System Setup¶

5 min read

Welcome to the MICRORACK ecosystem! This guide will help you set up your system and make your first sounds in minutes.

Power Up

Before you begin, ensure you have:

Headphones or a speaker with 3.5mm or 6.3mm Jack
Power Bank, USB Charger or DC-Jack Power Supply
Breadboard, Power & Output Modules (included in all Kits)

What's in the Box?¶

A typical MICRORACK Kit includes:


Breadboard	Your canvas for building and patching (830-point recommended)
Modules	MICRORACK building blocks (power, oscillator, filter, output, etc.)
Cable Set	Silicon patch wires, alligator clip, chaining jumpers

Quick Start¶

Follow the steps below to power up your system and create your first patch.

Powering Up¶

Breadboard¶

A breadboard is the base platform where you will build your MICRORACK system. It distributes power and provides mechanical support for all your modules.

Compatible full-size 830 tie-point breadboards are included in every MICRORACK Kit and widely available online or at local electronics stores.

Breadboard

MICRORACK modules use only the Horizontal Power Rails located on the top and bottom of the breadboard; these rails provide power to all your modules.

For more details on breadboards check out the Breadboard page.

Modules alignment¶

Every MICRORACK module has a distinct triangular cutout (notch) on the PCB. It helps to orientate modules and properly place them on your breadboard with notch at the bottom.

Cutout orientation example

FYI: All MICRORACK modules polarities are protected, so if you accidentally plug a module in backwards — they simply won't work until you align power rails properly.

Power Module¶

The Power Module is the fundamental utility module in MICRORACK System. It converts the power from your source to stable voltages required by modules and expands power connection to other breadboards. More details

Output Module¶

The Output Module is the main audio output interface for your MICRORACK system. It provides a standard 3.5mm headphone jack and a volume control knob. More details

Connecting the power¶

Identify the Power Rails: Most breadboards have two sets of rails on the top and bottom. These will carry the voltages to all your modules.
Insert the Power Module First: Place the Power Module anywhere on your breadboard. Ensure all pins are firmly seated in the power rails.
Check Orientation: Ensure the triangular notch is pointing towards you.
Plug your power adapter into the Power Module.
Check the LEDs: The Power Module should have indicator LEDs. If they light up, your system is ready!

Tip: One Power Module can power multiple breadboards if they are chained together. See the Power & Expansion section for more details.

Hot-Swapping¶

While MICRORACK modules are designed to tolerate hot-swapping the best practice is to power off your setup before rearranging.

It is okay to add or remove modules while everything is powered on but requires an extra bit of caution.

Quick Checklist¶

Before powering on:

☐ All modules inserted with notch at bottom
☐ Power Module firmly seated in power rails
☐ Volume turned down on Output Module
☐ No loose wires or metal objects on the breadboard
☐ Power supply has correct interface (Type-C or DC Jack), voltage rating (5V-12V) and polarity (Center-Positive)

What If Nothing Happens?¶

No LEDs: Check power supply connection and polarity.
Module doesn't work: Check orientation — notch should be at the bottom.
Intermittent power: Ensure all pins are fully inserted into the breadboard.

First Patch¶

Let's make some noise! This "Hello World" patch will guide you through the basics of signal flow in MICRORACK.

Kit 1: The Drone (VCO → Output)¶

Goal: Hear your first sound — a continuous tone.

What You Need¶

1× VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator)
1× Output Module (mod-out-35 or mod-out-63)
1× Patch cable (jumper wire)
Headphones or speakers

Instructions¶

Insert the VCO: Place your VCO module into the breadboard (notch at bottom)
Insert the Output Module: Place an Output module nearby
Connect the Signal:
Find the Red pin (Output) on the VCO
Find the Blue pin (Input) on the Output module
Connect them with a patch cable
Listen: Plug in your headphones and turn up the volume

Result: You should hear a steady tone. Try turning the Pitch knob on the VCO to change the frequency.

Tip: The VCO has multiple outputs (saw, triangle, square). Each has a different timbre — try connecting different ones!

Kit 2: Subtractive Synthesis (VCO → VCF → Output)¶

Goal: Shape the tone using a filter.

What You Need¶

Previous setup, plus:
1× VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter)

Instructions¶

Insert the VCF: Place it between the VCO and Output module
Re-route the Patch:
VCO Output (Red) → VCF Input (Blue)
VCF Output (Red) → Output Module Input (Blue)
Tweak: Turn the Cutoff knob on the VCF

Result: The sound gets brighter (cutoff up) or darker (cutoff down) as you filter out frequencies.

Try this: Turn up the Resonance knob for a more aggressive, "singing" filter sound.

Kit 3: Adding Modulation (LFO → VCF)¶

Goal: Make the filter move automatically.

What You Need¶

Previous setup, plus:
1× LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) — or use mod-vco in LFO mode

Instructions¶

Insert the LFO: Place it anywhere on the breadboard
Connect the Modulation:
LFO Output (Red) → VCF CV Input (Blue)
Adjust: Set the LFO to a slow speed (0.5-2 Hz)

Result: The filter cutoff now moves up and down automatically, creating a "wah-wah" or sweeping effect.

Experiment: Try different LFO waveforms (if available) — triangle for smooth sweeps, square for abrupt changes.

Congratulations!¶

You've just built your first modular synthesizer patch. From here, the possibilities are endless.

What's Next?¶

Add More Modules¶

Module	What It Does
mod-env	Add attack/decay/sustain/release shaping
mod-vca	Control volume with CV
mod-delay	Add echo and space
mod-seq	Create melodic sequences

Explore Use Cases¶

Check out the Use Cases section for complete patch ideas: - Ambient drones - Guitar effects processing - Generative music - MIDI integration

More Resources¶

Learn more: Explore the Modules section
Get inspired: Browse the Forum
Share: Post your first patch on Instagram with #MICRORACK

Need Help?¶

If you run into any issues during setup, we're here to help:


Forum Support	Create a thread in the support section
Reddit	Post on r/microrack
Instagram	DM @microrack.synth
Telegram	Join the channel
Email	Drop a letter to support@microrack.org
GitHub	Follow, star and comment