Recreating my test equipment setup in a Eurorack modular synthesizer

In which I solve my Eurorack crisis by using test equipment techniques to build a better modular synthesizer.
Me and my eurorack had our problems in the past year: I had built a system based around wavetables and powerful sequencing, but every time I sat down with it I made what I can only describe as stupid music: chatty happy pseudo-housy bouncy stuff that i could maybe use as a bed for a video, but nothing I really enjoyed. I had fun making it, but I did not like the results. All the sequencing power and tonal variation was too much, but also too little for the size of the system to make truly good tunes.
So I had a revelation: what if I build a system based on my favourite instrument now, my wall of test equipment (here is video on it: • Brüel & Kjaer multiple... ).
So this is the system I put together from everything I had in my racks. Some modules were so long in there I had to drill the screws. It is a mini version of my test wall, and I feel super-inspired again to play with the eurorack. Translating what I have learned in the past year to the modular makes this feel like a very powerful yet small instrument, and I am back to making music with it that I actually enjoy.
SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: / hainbach
CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP: / @hainbach
MY MUSIC: hainbach.bandcamp.com
FASHION: teespring.com/de/stores/hainbach
CONNECT: / hainbach
MY SIGNATURE SOFTWARE:
GONG AMP www.audiothing.net/effects/go...
WIRES www.audiothing.net/effects/wi...
MORPHING ROTOR www.audiothing.net/effects/th...
TEST EQUIPMENT LIBRARY www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-...
LOOPER apps.apple.com/us/app/gauss-f...
BUY THE GEAR I USE (EU):
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BUY THE GEAR I USE (US):
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(affiliate links, I get a few % if you buy through them)

[@projectz975]

im just imagining MC Ride shouting his guts out over these jams and its pretty nice.

[@Chunda8]

I've seen footage....but when I came out my sh*t was gone!

[@untrust2033]

OH SHIT IM FEELIN IT

[@mvsr990]

"Hainbach-type beat"

[@sheeperskipps]

I feel like I left this video learning a lot. I learned about you as an artist, but you were also very real in saying that the test equipment is hardmode. I see what you and other arists do and I was genuinely excited to try some of it out. But of course, it's a lot harder to understand. I don't even know what my sound is. I'm glad I'm sticking with making music but I sure do have a lot more to learn. Thanks Hainbach!

[@narudh]

"The Dark Souls of Modular"

[@Hainbach]

Dude you win my day with that

[@advaita9156]

“Nightmare difficulty if I was playing Doom” love it

[@genericname2284]

That kick drum was INSANE

[@yarobrock]

I’m a patron now. This video pushed me over the edge. I’ll be getting several of the modules... all the filters and both of the oscillators if I can find them. This was so gritty it’s causing me angst. Thanks for being authentically yourself.

[@bitegoatie]

The trick is finding a way to make your tools serve your work, your expression, while letting them influence but not to replace that expression. It is not always possible - sometimes we just need time away from an instrument or processor, to let that field of possibilities go fallow before it finds new uses or old ones in new work. When the tools are good ones, our changing lives will usually allow us to find those points of reconnection later on - as you have done here beautifully with these mostly old modules. It is not that the other modules did too much for you so much as you were looking for a different way to work with your current state of mind and your plans to travel. Sometimes it is just wanting a different set of handles for much the same sounds. Sometimes you just need a more or less direct connection to those sounds, and other times you just need a whole new starting point. It's all okay - so long as you understand what you want and you are lucky enough to have options. Thanks for the video.

[@soundisles]

That track at the end (15:28) oh my word. This is very inspiring to focus my current build. Thanks Hainbach.

[@franciscooliveira7089]

I really think that the thing keeping you out of modular was feeling the urge to create a good kinda of linear sequence, which really gets boring as hell. Having this setup, apart from the brains+PP sequences, allows a dynamic experience with natural feelings and really gets closer to the feedback a acoustic instrument gives you. At least this is my opinion, since I am absolutely tired of sequencing things, and blippity bloop them haha ! Great Vid as always ! :D

[@greycardinalmusic4975]

Fantastic video. Thanks for posting this. I still can’t get over the fantastic sounds and textures.

[@darlantro]

This is such a high quality channel. Thanks for all your hard work.

[@feethebunny]

Well this certainly answers a lot of questions I had about finding the test equipment sounds in eurorack. Thank you!

[@franciscooliveira7089]

Finally :) Hyped to hear this setup!

