the watmm GAS thread

[TubularCorporation]

4 minutes ago, Polytrix said:

weird. Hope you get it working dude.

I'll come back to it later, it's pretty minimally documented and I don't really have the troubleshooting skills to go through the v1.0 schematic and try to work out what's wrong with the (completely undocumented) 1.6 PCB.

Edited June 5, 2020 by TubularCorporation

[sweepstakes]

16 minutes ago, psn said:

Where did you order it?

I preordered from Perfect Circuit the 2nd week of May. I missed the first batch of preorders and wasn't expecting to receive it until July but I got a notification a week ago that it was en route.

[sweepstakes]

1 hour ago, Polytrix said:

I see that Maths is like a mainstay in eurorack stuff. What exactly does that do. Genuinely intrigued.

What @TubularCorporation and @psn said.. but for me I'm really excited to use something that's so freaking flexible but is also physical. I love the idea of developing a muscle memory with something like that. It's much different from the other synths I've used. I want to be able to make freaky noises (and yes horrible bleeps and bloops and farts) in a way that doesn't involve menu diving or mouse clicking. Maths, after a long time considering it, is one of the big things that's drawn me to eurorack.

Edited June 5, 2020 by sweepstakes

[kakapo]

3 hours ago, Polytrix said:

Eurorack on the other hand. To me that's beyond complex. 

 

The way to approach Eurorack is to start with the most fundamental concepts and work up.

Everything is voltage.  When you connect one module to another with a cable, regardless of what those 2 modules are, you are sending voltage.

Voltage can be either 'control voltage' or 'audio'.  But actually the only difference between control voltage and audio is frequency.  That's why Maths can be both an LFO/envelope Generator and an oscillator.  That's why an oscillator that can be tuned low enough to act as a clock,  as a clock can be as simple as a very slow square wave.       

Control voltage can be divided up further into things like modulation signals (i.e. they send a continuous voltage like an LFO) or pitch cv or gates and triggers etc.  But there's nothing stopping you using an audio signal to frequency modulate a filter.  Hence audio rate modulation. 

Voltage can be unipolar (i.e. only positive or negative) or bipolar. 

So every signal has a voltage level (amplitude), a frequency and is either unipolar or bipolar.  Every signal can be described just in those 3 terms.  This is where an oscilloscope can sometimes come in handy as essentially any signal in a modular can be represented visually.

I find the strength of modular is that it aids both serendipity and intention.  As an example today, I've been experimenting with a voltage controlled switch.  A simple switch in modular terms is a device that switches between several inputs and sends to a single output.  A classic way of using it  would be to chain sequencers together i.e. send the output of 2 sequencers to 2 inputs on the switch and then either sending a trigger at the end of each sequence to switch to the other sequence back and forth, or sending a random trigger so that it jumps between the two in a more complex way.  However some switches will respond to a signal at the trigger input up to audio rates, so I've been passing various oscillators into the switch, switching between them at an increasingly high rate in an attempt to create some kind of analogue wavetable synth, though at the moment what I'm hearing is more like wavefolding.  So I have an idea, some understanding, but not complete understanding of what's going on, and something useful may or may not come out of it.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by kakapo

[Polytrix]

You lost me there about half way through but I see what you mean generally. I suppose I'm still sort of of the opinnion that melody should drive everything rather than an electronic device generates an idea. I get it though as I love synths as well right but it just seems more like melody is being created more randomly/weirdly in that sense rather than like in the way that say Johnny Marr would watch a scene from a film and suddenly be inspired to fuck around on the guitar and find chord sequences that evoke feeling - like chasing melody that way more musically rather than it being generated by circuitry. I get it tho as you can obviously come up with stuff that the human brain wouldn't be able to traditionally conceive of. 

