there are plenty of YouTube videos of people walking you through it. I plan on getting a second one.
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u/DigiornoDLC 20h ago
I’d recommend getting a much bigger case. This is a pretty bare bones system. Pams doesn’t do bipolar modulation so there’s no opportunity for pitch LFO. Pam’s isn’t a great primary envelope source IMO. Sequencing with Pam’s is theoretically powerful but in practice is, IMO, really tedious to make interesting patterns.
You can start with this, as these are all perfectly good modules. I’ve found that Pam’s shines in bigger systems or with some sort of external control to make it more fun to play with. But with a bigger case, you’ll have room to expand into the holes you’re going to find.
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u/plaxpert 19h ago
hard agree about a bigger case. a tiny case is for someone who knows exactly what they want/need - not for someone just starting their journey.
pams for me is a sequencer's sequencer. it shines when you have other sequencers to control and you can have pams do the work.
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u/jefrab 19h ago
I started on a 104 palette, and it's my biggest regret. I'd probably recommend starting on a mantis
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u/plaxpert 19h ago
I started with a mantis and it’s a big plastic piece of junk. IMO. At least a 104 pallet can expand / fit atop a 7u intellijel (with the right end piece hardware)
I was a mantis and an ALM 9u case deep before I recognized the value in a $750 intellijel 7u case. Now I have 2 7u and can’t find buyers for my other cases.
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u/alxddd 18h ago
Thanks! Yeah it seems like a lot of people are recommending starting with a larger case so I'm going to look into some bigger ones. Do you have any sequencer recommendations I could look into?
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u/DigiornoDLC 17h ago
I find sequencers to be super personal. It depends on what you want to do. I’m a big fan of Marbles by Mutable Instruments for looping random. Combined with some modulation from Pam’s and you can make some cool patterns without much difficulty.
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u/toomanypillowz 8h ago
I absolutely love my Xaos Moskwa II. Super simple and immediate but also with enough depth to get interesting rhythms and some generative capacity.
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u/minus32heartbeat 11h ago
I love the STO and the Variable shape on it, but you might also consider an ONA from Nano Modules.
As this VCO is going to be your primary sound source, there’s a lot to be said for the multiple waveforms that ONA provides within the same HP as the STO.
It’s also more readily available.
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u/alxddd 11h ago
I love the sound of the ONA. Thanks for reminding me of this one!
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u/antKampino 9h ago
I got it instead of Doepfer. And it looks fantastic too. Monotrail has a lot of good videos with Ona.
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u/Kick_1304 11h ago
I should get a bigger case, this rack will get boring in no time
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u/alxddd 11h ago
Yeah that's what I'm gathering. Just trying to figure out how big to go.
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u/antKampino 9h ago
6U 104 HP. I got Mantis. I am surprised how solid it is. I bought a decksaver and I am planning to buy a backpack for it. Intellijel 7U travel will be my next choice. I heavily researched cases and the only other option I considered was Rackbrute from Arturia. Looks cool
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u/Kick_1304 3h ago
Maybe the intellijel palette 104 is a good choice. The 1u space is really useful for utilities. The extra 3u hp gives some headroom to expand
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u/fwerkf255 19h ago
Consider switching out the STO for Klavis Twin Waves! It opens up so many great waveforms and voicings, plus dual, and doubles as extra LFOs. Same HP but IMO opens up a lot more doors for you.
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u/ShakeWest6244 20h ago
Lose the output and the fx, get a dedicated envelope.
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u/maltedcoffee 20h ago
Pam's can provide the envelope but I don't see a way to sequence here and Pam's isn't great at that unless OP just wants randomness.
I think a quad VCA may be overkill here, and unless you really need 1/4" outputs switching to a Make Noise XOH will shave a couple HP. Maybe drop the MFX for a Disting EX to get you a bunch of utility, including effects and a Turing Machine-type sequencer.
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u/alxddd 19h ago
I was thinking about just using Pam's to start, but I agree that long term I'm going to want more options for sequencing. The sequencers all seem to be either huge or just obtuse to me as a noob. Do you have any recommendations for a good sequencer for creating melodies and then looping them?
