Modules That Changed The Way I Make Music // Ep 1: 4ms Wav Recorder

I'm thinking of occasionally doing a more focused look at modules that are important to my music making process occasionally - and since there's a lot of just music coming up soon on here I figured now is a good time. This isn't sponsored by 4ms, I'm not affiliated with 4ms in any way, I have never spoken to them and this is the only module of theirs I currently use.
4ms Wav Recorder: 4mscompany.com/wavrec.php (not an affiliate link)
More videos about the A Case: • The A Case
More videos about the B Case: • The B Case

[@thismeanswarbasse]

After rewatching this I realized the part where I'm demonstrating the module in my case might be a little confusing. To be clear, I am always able to hear the audio in my headphones via the module's outs, pushing Record doesn't change or affect that. In this video you as the viewer can only hear audio when I take a recording, because thats literally the only way I record this synth and I didn't add an additional-always-on recording of the synth separate from the Wav Recorder. In post, I've lined up the wav files from the module so that its in-sync with the video when I push the record button on the module. From the user's perspective, when you push the record button on the module there isn't any audible change or difference in what is being passed through the outs. Whether recording or not, you can always monitor and hear the Input signal through the Output. The way I made this video just kind of sounds like its punch-in monitoring and I wasn't super specific about that in the setup. Apologies.

[@lucagunther5405]

I love how clear and unapologetic you are about your creative process. If you don’t like using a DAW or multitracking, don’t use them. You get to spend more time doing what you want and releasing your creative works. Well done recognizing your priorities! Good stuff!

[@michaelt_tamtam]

I agree with you guys. I just use a Zoom field recorder with my modular's headphone out going into it. Having fun with my modular is my priority.

[@dominicpinchott7432]

I'm just getting into Eurorack and this is just what I need! I don't love having to be tethered to a PC and DAW. It can be nice, but it raises the barrier to entry. The process as you describe it is very much how I envisioned working. Tha k you!

[@thismeanswarbasse]

glad it was helpful 👍

[@kelvoid3023]

Hearing you descibe the friction you felt with the recording process and how it stopped you from feeling like what your producing wasn't worth the effor really mirrored my own experience, I feel a similar way to how I approach making music on my modular, very much in that moment and once it's over it's gone. There was a lot of stuff I made thats just lost because I didn't have that ease of capturing it. Definitley going to look into this module. Thanks for sharing :)

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I totally get that. I went from kind of embracing the lost sounds as just part of it (which again is a totally valid experience and way to go if that’s your goal) to being so trigger happy with the record button. And it wasn’t really until I got to listen back to what I did days later that I was able to pick it apart and identify ways to improve or things to parch differently

[@kelvoid3023]

@@thismeanswarbasse agreed, I was pretty content at first with patches dissapearing into the eather after I was done but once I did start recording some of my jams I was able listen back and narrow down what I wanted out of my sound and set kind of creative goals.

[@HousePlant_Ambient]

This was me. For a long time with my modular, and recording it straight to my DAW did not do any justice. I had to learn a new skill, and sound engineer can be tough. It made me loose my creative process, and just today I decided to buy it. Also the Legio, too! Can’t wait to include a much cleaner sound than me recording my modular from my phone haha

[@floozyspeak]

Love that recorder. I often think about getting multiple of them just to experiment with same track yet different notions in the recording then mix the tracks and other twisted ways of goodness. Great piece. Really liked the pacing and like you explained it and then enjoyed it, thanks!

[@toslinked]

man, this is exactly what i need.

[@MelonSprout]

this outro jam is incredible. beautiful work as always. i didn't know about the wav recorder until you mentioned it in a previous video. I really like the quickly changing kick patterns as well! :)

[@4msCompany]

Excellent work!

[@thismeanswarbasse]

thanks for making dope stuff 🙏

[@djayers]

I was initially confused : 4mS is a short recording! The module does look good for a compact setup. I usually do something similar with a Zoom H1 attached to an analog mixer so I can make instant recordings of whatever I hear, from modular or other instruments. If I'm working on something largely planned, then it's gonna be largely DAW (Reaper), but even then the Zoom is handy for making a quick mixdown.

[@thismeanswarbasse]

Hah! It might be a fun device for making single cycle waveform recordings if it was just 4 milliseconds long no matter what. The H1 approach totally works too. I used to have a lot more hardware gear, pedals, no modular stuff all routable with a patchbay and whatnot - but I sold all of it off and tried to condense things down to a more portable and compact setup. Can’t knock the zoom or daw approach if it’s working for ya

[@asylumlabs6075]

hey man thanks for this! I've seen in your other vids where you mention the 4MS WR changed your game, due to the ease of recording and it makes total sense. I'm a euro-newb but really like the experience of staying in the 'flow state' of just working w/ the rack. Great channel, super informative and your music rocks too!

