Do I really need 2 Joysticks? Help me focus my rack.

[SynthWizard]

0			0

Do I really need 2 Joysticks? Help me focus my rack.

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/1985123 In addition, I have the Moog DFAM, Mother 32, Prophet Rev2 and a poor neglected MS-20 (my first synth…but HZ/v?).

I fully admit to ignoring the first commandment of the beginner sticky: “start small”. What was supposed to be a small external sound processing rig based around Morphagene has exploded into some kind of crazy sound design/noise monstrosity in just about 5 months. And I love it! I’ve lost countless hours to this thing, just exploring and experimenting. Am I making the best music of my life? Well no…but that’s not the point. To be honest, I got into eurorack because I was bored of music, at least music that fits into defined genres and the traditional process of composition.
I don’t really have a set goal for my instrument, just to let the exploration dictate it’s direction. In that way I don’t think it’s terrible thing to buy too many modules as it allows me to try a bunch of stuff to find out what works for me. I’ve already sold a couple modules I didn’t jive with, and with the current market, there was little financial loss. But yes, sometimes I do get overwhelmed as I have so much to learn. And yes, I’d probably be closer to getting the musical results I like with about half the modules I have as so much time has been spent learning what does what. Anyways, I’m at a point where I need to make some decisions.

ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION:
Do I really need 2 joysticks? Wanting more tactile control, I sorta accidentally (long story) ended up with both Planar2 and ES Black joystick2. I planned on just keeping one, but always wanting more modulation sources I tried racking both and found they are pretty useful in different ways. The Black joystick is great for multiple looping organic LFOs and the Planar for cross fading audio/voltage as well as snapping CV recordings to a clock. Both are great for expressive control as well especially for knobs buried in a sea of spaghetti. So I’d love to hear how others find multiple controllers worth their space in smallish racks.

Do I really need 2 Noise Engineering Voices? Do I need any? I have kind of a love/hate relationship with the NE stuff. It’s cool as hell but it imparts so much of its own baked in character to the sound thats hard to get away from when not in the mood. I really like sick, destroyed sounds but maybe I’d like to do the destroying myself rather than having it come pre-destroyed? So I might prefer a slightly more vanilla oscillator, but with lots of modulation options. Thinking about Generate 3 in tandem with something like the Serge Wave Multipliers.

UTILITIES? I’m ready for my lecture. Utilities are something i never know I need till I get them. The little Doepfer quad switch has been a revelation. A sequential switch would be cool. Mixers are great, can’t get enough. I haven’t found myself needing anymore VCAs yet so maybe I’m doing something wrong? I have a bunch of 1U space left but can’t decide what to put there.

REVERB? Been wanting another spatial effect. More as a sound design tool than an end of chain thing. Torn between whether Erbe-verb is worth the price/size, Desmodus Is cool but maybe just a tad gimmicky (see love/hate relationship), FX aid sounds great but maybe not “modular” enough?

HOW THE HELL DO I SEQUENCE THIS THING? Ive never gotten along with sequencers. I HATE the Mother 32’s sequencer. I have a Keystep 37 for when I want to do more melodic stuff but don’t really like it’s sequencer either. I enjoy Marbles but at the end of the day you’re trapped in a single key. Wouldn’t mind a more powerfully quantizer. Something like Harmonaig where I could find a way to turn Marbles generative into actual chord progressions. At the moment I feel pretty maxed out on button combos, modes and screens, so a powerful sequencer will have to wait.

So many decisions! I definitely can see how people end up with gargantuan Modulars. I get that “well I’m not really using this module right now but I may need it in the future” mentality compounded with fluctuating availability. But I do think I need to find some focus. Any advice would be appreciated.

TL;DR Modular good. wHaT sHouLd I bUYyy???

submitted by /u/KasparThePissed
[link] [comments]