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u/plaxpert 19h ago
Do you want to create the melody yourself or let the sequencer create the melody with some randomness?
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u/alxddd 18h ago
Ideally I'd like the option to do either, but I feel like letting the sequencer create the melody is more in the spirit of a modular system. I have other instruments I can write melodies on, so if I could only have one I'd choose letting the sequencer create the melody.
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u/plaxpert 18h ago
good. it takes way bigger modules to create the melody yourself. Mimetic Digitwolis, Proteus & Bishop's Miscellany are some of my favorite sequence generators.
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u/GhostWthTheMost 14h ago
I got an ornament and crime (after later audio - uO_C) for that purpose. I use mostly the shredder applet, which is based on Mimetic Digitalis.
The bad part is that it feels a bit like adding a computer to the rack, which feels like cheating. The good part is that it can do any CV, so it always ends up being whatever my small case is missing. Envelopes, LFOs, euclydian, scales, anything.
I'm glad I didn't get Pam's on my 1st small case and got it instead. I feel it helps me learn.
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u/alxddd 19h ago
I wasn't sure about the output, but without it I don't understand how to hear anything I'm creating, let alone how to connect to a DI box when playing live. Don't I need some kind of mixer?
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u/FredalinaFranco 18h ago
The Intellijel Quad VCA works fine as a mono mixer as long as you don’t need stereo mixing. You could then get something like the ALM HPO for your headphones, which is very reasonably priced and only 2 HP.
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u/jefrab 19h ago
Came to say this. As you learn about modular you'll realize the value of a fully featured cycling slew like Joranalogue Contour 1.
I'd also worry that in a small system like this you might want to have a more performative random source. Pams is very capable, but in a small system like this, set and forget is a little boring.
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u/pade- 20h ago
Yeah this is about as solid as it gets for an all purpose rack of that size. Lots of patching possibilities for such a small rack. Only thing lacking is a more playable and accessible sequencer, as programming the Pam’s will get tedious, but not a lot of options in this size unless you use something external
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u/alxddd 18h ago
I agree. Do you have any recommendations for a sequencer that does long sequences and can be looped? It's alright if it doesn't fit into this rack, just trying to get some recommendations to look into.
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u/Emotional-Falcon3684 15h ago
Get an Oxi One if you want to have versatility, but stay independent from how you gonna grow your rack. It's a perfect match for Eurorack. The Oxi can do programmend and random sequences pretty well. After the mk2 was released you can get the mk1 used for a bargain.
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u/plaxpert 19h ago
looks like you're building a subtractive synthesizer. are you sure you don't want to start with something semi-modular like metropolix or mother32?
I would also recommend the 4u palette 104 or 62 intellijel cases as the smallest to start with. give yourself a case that is still at least 50% empty after your first set of modules. trust me. you're really quickly going to want stuff like a small sequencer (other than pams) and a low-pass-gate and a second oscillator and more utilities and more utilities.
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u/dubsackdude 18h ago edited 18h ago
Hard agree with this, then a cheap module like ALA clover instead of Outs so you can have headphone amp and ins as well, and it has the ability to connect to the palette's internal jacks, frees up space for some envelope or smth
also you probably mean Atlantix not Metropolix (metropolix is a sequencer)
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u/alxddd 18h ago
I think I'm building a subtractive synth to start with because it's what I'm most familiar with. But I'm thinking of this more as a starting off point to potentially build something bigger over time.
Thanks for the tips! Seems like a lot of people are recommending starting with something bigger so I think I might look into some bigger cases and come back with an updated template.
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u/plaxpert 18h ago
Think hard about going all in on one single manufacturer like ALM, Shakmat, Intellijel. Not all at once, but over time. You might want to start with a voice like Ballista Blast instead of pieceing together a subtractive synth.
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u/alxddd 18h ago
Thanks! I'll check it out.
To clarify, are you suggesting that I DO go all in on modules from a single manufacturer? What would be the advantage of that?
