if you are looking for specific beginner friendly modules/cases here are my two suggestions: NiftyCase (small & affordable) ► Thomann (EU) redir.love/bPPFJZxh ► Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/NiftyCasePC ► Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/nOrmR Dreadbox Modules (affordable and clever) ► Thomann (EU) redir.love/xlS56kNh ► Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/dreadboxModules (affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you) also let me know if you want me to make a beginner guide on how to get started with eurorack! Until I do, here is my friend Noirs excellent and practical video on this very topic: ruclips.net/video/Ta0l8KqTrb8/видео.html (it is a series so be sure to watch them all!)
I would love to see this. What to get first and how much do you need to get to make it useable . I’m worried that you may need 10 units and they are $300 each and boom 💥 you are locked into $3k and have you just built something that a hydra synth could do for 3x the price?
I know plenty of people who are very talented at making music that never tried to make it. They do simply for the love of doing it. True artists at heart.
Agree with all this. One thing not mentioned though and has been the biggest plus for me with my small system: inspiration. As just a hobbyist and not really a "musician" I find a blank DAW session just joy sapping. I generally only have a couple of hours here and there so I started with groveboxes for quick fun sessions. Modular though has taken this further. I honestly feel more like it's a joint effort between me and the machine to make the music. It's so interactive. It throws ideas at you and you can accept or reject them. It's constantly surprising and inspiring and I get something fun and fresh everytime I sit down. If you have a specific idea or a specific sound you want, it seems pretty obvious that software is the solution. That's not me generally, I just want to have some fun and relax. Modular has been amazing in this regard. I found it very hard to take the plunge, and I've been conservative in adding to it. But you can do a LOT with a little bit.
@@kaitsu9608 sure. Each to his own. Great that there are so many options for people and DAWs are certainly more accessible price wise. I just have more fun away from away from my computer.
Such a great informative video, but above all else REALISTIC AND PRACTICAL. I’ve already got a eurorack system, but I appreciate what you’ve done and continue to do. Thank you, Bo.
Good to see you looking so well and great to have the guests speaking also. I did think eurorack would be out of my league but I like the fact you can start small and the idea of it being theraputic really does appeal. A very informative video, cheers Bo.
Great video, Bo! I think a small little palette case of goofy new modular toys might just be my birthday present to myself, and here you are talking about it on the day! I'll be digging through these vids more. Good stuff!
I want to ackonwledge your very helpful suggestions, Bo. Ultimately it was you who encouraged me to buy my Minilogue (indirectly, by means of your videos) and I never regretted such decision. By closely listening to what you said here I come to the understanding of how serious and not whimsical a eurorack-purchase-decision can be. I got your point and feel happy to put a delay on that. Thanks one more time, man. GOD bless you. :)
It is such a great topic. I'm a new synth addict and while I am in love with every piece of gear I have, the "what if" questions have been popping up more and more lately. I think I am going semi-modular first before a full dive.
Fantastic non-gear focused overview of Eurorack. I'm still having interested in getting into Eurorack (at least on a small scale) and this video really helped answer some of the non-tech questions I had. Thanks (liked and subscribed).
A friend who’s been a professional electronic musician since the eighties. I’ve got back in touch with him recently and couldn’t believe he likes my music. He uses bug brand modular and euro rack. I’m looking out of interest. I don’t think I will ever get this equipment as it’s out of my price and knowledge that I’m willing to put in. Your honesty has backed up my opinions. Your advice is priceless and valued by me. Thanks and big respect and love from Northern England. 💚💛❤️
I jumped in on the Semi-Modular train, I got Subharmonicon first then about a year later added DFAM and Mother32 with the new Sound Studio bundles. I'm very happy with my entry point and I get most of the experience that I expected, Learning DFAM and M32 at the same time was a steep and surprising curve, but fun nonetheless, that's what it's all about right? having fun!
... if you DON'T need a "time destroyer device" (a device that after you start playing with it, the next time you watch the clock you realize that a few hours have magically disappeared) then don't jump into eurorack ...
Nice video Bo! This will definitely help people who are on the edge :-) For most people it is just NOT suitable, but it is fun to play with it. My overall tip would be to keep it compact and rotate your modules don't get too attached and save space and money and learn new gear in the same case ... you can definitely have 2 Many Synths or 2 Many Eurorack .. :-)
Bo, I really appreciate the GAS intervention... Seriously, though, you completed the other half of my inner monologue. Really helpful in reevaluating my priorities. And, thanks for including multiple voices in this video.
Interesting that you really emphasise the 'organisational skill'. I'm not sure I agree although what you are saying does have some resonance for me,. I would put that aspect of it more about being interested in exploring process and thinking about different logic and connections. You do need to keep track of things to be able to make process driven music, but to me that is a bit different to organisational skills.
I've always gotten a lot more enjoyment from crafting and practicing music than from performing it for an audience. That might explain why playing around with VCV Rack felt so right to me. It enhances the appreciation of the process over the result.
Yeah, I started with VCV Rack and fell into the Eurorack Rabbithole :) No regrets, except maybe I wouldn't start with a A-100-system. Love the Doepfer modules. However if I could go back, I would start with another selection.
@@BoBeats I would start over with Maths and Mother. Also I love my strymon Magneto, the Doepfer WASP and my Arbhar. I guess something semimodular is not too bad. On the other hand: maybe I should have learned more about working with the A-100 modules before going off buying more modules. (Yeah, GAS, i know ;) )
I am poor, I bought my first Eurorack case in 2018 and the first module will go in there next month lol (first had to get a miniboog and stuff like that)
since the Volca drum is sold out everywhere I will start with something like the pico drum and control it with my Beatstep Pro. It's the most practical solution, adding more capabilities to my semi-modular synths. Some small things I feel they are missing in them. A whole system in Eurorack is out of my reach.
I suffer from preset paralysis, I had to get the real thing with knobs and switches, I need the tactile feel. it’s addictive like super expensive Pokémon but I love it.
Should you start with Eurorack? ... If you're asking this question, the answer is probably "no". Eurorack hardware is mostly for people who have already tried the other options and found them insufficient. So... try other things first.
I got into eurorack because I wanted to create a band in a box. I did not like any existing grooveboxes and I did not want to lug around a bunch of gear. I did limit myself to 6u and 95hp. Still not cheap, but compared to the hardware I was considering (synth, drums, sampler, mixer), the cost was reasonable. Most important, I got to pick exactly the sounds and interfaces that worked exactly for me vs settling for some of this in a piece of gear and some of that in another piece of gear. And by the way, software wise, I would highly recommend Arturia Pigments. You can pretty much do it all for a couple hundred dollars retail, sounds great and love the interface.
