The Modular Techniques thread

[worra]

Feels like the collective modular crew on here has kind of outgrown the singular thread, so this thread is for specifically discussing topics related to usage, techniques, how-to's and the like.

LEAVE YOUR GAS AT THE DOOR (or in the other thread )

I'll start off with a great video about techniques for the world's most popular module:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtpzysqJv8[/youtube]

[Antlerface]

I think a ton of people get Maths when they start off only to use it as a dual envelope generator. Videos like the above are a must watch if you’re starting with modular/Maths. Really helps to show off the not so immediately obvious functionality of this amazing module.

[Dandolin]

luvvit--fantastic thread idea. i'll be back later with occasional favorite technique demos i've found and probs lots of questions

[worra]

Yeah I started with Function and then moved on to Maths and I really only recently feel like I MISS it when I set up a case that doesn't include it. Self-patching is also super rewarding.

[coldbrightsunlight]

Good thread. Intend to contribute.

[Inconuucl]

i think you might've started a maths thread, worra

Can someone help me with my calculus homework???

[Antlerface]

I will definitely try that next time I jam, vidret. Would’ve not thought to do that.

[mr. sound boy king]

Slave your master clock to a random voltage instead of using drugs.

[Antlerface]

Definitely both.

[Antlerface]

I’m guessing 90% of people that use modular, especially those that come from a pedlol background, use in rack effects of some kind. Particularly granular shit. I personally love granular synthesis and use some sort in almost every patch I do. I have used Mungo g0, Thyme Safari, and w/. Currently have Clouds, Nebulae v2, Phonogene, and Morphagene.

Something I’ve been doing recently, specifically with patches I don’t love, is I’ll decide it’s time to tear down. First, I’ll record the whole patch through something like Morphagene. Let’s say 4 bars worth of hot modular trash. Save the buffer, unpatch the entire system. Then run the Morphagene with my recorded garbage patch back through all my effects and such. It’s actually turned a few not so enjoyable patches into really fun little industrial nonsense.

Is this a common thing? I don’t know. Does it sound good to others? Probably not.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I resample things through morphagene all the time!

I also find it fun when I've created something that seems uninspired, to just go one level deeper with it and use it as the basis for a new patch.

[mr. sound boy king]

don't don't do anything!

Agree. One freeing bit of advice I read someplace is to stop worrying about what everything is supposed to do and consider a modular system as simply a collection of IN and OUT jacks.

[worra]

So now that I've finished my case for a long while (I hope), I plan on using this thread a lot more. My first thing I'm really trying to wrap my head around is w/. It's pretty capable but I'm having trouble remembering all the little combos and how to move quickly through the tape with cue points. Anyone have any helpful recommendations? I've been using this link so far, which is a bit nicer than the Mannequins quick reference card: http://withw.rustle.works

[worra]

MIXING

Does everyone here do it in the rack? If so, what do you use? What's a feature you HAVE to have? If you're mixing out of the rack, what mixer are you using and why?

Since I'm pretty committed to a 7U case I've been wondering if using my rack space for mixing is a good idea. I have a Xaoc Praga that I very much like, but it doesn't have stereo channels in (you can use 2 channels panned hard left/right). I DO absolutely love the aux sends so I can use one effect on a couple different voices, and I think I'd miss that if I went to a bare-bones external mixer. What to do?

[MrNovember]

I much prefer to mix in rack, but that may be because I've never found an external mixer that works for me. I'm currently using Veils and a Planar 2 for mixing. Well mostly I end up using Veils as a simple mixer and Planar as a CV source. However, I might swap the Veils for X-Pan. It would fit my workflow a lot better; stereo, crossfading, panning, and the right number of channels for my small system. Praga looks like it would be my ideal mixer if it wasn't for the size.