[sdiy] Module grouping

[Cynthia Webster]

David Ingebretsen wrote:
> Hello all.
>
> I'm actually to a point now where I have enough modules completed to be
> useful. I'd love some thoughts on grouping.
>   

Hi David!

We were just re-reading something I'd written about this a couple of 
years ago on
another forum and it might be helpful here, I've updated the info a 
little since the
last time it was re-posted a could of days ago.

~ Modular System Overview ~

I find myself following clusters of different philosophies or conventions
overlapping upon one another in the arrangement of modules in a modular
system.

My very first synth was an Arp 2600, and I drove it along with myself to
Boston to study with the Jim Michmerhuizen the wonderful man who wrote the
2600 and 2500 synthesizer manuals originally for Arp.

Did you know that in the USA - all highways going North-and-South are
numbered in ~odd~ numbers, (US Highway #1 goes up the Pacific Coast 
Highway)
... and West-to-East highways, (like highway # 80) are always numbered with
~even~ numbers?

Well, the ARP manuals explained synthesis in an overall left-to-right 
signal
flow of little boxes for modules - with audio sources & audio modifiers
drawn first, and then any control voltage sources or control voltage
modifier signals drawn underneath them as arrowed lines going back and 
forth
vertically between Controller and Controllee.

Boston Style Notation

[VCO#1]--->[VCF]--->  [VCA]--->OUTPUT
       |                  |                  |
[VCO#2]      [LFO]        [ENV]  

So in my mind, audio signals flow West-to-East, or horizontally from
module to module... and control voltages travel generally South-to-North
or vertically from controller modules up to modules controlled.

This is exactly how I think when patching, and I find it helpful to
conform the physical arrangement of real world modules in the
same order.

The Core Philosophy (A Boston type layout?)

Imagine the upper left corner of your cabinet with a Left-to-Right signal
flow... it would not make much sense to start with a Filter there as the
very fist module in the upper left corner of the rack - because most likely
you will need to start a left-to-right signal flow with something that
creates some sort of Signal (!) such as a Noise Source or Oscillator to
start with. Before the filter - you'll need a signal to put into it!

(The eccentric owners of some systems shun Oscillators altogether -
and instead have banks of several self-oscillating Filters creating sine
waves, combined with many mixers to create additive sound waveforms
 from scratch). So ~whatever~ you sources of signals, in this philosophy,
they should go in the upper left of your rig.

Next come audio signal modifiers such as waveshapers and filters,
(most likely in that order) near the upper middle of your rig, followed by
exotics and time modifiers such as Phasors, Flangers, Delays, Echos and
Reverbs. (Of course you do not always use these in these orders)

Continuing on in a left-to-right signal flow to the rightmost end of your
cabinet, this is where you would put your VCAs and mixer type modules
(Reverbs are often found here as well) as this end of the rig is the final
output to the world.

Ok, so we've described the main row of audio modules with all their
interconnections patching horizontally from left-to-right, but what about
things like LFOs and Envelope Generators, or exotic voltage control
modifiers like Burst Generators, Comparators, Sequencers, or Peak &
Trough modules?

This collection of control voltage modifiers would all live in a row
~underneath~ the row of audio generators and processors - so that their
connections to actually control different parameters of the audio specific
modules travel vertically, or north and south.

(Note that the most basic of control voltage modifiers, Modwheels and
Keyboards, would live further down - underneath all of these).

That is the grand overview of they way that Jim Michmerhuizen taught
patching at the Boston School of Electronic Music. With this philosophy
 in mind, have a look at many of the non modular types of synthesizers
out there - and you'll see it reflected in the front panels of many models
 and different brands including the classic Arp 2600.

Ok then, what was all this about overlapping philosophies?

Obviously these examples are based on a medium to large size modular.
In smaller systems it's most likely that you may merge or overlay the
purpose of two separate rows on top of each other so that your patching
is in all four directions within the same row. No worries!
(Every little modular system has the potential to grow up big and strong!)

The same left-to-right signal flow is quite possible with the smallest
of systems. If you only have two modules, then put your Oscillator
on the left, and your VCA on the right, and as you expand your system
you may have to mix audio modules and control voltage modules within
your one row of modules.

