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I'vebeen preparing for my band's demise for about a year now, so I've been stockpiling my solo arsenal. I don't have a lot of intentions to play live, so that helps me out quite a bit.
I'm finishing my band's EP now, then shifting to solo, hopefully with my first EP come July.

Here's my solo set up

Guitar doing nothing that sounds like guitar
Bass IV to cover more of a Guitar role
Roland SH-09 for Sub Bass
Drum machines:
Circuit Bent Yamaha RX120
Circuit Bent Yamaha RX17
Circuit Bent Yamaha RX8
Modes Volca Beats
Maestro Rhythm King
Occasional Live tracked kit

Two 4-tracks for pre recorded swells
I've got my iPad and about 6 other circuit bent casio/yamaha keyboards to fill in the gaps.

My biggest recommendation is using different rhythm sources, it will change up your sounds without making you necessarily do anything different.

I've mostly been doing solo electronic stuff for the past 15 years or so. I technically have always owned at least one guitar since 20+ years ago, and more recently a bass too (that I actually prefer to the guitar) but main thing is electronic noisemakers. I mostly play live/semi-improvised music and don't have pre-written parts except for some gameboy parts sometimes.

My setups have changed continuously over the years, here's what I've been using recently (keyboard + effects/looper) :

That + the small modular behind it (which should end up being a 7U case soon) would be a perfect setup for me...
The point for me is not to have too much at the same time, other people have different ways of working.



I would actually like playing more often with other people, kind of the opposite problem .

Don't worry, I'm gonna have rhythm sounds coming from iPad (Patterning, iElectribe, Nanostudio, Beatmaker 2, etc.), as well as Omnichord, SK-1, and my personal favorite for cheesy drums, the Casio DG-1.

I was sampling some songs from YouTube and some of the terrible chillwave from my iPad onto the SP202 and I'm figuring out that I can make songs much more interesting just by chopping and reimagining them. Things are going to get crazy when that 4 track shows up, thinking about the possibilities of bouncing recordings back and forth is overwhelming. But I'm excited, if I can keep things simple I should be able to churn out some decent content!

oscillateur wrote:I've mostly been doing solo electronic stuff for the past 15 years or so. I technically have always owned at least one guitar since 20+ years ago, and more recently a bass too (that I actually prefer to the guitar) but main thing is electronic noisemakers. I mostly play live/semi-improvised music and don't have pre-written parts except for some gameboy parts sometimes.

My setups have changed continuously over the years, here's what I've been using recently (keyboard + effects/looper) :

That + the small modular behind it (which should end up being a 7U case soon) would be a perfect setup for me...
The point for me is not to have too much at the same time, other people have different ways of working.



I would actually like playing more often with other people, kind of the opposite problem .

Can you say more about what's in your system? I see Maths, STO, Peaks, but that's all I can make out. What's the goal with that? I ask because small systems are a lot more interesting to me--they're actually attainable, they're not about collecting shit, and they tend to have a specific purpose. My plan in to put together a rhythmically-oriented 104hp 3U case in the next year or so, for example.

This Kickstarter looks INSAAAAAAAAAANE for you laptoppy folks. I wish I could even begin to wrap my head around this interface.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/39 ... at-machine

Invisible Man wrote:

oscillateur wrote:I've mostly been doing solo electronic stuff for the past 15 years or so. I technically have always owned at least one guitar since 20+ years ago, and more recently a bass too (that I actually prefer to the guitar) but main thing is electronic noisemakers. I mostly play live/semi-improvised music and don't have pre-written parts except for some gameboy parts sometimes.

My setups have changed continuously over the years, here's what I've been using recently (keyboard + effects/looper) :

That + the small modular behind it (which should end up being a 7U case soon) would be a perfect setup for me...
The point for me is not to have too much at the same time, other people have different ways of working.



I would actually like playing more often with other people, kind of the opposite problem .

Can you say more about what's in your system? I see Maths, STO, Peaks, but that's all I can make out. What's the goal with that? I ask because small systems are a lot more interesting to me--they're actually attainable, they're not about collecting shit, and they tend to have a specific purpose. My plan in to put together a rhythmically-oriented 104hp 3U case in the next year or so, for example.

I am wondering too. 3U cases are always exciting. I am in love with the infinite possibilities of eurorack, but I am dirt fucking poor, so my goal has always looked like a mother 32 (or other modular voice) + a skiff, or 6U in a rack mount that I build SLOWLY (and largely DIY, lookin at you GMSN THC).

Anyway, love to hear about other people's small racks and what things they find indispensible, or how to fit as much things into as small a space As possble.

I've wanted a modular since around 2000, when there was just Doefper and Analogue Systems/Analogue Solutions but I didn't have the money at the time and just used other electronic instruments. I seriously checked eurorack again 3-4 years ago and there was much more stuff available (though much less than now ) and I also had more money available for this kind of things so I bought a small case (first batch of Pittsburgh Cell90) and slowly filled it. With no specific plan in mind beyond the fact that I wanted to learn to use the modules properly before buying more and more things. I was sort of interested in doing things in the Pan Sonic/Alva Noto vein, maybe. Minimal electronic. I also like melodic stuff so I bought a quNexus to control the modular for pitched things.

The first things I got were a Maths, an Optomix, a Doepfer A172 Min/Max and A148 Dual S&H and an Intellijel Dixie 2, uFold2 and uVCF. Basically a set of versatile modules that could be used as a traditional synth voice (which almost never happened) or just to experiment and see what I liked doing. From there I added a noise source with a VCNoiz, a Brainseed to use as a small sequencer. then a Pamela's Workout as a global clock source (super useful), and STO, Peaks, etc.