Good video, with some great points before starting, and it's definitely not for everyone. I started with something small trying to skimp on cost, but realised it wasn't what I was after, and ended up being basically a minor addition to my 0 Coast that wasn't much different to using some guitar pedals. After selling off a lot of the other stuff I was using with it and going all in I settled on a setup that really fit what I was after. The last point is especially interesting to me, when I don't feel I've got the patience or creativity to sit down and write a piece of music properly it's great to just experiment and patch things leaving the machine to do its own thing. It can be massively cathertic and a great way to lose a few hours. That said similar could be done with a load of different setups...
I'm well on my way to having a complete Behringer 2500 series modular build. I'm adding a few DIY kits (mixer and buffered mult) as well as a Make Noise Maths module for getting funky, all will be controlled/sequenced by the Keystep Pro. I'm super excited and this video made me all the more excited. Very informative :)
I am a tinkerer and for me the main interest is building all these exciting noise makers by hand. I try and make music, but so far I mostly make noise. But I am patient and feel I am slowly getting closer to capturing noises that I at least might consider music.
me: *visit schneidersladen to try eurorack* 20 minutes later: "I'm trying to make techno why is it just white noise?" To me the modular experience was like discovering a mystery. You don't know where you'll end up if you patch without expectations. Sure the learning curve is steep but it's so worth it when you understand your system. I hope to build a small modular fx rack one day.
I am a begInner synth lover and yes i want to go modular 🤣and no inspiration to be a musician 🤪 and i love fnding out what i am doing So this is for me ( starting with 2 model d 's and a neutron and maybe some real eurorack gear)
I've been interested in trying eurorack thanks to artists like Helene Vogelsinger and State Azure. The sounds that they create are so magnificent. So rich and sparse at times, yet dense and hidden. Does that make sense? I feel that all I want, though, is a Morphagene, a Lubadh and maybe the 0-coast. I just want something small to learn from. I tried vcv rack, and I could not deal with it. I prefer learning via a direct, hands on approach. It is how I have been learning how to use the gear that I currently have. And yes, pulling out my kit, setting it up on my desk and slowly, methodically plugging everything in is very meditative. Gets my mind all clear, and ready to create... Whatever!!
As someone who’s become excited by generative sequencers, I’d like to suggest a new video topic: “Generative Sequencers available for non-modular synthesists.” I believe that A survey of the range of standalone boxes for generative sequencing aimed at beginners and complete idiots like me LOL. I’ve seen brilliant detailed examinations of NDLR and the NoodleBox which went over my head pretty quickly. so a review of what’s available in generative sequencing may be helpful. Thanks!
:) Synchronisation… Last week i,d a Klickfeeling with my 0coast, After 2 months of struggeling, of it wasn,t to expensive for my abbilities…. But Last week I understood whats going up, i need More Modulare Stuff to come to my goal:) as Owner of a the digitakt I was always surching for Good samples, but Never found Good Kicks and Basses. I will Build a case around my 0coast, to make the 2 Protagonists in Technomusic harder, rougher, soulyer and Faster to reach. I love the digitakt, but i,m Not fast enough in Menudiving. I like to only Turn a knob and Good… Perhaps it is my personell Problem struggeling with decicions, is there a better sample fitting in that Part? The digitakt will be my personell Dirigent for the Solists in Modules, and still Play samples harmonies and percussion… Is it possible to Sync the Modular via Midi, without the necessairity of buing Clocks and so on? My 0coast dont like my digitakt, only Keyboard. Wich midi Module will fit?
I find myself watching a lot of eurorack vids online because the genre clicks with me: I think very algorithmicly about music and connecting boxes that each have a single function is a way of translating algorithms into music. But yet I don’t want to go the eurorack route: it’s very expensive, I am afraid It will increase GAS rather than decrease it, the bad polyphonic situation is also a reason not to do it, and I am also worried about the mess the cables will be if I ever start doing it. So, I found an alternative: I am trying to do generative midi stuff. The gear I have so far (Korg Wavestate, Deluge, Squarp Pyramid, OP-z) is all very good in doing probabilistic or LFO controlled midi. It is a great creative limitation to design music only in that way, and it for sure is a cheaper and less room space consuming way as well.
I think the main advice from me would be to not simply build a subtractive synth. Eurorack is a very expensive way to build a normal synth and to your point number 1 if you're not trying to do something different with your eurorack you're probably going down the wrong avenue. Something like a Mother-32 could cost more than a grand to build out of individual components. Second advice would be to choose modules based on what you want to do - not what you've seen other people using. This is where eurorack is valuable - filling in holes in your setup. For this reason it makes very little sense to me to start with eurorack. You need to know what you don't have before you start buying things.
This was my own experience, by the way. I set about creating my perfect synth, and realised £1500 later that all I had was a fairly basic substractive synth that wasn't really doing anything all that different. And for that price I could have bought a Dave Smith! Now my eurorack skiff is almost all effects and utitilities to support my semi-modulars. And I have a video skiff for videosynthesis.
But starting to build a classical substractive synth is a solid root to build upon and avoid giving birth to a Frankenstein making only bleeps and robot farts. But it also greatly depends on what gear you already have (and want to keep.)
@@vincentprimault4380 ha yes very true! I'd say for most people they're better starting with a semi-modular for that purpose, and build around it. Eurorack is just so expensive it's a steep cliff to start with if all you want is basic oscillations. You can buy a Moog!
I fail with Eurorack. I stop my exploration after spending 3000€ as I found it no so inspiring for the price I spend. As I had good quality modules and rack ( intellijel, plenty of mutable and other well knowned ) I managed to sell them on one shot for 50%. No regret, my way is moog matriarch, deluge synthstrom or korg wavestate. l found even dreadbox typhoon 10 time more rewarding than my full eurorack set for 10% of the price. but i don’t want to resume it as a price comparaison ( I got no financial problem ), the Eurorack system is something to carefully explore, like a scientific lab, as a synth is something you play with . Maybe the fact that I did 15 years of piano is not for eurorack too. So If you start in electronic music I recommand you a second hand korg or moog… first
been trying to start for thirty years :) atm, my issue concerns construction of the dual PSU. why does everyone use an AC wallwart and regulators? it seems to me, using a DC supply and a resistor divider to provide +/- rails avoids ripple. anyone?
