Planning my first modular, and why I shifted my approach

[SynthWizard]

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Planning my first modular, and why I shifted my approach

Hey /r/modular!

After developing a modular obsession in VCV Rack, I reached a point where it’s hard to think about much else besides planning real hardware. I’ve gone in spirals of research, gear lust and guilt, doubt and anxiety, the whole lot. I wanted to share both my current plan and my experience of getting there because I suspect fellow newcomers can relate.

Every advice thread emphasize having a clear goal from the outset. For me, my dream rack has a mix of complex analog and digital physical modeling voices, granular sample manipulation, software integration, performance control, both generative and composition-oriented sequencing. Dream big, right? That list of goals turned into a list of big-ticket modules: CsL, Plonk, Nebulae, ES-9, Pressure Points, Marbles, ER-101. I plopped that list into Modulargrid. And surprise! despite being $3k+, I couldn’t use them without many other things!

So I made compromises, trying to squeeze as much of that goal as I could out for the least money. I opted for micro-versions of everything, at one point thinking multiple o_Cs and Distings would be the most cost effective solution. This approach made me realize that I was sacrificing the thing I wanted in the first place: tactility.

All this to say that I learned: getting into modular is not about being cost-effective and the image of my ideal setup was more frightening than helpful. Instead, I focused on what would be my “desert-island modules”. Ones that are essential, beautiful, a joy to connect with. I went back to VCV Rack and remembered how much fun can be had with just a few basics.

I think I’ve finally landed on a plan I feel calm about, something much more simple:

Marbles, Stages, Tides 2018, Quad VCA and Mixup, in a Mantis case.

I arranged them in modulargrid with along with some in the bottom row that would be my next gradual steps.

Is this a good approach to take for a beginner? Is my new plan too basic?

I would love to hear your feedback.

submitted by /u/eelromance
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