Are Mutable Instruments Plaits & Intellijel Quadrax modular must haves? I'm only 3 patches in and I think the answer is a resounding YES!

Here I show them off in context with my first 3 patches and jams.

They are both very versatile modules and offer huge sonic and modulation possibilities depending on how you patch them. They might be the best value eurorack modules out there. I'm looking forward to going deeper with each of them.


Patch Notes:

Setup:
MC707 is providing percussion and effects (reverb, delay, compression)
MC707 is acting as my main mixer, typical with 2 channels for modular and the rest for onboard sounds
Keystep 37 is just acting as master clock, using midi to CV to keep eurorack and 707 in sync
Pico System 3 is acting as my modular mixer, with a bit of attenuation of output to avoid clipping in 707.


Patch #1:
Plaits in "pair of classic waveforms" mode. I'm using both Out and Aux outputs. Out is routed via Mutable Instruments Ripples for filtering (and using internal VCA) and is panned a bit to the left using 707. The AUX is routed through filter and VCA on Erica Synths Pico System 3, and panned a bit to the right.

3 Channels of Quadrax are in ASR envelope mode, to control the filters and VCAs. The final channel is in LFO model and sent to the Timbre input on Plaits to give some movement.

Mutable Marbles is providing sequencing. The t2 output is opening the VCA for the Plaits AUX out to give the 16th note line. t3, and X3 are providing gates and pitch to Plaits, with X3 multed to Ripples 1V/Oct to allow pitch tracking.


Patch #2:
Quadrax is acting as voice with Ch1 in LFO mode cranked up to audio rates (with some reverb and delay from MC707). To sequence the melody, the X2 output of Marbles is sent to CV A input of Quadrax which is mapped to the Rise control of Ch1, which corresponds to LFO rate (or pitch) and tracks 1V/Oct.

CV C is mapped to Level of Ch1 so is acting as a VCA, which is controlled by an AD enveloped from Ch2, which is turn is triggered by t2 gates.

Finally for Quadrax, Ch4 is in the LFO alternate mode called a "Low Frequency Vacillator" (basically a smooth loop random modulation source). This is modulating the timbre of the Quadrax voice via the Fall control which is mapped to CV D.

Plaits is in percussion mode, getting triggers from Marbles t2 to Trig input. Model switching is triggered by t3 carefully attenuverted by Shades so I can chose the models I want. The percussion is also getting pitch info from Marbles X3.


Patch #3:
Quadrax Ch1 and Ch2 both audio rate LFOs. The output of Ch2 is sent, via a VCA in Pico System 3, to frequency control of Ch1 to create FM. It hard to get nice ratios for FM here so I'm just rhythmically opening the VCA for brief percussing FM using a sequence from Marbles t1. Ch1 itself is sequence by t2 and controlled with Pico VCA and an AD envelope from Quadrax Ch3.

Plaits is in chord mode and getting filtered by Ripples (with a bit of drive). This voice is modulated by an AD envelope from Quadrax Ch4 and sequence by t2, X2 on Marbles.

There's an additional lead line from the 707 for this patch.



Instagram: @bellyful.of.bleeps
TikTok: @bellyful.of.bleeps


0:00 Intro & Patch #1
1:16 Patch #2
2:26 Patch #3


Enjoy this video?
Tip jar https://kofi.com/bellyfulofbleeps