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Post by spriteguard on Jul 29, 2022 6:39:23 GMT
Hi, I'm Sprite! I used to do a lot of modular simulation using a program called SynFactory, but couldn't afford to get into hardware until just recently. Someone on the EMS discord recommended checking out AE, and I was immediately attracted by the sensible approach to everything. I've been getting a lot more serious about music recently and expanding my setup, and got to the point where a modular synth was the next big thing I needed, looked on Reverb and saw an absolutely beautiful 3-row system that someone had clearly put a lot of love into, with very nice panel art. I fell in love instantly, and now I get to start playing music with it. I stream weekly on twitch.tv/spriteguard and I'm looking forward to incorporating this into my sets once I have gotten used to it. |
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Post by williamrobin on Oct 18, 2022 7:50:58 GMT
Hello!
I am primarily an animator but have always had an interest in making sound and music. I used to play guitar as my main hobby but that fell by the wayside when I got more serious about animation. I then went back to the guitar and the keyboard, but this time with a focus on just creating atmospheric sound for my animated projects.
It kind of plateaued there. I used the guitar with a multitude of FX pedals, a big Roland keyboard which I bought as a teenager, not understanding that it was not in fact a synthesiser! as well as manipulated found sound that I record from anything that interests me. For a long time this setup was enough.
However, earlier this year I decided to sell this giant Roland keyboard. I barely use it and it takes up a huge amount of space. I began thinking about getting a real synthesiser, and that's when I discovered you could get very affordable things like the Korg Volcas. I started with the Volca Modular. Quite a few purchases later I am afraid I am utterly hooked. I have already got a huge archive of sound experiments far in excess of what I could ever use for my animated projects!
So far I have the Volca Modular, a Bastl Kastle, Volca Drum and Volca FM, as well as a Keystep and the Bastl Dude mini mixer. I also have a host of guitar pedals, and my Zoom H1 recorder. Inevitably though I have felt the magnetic pull of modular synthesis, which eventually brought me here to AE modular land. I have not yet got an AE system, but I am further encouraging myself each day to enter this world. The fact that the prices are understandably going up in November is the push I suppose I had been waiting for to take this plunge.
I am thinking of getting the Starter Rack 2, along with a couple of extra modules. The VM bridge seems like a logical choice as I can then integrate my Volca Modular. I've already had lots of fun experimenting between the Bastl Kastle and VM. The other module I was thinking of adding is the spring reverb with tank. I'm particularly interested in things like spacey atmospheres and krell patches, and I just love the idea of having a real spring reverb. It's mainly sound design, experimentation and ambient atmospheres I want to make, but I do enjoy dabbling in more melodic sequences too.
I can definitely see myself expanding this in the future and certainly don't want to get them all at once since it is a large investment! I also want to save the fun and discoveries for the future to maximise my learning and enjoyment of this system for years to come. That said, any advice on other modules I should think about to start with would certainly be appreciated!
Please forgive my lengthy post and any lack of synthesis or electronics knowledge, I am an absolute beginner really!
Many thanks,
Will
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Post by ampersands on Oct 18, 2022 9:52:42 GMT
Sounds like you're following a similar path to me! I came from bedroom guitarist world, started with Volcas Sample, Modular & FM and a Dude mixer after getting curious about synths, then inevitably tipped over into getting a SR2  It's awesome that you know the type of sound you're interested in - this is a real help when it comes to modular, otherwise the choice of modules gets overwhelming, it's easy to be entranced by whichever new module has the most colourful lights  You're on the right lines with the VMBRIDGE and spring verb. In terms of generating ambience, lots of people will recommend the MULTIFX *but* it is one of the more expensive modules and you mention having a stack of guitar FX, so maybe consider the STOMP-IO as an alternative. For Krell patches you need a lot of random sources, so i'd suggest the Wonkysuff RBSS, then you've also got S&H as standard in the SR2 and a random source on the Volca. If you want to push the boat out maybe add another filter as well, i haven't used the Nyle filter but suspect it might be good for bandpass sounds (sure someone else can chip in on that) |
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Post by williamrobin on Oct 18, 2022 13:05:20 GMT
Sounds like you're following a similar path to me! I came from bedroom guitarist world, started with Volcas Sample, Modular & FM and a Dude mixer after getting curious about synths, then inevitably tipped over into getting a SR2 It's awesome that you know the type of sound you're interested in - this is a real help when it comes to modular, otherwise the choice of modules gets overwhelming, it's easy to be entranced by whichever new module has the most colourful lights You're on the right lines with the VMBRIDGE and spring verb. In terms of generating ambience, lots of people will recommend the MULTIFX *but* it is one of the more expensive modules and you mention having a stack of guitar FX, so maybe consider the STOMP-IO as an alternative. For Krell patches you need a lot of random sources, so i'd suggest the Wonkysuff RBSS, then you've also got S&H as standard in the SR2 and a random source on the Volca. If you want to push the boat out maybe add another filter as well, i haven't used the Nyle filter but suspect it might be good for bandpass sounds (sure someone else can chip in on that) Thank you for those excellent suggestions! I had a look at some videos over lunch. I will probably leave out the additional filter for the time being just because of the mounting costs! That should give me a chance to figure out how it all works. The RBSS sounds very interesting, nice to see I can get it from the UK as well and avoid the horrendous customs. (I am in Belfast) I was looking at the Multi FX but that would be something I'd look at more seriously in the future since as you mentioned it is a little pricey. The stomp IO I think is a really fantastic idea though! I'm definitely going to add that to the initial order. Anything that gives me more value out of existing gear can only be a good thing |
