Originally Posted by mkdvb

If you've filled 400hp with modules, obviously there's no need to ask the question but if you're asking the question, consider flipping it: how can the Matriarch expand any euro modules you might be interested in? A lot, it turns out.

I've got a video planned for this weekend broaching this subject of the Matriarch & eurorack but in general, I think flipping your question works best for a "euro-casual" synthesist like myself.

I can't afford either money or time-wise to build out alternative synths in euroland so it takes a specific module or sound to interest me. This time around, it was the Instruo Lubadh. But most eurorack modules need "help" to take them really interesting places.

Other than VCAs, Matriarch's got a lot of utilities that small racks (or semi-modulars) often lack so it's a great way to really dive into eurorack slowly without having to build a complete system right away when you don't even know what you're doing yet.

The Matriarch is pretty damn "complete" as a standalone instrument. Not sure if there's anything it "needs" other than maybe slew unless you just wanna change its character completely. I like random sources but I'm happy with just combining the 2 onboard LFOs while using one to modulate the rate of the other.

I love the idea of VCVRack but hate using it in practice. Nowhere near as enjoyable as real patching for me.

Originally Posted by percussion boy

Somehow, I always picture your living space as an airplane hangar full of synths, all turned on—except for two square meters of free space in the corner, with a fridge and a microwave, where you go to eat your meals.


Mind you, this is not a criticism.

Originally Posted by string6theory

That actually sounds cool.

Alas, my synth setup and a small control room tracking/mixing section are in our family room, which I've almost completely taken over, save for what used be the dining room, which we converted into or TV/movie and chill area. So, it's now a bigger family area room. The new dining room is planned as a phase-4 house remodel project and will extend that chill-out FR section, as really should have been done when this home was built.

The main studio space is a garage conversion with a CR and LR, currently in process and planned o be finished in the next 6 months or so.

Here's how the FR layout looks... note, the M will be moved to the LR, not placed in the center of the circle as shown in the render. And, the PB + Mini XD Mods and Osmose pre-order will hopefully be added soon!


It does look pretty cool when everything is turned on and all the colored lights are twinkling.

Originally Posted by percussion boy

Very nice.

What’s the mixer, to the right of the poster with the red guitar?

Originally Posted by string6theory

Thanks, that's my new Toft ATB-08M! What a sexy gem... I also picked up the big brother 16M for the new CR!

Originally Posted by mkdvb

Maybe I am misunderstanding but since both LFOs have a patch point for RATE, can't they be synced to any pulse sent to them?

Originally Posted by Portray

If you want an LFO that are tempo synced to a DAW and want divisions of that tempo you cant do that with Matriarchs LFOs due to that the LFOs are fully analog. @ kpatz knows more about this. According to him analog LFOs do not do that task very well. But digital LFOs can do that. Before I bought the Expert Sleepers modules I tried to clock the main LFO from Matriarchs clock out to both rate in and sync in with no success.

Originally Posted by kpatz

The LFO rate input is a CV, the voltage sent to this patch point controls the rate (speed) of the LFO, same as turning the rate knob.

The main LFO also has a sync in that resets the phase of the LFO. This could be used to retrigger (reset the phase of), but not rate sync, the LFO to the tempo pulses from the arp/seq. By using the sync in and setting the rate accordingly, you can get a tempo synced waveform, but it won't adjust if the tempo changes.

For a true tempo synced LFO, you need one that is digital, as digital LFOs can calculate the exact rate needed to sync to a tempo.

Originally Posted by kpatz

The LFO rate input is a CV, the voltage sent to this patch point controls the rate (speed) of the LFO, same as turning the rate knob.

The main LFO also has a sync in that resets the phase of the LFO. This could be used to retrigger (reset the phase of), but not rate sync, the LFO to the tempo pulses from the arp/seq. By using the sync in and setting the rate accordingly, you can get a tempo synced waveform, but it won't adjust if the tempo changes.

For a true tempo synced LFO, you need one that is digital, as digital LFOs can calculate the exact rate needed to sync to a tempo.

Originally Posted by Jorg

So basically the LFO rate in allows us to modulate the LFO rate but not to set the speed of it?