Euro Modular Synth ReadMe.1st

Jjbunn · Post by **Jjbunn** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 5:36 pm

Very useful - thanks!

jwm · Post by **jwm** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 2:52 pm

yeah this is great, and a helpful go-to before trying something new. thanks!

SineBrave · Post by **SineBrave** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:10 pm

Such a great thread. Thanks everyone!!

klacke · Post by **klacke** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 4:59 pm

Thanks. Very helpful.

Klose · Post by **Klose** » Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:48 am

Very Grateful for this thread. Thank you so much to everyone that contributed.

debolish · Post by **debolish** » Sun Sep 13, 2015 5:12 pm

Nice one. Thanks!

mtsngrs · Post by **mtsngrs** » Wed Sep 30, 2015 10:03 pm

This thread has been a huge education in my introduction to eurorack.

Thank you!

PhineasFreak · Post by **PhineasFreak** » Mon Oct 05, 2015 12:41 pm

Quantizers:

a quantizer takes an incoming cv and outputs a cv based on the nearest point on a predefined series of steps - generally these output cvs correspond to the cvs necessary to make a 1v/oct system produce musical scales.

in other words, stick in a cv from any source, whether random or not quite perfectly tuned or a mix of multiple cv sources - whatever you can think of and out you'll get musically useful cvs to feed your 1v/oct vcos.

cv source -> quantizer -> vco

use to make random sources more controlled, sequencers tightly in tune, random patterns from lfos or s&h into nice arpeggios etc!

PhineasFreak · Post by **PhineasFreak** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 11:55 pm

When it all goes wrong even if i did say this before, this is worth stating clearly:

turn it off.

dont turn it back on.

no.

not until:

i) you have found the problem, or,
ii) you have a way of testing that wont cause damage.

note, 90% of the time when you hit power and it doesnt work you have plugged a module in wrong. most of the remaining 10% of the time its a blown fuse.

if you turn power back off quick and havent got any really vulnerable modules in your setup, you can get away with plugging in upside down or offset.

Plan A: not the fastest or most fun, but is the safest, and involves checking every module on at a time to see if it works on its own in the case - i.e. unplug everything and only plug in one module at a time then hit power, if there is any problem with either the module (e.g. no sound, no lights etc) or problem with the psu (e.g. no lights or smoke etc) immediately switch back off. even if this is done starting with the latest addition/change to the case and working backwards there are risks and it increases the chances you might plug in a module wrong due to so much messing about.

[Plan B is check all the power connections, and then, once you have checked all the power connections then you can try the power, IF you havent already killed something, i.e. you managed to avoid leaving the power on too long initially. chances are you dont know this for sure so it may be wiser to follow plan A.]

Plan B: whilst you still have power off, check the power cables of everything, starting with the newest addition/change and working backwards, to make sure they have +ve/-ve correctly aligned even if any keyed headers seem to match up, and also check the pins all line up right - its also possible in some situations to transpose the whole power cable up/down/left/right by a few pins. once you are sure you have everything plugged in right hit power and be ready to turn it off fast if there is any sign of trouble such as busboard/psu lights unlit, modules smoking etc

whether you followed plan A or B, once you have decided there are no blown modules in your system, and have everything else plugged in right, if it still doesnt work chances are you have blown (one of?) the psu fuse.

if you have followed the instructions above and it still doesnt power up, again, turn it off quick! the less time there's power when something is wrong the better in general. better to search the forums/irc/ask friends/etc for help and spend a few hrs without modular than doing more damage by rushing.

dayofaudit · Post by **dayofaudit** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 2:30 am

Thanks for taking the time to write these up - incredibly helpful to those just getting started.

Clauditronics · Post by **Clauditronics** » Tue Nov 03, 2015 6:30 pm

Hi, I'm new here. I just wanted to thank you for all the info. Extremely helpful group.

Moogus · Post by **Moogus** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 6:41 am

Had my first wiggle yesterday.

Thanks to this thread i set up the 'east coast' patch and it solved my problem.
I noticed was when I played a note say to octaves up or below from c3 the continuous drone (from VCO) appeared. Only by adjusting the frequency cut off or reseonence on the VCF did the drone stop.
I'm I doing something wrong or is this right??

My system is 100% Doepfer at moment.

M
p.s. Today is working out the sequencer and sequencer controller (got no quantiser, arrives Tuesday).

