One habit to help... when you get a piece of gear... force yourself to make 5 songs, even if you aren’t feeling it. A lot of gear requires deep diving and finding a sweet spot. Often we also reflect on things differently than they happened too. If you have songs you made you won’t feel as strongly as you wasted time and money.
@@SlowHaste yeah it’s funny you would think that favorite gear equals most productive and best tracks... often not the case. Also true for music we like. One of my favs is OK Computer (Radiohead) which is mostly made with solid state guitar amps, which when I play I absolutely do not like, hahah.
@@Jamooshoe Jonny plays a Fender solid state 85 with a Shredmaster on that album. There was a cool bit on it on the Jhs Pedal channel (Marshall's Greatest Pedals), but it's also pretty widely covered in articles too. Hope it helps....
I figured out 20 years ago when I still had it - the cure for gear acquisition syndrome is this: If you are not using what you have to the fullest, where you are actually experiencing how it limits you, don't buy anything else! This is relatively easy with guitars. I have a $150 Yamaha student classical guitar. I play it intermittently and take good care of it. It sounds fine. I'd love to play a high-end handmade one from some master! But if I'm not practicing the one I have daily, no dice. This is actually empowering: Last year my very old MOTU interface stopped locking to external word clock. So I researched and bought the best I could afford (RME UCXII fwiw.) Had no qualms about it because I hadn't bought anything else in the category for over a decade. Ditto for some delay effects pedals. Creative limitation is a nice thing that a lot of artists talk about and experience from necessity (punk, pop, hip hop) But having a nice job and therefore the ability to acquire whatever you desire doesn't necessarily make it a good idea. Anyone at any income level can induce creative limitations on themselves and probably be the better for it.
This is why I sold all of my desktop stuff. Modular is more immediate for me, personally. Not that deep diving isn’t possible, but it’s also not an obligation. I needed something I could plug in and go. Somehow modular has done that for me.
@Versteckt sein I think once you get around the overwhelming information and learn to curb your GAS then modular is something most people could get behind. Especially if you just roll with the punches. My current case is nothing like the modular grid I planned out. I just made interesting trades and love what I’ve stumbled upon.
@@alifeinyellow totally agree - once you understand what your workflow it makes it easier to identify which modules will support it and which modules wont.
Just something I've noticed... my (relatively small) modular setup consists, for a very large part, of modules that do not necessarily have a particular 'sound' to them. Instead, they are mixers, splitters, lo-pass gates, vca's, logic modules, and other modules that are there to allow for a super-wide range of patching possibilities. So instead of having complex and expensive modules that create specific sounds, I have a lot of smaller modules with relatively 'simple' uses (and would be cheap... I'm actually more DIYing them). The power of my setup is really in the patching... making connections between the modules. This also means that if the sounds are not to my liking, I'm not turning to modular-grid to find a new module to add, but I rather think about repatching everything and thereby reinventing what is already there... Haven't bought a new module in many months :)
I got into modular almost exactly 2 years ago (my desire for investing into modular coincidentally coincided with the pandemic, not the other way around...the pandemic did not cause GAS as it seems to have done for a lot of people) and even though I began in the way that is never recommended (I had zero clue what I wanted to do, but I knew I did not want to duplicate a monosynth in Eurorack form). I have made it to the point that I have narrowed down what I want to do (work with feedback/no input mixing) and am using it for sound manipulation/design/mangling. Once I narrowed that down, I could focus specifically on what modules would enhance that process, as opposed to, "This is the one that everyone talks about that I should get" (no Maths, no Pam's, and only Elements from Mutable). It is working out well so far, and it freed up about 5-7 modules that I feel I no longer need. Now to invest the time in selling them off to scoop up a Worng Electronics Soundstage...
I’m struggling right now with this decision. I’ve spent so much money and time over the last year building up a rig, endlessly swapping things in and out and after the excitement of receiving the next “thing”, I always find myself stressed out and overwhelmed. So I pair down, send things away, sit in front of a minimal set up that caters to my musical needs only to feel the pull again and start adding more. It’s really a comically stupid mental thing. I’m not making music I enjoy (I COULD BUT OHHHH A NEW MODULE!) and I’m just in this endless loop. Tough and silly first world dilemma. This video was helpful.
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like exactly what I went through. The last time that happened was with Beads (which really is a great module), but after the honeymoon phase, I just ended up neglected my rig again.
Hang in there. I tried to go dawless for a longtime and bought a lot of gear that got me close, but never satisfied. I found that (for me) working about 70 percent out of the daw and 30 percent in the daw gave me the workflow I wanted. I give myself a week for a song and if it is just not happening... I move on. These little changes have made a world of difference for me (might not work for you... but maybe).
@@dracul74 think I'm about 70-30 too! Its a great sweet spot between hardware and software. But my 'turnover' is way shorter, I create a new song in max 1 or 2 days, if its not roughly finished by then, I will most likely never finish it. Mixing/mastering can come later no probs, but when I start doing that and don't feel the song anymore, it goes on the pile of 'unfinished tracks' likely never to be heard again.
Even with a very small modular system one can hone their creative skills then move those results into a more formatted method, i.e. DAW synths or record it for loops in a DAW. It's more fun than plugging notes into a DAW and getting hung up on choosing which VSTi and FX etc which for me is a creativity killer
I spent a day back with my little Doepfer case after not touching it for a year. Ended up frustrated. Then spent a couple of hours with Volca Keys, sequenced by Deluge, into Oto delay, Eventide H9 and Vermona Retroverb, and had a recorded track. Satisfied.
Some gear just does'nt feel right... for you. I know the feeling, I need to use an instrument for a while before I know do we get along? Its got nothing to do if the piece is good or not, its all to do with whether it inspires us or not. Some of the most inspiring gear I've used include Juno 106, Roland JP8000, Kawai K5000 and certain VSTs.
The one thing I do appreciate about Eurorack is how it has changed the way I think about creating sounds. To me, the value of modular hasn't been so much what I can make but re-thinking HOW I can make music and sounds. ....That said. I totally identify with becoming distracted by buying and acquiring vs just making music. I've started doing this thing lately where if a new shiny module shows up, I just try my best to rebuild it as an Ableton rack using plug-ins I already own (which I can usually do with 90-ish% accuracy). My best advice? If you really want the benefits of what modular can do for your process (but without all it's enormous expense) get VCV rack, learn the basics, and apply it to what already works for you.
I just got into euro and I basically went into it only wanting a customizable basic synth. I avoid all the complex and random things, just focused on unique sounding osc, filter, distortion , envelopes etc... im totally in love with my setup and I'll never go back now. I think all the indirect cv utility random generation kind of things obscure the creative process that I want to utilize and I'm left with all the things that worked for Me before, but now it's a tone wonderland
I have 20 + years of music... sometime in bands and a lot of time as a basement musician. My basement has more gear than some bad guitar centers, lol. The problem I always run into is thinking that next piece of gear is going to solve all my problems. Instead a fresh batch of problems comes with each. For example, I have a Mpc, mc 707, tr6s and Maschine... they are all great and all have different limitations and strengths. I have enjoyed my time with each. The good news is that a lot of gear holds it value compared to other hobbies. I have friends who play golf... your money is just gone. There have been many things I have regretted selling and now using eBay and other sites has been worse than ever for sellers. I still sell things off... just make sure you won’t regret it or if you need the space... you need the space. Just putting something in storage for a bit can be good and inspiring to pull out old gear...
same here in fact the local Guitar Center has the worst synth selection and mine blows it away. Wish I still had close range to music shops in socal that have lot of synth gear.
Very well said. I have a 84 hp rig that I always regretted not getting a bigger case because of. Now that i sat on it I go back to it every now and then similarly to how you did. My issue with it was I got a 48hp semi modular that does a bunch of things but then i lamented later that its takes up to much space and I could have other modules that individual would cost way more! Eurorack is very specific and if you don't have plan it will consume your mind lol.
Interesting video, I got modules I HAD to have, but don’t really have an entire modular set up! (First I’m out of money) but what I do have I add to the Behringers semi modular and FX, which you name it, I got it! If I don’t have it, the IPad comes close enough! My most used is the Yamaha XY100 from 2000 and the Yamaha DR880 from 2004, everything else is less than a few years if not a few months old. My point is 23 years and I’m still using two units and, like you, I designed this beautiful set up. With MIDI cc I’m discovering new functionality every day! I use Volca sampler 2 and POs in my modular set up and the IPad literally changes everything! I recently got a Hydrasynth Explorer, which doesn’t have the physical band controller but it does! It’s in the form of MIDI cc and assigned to the IPad. Modular I treat much like add ons. I agree with your assessments however I like the idea of having EVERYTHING available, whether I use it a lot or not. iPad has provided me with the band controller, looper (even though I have plenty of them in hardware) sampling, (again I have 3 hardware samplers), FX, quantizer, etc… It’s as exciting to see what new comes out to advance my system as playing it! When I think I need something I research to see if it exists, available on iPad or modular, and if not I’ll make one! I love this ridiculously expensive hobby!!! Lol
Great points you make here. I definitely cranked out more tracks when I had a small skiff. Well well....I've now built up a pretty big rig and it definitely put a roadblock in my tracks; however, the tracks I did put out using modular had sounds and vibes I absolutely could've never done with DAW or outboard synths. The key is to balance your time setting schedules and sticking to them. Example: Mon-Tue: patching, Wed-Thur: beats, Fri-Sun: melodies, progressions, and layouts. Easier said than done, but abandoning modular may be harsh. It's just so refreshing and unique compared to most equipment and soft synths. Maybe reducing a system is a good idea, but abandoning you may miss it later. Not to say you can't build another small one later hehe! One other thing that works for me is hybrid. I find that the loyal DAW-less approach is good for a few tracks and definitely mixes it up, but don't make it illegal to crank up that DAW, your favorite soft synths, and blast some Maschine beats sync'd up with your rig. Those are always the best track-inspiring jams for me.
Ggoing to modular is one the best things happened in my life. It got back a great joy of making music again I have never ever had before, as well expanded horizons and changed a mindset about of what is possible at all. So yeah, to each its own. "following your passion" is indeed a great rule whatever direction you go :)
I have a Minibrute 2S and Rackbrute 3u on the way😬 (Digitakt & Digitone junky currently) God help me. What have I done? I think I'd like to focus it on droning/string-like voices and FX. Any suggestions for oscillator modules?
@@Lo-fi_Hi-brow Oscillators is a broad topic (as any other module actually :)) and your choice may depend on many parameters/properties or just a matter of taste. Analog or digital, complex, wavetable, additive (Odessa) ? different flavours of oscillators all can do drones with a proper modulation. I can only recommend stuff from what I used, and Piston Honda MK3 is great for endless droning including making string-like timbres, there is great demo on YT with guy playing PH MK3 itself for a while even with no modulation ruclips.net/video/TsihVQLLM_8/видео.html. Minding 3u space I would check bastl pizza, inetersting osc with just 8HP, I did not try though myself so can't say anything... I myself also looking at 4MS Ensemble Oscillator, seems like great sound design possibilities.. I would recommend first to take a look at videos/demos various modules and make a decision
I think life is pretty much gear accusation syndrome as a whole unless you’re a Buddhist. As long as it leads to you creating or enjoying it more than stressing about buying stuff than you’re fine. I think 80% of the fun of modular is “building” it yourself. Creating the perfect Frankenstein you want. Whether that’s a small rack with a basic polyphonic/monophonic with some fx or a huge sequencer setup with all the bells and whistles in a fully inclusive system you can create full pieces of music on. Maybe something in the middle. I think the biggest thing is to have a goal, and to picture a rack as an instrument with a few fx and an amp. You could make a drum kit, or a crazy sub bass. Maybe you want to use the Eurorack setup to build a super crazy fx chain you can run whatever audio you want thru, or to generate midi for your live show and use it as song crazy controller and mixer. I’m simplifying all this, but I think you should do whatever you enjoy. You just need to have some kind of goal or problem to solve. If it’s just to blow off steam and try crazy news combos that’s awesome! Smoke a bowl and pretend you’re in a space ship. If you actually want to go after a certain sound you’ve been missing or use it for your job in music it’s all good. Just decide whether it’s to relax and just mess around with it, Learn about electronics and synthesis, or use it as tool or instrument to create music with for your own project or someone else. Just make sure you’re either hitting your goal or growing in someway. Personally, I have regretted selling some gear a few years back, and also the fact I stopped buying cool guitar pedals. I got caught up in only getting pedals I really “needed” instead of just buying a new pedal to mess around with and inspire something possibly. I don’t think there’s anything less valuable about buying modular synths than there is any other thing like vintage cars, guitars, art, movies, cameras, drugs, a hot girlfriend…it’s all the same shit. It only becomes a problem when you have no idea what you want so you just start spiraling. Maybe you just like like looking at cool gear online and blowing some cash after that girlfriend of yours left. I’d say for anyone, start with some fx for your other synths, then maybe build a complete “instrument” out of a rack. Start there, and add more after you feel like you got a really good idea but you just can’t scratch it! GAS isn’t the problem, it’s letting the uncertainty and poor impulsivity control. If you’re gonna be impulsive, do it, just don’t let it hold you back. If you are stocked with your other workflow that’s great! Just you supporting other creators is great.
Of all my modules, there are only a few I really think about regularly, let alone use. If you just need a sound of a modular setup, you can do most things with VCV rack. For performance, not only is every collection of modules in a case its own unique instrument, every patch is often its own instrument. I certainly don't have time to learn to play potentially thousands of instruments (millions actually). There are a few things I love with modular you can't do anywhere else. A ribbon controller (Zorx) and a scrubbing sample player (Disting Mk4 in I-6 mode), that's incredibly minimalist and you can add it to anything else you have setup for anything from EDM to Pink Floyd style experimental rock. Looking back, I think I would have been equally happy and a whole lot richer if I stuck with a Crave and a small case with a couple of modules and a few effects pedals. And just practiced with that for the last few years. I did have lots of fun building modules from kits though. That's not for everyone, and that's not really related to music, a separate hobby really. But I also took on some tedious challenges that didn't really turn out musically. Like building 5 of the same module thinking that I just needed to combine them for a cool effect. It took many hours in total and wasn't a lot of fun to build the same thing like an assembly line. And the first one is noticeably not built as well as the other 4.
