How I'm playing Live Eurorack Modular More Easily

Here’s an explanation of how I’ve simplified my live modular system for improvised techno/electro shows - built around the Intellijel Metropolis and Befaco Hexmix. Hit subscribe for more and check out other videos in this series! System in use is this: www.modulargri...
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[@lordmidas6940]

This has to be one of the greatest modular videos I've had the pleasure to watch. Not only do you explain the setup, but you jam a tune for a few minutes out of the blue (Sagan Sagan Sagan). Excellent. I want more!

[@whitenoisefromelectronicto1728]

I am using a beatstep to sequence my system. You just made me think that I could mult a sequencer pitch and gate outs to control 2 VCO pitches and gates at the same time, setting one very low as a bass line and another one higher as a lead. I will definitely try that!

[@josephprever]

You're so incredibly delightful

[@meboyme]

Couldn't get to the end of the video without having to repatch my rig, you have inspired me thank you. Going to watch the rest of your video when I've finished having so much fun.

[@mylarmelodies]

That’s the spirit

[@fraser21]

That patch at the end was awesome

[@Goldkalb]

Wicked, I had one of this big breakthrough-moments last weekend jamming around where I realized how awesome it sounds to use exact this method of using one sequence and diversing it with different gate-lenghts and -patterns and send them to different targets.Awesome to get this discovery explained properly by such a nice guy that is pumping out the most amazing tunes out of his system while doing so....thank you very much Alex!!!!!

[@mylarmelodies]

🙏 and yeah, I certainly not the first person to do this! What’s amazing is how well it works despite being so dang dumb as a trick really. My next thought is can I get “pads” going that relate to the sequence? Thinking about a Track-and-hold module or a Marbles to do that...

[@oliverquinlan3676]

mylarmelodies I had a play with that last weekend. Used a stage of stages as a sample and hold with a clock from metropolis divided to be really slow. I used it for a bass drone but imagine it would be great for pads.

[@MrSharps02]

the metropolis is still the best performance sequencer out there imo. ive been experimenting with using the quickload shortcuts added in the most recent firmware to add preprogrammed B sections to live improv jams, combine with a couple pressure points and the aux inputs you can squeeze chorus verse bridge coda ad-libs and more out of those 8 little steps. i feel like one day its jittery sequence style will be as legendary as the wiggly squonk of the 303

[@ryanpwm-oldaccount5923]

Vector sequencer... it has the same 8x pulse variable step length if you want it and every other feature. And unlike almost every sequencer in existence, you actually know what note each visible step is on. And then it does 6 cv voices + 8 drum gates (or 8 clocks, resets, whatever). And you can trade those for 3 midi outs/ins. And so much other stuff. I could never really use metropolis... what happens when you go to change track 2 and change the pitch sliders? Can’t imagine it’s not a normal annoyance.

[@TripleTruthRuth]

I love the possibilities and surprises that Modular sequencing offers. There is no turning back after your first sequencer 'happy accident'.

[@bob-rogers]

Fascinating! Beautiful product.

[@Mrpepito1989]

11:05 that giggle when you know you rock ;)

[@chrisarndt8251]

That is the best Carl Sagan themed modular synth jam I have ever heard!

[@3dims]

Love these live modular videos and are inspiration for the setup I'm building up.

[@john-michaelveach2083]

two things #1 just tried this, it's tons of fun and sounds great #2 That mixer is so nice; why does it have to be so nice. I'm about to expand to a new case and now because of this I'll be up all night on modular grid negotiating with myself and trying to fit this into my case.

[@robotboot]

thank you. very helpful information. im always fighting the direction to take on my modular.

[@RobotalismGames]

The two parts of music you produced on this video are just f*cking good!

[@jasonkelly4885]

HAIL SAGAN I’ve been doing this shared pitch info with gates triggering different modules. Works great for my small set up.

[@JaredNichols909]

Lovin’ it. Great video, as always!

[@mrparksy]

Great another top video, looking forward to trying some ideas out. Thanks!

[@WiredSpaceWizard]

Duuuuuude! Killer jams! Thanks for the vid!

[@markmccarthy3304]

what a great idea with the metropolis I will be trying it first thing, thank you again.

[@deviousxen]

Thank you for posting these.

[@mousymagazine]

Fantastic video. Really enjoy the deep dives on what's behind a patch.