[@simoantere7283]

I love this video! I’ve watched it like ten times already and here I am doing it again! Very inspiring techniques. And hey, exciting times ahead, you have 99,9 thousand subscribes at the moment! I hope you have something special coming up for us hainbachers!

[@lukecassidy829]

I appreciate this one. Its nice to see how accessible some of your sounds are without having to invest the money/space into huge pieces of test equipment.

[@chrissearle23]

Its both funny and interesting. After watching virtually any of your videos I find myself freshly stimulated and often come up with something new, fresh and not necessarily sonically related to the content of the video. There is an infectious nature to your enthusiasm that gets me every time! Thanks!.

[@LYFoulidis]

I’ve been rethinking my rack in a somewhat similar way. Some things are a little too “finished” in my current system, that does take the experimantal fun away.. Pretty inspiring, thanks!

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, lots of new modules make so many choices for you, it feels like loosing the exploration part.

[@AboveEmAllProduction]

youre great man, always look forward to your videos!! so much inspiration to get from this stuff.

[@HeladoInfinitopop]

Some of your best sounds here! Thank you for exploration!

[@Sleipnirrob]

Brilliant. My ResEQ is going to get some fresh love after this.

[@piotr803]

This is a wonderful video Heinbach. I really dig this approach to a careful module selection.

[@mrcwalker33]

I will watch this video more than once... so much inspiration in here, thank you!

[@somaticjet2717]

Omg that loud feedback was so beautiful and then the ring modulated version was even more beautiful. Very physical sounding. Like a string section or bagpipes.. loved that. Phoo

[@TravellingSynths]

'it's nightmare difficulty if we were playing DOOM' (missing the right emoji to express the 90s kid in me here)

[@that_matt]

:-D

[@AlexanderEinoder]

doom 2016 is also a fire soundtrack

[@DasGanon]

Mick Gordon's GDC talk on making the soundtrack is fiiiiiire too.

[@edjwise]

I have a similar crisis in my studio. With Euro not delivering the same excitement. Thank you for your insight.

[@RobFlaxMusic]

Revisiting this as I dive into modular... wow! Clocking a sequential switch at audio rates... With an oscillator that's being affected by the switch... This is a wildly inspiring concept!

[@navicore]

Great case walk through. Thank you so much for the thoughtful explanations of your decision processes! While I don't respond to the degree of difficulty concerns - making music isn't weight lifting or figure skating, I totally respond to the "emotional test" and to being unsatisfied and underwhelmed by modules that do too much for me.

[@tiadiad]

Oh man, Hainbach! I could watch your tutorials for days!

[@erichewes3288]

Of all the modular artists I know, your use of filters is the most beautiful/creative :) I'm so tempted by the vacuum tube oscillator and your filter bank of angels. I'mma go sell a kidney, brb.

[@Hainbach]

Thank you! Ever since I discovered that you can play the resonance on my Roland SH02 filters have been my favorite source of sounds.

[@Chunda8]

Thanks Hainbach- you got an amazing amount of power, range and flexibility out of just 6U. A good lesson for all looking to get into modular but are on a tight budget.

[@Autotross]

Very inspiring!

[@patrickconnelly2904]

Your test equipment produces super-low-end beyond what is audible. The euro to me tends to have a harder time getting that low, but it was very cool to see how it could be done.

[@BottleBass1977]

Inspiring as always. I like your workflow. I have gone a similar route. I have made a small, portable 42HP modular case which can run off of USB power. I just have the most useful modules in there - two Radio Music modules, a Wogglebug, Turing Machine and Rings. This has been my go-to case recently. I also impose arbitrary limits on how I can configure stuff, much like the Three Module Challenges which everyone seems to ascribe to. I sometimes introduce a twist, for example, I can use any / all the modules in the case, but limit myself to a fixed number of patch-cables. This has helped me overcome the choice paralysis / procrastination barrier, especially when away from home as I can then take just the bare essentials.

[@GiorgioBertuccelli]

Amazing. Inspiring!!

[@nigeltedbury5805]

Thanks. Just had a fun hour playing with self oscillating filters and feedback loops, inspired by this video. :)

[@cold_fashioned]

Thank you for sharing!

[@waltmodul7948]

Then I realized ! One of your BEST unterständig electronic music KZbin’s .

[@ndzick718]

Fantastic!

[@mauromattei9779]

Love your approach to “non conventional” sounds

[@allisonwatling9565]

inspiring stuff

[@cnic7085]

Maybe it is more important to ave an 'instrument' through which you can express yourself more than a wall of the latest blinkenlights. I think I have found same. Thanks for posting this one.

