Your favorite Random Module

memes_33 · Post by **memes_33** » Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:05 pm

+1 for nano rand. will never not have at least one. it's limited, yes, but it's so quick and easy to dial something in. the bursts are pretty usable compared to others like wogglebug IMO.

my one gripe is i wish it had a "range" knob to limit CV ranges on the random output, but that would probably make it bigger than 4hp.

i have yet to try a URA- looks cool, but i doubt i would use all of the features.

hyena · Post by **hyena** » Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:20 pm

no mention of the Frap Tools Sapel yet?
i don't have it (yet) but it seems like the most impressive of the bunch!

Ras Thavas · Post by **Ras Thavas** » Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:49 pm

I'll stay away from saying which random is "best", but will comment on the ones I've worked with.

I've owned a Plan B Heisenberg Generator, a WoggleBug, a Qu-Bit Chance and a Sapel. The Chance and Sapel were purchased to replace my Heisenberg, which unfortunately developed a fault.

All different flavors, all with strengths and weaknesses. The Wogglebug has been covered pretty extensively elsewhere, so not much to say there.

The Heisenberg unit is one of the Plan B modules that is mostly well regarded, and for me deservedly so. While it has it's downsides, namely weird pot ranges that aren't that ideal and vactrols that need a little time to "settle" when you change rates, I always found the smooth voltage very usable. The range and offset controls built into both the smooth and the stepped outputs were very good for dialing in the randomness.

Chance is a quite different take on a random module, and as I mentioned elsewhere on MW the attenuverters on the outputs combined with voltage control of almost everything make this a very flexible unit. Beyond the expected smooth and stepped, the wavetable and blend outputs add extra complexity. I've also found the Rhythm output to be more useful than I initially expected with my rhythmic patches.

The real favorite is the Sapel though. Beautiful build quality, very "musical" output, deep control over the range and flavor of randomness, and dual units. Everything works great, and using outside clock sources is easily done. One of these units in a small to medium system would be a perfect source of uncertainty.

Now that I've said all the good things, I should mention the very few annoyances. First, the switches are incredibly tiny. They're still easy to use usually, but reading the legends is almost impossible, you need to memorize their positions, fortunately not that tough to do. The main drawback though is reaching the switches, particularly the more or less random gate ones, with a full patch. This is a module that you'll be using all the outputs of when you patch it, and you just can't get in to switch those switches without temporarily pulling a cable when it's fully patched up.

Still, I think Sapel sets a new benchmark for random, and Chance is a great utility random module with a few unusual features.

boboter · Post by **boboter** » Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:58 pm

I'm currently digging into Chance and really like it so far.

But if you count a noise source as random module, my Quantum Rainbow 2 gets by far the most usage. I use at least half of the noise colors in every patch I make. Love it.

mdoudoroff · Post by **mdoudoroff** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 7:00 am

Ras Thavas wrote: Now that I've said all the good things, I should mention the very few annoyances. First, the switches are incredibly tiny. They're still easy to use usually, but reading the legends is almost impossible, you need to memorize their positions, fortunately not that tough to do. The main drawback though is reaching the switches, particularly the more or less random gate ones, with a full patch. This is a module that you'll be using all the outputs of when you patch it, and you just can't get in to switch those switches without temporarily pulling a cable when it's fully patched up.

I’ve been wondering about that. Frap’s modules look great in photos, but dark, thin-lined, low-contrast graphics are impractical.

srcodling · Post by **srcodling** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:21 am

URA is the most versatile one I've had and only 10hp. The cables are tightly packed, but the knobs are nicely spaced still.

Chopper · Post by **Chopper** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:30 am

Mutable instruments TIDES, with Parasite firmware, Two Drunks mode...
Great noise source at extreme settings, by the way...

