Muff's Modules & More

[Muff Wiggler]

So, after a long, long time, it looks like my Wiard order is going to be shipping pretty soon.

I have been agonizing over layout, and while it may change after I get it all setup,I do keep thinking I've got it, then change my mind.

Ultimately there's two subtle differences I can't choose between. Looking for input.

Ok, this much is certain, there's 20U in total. Ultimately it will go in a desktop case, somewhat Putney-style with the top 14U as the vertical panel and the lower 6U as a somewhat horizontal base.

Anyway top 14U will be -

2U Oldschool Controller at the top
6U 300-series frame in below it
6U 300-series frame below that.

The bottom 6U will be -

1U Mult/Atten panel at the top of the lower section, where it meets the top
3U 1200-series frame
2U 310A New Controller at bottom

----

The area of my concern is in the twelve 300-series modules in the two racks in the top section.

I have determined that the six "dual" modules will go in the upper one of the two, and the six "single" modules in the lower.

Here's the two layouts I'm considering, please let me know your thoughts:

Layout 1:

Env - Env - Borg1 - WBug - WBug - Mixo
Seq - Seq - OmniF - cVCO - cVCO - WCity

Layout 2:

Borg1 - Env - Env - WBug - WBug - Mixo
OmniF - Seq - Seq - cVCO - cVCO - WCity


Layout 1 benefits from probably shorter cable runs with typical patches, but is less symmetrical than layout 2.

Layout 2 has a nice organizational appeal but I'm not sure I like having the filters off on the side and the Seq's and Env's not being 'first'.

I dunno. Feel free to suggest completely different layouts if you have any ideas.


thanks

[parasitk]

First, congrats on this system! With no real reason to back this up, I think of your options I'd prefer layout 1. I tend to like my weird/chaosy stuff to the left and mixing/vca/filtery bits to the middle/right so I'd actually mod the first row to:

WBug - WBug - Env - Env - Mixo - Borg

or even:

WBug - WBug - Mixo - Env - Env - Borg

Maybe a little more traditional L-R but still...

I'm also a little concerned that you didn't paste a big "modular planner" style graphic. I thought you took synthesis seriously.

[sascha.victoria]

Huh, I've been waiting about a year and a half. I wonder if I'll ever get a call that Grant is working on my system that I gave up on.

[plord]

Which your choice of doubles above and singles below, I'd go:

Bug-Bug-Env Env-Borg 1-Mixo
Seq-Seq-VCO-VCO-WFC-Omni

Look at the boundary and vertical pairs (ignoring for the moment the 1200 row below, yes obviously you're going to patch outside of this box). Bugs and Seqs lined up allows for shortest-path Woggly step selection from a quantized scale, or going the other way for Sequenced "rate" modulation of a Bug. Both of the filters feed the Mixolator, shortest path. In the 2nd and 3rd columns, ANY of those 4 modules could serve as the master clock for a patch with different kinds and amounts of CV control, plus short paths to the other 5 or 6 modules that might want a shared clock or gate. Column 5 is a voice unto itself, use one LFO to sweep the WFC waves, the AR env on the WFC as your Filter/VCA/LPG env for the Borgs, then for grins send that to a Mixo channel and use the spare LFO for pan.

That's me though. My answer was to go wide and buy longer cables, personally

[xart]

The controller on top is smart.
First...I would toss out the symmetrical/organizational appeal nonsense!!! ....




Put your WB's off to the far left then your SEQ (you will want to clock your seq from the square out on the woggle bug....clock your whole studio of one of those little fukcers..the best pulse eva.)

Then you want your ENV/LFO....

Then you want your OSC or WFC followed by your FILTER/LFO then your MIX (I would put it on the bottom right) You will want your whole EURO/FRAC mess to run thru your MIX ... its one of my favorite VCA's.

So to recap...

WB > SEQ > ENV> OSC OR WFC> FILTER/LFO
WB> SEQ > ENV> OSC OR WFC> FILTER/LFO > MIX

Think HORIZONTAL with the WIARD....

Also....if you don't have the tiptop stack cables....GET THEM. This is a game changer with the Wiard and solves my #1 bitch with the 300 series.

[dougcl]

Take lovely straight on pics of your modules. Post them here. I will create Rack Planner modules for you. You can then use Rack Planner to arrange your rack, and we benefit from having module images that are currently non existent on the web.

