Molten Modular 06 - Choosing your first Eurorack modules 

Hi Ben ✌️

Aww thanks 😊

Nice one 👍

Molten Music Technology Thank you very very much! I’m only simimodular right now, but I think we can still be friends. Ha ha

I am discovering similar things :)

Nice story, thanks

Thank you very much :)

Thanks man - love your work :)

I'm in the same boat here haha. The people where I live probably think I'm experimenting with alien technology, but loving every second of it.

Alexandre Mattucci Make Noise Maths would be a good next step. It offers lots of modulation possibilities for the Mother and can be many different things. After that maybe an effects module. I went with the Mutable Instruments Clouds texture synth which samples little grains of sound that you can reverse and mix around and mash up and do all sorts of cool things with. The cool thing about Eurorack is that it totally depends on the wants of the artist. There really isn’t a right and wrong. Have fun!

Make friends with people who do modular if you can to get exposure to different builds. That really helped me a lot. Ask questions on Muff Wiggler and Modulargrid.com people are super friendly and helpful. Plan some setups and budget.

you're welcome!

Cool, that’s great to hear. Deckard’s just needs time that I don’t have but I’ll have another go soon I hope

Nice one

Wow, Ann Annie - what a great find - that's for pointing her out, those are wonderful. I enjoy being inspired by simple rigs - gives me hope :)

So important to develop our own voice amongst this phantasmagoria of modules, less is more.

too true

girl in a gale Ann Annie channel is so awesome, love the different scenerys.

I'm finding myself a little fixated on the space the M32 takes up. I've almost convinced myself to get the triple tier ends for the Moog case and go for 3 full rows - that will at least take the space issue out of the equation for, hopefully, some time, without costing too much.

Nice one mate.

Yes definitely, see where it takes you.

There are some great desktop boxes out there - we are spoilt for choice and I could totally go that way if I hadnt gone this way :)

+Kayak Fan thanks for the tip. I’ve not come across any too deep as yet. Maybe that’s why the Doepfer cases are so chunky. I don’t think the Moog is any shallower than any of the other skiffs I looked - but it’s certainly true that some modules are deep - always check before you buy.

The problem I found was that it's because of the slanted back panel. The chunky doepfer ones are square and don't have that problem. And it's such a shame too because the moog ones looked absolutely beautiful. I just couldn't even fit the most basic doepfer A-110-1 VCO in there; which is very weird that Moog didn't think to test this.

I haven't got to the Maths yet, but thanks for the tip.

Hi, could you please send me the link to the unofficial manual as a PM? Thank you

Those Kastles are awesome

Future Tropics Yeah the semi modular route is really good to start with. Like I knew how synths worked before a little, but now I am learning them enough to feel confident that I would know what to do if I ever built a fully modular system.

I'm finding there's no right or wrong ways to approach it, just lots of opinion. I like the look of a chaotic rack with different modules from different places - makes things more identifiable and unexpected. But you should jolly well get whatever you want. With the Mother 32 you've got a lot of functions that will help you start small. For instance, just getting another oscillator - you could stick that in the M32's External Input, play it from the keyboard and modulate with the LFO, all without getting anything else. It really is possible to start small - and it's helpful to do that. I'm having to fight desires to buy more modules all the time because i havent spent proper time with what i have yet. It is a challenge... and fun!

Thanks for the quick response! Have you "discussed" yet the process of "triggering" to get sounds out of these wonderful Beasts? The Mother 32 has its little keyboard and sequencer. And a bit of random note generation never goes amiss plus other midi controllers? I like keyboards so will tend to use that. I like Arturia's "KeyStep" plus the "BeatStep Pro". I "practiced" synthesis by using Arturia's software instruments. A relatively cheap way to dip your tow into synthesizers and synthesis. Your thoughts?

Yes, sequencing is the next big topic. I have a BeatStep Pro but i'm finding it less than intuitive and i'm not understanding why it messes the octaves up - it's just all a bit weird. MIDI is so much easier in that respect. So yeah, i'll be getting into that. There's also things that they don't tell you. Like using the mult on the M32 to run the ST0 and the Black VCO from the M32 keyboard and sequencer - it didn't sound right. So i worked out that i needed a buffered mult module and now it's much better - controlling this voltage stuff is an art all unto itself and you never run into these things in software. So yes, sequencing is next on the list :)