Bob Loblaw · Post by **Bob Loblaw** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 12:05 pm

I've had a few random modules (MN Wiard Wogglebug, URA, Telephone Game, Turing Machine) over the years, but have never really gelled with any of them. I think the MN Wogglebug was my favorite of those, it lives a life of its own, which is both good and bad. Telephone Game was useful as well, but ultimately a bit boring to use and didn't produce enough interesting CV outs. I guess I just never gelled with the URA, could never memorize what the various inputs were for and I also think my unit was miscalibrated for a while. Even after calibrating it I just never used it much, or never got anything all that interesting out of it - but you know, a fantastic module in the right hands, it just never sat right with me.

Just got a Chance yesterday and finding it incredibly intuitive and fun to use. I'd sound stupid saying it's my favorite random module having only gotten it yesterday, but it really seems to be the real deal to me. So many useful inputs and outputs, easy to understand, and very playable/CV'able.

MARK27 · Post by **MARK27** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:36 pm

The Wogglebug was one of the first modules I bought. I picked up the nano-rand because it seemed so straight-forward and fast.

When I finally saw how Chance worked, I quickly realized that it is the expanded, more controllable version of the nano-rand. If I had a small case that I traveled with, it would have the nano-rand and I would have the Chance at home in the big permanent case.

The Chance and the WoggleBug are nicely complimentary.

RGB · Post by **RGB** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:46 pm

waveglider wrote:The SSF URA is a great random module in 10hp.

+1

robvec · Post by **robvec** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:48 pm

I always come back to the Doepfer a148. Simple dual S&H that seems to fulfil my random needs. I usually sample unused oscillator outputs with it which often adds an element of repetition to the signal it produces.

Wogglebug is fun but mine's currently in the BST...

Foghorn · Post by **Foghorn** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 4:09 pm

I love random CV sources and random trigger/gate sources.

I have Wogglebug, Doepfer A-149-1 RCV, an A-118 and an A-148 S&H if you can call that a random module (I guess it is part of a random CV generator).

Also a Synthrotak RND, a 2HP RND and a 2HP TM (turing machine).
I also have a Ladik R-120 RND (RND seems to be a popular name) and a Ladik S-090 Probability Skipper which I guess is random for triggers.

I guess I have to include the Ladik C-310 S&H-T&H module.

Streams has a Lorentz attractor and Peaks has some random functions.

I like them all, but I especially like the o_C module.
I have had it for 6 or 8 weeks and I do not believe I have used 10% of it’s capability.

I also really like Nano-Rand. I wish they still made those, I would buy another one.

.
But once again let me say that the most important random related module is the Offset/Attenuator.
I have 2 Doepfer A-183-2 Offset-Attenuator modules that sit right in front of 2 quantizers.
But more importantly I now have 15 (well 2 on the way) Pulplogic Att-Off, attenuator Offset tiles.
Without these most of the random modules would be hard to impossible to use.

Oh, I just bought an SSF-WMD SPO today (Scaler-Polarizer-Offset Generator)
Guess I have 18 of the best random enabling modules that i can think of.

Foghorn

PS I will have to save this so I can post it in the next "What is your most favorite random module" threads. The last one was 2 months ago.

beepbeep · Post by **beepbeep** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 5:27 pm

Foghorn wrote:But once again let me say that the most important random related module is the Offset/Attenuator.
I have 2 Doepfer A-183-2 Offset-Attenuator modules that sit right in front of 2 quantizers.
But more importantly I now have 15 (well 2 on the way) Pulplogic Att-Off, attenuator Offset tiles.
Without these most of the random modules would be hard to impossible to use.

Could you elbaorate on this a bit for us less knowledgeable ones. How are you using the offsets/attenuators with your random modules.

Timmy · Post by **Timmy** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 5:44 pm

Foghorn wrote:I like them all, but I especially like the o_C module.
I have had it for 6 or 8 weeks and I do not believe I have used 10% of it’s capability.

The Turing Machine/LFSR, Logistic Map, ByteBeats and integer sequences available in the Copiermaschine and Quantermain apps are all good sources of clocked random or semi-random voltages, with or without quantisation enabled. However, the byte beats equations in the Viznutcracker, sweet! app are also useful as semi-random CV sources, not just as audio noise/merzbow sources, either free-running with CV over frequency/rate, or clocked. Put them through a slew limiter to get smoother versions.