PhineasFreak · Post by **PhineasFreak** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 12:40 pm

@moogus

have you a gate signal from your keyboard/midi device connected to the gate inputs of adsr(s) controlling the vca and filter?

Moogus · Post by **Moogus** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 2:10 pm

@Phineas

Yes, but I must have patched something incorrectly. I have since then recreated the patch by following the steps in the 4# Modular synth basics video

and it worked perfectly this time.

My noobie triumph for today was creating a bass drum from a VCO triggered by LFO (not a bd module), very NIN

Should have sampled it for future use, then could have used mpc2000xl to play it back when triggered by Doepfer A155/A154; freeing the VCO, Filters, VCA, LFO and mixer to use for another patch

kinphi · Post by **kinphi** » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:13 am

New to the forum getting a lot of helpful information.

Thanks everyone.

ivorykid · Post by **ivorykid** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 1:09 am

Another "thanks" for the superb primer! I can't wait to start squandering my finances away on modular.

blueparents · Post by **blueparents** » Thu Nov 26, 2015 8:24 pm

Thanks this is super useful!

subdo · Post by **subdo** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 9:00 am

I have a semi-noob question. I have my starter kit set up and I've been recreating some of my favorite single osc patches I've done on my minitaur and ms-20mini. One thing I can't quite figure out is how to get EG AMOUNT. Like I patch the dixie in LFO mode into cutoff cv on the Ripples but I don't have a way to control the amount so it sweeps the filter from full cut to full open.

Am I right in thinking I just need to attenuate the CV to cutoff with a mixer - something like Shades? I'm trying to plan my next order. Already know I need VCAs beyond whats in Ripples. I've been looking at Tangle Quartet which seems like it can be a mixer/vca and cv attenuator. Am I on the right track?

pichenettes · Post by **pichenettes** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 10:26 am

subdo wrote:I have a semi-noob question. I have my starter kit set up and I've been recreating some of my favorite single osc patches I've done on my minitaur and ms-20mini. One thing I can't quite figure out is how to get EG AMOUNT. Like I patch the dixie in LFO mode into cutoff cv on the Ripples but I don't have a way to control the amount so it sweeps the filter from full cut to full open.

Am I right in thinking I just need to attenuate the CV to cutoff with a mixer - something like Shades? I'm trying to plan my next order. Already know I need VCAs beyond whats in Ripples. I've been looking at Tangle Quartet which seems like it can be a mixer/vca and cv attenuator. Am I on the right track?

If you patch the CV from your LFO to Ripples' FM input, the turquoise knob controls the CV amount (no modulation at 12 o'clock, turn clockwise for attenuating the modulation CV, turn counter-clockwise for inverting it).

subdo · Post by **subdo** » Sat Nov 28, 2015 12:04 pm

pichenettes wrote:
If you patch the CV from your LFO to Ripples' FM input, the turquoise knob controls the CV amount (no modulation at 12 o'clock, turn clockwise for attenuating the modulation CV, turn counter-clockwise for inverting it).

Brilliant - thank you. Seems so obvious now.

gis_sweden · Post by **gis_sweden** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:12 am

Planning my future purchases. #noob
Just unpacked my first modules and mounted them in the case…

Question: If a noise module has outs for white pink brown etc noise,
can I us white and pink noise at the same time?

PhineasFreak · Post by **PhineasFreak** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 3:24 am

yes you can

pink, blue, brown/red etc noise types are basically just filtered white noise - do whatever you will with them to get the desired result, whether it be as an audio tool or a random source or whatever you can imagine!

gis_sweden · Post by **gis_sweden** » Tue Jan 05, 2016 4:57 am

I thought so, but wanted to know. Now I can find the right noise module

Thanks a lot!

abmusic · Post by **abmusic** » Sun Jan 17, 2016 2:43 pm

This thread is the reason I have a modular now. Super informative and breaks it down bit by bit perfectly...lots of time saved searching the forums.

I started with a 9U case in October and filled it last week...trying DESPERATELY to keep it at 9U for at least most of this year before deciding I have to bring in a new case.

dutycycle · Post by **dutycycle** » Sun Feb 21, 2016 10:08 pm

First post... Been doing various genres of electronic music for long long time, but just now decided to build a eurorack. This is the place to be my fellow modular-heads friends tell me.. Looking to buy/ trade/ sell/ learn!! This sticky was a nice starter. Thanks!

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER

Euro Modular Synth ReadMe.1st

First wiggle

Thanks for the post