The compulsory Maths is a weird thing - although I'm now using it as an envelope which will do for now. I confess to not quite understanding the Ornament and Crime thing - it's been recommended a lot but that black slab, to me, couldn't look more un-modular like. I think that sort of experimentation needs another row of HP - i can easily fill three rows right now.... but i mustn't, because i have a dozen modules i need to learn already! The mixer thing - coming from a vaguely pro-audio background i'm surprised at the simplicity of the mixing options. It makes obvious sense to me that i would want to be running each "sound" separately through a different channel on my audio interface into my DAW for when i come to record what's going on. But all the mixers and output modules seem to reduce to a stereo output, with no sends or other routing options. And those that do offer a bit more take up loads of HP. I'd like a module that has an input, volume, pan, direct output, with a mix-out and headphone out so i can listen to the modular and still have the option to record multi-track - but i want it with 8 channel all in 8hp :) But maybe the way i need to approach it is to relax a bit on the size of the system. The Mother annoys me with how much room it takes up, but if i was to go to three rows then that would no longer be an issue and i could chill out about having a 24hp mixer. It's a sickness...

Ahh, you're right about the mixer -- it totally depends upon your goals. Really, most advice I've seen says just do the mix in an outboard mixer if you want any sophistication at all: the most flexibility for the money. I think this is probably compatible with your needs/expectations for getting multichannel sound *out* of your setup. For my part, I want to do everything "in the box", so I don't mind only having stereo outs on my modular mixer. I actually split the headphone out of my Sputnik and record right off of that to a Zoom H2, so I'm pretty low-tech. This does bring me some issues -- I have to work "wet", to the extent I can anyway, and I'm stuck with the results. I need all the effects, (except perhaps for a final reverb) "in the box", too, and with no effect loops on my current stereo mixer, I have to have an effect per for each channel/voice I want to use it on. Whew! So I'm just happy that Clouds and Elements both have their own reverbs and I can put one or the other Disting into delay mode. When I have something I think is worth preserving I just take the file from the H2 into GarageBand and apply a little final reverb to the whole stereo mix. I know it's not a "pro" way to do it, but it keeps things contained. OK, that was long-winded. Re the O+C, it is also a module that is probably overly loved. I got mine because I got caught up in the hype. Yes, it can be multiple channels of many things, but it can only be one of those things at a time. So if you need four channels of quantization, well, you have it. But I generally don't need that. And if you *are* using it for quantization and normally use it for quad LFOs, well you just lost four LFOs. I find four ASRs to be really uninteresting. So I pretty much use it in quadrature LFO mode, which is very handy, esp with the display. But since I pretty much only use it as an LFO I think I'd just prefer a Batumi. Most people consider this sacrilege, but I think three Distings is more useful than one O+C. You could do three different things in fewer HP Watch out for the torches and pitchforks now that I've said that! So I've gone on long enough. It is indeed a sickness. Thanks for listening, and I look forward to your next installment

AFAIK There's nothing to stop you from running each sound separately into your audio interface without a fancy mixer, you would just need to attenuate the output of the last module in the patch down to a level your interface can handle. You could use Veils for that, although it would be a bit of a waste of VCAs. The AT-AT-AT triple attenuator from Thonk.co.uk would maybe be a good option - it's DIY but apparently very easy to build and costs about £25 including postage.

If you're looking for single-function building blocks then yes, you'll probably not want the O&C. But that could change. My philosophy tends to be the same but I do really like the O&C. Great videos, btw! I wish there had been something like this when I started. Several years in and still learning. But that's a good part of the fun.

Started a year ago. Yep, everybody was talking about Math… Become anti Math. Probably stupid. But now I have Function and Intellijel Quadra plus its expander. You don’t have to do like everybody else? Nice vid btw!

Sure - the KB output of the M32 doesn't track other VCO's very well and so it works better via a buffered mult. Which means that when trying to sequence other oscillators using the KB CV output, the pitch isn't very accurate.

Ahh, thanks - so straight away I'm needing eurorack in theory, although I'm not sure accurate pitch is really needed for my experiments. It is a complicated and deep world out there, no wonder you have done so much research! I'll follow your journey with great interest! Again, thank you for your videos and for taking the time to help a dumb newb - subscribed, liked, amazed!

yes, sure, that works

my humble thoughts on my starting out is to keep expenses minimal. i will probably get the 3U SKB 19” rack cases wired for power first with the Happy Ending bracket. Then a simple/straightforward VCO. Following that, I suppose would be a simple VCF, an EG, and a VCA. The fancy stuff will wait until I know what I’m doing and my bank account has recovered from the initial shock.