Hello thank you for all the great content you make I have something to ask ? I want to use a eurorack system as an effect bord ( distortion /reverb /delay … ) and use my logicpro x on i pad pro as a sound source / sequencer … I have been using my ipad with 2 guitar pedals ( jhs overdrive color box and strymon nightsky ) so is it possible ? I need some advice thank you in advance
Thanks for the video Bo. I have gone as far at Witch Rebel Technology, Moog WerkStatt, and the Bastl drum. Do you think some of the off the shelf modulars (Lifeforms sv-1b) are a good place to start from a new user and price point perspective?
I thinks its waist of time and money. If you have money First buy nords, acces virus, elektron gear. Akais mpc, Moog synth and semi modular, strymon stomp boxes. Them clasics analoges vintage synth roland and other clasics brands and them when you boring go for modular synths. Ist just my opinión.
Regarding #5: a good example of an aspiring artist that didn't have the aspiration to "make it" and still thought he had a very valid reason to "get into Eurorack": Dieter Doepfer.
So glad you mentioned “modular as therapy.” For me, it’s a form of meditation. I have no aspirations to make music professionally, and I can imagine someone who does getting frustrated with the clunkiness of eurorack. But to me, the clunkiness is a feature, not a bug. A cumbersome system doesn’t let you click a button or fire up a preset; instead, it forces you to take your time and pay attention to what you’re doing.
@A.J. Wilson: You've articulated exactly what attracted me to Eurorack modular. Using it is an exercise in both deliberation and experimentation. It's not my go-to contraption, but a great way to break away occasionally from the expedient and facile and dive into contemplative tortoise mode.
As everyone shares his storys here is mine: i got very interested in Eurorack because of Andrew Huang, i just loved the idea of building my own, personal synth and not being restricted by my CPU. I wanted those crazy bleep bloops, addicting filtersweeps and dirty basslines, shiny arpegios and complex drones and rythms. My first way to go was the minibrute 2s which is semimodular but has room to grow because of the complex sequencer and the many patchpoints. From there i bought some modules by doepfer, behringer and dreadbox and built some myself, putting them into a case i made out of a fruit box hahah. I also got the behringer crave (which is kindof falling apart, maybe i travel too much with It xd) but i Will replace that one soon with sth else. All in all, the modular experience is just so rewarding and interesting, i always patch sth Up before i go to sleep because It just calms me down so much, apart from having new samples and sounds to work with (i try to record everything i patch up in my DAW). I am so deeply happy having invested in that setup (apart from the behringer crave, dont recommend It if you travel with it, you get what you pay for). I couldnt go back to a software synths only setup (i still use them for chords or if im too lazy to patch sth up) and yes.. Peace :)
Yeah it’s complicated and yeah it’s expensive but it’s just so much fun! I’ve had synths for years but only started building euro rack synth over the last 6 months. It’s just so adsorbing and I’m hooked! I can honestly say I’ve had such a great experience so far and to be honest not having pots of money to spend can actually be an advantage as buying a module every month or two allows you time to try out all of the parameters and time to dream up ways to exploit them. Building modules from kits is also a great way to reduce the cost and it’s part of the enjoyment for me.
Hmmmm very insightful video! thank you for that. For me, it's not something appealing for the moment, though I really enjoy my DFAM and will probably get a Subharmonicon soon, but I still prefer working with my groovebox, sampler, synths. BUT if I ever have 4 o 5k lying around... I will absolutely and definitely get the AWESOME Erica Synths Techno System.
Essentially a synth is a tool. so do you need a general purpose tool or a highly specialized tool? in some cases a highly specialized tool may be worth the cost. Surely a good craftsman has more than one tool in his chest and they shouldn't overlap that much, i think modular offers too little. thanks for the hints at the beginning of the video.
I recently bought an AE Modular system, it cost me about 500 eur and I love it, I really wanted to get into modular but Eurorack was just way too expensive. AE is a nice alternative, it has its problems but it does sound fantastic and a great way to start without spending double or more on a synth.
If you have a lot of money and have done your research, then Eurorack may be right for you. But I started with semi-modular because it's cheaper and allowed me to learn the individual parts of a signal chain. Then I started patching my synths with some starter modules and eventually built my own rig. Also GAS is real! Before I purchase any new gear, I list the pros and cons and make sure I let a month or two pass before I actually purchase it. Sometimes the latest synth can be hard to resist, but when you get it home it's not what you thought it would be.
Pros for me are small time designers making interesting products. And that they can be in kit form that you build yourself (like the old Heathkit and Radio Shack kits of the 60's-70's), which is very cool. When you build it you truly own it. Cons are cost and you end up with a needlessly convoluted monosynth. I'll never understand people's love affair with mono's. I need at least 6 voices. I see modular as a hobby.
The kit form as well as the fact even without kits you are building your own instrument is very appealing. That side is another side hobby different to making music, but in the spirit of what Bo always says, it’s as valid a hobby as finishing tracks!
some would say yes, some would say no, personally i find that if you REALLY want to get to know what sound synthesis is all about then there is no better platform, regardless of the price associated. awesome point too btw oscillatorSink, the reasons that attracted you to Euro were exactly some of the reasons why i end up there! awesome and fair video by the too Bo! i haven't watched your channel in ages, though this was a nice "welcome back". by the way, your point about money, i've been a broke arse student forever, that being said, i literally just spent a few years homeless to finish my setup, would i recommend anyone else do that to obtain the unobtainium, absolutely not, would i do it all over again for my euro system, absolutely i would! (However, i would NEVER go seeking loans for instruments, that's just an easy way to find yourself in a land of bad finances and hence the reason why i decided to stay homeless for as long as it took).
Vcv rack is awesome as well as hexen on mobile platforms! Both are free though I know VCV has plenty of affordable paid options. Voltage Modular 2 is also a great software to get on sale as well. I've already learned so much about the basics this way. I'm hoping in a couple years when I'm more financially stable to get into it on the hardware side. Tons of great info and insight in this video. Thanks for teaching me a few new things today!
The modular as therapy idea is one I personally subscribe to. I remember seeing a documentary a few years back (it might have been I Dream of Wires but I can't recall for sure) that had someone who had a huge modular system of some sort (it wasn't Eurorack that I recall) in their living room, and that was the whole idea for them. It was just something relaxing to do after a long day. To come in and just patch away and see what sounds came out, and this really resonated with me. I had just gotten into synths at the time but didn't really have a direction yet, and this idea just stuck. And once I found Eurorack, which was a modular format I could actually afford, it was all over. Now it's become that thing I do after work to just wind down for a couple hours, and it's great. I only wish I'd found it sooner than I did.