Foghorn · Post by **Foghorn** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:05 pm

.

beepbeep wrote:
Foghorn wrote:But once again let me say that the most important random related module is the Offset/Attenuator.
I have 2 Doepfer A-183-2 Offset-Attenuator modules that sit right in front of 2 quantizers.
But more importantly I now have 15 (well 2 on the way) Pulplogic Att-Off, attenuator Offset tiles.
Without these most of the random modules would be hard to impossible to use.
Could you elbaorate on this a bit for us less knowledgeable ones. How are you using the offsets/attenuators with your random modules.

Most random sources or LFO’s etc. output 0 to 5 volts or -5V to +5V or 0 to 8V.
This is way too much range for most modules to accept usefully.

Take an LFO and feed it into a quantiser driving a VCO.
You will get a stream of notes going from very low to super high.
Now attenuate the LFO and you may get just a couple of notes. A short repeating arpeggio.

Now how do you control where in the scale these notes are, with offset.
Offset lets you move the attenuated signal up or down.
Do not confuse offset with attenuverters. They do not offset.

Modules like clouds, Morphogene, Echophon or Erbe-Verb really like modulation, and random modulation is sometimes perfect for these.
But they do not want wildly sweeping voltages, just gentle modulations.

Sound sources like Braids, DPO or Mysteron and Telharmonic benefit hugely from modulation.
And again random CV sources are sometimes great. But use full output from a CV source and the frequency is going to go from screaming to just bup-bup-bup (really slow).

Many modules like modulation, even 3 or 4 inputs of it.
If you input un-attenuated mod signals, the module may sound rather crazy.
There are times for that, but there are also times for gentle modulation.

Adding to this if you are using an Att-Off to attenuate a CV that is modulating something, you can turn the attenuation
all the way down and then the Att-Off output becomes a variable voltage source.
Turn the offset knob up and down and the voltage goes up and down, it is good for performance modulation control.

I could cite examples all day but the point is, gentle modulation sounds natural and easy.

Subtle the modulation should be

Ha, my new catch phrase.

I hope this helps.

Foghorn.

PS I wrote this reply 3 times but MW keeps erasing it.

I had to go and write it in word and cut-n-paste it here.
It was a lot better and longer but

EDIT: added some of the info that I had the first time before it went away.

beepbeep · Post by **beepbeep** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:29 pm

Thanks Foghorn, very helpful. The attenuators I understood, but figured someone might have been scratching their head. I have several Synth Tech modules which definitely need them. Offsets are something I've not played with yet.

funqpatrol · Post by **funqpatrol** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 7:54 pm

Sold the URA because I couldn't figure out half of its functionalities ( and some are quite obscure and not very intuitive) got a chance instead and wouldn't look back. Great fun with immediate and "predictable" results. Would love to try the verbos too.

Mirrorad · Post by **Mirrorad** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 9:02 pm

Pittsburgh Modular Game System

BLogic12 · Post by **BLogic12** » Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:30 pm

The eloquencer and benjolin are my new favorite random modules

Post by **Paranormal Patroler** » Fri Jun 23, 2017 8:11 am

+1 on the ADDAC501, I've said it a few times, but I love having Max/Min internally on the module and the Brownian mode for frequency of change and value is priceless.

I also sometimes use the internal noise source of the Synthtech E102 for random. I guess if a loop option comes along it would work like a Turing Machine?

What I also like about these modules is that they have more than one output which means you can have similar (but no identical) random options for various places in your system.

clusterchord · Post by **clusterchord** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 11:44 am

wogglebug 1 - i sold it to finance so other stuff in moment of insanity, but miss its crazy uncontrolled side, and also i loved using it to cv stuff in audio range. will pick one up again soon.