[@subfusc2848]

I just love your introductions Alex.

[@wackenthaljef]

Your vid are the most useful Mylar..thaaaannnk youuuuuuuuu!!

[@blairtaylor3466]

Great run through, thanks!

[@SouryaSen]

I was doing something very similar last night for a bass + lead voice. Same sequencer, but going into two different quantisers so I could lock off some of the notes in the bass line and then different gates. I've found using a XOR gate with clock dividers + Turing pulses to be excellent at rhythmic variations for the gates as the pulses sometimes fire at the same time with the clock (clock -> Turing) and blocks off some of the triggers - very good fun!

[@chasingcircuits9842]

These are profound and important questions

[@midierror]

great vid ! its clear what the dog thinks of the hi hats

[@EricAndre615]

Great way to do it. I do this a lot. Send sequencer pitch to oscillators and then trigger their envelopes with different euclidean patterns from Pamela's Workout. I think I posted a video recently like this where the sequence was doing 7 steps, but the euclidean patterns were in 4 so it kinda offset the notes over a certain amount of time. Really easy stuff, but really interesting/dynamic rhythms.

[@AndyVonal]

Another really informative video, Alex. Thanks. Loved the feel and the sounds. Wicked!

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks m8 x

[@signal-sounds]

Awesome!! We’ll have to try this setup in the shop tomorrow!

[@charlieminers2892]

That kick sample that you're using is godlike...

[@mylarmelodies]

yes mate!!! absolutely love it

[@TheJustinBSmith]

Thank you for sharing!

[@Dan2Hibiki]

great vid, super informative Setup is sounding spot on

[@bigmiff1876]

Mind. Blown.

[@pablospace]

Amazing video, thanks!

[@softservomusic]

I love this video. It helped me a lot, since I'm working out how to make my rack better for live performance. I'd love to see more of this, and I'd love to see you talk about how you got to where you're doing gigs and stuff. I don't know how to do that.

[@OB1techno]

Wicked. And now I really want to hexpand my hexmix!!

[@mylarmelodies]

You defo hexdo

[@stevenrempel]

I gotta say, your videos my dude are the exact reason why I'm going the Lookmumnocomputer route and using 1/4" jacks and big pots, watching you fumble around your crazy patch jumble snakes gives me audio tech dread lol :D yokes aside, thanks for doing what you do.

[@mylarmelodies]

Yeah ideally you have spacers between modules - or go for 5U big meaty modules, but either way you need more space - and in the case of 5U like four times the space (and a van)

[@stevenrempel]

@@mylarmelodies yeah totally. transport now becomes a bigger issue, more weight, there's certainly drawbacks :)

[@mylarmelodies]

stevenrempel It should also be said, 5U doesn’t have nearly half of the options of euro (ducks) - unless you convert your modules, Mr Battle style

[@stevenrempel]

@@mylarmelodies totally. I'm actually not all that interested in purchasing from the 5u format, other than using "metric 5u" modules I build myself. 20 cm tall panels you can actually order, tough to find aluminum manufacturers to cut you a 13.3 cm panel :). Basic modules that form the core of a rack are pretty easy to put together once you delve into it, assuming you actually don't mind soldering haha. Enjoyed your new podcast BTW

[@sauce_aux]

Fuckin hell these jams go hard

[@lukecurran5572]

Loving the parents kitchen vibe!

[@mylarmelodies]

And I had it packed up before they came back - the perfect crime

[@UnauthorisedService]

great rundown thanks a lot

[@Room16Tattoo]

Bonus points for Sagan!

[@onderstroom]

Such a 🆒 way of working....✌🏼

[@markmccarthy3304]

I'm also using the metropolis with Plaits and the STO as my bass with the Varigate 8 for the gate pattern. I also have the BIA for percussion and the Loquelic Iteritas for a pad/drone, it sounds great.

[@Coffeeshopped]

Sweet concept! I've been doing stuff like this in software modular stuff (Pure Data). One tweak I've done on this idea is to take one of the CV pitch copies and add a secondary offset to it that is constrained to a certain set of intervals (like 2, 7, and 10 semitones) so that one of the voices can do a sort of melody that dances around the main pitch. And then "sample" that at whatever rhythm you want, like you're doing here. Not sure if that would require more modules for you, but it's a neat way to build more tonal relationships from a single pitch line!