I don't want to get into euro rack but this is a really nicely done video, thanks I want either a digitakt or save up for a Isla sp2400, but that would probably alter the way I make music, currently logic or live with a few hardware bits. Lots of good choices these days
@@artisans8521 I've spend alot of time watching lots of people with the Isla including all the Alex Ball vids who could probably make me want a saucepan and spoon as my new musical direction. It wasn't just for the sound, in some ways it was for the new methods it would force me to use. But this is just a hobby and I've already got lots of toys. Thanks for your reply
Great analysis and advice BoBeats. I started with a laptop and Ableton then progressed to a Moog Sub 37 and Elektron boxes. Modular has taught me more about the building blocks of synthesis than hardware synths or computer VSTs. In retrospect, I have more fun with modular synths than hardware synths or computer synths but music production takes more work. However, way more fun. It is relaxing patching modules together like musical lego blocks to create sound and good therapy even if my pocket book complains. And yes very expensive I spent easily over 10k in eurorack stuff. Fortunately, I did not take a loan out and did not go in debt but saved and paid cash.
Interesting comment on polyphony. In hardware I agree, but VCV has a very clever way of implementing polyphony with its merge modules to put several channels a down to one polyphonic cable you can then chain polyphonic modules with. The mutable instruments clones work really well for this and you can patch voices in much the same way as your would monophonic voices with them. The polyphony really takes VCV beyond what you can do with hardware, and way beyond it just being a free way of doing the same thing.
I started with a Neutron to get some idea of patching and if I liked it. I then started adding modules that I made from kit. I knew I wasn't going to be a pro musician, and from the beginning my hobby was building and collecting electronic instruments, not really making music.
I love VCV (& cardinal).. I don't think actual hardware eurorack vcv is for me.. 1st & obvious reason is that I can't afford it even in my dreams.. But also, there is so much options/modules and unlimited space on VCV.. so going hardware & limiting myself to a few modules & limited space (while also paying big money) doesn't seem like a wise choice at all.. as far as the tactile feel.. well we can get some tactileness with a mouse, midi keyboard & midi knobs..
I’ve had my Neutron first r a couple f years and have been thinking about ways to expand its functionality. I have a number of other hardware synths and guitars and pedals and have really settled on ‘my sound’. I’m at a point where I’ve saved a bit of money and I’m trying figure out where to invest it next. What will give me the greatest creativity ever flexibility for my dollar. There are some very expensive ‘one trick’ pedals that have come out that are one option. There are a few f the modular FX boxes too that offer plenty of options. Then there’s a small eurorack box that is purely modulation/effecting. I don’t need any more voices, I have my sound. But Ike thinking about how a wavefolder, a clock divider and a few modulation or utility modules might allow for some interesting sound design variation. On the other hand, I’m concerned that putting my eggs in the eurorack basket really only gives me flexibility with the Neutron, as that little world of wires might become a walled garden. Any way it’s a good discussion to be thinking about
For me... i feel the money could have been used more effectively. I noticed i like keyboard all in one synths better than eurorack. like polybrute ect - use presets and modify them thats my work flow.
TIP, One most people forget or don't know of --> My journey into modular started with the Clavia Nord (Micro) Modular. Way before VCVRack and the Modular "hype" (populairity). The Nord Modular is a (virtual modular) synthesizer that let you make patches in a software environment (Mac/Windows) It contains modular modules in the same way as you can find in modular eurorack. Like VCVRack ? Yes & No. No because the patch stays in the machine and runs standalone without the computer ! But VCVRack these day's have more depth, and the power of your PC/Mac as the limit. For me the Nord Modular was (and stil in use) a beautiful machine because it can make completely different sounds with tons of control compared with a regular synthesizer. I started with the "Nord Micro Modular" and later I bought (second hand) the "Nord Modular Expanded" = 4 x Micro Modular + more polofony. One way to taste the modular experience with little money = Buy a second hand "Clavia Nord Micro Modular". And the software editor stil runs in ALL windows versions up to 10 ! It communicates thru a MIDI port. Mac support...I don't know, I don't use Apple machines. It also runs in Linux/Wine environment ;-)
if you are looking for specific beginner friendly modules/cases here are my two suggestions:
NiftyCase (small & affordable)
► Thomann (EU) redir.love/bPPFJZxh
► Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/NiftyCasePC
► Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/nOrmR
Dreadbox Modules (affordable and clever)
► Thomann (EU) redir.love/xlS56kNh
► Perfect Circuit: bit.ly/dreadboxModules
(affiliate links support the channel at no cost to you)
also let me know if you want me to make a beginner guide on how to get started with eurorack! Until I do, here is my friend Noirs excellent and practical video on this very topic: ruclips.net/video/Ta0l8KqTrb8/видео.html (it is a series so be sure to watch them all!)
I would love to see this. What to get first and how much do you need to get to make it useable . I’m worried that you may need 10 units and they are $300 each and boom 💥 you are locked into $3k and have you just built something that a hydra synth could do for 3x the price?
Thanks for having me Bo. Anytime you need someone to speak quietly about synths, you know where I am
I enjoyed your contribution.
I know plenty of people who are very talented at making music that never tried to make it. They do simply for the love of doing it. True artists at heart.
Agree with all this. One thing not mentioned though and has been the biggest plus for me with my small system: inspiration.
As just a hobbyist and not really a "musician" I find a blank DAW session just joy sapping. I generally only have a couple of hours here and there so I started with groveboxes for quick fun sessions.
Modular though has taken this further. I honestly feel more like it's a joint effort between me and the machine to make the music. It's so interactive. It throws ideas at you and you can accept or reject them. It's constantly surprising and inspiring and I get something fun and fresh everytime I sit down.
If you have a specific idea or a specific sound you want, it seems pretty obvious that software is the solution. That's not me generally, I just want to have some fun and relax. Modular has been amazing in this regard.
I found it very hard to take the plunge, and I've been conservative in adding to it. But you can do a LOT with a little bit.
Or set up a daw template similarly to a groovebox
@@kaitsu9608 sure. Each to his own. Great that there are so many options for people and DAWs are certainly more accessible price wise. I just have more fun away from away from my computer.