I quitted eurorack some years ago, didnt help financially. Instead of modules started buying and selling vintage gear and all sorts of boxes. It would be cheaper to collect luxury clothes, hobby I also had once 😄 I do agree that internet, social media, RUclips is really behind of fueling gas more than anything.
Modular is not very good for productivity unless you know exactly what you want out of it, and that's where a lot of people mess up. If you just want modular because it looks cool or think that it makes you more professional, you're going about it all wrong. (To anyone reading this, not 'Slow Haste.') Personally, I first got into modular about a decade ago after lusting after it for a long time and I ended up spending a ton of cash at once and bought this huge rig and found myself totally overwhelmed even though I was confident that it would be no problem. Well, wrong. Modular is SO much more complex than standalone, 'traditional' synths. A few months ago I decided to give modular another try and have spent a lot of time thinking about *exactly* what I want my case to do and what are the best modules for that purpose. I sold some gear that was sitting around collecting dust and now I have a mostly filled case that cranks out the jams and it's very playable live, which is important to me. On the other hand, I was/am an Elektron fanboy from way back. I've had most Elektron units aside from the Digitone and Sidstation. Elektron stuff is cool but the thing is, Elektron devices are kind of attention hogs and have a specific workflow. They require quite a bit of menu-diving and manual referencing and key press combos, which is fine if you are working with a small setup but personally for me it was kind of annoying after a while. Now I have a TR8s which is so much more immediate than, say, my Digitakt. The Octatrack was just a pain in the ass from the start and I hated using it. Now that I have a modular setup again I can't see myself going back to not having it because everything is so hands on and immediate aside from the initial patching. Once I have a good patch going on I can endlessly jam on it and easy record enough material for a whole EP's worth of tracks. Getting generative, constantly evolving yet musically related stuff out of a handful of normal gear is very hard to impossible depending on what you are working with. For me the best part of modular is that once you really know what you're doing you can make a patch that goes on and on, just morphing into more and more rad shit as time goes on and that is irreplaceable for me.
I’ve had this same issue you had just with the native instruments Maschine Mikro that I got a couple years ago. The thing is really amazing, especially for playing drum grooves and coming up with cool virtual instrument parts with recorded automation fx, but actually trying to use it as a standalone daw while using all the controls and menu diving is just so slow when you have to memorize all the little random things you need to hit to accomplish something. There should enough knobs to tweak at least a 3 band eq before you need to page over. I feel like it was way too in the middle of being almost stand-alone, but you just have the monitor for layout but also not having anywhere near enough quick physical inputs or controls to create anything without a ton of memorization. I’ve already learned how to use about 5 DAW’s and a stupid amount of keyboard shortcuts and tricks already. I need something that atleast has a semi standard compared to other DAWS or sequencers. I know some people like to use these things like the Elektron stuff as a full blown music production and recording setup for live or in the studio…but you’re way better off just getting a laptop if you already gone thru the trouble of getting something with full on menus and a screen. Honestly a modular synth with a looper and a midi controller would be way more practical unless they start creating some kind of “Unicode” standardized system for these type of all in one sequencers it’s just way to mind numbing and useless unless you really are inspired and have all the time to mess around with it.
@@magicmark3309 The only MIDI controller that I've ever liked was the Ableton Push 2. That being said, it still didn't feel as nice as working with hardware, even if hardware can be a huge pain in the ass.
I definately appreciate the philosophy of not letting the gear run you. I treat my modular rigs like as if they were discreet instruments (I have two though they often plat together) and had spent alot of time researching the moduals and being honest about what i wanted to do with modular equipment. I have spent a lot of time getting to know how they work and not work. For the most part I've avoided the GAS issue having had one rig for over two years and the second rig for about 18 months. In the end I have gear that I can power up and be noodling and having fun in just a few minutes. I don't have alot of exotic modules but what I have gets me going in grooves that I know I like to work in. So yeah, be honest about what you want to do, know what you're buying and spend the time learning your instrument. That keeps you in control, not the gear.
this vid is helpful for me! like i just finished my first little 84hp system and i love it, but i was almost immediately thinking about how i was going to expand it. But watching Ricky Tinez and Mylar Melodies show off how much they can do with their tiny Pallet cases and seeing your perspective on getting out of modular altogether has convinced me to pump the brakes and just shed with the system i have. Honestly this system i have is really great as is, every time i use it i discover something new that i couldnt have done with anything else, and even as a basic subtractive voice it has a really unique sound that contrasts against my other gear nicely. I definitely still want to expand, but I wanna try to focus more on making what i have better, rather than just trying to tack on a bunch of extra functions cause i think theyre cool
Glad this was helpful!! I think that’s a fantastic way to approach it. I know that if I ever get back into it, I’d probably go for a pallet case or the 4ms pods just for a few select modules
Hello! I feel like many people in the comments and also the person in the video did regret getting too many modules, too much stuff. That they are more focused and productive with a smaller amount of modules. But.. for me that's honestly not the case as much. I have a decent amount of modules (almost filling up a Behringer Eurorack go) and two semimodulars (minibrute 2s and crave). In total I have 4 voices I can play with. I personally really love this setup it's not too big neither too small (for me). I mostly jam and do generative ambient stuff but from time to time I use them for some psytrance and house stuff. The thing is that I am very much on a budget. I built that setup little by little with months of breaks between getting the next module. I mostly use Behringer, Doepfer, Ladik and Dreadbox stuff and I when I compare that to other cases and setups I see that people with more funds will buy more "complex" and "fancy" modules with inbuilt randomizers, vcas, modes and whatnot or digital all in one voices like the noise engineering ones or plaits etc. I think there is the thing, people don't really learn how to use their complex modules and when they patch things up and things dont work they say "ah I just need that other module, it will make everything better". I learn new things about my minibrute 2s on a daily basis so if you have a palette case full of mutable Instruments and noise ingeneering modules you will have a steep steep learning curve to get your sound out of it. Now, having more "analog" and cheaper modules will mean that you will have to make a lot more thinking for yourself, working around limitations and inconveniences but it rewards you so much more to get pleasent / musical results. And obviously, they are much easier to learn since there isn't much to look up if you get a new vca or a new sample and hold module. All those interconnections you do with the "basic building blocks" (like vcos, vcfs, vcas, envelopes, mixers, multiples etc etc) are made for you in the complex modules so there is a certain amount of creativity taken away already that you could apply. I'm taking way too much but I hope you kinda get my point. One needs to learn his setup from bottom to head thrice to be able to unfold their full creative potential and then the number of modules doesn't matter as long as you know them good enough.
I have the opposite mindset, I never sell anything! Just because I don't use something right now, doesn't mean I won't in the future. I took a 15 year break from making music and I'm glad I still have and use my first couple midi keyboards from back in the day! There were about 7 years when I didn't even take them out of the box, but here I am using them almost every day. Selling stuff only means that I'm going to buy stuff again at inflated prices in 5-10 years (even more true now with substantially higher inflation). And this goes pretty much for everything, I still have my first camera and every camera I owned since then, including my fairly useless 4MP digital cameras from the early 2000s. There is an old broken Technics tapedeck that I will try to repair soon, a Sega Megadrive that I want to use for music making eventually and even some fairly random bits of electronics from my Robotics degree. I recently I salvaged an Arduino nano from an old photography related project prototype that I hadn't used since 2015. 7 years it sat in a box and now it's running in my Eurorack in one of my DIY modules. Another reason I won't ever sell any of my Eurorack stuff, I built most of it myself from components, so I just couldn't get rid of it! I guess most of this "hoarder" mentality comes from my mostly Soviet upbringing. There were always shortages when I was little, so my mum held onto everything just in case. My parents recently retired and moved to a new place. Perfect time to declutter, right? Well, my mum took her jar of spare buttons that she's probably never going to use 😆
I sold one Eurorack module but am otherwise the same. I have some space in my closet for this stuff, so I will hold onto it until it calls. I probably will sell off a few more modules here and there, but the fixed architecture and semi-modular synths and drum machines will stay.
That's right, we talked about camera gear after my GAS video! I like your approach a lot, and it's honestly what's happened to me with my guitar pedals. I stopped using them after I stopped playing guitar in a band, but I always kind of knew that I would come back to use them in a different context (which I have, recently). I did think about this quite a bit before listing it all for sale, and ultimately decided that I could always re-buy things used again, or try to re-create the sounds I liked from certain devices with other methods. That's part of the beauty of music tech these days... everything can do a bit of everything! But I definitely fear regretting letting it all go so suddenly.
@@SlowHaste Guitar pedals work really well with synths too, I actually always plug every musical thing I own into them when I get a new pedal, kalimba, steel tongue drum, ukulele, bass uke, synths etc! And yes, sometimes I even plug guitars into them (gasp!) 😅 Sellers regret is just as real as buyers regret! It's what makes vintage gear prices go up like crazy, because people sell and re-buy stuff multiple times and everyone wants to sell at a profit along the way. Even from a financial stand-point holding onto gear makes way more sense. My main camera - it's vintage - has tripled in value since I've bought it! And this was before inflation! Right now putting your money into physical things is way better, because stuff doesn't lose value as quickly as money does. I don't know what it's like where you are, but around here in Spain we've already reached 10% inflation! It's like burning 10% of your money just by keeping it in the bank. When I was little there was hyperinflation in Ukraine and during that time my uncle preferred to be paid in bicycles because a fortune could evaporate in days! Better put that money you recouped from your modular into new stuff quickly. Modular was actually a quite decent investment, it seems to hold value really well.
las cosas de hace 20 años hacen cosas de hace 20 años las cosas actuales hacen cosas actuales intenta recrear los sonidos de un 3rd Wave en tus 2 sintetizadores mini de aquella epoca de Jurassic Park I 😀 En la vida todo funciona dependiendo del angulo que lo mires, ami me gusta mas la actualidad, para viejo ya estoy yo xD
great video. Probably this can happen with any kind of gear. And sometimes what you sell you'll miss later on. I actually have this going on with the Octatrack. I wasn't feeling it, then all of a sudden a project came up where the Octa fit in in a simple way and all of a sudden I liked it again. Relationships with gear are organic and very personal. For some it is just a tool to do something and they can perfectly set up a system that works for them without getting GAS or other attachments, for others, the whole proces of wanting it, getting to buy it, getting to know it etc is the appeal and you never really get to stage where you actually really produce something with it. All of that is fine. Just keep experimenting and let the creative juice flow wherever that might be. In the end we ourselves are the instrument and the gear is just the way to channel it. As long as it gives us fun and pleasure it's all good.
Totally agree... I care more about the result than how I get to it. There is literally nothing I can't do with U-he & Mardona Labs softsynths that can be done with Eurorack !
As someone just getting into the software synths, I am surprised at how powerful and versatile they are. And the ones that came with my DAW are pretty good too.
Few years ago I had the same realization, that I became more of a collector rather than a musician. So I sold a lot of my (mostly rack) synths and made a more focussed setup. Now I'm still acquiring new stuff, but also selling older stuff that I don't use anymore. I rarely regret selling anything. The only thing I actually bought for a second time was the Octatrack, I really missed that. But what you say in the video is real. Less equipment means more music.
It is so easy to fall down the gear rabbit hole. I've been spending every spare minute lately just googling various bits of kit, not even buying things just obsessively looking; such a waste of time when we could be making music with what we already have. Great video!
I'm seeing more and more of this. Many friends are neck deep in modular gear and tell me how amazing it is. Then when they fire it up and start patching away, I always end up uninspired by what they come up with. I'm happy with synths, drum machines, and sequencers.
same, Im far more into actual timbres and textures and those organic walls of pure sound are far more possible with just old vintage analogs, or vintage digitals...so over the euro trend, world needs less fart sounds
another thing is, I can make far more strange sound son say, a CS30 or arp oddysey, than a friends massive modiular system, only the old ones are far more chunky and organic, warmer to my ear
I see this too. I mainly think it has a lot to do with the lack of having a plan. Although everything takes time and experience, if you have a certain idea and workflow in mind it makes it so much easier. Especially because the module world is so vast it can make you get lost, but with a strong idea and great passion you will create something new and unique.
@@christ5826 Looks like your friend is buying the wrong modules. There are a lot of modules with the same components inside as the old synths. It's more about knowing what sounds you want and creating your system of of that.
Drambo on iOS is my ideal modular environment - You don’t have to dive deep into the nitty gritty of advanced patching (or patch at all, for that matter) to get strong musical and sound design ideas out of it - Very similar to an Elektron workflow on the surface, but with the power of a fully realized eurorack rig if and when you need it. If they made something like that in the hardware realm, I’d be all over it… ZOIA and a few other similar swiss army knife modules are about as close as I’ve seen, but none capture the feel, power or immediacy of Grooveboxes.
So interesting. As someone who has been buying stand alone synths I keep flirting with the idea of Eurorack. But I have held off. I keep hearing stories like this. It feels like eurorack is a great idea, but the reality often takes you towards the instrument itself as you try and build it, rather than the music. As someone in it for the music, and not just the instrument as a hobby, I think I am inclined to hold off. Unless at some point I NEED air to do something I can’t do otherwise.
