I spent half the weekend rearranging my music studio as I found the way I had my modular synth racked up was giving me sore arms & a sore back from leaning over it all the time, see it used to be like this in an angled rack:
When I bought the racks I noticed that I could rotate the angled rack part over so it was facing backwards, so I set to & inverted the Doepfer G6 cases in the rack, and turned the whole rack around & it is SO MUCH BETTER!!! Also being vertical meant I can stand the G6 case on top, rather than lieing on its back & having to use all my long patch cords to connect the two…. So heres it now (click image for bigger version)
I also finally got my monome 64 set up so its sending MIDI via the Analogue Solutions MT16 to trigger the AS drum modules (thats what the nest of yellow patch cables is) which was my intent from the outset…. so I ended up staying up until 2am this morning jamming beats on it & patching the drum modules through all sorts of filters etc… The BD88 kick module is pretty boomy (its a circuit clone of the TR808 kick) but I found a way to make an even more subby kick! I have the Analogue Systems EMS Synthi Filter module and I discovered with the resonance cranked up it self-resonates beautifully! But how to trigger it with the kick? Well I sent an extra trigger out of the Monome via the MT16 and patched that trigger into both the A140 envelope generator and to the A132-3 D-VCA… So every time the kick fires on the Monome, it also sends a trigger to the VCA, which opens & lets the subby oscillating Synthi Filter through using the CV shape provided by the ADSR module. As I discovered this, of course it made sense – this is synth programming 101! But it was so beautiful to be able to fill out the decay of the 808 with a differently tuned sub & have complete control of the envelope of the sub decay….
Heres a closer vertical view:
AWESOME!!
And, umm – your neighbours share the delights of your subby kick finds?
After reading this “put up or shut up” post by Ariana Osborne (http://www.arianaosborne.com/?p=643) and then seeing this lovely setup, I’m definitely looking around and thinking “FFS, I should just patch some of these toys together and make some noise.” So thanks for the inspiration!
I’m tempted to say that two Space Echoes is a bit extravagant, but that’s because I’m jealous.
Matt: I knew a guy who lived literally just around the corner from Tim’s building who would’ve definitely liked a good, subby kick. More FS1R than A-100, but he liked his acid house. American, wears a utility-kilt all the time. Dunno whether he’s still there. Anyway, I’m rambling.
re the two Space Echos, one is permanently patched into the piano… I really cant play piano without it… but the 555 is better than both the 201s! If you ever get the chance buy one, they have balanced XLR in/out and also have sound on sound… FWIW tape echos are the most musical outboard I’ve ever used….
& thanks for the link, thats a great rant from Ariana Osbourne
Haha, I also know a couple people who had their modular racks in those slanted cases, and they both quicky ditched them for the same reasons as you, sore back, etc. They look cool, but those angled cases just aren’t practical for modulars.
Duly noted re: the SRE-555. I have an old Simms-Watts Echo Dek (http://www.grouseguitars.com/sold/echodek.htm), although I left it in Wellington when we came to England. One day I’ll get to it…
love the setup – what type of stand are you using for the MS10? Mine is squeezed in on the studio desk!
the Ms10 is sitting on a bar stool i bought from freedom Furniture ages ago – I removed the seat part, so the MS10 sits on top of the metal support, its pretty stable
sweet – will have to keep an eye out next time at Freedom if they have any – the MS10 can just balance and not fall off the JX8P if I’m playing out – amazing what a bit of gaffer tape can do