@@kaitsu9608 Just something about turning a mini nob with a mouse in a daw kills it for me. Real knobs give me life :)
@@octopappa5694 yeah i know :D just picked tr8 today - had severe lack of knobs ... thinking of digitone to pair it for fairly competent otb duo
to be fair though, im way way more productive with ableton
you've put me off, in a good way. Thank bo!
Such a great informative video, but above all else REALISTIC AND PRACTICAL. I’ve already got a eurorack system, but I appreciate what you’ve done and continue to do. Thank you, Bo.
Good to see you looking so well and great to have the guests speaking also. I did think eurorack would be out of my league but I like the fact you can start small and the idea of it being theraputic really does appeal. A very informative video, cheers Bo.
I love my Eurorack for the surprises. That's a big part of the joy for me! :D
Great video, Bo! I think a small little palette case of goofy new modular toys might just be my birthday present to myself, and here you are talking about it on the day! I'll be digging through these vids more. Good stuff!
I want to ackonwledge your very helpful suggestions, Bo. Ultimately it was you who encouraged me to buy my Minilogue (indirectly, by means of your videos) and I never regretted such decision. By closely listening to what you said here I come to the understanding of how serious and not whimsical a eurorack-purchase-decision can be. I got your point and feel happy to put a delay on that. Thanks one more time, man. GOD bless you. :)
It is such a great topic. I'm a new synth addict and while I am in love with every piece of gear I have, the "what if" questions have been popping up more and more lately. I think I am going semi-modular first before a full dive.
thank you!
Good move. Semi-modulars can be integrated with your Eurorack setup if you later decide to start building your own rack of modules.
Fantastic non-gear focused overview of Eurorack. I'm still having interested in getting into Eurorack (at least on a small scale) and this video really helped answer some of the non-tech questions I had. Thanks (liked and subscribed).
Venetian Snares has done some great stuff with modular synths too
Recommending vcv is just the best advice. Vcv is fantastic for understanding what you might actually want to do with modular without any limitations.
A friend who’s been a professional electronic musician since the eighties. I’ve got back in touch with him recently and couldn’t believe he likes my music. He uses bug brand modular and euro rack. I’m looking out of interest. I don’t think I will ever get this equipment as it’s out of my price and knowledge that I’m willing to put in. Your honesty has backed up my opinions. Your advice is priceless and valued by me. Thanks and big respect and love from Northern England.
💚💛❤️
great to see you bo. Eurorack is madness
I jumped in on the Semi-Modular train, I got Subharmonicon first then about a year later added DFAM and Mother32 with the new Sound Studio bundles. I'm very happy with my entry point and I get most of the experience that I expected, Learning DFAM and M32 at the same time was a steep and surprising curve, but fun nonetheless, that's what it's all about right? having fun!
Really well explained. I'm sticking to a room full of synths 😍
... if you DON'T need a "time destroyer device" (a device that after you start playing with it, the next time you watch the clock you realize that a few hours have magically disappeared) then don't jump into eurorack ...
It's a time accelerator! The hours fly by.
Nice video Bo! This will definitely help people who are on the edge :-) For most people it is just NOT suitable, but it is fun to play with it. My overall tip would be to keep it compact and rotate your modules don't get too attached and save space and money and learn new gear in the same case ... you can definitely have 2 Many Synths or 2 Many Eurorack .. :-)
Bo, I really appreciate the GAS intervention... Seriously, though, you completed the other half of my inner monologue. Really helpful in reevaluating my priorities. And, thanks for including multiple voices in this video.
Interesting that you really emphasise the 'organisational skill'. I'm not sure I agree although what you are saying does have some resonance for me,. I would put that aspect of it more about being interested in exploring process and thinking about different logic and connections. You do need to keep track of things to be able to make process driven music, but to me that is a bit different to organisational skills.
I went semi modular because of my small wallet. A great "cheap" alternative to modular and ready to try to build a module or two.
0:57 this vibe is really sick fr
Great video as usual ! Thanks !
I've always gotten a lot more enjoyment from crafting and practicing music than from performing it for an audience. That might explain why playing around with VCV Rack felt so right to me. It enhances the appreciation of the process over the result.
Yeah, I started with VCV Rack and fell into the Eurorack Rabbithole :) No regrets, except maybe I wouldn't start with a A-100-system. Love the Doepfer modules. However if I could go back, I would start with another selection.
any recommendations?
Yeah let us know what you’d rather started with?
@@BoBeats I would start over with Maths and Mother. Also I love my strymon Magneto, the Doepfer WASP and my Arbhar.
I guess something semimodular is not too bad.
On the other hand: maybe I should have learned more about working with the A-100 modules before going off buying more modules. (Yeah, GAS, i know ;) )
I am poor, I bought my first Eurorack case in 2018 and the first module will go in there next month lol (first had to get a miniboog and stuff like that)
since the Volca drum is sold out everywhere I will start with something like the pico drum and control it with my Beatstep Pro. It's the most practical solution, adding more capabilities to my semi-modular synths. Some small things I feel they are missing in them. A whole system in Eurorack is out of my reach.
I suffer from preset paralysis, I had to get the real thing with knobs and switches, I need the tactile feel. it’s addictive like super expensive Pokémon but I love it.
I'm toying with the idea of making a euro rack filter bank.
Should you start with Eurorack? ... If you're asking this question, the answer is probably "no". Eurorack hardware is mostly for people who have already tried the other options and found them insufficient. So... try other things first.
I got into eurorack because I wanted to create a band in a box. I did not like any existing grooveboxes and I did not want to lug around a bunch of gear. I did limit myself to 6u and 95hp. Still not cheap, but compared to the hardware I was considering (synth, drums, sampler, mixer), the cost was reasonable. Most important, I got to pick exactly the sounds and interfaces that worked exactly for me vs settling for some of this in a piece of gear and some of that in another piece of gear. And by the way, software wise, I would highly recommend Arturia Pigments. You can pretty much do it all for a couple hundred dollars retail, sounds great and love the interface.
Good video, with some great points before starting, and it's definitely not for everyone. I started with something small trying to skimp on cost, but realised it wasn't what I was after, and ended up being basically a minor addition to my 0 Coast that wasn't much different to using some guitar pedals. After selling off a lot of the other stuff I was using with it and going all in I settled on a setup that really fit what I was after.
The last point is especially interesting to me, when I don't feel I've got the patience or creativity to sit down and write a piece of music properly it's great to just experiment and patch things leaving the machine to do its own thing. It can be massively cathertic and a great way to lose a few hours. That said similar could be done with a load of different setups...
