Just watched a few demos of Mos Lab modulars, and was very impressed how close it sounds to the model D. I have always tried to avoid the modular route, but having a way more flexible system with the sound of the model D? 6 oscillators and a fixed filter bank? Anyone care to talk me out of it?
Aside from your girlfriend or wife, or banker, I don’t see who could object ? Especially here!
Why did you try to avoid the modular route?
I play, produce and engineer all of my music (as well as maintain most of the gear), which consists of more than 10 different instruments. So having a modular would just eat up all of my time, because I know I would not stop experimenting with it. And i like simplicity as much as possible. To me the only modular system I really like is the old Moogs. I like the look of the dotcom stuff, but the sound is not really my bag of tea. Hearing the Mos Lab, I was stunned how much it sounded like my mini. So I’m thinking 6 oscillators and a LPF/HPF/coupler and FFB as well as some dotcom control modules and case might be just what I need. No sequencer, no crazy modules, just an extension of the minimoog. But I was hoping someone would tell me I don’t need it, because I really don’t, it’s mostly gear lust. However, if I sell of some other stuff, maybe it would work.
You’d be a fool to think that once you get started with a modular, you could limit/control yourself…
However, if I sell of some other stuff, maybe it would work.
As long as, once you get rid of all your current gear you start selling your body on a regular basis, I guess that could work maybe ? lol !
I wonder if anyone had ever sold their body for synth modules.
Nice thing with modular of course is that you can build it up over time, you don’t actually need to sell both kidneys at the same time 
Seriously, the modules are not that expensive and you can easily build a cabinet yourself.
Yeah, but Mos Lab is in France, so I’d have to order at the most twice in order to get the modules I wanted at a decent shipping price. It’s a stupid idea, I just sometimes have ideas about different things i could do with a modular synth, and this is when I think my setup is inadequate. But I should take my own advice and concentrate on what I have and think creatively on how to keep it fresh.
Thanks, I’ll bear that in mind before replying to one of your posts again.
Fyv,
I think he was thinking that the stupid idea was his decision to get modules, not your suggestion to build a cabinet.
Un,
I personally think that 6 oscs is a bit of overkill without a couple of envgens and VCAs to complete the package. That way you could have two, three osc independent synth voices with plenty of filtering. So that’s a three voice Minimoog (9 Oscs!). Also, you might want to consider the COTK FFB instead of the MOSLAB because it includes the individual outputs for each octave. I believe that all of them can be powered with a dotcom power supply but you might want to verify that. And then theres a lot of folks that say that the MOTM 440 is the most Moogy sounding filter. See how it gets out of hand very quickly? lol
As my modular synth is growing, I can see how every tiny addition to it does wonders for the sound and creates another possibility. I believe that unless you are a creature of zenlike discipline you won’t be able to resist.
Eric
It’s not a stupid idea. And I’m sure unfiltered37 was not implying that those who have one are (I hope)…
It can become a stupid idea IF one doesn’t control himself and can’t stop buying new modules every week while struggling to pay the rent or mortgage… But most people are reasonnable.
I compare modular synths to Lego blocks (the old type) where you can create any sound you want
Wheras a “regular” synth will only go so far in versatility.
One of my friends has recently decided to go the modular way based on MOTM modules. He has built his own casing and is awaiting his second 300 VCO module so far. He will definitely not have to sell his body, or parts of it, anytime soon, even though he has a mortgage, a car, and a Yamaha Grand Piano to pay…
Oh, and his girlfriend is encouraging him to build it… Now that’s a real girlfriend! 
All that being said, and all joking aside, I’m not sure that selling the gear one already has in order to finance the building of a modular is wise. Some of it, maybe. But not all. So why not keep it instead, and add a modular to it ? And a modular doesn’t need to be massive right away? A new module averaging $300 every 3-6 months or so isn’t going to break the bank. The key is to resist the temptation of buying one every week if one can’t afford it…
I’m not! I try to be, but it’s SOOO difficult when one has a mostly empty cabinet in one’s basement knowing full well that it’s not doing anyone any good sitting in a damp basement… 
I think it’s a stupid idea for me, at least for now. I would have to sell something, then wait 4 or more months for it to arrive and pay out the ass for shipping. I have way more than enough at my disposal to make the music I have in my head, and more gear means more headaches. I just heard the sound of the Mos Lab and realized that’s exactly the sound I want from a modular. The main reason I would want a modular is so I could explore monophonic playing with multiple intervals and different octaves stacked, so basically more oscillators. I would like to have each oscillator going through a fader box, so I can play the faders in real time, kinda like drawbars on an organ. Also I’d like to put separate envelopes on certain oscillators. I’d also like to have envelopes that can introduce different effects over time, like a voltage controlled overdrive.
Another cool thing I saw was having effects busses triggered by MIDI keys, so pressing a key will turn on a bus connected to ring mod for example, or multiple effects triggered on and off by playing/releasing a chord.
Is there a way to mod a model D to be able to control a modular?
One way could be to install Kevin Lightner’s OptoKey device that, aside from offering a maintenance-free keyboard for life, also offers the benefits of MIDI. With a MIDI-to-CV you could control parts of a modular.
The only drawback is that it costs the price of about 2 modules…(and you have to send your precious Mini to California and back for installation).
But it does increase its value tremendously too.
There’s currently a Mini on eBay that goes for $7K+ because it has such a device installed…
What about gate/pitch out, is that possible?
I guess a simple DIY buffer board that would take the CV and GATE signals coming out of the keyboard, at the Cinch-Jones keyboard connection underneath the mod wheels, could be something not too complicated to do…? (a couple of op-amps should do it)
On a side note, and off topic, I finally got my hands on a digital ESR Meter and checked all the electrolytic caps in my Minimoog D, and all of them are in excellent condition despite being 37 years old! They are all high quality Matsushita, so that can account for that. I’m glad I won’t have to recap my Mini. (the 3 big ones on the rectifier board have already been replaced however despite being okay but less than stellar as all the others.)