[Muff Wiggler]

[Muff Wiggler]

and thanks,.... you guys have given me some thing to think about. Let me noodle this for a bit and get back to you

doug I don't have all the modules here yet (only 6 of 12) but when I do you'll get the pics for RackPlanner, I promise.

[dougcl]

[felix]

I'll agree on the WB/SEQ stuff on the left side. I'd personally have a Mixolator or two intermingled with the VCOs for FM index, cross-fading, mixing before filter, all that shit. I tend to have envelopes on the far right for some reason.

My main thing is that I would want to run as many modules as I could horizontally. One of my favorite things about how the 300 is laid out is that all the patch cables are at the bottom, so they can hang down and not get in the way of any knobs. But if you've got a row underneath that, then the cables are hanging in front of those knobs. For example, if I were in your shoes, I'd likely put both 6U of 300 modules side-by-side and put the two 2U controllers side-by-side on the bottom (shorter cable run to the modules and out of the way of the module knobs). Unless you really need the attenuators on the 1U, I'd say chuck that and just get a handful of StackCables.

I wouldn't know what to do with the 3U 1200 series frame though...change it out for portable Walekko Euro system?

[Fnord]

Personally, as long as I can patch everything to everything else, I'm a happy camper, so my vote is with chaos. Write the module names on slips of paper and pick them out of a hat. However you lay it out, you're going to love it. Congratz.

[el clon]

[felix]

I want to hear more about the Mega Muff 300!

[revmutt]

This is my 300 set up (minus unfinished 3rd rack)

Bottom: Controller
1st rack: OSC, SEQ, ENV, WB, Borg, MIX
2nd: OSC, WFC, ENV, WFC, Omni, "Filter"

the advantage to the Wiard stuff is that most of the modules are so multi functional that getting a clock from somewhere or creating a tone source is never an issue.

[indexofmetals]

are you planning on wiring it up internally for pre-patched connections?

[Muff Wiggler]

thanks again, you guys have given me some good points that have helped me re-think this, and I''ve come up with a third option that is currently what I think I will go with.... again your thoughts much appreciated!

first, i love Pauls idea of Bugs and Seqs close together, but... well you'll see actually what i've just done puts them farther apart, but I think may be the best balance of things

also, I sorta want the envs and seqs on the far left, as they will be the most tweaked modules of all (it's a tossup between envs and bugs on the top side, as I to twiddle both a lot - but I really tend to tweak the envs all the time)

ended up putting the omni and mixo near the middle for shortest runs from anywhere to mixo...

anyway, what do you think:

Env - Env - Borg1 - Mixo - WBug - WBug
Seq - Seq - OmniF - WCity - cVCO - cVCO


also, internally patched connections? Yes I'm planning on it, but not for a long time. First I need to come up with a layout that is proven - there's a good chance whatever I come up with to start here will change over the first year or two

then I want to spend another year or two really getting intimate and developing some skills and familarity on the thing. If I make an internalized patch right now, there's a good chance in 2 years it will seem stupid given what i've learned and I'll un-do it to make something different anyway

so, at some point, probably. just not soon!

[sandyb]

i haven't even started thinking about the layout of my stuff yet - it's still in the same setup i inherited it in when i bought it - so this thread has been interesting to read.

i think with yours muff i'd be inclined to go something like this:

Seq - Seq - Wbug - Wbug - Borg - Mix
CVCO - CVCO - Env - Env - WFC - Omni

i like having modulation/chaos sources in the middle of things (hence the wogglebugs and envelators where they are) and sort of spread out from there with a rough L-R flow.

doesn't work with your dual modules on top though - sorry

sandy

[Muff Wiggler]

woah i think i've got it now actually

gonna make one sacrifice to the 'doubles on top' idea, will be good to get the mixo into the lower 300-series panel so it's halfway between the upper 300 series and the lower 1200 series anyway (easier to patch to fron anywhere)

Env - Env - Borg1 - Omni- WBug - WBug
Seq - Seq - Mixo - WCity - cVCO - cVCO

and that creates the easy option to switch the positon of the wbugs and envs, if i find that i am tweaking the bugs more frequently, resulting in

Bug - Bug - Borg1 - Omni- Env - Env
Seq - Seq - Mixo - WCity - VCO - VCO

hmm i think this just might be it

[parasitk]

[smoo]

Congrats on the system. I would also think horizontally if that works *somehow*. I have my 300's horizontally since many years:
Seq-cVCO-cVCO-cVCO-WaveformC-Omni Rev2-Omni Rev3-Borg-Woggle-DEnv-Mixol.

