Eurorack Modular Make-over

My old Doepfer tower
(click to enlarge)

The final thing that had to be done in the studio after moving to Hilversum was re-organizing and cleaning my modular system.

It's a dirty job... but someone's got to do it...

I recently sold my Doepfer MAQ 16/3 sequencer, that one has mainly been replaced by the BeatStepPro sequencer. 

My Doepfer vocoder modules also found a better home... they took up too much space, and i'm more than happy with the easier to use Roland Boutique VP-03 vocoder... and this one still gives my tracks that retro Electro-Funk vibes.
Some other modules that i hardly ever used were sold too... I still do still have a few Doepfer modules for sale (pm me for a list).

The old layout just didn't make any sense anymore. Some modules were so weirdly placed that patching them always resulted in a whole spaghetti of cables.

I love my knobs
nice and clean

The new tower is now a fully analog, independent 5-Oscillator synth with a plethora of different modulation, calculation and filter options.

The only digital modules in the Eurorack system are the Doepfer Midi-to-CV converter and the RT60 digital multi-effect from the kind people at QuBitElectronix.

The new Eurorack mini-tower, controlled by
the BeatStepPro

After re-organizing the modules I took all the plastic knobs off and soaked them overnight in a jar filled with warm water with a bit of (biologic and bio-degradable) household cleaner added... It seemed to do the job perfect... 

Never use alcohol or other synthetic products because it might damage (the text on) your front-panels.

The next day I rubbed them all clean with a microfiber cloth and let them dry in the sun.

I used a slightly dampt cloth with the same cleaner to clean the front-panels, wiping them dry directly after.

I placed my Novation Drumstation on top of the tower for some of the most authentic TR-808 and TR-909 clone-drumsounds... and all still controlled by the BeatStepPro that I mentioned earlier.

The Drumstation's DIN-SYNC out is going into my TB-303, so this one nicely follows along, while it feeds its CV and a Gate signal back into my Eurorack tower . I can re-use these signals to create a copied version of the loop playing on the TB...and mutate it in any way i want...

I'm soo happy now,

the new workflow has much improved, less of the old cable-spaghetti, and the first soundcheck sounded crisp and clear.

I can't wait to record new sounds soon.

I couldn't find many guidelines for arranging modules on the web, so I made a few notes during the process last time that I did this... 

you can find that full post HERE... 

or click for the tips after the break

A few of my personal guidelines that work the best for me are:

- Before you start, disconnect all racks from the power supply! Safety first!

- Work from top to bottom. I'd almost say work from top left to bottom right. That will keep the system and the flow of signals much more 'readable'
( I'm not sure if this works for Arabic countries, where they read from right to left though... )

- Try to keep all your multiples on the left side and the Mixers on the right side. I love distributing signals from the sides up and/or down first before i patch a new sound. This avoids cable-cluttering and keeps the overall look 'clean'.

- Group the modules, eg: Sound Sources / Filters / VCA's / Mixers / Modifiers / Modulation sources / Switches and Sequencers / Clock/Gate/Digital Modules / Voltage Sources / Auxiliary and Special Modules

- Keep modules that you often use in combination close to each-other ( see my PatchPierre BFF section )

- Read the manuals of the modules regarding power consumption of each module, and make sure your busboard can handle all the modules that are connected in that row. - note that some require an additional +5V power supply with 50mA e.g. the low-cost 5V adapter - don't forget where you placed it.

 
- Check the manuals again for other module-specific requirements. ( some modules should not be placed next to certain others, to avoid interference )
For example don't place oscillators next to a power supply and keep the distance between the Theremin modules at least 30 centimeters etc.

- Working with colored cables and/or switches does help improving the readability of your system. 

- Don't forget to fill up the open spaces with blind-panels for safety and EMC reasons.

The most important thing is you make it your own, work out what best suits you so you get the most out of interacting with your system.