I started with eurorack 3 months ago. Now I got 2x104 HP, and I am broke but happier than ever!
Wise advice, good information.
I'm well on my way to having a complete Behringer 2500 series modular build. I'm adding a few DIY kits (mixer and buffered mult) as well as a Make Noise Maths module for getting funky, all will be controlled/sequenced by the Keystep Pro. I'm super excited and this video made me all the more excited. Very informative :)
I am a tinkerer and for me the main interest is building all these exciting noise makers by hand. I try and make music, but so far I mostly make noise. But I am patient and feel I am slowly getting closer to capturing noises that I at least might consider music.
Is it Bo Beats? Or Bob Eats?.....Either way - Thanks for this!
me: *visit schneidersladen to try eurorack*
20 minutes later: "I'm trying to make techno why is it just white noise?"
To me the modular experience was like discovering a mystery. You don't know where you'll end up if you patch without expectations. Sure the learning curve is steep but it's so worth it when you understand your system. I hope to build a small modular fx rack one day.
It’s much too late for me not to get into Eurorack! 😚 But I really enjoyed your video nevertheless. Good one!
I am a begInner synth lover and yes i want to go modular 🤣and no inspiration to be a musician 🤪 and i love fnding out what i am doing
So this is for me ( starting with 2 model d 's and a neutron and maybe some real eurorack gear)
Soon 100.000 followers Bosse, you have done a lot of hard work to get there, well done!! Where are you based?
southern sweden
@@BoBeats Ahh...!! Skåning? 😊😃🎶
Remember is is not the designation, its the journey to get there.
I like how you keep emphasising music as hobby and a creative pursuit other than trying to 'make it' as an artist.
2nd time watching - so much good info to think about while building a “someday” gear list lol
I call it the never ending rabbit hole of spending
I've been interested in trying eurorack thanks to artists like Helene Vogelsinger and State Azure. The sounds that they create are so magnificent. So rich and sparse at times, yet dense and hidden. Does that make sense? I feel that all I want, though, is a Morphagene, a Lubadh and maybe the 0-coast. I just want something small to learn from. I tried vcv rack, and I could not deal with it. I prefer learning via a direct, hands on approach. It is how I have been learning how to use the gear that I currently have. And yes, pulling out my kit, setting it up on my desk and slowly, methodically plugging everything in is very meditative. Gets my mind all clear, and ready to create... Whatever!!
As someone who’s become excited by generative sequencers, I’d like to suggest a new video topic: “Generative Sequencers available for non-modular synthesists.” I believe that A survey of the range of standalone boxes for generative sequencing aimed at beginners and complete idiots like me LOL. I’ve seen brilliant detailed examinations of NDLR and the NoodleBox which went over my head pretty quickly. so a review of what’s available in generative sequencing may be helpful. Thanks!
I love weird sounds I’ve got ocoast and drumbrute and minibrute 2s and a phaser and reverb pedal... it’s enough for now...
:) Synchronisation… Last week i,d a Klickfeeling with my 0coast, After 2 months of struggeling, of it wasn,t to expensive for my abbilities…. But Last week I understood whats going up, i need More Modulare Stuff to come to my goal:) as Owner of a the digitakt I was always surching for Good samples, but Never found Good Kicks and Basses. I will Build a case around my 0coast, to make the 2 Protagonists in Technomusic harder, rougher, soulyer and Faster to reach. I love the digitakt, but i,m Not fast enough in Menudiving. I like to only Turn a knob and Good… Perhaps it is my personell Problem struggeling with decicions, is there a better sample fitting in that Part? The digitakt will be my personell Dirigent for the Solists in Modules, and still Play samples harmonies and percussion…
Is it possible to Sync the Modular via Midi, without the necessairity of buing Clocks and so on? My 0coast dont like my digitakt, only Keyboard.
Wich midi Module will fit?
I find myself watching a lot of eurorack vids online because the genre clicks with me: I think very algorithmicly about music and connecting boxes that each have a single function is a way of translating algorithms into music. But yet I don’t want to go the eurorack route: it’s very expensive, I am afraid It will increase GAS rather than decrease it, the bad polyphonic situation is also a reason not to do it, and I am also worried about the mess the cables will be if I ever start doing it.
So, I found an alternative: I am trying to do generative midi stuff. The gear I have so far (Korg Wavestate, Deluge, Squarp Pyramid, OP-z) is all very good in doing probabilistic or LFO controlled midi. It is a great creative limitation to design music only in that way, and it for sure is a cheaper and less room space consuming way as well.
I think the main advice from me would be to not simply build a subtractive synth. Eurorack is a very expensive way to build a normal synth and to your point number 1 if you're not trying to do something different with your eurorack you're probably going down the wrong avenue. Something like a Mother-32 could cost more than a grand to build out of individual components.
Second advice would be to choose modules based on what you want to do - not what you've seen other people using. This is where eurorack is valuable - filling in holes in your setup. For this reason it makes very little sense to me to start with eurorack. You need to know what you don't have before you start buying things.
Good tips!
@@BoBeats It's good to hear everyone'es experience with eurorack as it's all so unique! Thanks for the video bo and keep on patchin'
This was my own experience, by the way. I set about creating my perfect synth, and realised £1500 later that all I had was a fairly basic substractive synth that wasn't really doing anything all that different. And for that price I could have bought a Dave Smith!
Now my eurorack skiff is almost all effects and utitilities to support my semi-modulars. And I have a video skiff for videosynthesis.
But starting to build a classical substractive synth is a solid root to build upon and avoid giving birth to a Frankenstein making only bleeps and robot farts.
But it also greatly depends on what gear you already have (and want to keep.)
@@vincentprimault4380 ha yes very true! I'd say for most people they're better starting with a semi-modular for that purpose, and build around it. Eurorack is just so expensive it's a steep cliff to start with if all you want is basic oscillations. You can buy a Moog!
Thanks
I fail with Eurorack. I stop my exploration after spending 3000€ as I found it no so inspiring for the price I spend.
As I had good quality modules and rack ( intellijel, plenty of mutable and other well knowned ) I managed to sell them on one shot for 50%.
No regret, my way is moog matriarch, deluge synthstrom or korg wavestate. l found even dreadbox typhoon 10 time more rewarding than my full eurorack set for 10% of the price.
but i don’t want to resume it as a price comparaison ( I got no financial problem ), the Eurorack system is something to carefully explore, like a scientific lab, as a synth is something you play with .
