I’m curious how many other folks are into the tangent synth communities. Modualar, hardware, software, new releases, favorite vintage gear, whatever. Lets see your synths!
@Ternpike You’d probably be into this reissue
The Behringer JT-2 was announced - very confused about this one. This is a ton of HP for a modular rack, and I’m not aware of many folks that want a paraphonic Jupiter-8. Seems like a way to use the iconic jupiter look to sell something that is completely removed from the original.
The Leviasynth by ASM seems insane though. I’m going to go out on an early limb and say this will be the coolest thing we see from this NAMM cycle. https://youtu.be/2MYTz-Ghnbo
Hell yeah I do
Hey @kunal check this out
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Yeah, this is really cool.
Is that a recent one? I thought that reissue happened last year, umm?? We wanted to list it on Apos but were not sure if people would be interested in it.
Yeah people would be into this. Then I’ll need to make an omnichord case out of wood for it.
Andy,
I’m not much of a social media/forums person, but I’d emailed Alex at Apos and he suggested that I visit here. Actually, here’s what he said:
“As for synths and Andy, these are all great questions and I have good news because he is a great writer who LOVES to talk synth gear. He started his own thread over here (https://forum.apos.audio/t/the-synthesizer-corner/2240) and would probably love someone to talk to about them.
He was actually working on designing a eurorack before he started doing the turntable so be sure to ask him about that as well.”
And here’s the part of my email to him that prompted that reply:
“But I’ve had a long fascination with synthesizers (Moog, Theremin, &c.) and with metal percussion instruments. I have a lot of the latter but my only synthesizer is an Otamatone, although a few years ago I almost bought a Theremin. And a MIDI but didn’t because I don’t want to play a piano, I just want something beyond blipblop.
And there it is in Andy’s pathetically brief Apos note.
I at first thought maybe Apos sold Buchla + Tip Top, but no such luck.
Any chance I can get Andy to expand? You don’t need a Buchla Music Easel to get what it seems like Andy’s interested in, do you? And if you don’t, what Buchla + Tip Top modules do you need to get started? A 281t + a 292t + a 266t and either a couple 258t’s or 259t? Too much or too little? Am I missing something obvious? And what about a Eurorack recommendation?
Anyway, nice chatting with you again.”
I’d kind of like to get involved but I’m at ground zero.
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Hey NotAlex,
I do enjoy a good synth, and yes - you should get into them too! Do you have anything in particular you are looking to get out of a synth? Just want a good synth to learn on, more genre/sound specific, etc?
I guess I can ramble about modular a bit and talk about where I’d start knowing what I know now. I just took down my triple stack of TipTop cases today from a gig I had last week. Something people don’t talk about enough with modular is that less can often be more. I know having a wall of modules seems enticing, but I break my system up into smaller systems as often as I can.
I think the beauty of modular is being forced to use what you have, and use modules in weird and creative ways they weren’t initially designed for. For exploration and forced creativity in this vein, the Buchla stuff is fantastic. I got into Buchla after years of east cost synthesis and more “traditional” eurorack modular to help me break out of some of my habits - and because its just so iconic and I wanted to see if it would click with me. It definitely did, its currently my favorite system to just sit and explore.
Would I start with Buchla? Maybe. Watch as much as you can about the system before investing in it, because I will say that it definitely has a lot more magic when you use the Buchla stuff with other Buchla stuff. Todd Barton is a killer resource, and the goto Buchla guy. Stazma also has great content. Folks like Suzanne Ciani and Junkie XL also do killer Buchla stuff, but on the astronomically epxensive Buchla E series setups.
If you just want to get into Eurorack and see if its for you, I’d probably start with some Mutable Instruments stuff. After Later Audio makes new versions now (they are open source as MI is no longer) for a great price. It’s almost cliche, but it’s incredibly fun to do something like Marbles > Rings > Clouds. You can get a ton of fun out of a setup even this small. In fact, one of the most inspirational things I love to reference with Eurorack is this guy who does just 3 module jams. Proof that you don’t need the giant racks of gear to have a ton of fun and amazing sounds.
Lightbath has a great video showing how patching from scratch really works and feels - there’s a ton of “patch from scratch” videos, but I think his is the best just because of his commentary and how useful and insightful it is.
In terms of just getting into more traditional subtractive synthesis, like Moog stuff, there’s a ton of cheap options for under $500 I’d be willing to dive into with you. Do you want a mono synth, polyphonic synth, patch memory, etc? I can give a lot more suggestions if you want to jump down this rabbit hole!
