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.modulargrid.net/e/racks/v...
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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!

[@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

[@mousymagazine]

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

[@subfusc2848]

I just love your introductions Alex.

[@markmccarthy3304]

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

[@JaredNichols909]

Lovin’ it. Great video, as always!

[@bob-rogers]

Fascinating! Beautiful product.

[@3dims]

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

[@fraser21]

That patch at the end was awesome

[@AndyVonal]

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

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks m8 x

[@RobotalismGames]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@deviousxen]

Thank you for posting these.

[@robotboot]

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

[@mrparksy]

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

[@signal-sounds]

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

[@WiredSpaceWizard]

Duuuuuude! Killer jams! Thanks for the vid!

[@Dan2Hibiki]

great vid, super informative Setup is sounding spot on

[@josephprever]

You're so incredibly delightful

[@TripleTruthRuth]

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

[@blairtaylor3466]

Great run through, thanks!

[@KentuckyMusic]

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

[@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.

[@chrisarndt8251]

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

[@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!

[@wackenthaljef]

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

[@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!

[@pablospace]

Amazing video, thanks!

[@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.

[@chasingcircuits9842]

These are profound and important questions

[@TheJustinBSmith]

Thank you for sharing!

[@braincoral9866]

awesome noises again :D

[@midierror]

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

[@Mrpepito1989]

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

[@bostonmedicalgroupmusic]

He's back!

[@UnauthorisedService]

great rundown thanks a lot

[@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.

[@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)

[@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.

[@lukecurran5572]

Loving the parents kitchen vibe!

[@mylarmelodies]

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

[@bigmiff1876]

Mind. Blown.

[@charlieminers2892]

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

[@mylarmelodies]

yes mate!!! absolutely love it

[@OB1techno]

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

[@mylarmelodies]

You defo hexdo

[@Room16Tattoo]

Bonus points for Sagan!

[@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

[@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...

[@pantalalabs]

Grrrrreeeaatt video ! Thanks

[@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.

[@onderstroom]

Such a 🆒 way of working....✌🏼

[@Deaphdot1]

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

[@jasonkelly4885]

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

[@AFinalForm]

Dixie through the Jove sounds great btw

[@Individual_two]

Sample that dog! Great video, thanks for sharing.

[@SlowlyYouRot]

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.

[@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.

[@nntblst]

Dog barks in the back Mylar: shxcxchcxsh!!!

[@mylarmelodies]

Fin doesn't like my tunes

[@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

[@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.

[@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!!

[@patamuslo69]

Nice video!! all info its welcome to fight the flow stop :D i got the hexmix too, did you get a little sound bleed thru the vactrols when channel is muted? or is it my unit? may be calibration? thanks!!

[@housemachine509]

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

[@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.

[@sauce_aux]

Fuckin hell these jams go hard

[@daren.t.housse2121]

Nice one in fact bloody good nice one :)

[@mgscheue]

Sagan! Sagan! Sagan!

[@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

[@recycled_city]

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

[@eamoc]

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

[@phoenixrising1576]

Kool sound. I need to ask a general question not modular but about simply seq my Juno 106 with an external seq. What would u recommend? It would need to be poly, and be able to record midi input from 106. Cv gate would be handy to as I have a few analogues. It needs to be simple not to expensive. The arturia keystep? Anyways Lovely sounds from another universe.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@niyagentleman8143]

wow thanks for nice drowings more visual :)

[@TerekkiTerekki]

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

[@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 👌🏻

[@nick9871]

Are you also sequencing rings’ pitch or is it just modulated by some lfo or envelope?

[@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.

[@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!

[@raskolnikov1242]

Hi. Could u use (or would u do it?) the Tiptop seq Z8000 with the Metropolis to play them with its aux knobs? Would they pair well??

[@mylarmelodies]

yes they do!

[@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.

[@toddtrulock6809]

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

[@naught101]

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

[@LaboratoryGrey]

Cheers for the overview! Maybe I missed it, but what is pitching/gating Rings? Same as Plaits?

[@mylarmelodies]

I didn’t say it implicitly but Yep! Three things, one pitch source.

[@mOriceofficial]

hey thanks for the videos, could you tell me wheres fron the sample "why is grass green this are profond important questions" ? cheers from france

[@mylarmelodies]

lowzair frequencies They’re from a Carl Sagan interview off KZbin!

[@pbs7315]

Hail Sagan!

[@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!

[@telkmx]

Wouldnt varigate 8+ makes more sense than the metropolis ?

[@joeboygsxr]

Could be done with a Beatstep pro? Use one melodic sequencer sending CV to a mult and gate to voice 1 then use one of the 8 trig outs from the drum sequencer to gate the 2nd voice that's also getting the same CV? Will need to give that a go.

[@mylarmelodies]

You totally could yes!

[@snoopyoverthehills]

pitch information for rings also comes from metropolis?

[@mylarmelodies]

Yep!

[@roelweerdenburg]

How do you like the Eventide delay module so far? Looking for a nice digital delay, the two 4MS ones have my attention.

[@mylarmelodies]

Its interesting, super precise/controllable and very suited for karplus - except it can also do super insane length delays.

[@MuslimShortanov]

What kind of mixer do you have on the right side ? Thanks !

[@mylarmelodies]

www.befaco.org/en/hexmix/

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@claycowartisamazing]

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

[@stevenbriggs7535]

Great video. Amazing setup. Is that a little field recorder you have on the side ?

[@mylarmelodies]

Ya, Zoom F4!

[@stevenbriggs7535]

@@mylarmelodies How are you sending the duplicate pitch are you sending CV from Metropolis to both Plaits and Dixie via a buffered mult ?

[@mtg101010]

Your samples are very Legowelt!