3 cheap utility modules and 21 things to do with them: Takaab RLFO | Doepfer A-160-2 | Ladik A-410
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2024
- This video focuses on three small, cheap utility modules that I think offer a huge amount of bang for your Eurorack buck: the Takaab RLFO, which is a combined LFO, noise source and sample & hold; the Doepfer A-160-2 clock divider; and the Ladik A-410, a voltage-controlled crossfader and panner.
I really want to show that you don’t need to spend loads of money on big, fancy, expensive modules to add a heap of new functionality to your case, and that sometimes a £55 4HP utility module might be a better investment than, say, a new oscillator if you want to get more out of your system.
The demos here largely show techniques that you might use as part of a larger patch, rather than complete patches as such, and while I hope beginners will find most of them interesting, some of them might feel a bit basic if you’ve been using modular for a while, so feel free to skip around via the timing index.
Hopefully you’ll get some ideas for things to try in your own setup even if you don’t own these exact modules, because the key functions here - sample and hold, crossfading and clock dividing - are pretty common. As always, please like, subscribe, comment and share if you’ve enjoyed this, and I’ll be back soon.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro and preview
01:53 Takaab RLFO
02:23 Simple clock
02:45 Modulation LFO
02:57 Noise-based percussion
03:27 Stepped & smooth random
04:07 Sampling modulation
05:10 Per-note random voltage
06:02 Analogue downsampling
07:51 Doepfer A-160-2
08:57 Simple drum patterns
09:34 Complex drum patterns
11:15 Timed switch controller
11:52 Simple stepped modulation
12:50 Pitch sequencer
14:07 Complex stepped modulation
14:59 Sub-oscillator
16:30 Ladik A-410
17:03 Audio crossfader
17:46 CV crossfader
18:13 Voltage-controlled switch
18:43 Simple VCA
19:16 Waveform splicer
20:05 Voltage-controlled stereo panner
21:41 Voltage-controlled signal router
Here's the previous video I mentioned about using a clock divider as a subharmonic oscillator: • How to turn a clock di...
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I don't think there is anyone else who explains things in the most economical and precise way , everything you say flows and is very easy to understand even though you speak fast , amazing ..
Thank you - appreciate the kind feedback! :)
Nice to find tips for modules that will not induce more wife aggro, appreciated Tom.
You really make me miss having Modular Time. Thanks for the jolt of inspiration!
Most recent 2 modules I bought are the A160-2 Clock Divider & A-182-2 Precision Adder and I can't believe I ever patched without them! I've had a Pam's since I first got into modular but I really dig the immediacy of the A-160-2. Pam's is great but my eyes aren't so that has to be factored in also. Top vid man, cheers!
Sweet Info
I wish i saw this when i started but 5 years later
It’s still an immeasurable ressource of information
Cheers
Definite Subscriber
Thanks, glad you found it useful! :)
really nice to see someone putting out this kind of thing. cheers!
Very useful info and good demos, and not trying to sell more expensive gear that we don't really need, rather , affordable and practical tools. Thankyou.
Thanks for watching - glad it was helpful!
Very useful tutorials, these! Thanks for giving me some ideas to try out on my own system. Much appreciated.
Great video Tom. Thank you
Another great video - thanks Tom!
Cheers SynthDad!
lovely case
I recently discovered your content and I’m finding it incredibly helpful. Great stuff!
Yes! +1
Thanks both! Glad to hear it :)
@@TomChurchill More on affordable modules would be great... it's very discouraging when everyone just goes on about stuff that costs several hundred quid a pop - especially when you can replicate it using much cheaper modules.
Great tips! Thanks!
Great vid!
Amazing! Thank you
Clock dividing on my modulor 114 was always hit or miss even with the quantizer .✌️👽
TOM excelled yet again , so much to cogitate absorb , my minds doing somersaults so will have to watch many times , super info, many thanks
Are you looking at Tip Top Buchla modules, Elevator sounds have fresh delivery in as in Newsletter tonight????
Cheers thanks🆒👍🎶🎶🎶🌟🌟🌟
Cheers Martin! Yeah, I'm seriously considering pre-ordering the 245t sequencer but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I didn't bother with the oscillator as I have the Dannysound Cali Osc which is pretty similar. The quad function generator is also quite tempting though. So many modules, so little time/space/spare cash! :)
@@TomChurchill yeah it’s the waiting, I’d like the Buchla TT LPG module, still no news on that, chips????? Not sure
Really appreciate all you do to ignite our little Grey Cells😃😄😆👍
Thanks for this. What have you got your behringer racks mounted in. It looks like a really neat solution.
