The modules arrived. Yay. Most of them from Thomann, which has become my go-to place for purchasing pretty much any music gear. But some modules had to be hunted from other sources such as SchneiderLaden, Reverb and local marketplaces for used stuff (Tori & Huutonet). For some reason no one has replied to my requests at ModularGrid. Perhaps their users shy from newcomers as we don't have any feedback as a stamp for reliability. Oh well, onwards.
Quickly it became apparent that some modules will be absolute keepers:
- Pamela's Pro Workout. When it comes to timing your setup signals, there's none better for the job than Pam's Workout. The Pro iteration is the latest one and its has all kinds of goodies in it. It can dole out eight separate clock signals with different intervals and tons of parameters, and also take external clock signals, run commands and control voltages. All my patches start from this module.
- Noise Engineering Ataraxic Iteritas Alia. VCO to die for. The sounds this thing makes just on its own are simply incredible. Exactly the kind of stuff I dreamt of when starting this journey. Anything and everything from gut-wrenching bass to metallic drones that will rip your soul from its transporting vessel. I'll try to come up with a way to upload sound clips to Blogger platform and you'll see why I fell in love with this thing the first moment it spat its soundscape on me.
- Happy Nerding FX AID XL. Only slightly less sexy than AIA, this beauty is THE effects module in my setup. I have plenty of external effects, but it's quite handy to have 32 unique and really good-sounding effects in such a small, portable package. And the operative word is indeed 'portable' as this setup needs to be carried around to places all those pedals, stompboxes and other thingamajiffies cannot follow. It is also really easy to use, which means that I'll keep on using it.
- Mutable Instruments Links. Oh well, clone of it. When you dive into modular synthesis, you'll start to appreciate the options in patching your modules. It might be that one signal needs to be divided into three different directions (buffered, so that voltage doesn't drop). Or that two channels needs to be stereo mixed (does this also mono input). Or that three signals needs to be averaged into one. Links delivers just that. Nothing fancy, but all business.
- Befaco Output V3. This is something I forgot from my initial setup. As the setup is portable, I need also reliable headphone connection, and Output V3 certainly provides that. It has also cue switch, which means that I can check the sound, sync and all that before I send it to output. Very useful in DJ setup, which this is also a part of.
I really liked other modules also, but these really stood out. Behringer Brains shows real promise, ALM MCO is a workhorse VCO like no other, Make Noise Maths will lift this setup to a whole new level when I learn to use it (difficult one that is)... Intellijel Quad VCA is a legend among modular enthusiasts, but I'm yet discover its magic. Intellijel Mixup is another utility module, perhaps useful, and Tiptop Audio Forbidden Planet is at least for now a bit meh. Doepfer A-118-2 has produced beautiful results in the hands of skilled Youtubers, but I'm still climbing its learning curve.
Expert Sleepers Disting mk4 was a disappointment. No way around that. The thing is pretty much unusable. You have to pretty guess through its countless algorithms and parameters as it offers a tiny, two character screen for it. It was like trying to drive a car via its keyhole. No way, José!
I will return Disting mk4 and get the EX. I do need a Swiss army knife (usable that is) in this setup and EX ticks that box, and basically provides also another mk4 unit to work with. Tons of potential and options for modulation. Yummy.
I also seem to miss a handy envelope generator, which calls for Xaoc Devices Zadar. In a shopping cart already.
With these slight modifications, my setup should look like this: https://modulargrid.com/e/racks/view/2861026. Portability, usability, plenty of options, all basic needs fulfilled and some. And a healthy dose of sonic brutality. :)
Stay tuned.
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| Jamming |
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