[kakapo]

8 minutes ago, Polytrix said:

You lost me there about half way through but I see what you mean generally. I suppose I'm still sort of of the opinnion that melody should drive everything rather than an electronic device generates an idea. I get it though as I love synths as well right but it just seems more like melody is being created more randomly/weirdly in that sense rather than like in the way that say Johnny Marr would watch a scene from a film and suddenly be inspired to fuck around on the guitar and find chord sequences that evoke feeling - like chasing melody that way more musically rather than it being generated by circuitry. I get it tho as you can obviously come up with stuff that the human brain wouldn't be able to traditionally conceive of. 

 

That's the point about modular aiding both serendipity and intention, its up to you how you balance those two ideas.  As an example using melody, I have an Er101 sequencer.  You program each individual note in, both pitch and length.  Its very intentional. You only get out what you put in (Ignoring its maths function and the fact that it can become more playable with practice).  I also have a sequencer that is very jammable (Metropolis), anyone can mess about on it and get results, and two sequencers that are very playable, MN 0-Cntl with touch sensitive pads and Intellijel Planar, which is a joystick controller, but can sequence and record the joystick movements.  I can go from a fully generative system or I can set up patch that is a playable instrument, or anywhere in between.         

A visual aid is really useful when thinking about modular, if you wanted to get into it VCV rack is a good start and has an oscilloscope.

[Polytrix]

Haha, I just want to make beautiful emotive sounds really. That still sounds far too complex for me. Good on you tho I bet it's very fun!

[sweepstakes]

54 minutes ago, kakapo said:

Everything is voltage.  When you connect one module to another with a cable, regardless of what those 2 modules are, you are sending voltage

...

I find the strength of modular is that it aids both serendipity and intention. 

...

So I have an idea, some understanding, but not complete understanding of what's going on, and something useful may or may not come out of it.  

Thanks for this. This is just the kind of thing I'm hoping modular can be for me. I've approached this sort of thing (i.e. building a mental model of components, cooking up ideas, exploring the effects of parameters) with Elektrons and to some degree with the computer with varying success. Having a physical, tactile, immediate interface seems to greatly enhance this type of interaction, especially the serendipity part.

[TubularCorporation]

2 hours ago, sweepstakes said:

What @TubularCorporation and @psn said.. but for me I'm really excited to use something that's so freaking flexible but is also physical. I love the idea of developing a muscle memory with something like that. It's much different from the other synths I've used. I want to be able to make freaky noises (and yes horrible bleeps and bloops and farts) in a way that doesn't involve menu diving or mouse clicking. Maths, after a long time considering it, is one of the big things that's drawn me to eurorack.

My neighbor who's relatively deep in Eurorack is thinking about getting a second Maths.

[sweepstakes]

0-Ctrl arrived. My Bitranger has never sounded nearly this cool, not by a country mile.

[Bubba69]

For years and years I have been pretty against buying eurorack, for the following reason. I primary see myself as a tune-maker and can do 95% of what I want to do with hardcoded signal paths and patching. I've got enough synths to make what I want and make cool melodies and things that sound nice, monos, polys, etc. I want to be able to recall a patch or make it easy to dial in as I'm working on something.

I am starting to come around to the idea of modular. Why? I still feel the same way, but I'm getting REALLY into sampling. I think samples are fucking cool as shit and I want to sample lots of sounds, stabs, swells, hits, atmospheres. I think it takes music to the next level, having a variety of samples to work with, to manipulate, reverse, stretch and slice. I've been mostly sticking to sampling my regular synths as well as youtube videos and random shit from archive.org, or using breaks and sample packs from reddit/etc. but I yearn for some more sources of alien sounds, parallel bandpass formant shit, weird audio-rate stuff, squeels and squeltches. My ideal setup would be a sort of compact setup that could make a good variety of sounds without feeling the need to expand. Things like the syntrx are also cool but I'm not sure if they'd do the types of sounds I'm really after.

 

I have no idea where to start, but I'm ready...