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Thanks, Andy. Lots to unpack.
This is perfect starting question. And, yes, I do. I want to dissect and examine sound. I want to begin with single strike input on a variety of idiophones. I’d also like to input controlled random noise (ie, a small handful of pebbles dropped into a metal bucket, a fly in a bottle, etc.) Drums are next.
I’m not looking to deejay.
Input and output requirements are questions I need to resolve as well as the synth part.
FWIW, after stumbling across your bit in the last Apos emailing, I found Stazma’s 2 YouTubes on minimal Buchla+ TipTop module set ups. Hence, the origin of my question about 258t’s vs. 259t, etc. And until I relooked at the video you posted to Apos, my intention was to buy Buchla only and as few pieces as possible. But I kind of like the Strymon StarLab Time-warped Reverberator in that video.
I was a fan of Brian Eno in his ambient phase (ie, Nerve Net). Don’t like drum machines.
Nuff for now?
Based on some of what you said, I may suggest looking into some sample/granular based stuff as well. When it comes to exploration and variety, they offer massive bang for buck. Clouds, Beads, Morphagene, Arbhar(has built in mic even). This is precisely the rabbit hole that pulled me into eurorack. No other standalone does granular as good as eurorack, and the way you can interact and modulate samples really makes it standout over standalone devices. They all interact so well with other synths and voices as well as acoustic instruments, samples, weird noises, etc. I’ll try to make a video later for you tomorrow showing some of these as close to standalone as I can.
On a much broader scale the Make Noise ReSynthesizer system is epic. Spendy, but it’s all about exploring existing sounds over playing the sounds.
When it comes to these in particular, you don’t need a huge system. Something as simple as an I/O module and the granular will be all you need. For synth sources you can always get a free plugin (and there are SO many) and just play sounds from a computer. Again, in my video I’ll try to highlight some sources as well for you.
Thanks, Andy. I’ve been immersed in granular and some other synth videos since I read this reply. For a while l looked at oscillators confusing the Stazma recommendation for Buchla 258t/259t with your mention of I/O. Complete error on my part but a useful learning experience down the wrong rabbit holes. The built-in microphone you mentioned on the Instruo Arbhar put me back on track and for a while I was convinced that maybe that plus an I/O thing and some cables who knew what else I was overlooking…
But I went back and discovered the Make Noise Morphagene Sample Manipulation Eurorack Module. Maybe it was the straight forward simplicity of the manufacturer’s five 3-5 minute demo videos, but I think that this is what I want to start with. But I’m open to your straightening me out if I’m still as far off now as I was when Alex pointed me in your direction.
Can I plug a microphone into the I/O eurorack module that’ll feed into the MNMSMEM? And do you plug the MNMSMEM back into the I/O EM and then the I/O EM into an amp & speakers and/or a headphone amp?
Make Noise Morphagene is legendary. It’s a module you’ll find in so many veteran racks simply because it does so much. I was working on a video but realize I’ll need my interface to finish it - and it’s at a rehearsal space. I’ll get to it, but heres some stuff in the meantime:
Loopop is the greatest synth reviewer out there, in my opinion, and his video really shows just how versatile Morphagene is.
The Red Means Recording video has some more musical examples throughout - it’s a bit of a video manual, a bit of a jam - but a great video.
Finally, Helene Vogelsinger is probably my favorite Eurorack composer, and she has a great video in collaboration with Make Noise simply showing how she uses the module. This is a fantastic and quick video showing how it is actually used creatively - now that the other videos have shown you the capabilities. It’s definitely a module that has so many capabilities that you probably won’t use them all - rather finding certain aspects that resonate with you and really digging into those. Definitely check out some of her other videos too - fantastic video + synth work.
Morphagene can really be a standalone unit for a while. You can get a fairly cheap case like the Behringer Rack and just build a little wood case for it or get a small rack (we can talk cheap cases in depth more if you want). I do think it really comes alive, as will any unit for exploration and ambience, with a good reverb unit. You mentioned the Strymon already, which is one of the best out there, and also the most expensive. Finding the right reverb/fx unit can be another discussion if you want - there are so many options (some standalone, some are multi fx, some do multiple fx at once, some modules like Beads have a stellar built in reverb that you can use to process other modules, etc). You can also plan to simply integrate FX pedals into the signal chain - there are tons of killer reverb pedals for less than any eurorack module will cost you.
FInally - check out this Beads video if you think making little recordings of your own with acoustic instruments, or even just noises, or sampling short things seems fun. It’s more focused than Morphagene, but incredibly fun on its own as well.
