From Dieter Doepfer, the fine fellow who coined “Eurorack,” the Basic System 3 looks like a true return to form. This is an open-ended analog system with some room to grow, revealed in a new teaser to start out our week.
Doepfer’s vision of Eurorack has always been gloriously utilitarian. Everything is always clearly laid out and labeled; you really build the character by patching. And it’s not that there isn’t personality to the sound, but it’s often a versatile combination of some of the best-loved, tried-and-true circuitry.
Now, don’t get me wrong – it’s great that the ever-diverse ecosystem of Eurorack has plenty of bonkers, idiosyncratic systems packed with modules. But the Basic System 3 embodies the essence of the Doepfer approach: make the best tools accessible. It’s immediately apparent that you could learn modular synthesis on this, and still save 20 HP or more to add some customization.
It’s a logical update to the past Basic Systems – basic, without being basic. Thanks to a lot of smart new modules with extra facilities, there’s really quite a lot beyond just vanilla in there.
We don’t know much about this system other than this first image, but recognizing the modules, it’s pretty easy to follow. You’ve got a balanced selection here of noise, oscillators, wave multipliers for some timbral variety, filters, amplifiers, envelopes, and mixing and signal processing – now with some stereo mixing for the output. This is really the basic soup stock of modular, and it’s not hard to imagine in an electronic music classroom or lab, for instance.
Here’s what the Doepfer folks say:
The new basic system 3 from Doepfer is a return to Dieter Doepfer’s original vision of analogue modular synthesis. Modules can be connected via front panel audio and CV connectors and used in infinite combinations. The Basic System 3 is an easily accessible and well-structured system that can be used by enthusiasts and beginners alike.
The system is available in four different cabinets. The LC6V and LC9V low-cost vintage cabinets and the P6 and P9 cases.
All systems have at least 20 HP of free space to adapt the system to the needs of each user.
No word on pricing yet, but the “low-cost” part sounds appealing to me, and Doepfer’s modules are often the most competitive. Of course, you don’t really need to restrict yourself to Basic System 3 – you can easily look at this and map out your own Doepfer-based system, mixed however you like.
Posted via Facebook; looks like the site isn’t updated yet.
While we wait for the site update, though, let’s enjoy this image of the A-100 system in an X-Ray.
Now we get to find out what airport security at Berlin Brandenburg Airport see as often as they do, like, clothes, presumably. Look, just whatever you do with modular, if you’re planning to travel try to make your system look as unthreatening as you possibly can.
Oh and for still more fun – this A-100-inspired album and really Eurorack-inspired music video, “Das Modul.”