[@thismeanswarbasse]

thank you! I really appreciate it

[@UNDERMIND_AUDIO]

Great video! Now I want a complete walk through of how patch and use the 2 cases synced together!!! This is high level work! I’m still trying to get my footing 😊

[@thismeanswarbasse]

thanks! the patch breakdown here kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaS8o4yreMqGnLM is fairly similar to what I used in the second half of this video. It's just grown a little bit with data bender instead of nautilus changing a lot of how my B case sounds. CV routing a little different too - but the main idea is still B case making heavy distorted drum rhythms, A case sampling those rhythms and mangling them, transitioning back and forth between

[@domek.]

4ms have some awesome modules. I wish they still made effects pedals too.

[@JonnyPez]

This is really helping me out. I think I'm going to try this approach. When I first built my rig I got a h6 mic for both field recordings and multi-track modular recordings, but I hardly ever use it. It was always a hassle to set up and I've never mixed my recordings in a DAW like I thought I would. Getting away from my computer was part of why I was so attracted to modular in the first place. Thank you for taking time to show us your tricks.

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I get the occasional question of “why not just put an h6 or f3 next to my case?” - neither of which I have, but I’ve always had an eye on and I’m sure are great devices… But this method having it always patched has really worked for me and has been worth the 6 hp sacrifice for sure

[@JonnyPez]

@@thismeanswarbasse It reminds me of the Atomic Habit book-- if you want to do something more often you should remove as many obstacles in your way as possible.

[@destroy_television]

Man, you just recommended this to me recently in a comment on another video. I have this thing saved in my cart at the moment. Once my custom case is built, I'll pull the trigger on it. Can't wait to step away from Ableton entirely during the actual creation process.

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I think it was writing that comment that kind of cemented it being worth just making a video about. It's such a neat little module and I know there are other modules that also can record to SD, but I don't know if I've ever seen this one in a rack picture or video.

[@blockchainbullies7324]

I usually have my mixer out into a sp404 and that works extremely well

[@DelmaRaySmithJr]

That what you're doing is the opening up relaxation oscillation event not unlike the open eye breathing by candlelight holding Josef Albers kinetic straight line sculptures in "Despite Straight Lines" constant, wherein by remaining still in being breathing, the spirit transcends beyond the speed of light.

[@LEdHeadW]

We have a very similar approach to making music with our synths. It's always kinda a fuss for me to finally decide I've made something worthy of recording, fire up Audacity and my laptop and get everything connected and there's always these small little issues I have to address. Definitely have been interested in the module and to hear you say exactly how you use it, I know it's a good pick for my synth.

[@DanielDay-dv8uw]

Sick outro

[@Limbic1000]

😂 Yeah

[@DelmaRaySmithJr]

The genesis of sound.

[@kostantinosmag2986]

NICE.....

[@dillipphunbar7924]

I like this workflow approach. It works for me but I was just using a NUX Loop Core pedal for instruments up to line level; or a simple stereo out from the modular into one track in Audacity or Ableton or Reaper...one take.....otherwise my creativity dissipates whenever I try to manipulate and mix post-performance,,striking whilst the iron is hot leads me to more happy accidents.

[@blindianajones]

Love the videos and sharing. Im considering the following right now and wondered if you have tried this... Have you tried or considered a third case which would be the live case and in it would only be samplers and ways to engage? I have 2 cases, where one case has my sound sources and the other case is for processing and final outs. I have no interesting in dealing ith those 2 cases and the cables. So Im thining about coul I create a third case or skiff that has samplers and controls. Maybe Im just trading lugging cases for time spent crafting samples, but Im also curious how my creations change if I have all my sounds right in front of me when at home.

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I’m sure that’d probably work but I don’t think it’d be an approach I’d personally take. I’ve tried over the years many different setups that depended on sample management and I just can’t get into it. I do a lot of sampling with my A case, but it’s all just for immediate use and then tossing aside after. Even in my B case where I have a proper trigger sequencer, I almost never save a pattern, it’s all improv. I had a sample drum for a while and really tried to work on loading it with a sample library I’d like, but the workflow just completely fell apart for me. One thing I have thought of with the two cases is getting a 1u optical module pair or something like this blacknoisemodular.com/products/pipe-s so that there is just a single cable between the cases that needs to be setup when moving and playing live. So far it hasn’t been enough of a pain to need it, but it might get there for me

[@blindianajones]

@@thismeanswarbasse Makes sense. Proof is in the workflow at home and when live. Im testing out a bunch of stuff this week to figure out what works for me. First pass, sampler and looper in one case with fx, second case will have the sounds Im sending into the samplers and I have a 3rd small palette case with "controls" such as LFOs, Turing Machine, Mutes, etc. if this works for me, the intent is to only have the sampler case and control case for creation and performing.

