Doepfer

some thoughts on the various modular systems, after 12 years using them (owning a big euro/A100, a big Serge and a 'not that big' Buchla system)  :

no matter how much praise the Buchla and the Serge seem to get, in my 
opinion, a big Euro/Doepfer and Metalbox/Blacet Frac monster wall is (at 
least!) up there with them in limitless creative potential. 

within euro/A100, you just 
have to have patience, knowledge and dedication to put all the little 
'lego' modular sonic pieces together to create fantastic aural worlds.

in detail: Buchla and euro have different design philosophies. 

if Euro/A100 is Lego then Buchla is Playmobil. what i mean is that, in euro, you have small building blocks to sculpt your sound (just like Lego), but, in Buchla, you have big modules that will serve well as ready-made ideas. two different philosophies. no one is better, just different.


so, in order to replicate a Buchla module, you need 5-6 euro modules of similar functions. in the end, the value of these 5-6 euro modules are basically the same as that one Buchla module. so Euro is not cheap, compared to Buchla! its just Lego.

Serge is somewhere in between: more Lego than Buchla, more playmobil than Euro/A100. the good thing about Serge is that many parameters have a huge modulation range.


so, do value your Doepfer/euro modular system: it can do amazing things that are exactly up there with the results of Buchla and Serge. you just have to work with it differently and with more dedication and more patience and you really need to know your modules inside out!


bottom line: with the current insane variation of euro / A100 modules, a big euro system is practically unrivaled today IMHO. 

i would even say that it gives so many insane possibilities that are more 'out of this world' than Serge and Buchla! 

and i am serious about it.


just few thoughts...
 

Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds / Interconnected / Memory Geist
[Doepfer_a100] group owner
www. parallel - worlds - music. com
www. facebook. com/ pages/Parallel-Worlds/192093934136476
www. myspace. com/ parallelworldsmusic
www. myspace. com/ interconnectedmusic
www. myspace. com/ memorygeist
www. DiN. org. uk
www. musicamaximamagnetica. com
www. vu-us. com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have to agree with you Bakis......but one of the biggest drawbacks of
euro for me:
It doesn't feel like a whole.....like an instrument......like a unity.

It's always a collection of modules with all different knobs, graphics,
jack placement and even signal levels. That's something that a Serge or
Buchla user will never encounter.

But I do agree, have owned and played many many modular systems.......euro
and maybe even more Frac is up there with the best of them.

Have a nice day,

Jean

2012/3/25 Bakis Sirros <synth_freak_2000@yahoo.com>

> **
>
>
> some thoughts on the various modular systems, after 12 years using them
> (owning a big euro/A100, a big Serge and a 'not that big' Buchla system)  :
>
> no matter how much praise the Buchla and the Serge seem to get, in my
> opinion, a big Euro/Doepfer and Metalbox/Blacet Frac monster wall is (at
> least!) up there with them in limitless creative potential.
>
> within euro/A100, you just
> have to have patience, knowledge and dedication to put all the little
> 'lego' modular sonic pieces together to create fantastic aural worlds.
>
> in detail: Buchla and euro have different design philosophies.
>
> if Euro/A100 is Lego then Buchla is Playmobil. what i mean is that, in
> euro, you have small building blocks to sculpt your sound (just like Lego),
> but, in Buchla, you have big modules that will serve well as ready-made
> ideas. two different philosophies. no one is better, just different.
>
> so, in order to replicate a Buchla module, you need 5-6 euro modules of
> similar functions. in the end, the value of these 5-6 euro modules are
> basically the same as that one Buchla module. so Euro is not cheap,
> compared to Buchla! its just Lego.
>
> Serge is somewhere in between: more Lego than Buchla, more playmobil than
> Euro/A100. the good thing about Serge is that many parameters have a huge
> modulation range.
>
> so, do value your Doepfer/euro modular system: it can do amazing things
> that are exactly up there with the results of Buchla and Serge. you just
> have to work with it differently and with more dedication and more patience
> and you really need to know your modules inside out!
>
> bottom line: with the current insane variation of euro / A100 modules, a
> big euro system is practically unrivaled today IMHO.
>
> i would even say that it gives so many insane possibilities that are more
> 'out of this world' than Serge and Buchla!
>
> and i am serious about it.
>
> just few thoughts...
>
>
> Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds / Interconnected / Memory Geist
> [Doepfer_a100] group owner
> www. parallel - worlds - music. com
> www. facebook. com/ pages/Parallel-Worlds/192093934136476
> www. myspace. com/ parallelworldsmusic
> www. myspace. com/ interconnectedmusic
> www. myspace. com/ memorygeist
> www. DiN. org. uk
> www. musicamaximamagnetica. com
> www. vu-us. com
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi all,

