Considering a Fully Portable Modular

I just want to share some thoughts, as I am getting more confused about what to put in my small case.

Wow, Blue Lantern makes some very attractive modules.44%20AM

The Assist can turn an oscillator into a drum voice. However in order to do that, you eat up a bit of HP. ie. why not just get a few solid drum modules instead of the Assist?

I would almost recommend a larger case for a beginner so that you can just order a few modules and work from there. I am in a bit of a pickle with the 54hp (which is fun).

I want control over my voices, but I also like the idea of multi function items, like Peaks, for example.

Now, this brings me to “Make Noise.” From what I gather, the point is to experiment with various routing/component relations in order to conjure functions. This is a point of interest on its own. That being said, in a small case where you don’t want to work with just one voice, I don’t think it is actually what I am looking for. It seems like you can eat up a lot of hp and leave little room for mixers, compressors, effects, etc.

So, if I move away from the theme of creating a toolkit for experimenting and get back to the goal of performing music, different priorities come into play. mylarmelodies recently had a talk and he was adamant about having a switched mult, so he could have a fast way to introduce and remove channels/tracks/voices. He also stressed the issue of sidechain compression and the need for the kick-drum to cut through whatever you are doing. But then I get thinking about stereo modules, because if I run everything through a mono compressor, including tracks I may have assembled in a DAW or whathaveyou, I loose my full sound.

When I began considering this stuff I was looking at the NERD-Seq. I like the idea that I could lay out some tracks and save them – load em up and perform them while tweaking and adding fills. I looked at other sequeners and found them interesting. But then the hp starts to get filled up again. Then you might start to think that the sequencing could be done externally on a elektron machine or a Beatstep Pro. For me, this presents the need to have another power supply though. Since I am putting something together to be used off grid, it would mean I would need to worry about yet another battery pack.

Everyday I wake up and kind of get pulled in multiple directions, trying to figure out how to build something that is addictive to use, but also can churn out some finished work as well as be capable of manipulating fast enough in real time to perform with.

I just though I should keep sharing some of this because it might help me get to where I want to be.

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This is my current fantasy modular synth which is also a usb audio interface with midi that also has a built in computer as well as a couple thru zero analog oscillators and some elements of make noise cv utilities. It would connect my digitakt and iPad and be proportional to those two.

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so many pickles. In your mockup you have 5 pin midi. I have a CME Xkey not something like an Arturia Keystep, so I have to accommodate usb midi keyboard. I like the x-key because of its size.

So I suppose I need a usb midi host. Looked at the Hermod, doesn’t seem like the right thing. Audulus can host, but then I am depending on it for that function. I guess I will run into problems because I have a apogee jam as my audio interface, which will not be able to run at the same time as the ES-8.

I am not too worried as it will all come together as it comes together I am sure.

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I have the CME Xkey too and love it. Great feel and full-size keys. Can’t wait until Audulus supports multi-expression.

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I was thinking Roland 1M for flexibility if you were looking for multiple voices, but it’s an 84 HP unit so I guess it’s too big.

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One thing I really like doing is messing around with your uFSK modules – two of them (double dual oscillators). Really fun. It would be nice to have something like that to work with in hardware. The flexibilty of Audulus is so great because you can just drop a cable onto a pot without even needing a jack. Someone should engineer a hardware potentiometer system just like it. I understand it would have to be a ground up rethinking of knobs and board mounts, but if it could be done it would be interesting.

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I have no Canadian distro for Black Market cables. Also, I am wondering if one of those mult throwing stars would be better than the tip-top stackable, so I can close the case with the patch?09%20AM

I just learned that a buffered mult will preserve the oscillator signal when sending it to various connections. I wish I would have known this before I ordered from Pulp Logic as I would have ordered a tile or two for that.

I need to order the ES-8, so I thought I would get the cables from the same place. This is what they have:

https://www.moogaudio.com/en/catalogsearch/result/?q=patch+cables

These Make Noise cables would at least keep the Black/Pink Audulus scheme going:
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Although, if I need to I don’t mind getting the cables seperately if it means having better ones.

My case has arrived and I am very excited. It’s a great size, the 54hp. So far I am really happy with the quality. I also broke down and ordered a used Dinky’s Taiko. :grinning:

Here is where things are at, roughly.
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I personally was not impressed with TipTop stackables. Almost all of the ones I bought broke soon after using them. Serious QC issues. The stars are a great idea to me!