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Thanks. It’s going to take me a while to review all you dropped/figure out/learn the lingo. Long ago I was good with reel to reel/tape & scissors, so “splice” and “reel” are comfortable, but “Morphogene really loves modulation, so…”?!!
Took me a while to figure out that Beads is a granular module competitor of Morphogene, but once I aha’d that, the “yes, this is exactly where I want to begin” energy hit me. I’d have already ordered it and an I/O module and a eurorack if I had even the slightest inkling that I know what I’m doing. But I don’t. Upstream and downstream, input and output issues are something I’ve yet to grasp. And there’s already an urge to add another module or two. (For no good reason except something that feels akin to intuition I want the Strymon reverb thing and the Buchla+TipTop 266t.)
But I’m beginning to focus on the knobs and the I’m gaining belief that you folks have a rationale for connecting one jack to another jack be it intramodularly or intermodularly.
Also I’ve decided I want an oscilloscope for the rack.
Thanks for the experience.
Nice! Beads was my very first module, and it was a fantastic first module choice, IMO.
When it comes to other modules to look at earlier than later, just a few come to mind.
Pamelas Pro Workout is a real no brainer. It is the most popular module on ModularGrid for good reason. It’s essentially a very flexible clock and modulation source, with a very intuitive menu. Unlike a lot of modules with screens that can be a bit of a hassle, Pams is super simple. You can do clocking, random modulation, quantized modulation for making sequences and jams, etc.
DATA is the oscilloscope module I use. It’s the biggest one out there. It seems like a lot for what it does. Its essentially just an oscilloscope but is also a tuner, dual oscillator, and has a few other small tricks. Being able to visualize what is happening in my system with the voltage monitor screen was an invaluable resource. If you just have Pams and Beads you don’t really need this. Pams will allow you to see the modulation on it’s screen. Eventually though when you have oscillators to tune, or other modulation sources this is a killer resource.
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Andy —> Thanks for this.
It took me all day, over night, and into this morning to realize how far from my initial objective I’d strayed because of the seductive nature of the auditorial bling of synth/eurorack modules. Wow!
My initial take on Beads was, “Eureka! That’s pretty much exactly what I’m looking for.” But when I went to find a vendor I discovered Mutable Instruments is no more and Beads is no longer for sale unless I go to the used market. Then I discovered Morphogene and the community f/b seemed excited about its similarities to Beads and saw it as having substantially more creativity opportunities. Which is what threw me off. Suddenly I wanted downstream creative options up the wazoo. Reverb, echo, looping….I found my own Pandora’s box.
It was the Data oscilloscope you mentioned that’s regrounded me. For my purposes it is so much better than the Korg that I’d discovered on my own. Like Beads, it needs to be a part of my eurorack 1.0.
So, it feels like I am heading towards closure: Pamela’s Pro Workout, an I/O module that will allow me to plug into it a microphone, something Beads-like (maybe Morphogene), and Data’s scope.
What do you think?
Not done, though, there’s the rack (it seems to me that it needs to be powered?), and maybe more I’m unaware of and/or which seems so obvious to you that it’s not worth mentioning.
I think you’re really close! You have a coherent system that will already be a ton of fun with plenty of exploration to do. Here’s a fun little suggested system using an 84HP case. I think at first you’d be just fine finding a small 84hp unit, you can do a TON with that space. Here’s the link to the rack.
I think PAMS + DATA + [Morphagene and/or Beads] + Cockpit2 (This is a great 4 channel stereo or mono mixer with sidechain and headphone out in a small format) would be a great starting place. You can plug a MIC directly into Morphagene or Beads btw - I have some little mics with 3.5mm plugs that I picked up for $1 each at a good will that work great for making fun quick samples, recording acoustic instruments, etc.
My wildcard module here is Disting MK4. This is a multi purpose module that can do a ton of different things. It can be all of these different things. Reverb, filters, delays, utility. This isnt necessary at first, but its a really nice module to have no matter how big or small your case is because it can always do something you don’t already have.
It looks right to me, too, Andy. PAMS, DATA, Beads and/Morphagene, Cockpit2, Disting MK4, and an 84HP case.
Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?
I feel like I’ve looped back to the starting point in my email to Alex when I lamented: “I at first thought maybe Apos sold Buchla + Tip Top, but no such luck.” And that’s happened now on 2/2 [aka Groundhog Day]. Did somebody twist the upper center meta-Morphagene dial to the left?
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I think I found all I need to record video/audio again - tonight I’ll build this exact setup and just see what kind of fun we can have with it!
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