Really interesting video. The tricky thing about modular, I think, is to built an instrument you can learn, understand and play. Three years ago I started assembling a MN Shared System, little by little, mostly second hand. It took me a year and half to get it complete. That period of time gave me the opportunity to learn slowly the modules, almost one by one. Why MN ? I loved the 0-Coast and loved the sound of the Shared System I watched on YT vids. But most important it looked like a real thought out instrument to me. And I can tell now it really is. So GAS never really pushed me beyond that system. I have now my modular instrument, wich is the same to my eyes as my Gretsch guitar or my drumkit. With it's limitations but also endless possibilties. All it takes is time, practice and care. I'll never sell my Shared System, because it's an amazing instrument.
I gave up Eurorack about 5 years ago. Best decision ever. The only thing I still own that uses patch cables is my Antonus ARP 2600. I think the best way to put it is that I liked the *idea* of eurorack more than actually using it. And I enjoyed shopping for it and planning my rig, but when I had it, I found it tedious and a step back to writing. I don't base my entire musical endeavor on happy accidents - I ended up using my traditional synthesizers in my studio far more.
When I sold some gear recently I was chatting to a guy who rents his gear for a window of time and then sends it back and moves onto something else. Initially I thought it was a weird idea but now I've just started renting an Op-z for a 6 month trial. Having the time pressure is really different than just buying it because I know I've got to learn it and use it within a timeframe rather than the usual, 'I'll get to it eventually'. It makes it a more special piece of gear rather than just the dopamine rush of just buying the gear and sit it in a corner. The plan is to learn it, create at least 6 tracks, send it back and try a new piece of gear.
@@SlowHaste well I live in Australia and there's only 1 store that does it currently called musicorp Australia. It was $39 AUD per month for the Opz with the option to buy it at any point so I thought that was pretty reasonable
Great video and totally understand where you are coming from. The problem with eurorack modular is that it really doesn't have any rails and it is diverse as all of the seven seas. I recommend starting with simple pre-defined use case that is best solved by a modular system. For example, when I started, I just wanted to re-create analog synths like the MS-20, Jupiter 8 and SH-101 sounds in a cheap compact way and this was easily done in eurorack. Since I always have these sounds in my rack, I always have core functionality that I enjoy and use regularly. Another big sticking point is correctly choosing modules which support the style of workflow you prefer. If you prefer to play live/jam/immediate workflow you should choose modules which support this style workflow. If on the other hand you prefer tinkering and sound design etc. there are definitely modules for that. You can certainly do both but that is where it gets really expensive in money and space... Lastly, just because eurorack can be configured to perform a specific function doesn't mean it should - many times there are MUCH better and cheaper standalone solutions available.
And now that you got some more followers you have to keep them busy by buying a lot of stuff back. They will forget about this video and keep buying stuff you recommend, it’s ok!
Great video, very concise and focused! I totally get the same gear guilt anytime I feel like I'm not utilizing a piece of gear. I do think comparing modular to preconfigured synths is a bit unfair. I think of mine less as a "instrument" and more like a puzzle box. Like a kind of futuristic sound arcade. Another thing I enjoy is the physical act of patching, I feel like I'm weaving a tapestry or wiring up some kind of monster. I also really appreciate videos like this where you can get a sense of where people are coming from on a personal level, and not just shilling the "next big thing".
Yeah if it doesn't feel good, let it go. I had started a case before and came to the same realization. Sold it all, then bought another case years later. But this time, I had a better idea of what I wanted so I'm completely happy with it. I find myself motivated to use it
As you say it's all personal I've been modular for 5 months now after a 20 year music break. I know my 52 year old brain wouldn't get along with any of the programmable boxes, or virtual kit as i need to be hands on, i get bored instantly with menu driven systems, my mate loves his Digitrak, but not his modular I went mad and bought lots of modules, but quickly learned more and now take my time. I've sold the kit i didn't reach for and kept the kit i liked. I've not missed one piece i sold. I turn that money back into better researched modules, and sort of promised myself not to outgrow my case ;) I'm not too fussed about recording, so i can feel inspired to make music or i just go back to individual modules and refresh my self with them and try new things. Knowledge of each one is key. If you're thinking about starting i'd say try and find people with modular set ups so you can spend some time and see what you think.
"man, these expensive modules sure are stifling my creativity after all these years, ill sell them and buy these cool new flavour of the month tracker type boxes!" FAST FORWARD: "man, these tracker box things sure are stifling my creativity after all these years, ill sell them an-say... what's that cool looking thing do?"
It takes time and passion to get the module system you want. Especially in modular you can create pretty much every workflow you want but again this needs time and experience. One of my main reasons getting into modular was the warm and analogue sounds. Of course there are a lot of creative and functional digital modules, but for the sound having digital oscillators is very close to using software synths. I also changed quite a few modules but always for the reason of not being happy with the sound. After all this time i'm very happy i stayed with modular. Now i can recreate old patches exactly how they where because i know my system. This made my workflow so much better, working on different projects at the same time. It just needs warming up, tuning and then it's ready to go.
Good point. I was definitely not in the analog camp as you can see! I think it would also be an absolute blast to get into the DIY side of things, but I suppose that’s a whole other can of patch cables
During my overly extended break from putting out videos/music I've come to realize how much gear I've gathered that I have virtually no interest in using. I have a pile ready to sell and I'm considering adding more to it. The visual appeal of hardware doesn't really matter much if you're not showing it off haha. I feel like the more I focus on the aspect of music making itself vs the gear I'm using to make it, the more I actually create stuff I like.
Hahah absolutely! It is really a means to an end - or at least it should be! I think that’s why us hardware folk get some (occasionally deserved) flak for our instagrambient antics
The more I learned about what practical sound design really is, the more my excitement for modular synthesis dropped (fortunately I never even got into it). There are claims of modulars being the suppliers of endless possibilities in sound design. But honestly: As versatile as all this might seem from a physically informed perspective, it rarely yields sounds that a consumer ear has waited for. There are reason famous compact build analog synths are prewired the ways they are: Real sound designers have figured out which connections to provide a musician with to get the best out of what oscillators and stuff can do for music.
I would say modular changed my relation with music. I used to feel connected with music that took bunch of people and weeks months years to make, mix and master. Now im developing more an active relationship to the foundation of those experience : sound.. it might not as polished n well structured as those well produced pieces. But i am more involved and it feels very rewarding
lastly, i fully agree with your statement about getting rid of stuff that isn't serving you. if it doesn't feel right, it isn't right. i am much more dedicated to deep learning of the things i have now to even consider wanting more things to add to that pile. MPC One, thats a different story, a close producer friend has one and i am certain it is the thing to fill a very specific want and need for me. now comes the time to start setting aside money to actually get one.
This is the reason I didn’t go into Modular. The Electron boxes can already do so much and it’s easier to make something musical. On the other hand I could see patching different modules could be fun
It really is a lot of fun! But I found it was something I had to be in the mood to do, because it was very easy to end up with unfavorable results. Lots of experimenting and learning for sure!
Which is why I always say to people who feel like getting into modular: - "Why don't you try a couple of semi-modular desktop synths first and see if it's your thing?". Personally, - yeah, it's definitely my thing, but even then, I'm waiting till I'll have a bit more cash and spare time to really get into it. For now, I'm OK with patching my semi-modulars. Another objection I have to modulars is the format. I find it really cumbersome to have this huge shelf with lots of knobs and wires. With semi-modulars, - I have attached each one to the computer monitor gas cushioned arms of different height and can move them to the side of my desk when I'm not using them, or use them either together or separately as I need. But it would never be the same with a Eurorack. It would most likely require an entire separate desk not just desk space, and space is yet another thing I don't have a lot of.
It was fun for most of the two years I had modular but then I lost interest in patching and it became more work than fun, realized I can do the same with synths and be better focused for music production at the same time and that serves my goal much better, my purpose was creating music or ambient with random and probability, clocking, randomizing clocking , so I sold my two mantis two row s. got the novation SLKMK3 which has probability and chance as a midi keyboard to control up to 8 different synthesizers and they can all be set to different arp or sequence midi patterns and it has a chance setting as well , and I got the poly brute with the envelopes you can manipulate the speed of the envelope and create some very cool random and variation of note lengths and tempo and lastly I got the iridium which has a resonator that can sound a lot like rings I love the rings module
Currently a very unhappy NI KKMK2 user, I see plenty of KKMK2 in studios of big name composers, and to be perfectly honest, wonder how they tolerate it at times. Not that the hardware isn't nicely designed, but lack splitting/zones has me really peeved. Have you compared an SL MKIII to a KKMK2 in terms of feel, quality etc? Would love to know your thoughts.
@@HammyHavoc no I didn’t try the native instruments controller( the MK3 is a secondary controller I have doepfer 88 midi controller as primary with piano and strings always ready by default ). because it’s very VST focused with all of those controls and Other than the mod wheel and recording what I play in midi I don’t need that level of detailed control any of my VST’s for my purpose and I only use kontakt for strings and percussion and ethnic instruments. but I do need to control hardware synths and the novation has eight separate tracks I have it set with midi out through a midi hub to 6 hardware synths and 2 vst tracks, the clock sync is tight and the screens are easy to see and read, and very easy to program. Splits, etc..I think those Composer’s are using it as a master 88 key keyboard cause it has good action and they’re probably not using all the features and are not spending a lot of time with the VST stuff is my guess so to me it seems like overkill for getting the job done I would rather spend less time with VST‘s anyway and more time with live performance of synths and or acoustic instruments and VST’s are a compliment although when it comes to piano and strings that’s where I spend my time with VST mainly ….and Omni Sphere is a must have but I just pull up a preset tweak it, then automate volume in my daw so set and forget …..
i have 3 modules left, i have hardware boxes that do many musical things, and i'm not trying to compose modular songs, so i only use eurorack for EFX and modulation.
I just got rid of most of my setup and went down to a 3U 104 case with a lot more focus. One of the main reasons was because I don't have enough time to spend patching a ton of modules. And while it's fun to have more things to mess around with and plug into, if I spend all my time doing that, I never get around to actually writing much of anything. You don't really need too many for most situations.
I borrowed a small modular system from a friend just to feel what its like to patch real cables. Nope, not for me. I can generate sounds in my DAW with pretty much infinite possibilities and it will be more time and cost efficient. Also I can save patch and work on that later. Maybe in future I will buy AE modular, it is more appealing to me, because it takes less space, uses cheap jumper cables and module prices are waay lower than eurorack. But Akai Force is on my shopping list, because I want to replace Circuit and Korg ESX with it for live performances.
I used to have synths & drum machines and then switched to mostly eurorack. There isn't a significant difference between eurorack and other gear in terms of GAS, you can just as well get into a rabbit hole or stay focused whatever your preferred type of gear is. Either way if you want to be focused and get results you must have a clear idea of what you want and work towards it. Then you can ignore the many distractions that the world of electronic music gear offers. Or ofc it is also great fun and totally legit to just nerd out on interesting gear, but getting in or out of eurorack will not in itself change anything for you
I build modular synthesisers and i'm definitely more into _instruments_ than "modular synthesisers." some of the instruments i'm really into happen to be modular synthesisers, but i'm not into them because they are modular. it was always the experience of using a big Moog system that i was interested in, that drew me into this. i could elaborate if asked. anyway, even now i don't really want to be even now selling "modules", i think in terms, and have always thought in terms of, an "instrument." i was finally able to do that with Radiophonic One and Four, but the eurorack market isn't really into straightforward synthesisers, and i'm not sure if that's where my future is. Moog format has supported me for years now, and i will be focusing more on that in the future, and instruments based on that format, but they will be instruments that happen to be physically modular, not "modular synthesisers."
Bought and sold tons of synths as well as guitar pedals, but the collection is dwindling to almost nothing since I discovered the advancements in making music on iPad. It’s a whole new day with things like dRambo, Loopy Pro and Auv3 plugs a plenty. Never been happier.
I very much agree with the notion of letting things - especially if you tend to be a bit of a collector and "acquirer". On my own end, this has happened three times in the past: First time it was cheap pedals and synth, second time it was Eurorack and right now it's obscure and/or one-off guitar pedals. All these phases made me empty my pockets, develop guilt and eventually selling most of it. I did learn a lot of valuable lessons in the process, though, and incrementally assembled a limited set of gear that made it through every phase. Interestingly, I never looked back to what I once decided to get rid of.
also, there is an "end game" modular setup. if you have a clear and productive plan in mind and achieve that. i spent years building out my modular, trade after trade after trade. In the past year, i have not purchased or even wanted to purchase a new module. only thing i need and will buy soon is an MPC One. Might be a while till I get it, but it will really complete my perfectly comfortable setup. cool vid mate.
I keep my set up within a nifty case and no more than that eurorack has worked for me because I limited myself and had a plan to use it just for processing and modulating ;)
As someone who’s just getting into modular and has used the digitakt in the past, you are absolutely right modular is much less intentional than other forms of electronic music. I’ve found it much more suited for a hobbyist than a musician. You can make some amazing music on a modular but you definitely spent a lot more time exploring and messing around than you do on other standard hardware synths, which is great if that’s what you want.
Two weeks later at 3 am... Daniel is building a monster 9u rack on modular grid and applying for a loan from the bank. But for real, there's a lot to relate to in this video. I've been spending so much time switching modules around, getting my space more organized, and all the while I'm hardly making music. It's all logistical, not musical. Even with syntakt, it's so tempting but do I really need it?
Hahah we can’t rule that out completely. I’m glad you’re able to relate! That’s how I’m feeling about the Syntakt at the moment. Undeniably super cool & would be an absolute blast - but I don’t think it would add any true value to my current setup
Good job, it's pretty hard to box those things up and ship them out but worth it in the end. I've made a crazy amount of gear changes this year as I've constantly reevaluated what I want in my setup, and just as I thought I was happy (DT+DN), a wild Syntakt appears :') I ordered one and am selling my DT, because on top of how much the ST is built for me with everything about it, I never really fully jived with using samples, so I'm happy to go back to a pure engine based sound. That and those new performance options, mmmm.. I'll miss the DT compressor, tho..
