I feel embarrassed to ask but can you tell me which module is to the left of the Arbhar 2hp expander? Is it an Instruo licensed module or a third party expander of Arbhar by chance? Thanks so much and I really enjoyed this video. I hope you continue uploading these quality videos. 🙏🙏❤️❤️
It's the relatively new USB expander by Instruo! It is now part of every Arbhar you buy (marketed Arbhar 2.0) or can be bought separately for 100€-ish. All it does is it makes the USB input from the back of the Arbhar available on the front, for easy sample swapping via USB stick.
thanks for that! i'm really want to get that one. using quadigy for my modulation source for this kind of rhythmic modulations, but it got is limitations in that role. interested to know how do you use the quadigy.
I normally use the Quadigy for exponentially-shaped ADSR curves in all of my subtractive synthesis patches. I tend not to use it clocked but only because I have the ModMedusa, PNW, or Performer for beat-synced envelopes. That being said, I like the Quadigy a lot for sidechaining hihats or bass as the Quadigy has more control over the exact envelope shape compared to the other 3.
Yeah, let me paste this message directly from Doepfer: "The module is a copy of the filter used in the EDP Wasp synthesizer which "abuses" digital inverters (CD4069) as operational amplifiers. The disadvantage of this circuitry is that the inverters die now and then. The only solution would be to replace the inverters by standard operational amplifiers but then special character of the Wasp filter would be lost. It's impossible to predict if or when the CD4069 will die and of course we test each A-124 carefully before it leaves the factory. There are A-124 which work flawless since over 10 years, others become defective after weeks, months or years. Fortunately the CD4069 is a very inexpensive standard part (should be US$ 0.5 or less). The circuit is plugged into a socket and can be easily replaced by the customer if required." So it will break some day and can be replaced. I also know some producers preferring the broken Wasp sound to the functioning one (altough I have not heard it myself yet).
I picked up one of these at a good deal used when I was looking for an end of chain eq solution. Pretty quickly I realized it's overkill for that, and think I need something more set and forget. But this video has had me rethink immediately parting with it before putting it through it's paces in a other position in the rack. Good stuff. Thanks!
Yeah i can totally understand that! It's definitely one of my least used modules due how specific the use cases are. But it ends up in every feedback loop I patch up, which makes it worthwhile for me.
Wasps? Bastards. I was enjoying a beer by the lake a couple of days ago. A wasp flew into the can without me seeing. When I took a sip, it stung me on the inside of my top lip. I put the can down, and saw it before it flew away, it was one of the big buggers, almost the size of the asian murder hornet, which are common where I live. Not a joke comment. It really happened. So yeah, screw wasps. That said, I am ordering some new Doepfer modules in a couple of weeks, I'll have a closer look at this too.
Well produced comparison! I have all three of these modules in my rack. I own a Quadrax, Quadigy and the Zadar is a friends'. All three of these modulators are different. For excellent classic styled ADSR EGs, you cannot beat Quadigy. For a Buchla styled function generator, the Quadrax is amazing! The Zadar is something I am glad I didn't buy. I find the navigation of various vector shapes kinda bleh. But I did like your demo of using it as a 3osc; gonna have to try that one. However, I still believe one of, if not the best modulator in eurorack is the old Mutable Instruments Stages. Highly flexible, especially given you can expand it by chaining multiple modules. I have four chained in my system, and it is fucking awesome. 24 LFOs, 12 ARs, 6 ADSRs, 4 six-stage EGs, or one 24-stage step sequencer; and every possible combination of the afore-mentioned at the same time. The multiple Stages is close to what I would love to see as a smaller module. A multi-segment envelope generator, MSEG, similar to what is found in the Zebra2 or other u-He VSTs. Basically like a Zadar but you draw in the vector shape. Ideal.
Thank you for your comment! Mutable Instruments was clearly in a different league when it comes to re-thinking and re-designing all kinds of standard synthesis functions. I also have a MI Stages, but sadly only one, so it didn't make it into the video.
Quadrax is the only one of these 3 modules I own, so I have an inherent bias. However, I want to mention a few things that folks might like to know about one of my desert island modules that the video didn’t seem to have time to get into: -Quadrax in LFO mode will go very well into audio rate and tracks 1v/oct. Combined with all the wave shapes available, you essentially have 4 powerful Wavetable oscillators on hand! However, tuning these oscillators is a well known shortcoming for Quadrax. The Rise knob controls oscillator frequency, and only the final quarter of the knob’s range covers the audio rate frequencies. Tuning can be difficult, as you imagine, but it’s not impossible. -Like any AD envelopes, mixing multiple envelopes can give you an ADSR shape. For example, make 2 Quadrax channels trigger with the same gate input. 1 channel is AD, the other is AHR. Feed both their outputs into say, the IntelliJel Quad VCA, mix and attenuate the signals to taste, and presto, ADSR envelope. Of course, using 2 channels for one envelope is a lot resource wise. But for folks like me that use simple AD envelopes most of the time, it works.
Interesting opinion that Zadar doesn't work as well for large systems. To me it's the best MSEG generator out there. The only comparable module I'm aware of is Control Forge, which is much bigger, more expensive, and only does one modulation shape at a time.