 

[chim]

4 hours ago, Bubba69 said:

For years and years I have been pretty against buying eurorack, for the following reason. I primary see myself as a tune-maker and can do 95% of what I want to do with hardcoded signal paths and patching. I've got enough synths to make what I want and make cool melodies and things that sound nice, monos, polys, etc. I want to be able to recall a patch or make it easy to dial in as I'm working on something.

I am starting to come around to the idea of modular. Why? I still feel the same way, but I'm getting REALLY into sampling. I think samples are fucking cool as shit and I want to sample lots of sounds, stabs, swells, hits, atmospheres. I think it takes music to the next level, having a variety of samples to work with, to manipulate, reverse, stretch and slice. I've been mostly sticking to sampling my regular synths as well as youtube videos and random shit from archive.org, or using breaks and sample packs from reddit/etc. but I yearn for some more sources of alien sounds, parallel bandpass formant shit, weird audio-rate stuff, squeels and squeltches. My ideal setup would be a sort of compact setup that could make a good variety of sounds without feeling the need to expand. Things like the syntrx are also cool but I'm not sure if they'd do the types of sounds I'm really after.

 

I have no idea where to start, but I'm ready...

 

Maybe this is up your alley?

https://www.modularsamples.com/modular/

 https://www.modularsamples.com/modular-hits/

Edited June 7, 2020 by chim

[andrd]

Won a Polyend Tracker in a contest today.  Very excited!

[auxien]

1 hour ago, andrd said:

Won a Polyend Tracker in a contest today.  Very excited!

really cool

[andrd]

47 minutes ago, Stickfigger said:

Nice man , from memory you had a few other bits and pieces you can control with it yes ?

Yeah, I've been slowly gathering stuff, but nothing super special

I backed this kickstarter, so I should have this in the next month or two: https://sonicware.jp/pages/liven
and then a Monologue, Axoloti, and Casio CT-6000.  I've been wanting some sort of non-computer way of sequencing stuff, so this should be fun

Edited June 8, 2020 by andrd

[TubularCorporation]

That looks like a cool thing for sure.

[sweepstakes]

On 6/5/2020 at 7:07 PM, sweepstakes said:

Speaking of eurorack, I'm up to 8 modules now... heh. I think I've got enough in there to have fun and explore for now, so I'm going to wait to expand until I get a chance to play with these goodies.

https://cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks/modulargrid_1232630.jpg?1591384015

Felt like I could use a dedicated analog noise source, and, what the hell, another S&H and LFO, so I added a Polivoks Modulator to this. Everything has arrived except that, the dual xFade, and... the fucking CASE. There was an inventory mixup at the retailer, but they resolved it, and now I just have to wait a little longer.

I'm digging the analog purism I have going at the moment, and it's a nice anti-GAS limiting factor until I get my sea-legs. Glorious farts are on the horizon.

[Limo]

3 hours ago, sweepstakes said:

[bla bla Eurorack]

it's a nice anti-GAS limiting factor until I get my sea-legs.

Hahahahaha

 

(but, yeah, for me, only analog in my rack as well (except for Braids, because that was my first module). use it for its strengths, not as a clumsier reaktor)

[sweepstakes]

6 hours ago, rhmilo said:

Hahahahaha

 

(but, yeah, for me, only analog in my rack as well (except for Braids, because that was my first module). use it for its strengths, not as a clumsier reaktor)

Yeah that was quite the silly post on my part, phew. Especially since I learned that it may not fit my case, and there's several other decent-looking analog noise/S&H for cheaper. Derp. I think the time for me to stfu about it has arrived lol.

There are some amazing-looking digital modules but there's so many. Braids seems great - it's probably my favorite thing in VCVRack.

[Hautlle]

What's everyone rocking for audio interfaces?  I currently have a Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK, but I'm pretty sure the USB is in the process of shitting out as it constantly drops connection in both Windows and Linux.  Maybe I should double check with another laptop though... Looking to get rid of it before it dies completely as I already had to get it repaired right before it went out of warranty (one channel blew out and quit working while another got really distorted and started bleeding into an adjacent channel).