The compressor is such an underrated tool!! It’s one thing that I’m definitely noticing I don’t enjoy as much about the OT. But anyways, I think that’s a great decision for your purposes, and exactly the kind of thing the ST is great for. It may be a bit redundant to have all of those “digi” form factor boxes, but the ST definitely occupies a niche space within that world.
Grab a cheap Alesis 3630 compressor, it’s not as nice as the DT but if it’s good enough for daft punk it’s good enough for me. And they’re dirt cheap, I got mine for 40€ and I’ll never sell it.
i do want to sell my Squarp Hermod but will not replace it with more modules anytime soon. I like it but it has certain things about it that make it terrible, ie one thing. the tiny tiny screen. i currently use a looper with my modular kit to catch those magic moments, but thats why I am going to go for the MPC One, I need a more robust method to catch and edit those pieces, to build banks from my sound design.
Having owned synths for over 40 years and never sold anything, I still only have a few. Playing with friends it’s hardware. Writing is mainly in the box. I have some sound design sessions but as I’m time limited there aren’t so many of these. My modular is Serge or Reaktor. I’ve avoided GAS and I’ve survived. Often is just better programming for me that makes the sound work or inspire rather than new kit.
I’m definitely interested in modular but I decided to get vcv rack first to see if it’s something I like enough to get into. Good place to start since it’s free.
I spent two years in VCV and watching videos on modular before I even considered buying a case. Now that I’m doing it physically it feels much more natural than if you just try to jump in. You figure out what you want, how it works, and you don’t have to break the bank to get going
I was just talking about the rabbit hole of modular synthesis to my brother, who’s just starting out with electronic music. I stopped buying modules when I filled out my Palette case. I’m glad I did because I’m finding out that there are other instruments that will do what I want them to do without needing -one more module- to do it.
I thought I would also add that I treat my modular like a massive effects station or processing. it can be anything. my digitakt lives right next to it. great partners, especially with my squarp hermod. hermod and digitakt are killer together. the two of them are my fav workflow. midi, cv, effects, what ever you can dream of. DATA has also changed my life. killer bit of kit. so useful. I guess at least you tried. It's not for everyone.
GREAT VIDEO! I could relate to everything you said. I built my system over 8 months, and kind of got burned out. I haven't really got back into it. Thought about selling it off. My current alternative is VSTs. VSTs were the exact reason why I got into modular...90% of the VSTs suck, and there's nothing imo, that can compare to actual voltage pulsing through those modules. I'm still on the fence, but my greatest take aways are that 'our gear should serve us, and not us serve the gear'. I have atleast 18 guitars, $5000+ mics, atleast a dozen guitar pedals, an 18" rack half full of preamps syths and patchbays... none of which I use. My Apollo twin just died, and I have very little energy to trouble shoot. I'm mostly a classical guitarist now, and all this other stuff just doesn't work anymore. Appreciated your thoughts. I'm going to check out those other boxes that you use. Maybe there's some magic there.
Saw this in a nick of time- I've been playing at renaissance fairs for 15 years- during which time I was pretty much away from all synth- I was going to start a rack but decided to get a couple of semi modular bits first- I think that this is kind of the best of both worlds. I have seen people wander away from their musicality and disappear into gear, and actually had the urge to follow.
Thanks for your videos. I have considered my own music needs and can identified with your journey and music sensibility. I have both the Digitakt and Digitone which I use with a Roland Jupiter XM on my gigs. I'm a singer as well and it has gone well however I am reaching for what might minimalize my set up or swap out the jupiter for an octatrack as a performance mixer as well. However I have rented an Octatrack three times and just have not been able to justify the investment of time and money which takes me away from practice, performance and music making. That may be a clear sign that maybe i should look elsewhere. I see the ways people use it and still am tempted, and now with the new Syntakt I am considering how I might add that to my workflow. Your video does help me to reflect on what actually helps me make and perform music and not focus on an endless pursuit for the perfect set up. I have it good now... Syntakt does look good though.
Yep! It’s interesting, I first heard the “gear should serve you” mantra in the context of camera gear. That’s a totally different world of “new features” being released by every company, every year… but for your average user, it effectively all does the same exact thing.
Definitely go through this myself. Not with modular (I haven't even bothered because I know GAS would be horrific) but I do have it with other gear. I try and have the rule one in one out, that way you know whether you actually want something as you have to sacrifice something else to get it. Unfortunately, the way consumerism is right now it's so hard for people with addiction. I totally believe knowing a small amount of gear very well is far more beneficial than loads of gear and not knowing it. Far less frustrating that way. Great video topics as always my dude, take care 👌🖤
Thanks for always stopping by the channel! I agree with the one in one out methodology, a lot of the time that mindset really helps you to reconsider the capabilities of your current gear
An electronic music setup is there to be a flexible, efficient and creatively rewarding workspace to make music. I've sort of had the questionable luck of being a broke ass failed student / drug abuser for many years, and not having much cash to spend on gear. It means that all the stuff I did buy, I took a really long time deciding on what to buy, so I ended up with a very focused, very functional setup, and very little unnecesary ballast. It also means I pretty much know everything I own by heart. I know what every little thing does, I've found all the little sweet sports, and all the weaknesses, and I know exactly what to use for what purpose. And that is how I approach any additions I can afford now I've got a more steady income and fewer bad habits. I'm not buying it if it just looks or sounds cool in a youtube video, I'm buying it after having weighed all of its pros and cons, comparing it to every other option on the market, envisioned how it's going to fit into my workflow and "palette" of sounds, and seeing exactly what it is going to add. I think over the last decade or so, prices for synths have been coming down (they've started to rise again now, but that's after years of ever cheaper synths basically flooding the market). That combined with the rise of modular setups and pseudo-modular fx setups with lots of guitar pedals, has led many people to just acquire loads of stuff, which is fine, and completely understandable. It's just not very focused on improving your workflow or your sound. It also leads to people not properly learning the gear they own, meaning they're not getting the most out of it. With notable exceptions, I find that a lot of what I see people doing with modular is more about the process, more about the technicality of it, than about the music. Very complicated looking patches often sound quite mundane or dull, even when compared to patches made on more conventional non-modular synths, or it can take ages of patching and tweaking to achieve any meaningful variation of the timbre or sequences, leading to tedious, static and repetitive performances. Of course there are also people like Colin Benders or Richard Devine who can improvise dynamic and original music with modular, so this is not a tirade against modular. In the right hands modular is as legitimate an instrument as the grand piano or the TR-909. It's just that I think many people get into modular without really knowing what they want out of it, or lose sight once they've started buying modules, and just keep expanding their systems, making them more and more complicated and less functional. Art is not about just piling up ever more stuff, it's also about knowing what to leave out, and when less is more.
Thanks for the video this is the push I needed. I am on the verge of selling my modular rack too. I’ve only spend a couple months and I’m ready to walk away. I’m super productive with my regular rig so I don’t need it. My problem is I like to build things and there’s a lot of DIY modules. I like building pedals too but all the pedal sites just sell you a PCB and you have to source all the parts it takes forever and I hate doing it. The DIY modular stuff on the other hand comes in a kit form. I just get to solder everything together and feel awesome about the module I just put together. I thought I could blend the hobbies of building things and Music but honestly I don’t use the modular.
I totally feel ya on that one. A few years ago I did a DIY guitar kit, did all of the wood staining/finishing, soldered the pickups too! It was a ton of fun... but the guitar was pretty low quality (just the nature of the kit I chose). I still don't think I'll ever be able to sell it though!
great video! so refreshing to hear this take on modular synths. Also it would be great to see a video on your take of the difference between a digitakt and octatrack. I have both and while i know they can do different things I still find myself thinking "do i really need both" haha
Thanks so much! I have a video in that vein coming out Saturday. Not a true “vs” video (which I plan to do at some point )but one that should hopefully be interesting/insightful
Great video and I very much feel where you’re coming from. I know from experience myself that limiting my tools is what keeps me productive. And the whole pursuit of building a modular certainly eats into the time available. For me at least. As for the price cost, I just realized about a week ago that my (somewhat) humble 4U 104HP case, which is all I have left now, cost about the same as my ARP 2600 FS… 😱
I got really into it. But I rarely have found myself just getting real ideas going - for just the reason you state Daniel. Instead I was collecting the shiny stuff; but I lost all sight of what I was doing. That you're puzzle solving not creating - i resonate with that. I am ostensibly a songwriter and it's stopped me from doing that. It's all gonna go I think. I worry that keeping ANY of it will mean I'm not off the waggon... like keeping a bottle of whisky handy if you're an alcoholic. Offensive analogy maybe and sorry to anyone struggling with that far worse affliction!! Clumsy as maybe... I feel that keeping anything is a road to ruin for me.
add ADHD into the mix - the fact that I find it hard to learn and retain. AArgh. Worse! But on the positive side it has taught me more about synthesis than just hardware synths ever did. And now that's more fun to do than it was!
It wasn't a loss at all- if you got 2 albums worth of original music and recouped most of your investment, plus learned a lot- I'd say it's a great result. If the new stuff helps create a productive workflow, that is fantastic.
For me modular is relaxing fun different way to experiment with sound design. I don't plan to quit but I did stop buying gear this year as I have a lot to use for music beat making. It does make returning to traditional synths easier in that hardware synths are far simpler to use.
Modular was very relaxing in a way no other hardware has been! I’m actually kind of finding that same feeling when doing sound design with the Digitone though, it’s been a lot of fun
@@SlowHaste nice! I have two Elektron boxes: Analog 4 MK2 and Octatrack MK2 both are superb beat making machines. I want a Rytm MK2 love the pads on the one I tried.
I was a "Pack Rat" with a lot of Korg and Roland synths. I sold everything to get into Modular and never looked back. I feel more creative using modular.
I hate and love you. Saw this video and also decided to sell my eurorack gear. It took really little time to sell them. I inmediatly, really, started producing music again (with a simple midi controller and ableton live).
Ha! Recently, I’m exploring modular through Cherry Audio’s free version of Voltage. Last night I couldn’t resist bought 86 modules for 55 bucks. Not the same as the hard wired stuff, but this video was an excellent reminder for me to not get GAS. ✌️
I'd be more than happy to pay shipping for patch cables...such an investment to get them out here! Thanks for the reflective ideas, I'm in deeper than I expected
So modular was "the heart" of your music composition for three years during which time you produced two albums and a bunch of RUclips content. And you say it taught you a lot, including what you like in electronic music. You also mention that your modules retained their value and that they sold quickly when you were ready to move on to other things. ...Yeah, I'm not seeing how "eurorack modular didn't work out." Sounds like it worked out quite nicely. This comes across as a bit click-baity. GAS can be a distraction but that's not exclusive to modular, it's also true for guitar pedals, VST plugins, pretty much everything. Best of luck though, and cheers to music making.
It's the best decision you ever made, lol. I also suffered from GAS-madness...I wish I was equally passionate about music theory, hogy to arrange and compose... 🙂 One could add that it's good to keep a couple of synths, EVEN if you don't use them, they could stop you from buying more, this is how I feel. I tend to get stuck with VSTs but I love to have some great synths. When I think I would need something more I just look at my babies and pushing back GAS, so far it worked. You need an analog synth, (Korg Minilogue XD) a PCM synth, (Yammy ES rack), a VA synth (Yammy AN1X)....and maybe some smaller rack. The ES rack has great drums sounds, for example, no need for a separate drum machine, if you want to save place.
Great video, liked and subscribed on two accounts. Recently I unloaded a bunch of gear, it's funny what you sell and don't sell, and more importantly, what you intend to sell but then can't at the last minute. For me that was the Microfreak. I actually don't like the way the Microfreak sounds, but I thought of all the bad days I had where I sat down with it and just make some sounds, and I couldn't let it go, especially since I got it on sale, right before the price increase. Hope you keep enjoying the gear you love!
Thanks so much, I appreciate that! I figure it’s all about having fun & making music at the end of the day, so it’s good to try to focus on that as much as possible
Tell me about it , I’ve bought so much gear that I haven’t used at all. Everything is so expensive and it takes so much time to get all the modules. I was more productive when I only had a computer and 2 or 3 hardware synths.
One habit to help... when you get a piece of gear... force yourself to make 5 songs, even if you aren’t feeling it. A lot of gear requires deep diving and finding a sweet spot. Often we also reflect on things differently than they happened too. If you have songs you made you won’t feel as strongly as you wasted time and money.
That's a great approach!
@@SlowHaste yeah it’s funny you would think that favorite gear equals most productive and best tracks... often not the case. Also true for music we like. One of my favs is OK Computer (Radiohead) which is mostly made with solid state guitar amps, which when I play I absolutely do not like, hahah.
@@dracul74pretty sure ok computer was recorded with fender twins and Vox AC30s. So your preferences still apply :)
@@Jamooshoe Jonny plays a Fender solid state 85 with a Shredmaster on that album. There was a cool bit on it on the Jhs Pedal channel (Marshall's Greatest Pedals), but it's also pretty widely covered in articles too. Hope it helps....
I don't buy gear to make "songs".
I figured out 20 years ago when I still had it - the cure for gear acquisition syndrome is this: If you are not using what you have to the fullest, where you are actually experiencing how it limits you, don't buy anything else!
This is relatively easy with guitars. I have a $150 Yamaha student classical guitar. I play it intermittently and take good care of it. It sounds fine. I'd love to play a high-end handmade one from some master! But if I'm not practicing the one I have daily, no dice.
This is actually empowering: Last year my very old MOTU interface stopped locking to external word clock. So I researched and bought the best I could afford (RME UCXII fwiw.) Had no qualms about it because I hadn't bought anything else in the category for over a decade. Ditto for some delay effects pedals.
Creative limitation is a nice thing that a lot of artists talk about and experience from necessity (punk, pop, hip hop) But having a nice job and therefore the ability to acquire whatever you desire doesn't necessarily make it a good idea. Anyone at any income level can induce creative limitations on themselves and probably be the better for it.
