Lugia
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Post by Lugia on Sept 7, 2020 1:23:55 GMT
I fear you might've become afflicted with the same thing as me - adding modules and generally tinkering about with it instead of actually making music.  No, that's definitely not the problem. Part of it is due to waiting for some modules that Robert's had in development, such as the QUANTIZER or SLEW/EDGE. But the crux of the problem is that, back in early May, I had a very serious fall...nasty concussion, broken nose, lots of bruises and contusions, and this also exacerbated a chronic pain issue that's continuing to plague me. Before the fall, that pain was largely under control, but now, it takes quite a bit to get it under control so that I can finish the studio. That happened while I was working on wiring all of this up, and that process was pretty much been stopped cold by the extreme pain. And it still is.
Believe me, I WANT to be creating again. Creating music at least doesn't (directly!) involve crawling around and connecting things, stuffing myself into tiny manways to get the cabling done, and the like. But that crap HAS TO get done before I can use the studio properly, and that fall happened at what had to be the worst conceivable time in the process.
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Jihel
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knobs, knobs, and knobs !
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Post by Jihel on Sept 9, 2020 20:20:48 GMT
What is the purpose of a so large modular ?
(no criticism here, just curiosity)
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Lugia
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Ridiculously busy...ish.
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Post by Lugia on Sept 10, 2020 1:56:26 GMT
What is the purpose of a so large modular ? (no criticism here, just curiosity) Easy...to turn it into a bunch of SMALLER modulars!
My approach to modular synths is perhaps a little different. Instead of wiring up a synth into one huge brobdignagian patchcord snarl, I prefer setting up patches in which there are a lot of different voices that can be moved between simply by changing the output mixer settings. This works especially well for live work, I should note. Anyway, the 160 spaces of Gargantua are _really_ intended to be broken up, in patching, into several synths of a smaller magnitude which I can move between, or output separately to different multitrack channels, etc.
This is where modular really shines, IMHO. In theory, Gargantua can output eight different audio submixes at one time. Now, imagine the space that eight different monosynths takes up. Suddenly, this doesn't seem quite so large anymore. Nor could you easily take eight monosynths out on a gig and use them to their fullest, whereas Gargantua can be disassembled into its stand and a large gun case with cut-foam padding to fit the 2 x 20s, cables, and such. And the TEK P/S is basically the same form factor as a lunchbox, so that's not an issue.
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Jihel
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knobs, knobs, and knobs !
Posts: 241
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Post by Jihel on Sept 10, 2020 5:12:13 GMT
OK.
I have the same approach in organizing my "future" (a near future I hope) 4x16 case.
I planned two full voices of synthese, also I double some modules (sequencers for example).
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Lugia
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Ridiculously busy...ish.
Posts: 556
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Post by Lugia on Sept 11, 2020 2:46:30 GMT
That's the way to go, really. Way too many new synthesists build up a modular from the idea that a synth can only make ONE sound at a time. And with modular, that's 100% unnecessary. Granted, setting a build up for a sizable amount of "sub-voices" results in a big system, and Gargantua LOOKS overblown as a result. But it can easily be split into six individual "voices" that are fairly obvious...and even more, tbh, depending on what's needed.
Also, it's worth remembering that Gargantua isn't the only modular-type device in the "sandbox" here. So it can also communicate with other devices with a minimal amount of adapters, and there's plenty of toys (Mescaline, Softpop, bitRanger, both Field Kits) that also work more or less in the AE standard that can augment the modular itself. And if I wanted to put those six voices under Ableton control...that's relatively easy too, since the sandbox has that MOTU 828 mkii for eight channels of I/O from its CV Tools plug.
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Post by funbun on Sept 16, 2020 0:35:49 GMT
Yeah, that's my thing. If I ever did live performances, a single row or two just wouldn't cut it. I plan to eventually have 5 rows of 16Us. That should be the same as 4 x 20Us. Mine would be more like a four voice synth with 2OSC & Solina used for texture and FM.
Gargantua is an inspiration to us all!
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Post by rodney on Sept 24, 2020 23:02:17 GMT
I'm just remembering The Great Rock and Roll Swindle movie in which Malcolm McLaren articuklates his rules for marketing.
One of the rules is something like: "Don't let anyone see the band" They really did whip up a lot of hype then randomly cancel gigs just to piss people off and create news stories.
I think you should start promising an epic video guided tour of Gargantua soon, then keep putting it off forever. We will all die from anticipation! |
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Post by rodney on Sept 24, 2020 23:07:37 GMT
Yeah, that's my thing. If I ever did live performances, a single row or two just wouldn't cut it. I plan to eventually have 5 rows of 16Us. That should be the same as 4 x 20Us. Mine would be more like a four voice synth with 2OSC & Solina used for texture and FM. Gargantua is an inspiration to us all! AGreed! I went for 20U cases from the get-go but recommend 16U, just because the latter will fit into a good-sized briefcase or one of those rugged photography gear cases etc. where the 20 is always just a bit too long.
I also like the idea of several self-contained racks, each of which could work alone with a simple 5V power supply (assuming you are not using any I/O except to output your final signal).
currently, I'm constrained by how much I can hang from a guitar strap before part of me breaks! |
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Post by blackhairrolledindriedblood on Sept 25, 2020 6:19:46 GMT
It is interesting to see this conversation. I remember when I added my second 16U rack, and this being my first Modular setup, that it was to accommodate the Topograf which extended to the Kick and Drummkit modules, and intuitively approaching this as almost separate but in parallel to my first rack, but with lots of crossovers of course. I have recently questioned whether I need two of this or another one of that - but once I start patching things together, I realise that this is necessary. It seems like an obvious thing to say, but a modular system is really an experimental laboratory, or playground, and very personal in terms of individual setups. With the benefit of a few more months experience I can see that the system isn't just an infinite collection of potential patches, but also a number individual instruments (voices) within the whole setup.
There are many different approaches, of course, but I think this is an important point to make for anyone who is setting up a system for the first time - and maybe even for experienced users too.
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