[@mgscheue]

Sagan! Sagan! Sagan!

[@KentuckyMusic]

Groovy! The metropolis looks amazing, would play with the root aux mode all day long.

[@braincoral9866]

awesome noises again :D

[@InvertedPopesMusic]

Great setup and sound. Enjoyed video greatly will be a source of inspiration as I build my rig. (Have Sagan's original book also)

[@somegeezer]

"Welcome to Yorkshire". Happy Yorkshire Day, mate.

[@mylarmelodies]

Hah, literally did not clock I was releasing it on that day

[@tomwatson7626]

Chuffin' 'ell! Gerritt daarn yer yoth.

[@nntblst]

Dog barks in the back Mylar: shxcxchcxsh!!!

[@mylarmelodies]

Fin doesn't like my tunes

[@effiksmusic]

I tried this one pitch, two gate sequence method with a BeatStep Pro and a Volca Bass (Midi) and a Microbrute (CV). Works great for me. But now I’m thinking of getting a Behringer Neutron to do the trick.

[@bostonmedicalgroupmusic]

He's back!

[@niyagentleman8143]

wow thanks for nice drowings more visual :)

[@Deaphdot1]

So good... thanks for this... Hail Sagan

[@philtobin9510]

The Times Alex, I would have had you down as a Guardian reader. Fantastic track and setup, I've been looking to build a live jam setup for ages but with so many must have modules I can't reduce them to a smaller rack.

[@mylarmelodies]

Haha, that’s my modular, but that’s not my paper Phil

[@Individual_two]

Sample that dog! Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@Th3LordZalor]

Concept of separate gates and pitch cv's is fascinating. Don't have eurorack, yet, but I might actually try this with SQ-1/Microbrute/Monotribe and see if it gets me anywhere interesting. Using Microbrute as the CV source, and sequencing gates with SQ-1 should do the trick!

[@mylarmelodies]

Yep, this is totally doable with any analog synth and some gate sequencers and pitch sequencers lying around!

[@jkorbel]

this is super helpful...i have pp and metropolis and have never really wrapped my head around how to unleash the aux inputs! and i have two pp so I guess double the fun - would be cool if you could have the pp also controlling the cv in on the Pam's new workout for creating new trigger sequences for your dixie. It seems a bit limited will that 8 step circadian...

[@AFinalForm]

Dixie through the Jove sounds great btw

[@intensesurtax483]

Sounds great, and reminds me to use the precision adder more. Will be good to try with different pattern lengths on the gate sequences for polyrhythms - Monome Grid + Ansible will give you the 16 step sequence but four channels, and independent pattern lengths per channel.

[@pantalalabs]

Grrrrreeeaatt video ! Thanks

[@gherat]

the eloquencer has also added pitch cv but does this more like a sample and hold. That way the note is only triggered as the gate fires and the other notes don’t bleed through at longer release times. That means you could also do long chords with added bassline from a sequence. Little hard to explain, sorry :D

[@Ritual_Gaze]

Very cool. Just got a trig31 from vpme.de, same dude who makes the euclidean circles. It's awesome triggering my drumbrute with euclidean gates from my o_c. All the voices also have their own outs so it's basically modular this way.

[@pbs7315]

Hail Sagan!

[@daren.t.housse2121]

Nice one in fact bloody good nice one :)

[@budfoon]

Very useful arguments for the Hexmix! It seems like your approach via the Hexmix combo, is to use sound sources with *mono* outputs and then leverage your effects sends to get your stereo effects. How would you use the Hexmix to handle modules that output in stereo (e.g., Elements)?

[@synkrotron]

Thanks Alex :-) The Hexmix and Hexpander sounds like a great idea and I love the ability to control it with CV and what have you. But for me, right now, the prohibitive factor has to be the cost compared to an outboard mixer, which, for a fraction of the cost, would have twice as many inputs. One day, though, I certainly intend to create a separate mix and effects case, all the hex mix stuff and two or three Eurorack effects units... cheers andy :-)

[@mylarmelodies]

Yeah fair enough! I’ve gotten on really well with an external mixer even running hot modular levels thru it (plus effects) without complaint. Finding one with a DJ style cue section though is tricky, and a lot of the small ones don’t have mutes. It’s a luxury but hard to go back on once you have it!!