~ Mutagens ~

Other thoughts that mutate the system layout are things like
whether you are left or right handed. If for example you have any
modules that you need to operate with your predominant hand, then
it makes sense to put your joysticks or envelope firing buttons on
that side.

The more knobs that a sequencer module has, the more of an investment
you have in tuning it - so you may think to place it up in an upper
tier far away from everything else so it won't get bumped out of tune
easily.

Another mutation to "the Boston Method of patching" is the
recommendation of sprinkling lots of extra Mixer and VCA modules
throughout your system, especially if they are DC coupled allowing
the manipulation of control voltages and not just audio.
You can never have too many of these!
(Mults would also fall into this category if you use them).

On Moog type layouts space must also be set aside for additional
Oscillator and filter ~Controller~ types of modules.

~ My Own System ~

(I call the "Winchester Mystery System" because it never stops growing!)

My Modcan & Cynthia modular system is made mainly of banana jacks
cables which eliminate the need for dedicated mult modules, however
 many of our modules also have larger 1/4 phone jacks for larger and
heavier Moog type patchcords at the main inputs or final outputs - so I try
to place any of these hybrid banana/phone modules along the bottom row
of the whole system. This keeps the heavy cables and hardware out of the
 way.

This means I break with the philosophy occasionally such as putting
patch cord interface panels, mic pre-amps, or I/O send and return types
like the Cynthia brand Anything Modules at the bottom under the
classification of Control Voltage modifiers with large jacks such as
MIDI or pedal Interface modules.

Technically, if they are a ~source~ of sound such as a pre-amp introducing
an external signal into the left-to-right signal flow, then they should be
on the upper left of a system, (possibly even further left than the
Oscillators!)

I started with a very meager system only buying a module every few
months, (but it's kind of snowballed over the last seven years)...

http://tinyurl.com/cogfre

Work on my own system grinds along slowly as aside from keeping a
"Go By" example of every module in the rig as a reference - I spend
at least 95% of my time helping to build ~other~ people's systems!

Here is the system layout, Each [header] below is a cabinet...


-----------------Cynthia's Winchester Mystery System-----------------

[ Chaotics ] [ Milton ] [ Milton ] [ Milton ] [ Milton ] [ Chaotics ]

[Logic/ CV] [Quadlies] [Main Expansion] [Exotics] [4x4 Panner]

[Rhythm Sec] [Interfaces] [ [Main Synth] [Aux] [Mac/Surround]

-------------------[Yamaha P-90 Weighted Keyboard]-------------------

I presently have an (11) cabinet system with three stacked central
cabinets and eight wings on either side of them. Two of these are
"totem poles" of five SixPac enclosures with cable pass-through
 stands below.  The other four base cabinets have their own wooden
keyboard risers built below them which contain a total of four spring
 reverb tanks.
 
There's a total of (13) Power Supplies in back, and the whole rig
sits on a massive wooden butcher-block table on wheels so it can
be wheeled away from the wall for rear maintenance.

I remember being impressed by the huge Buchla systems at
Cal Arts, where they occupied dedicated music rooms with plenty
 of walk around space to access the rear of the modulars.

This was more likely due to placing the composer, (and thus the
whole system itself) in the center of the room's quadraphonic
sound space rather than for maintenance reasons, but worked well.
(You might consider this before building your system up against a
wall in your studio),

My system is now 44 module spaces wide by five space high - for a
total of 220 spaces. The lower center cabinet is what I consider the
 "main" system cabinet not only because it was the first one I
populated, but also because it is capable of acting as a fully functional
 stand alone system on it's own. (Within this one cabinet there is a
Boston type L-to-R signal flow from Oscillators on the left - to a
Dual VCA as the Final Output module on the right).

This is so that I can travel light with it and not always need to
bring the whole system every time. Another option is just to take
 the two totem pole vertical SixPac cabinets, although I would love
nothing better than to bring the whole system out to play for the
right live musical event.

"Look at all the Paisley Modules!"

The idea of making a module or cabinet into a ~subsystem~ of it's
own within a larger modular system is a lot like the Buchla
Dodecca modules, or the Serge and STS Animal type panels... so
 I'll call this "Berkeley type patching philosophy" </shoot!>
(see the East Coast vs. West Coast paradigm being supported here?)