Nice sounds... keep on looking for...

[@mrhs5220]

I remember seeing the video on the UBM and thinking, "Damn, that sounds a lot like an R54." Cool that you thought so too!

[@wilfig]

I know I'm late to the party, but I just had to say, that did NOT sound like the typical eurorack type of sound design I've always heard. I LOVED it! It sounded just like the test equipment you built it to emulate! I run a large format Dotcom Box 11 system. It's still in its infancy stage, but now I'm curious as to how I can achieve such a sound on a 5U system. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@RobertMaxwellMediaCorp]

Great work! It seems you put a lot of careful consideration into the modules you selected. I can relate to the feeling of being stuck within a certain sonic realm, or a mentality that limits your patches. For me, a little bit of alcohol helps me patch differently and discover new sounds, but a whole new system of awesome stuff sounds like a good approach too!

[@fonitronik]

Kudos!

[@DBPawlan]

Welcome back to Eurorack!

[@lydiafernandez80]

I finished this video, went to go tidy up and in the middle of doing dishes realized you have zero dedicated VCAs in your rack. Hardmode indeed you absolute madman.

[@Hainbach]

Ha, true. I have gotten so used living without them that even the single ringmod feels a lot.

[@__teles__]

These are stunning results. Bleeptiy Bloopity no more!

[@sauce_aux]

That feedback is loveyyyyy

[@PercivalThe23]

this resEQ is very good sounding,organic,have to take a closer look!

[@alphanumeric1529]

have been waiting for this vid...

[@zooblestyx]

Not until this moment did I understand how empty and hopeless my life is without a res eq.

[@illustriouschin]

I listen to Impluse Generator when I need to calm my troubled brain which is often. I was able to get some Hainbach-ish sounds out of my MFB Dominion and Sub37 and I was happy.

[@VirtualRiot]

9:28 heilige scheisse

[@notechno225]

Nice video! I had the same experience with going into Eurorack first. However I'm a guitarist originally so I'm used to using effects. So i focused on effect modules like the Strymon Magneto and the Mimeophone which helped me to make more interesting droney sounds instead of bleepy sounds... also got the Morphagene to make even weirder sounds.

[@Ambalek]

I like what you said about connecting emotionally to music. Connecting emotionally to music is a challenge no matter the instrument, but that's what makes music (or any creative work) special and worth doing. By the way, I feel like Pressure Points/Maths/Morphagene have some kind of indefinable "playable" quality that I don't get from most modules. Make Noise have a musical way of designing interfaces that I find more expressive than most of my gear. I can see why a lot of people would be perplexed by their modules though, they definitely require practice.

[@neuzethmusic131]

Good points! Connecting emotionally to your instrument is pretty much essential I would say. You should get the need to play with it, experiment, create.... Music making is and always should be a very emotinal thing.

[@Matthewsavant]

I’m in a similar situation my eurorack is in pieces and I’ve sold half of it because I feel like I keep falling into a trap where what I build is too simple, I’ve though about selling off all of my eurorack and heading elsewhere (like serge or maybe even buchla) but for now it’s all on hold until I can decide where I want to take it..I can definitely relate to needing that ‘nightmare mode’ difficulty. Your build has definitely given me some ideas

[@hiding_my_name]

Love the Doom reference!

[@Dudadius]

my brain just exploded.

[@lennert123]

Around 15:10 minutes you'll almost in EMS Synthi AKS theritory. Almost sounds like Pink Floyd - On the run. Also your drones sounds fantastic! Great sound! :-)

[@OneMinuteArchitecture]

The Cwejman DMF-2 around 16:00 sounds so good!

[@BadChizzle]

Being awesomely unique is very Cool! Now... if you can learn to use your new eurorack system to troubleshoot electronic circuits... you will have created an entirely new circle of bliss... 🦉✨

[@jurj4108]

It is such a beautiful instrument you just created there. Very inspiring, thank you 👍 :) Edit: I also want 4 beautiful Angels in my system..... :(

[@mistercheetah9717]

8:33 sounds exactly like a patch I had going tonight with my Novation Bass Station Rack and an Ekdahl Moisturizer interfacing with the Novation's(way ahead of its time) CV connections.

[@fernandomercado2711]

I just watched the Last and First Men movie trailer and the 15:30 really captures that style. The takeaway is: You need a 16mm camera (or filter effects)

[@VeganCheeseburger]

You're a madman (in a good way)

[@cryptout]

I completely agree, my modular takes effort to create something interesting. These all in one modules are to easy.