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

I like using my one Elektron Analog 4 MK2 for a live event. Much easier with presets than having to remember dozens of wire cable layouts.

[@mylarmelodies]

Indeed, different challenge to a fully improvised system though!

[@robjenkins9839]

I’ve watched a number of your videos, but this one is absolutely immense! Love the sequencer dual gate idea (I’d been playing around with something a little similar, but yours absolutely hits it on the head)... Brilliant! Really want the Hex-mix, but ££££. If I may ask, would you ever use a Tr8 this way? I currently use a bit-box for drums, but having watched a different video of yours, you made the Tr8 seem easy work, and having seen this video, external drums don’t seem all that bad??!!

[@mylarmelodies]

I am 100% on board with TR8 yes, and have seriously toyed with just making that do the drums while the rest of the case focuses on sounds, yes!! So yes.

[@housemachine509]

Great video less is more I’m thinking of the hexmix as I need a mixer with clickless mutes

[@YannickRBon]

Great vid! Now if you'd like to further expand the sequencing idea, get a MI Kinks. It has a trigger and hold. Basicaly the same thing as a sample and hold, but instead of sampling from a noise source, you sample from an input (in this case the metropolis sequence) and you send a trigger in to tell it when to sample. Which allows for more variations of your actual idea, for example having the bass stay on one note while your voice is already on an other note, even if both the bass and voice are gated at the same time, while remaining in chromatic harmony. Then you can add even two other pitch cv line by taking a "mult-ed" output of the trigger and hold into the logic part of kinks, and the metropolis pitch cv into the other logic part input of kinks. This will give you a min/max of both sequences. Cheers!

[@mylarmelodies]

That’s a great suggestion yeah! I’ve actually just bought a Doepfer A148 to try this as you get dual sample and hold in a tiny package 👌🏻

[@mtg101010]

Your samples are very Legowelt!

[@TerekkiTerekki]

Thanks will try this feeding voltages from Z8000 into O_C Quantermain same kinda thing

[@analogIIdigital]

Carl Sagan would love this jam.

[@claycowartisamazing]

How I'm playing my modular: I know what my modules do.

[@naught101]

Gates are on for periods though - like a square pulse. They have width.

[@dbcoder]

You should check out the VPME T43. It's purpose built for what you are doing with pressure points.

[@mylarmelodies]

Yeah it looks great that!! Slightly different implementation in that you can’t quite perform it the same way functionally but it looks like an amazing adder

[@naisammon4986]

Thanks for the vids-so helpful, I can’t tell ya how much. Christ ya went ATOMIC in the middle there-so thanks for THAT!

[@maxmartinez6430]

That’s exactly how I use my small set up. I need a better mixer with sends and a switched must so I don’t have to re patch live

[@skunksmisery]

OI Metropolis Master. It seems you have a video to make. Don't let Loopop get all the glory.

[@mylarmelodies]

🤣

[@piotr803]

Hail Sagan! 🤣

[@modfreq]

Hail Sagan! I hope you've got some Alan Watts in that radio music too.

[@mylarmelodies]

Haha that's a great shout, could listed to Alan Watts talk all day long

[@modfreq]

Ya, I've always wanted to make a "Music for Alan Watts to talk over" mixtape/ep/album thingymajig

[@josephfelice601]

Hail Sagan!!!!

[@jonaseggen2230]

The party starts at 9:10 Polite OMG at 11:02 I want this album

[@aoutivd]

Such a phat sound. I want the whole track.

[@johnnymidnight2982]

You need to name that jam "Church of Sagan."

[@ednasdiscomachine6049]

I didn't understand much of this! :\ However, I love the set-up. I'm less modular and more module based with an Octatrack II for sequencing. This look a whole lot of fun though! :D Do you do any gigs London way? I'd love to see this going off. Have a great gig.

[@hmosc]

I love your channel and your music even more. When you go on stage, are you all patched up, or do you patch on site.

[@mylarmelodies]

Very much prepatched before getting onstage, leave it like that for as long as possible!

[@recycled_city]

Great video! How are you liking the Eventide DDL? Toying with the idea of adding one myself.