It gets even deeper if you attribute the Banana type willy nilly
"everything connected to everything man..." thinking that was
as popular as Sandoz in California back in the early seventies.
Banana Cables are a wonderful system as every signal has the instant
freedom of a queen on the chessboard and can go literally anywhere
 in the system. (of course you don't have to live on the west coast to
think "Berkeley Style" LOL!)

Names and labels aside, this subsystem type thinking
can be applied to the layout of any type of modular system by
building groups of modules into "Voices". Thus, clusters of
Oscillators, Mixers, Filters, and VCAs can be grouped into a
stand alone voice, and that entire group or building block
can get placed around in different spots as you arrange and
rearrange your system.

Perhaps a Japanese Philosophy might be to make the Final Output
subsection in the very center of your system - with all sound
generating modules around the outer perimeter and the filters
and processors in between? This way all signals come to you
in the center.

A Chinese Philosophy might be to determine the layout by chance?
(a radial layout using a dartboard to position the modules?)

A Hebrew Philosophy to flip the whole layout to read Right to Left?

(What conceptual layouts can you think of? Some of us have seen
a modular synthesizer that rolls-up like a quilted carpet!)

We each have a large investment in our systems and often think
about where the modules should be moved to after learning new
uses or favorite patches with them. It only can take ONE new
module to rock your whole layout into a different paradigm!

(That's the beauty of it!)

Some people even use the length of the patchcords in their
collection as an indicator of where the modules should
be laid out, (is this a thrifty Scottish Philosophy?)

Some manufacturers make dual and quad modules of the
 same function such as the Modcan 4VCA with four
VCAs, or  The Quad LFO, these can be placed alongside
the Cynthia brand Quad Bandpass, Quad Comparator, or
Quad Low Pass Gates modules and are a lot of fun when
lined-up in rows of "four of this" and "four of that". A
versatile subsystem can be dedicated just to those types of
modules for even higher functional density. I have a section
in my own system like this which I call the "Quadlies".

Yet another physical consideration are with modules made
with their jacks all at the bottom of each module, and
all of their knobs at the top. Aries, MOTM, Technosaurus,
and Wiard are fine examples of this type of layout where
in order to keep cables as out of the way as possible
modules are probably best aligned in as few rows, and
as long a horizontal row each as possible.

My experience with this however is that it can be an
aesthetic trap for designers who feel they ~must~ fill
these positions with jacks...  (I feel that I successfully
fought off this phenomenon in a small way with our
own Synthacon Filter design).

If all of this *thinking* wasn't enough, then there are
layers of practicality to apply to your layout such as
how portable do you want this thing?? Where do the
Theremin module's antennas go? And is there a spare
gymnasium in the house for all of this, or is your studio
 sharing space in the broom closet?

You most likely will be presenting yours proudly to
the world and place it in a prominent space so that
it's fine appearance is a pleasure to behold, so why not
indulge some time in applying your own philosophies to
really make a statement with your system!

I hope that this helps in suggesting a few things to think
about as your own systems evolve. If anyone thinks of
some more ideas then please jump in!

Best Wishes!


Cynthia


http://www.cyndustries.com/




> I have (or will have when done) enough to fill several racks and have a mix
> of VCO's, VCF's, EG's, VCA's, and misc utility modules.
>
> Since this is my first real modular, I don't have experience patching one to
> have any idea of arranging modules. 
>
> So...
>
> Is it better to group functions? Voices? Then is it better to group left to
> right or top to bottom? I've been playing with some software which allows me
> to visualize the arrangements, but it isn't the same as actually having it
> all together and connecting the dots.
>
> For example, I noticed from a couple of Moog sites and Wendy Carlos' site
> the modules in Moog modulars are (were?) grouped mostly by function. The
> Dotcom units seem to follow this, too. But, There seems to be some sense in
> grouping in voices, a VCO, VCA, EG, VCF, other utility, etc. stacked on top
> of each other.
>
> Anyway, you get the idea. How do you put your modules together?
>
> Thanks
>
> David
>
> David M. Ingebretsen M.S., M.E.
> Collision Forensics & Engineering, Inc.
> 2469 East Fort Union Blvd. STE 114
> Salt Lake City, UT 84121
> www.CFandE.com
>
> 801 733-5458 Office
> 801 842-5451 Cell
>
> dingebre at CFandE.com
> dingebre at 3dphysics.net
>
>
>
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