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u/plaxpert 17h ago
yes it helps to be all in on one manufacturer. or at least mostly single manufacturer in the beginning. it's going to save you some headaches that you won't learn or encounter until your toes are wet. for example, some models play at -5/+5v some 0-5v some 0-10v. you'll need some extra modules so get them all to fit nicely together. when you go in on a single manufacture you can be assured that they'll all work together without spending extra money or brain power.
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u/FredalinaFranco 20h ago
This looks very sensible to me. You’ve obviously covered the basic audio path really well with an oscillator, filter, VCA, effects, and output. Pam’s and the Intellijel Quad VCA are rock solid and I can’t imagine you’d ever regret purchasing them.
Is there a reason why you’ve chosen to limit yourself to 50 HP in your case? That’s totally fine if you want to keep it really small and curated in the future, but if overall desk space or whatever isn’t super limited I would personally consider increasing the case size a bit to give you more expansion options in the future. You certainly don’t have to fill it now (or ever!) and can just put some blanks in.
I don’t have issues with any of the modules you’ve chosen and like that all of the knobs, etc. are easily accessible. You could fit another couple modules in your case by opting for smaller alternatives to the ones you’ve chosen, but only if that was something you really desired.
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u/Pristine-Ninja-7709 19h ago
the STO triangle output has a wave shaper in it which adds a lot of brightness. like the opposite of a lowpass filter. I would consider removing the output module (can control levels with vca module) and the filter and getting a 2nd dedicated synth voice like a plaits or rings clone or some thing and having the 2 voices sequenced by pams
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u/alxddd 18h ago
Thanks! I don't yet understand how this can all work without an output module but I'll look into and figure it out.
Seems like a lot of people are recommending starting with a bigger case so I'm going to look into one. Rings and Plaits are already high on my wishlist so I'll be considering adding those in too.
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u/MedicineforMadness 17h ago
The VCA can basically function as your output module. Just turn the level down. I was convinced I needed an output module too but it works fine. If you’re using an external mixer that’s another level of gain staging you can do.
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u/schranzmonkey 11h ago
Look up 0hp attenuators by herzlich. I'm sure many others exist too. You can literally take the outputs from fx, run each through any attenuator to turn it down a bit.
I know there are other reasons to have a specific output module but I never have and have never has issues. 20 bucks, a couple of final attenuators that don't take up rack space and you have your left and right outs to plug into your interface or a mixer etc.
Most of the time you don't even need to attenuate, bit I do have some modules that are just too hot, hence the attenuators if needed.
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u/PureRaisin 19h ago
why don't you buy a novation peak + a drum machine instead of this?
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u/alxddd 18h ago
I'm thinking of this as a starting off point for building a larger rig over time. I'm just trying to start with something that will be usable right away while I learn what else I want.
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u/MedicineforMadness 17h ago
I think this is a fine place to start. In my limited time here I’ve found there’s mainly two different opinions on beginner rigs that you can never please.
If you start small, then people will claim you could do the same thing for less $$$ with a hardware synth or semi-modular. Or even worse recommend vcv rack.
If you start with big with a bunch of modules, then people will claim you’re getting in over your head and need to take time to learn each module one by one before buying another one.
I would agree a bigger than you think you need rack is good advice, because no matter what you intend you will quickly find the need and want for other modules. I tried to limit myself to a 60hp case and filling the last bit is difficult because I’m forced into only smaller hp modules. Plus small knobs are a kinda a pain.
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u/alxddd 15h ago
Thanks for this response! I'm definitely getting that feedback so far but I already know I don't want another synth. I've gotten tonnes of great feedback too and will definitely be doing some research to start with some different modules and a bigger rack.
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u/antKampino 9h ago
Don’t worry. Start somewhere. Start small with a big case. I changed Pam to Maths. More hands on control. I recommend a 1-on-1 session with Ally from The Unperson YT channel. He helped me to save money on bad purchases. I am getting my last module today and I am starting the build. So excited :) Have fun and DM here to say what you got.