Maybe the fact that I did 15 years of piano is not for eurorack too.
So If you start in electronic music I recommand you a second hand korg or moog… first
Julia Bondar is brilliant. But she uses her modular like it’s all fixed architecture.
been trying to start for thirty years :)
atm, my issue concerns construction of the dual PSU. why does everyone use an AC wallwart and regulators?
it seems to me, using a DC supply and a resistor divider to provide +/- rails avoids ripple. anyone?
Hello thank you for all the great content you make
I have something to ask ?
I want to use a eurorack system as an effect bord ( distortion /reverb /delay … ) and use my logicpro x on i pad pro as a sound source / sequencer …
I have been using my ipad with 2 guitar pedals ( jhs overdrive color box and strymon nightsky ) so is it possible ? I need some advice thank you in advance
ey littlebigsynths :)
Yeah, it can grow on you!
Thanks for the video Bo. I have gone as far at Witch Rebel Technology, Moog WerkStatt, and the Bastl drum. Do you think some of the off the shelf modulars (Lifeforms sv-1b) are a good place to start from a new user and price point perspective?
Check Noirs pinned video :-) its a good starting point
Also check out Sonic State's review of the SV1.
@@leftmono1016 Thanks for the Rec.
Would you recommend semi-modular synths to get started with?
Hi nice video 🎶🎹🎶🎹🎶🎧
Way more bang for your buck with stand alone gear or semi modular
Tip #3 should have been the 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
And now a „should you stop with Eurorack?“ video?
Your best advise was do not spend money you cannot afford for your hobby. Taking a loan for toys is as stupid as can be.
I’m to much of a player and a minimalist to go into serious modular.
I thinks its waist of time and money. If you have money First buy nords, acces virus, elektron gear. Akais mpc, Moog synth and semi modular, strymon stomp boxes. Them clasics analoges vintage synth roland and other clasics brands and them when you boring go for modular synths. Ist just my opinión.
Damn, I run away from eurorack stuff 24/7h. It's an overpriced addicion.
no!
ill save some time:
NO!
Regarding #5: a good example of an aspiring artist that didn't have the aspiration to "make it" and still thought he had a very valid reason to "get into Eurorack": Dieter Doepfer.
So glad you mentioned “modular as therapy.” For me, it’s a form of meditation. I have no aspirations to make music professionally, and I can imagine someone who does getting frustrated with the clunkiness of eurorack. But to me, the clunkiness is a feature, not a bug. A cumbersome system doesn’t let you click a button or fire up a preset; instead, it forces you to take your time and pay attention to what you’re doing.
@A.J. Wilson: You've articulated exactly what attracted me to Eurorack modular. Using it is an exercise in both deliberation and experimentation. It's not my go-to contraption, but a great way to break away occasionally from the expedient and facile and dive into contemplative tortoise mode.
Spot on!!
I have definitely found this recently working on ambient atmospheres with VCV rack. Carefully crafting a process driven piece is very meditative.
I often spend many days with my modular trying to figure out how to do things. Things I could do in a DAW in under 5 minutes. And I love that process,
Totally agree.
As everyone shares his storys here is mine: i got very interested in Eurorack because of Andrew Huang, i just loved the idea of building my own, personal synth and not being restricted by my CPU. I wanted those crazy bleep bloops, addicting filtersweeps and dirty basslines, shiny arpegios and complex drones and rythms. My first way to go was the minibrute 2s which is semimodular but has room to grow because of the complex sequencer and the many patchpoints. From there i bought some modules by doepfer, behringer and dreadbox and built some myself, putting them into a case i made out of a fruit box hahah. I also got the behringer crave (which is kindof falling apart, maybe i travel too much with It xd) but i Will replace that one soon with sth else.
All in all, the modular experience is just so rewarding and interesting, i always patch sth Up before i go to sleep because It just calms me down so much, apart from having new samples and sounds to work with (i try to record everything i patch up in my DAW). I am so deeply happy having invested in that setup (apart from the behringer crave, dont recommend It if you travel with it, you get what you pay for). I couldnt go back to a software synths only setup (i still use them for chords or if im too lazy to patch sth up) and yes..
Peace :)
Was eyeing the inexpensive behringer line thanks for getting me in right direction!
Yeah it’s complicated and yeah it’s expensive but it’s just so much fun! I’ve had synths for years but only started building euro rack synth over the last 6 months. It’s just so adsorbing and I’m hooked! I can honestly say I’ve had such a great experience so far and to be honest not having pots of money to spend can actually be an advantage as buying a module every month or two allows you time to try out all of the parameters and time to dream up ways to exploit them.
Building modules from kits is also a great way to reduce the cost and it’s part of the enjoyment for me.
Hmmmm very insightful video! thank you for that.
For me, it's not something appealing for the moment, though I really enjoy my DFAM and will probably get a Subharmonicon soon, but I still prefer working with my groovebox, sampler, synths.
BUT if I ever have 4 o 5k lying around... I will absolutely and definitely get the AWESOME Erica Synths Techno System.
Essentially a synth is a tool. so do you need a general purpose tool or a highly specialized tool?
in some cases a highly specialized tool may be worth the cost.
Surely a good craftsman has more than one tool in his chest and they shouldn't overlap that much, i think modular offers too little.
thanks for the hints at the beginning of the video.
Yeah! Oscillator Sink!
I recently bought an AE Modular system, it cost me about 500 eur and I love it, I really wanted to get into modular but Eurorack was just way too expensive. AE is a nice alternative, it has its problems but it does sound fantastic and a great way to start without spending double or more on a synth.
I agree with you. Me too I started with this system, and it's a great way to discover modulars.
If you have a lot of money and have done your research, then Eurorack may be right for you. But I started with semi-modular because it's cheaper and allowed me to learn the individual parts of a signal chain. Then I started patching my synths with some starter modules and eventually built my own rig.
Also GAS is real! Before I purchase any new gear, I list the pros and cons and make sure I let a month or two pass before I actually purchase it. Sometimes the latest synth can be hard to resist, but when you get it home it's not what you thought it would be.
Pros for me are small time designers making interesting products. And that they can be in kit form that you build yourself (like the old Heathkit and Radio Shack kits of the 60's-70's), which is very cool. When you build it you truly own it. Cons are cost and you end up with a needlessly convoluted monosynth. I'll never understand people's love affair with mono's. I need at least 6 voices. I see modular as a hobby.