This is why I sold all of my desktop stuff. Modular is more immediate for me, personally. Not that deep diving isn’t possible, but it’s also not an obligation. I needed something I could plug in and go. Somehow modular has done that for me.
@Versteckt sein I think once you get around the overwhelming information and learn to curb your GAS then modular is something most people could get behind. Especially if you just roll with the punches. My current case is nothing like the modular grid I planned out. I just made interesting trades and love what I’ve stumbled upon.
@@alifeinyellow totally agree - once you understand what your workflow it makes it easier to identify which modules will support it and which modules wont.
"That musical goodness came from you. It wasn't the gear."
I needed to hear that. Thank you so much!
Just something I've noticed... my (relatively small) modular setup consists, for a very large part, of modules that do not necessarily have a particular 'sound' to them. Instead, they are mixers, splitters, lo-pass gates, vca's, logic modules, and other modules that are there to allow for a super-wide range of patching possibilities. So instead of having complex and expensive modules that create specific sounds, I have a lot of smaller modules with relatively 'simple' uses (and would be cheap... I'm actually more DIYing them). The power of my setup is really in the patching... making connections between the modules. This also means that if the sounds are not to my liking, I'm not turning to modular-grid to find a new module to add, but I rather think about repatching everything and thereby reinventing what is already there... Haven't bought a new module in many months :)
I got into modular almost exactly 2 years ago (my desire for investing into modular coincidentally coincided with the pandemic, not the other way around...the pandemic did not cause GAS as it seems to have done for a lot of people) and even though I began in the way that is never recommended (I had zero clue what I wanted to do, but I knew I did not want to duplicate a monosynth in Eurorack form). I have made it to the point that I have narrowed down what I want to do (work with feedback/no input mixing) and am using it for sound manipulation/design/mangling. Once I narrowed that down, I could focus specifically on what modules would enhance that process, as opposed to, "This is the one that everyone talks about that I should get" (no Maths, no Pam's, and only Elements from Mutable). It is working out well so far, and it freed up about 5-7 modules that I feel I no longer need. Now to invest the time in selling them off to scoop up a Worng Electronics Soundstage...
I’m struggling right now with this decision. I’ve spent so much money and time over the last year building up a rig, endlessly swapping things in and out and after the excitement of receiving the next “thing”, I always find myself stressed out and overwhelmed. So I pair down, send things away, sit in front of a minimal set up that caters to my musical needs only to feel the pull again and start adding more. It’s really a comically stupid mental thing. I’m not making music I enjoy (I COULD BUT OHHHH A NEW MODULE!) and I’m just in this endless loop. Tough and silly first world dilemma. This video was helpful.
Thanks for sharing! Sounds like exactly what I went through. The last time that happened was with Beads (which really is a great module), but after the honeymoon phase, I just ended up neglected my rig again.
Hang in there. I tried to go dawless for a longtime and bought a lot of gear that got me close, but never satisfied. I found that (for me) working about 70 percent out of the daw and 30 percent in the daw gave me the workflow I wanted. I give myself a week for a song and if it is just not happening... I move on. These little changes have made a world of difference for me (might not work for you... but maybe).
@@dracul74 same here but my case is 80% modular 10% traditional hardware synths and 10% DAW processing.
@@dracul74 think I'm about 70-30 too! Its a great sweet spot between hardware and software. But my 'turnover' is way shorter, I create a new song in max 1 or 2 days, if its not roughly finished by then, I will most likely never finish it. Mixing/mastering can come later no probs, but when I start doing that and don't feel the song anymore, it goes on the pile of 'unfinished tracks' likely never to be heard again.
Yea I just sold all mine for about 3 grand on ebay I'm really happy
Even with a very small modular system one can hone their creative skills then move those results into a more formatted method, i.e. DAW synths or record it for loops in a DAW. It's more fun than plugging notes into a DAW and getting hung up on choosing which VSTi and FX etc which for me is a creativity killer
I spent a day back with my little Doepfer case after not touching it for a year. Ended up frustrated. Then spent a couple of hours with Volca Keys, sequenced by Deluge, into Oto delay, Eventide H9 and Vermona Retroverb, and had a recorded track. Satisfied.
Some gear just does'nt feel right... for you. I know the feeling, I need to use an instrument for a while before I know do we get along? Its got nothing to do if the piece is good or not, its all to do with whether it inspires us or not. Some of the most inspiring gear I've used include Juno 106, Roland JP8000, Kawai K5000 and certain VSTs.
100% agree!! Tis all about what inspires ya
The one thing I do appreciate about Eurorack is how it has changed the way I think about creating sounds. To me, the value of modular hasn't been so much what I can make but re-thinking HOW I can make music and sounds. ....That said. I totally identify with becoming distracted by buying and acquiring vs just making music. I've started doing this thing lately where if a new shiny module shows up, I just try my best to rebuild it as an Ableton rack using plug-ins I already own (which I can usually do with 90-ish% accuracy). My best advice? If you really want the benefits of what modular can do for your process (but without all it's enormous expense) get VCV rack, learn the basics, and apply it to what already works for you.
I just got into euro and I basically went into it only wanting a customizable basic synth. I avoid all the complex and random things, just focused on unique sounding osc, filter, distortion , envelopes etc... im totally in love with my setup and I'll never go back now. I think all the indirect cv utility random generation kind of things obscure the creative process that I want to utilize and I'm left with all the things that worked for Me before, but now it's a tone wonderland
Thats exactly how I started. I have a core set of VCOs and filters that I really enjoy and know how to manipulate/modulate in and out.
I have 20 + years of music... sometime in bands and a lot of time as a basement musician. My basement has more gear than some bad guitar centers, lol. The problem I always run into is thinking that next piece of gear is going to solve all my problems. Instead a fresh batch of problems comes with each. For example, I have a Mpc, mc 707, tr6s and Maschine... they are all great and all have different limitations and strengths. I have enjoyed my time with each. The good news is that a lot of gear holds it value compared to other hobbies. I have friends who play golf... your money is just gone. There have been many things I have regretted selling and now using eBay and other sites has been worse than ever for sellers. I still sell things off... just make sure you won’t regret it or if you need the space... you need the space. Just putting something in storage for a bit can be good and inspiring to pull out old gear...
same here in fact the local Guitar Center has the worst synth selection and mine blows it away. Wish I still had close range to music shops in socal that have lot of synth gear.
good on you. i personally love my modular kit and it has given me a much deeper understanding of synthesis. to each their own.
Very well said. I have a 84 hp rig that I always regretted not getting a bigger case because of. Now that i sat on it I go back to it every now and then similarly to how you did. My issue with it was I got a 48hp semi modular that does a bunch of things but then i lamented later that its takes up to much space and I could have other modules that individual would cost way more! Eurorack is very specific and if you don't have plan it will consume your mind lol.
Yeah you’re totally right. I even thought I had done a great job being intentional and it still got to me!
Interesting video, I got modules I HAD to have, but don’t really have an entire modular set up! (First I’m out of money) but what I do have I add to the Behringers semi modular and FX, which you name it, I got it! If I don’t have it, the IPad comes close enough! My most used is the Yamaha XY100 from 2000 and the Yamaha DR880 from 2004, everything else is less than a few years if not a few months old. My point is 23 years and I’m still using two units and, like you, I designed this beautiful set up. With MIDI cc I’m discovering new functionality every day! I use Volca sampler 2 and POs in my modular set up and the IPad literally changes everything! I recently got a Hydrasynth Explorer, which doesn’t have the physical band controller but it does! It’s in the form of MIDI cc and assigned to the IPad. Modular I treat much like add ons. I agree with your assessments however I like the idea of having EVERYTHING available, whether I use it a lot or not. iPad has provided me with the band controller, looper (even though I have plenty of them in hardware) sampling, (again I have 3 hardware samplers), FX, quantizer, etc… It’s as exciting to see what new comes out to advance my system as playing it! When I think I need something I research to see if it exists, available on iPad or modular, and if not I’ll make one! I love this ridiculously expensive hobby!!! Lol
Great points you make here. I definitely cranked out more tracks when I had a small skiff. Well well....I've now built up a pretty big rig and it definitely put a roadblock in my tracks; however, the tracks I did put out using modular had sounds and vibes I absolutely could've never done with DAW or outboard synths. The key is to balance your time setting schedules and sticking to them. Example: Mon-Tue: patching, Wed-Thur: beats, Fri-Sun: melodies, progressions, and layouts. Easier said than done, but abandoning modular may be harsh. It's just so refreshing and unique compared to most equipment and soft synths. Maybe reducing a system is a good idea, but abandoning you may miss it later. Not to say you can't build another small one later hehe! One other thing that works for me is hybrid. I find that the loyal DAW-less approach is good for a few tracks and definitely mixes it up, but don't make it illegal to crank up that DAW, your favorite soft synths, and blast some Maschine beats sync'd up with your rig. Those are always the best track-inspiring jams for me.
Ggoing to modular is one the best things happened in my life. It got back a great joy of making music again I have never ever had before, as well expanded horizons and changed a mindset about of what is possible at all. So yeah, to each its own. "following your passion" is indeed a great rule whatever direction you go :)
I have a Minibrute 2S and Rackbrute 3u on the way😬 (Digitakt & Digitone junky currently) God help me. What have I done? I think I'd like to focus it on droning/string-like voices and FX. Any suggestions for oscillator modules?
@@Lo-fi_Hi-brow Oscillators is a broad topic (as any other module actually :)) and your choice may depend on many parameters/properties or just a matter of taste. Analog or digital, complex, wavetable, additive (Odessa) ? different flavours of oscillators all can do drones with a proper modulation. I can only recommend stuff from what I used, and Piston Honda MK3 is great for endless droning including making string-like timbres, there is great demo on YT with guy playing PH MK3 itself for a while even with no modulation ruclips.net/video/TsihVQLLM_8/видео.html. Minding 3u space I would check bastl pizza, inetersting osc with just 8HP, I did not try though myself so can't say anything... I myself also looking at 4MS Ensemble Oscillator, seems like great sound design possibilities.. I would recommend first to take a look at videos/demos various modules and make a decision
I think life is pretty much gear accusation syndrome as a whole unless you’re a Buddhist. As long as it leads to you creating or enjoying it more than stressing about buying stuff than you’re fine.
I think 80% of the fun of modular is “building” it yourself. Creating the perfect Frankenstein you want. Whether that’s a small rack with a basic polyphonic/monophonic with some fx or a huge sequencer setup with all the bells and whistles in a fully inclusive system you can create full pieces of music on. Maybe something in the middle.
I think the biggest thing is to have a goal, and to picture a rack as an instrument with a few fx and an amp. You could make a drum kit, or a crazy sub bass. Maybe you want to use the Eurorack setup to build a super crazy fx chain you can run whatever audio you want thru, or to generate midi for your live show and use it as song crazy controller and mixer.
I’m simplifying all this, but I think you should do whatever you enjoy. You just need to have some kind of goal or problem to solve. If it’s just to blow off steam and try crazy news combos that’s awesome! Smoke a bowl and pretend you’re in a space ship. If you actually want to go after a certain sound you’ve been missing or use it for your job in music it’s all good. Just decide whether it’s to relax and just mess around with it, Learn about electronics and synthesis, or use it as tool or instrument to create music with for your own project or someone else. Just make sure you’re either hitting your goal or growing in someway.
Personally, I have regretted selling some gear a few years back, and also the fact I stopped buying cool guitar pedals. I got caught up in only getting pedals I really “needed” instead of just buying a new pedal to mess around with and inspire something possibly. I don’t think there’s anything less valuable about buying modular synths than there is any other thing like vintage cars, guitars, art, movies, cameras, drugs, a hot girlfriend…it’s all the same shit. It only becomes a problem when you have no idea what you want so you just start spiraling. Maybe you just like like looking at cool gear online and blowing some cash after that girlfriend of yours left.
I’d say for anyone, start with some fx for your other synths, then maybe build a complete “instrument” out of a rack. Start there, and add more after you feel like you got a really good idea but you just can’t scratch it! GAS isn’t the problem, it’s letting the uncertainty and poor impulsivity control. If you’re gonna be impulsive, do it, just don’t let it hold you back.
If you are stocked with your other workflow that’s great! Just you supporting other creators is great.
Of all my modules, there are only a few I really think about regularly, let alone use. If you just need a sound of a modular setup, you can do most things with VCV rack. For performance, not only is every collection of modules in a case its own unique instrument, every patch is often its own instrument. I certainly don't have time to learn to play potentially thousands of instruments (millions actually).
There are a few things I love with modular you can't do anywhere else. A ribbon controller (Zorx) and a scrubbing sample player (Disting Mk4 in I-6 mode), that's incredibly minimalist and you can add it to anything else you have setup for anything from EDM to Pink Floyd style experimental rock.
Looking back, I think I would have been equally happy and a whole lot richer if I stuck with a Crave and a small case with a couple of modules and a few effects pedals. And just practiced with that for the last few years.
I did have lots of fun building modules from kits though. That's not for everyone, and that's not really related to music, a separate hobby really. But I also took on some tedious challenges that didn't really turn out musically. Like building 5 of the same module thinking that I just needed to combine them for a cool effect. It took many hours in total and wasn't a lot of fun to build the same thing like an assembly line. And the first one is noticeably not built as well as the other 4.
I quitted eurorack some years ago, didnt help financially. Instead of modules started buying and selling vintage gear and all sorts of boxes. It would be cheaper to collect luxury clothes, hobby I also had once 😄 I do agree that internet, social media, RUclips is really behind of fueling gas more than anything.
Modular is not very good for productivity unless you know exactly what you want out of it, and that's where a lot of people mess up. If you just want modular because it looks cool or think that it makes you more professional, you're going about it all wrong. (To anyone reading this, not 'Slow Haste.')