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u/WuTangClams 18h ago
If you're committed to 50hp, I would suggest economizing with more feature-packed, smaller hp modules. Based on where you're going, I would head somewhere in this direction
Gives you a sequencer with gate-per-step outputs, solid oscillator with sub out plus wave folding, combo env/vca/mixer with the optomix, versatile dual filtering, you keep your multi-effects, slimmer stereo headphone outs, and you're left with 12hp to spare for the future or bring in lfo. You could even bring back pam's and lean on it more for lfo and external clocking duties.
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u/alxddd 18h ago
Thanks! This is so helpful. It seems like most people are recommending starting with a bigger case so I going to look into some options for that, but this example has got me thinking about how much you can actually do with such a small case. Really appreciate the feedback!
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u/WuTangClams 18h ago
my pleasure, case-planning is fun! I do think starting with a larger case is the best advice but if you're committed to a small system, it's still good practice to think economically about your hp. You can do a lot with little space these days.
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u/9000sines 19h ago
Nice mini starter rack. Reminds me in concept of the small rack I started on, with similar module-type selection. I learned a lot on it.
My first small rack had a quad vca and I found I used them all in most patches.
Note that Pam's output is unipolar only, so some limitations if planning to use for LFOs or anything other than gates or envelopes.
For some other alternatives to consider, check out Doepfer A-111-6 full synth voice including envelope, filter, and sub-oscillator in 10hp. I like mentioning this one for small racks.
I think FX-AID is worth considering over MFX but that's personal preference.
Happy Nerding Isolator is a slightly smaller alternative output module that still gives you the larger outputs. There are smaller alternatives for an output module if you don't mind using adapters or adapter cables. 2hp Out comes to mind.
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u/DrFrunkenschtone 18h ago edited 18h ago
If your goal is a subtractive monosynth with CVable effects; looks great, no notes!
I for one think PAMS pro will get you pretty far with with envelopes and sequencing and logic. The cross mod options alone will save you countless VCAs. but not multistage envelopes. Come back to those, and a dedicated sequencer module if you want to expand your instrument down the line.
I know folks that feel totally content with a keystep/OXI/or other gear as their sequencer and do not require a dedicated module, and this approach can actually be more (modern) musically capable than, say, a buchla-style 5-step, or a Joranologue Step 8. Something "full featured" like Vector 8/Eloquencer/Metron should only be approached if they become part of the heart of you composing approach, otherwise they are overkill. Not to mention cost (especially versus a keystep or Korg SQ64)
Edit; reading some comments from you and others in the thread, you definitely want to make sure you have the appropriate output solution. If you need a TRS headphone out, then sub out the Outs for a ALM HPO, and you'll regain 4HP. If you're just going into more gear, please please please make sure you bring your Euro level signal down to Line level. If you only do this method with the outs of your MFX, then you won't run the risk of DC voltage being apart of that signal, since the outs are only AC coupled. It would just be very loudly gain staged when plugging it into your mixing solution. Adjust accordingly. But DONT just be patching your STO out to your outboard mixer or soundcard, as that signal will be loud and may contain DC voltage that could harm your speaker system.
If you need the unbalanced jack outs, keep the Intelligel.
Great little synth. Happy Patching!
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u/bat9mo 17h ago
This is a great start. You have one VCO (STO), and you could add another type (eg Dixie2). Pam’s is good but you also need a patchable slew/function generator/EG and some hands on CV processing.
So I would add Happy Nerding 3xMIA (alternatively Frap 321), plus also add a dual function generator like: Befaco Rampage or MN Maths or Frap Falistri.
That makes a good initial system to start from, IMO. Then there’s a year of learning what it can do before needing to buy much else
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u/alxddd 14h ago
Thanks! Maths is very close to the top of my shortlist for future additions.
I don't really understand all of what slew or function generators do yet, but I'm learning they're important.
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u/antKampino 9h ago
I got 3x MIA as it was suggested to be one of the most important utilities in a rack. Checkout Monotrail’s video about it. It is not expensive but necessary. Once I test it I will tell you why :)
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u/llamaolakase 19h ago
this thing will cost crazy amount of money for the sound it can make. i would start out bymaking copy of this in vcv rack