The kit form as well as the fact even without kits you are building your own instrument is very appealing. That side is another side hobby different to making music, but in the spirit of what Bo always says, it’s as valid a hobby as finishing tracks!
some would say yes, some would say no, personally i find that if you REALLY want to get to know what sound synthesis is all about then there is no better platform, regardless of the price associated.
awesome point too btw oscillatorSink, the reasons that attracted you to Euro were exactly some of the reasons why i end up there!
awesome and fair video by the too Bo! i haven't watched your channel in ages, though this was a nice "welcome back". by the way, your point about money, i've been a broke arse student forever, that being said, i literally just spent a few years homeless to finish my setup, would i recommend anyone else do that to obtain the unobtainium, absolutely not, would i do it all over again for my euro system, absolutely i would! (However, i would NEVER go seeking loans for instruments, that's just an easy way to find yourself in a land of bad finances and hence the reason why i decided to stay homeless for as long as it took).
Vcv rack is awesome as well as hexen on mobile platforms! Both are free though I know VCV has plenty of affordable paid options. Voltage Modular 2 is also a great software to get on sale as well. I've already learned so much about the basics this way. I'm hoping in a couple years when I'm more financially stable to get into it on the hardware side. Tons of great info and insight in this video. Thanks for teaching me a few new things today!
Thanks for your free sample packs - really appreciate having access to these sounds and having fun using them! 🙏
The modular as therapy idea is one I personally subscribe to. I remember seeing a documentary a few years back (it might have been I Dream of Wires but I can't recall for sure) that had someone who had a huge modular system of some sort (it wasn't Eurorack that I recall) in their living room, and that was the whole idea for them. It was just something relaxing to do after a long day. To come in and just patch away and see what sounds came out, and this really resonated with me. I had just gotten into synths at the time but didn't really have a direction yet, and this idea just stuck. And once I found Eurorack, which was a modular format I could actually afford, it was all over. Now it's become that thing I do after work to just wind down for a couple hours, and it's great. I only wish I'd found it sooner than I did.
I don't want to get into euro rack but this is a really nicely done video, thanks
I want either a digitakt or save up for a Isla sp2400, but that would probably alter the way I make music, currently logic or live with a few hardware bits. Lots of good choices these days
Thank you!!
@@artisans8521 I've spend alot of time watching lots of people with the Isla including all the Alex Ball vids who could probably make me want a saucepan and spoon as my new musical direction. It wasn't just for the sound, in some ways it was for the new methods it would force me to use. But this is just a hobby and I've already got lots of toys. Thanks for your reply
No. Saved you $10k
Great analysis and advice BoBeats. I started with a laptop and Ableton then progressed to a Moog Sub 37 and Elektron boxes. Modular has taught me more about the building blocks of synthesis than hardware synths or computer VSTs. In retrospect, I have more fun with modular synths than hardware synths or computer synths but music production takes more work. However, way more fun. It is relaxing patching modules together like musical lego blocks to create sound and good therapy even if my pocket book complains. And yes very expensive I spent easily over 10k in eurorack stuff. Fortunately, I did not take a loan out and did not go in debt but saved and paid cash.
Interesting comment on polyphony. In hardware I agree, but VCV has a very clever way of implementing polyphony with its merge modules to put several channels a down to one polyphonic cable you can then chain polyphonic modules with. The mutable instruments clones work really well for this and you can patch voices in much the same way as your would monophonic voices with them. The polyphony really takes VCV beyond what you can do with hardware, and way beyond it just being a free way of doing the same thing.
no
:)
I started with a Neutron to get some idea of patching and if I liked it. I then started adding modules that I made from kit. I knew I wasn't going to be a pro musician, and from the beginning my hobby was building and collecting electronic instruments, not really making music.
I love VCV (& cardinal).. I don't think actual hardware eurorack vcv is for me.. 1st & obvious reason is that I can't afford it even in my dreams..
But also, there is so much options/modules and unlimited space on VCV.. so going hardware & limiting myself to a few modules & limited space (while also paying big money) doesn't seem like a wise choice at all.. as far as the tactile feel.. well we can get some tactileness with a mouse, midi keyboard & midi knobs..
I’ve had my Neutron first r a couple f years and have been thinking about ways to expand its functionality. I have a number of other hardware synths and guitars and pedals and have really settled on ‘my sound’. I’m at a point where I’ve saved a bit of money and I’m trying figure out where to invest it next. What will give me the greatest creativity ever flexibility for my dollar. There are some very expensive ‘one trick’ pedals that have come out that are one option. There are a few f the modular FX boxes too that offer plenty of options. Then there’s a small eurorack box that is purely modulation/effecting. I don’t need any more voices, I have my sound. But Ike thinking about how a wavefolder, a clock divider and a few modulation or utility modules might allow for some interesting sound design variation. On the other hand, I’m concerned that putting my eggs in the eurorack basket really only gives me flexibility with the Neutron, as that little world of wires might become a walled garden. Any way it’s a good discussion to be thinking about
Yeah. Hours of patching chills my beans. (VCV Rack)
For me... i feel the money could have been used more effectively. I noticed i like keyboard all in one synths better than eurorack. like polybrute ect - use presets and modify them thats my work flow.
The day we can save presets with all those cables on the €-racks, I'm all in :D
I always felt that the temporary nature of the patch was part of the charm of Euro rack
Really appreciate how you highlight other creators!
Great conversation :D
Nice intervention, but it's too late for me to turn back now 😆
TIP, One most people forget or don't know of --> My journey into modular started with the Clavia Nord (Micro) Modular.
Way before VCVRack and the Modular "hype" (populairity). The Nord Modular is a (virtual modular) synthesizer that let you make patches in a software environment (Mac/Windows) It contains modular modules in the same way as you can find in modular eurorack. Like VCVRack ? Yes & No. No because the patch stays in the machine and runs standalone without the computer ! But VCVRack these day's have more depth, and the power of your PC/Mac as the limit.
For me the Nord Modular was (and stil in use) a beautiful machine because it can make completely different sounds with tons of control compared with a regular synthesizer. I started with the "Nord Micro Modular" and later I bought (second hand) the "Nord Modular Expanded" = 4 x Micro Modular + more polofony.
One way to taste the modular experience with little money = Buy a second hand "Clavia Nord Micro Modular". And the software editor stil runs in ALL windows versions up to 10 ! It communicates thru a MIDI port. Mac support...I don't know, I don't use Apple machines. It also runs in Linux/Wine environment ;-)