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pol
Wiki Editors
Posts: 1,082
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Post by pol on Oct 20, 2022 19:44:09 GMT
Sounds like you're following a similar path to me! I came from bedroom guitarist world, started with Volcas Sample, Modular & FM and a Dude mixer after getting curious about synths, then inevitably tipped over into getting a SR2 It's awesome that you know the type of sound you're interested in - this is a real help when it comes to modular, otherwise the choice of modules gets overwhelming, it's easy to be entranced by whichever new module has the most colourful lights You're on the right lines with the VMBRIDGE and spring verb. In terms of generating ambience, lots of people will recommend the MULTIFX *but* it is one of the more expensive modules and you mention having a stack of guitar FX, so maybe consider the STOMP-IO as an alternative. For Krell patches you need a lot of random sources, so i'd suggest the Wonkysuff RBSS, then you've also got S&H as standard in the SR2 and a random source on the Volca. If you want to push the boat out maybe add another filter as well, i haven't used the Nyle filter but suspect it might be good for bandpass sounds (sure someone else can chip in on that) YES IT IS!Thank you for those excellent suggestions! I had a look at some videos over lunch. I will probably leave out the additional filter for the time being just because of the mounting costs! That should give me a chance to figure out how it all works. The RBSS sounds very interesting, nice to see I can get it from the UK as well and avoid the horrendous customs. (I am in Belfast) I was looking at the Multi FX but that would be something I'd look at more seriously in the future since as you mentioned it is a little pricey. The stomp IO I think is a really fantastic idea though! I'm definitely going to add that to the initial order. Anything that gives me more value out of existing gear can only be a good thing Don't forgot to allow that you might get clobbered with vat/import duty (not sure how it works with Europe to N Ireland). I can vouch for the Stomp I/O, makes adding pedal(s) a doddle. Once you have your main system, an order under £130 total is duty/tax free from Europe (to Scotland anyway!), so I do little and often as the shipping cost isn't high, and the long wait for an order isn't so bad...... I personally would add the spring reverb later; it is a nice unit but quite restricted in what it can do compared to programable FX etc. It's fairly noisy too, (all spring reverbs are!), what may be an idea is to add a 2nd Lo-Fi delay so you can ping-pong on stereo, or just have a long and short delay at the same time, . |
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Post by williamrobin on Oct 20, 2022 20:22:44 GMT
Thank you for those excellent suggestions! I had a look at some videos over lunch. I will probably leave out the additional filter for the time being just because of the mounting costs! That should give me a chance to figure out how it all works. The RBSS sounds very interesting, nice to see I can get it from the UK as well and avoid the horrendous customs. (I am in Belfast) I was looking at the Multi FX but that would be something I'd look at more seriously in the future since as you mentioned it is a little pricey. The stomp IO I think is a really fantastic idea though! I'm definitely going to add that to the initial order. Anything that gives me more value out of existing gear can only be a good thing Don't forgot to allow that you might get clobbered with vat/import duty (not sure how it works with Europe to N Ireland). I can vouch for the Stomp I/O, makes adding pedal(s) a doddle. Once you have your main system, an order under £130 total is duty/tax free from Europe (to Scotland anyway!), so I do little and often as the shipping cost isn't high, and the long wait for an order isn't so bad...... I personally would add the spring reverb later; it is a nice unit but quite restricted in what it can do compared to programable FX etc. It's fairly noisy too, (all spring reverbs are!), what may be an idea is to add a 2nd Lo-Fi delay so you can ping-pong on stereo, or just have a long and short delay at the same time, . Too late I actually put my order in the evening after my first post! Yes I know I've mentally prepared myself for the tax problem. It's fairly unavoidable. There was one B stock starter rack 2 on Juno but I wanted the black panels and some other modules so I bit the bullet. Plus the Juno rack was substantially more money to begin with so there shouldn't be too much difference. I ended up going with Starter Rack 2, Volca Bridge, Stomp IO and Spring Reverb. I have the Boss DD6 which I can run through the Stomp IO anyway so should be able to do some interesting things with delay, as well as a number of other pedals. Thanks for the tip about the tax free smaller orders too! Will definitely keep this in mind. I am incredibly excited to get my rack and start putting recordings up. I have been thinking of little else the past few days, and composing bleep bloop symphonies on my walks to work |
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