Personally, I first got into modular about a decade ago after lusting after it for a long time and I ended up spending a ton of cash at once and bought this huge rig and found myself totally overwhelmed even though I was confident that it would be no problem. Well, wrong. Modular is SO much more complex than standalone, 'traditional' synths. A few months ago I decided to give modular another try and have spent a lot of time thinking about *exactly* what I want my case to do and what are the best modules for that purpose. I sold some gear that was sitting around collecting dust and now I have a mostly filled case that cranks out the jams and it's very playable live, which is important to me.
On the other hand, I was/am an Elektron fanboy from way back. I've had most Elektron units aside from the Digitone and Sidstation. Elektron stuff is cool but the thing is, Elektron devices are kind of attention hogs and have a specific workflow. They require quite a bit of menu-diving and manual referencing and key press combos, which is fine if you are working with a small setup but personally for me it was kind of annoying after a while. Now I have a TR8s which is so much more immediate than, say, my Digitakt. The Octatrack was just a pain in the ass from the start and I hated using it.
Now that I have a modular setup again I can't see myself going back to not having it because everything is so hands on and immediate aside from the initial patching. Once I have a good patch going on I can endlessly jam on it and easy record enough material for a whole EP's worth of tracks. Getting generative, constantly evolving yet musically related stuff out of a handful of normal gear is very hard to impossible depending on what you are working with. For me the best part of modular is that once you really know what you're doing you can make a patch that goes on and on, just morphing into more and more rad shit as time goes on and that is irreplaceable for me.
I’ve had this same issue you had just with the native instruments Maschine Mikro that I got a couple years ago. The thing is really amazing, especially for playing drum grooves and coming up with cool virtual instrument parts with recorded automation fx, but actually trying to use it as a standalone daw while using all the controls and menu diving is just so slow when you have to memorize all the little random things you need to hit to accomplish something. There should enough knobs to tweak at least a 3 band eq before you need to page over. I feel like it was way too in the middle of being almost stand-alone, but you just have the monitor for layout but also not having anywhere near enough quick physical inputs or controls to create anything without a ton of memorization.
I’ve already learned how to use about 5 DAW’s and a stupid amount of keyboard shortcuts and tricks already. I need something that atleast has a semi standard compared to other DAWS or sequencers.
I know some people like to use these things like the Elektron stuff as a full blown music production and recording setup for live or in the studio…but you’re way better off just getting a laptop if you already gone thru the trouble of getting something with full on menus and a screen. Honestly a modular synth with a looper and a midi controller would be way more practical unless they start creating some kind of “Unicode” standardized system for these type of all in one sequencers it’s just way to mind numbing and useless unless you really are inspired and have all the time to mess around with it.
@@magicmark3309 The only MIDI controller that I've ever liked was the Ableton Push 2. That being said, it still didn't feel as nice as working with hardware, even if hardware can be a huge pain in the ass.
Glad you can tell my story so well !
I definately appreciate the philosophy of not letting the gear run you. I treat my modular rigs like as if they were discreet instruments (I have two though they often plat together) and had spent alot of time researching the moduals and being honest about what i wanted to do with modular equipment. I have spent a lot of time getting to know how they work and not work. For the most part I've avoided the GAS issue having had one rig for over two years and the second rig for about 18 months. In the end I have gear that I can power up and be noodling and having fun in just a few minutes. I don't have alot of exotic modules but what I have gets me going in grooves that I know I like to work in. So yeah, be honest about what you want to do, know what you're buying and spend the time learning your instrument. That keeps you in control, not the gear.
this vid is helpful for me! like i just finished my first little 84hp system and i love it, but i was almost immediately thinking about how i was going to expand it. But watching Ricky Tinez and Mylar Melodies show off how much they can do with their tiny Pallet cases and seeing your perspective on getting out of modular altogether has convinced me to pump the brakes and just shed with the system i have.
Honestly this system i have is really great as is, every time i use it i discover something new that i couldnt have done with anything else, and even as a basic subtractive voice it has a really unique sound that contrasts against my other gear nicely. I definitely still want to expand, but I wanna try to focus more on making what i have better, rather than just trying to tack on a bunch of extra functions cause i think theyre cool
Glad this was helpful!! I think that’s a fantastic way to approach it. I know that if I ever get back into it, I’d probably go for a pallet case or the 4ms pods just for a few select modules
Hello! I feel like many people in the comments and also the person in the video did regret getting too many modules, too much stuff. That they are more focused and productive with a smaller amount of modules.
But.. for me that's honestly not the case as much.
I have a decent amount of modules (almost filling up a Behringer Eurorack go) and two semimodulars (minibrute 2s and crave). In total I have 4 voices I can play with. I personally really love this setup it's not too big neither too small (for me). I mostly jam and do generative ambient stuff but from time to time I use them for some psytrance and house stuff.
The thing is that I am very much on a budget. I built that setup little by little with months of breaks between getting the next module. I mostly use Behringer, Doepfer, Ladik and Dreadbox stuff and I when I compare that to other cases and setups I see that people with more funds will buy more "complex" and "fancy" modules with inbuilt randomizers, vcas, modes and whatnot or digital all in one voices like the noise engineering ones or plaits etc. I think there is the thing, people don't really learn how to use their complex modules and when they patch things up and things dont work they say "ah I just need that other module, it will make everything better".
I learn new things about my minibrute 2s on a daily basis so if you have a palette case full of mutable Instruments and noise ingeneering modules you will have a steep steep learning curve to get your sound out of it.
Now, having more "analog" and cheaper modules will mean that you will have to make a lot more thinking for yourself, working around limitations and inconveniences but it rewards you so much more to get pleasent / musical results. And obviously, they are much easier to learn since there isn't much to look up if you get a new vca or a new sample and hold module. All those interconnections you do with the "basic building blocks" (like vcos, vcfs, vcas, envelopes, mixers, multiples etc etc) are made for you in the complex modules so there is a certain amount of creativity taken away already that you could apply.
I'm taking way too much but I hope you kinda get my point. One needs to learn his setup from bottom to head thrice to be able to unfold their full creative potential and then the number of modules doesn't matter as long as you know them good enough.
I sold my Euro in 2018 and I have never looked back. It was the best decision I've ever made for my creative practice!
I have the opposite mindset, I never sell anything! Just because I don't use something right now, doesn't mean I won't in the future. I took a 15 year break from making music and I'm glad I still have and use my first couple midi keyboards from back in the day! There were about 7 years when I didn't even take them out of the box, but here I am using them almost every day. Selling stuff only means that I'm going to buy stuff again at inflated prices in 5-10 years (even more true now with substantially higher inflation). And this goes pretty much for everything, I still have my first camera and every camera I owned since then, including my fairly useless 4MP digital cameras from the early 2000s. There is an old broken Technics tapedeck that I will try to repair soon, a Sega Megadrive that I want to use for music making eventually and even some fairly random bits of electronics from my Robotics degree. I recently I salvaged an Arduino nano from an old photography related project prototype that I hadn't used since 2015. 7 years it sat in a box and now it's running in my Eurorack in one of my DIY modules. Another reason I won't ever sell any of my Eurorack stuff, I built most of it myself from components, so I just couldn't get rid of it! I guess most of this "hoarder" mentality comes from my mostly Soviet upbringing. There were always shortages when I was little, so my mum held onto everything just in case. My parents recently retired and moved to a new place. Perfect time to declutter, right? Well, my mum took her jar of spare buttons that she's probably never going to use 😆
I sold one Eurorack module but am otherwise the same. I have some space in my closet for this stuff, so I will hold onto it until it calls.
I probably will sell off a few more modules here and there, but the fixed architecture and semi-modular synths and drum machines will stay.
That's right, we talked about camera gear after my GAS video! I like your approach a lot, and it's honestly what's happened to me with my guitar pedals. I stopped using them after I stopped playing guitar in a band, but I always kind of knew that I would come back to use them in a different context (which I have, recently).
I did think about this quite a bit before listing it all for sale, and ultimately decided that I could always re-buy things used again, or try to re-create the sounds I liked from certain devices with other methods. That's part of the beauty of music tech these days... everything can do a bit of everything! But I definitely fear regretting letting it all go so suddenly.
@@SlowHaste Guitar pedals work really well with synths too, I actually always plug every musical thing I own into them when I get a new pedal, kalimba, steel tongue drum, ukulele, bass uke, synths etc! And yes, sometimes I even plug guitars into them (gasp!) 😅
Sellers regret is just as real as buyers regret! It's what makes vintage gear prices go up like crazy, because people sell and re-buy stuff multiple times and everyone wants to sell at a profit along the way. Even from a financial stand-point holding onto gear makes way more sense. My main camera - it's vintage - has tripled in value since I've bought it! And this was before inflation! Right now putting your money into physical things is way better, because stuff doesn't lose value as quickly as money does. I don't know what it's like where you are, but around here in Spain we've already reached 10% inflation! It's like burning 10% of your money just by keeping it in the bank. When I was little there was hyperinflation in Ukraine and during that time my uncle preferred to be paid in bicycles because a fortune could evaporate in days! Better put that money you recouped from your modular into new stuff quickly. Modular was actually a quite decent investment, it seems to hold value really well.
las cosas de hace 20 años hacen cosas de hace 20 años
las cosas actuales hacen cosas actuales
intenta recrear los sonidos de un 3rd Wave en tus 2 sintetizadores mini de aquella epoca de Jurassic Park I 😀
En la vida todo funciona dependiendo del angulo que lo mires, ami me gusta mas la actualidad, para viejo ya estoy yo xD
great video. Probably this can happen with any kind of gear. And sometimes what you sell you'll miss later on. I actually have this going on with the Octatrack. I wasn't feeling it, then all of a sudden a project came up where the Octa fit in in a simple way and all of a sudden I liked it again. Relationships with gear are organic and very personal. For some it is just a tool to do something and they can perfectly set up a system that works for them without getting GAS or other attachments, for others, the whole proces of wanting it, getting to buy it, getting to know it etc is the appeal and you never really get to stage where you actually really produce something with it. All of that is fine. Just keep experimenting and let the creative juice flow wherever that might be. In the end we ourselves are the instrument and the gear is just the way to channel it. As long as it gives us fun and pleasure it's all good.
Totally agree... I care more about the result than how I get to it. There is literally nothing I can't do with U-he & Mardona Labs softsynths that can be done with Eurorack !
As someone just getting into the software synths, I am surprised at how powerful and versatile they are. And the ones that came with my DAW are pretty good too.
Not interested in results at all, just want to play with stuff.
Few years ago I had the same realization, that I became more of a collector rather than a musician. So I sold a lot of my (mostly rack) synths and made a more focussed setup. Now I'm still acquiring new stuff, but also selling older stuff that I don't use anymore. I rarely regret selling anything. The only thing I actually bought for a second time was the Octatrack, I really missed that. But what you say in the video is real. Less equipment means more music.
I'm in it for the lights and colored cables. Oh, and the "sound design". Can't forget that! Love it :)
It is so easy to fall down the gear rabbit hole. I've been spending every spare minute lately just googling various bits of kit, not even buying things just obsessively looking; such a waste of time when we could be making music with what we already have. Great video!
Well said! It’s very easy to do that, I’m sure there’s some interesting brain chemistry stuff going on when we dream about new gear
I'm seeing more and more of this. Many friends are neck deep in modular gear and tell me how amazing it is. Then when they fire it up and start patching away, I always end up uninspired by what they come up with. I'm happy with synths, drum machines, and sequencers.
same, Im far more into actual timbres and textures and those organic walls of pure sound are far more possible with just old vintage analogs, or vintage digitals...so over the euro trend, world needs less fart sounds
another thing is, I can make far more strange sound son say, a CS30 or arp oddysey, than a friends massive modiular system, only the old ones are far more chunky and organic, warmer to my ear
@@christ5826 hahaha @ farts. Great posts and very true. I can get more done faster with a Cobalt and Digitakt for much less dinero.
I see this too. I mainly think it has a lot to do with the lack of having a plan. Although everything takes time and experience, if you have a certain idea and workflow in mind it makes it so much easier. Especially because the module world is so vast it can make you get lost, but with a strong idea and great passion you will create something new and unique.
@@christ5826 Looks like your friend is buying the wrong modules. There are a lot of modules with the same components inside as the old synths. It's more about knowing what sounds you want and creating your system of of that.
Drambo on iOS is my ideal modular environment - You don’t have to dive deep into the nitty gritty of advanced patching (or patch at all, for that matter) to get strong musical and sound design ideas out of it - Very similar to an Elektron workflow on the surface, but with the power of a fully realized eurorack rig if and when you need it. If they made something like that in the hardware realm, I’d be all over it…
ZOIA and a few other similar swiss army knife modules are about as close as I’ve seen, but none capture the feel, power or immediacy of Grooveboxes.
So interesting. As someone who has been buying stand alone synths I keep flirting with the idea of Eurorack. But I have held off. I keep hearing stories like this. It feels like eurorack is a great idea, but the reality often takes you towards the instrument itself as you try and build it, rather than the music. As someone in it for the music, and not just the instrument as a hobby, I think I am inclined to hold off. Unless at some point I NEED air to do something I can’t do otherwise.
No power cables, everything is together, build your own instrument. sky (or hell) is the limit
Really interesting video. The tricky thing about modular, I think, is to built an instrument you can learn, understand and play. Three years ago I started assembling a MN Shared System, little by little, mostly second hand. It took me a year and half to get it complete. That period of time gave me the opportunity to learn slowly the modules, almost one by one. Why MN ? I loved the 0-Coast and loved the sound of the Shared System I watched on YT vids. But most important it looked like a real thought out instrument to me. And I can tell now it really is. So GAS never really pushed me beyond that system. I have now my modular instrument, wich is the same to my eyes as my Gretsch guitar or my drumkit. With it's limitations but also endless possibilties. All it takes is time, practice and care. I'll never sell my Shared System, because it's an amazing instrument.