[@HousePlant_Ambient]

Because of this video, I went ahead and bought. Question though! When you are recording, do you crank the volume at the way? Keep it 0db? (Center) I’ve been messing with it and noticed that at 0db, you really don’t get the full quality even when your mix is full blasting. Just curious. Thank you.

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I almost always have mine at noon/0db, but I’m also using Librae Legio right before it to get the loudness much higher with the limiter. Hard to say about my recording quality since a lot of my sound is pretty distorted and crunched before it gets to that point, but I wouldn’t be surprised if another method works better on a cleaner signal

[@irenasvetlovska4337]

I find this very empowering. I too struggle to enjoy post production with DAWs and what not, and much prefer to mix live on the moment as the noises are happening. I have a 4MS and use it exactly as you do. What other modules have you found useful for this live mix approach?

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I think Jumble Henge and Librae Legio have made the biggest impact. JH really helps give separation in the mix while keeping low end centered, and Librae Legio’s loudness boost from the limiter and its color/tone thing have become a staple for me as well. It makes the final product much more mastered-like.

[@irenasvetlovska4337]

@@thismeanswarbasse Thanks! I’ll check them out.

[@remoteflying]

disting can record and can also do so much more, and is cheaper…AND in less hp…yet, i am still drawn to this for simplicity and immediacy.

[@supright44]

Hello I purchased the module a few months back and enjoy it. Question. I notice noise from the busy light flashing that bleeds into recording depending on gain setting. I moved module around in my case trying to see if it made less noise noticeable but still exists. Did you encounter this issue?

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I haven’t had anything like that with mine, no. I’d reach out to 4ms directly and see if there’s a fix or a warrantee for it

[@goonfish]

Ha! I always waffle between mentally pronouncing 4ms as "4 milliseconds" or more often; "Forms" (literaply FOURms)!

[@thismeanswarbasse]

Oh I didn’t even think of “forms”!

[@PandaPotPies]

Also in like

[@HousePlant_Ambient]

Question. All from what I hearing is truly from the 4ms wav right?

[@thismeanswarbasse]

All of the synth audio is, yes. I drag the files directly into premier (no processing in ableton or other daw) to then be lined up with the video footage. Might be obvious, but my voice over in this video is not via the 4ms, I record that separately. For more 4ms wav rec audio examples, all of my Julive sets are also 100% just 4ms wav rec using the same approach - zero daw.

[@mntbighker]

Too bad it has no USB port to reach the files on the card.

[@iamsushi1056]

I’ve got a tiny little rack I’m working on, 7u*84hp, which is gonna include the 4ms wav recorder. If I read the manual correctly, it cannot be in playback and recording more at the same time, can it? What would you recommend, either as a module or as an external blackbox (like the 0hp series from Mystic Circuits), just for playing back audio from a sd card? I’d almost rather have a small battery powered tile so save on hp and then just use my Cloverleaf 1u with the jacks integrated into my Intellijel case

[@thismeanswarbasse]

If your question is, can it record to the SD card while also playing a different file back from SD card? - then no I dont think it can, but lmk if I'm misunderstanding that. Theres probably other modules out there that could though, like maybe the bitbox? (havent used it myself but have been close to buying it a few times and did some research). I'm pretty sure someone else in the comments once mentioned that one of the Distings can also record to SD card, and I know the modes on those are all over the place so maybe it can do both at the same time? The right module for pure playback from an SD card would depend a lot on how you want to trigger and interact with it and what kind of files you typically use (mono, stereo, long ones, short samples, etc). MTM's Radio Music, Erica Synths Sample Drum, ALM Squid Salmple, Bitbox Micro etc etc all have different offerings and levels of control but all can use SD cards for playback I think

[@ScottofOakland]

What happened to this series? I enjoy this module by module rundown quite a bit.

[@thismeanswarbasse]

I've been planning on my next vid being one of these actually. I've just been sick and have had to move my office/studio so I'm behind. Its comin

[@user-km5nq4rr4f]

might be pronounced ¨forms¨:)