Also, TRACE isn’t made anymore AFAIK - you’d have to find it secondhand I think!

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I ordered Trace off ebay cheap. Seems like a good way to save some hp. Hey, any idea of the best cable size for the 54hp case?

It depends - mine is hardpatched and I measured out what cables I wanted for each distance. I have mostly the tiniest cables they make which are like 3-4in. If you look at your system and see what’s likely to end up going where, then that will give you a good idea. You won’t need anything longer than 12inches though.

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I have a star multi by LMNTL and plan to get more of them. I like it a lot more than the stackable cables. image
https://www.perfectcircuit.com/lmntl-1x5-violet-splitter-hub-1.html
My favorite cables so far have actually been the Expert Sleepers cables. They have my favorite feel and are fairly flexible. BONUS: They glow in the dark!

Expert Sleepers 12" Glow in the Dark Patch Cable - Perfect Circuit
For smaller cables, I’ve actually been liking the Befaco ones. I have some of the purple (7cm), yellow (15cm), and black (30cm) Befaco – Eurorack Patch Cables – Thonk – DIY Synthesizer Kits & Components
and would ya look at that, when I was looking up the link I found that Befaco now has floating star multiples as well:
3 x Floating Star Multiple – Thonk – DIY Synthesizer Kits & Components

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In the end I went with Syrett’s suggestion, bit the bullet, paid the shipping, ordered Black Market cables from Detroit Modular. Then I got real lucky and ran flat into a used ES-8 down under. No turning back.

It’s on its way

Most recent update
International departure - enroute to Canada

BRISBANE QLD

Date & time Tue 16 Oct • 09:08am

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Congrats! Can’t wait to see what you conjure up with it! Found an actual “throwing star” multiple I thought I’d drop here too heh:

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I’m gonna need to see some tests on it’s aerodynamics.

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and on it’s electro-acoustics) :slight_smile:

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I keep looking at the Blue Latern modules. Despite other peoples opinions, I like the aesthetic designs and the crammed look. I understand the idea of having a giant wooden system with knobs the size of your fist and maybe 1/4" patch cables, etc, etc.

But then there is the design of something like the 0-Coast. Quirky, a bit confusing, crammed. I feel like in both cases, the taste is justified by taking what is positive and negative in both approaches and addressing those issues correctly.

However, with Blue Lantern, I have never seen the modules in person so I don’t know. A lot of the $500 drum machines and synths that came out in the last couple of years looked good on youtube but looked to me like cheap kids toys in the music store. A lot of DJ gear looks cheap like this as well cough Native Instruments cough.

I also like the idea of being able to solder a module myself. Okay, now if you want to read some griping about Blue Lantern, here we go.


I prefer the look of this compared to the Mutable Instrument’s Clouds, but I understand when you have over 100hp to play with. Artistically, I also like how he carried his themes over all of his modules.

But then if you read the woofmiggler thread you get the impression that the modules look like the car stereo gear you used to see at the flea market. I would like to know if the modules look cheap or if they just look intentionally busy, overlapping, and whatnot. It’s definately interesting just reading about the various chips, filter designs and approaches to envelopes.

I should add something here. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I need some stereo or dual effects at the end of things. Creating reverbs and delays with software is okay, but you basically eat up all of Audulus’s power, especially if you want a real lush reverb. With a delay, I am into making dance music/electro and I want a clockable delay or synced delay. It is nice to work in ms (free time) with some drift but I also like to be able to lock things in a groove (divided or multiplied time).

You have to be careful about advice. @biminiroad basically said, forget about the delay, what you really need is a solid analog filter. Now, to my mind, given what I wrote above and given I have a tiny system, I need to get to the bottom of that!

Can we get a little deeper on this? Seems to me I need a really solid dual delay and dual filter. But, remember, things are getting tight.

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I agree with @biminiroad on getting an analog filter over the delay it sounds like you want. Great sounding digital delay that is sync-able and completely customizable is available straight from Audulus. I see you have the ES-5 expander for outputs on the ES-8. Have you thought about the additional ES-6 for more inputs? I’ve been considering both of these to add on to my ES-8.

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II forgot i had that Es-5 or whatever in there as well. I don’t actually own that one.

As far as Audulus delay goes; one, you eat up valuable iPad cpu when processing rich delays. It also takes up precious routing jacks on expert sleepers modules. Which means more of those and less hp for other modules. I have a hard time with only being able to process all of my signal through an iPad at the end. No?

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