I gave up Eurorack about 5 years ago. Best decision ever. The only thing I still own that uses patch cables is my Antonus ARP 2600. I think the best way to put it is that I liked the *idea* of eurorack more than actually using it. And I enjoyed shopping for it and planning my rig, but when I had it, I found it tedious and a step back to writing. I don't base my entire musical endeavor on happy accidents - I ended up using my traditional synthesizers in my studio far more.
When I sold some gear recently I was chatting to a guy who rents his gear for a window of time and then sends it back and moves onto something else. Initially I thought it was a weird idea but now I've just started renting an Op-z for a 6 month trial. Having the time pressure is really different than just buying it because I know I've got to learn it and use it within a timeframe rather than the usual, 'I'll get to it eventually'. It makes it a more special piece of gear rather than just the dopamine rush of just buying the gear and sit it in a corner. The plan is to learn it, create at least 6 tracks, send it back and try a new piece of gear.
That’s a cool system! No pressure to use it if you don’t gel with it, too. Where does one typically rent from?
@@SlowHaste well I live in Australia and there's only 1 store that does it currently called musicorp Australia. It was $39 AUD per month for the Opz with the option to buy it at any point so I thought that was pretty reasonable
Great video and totally understand where you are coming from. The problem with eurorack modular is that it really doesn't have any rails and it is diverse as all of the seven seas. I recommend starting with simple pre-defined use case that is best solved by a modular system. For example, when I started, I just wanted to re-create analog synths like the MS-20, Jupiter 8 and SH-101 sounds in a cheap compact way and this was easily done in eurorack. Since I always have these sounds in my rack, I always have core functionality that I enjoy and use regularly. Another big sticking point is correctly choosing modules which support the style of workflow you prefer. If you prefer to play live/jam/immediate workflow you should choose modules which support this style workflow. If on the other hand you prefer tinkering and sound design etc. there are definitely modules for that. You can certainly do both but that is where it gets really expensive in money and space... Lastly, just because eurorack can be configured to perform a specific function doesn't mean it should - many times there are MUCH better and cheaper standalone solutions available.
love hearing your stories with GAS and realistic musician struggles
And now that you got some more followers you have to keep them busy by buying a lot of stuff back. They will forget about this video and keep buying stuff you recommend, it’s ok!
Restart my modular journey & create a slow haste multiverse??? Brilliant!!
Great video, very concise and focused! I totally get the same gear guilt anytime I feel like I'm not utilizing a piece of gear. I do think comparing modular to preconfigured synths is a bit unfair. I think of mine less as a "instrument" and more like a puzzle box. Like a kind of futuristic sound arcade. Another thing I enjoy is the physical act of patching, I feel like I'm weaving a tapestry or wiring up some kind of monster. I also really appreciate videos like this where you can get a sense of where people are coming from on a personal level, and not just shilling the "next big thing".
Thank you!! That’s one thing I really did enjoy - the physical patching was very therapeutic in a way that no other hardware has been.
Yeah if it doesn't feel good, let it go. I had started a case before and came to the same realization. Sold it all, then bought another case years later. But this time, I had a better idea of what I wanted so I'm completely happy with it. I find myself motivated to use it
This is such an honest take on modular, that I'm now feeling disoriented.
Haha oh no! Remember, it’s just my experience and many people continue growing their systems and being insanely productive and prolific :)
As you say it's all personal I've been modular for 5 months now after a 20 year music break. I know my 52 year old brain wouldn't get along with any of the programmable boxes, or virtual kit as i need to be hands on, i get bored instantly with menu driven systems, my mate loves his Digitrak, but not his modular
I went mad and bought lots of modules, but quickly learned more and now take my time. I've sold the kit i didn't reach for and kept the kit i liked. I've not missed one piece i sold. I turn that money back into better researched modules, and sort of promised myself not to outgrow my case ;) I'm not too fussed about recording, so i can feel inspired to make music or i just go back to individual modules and refresh my self with them and try new things. Knowledge of each one is key.
If you're thinking about starting i'd say try and find people with modular set ups so you can spend some time and see what you think.
"man, these expensive modules sure are stifling my creativity after all these years, ill sell them and buy these cool new flavour of the month tracker type boxes!"
FAST FORWARD:
"man, these tracker box things sure are stifling my creativity after all these years, ill sell them an-say... what's that cool looking thing do?"
Hahah perfect. To be fair, that cash went right into my savings account (and I have no desire to learn trackers)!
@@SlowHaste lol I can't judge either way, im guilty myself.
It takes time and passion to get the module system you want. Especially in modular you can create pretty much every workflow you want but again this needs time and experience. One of my main reasons getting into modular was the warm and analogue sounds. Of course there are a lot of creative and functional digital modules, but for the sound having digital oscillators is very close to using software synths. I also changed quite a few modules but always for the reason of not being happy with the sound.
After all this time i'm very happy i stayed with modular. Now i can recreate old patches exactly how they where because i know my system. This made my workflow so much better, working on different projects at the same time. It just needs warming up, tuning and then it's ready to go.
Good point. I was definitely not in the analog camp as you can see! I think it would also be an absolute blast to get into the DIY side of things, but I suppose that’s a whole other can of patch cables
@@SlowHaste Absolutely right, i just made my first 2 analogue filters and they work :D It's cheaper, sounds good and educational. Cheers!
During my overly extended break from putting out videos/music I've come to realize how much gear I've gathered that I have virtually no interest in using. I have a pile ready to sell and I'm considering adding more to it. The visual appeal of hardware doesn't really matter much if you're not showing it off haha. I feel like the more I focus on the aspect of music making itself vs the gear I'm using to make it, the more I actually create stuff I like.
Hahah absolutely! It is really a means to an end - or at least it should be! I think that’s why us hardware folk get some (occasionally deserved) flak for our instagrambient antics
The more I learned about what practical sound design really is, the more my excitement for modular synthesis dropped (fortunately I never even got into it). There are claims of modulars being the suppliers of endless possibilities in sound design. But honestly: As versatile as all this might seem from a physically informed perspective, it rarely yields sounds that a consumer ear has waited for. There are reason famous compact build analog synths are prewired the ways they are: Real sound designers have figured out which connections to provide a musician with to get the best out of what oscillators and stuff can do for music.
I went the easy route and bought a Mother 32 and DFAM. I have an extra 60 HP Moog case, but it’s empty. I use it with my Subsequent 37 and Digitakt.
I'm so sorry. This is such a sad story. I'm grateful that I experienced something completely different.
It’s okay though! I feel like I made a ton of satisfying music and had a great overall learning experience with eurorack.
I would say modular changed my relation with music. I used to feel connected with music that took bunch of people and weeks months years to make, mix and master.
Now im developing more an active relationship to the foundation of those experience : sound.. it might not as polished n well structured as those well produced pieces. But i am more involved and it feels very rewarding
Yes that’s one fantastic part about modular I will miss the most, the therapeutic nature of patching!
lastly, i fully agree with your statement about getting rid of stuff that isn't serving you. if it doesn't feel right, it isn't right. i am much more dedicated to deep learning of the things i have now to even consider wanting more things to add to that pile. MPC One, thats a different story, a close producer friend has one and i am certain it is the thing to fill a very specific want and need for me. now comes the time to start setting aside money to actually get one.
This is the reason I didn’t go into Modular.
The Electron boxes can already do so much and it’s easier to make something musical. On the other hand I could see patching different modules could be fun
It really is a lot of fun! But I found it was something I had to be in the mood to do, because it was very easy to end up with unfavorable results. Lots of experimenting and learning for sure!
Which is why I always say to people who feel like getting into modular: - "Why don't you try a couple of semi-modular desktop synths first and see if it's your thing?". Personally, - yeah, it's definitely my thing, but even then, I'm waiting till I'll have a bit more cash and spare time to really get into it. For now, I'm OK with patching my semi-modulars. Another objection I have to modulars is the format. I find it really cumbersome to have this huge shelf with lots of knobs and wires. With semi-modulars, - I have attached each one to the computer monitor gas cushioned arms of different height and can move them to the side of my desk when I'm not using them, or use them either together or separately as I need. But it would never be the same with a Eurorack. It would most likely require an entire separate desk not just desk space, and space is yet another thing I don't have a lot of.
It was fun for most of the two years I had modular but then I lost interest in patching and it became more work than fun, realized I can do the same with synths and be better focused for music production at the same time and that serves my goal much better, my purpose was creating music or ambient with random and probability, clocking, randomizing clocking , so I sold my two mantis two row s. got the novation SLKMK3 which has probability and chance as a midi keyboard to control up to 8 different synthesizers and they can all be set to different arp or sequence midi patterns and it has a chance setting as well , and I got the poly brute with the envelopes you can manipulate the speed of the envelope and create some very cool random and variation of note lengths and tempo and lastly I got the iridium which has a resonator that can sound a lot like rings I love the rings module
Currently a very unhappy NI KKMK2 user, I see plenty of KKMK2 in studios of big name composers, and to be perfectly honest, wonder how they tolerate it at times. Not that the hardware isn't nicely designed, but lack splitting/zones has me really peeved. Have you compared an SL MKIII to a KKMK2 in terms of feel, quality etc? Would love to know your thoughts.
@@HammyHavoc no I didn’t try the native instruments controller( the MK3 is a secondary controller I have doepfer 88 midi controller as primary with piano and strings always ready by default ). because it’s very VST focused with all of those controls and Other than the mod wheel and recording what I play in midi I don’t need that level of detailed control any of my VST’s for my purpose and I only use kontakt for strings and percussion and ethnic instruments. but I do need to control hardware synths and the novation has eight separate tracks I have it set with midi out through a midi hub to 6 hardware synths and 2 vst tracks, the clock sync is tight and the screens are easy to see and read, and very easy to program. Splits, etc..I think those Composer’s are using it as a master 88 key keyboard cause it has good action and they’re probably not using all the features and are not spending a lot of time with the VST stuff is my guess so to me it seems like overkill for getting the job done I would rather spend less time with VST‘s anyway and more time with live performance of synths and or acoustic instruments and VST’s are a compliment although when it comes to piano and strings that’s where I spend my time with VST mainly ….and Omni Sphere is a must have but I just pull up a preset tweak it, then automate volume in my daw so set and forget …..
i have 3 modules left, i have hardware boxes that do many musical things, and i'm not trying to compose modular songs, so i only use eurorack for EFX and modulation.
spring reverb, distortion, filter. analog tools, better than any VST version.
I just got rid of most of my setup and went down to a 3U 104 case with a lot more focus. One of the main reasons was because I don't have enough time to spend patching a ton of modules. And while it's fun to have more things to mess around with and plug into, if I spend all my time doing that, I never get around to actually writing much of anything. You don't really need too many for most situations.
I borrowed a small modular system from a friend just to feel what its like to patch real cables. Nope, not for me. I can generate sounds in my DAW with pretty much infinite possibilities and it will be more time and cost efficient. Also I can save patch and work on that later. Maybe in future I will buy AE modular, it is more appealing to me, because it takes less space, uses cheap jumper cables and module prices are waay lower than eurorack. But Akai Force is on my shopping list, because I want to replace Circuit and Korg ESX with it for live performances.
I used to have synths & drum machines and then switched to mostly eurorack. There isn't a significant difference between eurorack and other gear in terms of GAS, you can just as well get into a rabbit hole or stay focused whatever your preferred type of gear is. Either way if you want to be focused and get results you must have a clear idea of what you want and work towards it. Then you can ignore the many distractions that the world of electronic music gear offers. Or ofc it is also great fun and totally legit to just nerd out on interesting gear, but getting in or out of eurorack will not in itself change anything for you
I build modular synthesisers and i'm definitely more into _instruments_ than "modular synthesisers." some of the instruments i'm really into happen to be modular synthesisers, but i'm not into them because they are modular.
it was always the experience of using a big Moog system that i was interested in, that drew me into this. i could elaborate if asked.
anyway, even now i don't really want to be even now selling "modules", i think in terms, and have always thought in terms of, an "instrument." i was finally able to do that with Radiophonic One and Four, but the eurorack market isn't really into straightforward synthesisers, and i'm not sure if that's where my future is. Moog format has supported me for years now, and i will be focusing more on that in the future, and instruments based on that format, but they will be instruments that happen to be physically modular, not "modular synthesisers."
Bought and sold tons of synths as well as guitar pedals, but the collection is dwindling to almost nothing since I discovered the advancements in making music on iPad. It’s a whole new day with things like dRambo, Loopy Pro and Auv3 plugs a plenty. Never been happier.
Try nanoloops as well!
I very much agree with the notion of letting things - especially if you tend to be a bit of a collector and "acquirer". On my own end, this has happened three times in the past: First time it was cheap pedals and synth, second time it was Eurorack and right now it's obscure and/or one-off guitar pedals. All these phases made me empty my pockets, develop guilt and eventually selling most of it. I did learn a lot of valuable lessons in the process, though, and incrementally assembled a limited set of gear that made it through every phase. Interestingly, I never looked back to what I once decided to get rid of.
also, there is an "end game" modular setup. if you have a clear and productive plan in mind and achieve that. i spent years building out my modular, trade after trade after trade. In the past year, i have not purchased or even wanted to purchase a new module. only thing i need and will buy soon is an MPC One. Might be a while till I get it, but it will really complete my perfectly comfortable setup. cool vid mate.
I keep my set up within a nifty case and no more than that eurorack has worked for me because I limited myself and had a plan to use it just for processing and modulating ;)
Eurorack modular made me understand my Elektron boxes more so now i use the best of both worlds to make music.
As someone who’s just getting into modular and has used the digitakt in the past, you are absolutely right modular is much less intentional than other forms of electronic music. I’ve found it much more suited for a hobbyist than a musician. You can make some amazing music on a modular but you definitely spent a lot more time exploring and messing around than you do on other standard hardware synths, which is great if that’s what you want.
wendy carlos would beg to differ...