[@mynmyself]

Very niice! Thanks for this vid! I am using Rene and a Z8000, I guess I could do something similar to what those aux cv ins on metropolis do, by using a VCA? So... Rene out to vca to quantizer, and Z8000 modulating the vca? I really like the idea of having actual manual control over when you want the modulation to occur, like happens with pressurepoints as you can manualy trigger each step

[@thomasbrown3325]

Rene has a quantizer built in, like the Metropolis.

[@iqnill]

What you explain on paper, I use the 4 channels on the O_C to achieve a similar outcome. It's a nice trick.

[@mylarmelodies]

What modes do you use? I have one but am so hampered by the terrible documentation

[@iqnill]

Quantermain in turing machine mode. That allows for up to 4, pitch CVs nicely locked to a scale. Pulsar sends, usually Euclidean, sequences which trigger steps in the O_C, other Pulsar channels send triggers to ADSRs of sound sources. The remaining 3 voltages from the O_C are used to, rhythmically change parameters on the BIA etc. A small hardware utility I built sends 5V assigned to the probability of the turing machine to change the pitch pattern and a quick twist on the Pulsar gives me a new groove. I seriously recommend the O_C micro, despite the fact, like you said, that the documentation is diabolical. I'm not even close to your musical quality, but much fun can br had with that simple setup. Fell free to take a peek here to see some action: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqezc5-lpNGXibM&frags=pl%2Cwn

[@iqnill]

In fact, this one illustrates the O_C better: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5Cxfa2jncp8ba8&frags=pl%2Cwn

[@lukecurran5572]

I’m guessing he’s using Quantermain in the O_c. You give it a gate, then it basically creates 4 Quantized sample and hold cv’s synced to that gate. You can choose the scale you want to quantize to in the O_c. You can even choose the randomness of the note choice in that scale. I like to use an attenuverter into the cv input 4 to control the probability of the randomness of the notes, that way it works like a Turing machine already quantized to the scale you want. To do that, you scroll down to ‘cv source’ in the app and choose the one that has a bunch of vertical bars, you’ll know when you see it. That’s the Turing machine setting within Quantermain. Once youre in that menu you have to set P to zero and the. Set CV 1 to control P. That way when you bring the attenuverter down to zero, p is set to zero so the randomness goes away and you are left with a repeating sequence of quantized notes. You can also control a bunch of other parameters with cv4 such as octave, transposition, input gain and buffer (still figuring this one out). I’ve had good results with octave or input gain paired with the Turing machine style thingy described above. I don’t really know about dividing up the cv into different gates to make multiple voices but that’s a really cool idea I want to explore. Any additional info about that would be cooI. Hope that helped with unlocking some of the O_c’s hidden potential cheers

[@otto609]

"The dog farted!" Ha! dog farts can be so bad, but he is a cute doggie- that set-up looks so fun to play with and that Hexmix...wow- thanks for the info-

[@talweg384]

It feels really strange to use the same sequence for 2 voices (even with different trigger sequences).

[@toddtrulock6809]

Best hands in the game Quick question any pref. between the hex mex plus expander or the wmd pm mk 2

[@landonh3535]

Older video, but I just found it and love the concepts you hit on with using a separate sequencer for gate and CV. My one question - since this came out, instead of using a precision adder for your CV, can you use something like Intellijel Scales which sends 2 quantized outputs? One mode allows you to conform the outputs to a common scale but feed entirely different voltage to each channel. I feel like this is a really nice solution for a Bass and Lead combo, but I haven’t gotten my hands on it yet to try.

[@rareitchproject882]

Hello Mr Mylarmelodies. Thanks for all the very excellent content. I've a question about your use of the radio music in this configuration if you dont mind. What's doing what? I think in this video you've got the Euclidean Circles doing something to the turing machine which is then going into the radio music which is then going into the wasp but then again probably not. Would you enlighten please? Cheers.

[@eamoc]

Great sound Mylar :-) quick question, have you ever tried the Stillson Hammer sequencer by The Harverstman?

[@mrotaveria]

wish there was some 2hp module with, lets say, 4 buttons that could spit 4 different voltages, that would help to use preset voltages as you did but in less space

[@mylarmelodies]

Yeah, or one with preset rhythms you could store and recall with a tap, that’s tiny

[@vlenda]

mylarmelodies pico rythm does that and it even has shufle. You can write patterns in a webapp and store them in the module. Is 3hp tiny enough for you. Oh and polyrythm!!

[@chunglerthebungler]

18:18 bro she tried to warn you 4:54!