Here are a few examples of things made with that modular + a reverb and a delay pedal (direct live recording) :




I also got a Radio Music and this module can be super interesting as it allows you to play with long samples in lots of different ways. This track is a sample from Tim & Eric (Awesome Show Great Job !) rythmically triggered and then processed. Ends up kinda shoegazy



I still need to record a lot of small riffs with my bass, fill the Radio Music with this and play/manipulate the bass lines live, among other things. Very cool module, recommended.

I've got a bit more modules than I can fit in the case now. Well, I've been in that situation for more than a year I think. I'm waiting for the new Intellijel cases to expand to a 7U case and that should be enough for a while. The first row in this pic is what's plugged right now, the second row is extra modules I have in boxes (the Bastl Skis is being built by a friend, I'll rearrange stuff once I get it) :



I thought I would end up with a modular only setup, ideally a self-contained portable case, and that idea has a lot of appeal : full instrument, easy to setup and use, etc. I noticed quickly that unless your modular system is quite big, it's more efficient/cheaper to have some things done externally : some effects, final mixing, etc. I also realized that I really love having a small keyboard to play and to process, thus the Reface YC setup. So my plan now is the 7U case (maybe with a few pedals) and the Reface case together, and either alternate between the two or do more rhythmic stuff with the modular while I use the Reface setup for melodic/drony things.

Anyway, getting things slowly is a good idea. Ideally, being able to borrow some different types of modules and try them would be great, but that's not often possible.

Sorry for the long ramblings, I might not have answered the questions .

I knew it was coming at some point, but I think this year is when I'll get into modular... goodbye money.

Why do you make it sound so fun?

oscillateur wrote:I've wanted a modular since around 2000, when there was just Doefper and Analogue Systems/Analogue Solutions but I didn't have the money at the time and just used other electronic instruments. I seriously checked eurorack again 3-4 years ago and there was much more stuff available (though much less than now ) and I also had more money available for this kind of things so I bought a small case (first batch of Pittsburgh Cell90) and slowly filled it. With no specific plan in mind beyond the fact that I wanted to learn to use the modules properly before buying more and more things. I was sort of interested in doing things in the Pan Sonic/Alva Noto vein, maybe. Minimal electronic. I also like melodic stuff so I bought a quNexus to control the modular for pitched things.

The first things I got were a Maths, an Optomix, a Doepfer A172 Min/Max and A148 Dual S&H and an Intellijel Dixie 2, uFold2 and uVCF. Basically a set of versatile modules that could be used as a traditional synth voice (which almost never happened) or just to experiment and see what I liked doing. From there I added a noise source with a VCNoiz, a Brainseed to use as a small sequencer. then a Pamela's Workout as a global clock source (super useful), and STO, Peaks, etc.

Here are a few examples of things made with that modular + a reverb and a delay pedal (direct live recording) :




I also got a Radio Music and this module can be super interesting as it allows you to play with long samples in lots of different ways. This track is a sample from Tim & Eric (Awesome Show Great Job !) rythmically triggered and then processed. Ends up kinda shoegazy



I still need to record a lot of small riffs with my bass, fill the Radio Music with this and play/manipulate the bass lines live, among other things. Very cool module, recommended.

I've got a bit more modules than I can fit in the case now. Well, I've been in that situation for more than a year I think. I'm waiting for the new Intellijel cases to expand to a 7U case and that should be enough for a while. The first row in this pic is what's plugged right now, the second row is extra modules I have in boxes (the Bastl Skis is being built by a friend, I'll rearrange stuff once I get it) :



I thought I would end up with a modular only setup, ideally a self-contained portable case, and that idea has a lot of appeal : full instrument, easy to setup and use, etc. I noticed quickly that unless your modular system is quite big, it's more efficient/cheaper to have some things done externally : some effects, final mixing, etc. I also realized that I really love having a small keyboard to play and to process, thus the Reface YC setup. So my plan now is the 7U case (maybe with a few pedals) and the Reface case together, and either alternate between the two or do more rhythmic stuff with the modular while I use the Reface setup for melodic/drony things.

Anyway, getting things slowly is a good idea. Ideally, being able to borrow some different types of modules and try them would be great, but that's not often possible.

Sorry for the long ramblings, I might not have answered the questions .

Nah dude, you could keep going. Thanks! I'll listen to the clips when not in a room full of people. But this is good to hear, and to see an explanation of a small system created for music rather than dick swinging (muffs).

jrmy wrote:This Kickstarter looks INSAAAAAAAAAANE for you laptoppy folks. I wish I could even begin to wrap my head around this interface.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/39 ... at-machine

I've seen this guy perform and he's fucking nuts. Absolutely genius and probably the best live semi-improvised application of Max I've ever seen, I'm so glad his work is getting out there like this, i've played with a couple of his previous patches that he included in his EPs and they're super fun so i bet this software will be amazing (Mac only tho )

monkeydancer wrote: I knew it was coming at some point, but I think this year is when I'll get into modular... goodbye money.

Why do you make it sound so fun?

Modular is coming for all of us. Though, really, a lot of things modular can do are still cheaper/more effective otherwise. Though i am going to go modular this year too.
My biggest impediment to solo shit is my constant desire to flip metal boxes for other metal boxes.

Fucking modular. That new iron Ether. That Pittsburgh case. Fuck my life.

Fucking modular is right. I'm kinda glad that rabbit hole is too pricey for me right now, it almost let's me not care. But it's clearly the future and more and more pedal builders are making that leap

One day we will all be a mess of cables and blinkenlights. Humanity will cease to exist as we know it. All hail our 3.5mm overlords.

I love synths and drones and algorithms and one man projects and yet still I have absolutely zero interest in modular.