A great analogy from Bakis. Some interesting replies from Zoe and Ikke too. My thoughts on the comment from Ikke "....It doesn't feel like a whole.....like an instrument......like a unity...." is that it places the onus on the Euro modular owner to create and evolve the module fit to make it more suited to his/her method of working i.e. you can make the instrument fit around you.  

Judging by Bakis's sales and purchases, who is clearly one of the most prolific players/users, that this is a constant evolution :) . I love the fact that I can buy at least three different kind of quantizer (A-156, Quantimator, uScale) that all do the same basic task quite differently and have different features (I need to own them all!).

There is nothing to stop you using different modulars side-by-side and together - I have just delivered my first Euro-Buchla CV interface module (with orders for more) to a client (check out http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=53024).

For me, I use my Euro system and Roland 100m modulars together; like children I love them equally because of their own special characters (no matter how much I have spent on synths my kids have cost me far more haha).

Cheers
Tony
Synovatron Electronic Music

--- In Doepfer_a100@yahoogroups.com, Bakis Sirros <synth_freak_2000@...> wrote:

>
> some thoughts on the various modular systems, after 12 years using them (owning a big euro/A100, a big Serge and a 'not that big' Buchla system)  :
> 
> no matter how much praise the Buchla and the Serge seem to get, in my 
> opinion, a big Euro/Doepfer and Metalbox/Blacet Frac monster wall is (at 
> least!) up there with them in limitless creative potential. 
> 
> within euro/A100, you just 
> have to have patience, knowledge and dedication to put all the little 
> 'lego' modular sonic pieces together to create fantastic aural worlds.
> 
> in detail: Buchla and euro have different design philosophies. 
> 
> if Euro/A100 is Lego then Buchla is Playmobil. what i mean is that, in euro, you have small building blocks to sculpt your sound (just like Lego), but, in Buchla, you have big modules that will serve well as ready-made ideas. two different philosophies. no one is better, just different.
> 
> 
> so, in order to replicate a Buchla module, you need 5-6 euro modules of similar functions. in the end, the value of these 5-6 euro modules are basically the same as that one Buchla module. so Euro is not cheap, compared to Buchla! its just Lego.
> 
> Serge is somewhere in between: more Lego than Buchla, more playmobil than Euro/A100. the good thing about Serge is that many parameters have a huge modulation range.
> 
> 
> so, do value your Doepfer/euro modular system: it can do amazing things that are exactly up there with the results of Buchla and Serge. you just have to work with it differently and with more dedication and more patience and you really need to know your modules inside out!
> 
> 
> bottom line: with the current insane variation of euro / A100 modules, a big euro system is practically unrivaled today IMHO. 
> 
> i would even say that it gives so many insane possibilities that are more 'out of this world' than Serge and Buchla! 
> 
> and i am serious about it.
> 
> 
> just few thoughts...
>  
> 
> Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds / Interconnected / Memory Geist
> [Doepfer_a100] group owner
> www. parallel - worlds - music. com
> www. facebook. com/ pages/Parallel-Worlds/192093934136476
> www. myspace. com/ parallelworldsmusic
> www. myspace. com/ interconnectedmusic
> www. myspace. com/ memorygeist
> www. DiN. org. uk
> www. musicamaximamagnetica. com
> www. vu-us. com
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

> one of the biggest drawbacks of
> euro for me:
> It doesn't feel like a whole.....like an instrument......like a unity.
> 
> It's always a collection of modules with all different knobs, graphics,
> jack placement and even signal levels.

