Third Message from Forbidden Planet

This is probably the last krell music video for some time. It might have been better if I used sequencer instead of random voltages from Wogglebug. I need to get case for René. And get Maths. Maths would have been helpful.

Sounds come from Strega. It is controlled by 0-Coast and Wogglebug. Same reverb was added on DAW. I wanted to do patch where note length and notes came from different random voltage generators. First two times they came from same. This wasn't as much better as I expected. It made me want to do something similar but with sequencer like René which let me choose the notes.

I didn't plan to have René in setup because I didn't like it when it was. But I didn't have function generators in that setup. Now I have and after this patch I know I need it.

Izyum, Ukraine 2022

Back to drawing. This time I used picture credited to Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy as reference. I was wondering how to maintain drawing skill until I found inspiring reference. At one point I planned to participate in Inktober but I am not sure at the moment. Music has taken more time lately. spend time with my gear not just plan what to get next. I had idea for song but wasn’t confident enough to try it yet. It wasn’t krell music. Drawing this helped me make some art.

My problem with eurorack

Obvious problem is the price but I am not talking about that. Modular pics here are from MogularGrid. I don’t link to racks because they change and I delete them from time to time. You can find my rack here.

That is current plan for utility case. I have everything except Maths and Wogglebug when I write this. Modules are not in that order in case. You can see how messy it looks even without cables. Different looks of different manufactures’ modules makes the case look trashy. Some knobs get hard to reach when cables are on. It might look big in picture but eurorack modules are quite small. One reason I got BARP 2600 is it is larger and cleaner. I like using it more than I did my Minibrute 2 and 6U rackbrute system. Rackbrute got quite messy and tight pretty soon. 0-Coast and Strega can get tight too but at least they have similar look.

With this in mind I came up with this plan for new eurorack case.

I am not sure if I will get two or three row case. If I get two rows top row won’t be in it. Already have SV-1 and Double Helix. Those will be starting point when I get the case. Having two rows almost dedicated to one manufacturer and third to two make the system look cleaner. Multiples and output break the look little bit but there aren’t more even looking modules on production. Modules are not selected based on their look only.

Behringer System 100 row is there because I want the sound and functionality of there modules. Roland’s versions could also do but Behringer cost less and are better looking. Deckard’s Voice and Make Noise modules are interesting. Plan is more East Coast than I originally thought to get. Double Helix is only West Coast module and it is quite East Coast version of West Coast. 0-Coast, Strega, Double Helix, XPO and utility case should be able handle all my West Coast needs.

System has five voices I could use same time if I could provide enough CVs and gates. This is not counting I could have System 100 playing two voices same time. Using it as one voice give quite a few oscillators, filters, envelopes and LFOs. If I need more I can get them from other eurorack gear. No effects modules. DAWs are better for effects with all their functionality.

This is current plan which might change. It is “cinematic music” oriented system. Changing Deckard’s Voice and Rachel to three Behringer System 100 modules would drop the price about 1000 euros. I have two of those I’d like to have but didn’t fit to this plan. Maybe my real problem with eurorack is all the time I spend planning what I should get instead of using what I have.

I might have use for Moog after all

This is follow up to previous Moog post. After comparing synths and trying to get similar sounds out of them I figured what Moog is good for. The sound is hard to put into words. It is certain kind of nostalgic and somehow sad sound. Kind of old timeless sound. Couldn’t get that out of other synths. I knew it sounded different. Didn’t know what the sound was good for. Also started to appreciate all the subtle ways to change sound by your playing dynamics. Now I see why people say Subsequent 37 is one of the best monophonic synths. Subsequent 25’s problem is it doesn’t have all controls on front panel. That has to do because I have no room for Subsequent 37.

Talking about room. I found one possible solution to fit Subsequent and new eurorack case to setup. It is quite expensive and overkill but there is at least one way to do it. Looking for cheaper options before I make decision of the case. To be honest I am not sure what I should fill it with and how big it should be. I have modules for one basic voice with West Coast stylish module but not sure what else there should be. Have few things I’d like to have but not sure if I actually have use for them. For now BARP 2600, 0-Coast and Strega plus utility case are my eurorack system. To be honest I have lot to learn on those.

Second Message from Forbidden Planet

I did another krell music video. This time shorter and hopefully better. I had problems with 0-Coast after firmware update. I was trying to learn to use Strega when 0-Coast couldn’t send note cv to Strega. Krell patch felt good idea at the time. It started to sound so good I wanted to make video of it. Calibration to external oscillator fixed 0-Coast issue. Now I can send note cv to Strega. Next video might be less experimental. I have one krell patch idea I like to try though.

Do I need to have Moog in my setup?

Setup is not ready yet and I already think about changing it. I got Subsequent 25 from sale last year. Before the prices went up. This is not GAS post. For some reason Subsequent 25 doesn’t spark joy as much as I want. It is only thing in setup which doesn’t give me sounds I like in few moments. Haven’t figured out what it is good for yet. It could be like Les Paul. Others think it sounds amazing but found my sounds easier from elsewhere. When I played Les Paul I wanted to play other guitar which gave me sound I wanted. Les Paul’s sound wasn’t what I was after. I had other guitars which did sound I wanted from Les Paul better.

Before last week question was why I had Subsequent 25 in setup instead of Bass Station II. I get sounds I like faster from Bass Station II. Last week it went to why I have Subsequent 25 instead of eurorack case. That is bit harder to answer. Small utility case was so fun I started to want more eurorack. With Bass Station II answer was both were mono synths and another one was Moog. If I lost both and had to get one I would get Bass Station II. You can get three Bass Stations for price of on Subsequent 25. Subsequent 25 sounds different than anything else I have but I am not sure if I need that sound.

With eurorack case it is having monophonic synth I can control with DAW against more versatile system I can’t and which can’t save patches. But then again I could have eight analog monophonic voices I can completely control with DAW even without Subsequent. It comes down to do I have need for that sound. Can’t replace anything else with Subsequent because it is my only synth in setup with keys. Synth modules take less space and eurorack case would take place of Subsequent. I am slowly turning towards eurorack case but I would like to have Subsequent too if I find room for it. Subsequent module would be nice but I don’t think there will be one. It has functions which can’t be done without keys. Calibration is one.

This sounds like GAS post but it is not. I have modules which are not currently in studio. I have one case with room. I could replace Subsequent with case and modules I already have. Probably will add new modules if I add eurorack case to studio. Problem with the case is it doesn’t easily fit to studio and most logical place for another eurorack case is occupied by Subsequent.