Thats pretty traditional and makes me happy :-). This has been natural for me because I started with the "normal" 6 Modules System. Best buy I ever did.
You could put the Mixolator in the middle to save plugs.

I don't know exactly what Rev my Omni's are, but they are a bit diffrent: The older one is not Constant-Q, the newer one is Constant-Q and has blue LED's. I prefer the sound of the older non-constant-Q. But both gets everyday use.

[Muff Wiggler]

ok, amazing developments but need your help again!

Thanks to sandyb and the arrival of a Wiard format Klee, I now have an even number of used rack space and will be building 'side by side' instead of straight up. I'm having a pair of identical cases made and this system is going to be simply outrageous when all is said and done.

But it's thrown my layout options for a loop... at least in regard to 300 series. so here's the dilemma, would love any advice!

There's two identical cases, side by side. Each has a horizontal-ish 'lower' section and a vertical-ish 'upper section'. The upper section is 6U and each case will have a rack of 300 series installed here.

The lower section is 5U, there will be a controller at the very bottom spot in each (311 in one case, Voltmeter Controller in the other). The 3U above that will have the Klee in one case and the 1200 series rack in the other. That's all easy. The tough part is figuring out the order of the 300 series modules in the upper section.

I'm considering two options - Option One is to group the same pairs of modules together, and have something configured like it was a single system all in one case. Like this:

Left case, left-to-right:

Waveform City - VCO - VCO - WBug - WBug - Borg Filters

Right case, left to right:

Mixolator - Sequantizer - Sequantizer - Envelator - Envelator - Omni Filter

---------------------------------------

Option Two is not to group identical modules together, and instead to configure it so it's optimized to be split apart and used as two seperate systems (even though it never will, for some reason I can't stop thinking this configuration would be fun....):

Left case, left-to-right:

Omni Filter - Envelator - Sequantizer - WBug - VCO - Mixolator

Right case, left-to-right:

Borg Filters - Envelator - Sequantizer - WBug - VCO -Waveform City

---------------------------------------

Option One has the benefit of identical modules side-by-side and a very rough grouping of noisemakers on the left and cv stuff on the right (really rough grouping as the modules are all so damn flexible and all provide noisemaking, processing and cv generation)

Option Two is cool if the systems are used by two people (not gonna happen much if at all), short patching is needed, etc. More like two small systems side by side than one large wide system. It has some layout symmetry in the middle four of the six modules being the same on each side.

Anyway as you can see I'm thinkning a lot about this and I'm sure I'll move 'em around a lot once they are initially mounted but i'd like to figure out the optimum layout while I wait for the cases to be built.

Any thoughts, suggestion etc are gratefully appreciated. As a quick summary we have two six-module spaces, side by side, and these 12 modules to arrange within them:


Borg Filters
Omni Filter
Mixolator
Waveform City
VCO x2
WBug x2
Sequantizer x2
Envelator x2


What would you do?

thanks!

[dude]

mirror would be pretty cool but maybe not as useful in terms of signal flow

[Audio Resistance]

I would go with option one because it would flow better to me. Your hand would always go to your sequencers when you need them and to your VCO's when you need them and so on.....

I would also probably swap the Omni with one of the WB's.

[tIB]

I have a pretty symmetrical rig in euro and love it, that said it is stacked high as I never got on with it as 2 systems side by side... didnt feel right to me wide, tall is fine however. Im not helping much really.

[sandyb]

option one i think.
but i'd move the envelators over so they were nearer the borg for lpg stuff.


