An introduction to Eurorack Modulars

For sometime now I had been wanting to get myself a Eurorack modular synth but wasn’t fully versed in what I needed to actually make this happen. I was well aware of how one worked (this will be covered later) but not how to actually start without wasting a ton of money. I researched and patrolled forums, spoke to friends that owned modulars and generally took my time to make an educated decision on how to get my first system up and running.

Now I would like to pass some of that knowledge on. This article is intended to clear up some of the foggy entry points to Eurorack and make it a lot easier for people to get the systems they want at an affordable price. Please keep in mind because Eurorack Modulars are indeed fully modular, there is no one correct way to start your modular.

This intro video touches on a few of the topics covered here. I recommend watching it and reading the article as well.

What is a Eurorack Modular and why should I want one?

Eurorack is a modular synthesizer format, think of it like VST is a format for plug ins. Any module in Eurorack format can be placed into a Eurorack case (given you have the space and power allocation) and will work with other modules.  These modules range from basic  synthesis building blocks such as a Amplifier, mixer, Oscillator, envelope, filter etc. to more function and west coast school methods of synthesis such as Function generators (like the Make noise Maths) Flip flops, comparators, even digital control modules.   Continue reading →