Cheers! It’s one of these - cheap, works well and has two options for the angle: www.nutshellstudio.co.uk/product-page/6u-dual-angle-desktop-rack
Perfect! Thanks.
I have a couple takaabs: a LPG wich im really happy with (im even thinking on a second one) and an attenuattor, wich have some weak knobs... it was so cheap tho, so i cannot complain. I also have a quantizer from Doepfer. As im making bigger my modular set up, I have not so much uses to it. Anyways I like it, even I find it like medium quality (I dont like so much the input jacks)
To the moment Im seriously thinking for the crossfader [1f] and Ochd from Instruo (and DivKid) as I have a few this few modules of low quality and I want to keep it mostly with good components
Anyways Its a superb video and It teachs a lot about how modular works, also really thinking on get them, as they seem to be so useful!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it. I can highly recommend the Ochd too - excellent build quality and really useful. I use it all the time...
Do Takaab only send from Thailand? From their Etsy account I think they are also "based" somehow in the UK, but it's not clear?
@@pixelfrenzy they send from Thailand, also from UK. If you live there its faster and kinda cheaper. I live in Galiza, (Northwest Spain) and i prefered shipping from Thai the two times. Brexit was a game changing and not for good this time...
@@pixelfrenzy I bought mine via their UK eBay store - www.ebay.co.uk/usr/siammodularuk - they have stock in the UK
@@TomChurchill For the record - I ordered an RLFO via eBay but they had no stock in the UK so had to send it from Thailand. Took 2.5 weeks (including a postal strike and a public holiday), so not very fast but I'm very happy with the module and use it pretty much every day.
I’m a big fan of Doepfer modules and have ten or so- including the a160-2 and a160-5, both of which I highly recommend. However, I’ve never taken a punt on either Takaab or Ladik gear, despite the latter doing what appear be some damn’ fine modules. Have you gained any negative impressions of either, or are they simply excellent value modules?
Only positive impressions from me so far! The Ladik stuff has very similar build quality and aesthetic to Doepfer - quite 'functional' and basic but solid. The Takaab has a plastic/PCB front panel rather than metal so feels slightly cheaper, but build quality is great. I think they're both simply great value brands with lots of useful tools...
I've heard some audio demos of the Takaab dual LPG and it sounds excellent.
I've got the Ladik stereo mixer (the big one with sliders) and it's just fine. The rubbery tips on the sliders aren't super well attached, but the ergonomics overall are excellent.
How do you find your little red oscilloscope? Torn between a zero scope vs just picking the red one up for some basic audio information. Does it cause an any noise in your system, any regrets? Thanks!
No noise for me, and no regrets... if you just want to see a basic representation of one audio signal at a time and don't mind it living outside the rack, then for ~£30 it's pretty great value I think!
I have a matriarch which was my gateway to modular style patching. I am looking to expand . I wanted to go more west coast possibilities and add interesting modulating . Any advice where to start ? I feel like it has the noise making modules and a good filters as a base line
If you're interested in West Coast stuff then maybe consider an LPG and a function generator? Make Noise Optomix and Maths would probably complement the Matriarch quite well. Or maybe some of the Tiptop Buchla modules. For interesting modulation I love the New Systems Instruments Inertia too...
@@TomChurchill thanks funnily enough I was thinking of preordering the tiptop quad low pass gate haha
How are the behringer racks and power supplies? I’ve been tempted, but I don’t want to fry all my modules on a bad power supply or introduce noise etc.
I’ve got three of them in total now and have never had an issue, touch wood. Nothing fried and no noise issues. Build quality is very good. The racks do have sliding nuts rather than threaded inserts, but it’s hard to complain about much else given the price…
@@TomChurchill thanks. I might consider getting one for testing modules before they go into my main rack, or any DIY stuff I eventually do..!
Is there a possibility that you could talk a little faster ?
Talking to fast, can't follow
Try putting the subtitles on - sorry, I can’t really help the way I speak!
@@TomChurchill good to know either way 😘
Tnx for creating the video, much obliged!
@@HarisCupinayou can change playback speed of the video, I often speed things up ha but Toms gait is bang on for me 😂
@@jamescox1278 true that, 0.75 speed is suitable enough to follow, much obliged for this idea!