[@pierluigisalsano172]

Ottima sperimentazione

[@davidsimons5944]

I must admit all this test equipment makes me drool! I particularly enjoyed seeing that Willem Twee's studio. I was especially fascinated with your Grundig signalspeicher micro looper. How do you find these beauties? I rarely if ever see them on eBay. Cheers.

[@josepholiverstreeter-smith7821]

Resonant Equalizer + Saw Wave... Scientifically known as the brain tickle formula.

[@chromaticcurrents5629]

Nice!

[@nielshulgard3722]

Hi Hainbach, New subscriber to your channel incoming - hugely inspiring and very moving pieces, so thank you so much! Also wanted to ask, where would you start if considering getting into modular? I've been scouring your channel but haven't seen any finite 'recommendations'. Myself, I've been playing a piano for years, guitar for fewer, singing for a lot and recently picked up an OP-1 which has already been really inspiring. But the gear bug has bitten me, and now I am looking at modular for the tinkering aspect and something I can combine with the OP-1. I've been very moved by your OP-1 + Cocoquantus pieces like 'Friends I Lost', and the Cocoquantus seems so intriguing and inspiring. But being completely new to modular (aside from some electrical engineering basics from my degree), I fear it may not be the best place to start. So yeah, do you have any thoughts on modular starting point, or can you point me to a vid or some other resource where you've discussed this? Many thanks, Niels

[@krinklechaumix7777]

Hainbach : *unexpected doom reference* Me : *Swoon*

[@ninjaxhayabusa]

going to try to do a similar setup on my old Nord Micromodular. fixing up a reso EQ will be the hardest part, I reckon.

[@g-dragar2203]

Hi Hainbach! This is a very inspiring video! Thanks! What's your advice? what would I use instead of these modules: Cwejman RES-4, Dmf-2, Metasonic R-54, Serge Resonant eq. Thank you!

[@richardnipples7574]

Huh, i never thought about using an osc as a trigger source. Pretty neat trick!

[@Hainbach]

It is test equipment thing - you have to always think of ways to create the most basic musical forms, but the results are often so rewarding and unique.

[@gautrstafr]

In case anybody's interested, I recreated the setup in modulargrid: www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/1132726

[@henrikfisch]

_It's nightmare difficulty if we're playing Doom._ Hahaha ... I now know _EXACTLY_ the feeling how difficult it would be! :-)

[@burprobrox9134]

Love to see the audio path once it leaves the instrument. Also how you arrange, finalizing etc. not sure if you’re interested in sharing that part.

[@Hainbach]

Signal path: stereo DI to A&H Mixwizard, Alesis Quadraverb for wide reverb, Bugbrand Bus Comp, Telefunken M15 tape machine, Ableton. All arrangment done during analog stage.

[@blindianajones]

Love you sharing the journey and evolution. Not sure I will say this right. I struggle with feeling inspired from sequencers, knobs and cables. I have keyboard synths and eurorack. I also have guitars and an acoustic drum kit. I much prefer the tactile-ness of playing a guitar and drums vs a synth and modular. However, I love the sounds from the modular and synth. What am I missing that could help me feel more from the synths and modular? My compromise is using a sensor on a drum or a guitar pedal to bridge the gap to bleeps but then there is the limitation of the attack, sustain, decay and release of the respective instrument used. Thanks and I really enjoy these videos.

[@Hainbach]

Maybe something like the Touche? Looks really tactile.

[@blindianajones]

@@Hainbach Definitely on the right track. I need some interface to touch that is expressive. Maybe I just need to get various items to hit or pluck, mic them and use fx. By the way, that metasonix sounds amazing. I've looked for one and have yet to find one for sale.

[@mgscheue]

Have you had a look at the Buchla Red Panel 158 oscillator? It's quite test equipment-like and sounds really great.

[@Hainbach]

I heard the proto of that one years ago and it sounded astounding

[@sawyerk19]

7:07 - 7:45 ripped my brain apart with headphones on

[@mattypaxton]

Hi HAINBACH, thanks for this video. I always get excited for a new one :) What Eurorack case is that? Looks like it has just the right amount of space and filters :)

[@Hainbach]

That is a Clank Modular, happy with it

[@projectz975]

damnit! now im shopping for eurorack cases again 😭

[@niknayme3754]

Hainbach, have you considered getting an 8/16 track recorder and using the modular setup to lay down one track at a time? This might help to give you a reference point when recording, using the controls to fit the feel of the current track into what you are recording. Once tried this making noises on an Ultranova and surprisingly it came out OK.

