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.