How do you learn and understand and work with ae

garden
New Member

Posts: 5

How do you learn and understand and work with ae Apr 11, 2020 15:35:37 GMT admin likes this

Quote

Post by garden on Apr 11, 2020 15:35:37 GMT

Hello,

I am a modular noob !
i have a few of hardware synth, but nothing like modular.
i play music for myself, i often use with facility hardware but without don’t all understand, and i have no one around me for help, and sometimes i need to understand more...

i begin to use miRack (VCV for ipad) and it’s very fun, i like to search how to connect everything, unfortunately my English is a few poor, sometimes i don’t understand the function of things..
so i am able to do simple thing (like sequencing oscillator and add effect, adsr.. but when the object are simple...) but not always easy..

what i found very interesting is to understand, a few, how work a synth or what is to happened with modular, i don’t know why but it’s very fun too !!

So i discover ae modular, it seems very nice (for price) i like what i heard, the starter pack, especially the 2 seems big and the price is nice !

my question is how do you learn how use it ? ? ?
or how aboard this world ?
i understand a few synthese soustractive i think, things like vco > filter > amplificator > enveloppe, but connexion between them... hum.. bus cv, cv, synchro, ....... ouch...

and another question.. in starter pack 2 there is a 2osc/d and a vco, for understand there is one digital vco and one analogique vco ... is it ? so there is 2 oscillator ?? and so 2 different filter for each source.. ? or why i see people sequencing like with korg sq-1 with 4 i/o and not use the cv/gate of the pack ?...

yes, many question before to buy....

and.. dors the starter pack 2 need something more ? (because i see there’s maybe 3 months to wait for one... and if need something more and need to wait 3 months more.... yes i prefered to get some parts (just a few without cost me too much..) if necessary in one time

thanks

Last Edit: Apr 11, 2020 15:36:42 GMT by garden

MikMo
Senior Member

Posts: 475

How do you learn and understand and work with ae Apr 11, 2020 21:01:41 GMT admin likes this

Quote

Post by MikMo on Apr 11, 2020 21:01:41 GMT

Hi Garden

welcome to the forum

Two good sources of information about the AE synth:

The wikki, which has detailed information about most of the modules:

wiki.aemodular.com/pmwiki.php/AeManual/Modules

And one of the most knowledgeable about the system has made a really educational series of videos about it:

www.youtube.com/channel/UCHDFWYiPTvjb3sd8Oa38hYQ

Mikael / MikMo

Lugia
Wiki Editors

Ridiculously busy...ish.

Posts: 556

How do you learn and understand and work with ae Apr 11, 2020 23:11:46 GMT admin likes this

Quote

Post by Lugia on Apr 11, 2020 23:11:46 GMT

AE is just like any other modular synthesizer, basically. The jacks are different, the form factor is different, the interfacing is fairly different and the price tag is REALLY different, but whatever you're doing in VCV should work in AE on the same sorts of modules that the AE has. Now, VCV has a lot of very complex modules, true...but if you start breaking down what's going on within these complex devices, you'll find you're dealing with very basic "primitives", or the basic building-blocks that are like simple modules.

AE is all about those "primitives". Since it's possible to build up HUGE AE systems for a fraction of what they would cost in Eurorack, it's not problematic to buy a pile of simple AE modules and use them to concoct "subsystems" that work more or less like the "sexy" Eurorack ones. Granted, Robert's still working on modules (yay!) and adding to the line, but he's also keeping things fairly basic...which means, the cost stays down so that the fistful of modules needed to put together something like, say, a discontinued and psychotically-expensive Buchla 258 never gets anywhere close to what the thing you're replicating would cost. And, in fact, you can actually do BETTER than those "sexy modules" because you're the architect there, and you can make your own judgement calls about how you want them to work.

Plus, if you're into DIY, the AE system is your zone. There's nothing quite as cool as being able to route out of the AE patch and into a protoboard directly. You see a lot of kit stuff in Eurorack, but in AE, that's where you'll find your "from scratch" crowd. This also means that the AE community can innovate very rapidly...no second-guessing the MI markets here and worrying about potential sales. When someone needs something and they know their prototyping chops, they just DO IT, and Robert & crew love to make sure that everyone knows this is going on.

admin
Administrator

Keep patching!

Posts: 1,837

How do you learn and understand and work with ae Apr 12, 2020 3:19:08 GMT

Quote

Post by admin on Apr 12, 2020 3:19:08 GMT

Hello garden,

don't be afraid to ask any questions you may have once you get the system. When I got my system I also knew very little and I have never made music before (apart from various short attempts to learn the Piano). Just like VCV Rack the AE System invites you to explore sound. So I just spent my first few days with the basic patch VCO->Filter->VCA and just listened to what was going on. Just turning the filter cutoff is so rewarding. Then you start adding some modulations (automate the knob turning). Add an LFO to the control the filter cutoff, add an envelope to control the VCA level. suddenly you approach sounds that sound like it's "real" music.

I really learned most by doing the Patch Challenges and then doing the tutorial videos. By looking at each module very closely and then trying to find a way to fit it in a somewhat musical context helped me a lot to understand modular synthesis.

Most important is to not be afraid of noise, off sounding notes, weird rhythms, etc. That's all part of the fun

The most beautiful part of modular is that after you had a great patch and maybe you recorded it, then you just take all the wires out and it will be gone forever! Then you have a clean slate and start exploring something new.

Thanks MikMo for mentioning my series of tutorials, I made these to help real beginners to get started, but I also made them for myself so I was forced to learn each module.

You can also learn a lot by watching and listening to what other people here on the forum have done. There are so many absolutely amazing videos and soundcloud tracks on the Performances Sub Board.

And also please don't be shy about giving back and posting your creations here on the forum! Here we support each other and celebrate the fun we all have by making music (and other sounds) with the AE Modular!

YouTube + www.the5thvolt.com
Getting Started with AE Modular
Book a personal Zoom Session

garden
New Member

Posts: 5

How do you learn and understand and work with ae Apr 12, 2020 16:10:13 GMT

Quote

Post by garden on Apr 12, 2020 16:10:13 GMT

Thank you for your response and for your enthusiasm !!

i try to do drone, experimental, ambient music.. i am lyra 8 user too.. and other noise machine with pedal, and love Mutable Instrument modules, too fun kawaï gorgeous sound module..

i have questions..

i have see the starter pack guide..
but there is 2 x vco and 2 x wasp filter (no svfilter) and not in the starter pack 2.... why ?

if starter pack 2 avec osc/d and vco, so there is 3 oscillator and 1 noise in this system ?
so if there is 2env, 2 lfo, 2 vca... how is it possible to multiply (i don’t know if it’s the good words..) or add for the 2 other voice ?? a few like the idea on big modular of a wire in a wire or shuriken wire patch (i don’t know if what i think is understandable...)

what will be the module(s) to add or miss quickly for you ??