Eurorack. I finally caved.

Well I finally did it. I got into Modular synthesizers.

I've been avoiding this for a decade, because I know how dangerous this is in it's impact to the wallet, and time.

It's way worse than guitar pedal addiction.

Gateway Drug

The modular synth manufacturers know the game. How do you get people to get into the world of Eurorack synthesizers easily? How do you get people to overlook the barrier that it takes upwards of five or six different products to actually make a sound?

You make a gateway product.

In my case it was a seemingly harmless purchase of a Roland System 1M at a ridiculously low price. Like a few other gateway Eurorack synths on the market, the System 1M that has everything you need to make a monosynth sound, has a few patch points to get you hooked on modularity, and can be installed in, and powered by, a standard Eurorack case.

Next thing you know, you find yourself annoyed by the System 1M's limitations - and it has MANY, so you buy a case, and then start acquiring modules.

My First Eurorack Case

I had heard that buying a "starter" case is often a problem when starting off. You always think you don't need all that space, and then you run out of space for that next module you NEED. I found the best deal on the market - and probably the best advisable starter Eurorack case, is the Tip Top Mantis. Probably the most HP (horizontal spaces) and Amps (power capacity) for the money. The Mantis has 204HP (Two rows of 104HP), and 3A of 12V and 3A of -12V to supply hungry modules. The 3-position legs are awesome for getting the best working position. The only downsides are: that it has a cheap plastic feel - which doesn't go well with the pristine, machined, boutique quality of most modules; and the lower row has protrusions on the sides (for the folding legs), that reduce the available depth for modules mounted on the ends. For a beginner - these are trivial flaws. The Mantis is an amazing case. 

IT wasn't long before I had amassed enough modules to rid myself of the giant 84HP boat anchor that is the Roland System 1M. 

To back up a bit - the System 1M has patch points, but it's is seriously flawed. It has CV/Gate inputs, but it cannot  be used as a MIDI/USB to CV/Gate converter - it has no CV/Gate outputs, so it will not work with external oscillators. It also has missing interfacing to separate it's other components - filter, VCA, etc. In the end, it's last days with me it really only served as a modulation source - I could get a free running LFO out of it, and I could drive Gates into the two Envelopes to use it as an ADSR envelope generator. The oscillators have a lot of features - but the strange menus to freely detune OSC2, and the fact that you cannot change the tuning of OSC1 (only the octave) is a serious design flaw.

Starting into Modular

I see loads of articles on how to get started in Eurorack - but I have a very different opinion from a lot of them. I recently read a guy whose advice was to think about the "whole picture" of the electronic musical arrangement and buy modules that accomplish each piece of that arrangement: a "melodic" module, a "rhythm" module, a "harmony" module, and a sequencer to bring it all together - because, for some reason - using a modular synth means you should be out of the box (computer). There are two things I take from that advice - One: that this guy isn't really presenting a concept of modular synthesis this way - only modularizing the instruments; and second, that it really makes me nuts to see people trying so hard, and limiting themselves so much, just to avoid using a computer/DAW.

If you are making electronic music - you probably already have a computer, and are using something like Ableton Live, Logic, Reason, or some other software; and you probably already have a collection of loops, samples, drum machine and synth plugins. If you don't - you probably shouldn't be starting with building a Eurorack modular rig. At the very least go download VCV Rack - an open source virtual Eurorack, that actually kicks ass. It even has all of the Mutable instruments modules. Or Softube Modular - which is awesome (Buchla oscillator! Intellijel! Mutable! 4MS!), or even Native Instruments' Reaktor Blocks - which really doesn't have the feel of Eurorack, but sounds really good. If you start with these, you will get some understanding of what Modular is. 

Ingredients to a Starter Eurorack Modular Synth

These are the first patch points to consider. 

How will you transfer your performances into this synth? How will you generate a sound? What will you do with that sound?