[@Hainbach]

Not so much for me, I like writing a piece, rehearsing it and then recording it in one go.

[@niknayme3754]

@@Hainbach Wish I could do that, I simply don't have enough hands, and the ones I've got don't move quick enough :)

[@waltersmetak]

Good luck trying to find the Cwejman modules.

[@tomax2578]

More of the Berghainbach :D

[@MrRoskoPeko]

Have you tried a Benjolin module HAINBACH? I think it would be a worthy addition to your eurorack setup.

[@waltmodul7948]

Berghainnbach. Kommt in die Wörter Sammlung!

[@kenschestok9515]

is it possible the moog murf could substitute for the random source res eq? looking at the filter bands and the frequencies are mildly close. just popped into my head and i haven't yet tried it out. will let you know if i come up with anything although i cant compare. also any other recommendations for substitutes on some of your modules that are out of production and/or way too pricey for us non-professionals.

[@Hainbach]

Murf is fantastic, I need to get mine repaired. But isnt it it more expensive than a DIY ResEQ? Else, you can always look at Doepfer for cheaper yet quality replacements.

[@kenschestok9515]

@@Hainbach good point on cost, but i have had my murf for years and it could use a good work out since it has been neglected lately

[@boristheodd2644]

how did you got into making sounds for theatre? did you just send them some tunes and waited for response? did you have some friends in the business??

[@martinslatten1983]

resonant EQ? never seen one of those before outside of I guess a moog mf-105? i'm not super well versed with modular though

[@LeonMohrDrumming]

BerghainBach❤️

[@danielleohallisey4218]

I love what you’re doing here but it’s not until you get to the DMF-2 that I start hearing the same deep madness of your test equipment sounds...

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, the DMF-2 is amazing. Had it for almost ten years now and it's super important to my sound.

[@kauwgomboom]

Hi Hainbach, do you use an external sequencer with this system or do you just tune the oscillators and filters and get gates/triggers from the timetable? And do you still use this system now that COVID has struck?

[@Hainbach]

System is already different since I don't really travel anymore. Its folded into my studio rig. Right now I use only a few modules per patch, but combined with piano. I did not use a sequencer with this, except for the 0-Control one time.

[@kauwgomboom]

@@Hainbach Thanks for the super quick reply, I already imagined that not travelling your test equipment fulfills the role of this rack and more. I really love the sound and the approach to Stockhausen-like Neue Musik but living in an apartment with small kids without studio space I can't really build a test equipment wall. Would love to since the stuff is quite accessible here in the Netherlands. Would you advice getting into a rack like this or is there another approach that might be rewarding for a father of small kids with limited time and space?

[@edjwise]

Here we are a year later. Do you still have the same approach? Do you find that this set up is missing? Eurorack is always changing (and our ideas of what it should be are always changing) is it worth of revisiting this video now in 2021?

[@vinylarchaeologist]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mavQk6Sng5KBo5Y

[@skipper6528]

Hey Hainbach, I'm always looking thru your old videos and I have so many questions If you see this, could you please tell me what the filterbank at 5:22 is please? Cheers

[@Hainbach]

I can’t, it’s a custom job someone did.

[@skipper6528]

@@Hainbach oh wow Doepferesque early entry. cheers,looking forward to videos I haven't seen yet i'm slowly moving backwards thru your uploads. loved that new telecom beats one. professor... Godspeed

[@krowus3833]

Hi. Can you make video abaout ae modula? If you can, plese sey if you have problem with buy

[@johnmiddleton4291]

Great rack setup. I'm surprised you haven't looked into Buchla Red Panel stuff, as the original system 100 stuff really reminds me of lab equipment with more CV capabilities added. They have also recently announced that they will be doing through-hole kits of the system 100 stuff sometime this year as well. I'm much more excited for that than the red panel stuff, personally.

[@Hainbach]

I did not want to buy anything new, this all stuff I had in my rack. but red panel sounds gorgeous indeed

[@johnmiddleton4291]

I've been really considering diving into some of the 100 DiY stuff that is sold on modular addict and discussed on muffwiggler, but may wait to see how the official Buchla stuff pans out. Likely be a bit overpriced. Supposedly the Human Comparator that did the TTSH is involved. That said, I've actually got a Korg 2600 coming in the next month or so, whenever they start shipping, and have just finished building a 1601 sequencer clone for that. Maybe I should try being content for a few months.