Thanks for sharing! For highly complex envelopes, the Zadar is definitely king. For me, I found my composition workflow runs best with ADSR-type envelope modules that are fast to program. That being said, Zadar definitely offers functionality that is hard to come by with other modules!
Excellent review thanks. Another option for a space friendly quad envelope is the Make Noise Pons Asinorum. It also has an LFO option per channel and is super user friendly in a live setting as the navigation and LED colours make it easy even in the dark.
I found Zadar to fit my small rack very well and I like its shapes selection, but I have not used quad envelope generators enough to decide whether it is best for me. So far so good.
I had Zadar for awhile, but found it too fussy to be fun….felt like I had to search a little too much for the right shape… right now am using Tangrams, both Verbos Env modules, Falistri, Comtour 1. But Ive been wanting something more….something snappy & eclectic. The Quadrax & Quadigy seem very interesting, but I wonder about lack of immediacy with Quadigy’s menus and button combos with Quadrax….
I’ve had quadrax for maybe 4 years now as my main EG. I also value immediacy a lot. Most of the time I have my mod matrix set to the same familiar settings, and it works well for me. I probably go into the mod matrix like once every few months. Maybe before a show or if there’s something specific I know i want to do.
Agree on the Zadar! Its great for small systems, but once you have the space for more immediate envelopes, it loses its appeal. Like Gladstone says, the Quadrax stays immediate if you dont need to change CV assignments much. The Quadigy is not as immediate if you switch between screens or envelope 1 - 4 much. I normally fine-tune one envelope at a time for which it strikes a good balance between immediacy and features to tweak. If you are in need to change multiple values on multiple envelopes, it will take a bit more time.
I have QARV which could've fit in a video line this. (I'm not going to pretend to be outraged they you didn't include it, as amusing as that could've been.) I make techno and noisy ambient. I've rarely wanted an ADSR but it's easy enough to get QARV to do that by patching adjacent channels, one as AD the other as AHR, then you use the level control on the latter to set sustain. Getting the envelope itself out is requires another mixer but if you're using it to control amplitude, the built in VCA and mixer means you're done. Main downside is the cramped UI and lack of an EOC, but it does a very lot including v/oct tracking for VCO purposes, plus all the function generator goodness.
@@TheSoundConvergence I'm sure there are many others you could've put in as well but the point isn't to be exhaustive, but to get to the why of things. I really enjoyed your video for that: what makes one tool different from another, and how do those differences impact the musician?
@@TheSoundConvergence I'm thinking of the hidden modes and button combinations and such like. It has heritage in the west coast, but their UI decisions were very, very different.
The Rampage is a really intriguing module, too! I find that the Rampage and Maths are the main 2-channel contenders to quad envelopes, as they come with some nifty additionaly functions, like logic operations.
Thank you for the kind words! That's great to hear Theres so much cool theory nobody really talks about, I just started working on another theory+examples video for next month :)
This filter has two lives. At first it is like new and it works as a mediocre filter. Then it breaks and - if you are lucky - it becomes a fantastic distortion and drone machine.
I've almost pressed the "buy" button a couple of times, and might be tempted again after hearing this. The only real problem with it is you can buy a complete Wasp clone for about $50 more.
I totally understand. For me, I am in love with the Eurorack format and the flexibility of sending any type of OSC to any type filter run by any gate generator, with plenty of options to cross modulate. I rarely buy standalone. I also know a lot of producers who like to have one standalone synth per function that they can all chain together via MIDI. What is the right thing to buy (if anything needs to be bought at all) really depends on how you like to make music and what your studio looks like!
Never underestimate the potential of filters, that's for sure. I designed and built a very humble guitar "synth" 15 years ago through guesswork before I had gone to college, but clipping it into a square wave then using a cascade of high-pass and bandpass filters gave me a sound exact to trumpets and saxophones. Truth be told, when I work on electronica that last thing I want to do as a metal shred and sweep player is try to incorporate a guitar and it have traits intact *to reveal the source to listeners.* I should probably build a 2nd generation lol.
I have a Katowice in my System too. Thanks for the good Ideas for Inspiration. I will try it for the Feedbak Loop of my Sarajewo. Fantastic Nature Video Parts and „Soundtracks“.
Fantastic! Andean's narrative modes are new to me. A really neat scaffold for thinking about meaning and storytelling in sound. And your demonstrations sound great!
@@sebastianlexer4591 sadly it doesn't. it's a slow and clumsy way of repitching that could otherwise be fun and musical. Just would be great to have the option. If you plug a 1v/oct CV source in then it's super cool. Just would be nice to do that with the knob that's already on the module. I work with a lot of other musicians and producers and i'm scared to touch the pitch knob because retuning with accuracy is difficult, and since the new pitch only plays with the next triggered grain i'm just sat there nudging it this way and that trying to get it close and totally unable to play melodically with the knob. Don't get me wrong, i love the module otherwise! Just would really love to see this feature added. And to control the onboard reverb with a button hold + knob twist would be great, so as to not need a whole other module just to add some verb.
Wow, so interesting. Now I want to possibly read that book, but I don’t know if my brain would make as much clear sense as you did explaining and demonstrating this. Great job synthesizing this information (see what I did there 😂).
Analog lives on! lol Guitar gear is on the verge of digital dominance even with the popularity and pricing of valve gear constantly growing. *It's going to be an interesting journey to see that same battle wage with synthesis.*