 The first one has a caveat - if you are interested in making generative, or self-performing sound explorations, then you really don't need to consider this at all. I am really enjoying creating orchestrations that the modular performs all on it's own - with only little knob tweaks and "hints" coming from me. But, the traditional route is to create performances with your input - either from a traditional keyboard producing CV (pitch) and Gate signals; or from the sequencer you already have in your computer. A few decent input items that I recommend are:

Arturia Keystep. Damn good CV/Gate keyboard for the money.Keith McMillen QuNexus with the CV/Gate Connection Kit. A tiny little keyboard, that has 4 outputs to a modular synth, typically configured as note pitch (CV), Gate, Velocity (CV), and Pressure/Aftertouch (CV). I had one of these long before I got into modular - mainly because it's the smallest decent controller to put in your backpack and travel with.The Expert Sleepers FH-2. This is the hub of my modular synth. It allows my modular to be controlled by anything that has MIDI or USB. It's infinitely configurable, expandable to 64 CV/Gates, and even includes multiple arpeggiators, clocks, envelopes, LFOs, euclidean rhythm generators, and more. Like many of their products - this is like the Swiss Army knife of Eurorack.The second item, is the meat of building a modular. What modules do you need. I hear people talk about making drums/beats with modular. This is fine if you want to create a sound - such as a Kick, and then sample it into your DAW or sampler. But to make whole drum kits... that's a lot of modules. Intellijel Plonk, the Endorphin.es Black Noir, and a few of the 808-clone modules are anomalies in that they provide a full kit in one module - but these are not synthesizers. And only modular in a physical sense: they go in your rack, and the can be modulated with CV inputs. When I think "making a sound with a modular synth" - I think about putting together a set of basic building blocks that can be patched together to make a sound. That sound could be a kick drum, the approximate sound of a MiniMoog, or the basic undulating sound of modulated waveforms. For this, here is the starting point you need:An oscillator (VCO, DCO, etc.) to create a sound - or two, to create something more complex;A voltage-controlled filter (VCF or LPG) - to shape the tone;A voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) to control the volume of a sound or signal over time;and any number of envelope or function generators, LFOs or other modulation sources to add life to the sound. 

Here are three options for a basic starting point using three of the major manufacturers of Eurorack modules:

Intellijel (I am a proud Canadian):

• Two Dixie 2+ oscillators

• Polaris - a really versatile filterQuad VCA - mix and control your sounds

• Quadrax for 4 envelopes, LFOs or modulation sources

Make Noise - Awesome funky DaDa-inspired minimalist modular:

• Two STO oscillators - or better yet - the DPO - to create a massive variety of sounds.

• Optomix for low-pass gating. Basically two filters and two VCAs in one module

• Maths - envelopes, modulations and more!

Mutable Instruments - The great French master of digital Eurorack:

• Plaits - This module can basically do everything. It has the equivalent of up to two, cross-modulated oscillators with a multitude of different models of tone generation; a Low-Pass gate and a VCA. Just add a modulation source.

• Ripples -Awesome multimode filter with a built in VCA. 

• Stages - 6 channels of functions - that can be configured as LFOs or various forms of single- and multi-stage envelopes.

Or - my personal mix for a core modular synth:

• Instruo Cs-L. Two oscillators in one package, for an extremely versatile "Complex Oscillator" that can do just about anything.

• Mutable Ripples. A very basic, but really great multi-mode filter.Intellijel Quad VCA. The workhorse for controlling signals.

• Intellijel Quadrax. Amazing envelope generator and modulation source.

Add these to take it to the next level:

• Mutable Plaits. To make all the sounds you cannot make - or are too lazy to make with the Cs-L.

• Make Noise LxD. A really inexpensive, dual Low Pass Gate that sounds amazing.

• ALM Pamela's NEW! Workout. Eight clocked LFOs, so you can modulate anything and everything.Intellijel Mixup. Brings the sounds all together.