You need to work out what you want to do with it. Sequence probably. The Elequencer is awesome but huge. I’m really liking the Varigate 4+ but also the Hermod if you want midi sequenceing - it does midi-to-cv too. But for utilities you won’t really know until you start making music- so do that first.

Thanks Robin for the quick response! I want an industrial techno setup for harsh mean sounds. Since I have an Elektron Analog 4 that has two CV outs and a sequencer, I want to keep my first modular setup basic and somewhat affordable. Eurorack sequencers are EXPENSIVE! So if I can use my Analog 4 to sequence it that should keep costs down. I sequence my semi modular Make Noise 0-coast right now from my Elektron Analog 4. Or I could get a cheaper Beatstep Pro that has CV to control modular gear.

You could but go with what you have - you don’t have to get everything at once. I got a BSP and have regretted it. But it depends on what you want. But start with a few things and then see. Modular is a journey rather than a single purchase.

thanks- I think that I will visit some modular shops in LA since I live 2 hours from large ones and can try out some gears and figure out the best starting point. Agree- it is a journey- a few modules to start to learn on budget and expand from there.

Maybe. I got as similar response when i asked if there was any news on the Spherical Wavetable oscillator before Christmas - they just said "nope". I'm sure they are lovely really.

That's always a good place to start

Easier on the pocket maybe but probably not easier on your time. DIY modular is awesome, but you have to take it on as a bit of a hobby which will eat into your music making time. I've got a Turin module kit that i plan to build very soon - should be an adventure, but i also like buying a well made module for a specific function. So yeah, i'm into the kit thing but printing your own PCB's is getting a little too deep for me - but you go do that thing!

When sending the M32 sequencer out to other oscillators it sometimes doesn't track the pitch very well - especially if going through a mult or splitting the cable. A buffered mult sorts this out.

Molten Music Technology Thanks,I appreciate you telling me.

It's appropriate when it's not working right with a passive mult. If you are getting weird pitches and things not quite working right, then try a buffered mult and you'll experience the difference.

Thank's for this channel. I just noticed that the Mother-32 has at least one buffered multiple with two outs on board. I'm still in the stand alone mode. The Mother, Erebus, 0-Coast mindset...trying to justify a whole rack just to get a buff mult. By the time I have the language to ask the correct question I've probably already answered it...

yes - everything else. So far you have a synth, a drum machine, a delay and a sampler - you could do all of that in desktop units. You need modulation, utilities, CV mixing,VCAs, random generators, switches and all the other things to do with CV and modular rather than just sound sources and effects.

Molten Music Technology seems like I need a lot more. :/. Not al lot of hp left...DFAM and 32 are big. I want to make the most of the little space left. What modules would you recommend. Maths ....?¿

you probably need to spend time with what you have. You have a load of stuff - you need to play with that. You only really work out what modules you need once you start doing things or trying to do things which you find you cant.

loads of money

I did another video all about the case and power supply - funnily enough i went for a 4MS one in the end :)

Hi Frank. I put together the Molten Modular series of videos to help people just like you - people who don't know where to start. So please, check out the whole series and the website too and hopefully that will get you moving in the right direction www.moltenmodular.com

Jokes aside; I have been pleasantly surprised at how supportive and unpretentious the modular community is too. I've asked so many questions in which I assumed would be met with angry n00b-condescending egos but nope! mostly just information sharing and steering confusion in a understandable direction (y)

That is true - it took me much longer to finish this one than I had intended.

Molten Music Technology very enjoyable series nonetheless. Keep up the good work.

well nevermind

3:12

I've come a long way since this video :)

i feel like this is a deadmau5 reference...

Electronic Cat Offical MATHS is a module from MAKE NOISE

Doesn't seem to be that way. Plenty of people go the route of an effects processor, or a noise maker, or a percussion focus, or just straight into weird things. So when describing my journey I needed to filter out all the advice on getting modules that were very clever and yet unintelligible to me at that stage, and focus on the basics - that made sense to me. And you've got to start from a place that makes sense to you even if that's not where you end up.

Well, alright. Fair enough.

They are now, they weren't at the time I made the video. But the point is simply that you need to have your own reasons for choosing your modules if you can.

haha,... right,... I keep forgetting that the videos are not "real time",.... silly me,... anyway, nice videos,... I really enjoy living vicariously through you, hoping that someday, I'll be able to rack up enough "time" so I can afford a system of my own,... in the mean time I'll keep watching your progress while fiddling on VCV,... so keep up the good work :)

it is a bit challenging, but i haven't hardly scratched the surface of the M-32 yet :)