While a homogenous collection of things is more aesthetically pleasing to look at, a heterogeneous hodgepodge of vastly different things makes for a better collection of tools to get the job done.  And isn't that very much in line with the whole modular philosphy: that you can mix and match things, using them together, in combinations that were never originally intended?

I think the best compromise is to have a messy, heterogenous collection of tools at your disposal, but for your output itself to have a consistent look and feel about it.  Concentrate on giving your music's packaging a consistent feel, don't worry about whether your studio -- unseen by the people listening to your music -- has such a feel.

I've finally started using my A-100 as insert effects and send effects in my DAW, running things like my software sampler through it, in addition to using it to actually generate sounds.  There are no rules.  Do whatever you can dream up!

All the best,
Zoë.

Hey, Tony, I totally agree with you!!!!
Synovatron said:
(no matter how much I have spent on synths my kids have cost me far more
haha)

Bakis you are the man!!!!!! Great point!!!! I love my euro and despite
numerous amazing releases I love my doepfer modules simplicity and quality,
audio and built!!! each day more!!!


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Stated very nicely!


--- In Doepfer_a100@yahoogroups.com, Bakis Sirros <synth_freak_2000@...> wrote:

>
> some thoughts on the various modular systems, after 12 years using them (owning a big euro/A100, a big Serge and a 'not that big' Buchla system)  :
> 
> no matter how much praise the Buchla and the Serge seem to get, in my 
> opinion, a big Euro/Doepfer and Metalbox/Blacet Frac monster wall is (at 
> least!) up there with them in limitless creative potential. 
> 
> within euro/A100, you just 
> have to have patience, knowledge and dedication to put all the little 
> 'lego' modular sonic pieces together to create fantastic aural worlds.
> 
> in detail: Buchla and euro have different design philosophies. 
> 
> if Euro/A100 is Lego then Buchla is Playmobil. what i mean is that, in euro, you have small building blocks to sculpt your sound (just like Lego), but, in Buchla, you have big modules that will serve well as ready-made ideas. two different philosophies. no one is better, just different.
> 
> 
> so, in order to replicate a Buchla module, you need 5-6 euro modules of similar functions. in the end, the value of these 5-6 euro modules are basically the same as that one Buchla module. so Euro is not cheap, compared to Buchla! its just Lego.
> 
> Serge is somewhere in between: more Lego than Buchla, more playmobil than Euro/A100. the good thing about Serge is that many parameters have a huge modulation range.
> 
> 
> so, do value your Doepfer/euro modular system: it can do amazing things that are exactly up there with the results of Buchla and Serge. you just have to work with it differently and with more dedication and more patience and you really need to know your modules inside out!
> 
> 
> bottom line: with the current insane variation of euro / A100 modules, a big euro system is practically unrivaled today IMHO. 
> 
> i would even say that it gives so many insane possibilities that are more 'out of this world' than Serge and Buchla! 
> 
> and i am serious about it.
> 
> 
> just few thoughts...
>  
> 
> Bakis Sirros - Parallel Worlds / Interconnected / Memory Geist
> [Doepfer_a100] group owner
> www. parallel - worlds - music. com
> www. facebook. com/ pages/Parallel-Worlds/192093934136476
> www. myspace. com/ parallelworldsmusic
> www. myspace. com/ interconnectedmusic
> www. myspace. com/ memorygeist
> www. DiN. org. uk
> www. musicamaximamagnetica. com
> www. vu-us. com
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>