Left case, left-to-right:

Waveform City - VCO - VCO - WBug - WBug - Borg Filters

Right case, left to right:

Envelator - Envelator - Mixolator - Sequantizer - Sequantizer - Omni Filter

[revtor]

#2 for sure

[plord]

Well, first off, you know you're gonna change it around, right? It's what we do. But that said, I think you have the opportunity to explore all of the various characters of the Wiard system by splitting into the lame old East/West coast synthesis methods, as follows. As I recall, your 1200 series is 3 filters and 2 noise rings, right? That's important I think because it gives you extra filters and a "final" VCA to play with on one side that you won't have on the other with the Klee taking up the whole row. SO if it is me, I'm thinking you could do this:

Right side: a one complex or two simple voice East-ish coast system
KLEE - humina humina
VCO x2 - two voices or FM each other
Sequantizer - Tune to a scale, use the Klee outs to select stages
Envelator - one env for each voice, two + outs to drive filter and Mixo VCA.
Borg Filters - Set one LFO to square, attenuate, send to the Sequantizer octave in.
Mixolator - Final output or ring mod or you know, whatever.

Left side: one to four West-ish coast experimental voices to RULE THEM ALL.
1200 Row with Boogie, Borg II, HP Boogie, 2x Noise Ring - I think the Borg II is your final VCA here, Boogie LP could also act as a gate depending on how many voices you want to pull out here.
Omni Filter - Purely as a SINE VCO; WFC to linear FM in, or Omni out to FM the WFC, your choice.
Waveform City - as above.
WBug x2 - Unlimited mangling possibilities.
Sequantizer - Graphic waveform gen, clock from Wbug or Omni out. Or use to quantize a Wbug/NR output.
Envelator - Clock each side from the 2 Noise Rings?

[Muff Wiggler]

ok this is exciting, i finally have it, have come up with the perfect layout balancing all my concerns and considerations.

Your input has been a big help. I started with my proposed layout, then took Sandy's advice of putting Borg1Filters next to an Envelator.

Then I really liked Paul's idea and organized around that concept.

Then of course I started shuffling stuff around.

Note my case is not yet built so I'm holding back on both a barrage of photos as well as really spending a lot of time working with the system as it's not yet 'born'. But with all the units here I've been able to play musical chairs with the modules and after a TON of head scratching, and moving things around a lot, I've GOT IT. Absolutely the layout I'm 100% set on, really balances everything.

On the left is the half with the 311 controller at the bottom and Klee above it.

On the right is the half with the Voltmeter at the bottom and the 1200 series row above it.

For the two racks of 300 modules above those, here's the layout, left to right:

---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

cVCO-cVCO-WBug-Env-Borg1-Mixo---Seq-Seq-WBug-Env-Omni-WCity

---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

Sitting on top of the entire thing is a single 15FU wide row of frac modules. Left-to-right those are:

Midiverter-MiniWave-Zeroscillator-SawAnimator-Zeroscillator-MiniWave-M iniWaveExpander

goddamn. thanks so much guys

edit: if you're curious about the row of 1200 series modules, they are (again left-to-right):

NoiseRing-BoogieLPF-Borg2-BoogieHPF-NoiseRing

[plord]

Sick. Have fun with all that and anxiously awaiting pix.

You know the problem both you and I are eventually going to have with our Wiard setups?

[Muff Wiggler]

[plord]

[Muff Wiggler]

i totally hear you - but on the other hand i'm really excited about accepting this system as fait accompli and working within whatever limitations are presented by the module selection. it's not like we're lacking flexibility here (as you well know)

i'm extremely happy with how all my needs/desires/wishes have been balanced out by the layout and module choice and it will be a joy to use what's available within the instrument and no longer worry about "what if i had...."

[rezzn8r]

congrats
can't wait to see pics when you get your case!

[Muff Wiggler]

progress

[Muff Wiggler]

[MechaSeb]

Congrats Muff ! What a beautiful beast you have here !

[ignatius]

fuckn WOW

beauty. let's hear it!

[Fnord]

That's HAWT

And you probably don't need that massive bug modular system, you should totally sell it to me.

[vasculator]

WOW! that is stunning!

[science]

Nice. Can't wait to see it all racked up

[panda30y]

[HueMonContact]

All I can say is...

[plord]

Damn that's purty.

[dude]

i better put on some new underwear

[bwhittington]

[Reality Checkpoint]

Crikey Moses!

[Fnord]

The real beauty of it, is that it SOUNDS as good as it looks.
Congratz again.

[J3RK]

Beautiful! If I had the funding, (or Grant locked in a box) that is what I would have. I also lack a bit of the patience required to wait for such a wonder.