Looking to get an analog mixer and separate interface. I would prefer to retain the ability to multi-track record 12 channels + the master stereo mix.  I'm not finding many interfaces with a lot of line inputs - it's mostly listings like "24 inputs" but then it only has like 8 physical 1/4" line ins....

I know what I'm looking for is probably gonna cost quite a bit 

[YEK]

14 minutes ago, Hautlle said:

What's everyone rocking for audio interfaces?  I currently have a Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK, but I'm pretty sure the USB is in the process of shitting out as it constantly drops connection in both Windows and Linux.  Maybe I should double check with another laptop though... Looking to get rid of it before it dies completely as I already had to get it repaired right before it went out of warranty (one channel blew out and quit working while another got really distorted and started bleeding into an adjacent channel).

Looking to get an analog mixer and separate interface. I would prefer to retain the ability to multi-track record 12 channels + the master stereo mix.  I'm not finding many interfaces with a lot of line inputs - it's mostly listings like "24 inputs" but then it only has like 8 physical 1/4" line ins....

I know what I'm looking for is probably gonna cost quite a bit 

I picked up this tascam which is really reasonably priced and 16 ins

[custom knob]

I’ve used an rme fireface for a while now. I bought it after getting pissed off with the unreliability of a few other ones I tried first. 

There’s probably cheaper and just as good options now. Mine has 8 inputs and outputs and Adat in and out so I have enough Channels for my crappy efforts

the rme just works with whatever you plug it in to and never has dropouts so I’m glad I got it

[Nil]

SPL Crimson Mk1 here, planning on a MoTU M2 for live usage. The school I teach at has a Motu 828 (can't remember the revision, a recent one) and they're quite reliable and sound great. They have affordable, quality stuff with many I/Os.

[Limo]

55 minutes ago, Hautlle said:

What's everyone rocking for audio interfaces?  I currently have a Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK, but I'm pretty sure the USB is in the process of shitting out as it constantly drops connection in both Windows and Linux.  Maybe I should double check with another laptop though... Looking to get rid of it before it dies completely as I already had to get it repaired right before it went out of warranty (one channel blew out and quit working while another got really distorted and started bleeding into an adjacent channel).

Looking to get an analog mixer and separate interface. I would prefer to retain the ability to multi-track record 12 channels + the master stereo mix.  I'm not finding many interfaces with a lot of line inputs - it's mostly listings like "24 inputs" but then it only has like 8 physical 1/4" line ins....

I know what I'm looking for is probably gonna cost quite a bit 

Ouch ... another Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK victim. I have one as well and I've had to send it back because a channel died twice now. Should've bought one of those Tascam things instead.

I guess this is another example of "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is".

(That Tascam looks suspiciously cheap as well btw)

[chim]

4 hours ago, Hautlle said:

What's everyone rocking for audio interfaces?  I currently have a Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK, but I'm pretty sure the USB is in the process of shitting out as it constantly drops connection in both Windows and Linux.  Maybe I should double check with another laptop though... Looking to get rid of it before it dies completely as I already had to get it repaired right before it went out of warranty (one channel blew out and quit working while another got really distorted and started bleeding into an adjacent channel).

Looking to get an analog mixer and separate interface. I would prefer to retain the ability to multi-track record 12 channels + the master stereo mix.  I'm not finding many interfaces with a lot of line inputs - it's mostly listings like "24 inputs" but then it only has like 8 physical 1/4" line ins....

I know what I'm looking for is probably gonna cost quite a bit 

 

I bought this when the only hardware instrument was a guitar but it's still going strong. It sounds GREAT. Everything I run into it is still mono, I was thinking of getting a stereo interface for the Digitakt but with the latest firmware update you got class-compliant USB audio.

There are loads of good cheap interfaces out there (the Behringer U-Phoria has been smashing reviews and SSL2+ is not pricey), unfortunately the same can't be said of analog mixers. I could send you my Mackie 1402 VLZ for cheap if you don't find anything, but don't expect it to do wonders.