Two weeks later at 3 am... Daniel is building a monster 9u rack on modular grid and applying for a loan from the bank.
But for real, there's a lot to relate to in this video. I've been spending so much time switching modules around, getting my space more organized, and all the while I'm hardly making music. It's all logistical, not musical. Even with syntakt, it's so tempting but do I really need it?
Hahah we can’t rule that out completely.
I’m glad you’re able to relate! That’s how I’m feeling about the Syntakt at the moment. Undeniably super cool & would be an absolute blast - but I don’t think it would add any true value to my current setup
Appreciate the honesty, good to reflect upon the value of your gear
Thanks for the feedback!
Good job, it's pretty hard to box those things up and ship them out but worth it in the end. I've made a crazy amount of gear changes this year as I've constantly reevaluated what I want in my setup, and just as I thought I was happy (DT+DN), a wild Syntakt appears :')
I ordered one and am selling my DT, because on top of how much the ST is built for me with everything about it, I never really fully jived with using samples, so I'm happy to go back to a pure engine based sound. That and those new performance options, mmmm.. I'll miss the DT compressor, tho..
The compressor is such an underrated tool!! It’s one thing that I’m definitely noticing I don’t enjoy as much about the OT. But anyways, I think that’s a great decision for your purposes, and exactly the kind of thing the ST is great for. It may be a bit redundant to have all of those “digi” form factor boxes, but the ST definitely occupies a niche space within that world.
Grab a cheap Alesis 3630 compressor, it’s not as nice as the DT but if it’s good enough for daft punk it’s good enough for me. And they’re dirt cheap, I got mine for 40€ and I’ll never sell it.
@@georgekay372 I'll look into it, thanks!
i do want to sell my Squarp Hermod but will not replace it with more modules anytime soon. I like it but it has certain things about it that make it terrible, ie one thing. the tiny tiny screen. i currently use a looper with my modular kit to catch those magic moments, but thats why I am going to go for the MPC One, I need a more robust method to catch and edit those pieces, to build banks from my sound design.
Having owned synths for over 40 years and never sold anything, I still only have a few. Playing with friends it’s hardware. Writing is mainly in the box. I have some sound design sessions but as I’m time limited there aren’t so many of these. My modular is Serge or Reaktor. I’ve avoided GAS and I’ve survived. Often is just better programming for me that makes the sound work or inspire rather than new kit.
I’m definitely interested in modular but I decided to get vcv rack first to see if it’s something I like enough to get into. Good place to start since it’s free.
I spent two years in VCV and watching videos on modular before I even considered buying a case. Now that I’m doing it physically it feels much more natural than if you just try to jump in. You figure out what you want, how it works, and you don’t have to break the bank to get going
@@alifeinyellow exactly! A big point I forgot got to include.
I was just talking about the rabbit hole of modular synthesis to my brother, who’s just starting out with electronic music. I stopped buying modules when I filled out my Palette case. I’m glad I did because I’m finding out that there are other instruments that will do what I want them to do without needing -one more module- to do it.
I thought I would also add that I treat my modular like a massive effects station or processing. it can be anything. my digitakt lives right next to it. great partners, especially with my squarp hermod. hermod and digitakt are killer together. the two of them are my fav workflow. midi, cv, effects, what ever you can dream of. DATA has also changed my life. killer bit of kit. so useful. I guess at least you tried. It's not for everyone.
GREAT VIDEO! I could relate to everything you said. I built my system over 8 months, and kind of got burned out. I haven't really got back into it. Thought about selling it off. My current alternative is VSTs. VSTs were the exact reason why I got into modular...90% of the VSTs suck, and there's nothing imo, that can compare to actual voltage pulsing through those modules. I'm still on the fence, but my greatest take aways are that 'our gear should serve us, and not us serve the gear'. I have atleast 18 guitars, $5000+ mics, atleast a dozen guitar pedals, an 18" rack half full of preamps syths and patchbays... none of which I use. My Apollo twin just died, and I have very little energy to trouble shoot. I'm mostly a classical guitarist now, and all this other stuff just doesn't work anymore. Appreciated your thoughts. I'm going to check out those other boxes that you use. Maybe there's some magic there.
tbh I always assumed modular was here so that youtubers could make videos on each module, boosting the amount of 'content'.
"that musical goodness came from you" Thanks for the reassurance! Love ya bro!
Thanks for watching!
Saw this in a nick of time- I've been playing at renaissance fairs for 15 years- during which time I was pretty much away from all synth- I was going to start a rack but decided to get a couple of semi modular bits first- I think that this is kind of the best of both worlds. I have seen people wander away from their musicality and disappear into gear, and actually had the urge to follow.
Thanks for your videos. I have considered my own music needs and can identified with your journey and music sensibility. I have both the Digitakt and Digitone which I use with a Roland Jupiter XM on my gigs. I'm a singer as well and it has gone well however I am reaching for what might minimalize my set up or swap out the jupiter for an octatrack as a performance mixer as well. However I have rented an Octatrack three times and just have not been able to justify the investment of time and money which takes me away from practice, performance and music making. That may be a clear sign that maybe i should look elsewhere. I see the ways people use it and still am tempted, and now with the new Syntakt I am considering how I might add that to my workflow. Your video does help me to reflect on what actually helps me make and perform music and not focus on an endless pursuit for the perfect set up. I have it good now... Syntakt does look good though.
Yep! It’s interesting, I first heard the “gear should serve you” mantra in the context of camera gear. That’s a totally different world of “new features” being released by every company, every year… but for your average user, it effectively all does the same exact thing.
Definitely go through this myself. Not with modular (I haven't even bothered because I know GAS would be horrific) but I do have it with other gear. I try and have the rule one in one out, that way you know whether you actually want something as you have to sacrifice something else to get it. Unfortunately, the way consumerism is right now it's so hard for people with addiction. I totally believe knowing a small amount of gear very well is far more beneficial than loads of gear and not knowing it. Far less frustrating that way. Great video topics as always my dude, take care 👌🖤
Thanks for always stopping by the channel! I agree with the one in one out methodology, a lot of the time that mindset really helps you to reconsider the capabilities of your current gear
An electronic music setup is there to be a flexible, efficient and creatively rewarding workspace to make music. I've sort of had the questionable luck of being a broke ass failed student / drug abuser for many years, and not having much cash to spend on gear. It means that all the stuff I did buy, I took a really long time deciding on what to buy, so I ended up with a very focused, very functional setup, and very little unnecesary ballast. It also means I pretty much know everything I own by heart. I know what every little thing does, I've found all the little sweet sports, and all the weaknesses, and I know exactly what to use for what purpose. And that is how I approach any additions I can afford now I've got a more steady income and fewer bad habits. I'm not buying it if it just looks or sounds cool in a youtube video, I'm buying it after having weighed all of its pros and cons, comparing it to every other option on the market, envisioned how it's going to fit into my workflow and "palette" of sounds, and seeing exactly what it is going to add.
I think over the last decade or so, prices for synths have been coming down (they've started to rise again now, but that's after years of ever cheaper synths basically flooding the market). That combined with the rise of modular setups and pseudo-modular fx setups with lots of guitar pedals, has led many people to just acquire loads of stuff, which is fine, and completely understandable. It's just not very focused on improving your workflow or your sound. It also leads to people not properly learning the gear they own, meaning they're not getting the most out of it.
With notable exceptions, I find that a lot of what I see people doing with modular is more about the process, more about the technicality of it, than about the music. Very complicated looking patches often sound quite mundane or dull, even when compared to patches made on more conventional non-modular synths, or it can take ages of patching and tweaking to achieve any meaningful variation of the timbre or sequences, leading to tedious, static and repetitive performances.
Of course there are also people like Colin Benders or Richard Devine who can improvise dynamic and original music with modular, so this is not a tirade against modular. In the right hands modular is as legitimate an instrument as the grand piano or the TR-909. It's just that I think many people get into modular without really knowing what they want out of it, or lose sight once they've started buying modules, and just keep expanding their systems, making them more and more complicated and less functional. Art is not about just piling up ever more stuff, it's also about knowing what to leave out, and when less is more.
Thanks for the video this is the push I needed. I am on the verge of selling my modular rack too. I’ve only spend a couple months and I’m ready to walk away. I’m super productive with my regular rig so I don’t need it. My problem is I like to build things and there’s a lot of DIY modules. I like building pedals too but all the pedal sites just sell you a PCB and you have to source all the parts it takes forever and I hate doing it. The DIY modular stuff on the other hand comes in a kit form. I just get to solder everything together and feel awesome about the module I just put together. I thought I could blend the hobbies of building things and Music but honestly I don’t use the modular.
I totally feel ya on that one. A few years ago I did a DIY guitar kit, did all of the wood staining/finishing, soldered the pickups too! It was a ton of fun... but the guitar was pretty low quality (just the nature of the kit I chose). I still don't think I'll ever be able to sell it though!
great video! so refreshing to hear this take on modular synths.
Also it would be great to see a video on your take of the difference between a digitakt and octatrack. I have both and while i know they can do different things I still find myself thinking "do i really need both" haha
Thanks so much! I have a video in that vein coming out Saturday. Not a true “vs” video (which I plan to do at some point )but one that should hopefully be interesting/insightful
@@SlowHaste oh sweet! perfect timing
I have 3 volcas that I seldom use in great conditition been thinking of selling them
Good video and pleasant style! Subscribed!
Thanks so much, Bo! I very much appreciate that
Great video and I very much feel where you’re coming from. I know from experience myself that limiting my tools is what keeps me productive. And the whole pursuit of building a modular certainly eats into the time available. For me at least. As for the price cost, I just realized about a week ago that my (somewhat) humble 4U 104HP case, which is all I have left now, cost about the same as my ARP 2600 FS… 😱
I got really into it. But I rarely have found myself just getting real ideas going - for just the reason you state Daniel. Instead I was collecting the shiny stuff; but I lost all sight of what I was doing. That you're puzzle solving not creating - i resonate with that. I am ostensibly a songwriter and it's stopped me from doing that. It's all gonna go I think. I worry that keeping ANY of it will mean I'm not off the waggon... like keeping a bottle of whisky handy if you're an alcoholic. Offensive analogy maybe and sorry to anyone struggling with that far worse affliction!! Clumsy as maybe... I feel that keeping anything is a road to ruin for me.
add ADHD into the mix - the fact that I find it hard to learn and retain. AArgh. Worse! But on the positive side it has taught me more about synthesis than just hardware synths ever did. And now that's more fun to do than it was!
It's kind of why I like ordinary synths. Less faff, still great fun.
It wasn't a loss at all- if you got 2 albums worth of original music and recouped most of your investment, plus learned a lot- I'd say it's a great result. If the new stuff helps create a productive workflow, that is fantastic.
For me modular is relaxing fun different way to experiment with sound design. I don't plan to quit but I did stop buying gear this year as I have a lot to use for music beat making. It does make returning to traditional synths easier in that hardware synths are far simpler to use.
Modular was very relaxing in a way no other hardware has been! I’m actually kind of finding that same feeling when doing sound design with the Digitone though, it’s been a lot of fun
@@SlowHaste nice! I have two Elektron boxes: Analog 4 MK2 and Octatrack MK2 both are superb beat making machines. I want a Rytm MK2 love the pads on the one I tried.
I was a "Pack Rat" with a lot of Korg and Roland synths. I sold everything to get into Modular and never looked back. I feel more creative using modular.
I hate and love you. Saw this video and also decided to sell my eurorack gear. It took really little time to sell them. I inmediatly, really, started producing music again (with a simple midi controller and ableton live).
Ha! Recently, I’m exploring modular through Cherry Audio’s free version of Voltage. Last night I couldn’t resist bought 86 modules for 55 bucks. Not the same as the hard wired stuff, but this video was an excellent reminder for me to not get GAS. ✌️
So true, i did the same thing, and making music now! That's what it's all about, is it!
I'd be more than happy to pay shipping for patch cables...such an investment to get them out here! Thanks for the reflective ideas, I'm in deeper than I expected
So modular was "the heart" of your music composition for three years during which time you produced two albums and a bunch of RUclips content. And you say it taught you a lot, including what you like in electronic music. You also mention that your modules retained their value and that they sold quickly when you were ready to move on to other things.
...Yeah, I'm not seeing how "eurorack modular didn't work out." Sounds like it worked out quite nicely.
This comes across as a bit click-baity. GAS can be a distraction but that's not exclusive to modular, it's also true for guitar pedals, VST plugins, pretty much everything.
Best of luck though, and cheers to music making.
It's the best decision you ever made, lol. I also suffered from GAS-madness...I wish I was equally passionate about music theory, hogy to arrange and compose... 🙂
One could add that it's good to keep a couple of synths, EVEN if you don't use them, they could stop you from buying more, this is how I feel. I tend to get stuck with VSTs but I love to have some great synths. When I think I would need something more I just look at my babies and pushing back GAS, so far it worked.
You need an analog synth, (Korg Minilogue XD) a PCM synth, (Yammy ES rack), a VA synth (Yammy AN1X)....and maybe some smaller rack. The ES rack has great drums sounds, for example, no need for a separate drum machine, if you want to save place.
Great video, liked and subscribed on two accounts. Recently I unloaded a bunch of gear, it's funny what you sell and don't sell, and more importantly, what you intend to sell but then can't at the last minute. For me that was the Microfreak. I actually don't like the way the Microfreak sounds, but I thought of all the bad days I had where I sat down with it and just make some sounds, and I couldn't let it go, especially since I got it on sale, right before the price increase. Hope you keep enjoying the gear you love!
Thanks so much, I appreciate that! I figure it’s all about having fun & making music at the end of the day, so it’s good to try to focus on that as much as possible
Tell me about it , I’ve bought so much gear that I haven’t used at all. Everything is so expensive and it takes so much time to get all the modules. I was more productive when I only had a computer and 2 or 3 hardware synths.