266R - original Roman's clone of SOU. FRV are beautiful sounding and constantly in use. SH and ALT as well. not crazy about noise - its an ancient digi chip with audible loop. so i usually feed analog noise from elsewhere like STG .SHN

i do a lot of pseudo random with e350 in lfo range thru attenuators and TWF, feeding a cv loopback to e350. similar with selfpatching batumi via triatt.

probably going to try O_C. would like Verbos, but my ratio is telling me to get something further away conceptually from 266, to complement what i have with something fresh. need to update Batumi first tho.

deke · Post by **deke** » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:08 pm

Foghorn wrote:.
beepbeep wrote:
Foghorn wrote:But once again let me say that the most important random related module is the Offset/Attenuator.
I have 2 Doepfer A-183-2 Offset-Attenuator modules that sit right in front of 2 quantizers.
But more importantly I now have 15 (well 2 on the way) Pulplogic Att-Off, attenuator Offset tiles.
Without these most of the random modules would be hard to impossible to use.
Could you elbaorate on this a bit for us less knowledgeable ones. How are you using the offsets/attenuators with your random modules.
Most random sources or LFO’s etc. output 0 to 5 volts or -5V to +5V or 0 to 8V.
This is way too much range for most modules to accept usefully.

Take an LFO and feed it into a quantiser driving a VCO.
You will get a stream of notes going from very low to super high.
Now attenuate the LFO and you may get just a couple of notes. A short repeating arpeggio.

Now how do you control where in the scale these notes are, with offset.
Offset lets you move the attenuated signal up or down.
Do not confuse offset with attenuverters. They do not offset.

Modules like clouds, Morphogene, Echophon or Erbe-Verb really like modulation, and random modulation is sometimes perfect for these.
But they do not want wildly sweeping voltages, just gentle modulations.

Sound sources like Braids, DPO or Mysteron and Telharmonic benefit hugely from modulation.
And again random CV sources are sometimes great. But use full output from a CV source and the frequency is going to go from screaming to just bup-bup-bup (really slow).

Many modules like modulation, even 3 or 4 inputs of it.
If you input un-attenuated mod signals, the module may sound rather crazy.
There are times for that, but there are also times for gentle modulation.

Adding to this if you are using an Att-Off to attenuate a CV that is modulating something, you can turn the attenuation
all the way down and then the Att-Off output becomes a variable voltage source.
Turn the offset knob up and down and the voltage goes up and down, it is good for performance modulation control.

I could cite examples all day but the point is, gentle modulation sounds natural and easy.

Subtle the modulation should be

Ha, my new catch phrase.

I hope this helps.

Foghorn.

PS I wrote this reply 3 times but MW keeps erasing it.
I had to go and write it in word and cut-n-paste it here.
It was a lot better and longer but

EDIT: added some of the info that I had the first time before it went away.

Thank you so much for this. Along with all the great info here, this may be in my top five. I have a A-156 and quickly discovered this issue. I had been using Maths plus Triatt to offset signals, but just ordered a ALM Busy Circuits O/A/x2 Dual Offset Attenuverter to dedicate to this. Hope I made a good choice! Alas, if I could go back in time, I probably would go for a case with a 1U rack for this and other utilities I am discovering... The price of noob-ness?

motorhead412 · Post by **motorhead412** » Thu Jan 10, 2019 12:42 pm

Wogglebug / NLC Hypster

mmpingo · Post by **mmpingo** » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:12 pm

So many votes for Wogglebug, but there's something very similar, evolved from Wiard Wogglebug - the Erica Synths Swamp. Are there persons having experience with both MN Wogglebug and Swamp? If you had to choose between the two, which you'd pick?

yellowecho · Post by **yellowecho** » Thu Jan 10, 2019 3:39 pm

Wogglebug and Random Sampling are my favorites so far. I like using the clock on the Wogglebug as a master and use the stepped random quite often. I don't get a lot of use out of the noise sources though. The Random Sampling is killer and I use everything.. the noise sources are extremely versatile as well. If I were to only choose one I'd go with Random Sampling!

With that said, I've been GASing for a Turing Machine since forever.

MOD WIGGLER

MOD WIGGLER

Your favorite Random Module