Modular?

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tdbajus
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Modular?

Post by tdbajus » Thu Jan 06, 2022 2:46 pm

Kind of interested in getting into a modular setup for processing guitar. I'm doing a lot of free improv/noise these days, and my rig is a little unwieldy, and I was thinking a suitcase sized modular setup might make life a lot easier, while giving me more options at the same time.

My fully expanded (I usually just use chunks of it for different groups I play with) rig is:

Main pedalboard:

Compressor
FX loop (to "board2")
Vibrato
Analog delay w/tap
Reverb
16sec DD clone (Expedition Electronics)
Boost/distortion pedal
Boomerang looper dry out (into amp)
Boomerang looper loop out (into "board3")

Board2:

Earthquaker PLL
Ring mod
Sherman Filterbank

Board3:

606 drum machine clone (cyclone analogic) -> Boss DD-500 ->
4 track -> DL4 ->
Boomerang loops -> Boss Digital Space Echo ->

-> mixer (little mackie) plugged into PA

_______________

This takes up a ridiculous amount of space, and playing shows with the whole shebang seems prohibitively complicated.
Not that I use all of it all the time.

The drum machine is, theoretically, for me to do solo shows. So I don't use it when I'm playing with other people. And if I am not using the drum machine, then I just plug the mixer into the second input on my guitar amp with a reamp and not bother with the PA.

I have to say that I have found using the 4 track as a performance tool is a lot of fun.

So you can see why having a nice modular suitcase kind of thing would make a lot of that stuff easier.

I feel like the impedance or something is wrong with the mackie output, even when I use the reamp. Everything feels a little better when I'm running something more minimal, like just processing the guitar loops, and having it go Boomerang->various pedals-> right into the amp.

Obviously, the patching aspect of the modular is appealing, since I would prefer not to have to gig with 50 delay pedals, filters, etc etc.

Can anyone relate?

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Re: Modular?

Post by Singlebladepickup » Thu Jan 06, 2022 5:27 pm

I can completely relate. I sold my only two electric guitars, an avri '62 jag and the parts jm of my dreams, and my only synth, a Juno 60, to invest in eurorack. I got there from getting pretty into guitar effects, but I wanted things that I could automate or use with an expression pedal. I still have a jaguar bass, and buddy...it sounds incredible through my modular.

Modular mixers are great because you can automate and set up chain reactions of events to control volume, panning, fx send levels, etc. Controlling stuff with CV is sick, because you can use something like an envelope follower to control something like delay time based on your playing dynamic. If you multiplied the envelope follower signal and used an attenuverter to create an inverted copy of the signal, you could set up side-chains to duck every other sound when your guitar or whatever gets louder. I do that with my bass.

Good filters and low pass gates are extremely plentiful in modular. Stuff like your boomerang, not so much. Probably want to hang onto that and the drum machine, unless you plan to use a modular sampler for drums. Overall, no regrets. It is a huge money pit, though, and you should definitely have a better reason than wanting to save space...you are far from the first person to have thought they could limit themselves to a suitcase-style rack.

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Re: Modular?

Post by tdbajus » Thu Jan 06, 2022 6:21 pm

I hear what you are saying, but I'm not really interested in that stuff so much - and when I do things like that, I'm inclined to do them in software like Live, dump it to four track, and the run that through a few delays live in the background.

It would be, however, wonderful to only need one outboard delay and one reverb, and patch them where they are needed. It makes me dizzy to think of such things.

I guess what I'm asking is for things like if I can have the proper impedance/whatever to go back into my guitar amp. I was looking forward to running my guitar, of instance, into the filters on my Subharmonicon/DFAM combo I got for Xmas, and was disappointed to realize that I couldn't even plug into the wonderful envelope filter of the first or that running external audio through the DFAM requires line level.

Looking for advice on how to go in, get out, modules that sound like the ones I have listed (or are at least in the ballpark - I have met few delays that didn't hold some appeal!).

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wooderson
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Re: Modular?

Post by wooderson » Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:51 pm

A few options for getting guitar into Euro with proper impedance and level -
Boredbrain Injector (which has a basic cab sim in it but I kind of think that's a negative - non-IR cab sims are so bad in general)
Future Sound Systems TG5 Gristleizer Pre-Amplifier - this is one I'm eventually going to get
Xaoc Sewastopol - what I have, basic but fine, also has an output level knob so you can go in one side, patch out to your modules, come back to the Sewastopol and into your amp/pedals.

Strymon has a small and relatively (for Eurorack) cheap module that will take signals in from modular and out to pedals.

The Instruo Lubadh is a fun two track 'tape looper' with degradation.

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Re: Modular?

Post by tdbajus » Sun Jan 09, 2022 6:29 am

Thanks! This is exactly what I was after!

I know about the old Gristlizer box that Chris Carter has - is this being used as a brand name now, or has the manufacturer expanded the line?

I enjoy Throbbing Gristle as much as the next kid, but when I heard about the Gristlizer, it sounded like a tremolo box to me. Thinking back on it, and having gotten my head at least partially around the Ring Thing, it suddenly occurs to me that it might be a ring mod box...

Thanks again!

wooderson wrote:
Sat Jan 08, 2022 10:51 pm
A few options for getting guitar into Euro with proper impedance and level -
Boredbrain Injector (which has a basic cab sim in it but I kind of think that's a negative - non-IR cab sims are so bad in general)
Future Sound Systems TG5 Gristleizer Pre-Amplifier - this is one I'm eventually going to get
Xaoc Sewastopol - what I have, basic but fine, also has an output level knob so you can go in one side, patch out to your modules, come back to the Sewastopol and into your amp/pedals.

Strymon has a small and relatively (for Eurorack) cheap module that will take signals in from modular and out to pedals.

The Instruo Lubadh is a fun two track 'tape looper' with degradation.

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Re: Modular?

Post by Singlebladepickup » Sun Jan 09, 2022 9:36 am

Strymon aa.1 does the in and out thing, allows you to send it back to an amp. It's small and inexpensive, too.

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Re: Modular?

Post by wooderson » Sun Jan 09, 2022 10:52 am

tdbajus wrote:
Sun Jan 09, 2022 6:29 am
Thanks! This is exactly what I was after!

I know about the old Gristlizer box that Chris Carter has - is this being used as a brand name now, or has the manufacturer expanded the line?

I enjoy Throbbing Gristle as much as the next kid, but when I heard about the Gristlizer, it sounded like a tremolo box to me. Thinking back on it, and having gotten my head at least partially around the Ring Thing, it suddenly occurs to me that it might be a ring mod box...

Thanks again!
I think Future Sound Systems consulted with CC about the modules but it’s not a signature/endorsement deal - more just “what would you want to use.” There are three or four modules in the FSS Gristleizer line.

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Re: Modular?

Post by burgersmoke » Fri Jan 14, 2022 12:03 am

I am experimenting with modular for effects processing. I am doing this in software (VCV Rack). Mainly for granular synthesis but this video shows some basics that could form the foundations for some chains:

https://youtu.be/rDtWz52gsnE

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