Modula

Modula represents the definitive mixing solution for engineers, producers, composers and artists looking for both world-class analog sound and ultimate in-the-box workflow. With more and more sound professionals choosing to stay digital throughout the whole music production process, Modula is the only solution that is finally able to provide total DAW integration, like never before.

NOTE: This product is not yet compatible with the Silicon M computer.

A Million-Dollar Console that fits in your backpack

It really doesn’t matter if you are in the studio, at home, on a tour bus or on a train. You can use Modula anytime and anywhere. You do not need any dongles, extra monitors, bulky hardware controllers or DSP accelerators to make it work. Just start the application, open your DAW project and everything is set. Nifty huh?

Fully expandable

But we know you like to have options, so we made Modula fully expandable. This means you can add new skins to your mixing palette at any moment choosing among dozens of different skins including designs that would never be possible in the hardware world thus making Modula the most powerful and versatile mixing system on the planet.

If you already own Modula compatible plugins from Acustica Audio, Modula provides you with our game-changing rack system to revolutionize the way you mix. This includes our revolutionary rack system as well as 4 channel strips from Acustica Audio to enable you to mix right from the start at a great value. These embody some of the world’s most coveted gear from studios around the world.

Modula software for Mac/PC

-Magenta 5

-Magenta 5 EQ Special Black Edition*

-Diamond Color EQ 3

-Gold 3

*Exclusively for Modula user.

NOTE: M4 skins are not included in M4 lite version.

"I have been around for a minute and when it comes to an affordable tool that has is continuously evolving, I would say Modula is the best mixer for home studios currently available". - Ben A

"Modula makes me feel like I have a digital studio mixer at my fingertips and totally customizable to my style". -Pierce F

"When you combined Modula with the Acustica plugins that are compatible with it you have a music recording mixer like no other!" -Gunther G2

How to run Modula

If you are running Windows, please watch this video.

If you are running Mac, please watch this video.

Important: once you are done mixing, save your session in your DAW/NLE and remember to always close your sequencer first and then the Modula application.

Modula is not like other touch screen or daw controllers

Unlike other products on the market, which are mainly touch-screen based controllers, workstations or programs requirring complex audio routing, Modula recreates the closest experience possible to mixing on a real analog desk, keeping the fun of it and removing all the hassle – and cost – of a physical recording studio setup.

It lets you easily organize and visualize your Acustica plugins as channel strips (skins) in a single ‘hub applicattion’ that seamlessly integrates with majoy DAWs like Pro Tools®, Login Pro®, Ableton Live™, Presonus Studio One™ and many others, both on Mac and PC.

All you have to do is insert the Modula plugin on the tracks of your DAW and you will see the relative channel strip appear inside the Modula frame window. Easy as that.

Run it locally or via server

(This feature is currently under development)

Modula can run both locally – on your main computer or laptop – or via a dedicated server computer that you can freely customize to meet your processing power needs. This means that you can easily mix very large projects without running into CPU issues. Modula literally grows with your needs and is equally a home in a professional recording studio setup as well as a home music studio setup.

Seamlessly integrate Modula into complex Dante™-based audio networks for use in multimedia studios and broadcast facilities.

FAQs

-What is Modula?

Modula is an application external to the DAW that helps you organize plugins as if you were viewing a virtual console/mixer. Plugins can also be run in the traditional way (i.e. in the DAW) if the frame is not activated. Modula offers a limited set of features: for example mute, solo and channel bypass within a set of predefined channels.

-What kind of advantage does Modula offer?

Every time you open a Modula plugin, it will also be visualised in the external frame, offering a better workflow: all channels are visible regardless of the status of the editor. In addition, the external frame is particularly optimized for 27″ touch screens (where the fader is represented by a 100 mm control).

-I thought Modula would help me optimise my computer's CPU. Was I wrong?

Modula allows you to do this too: the first version is not designed to work in client/server tcp/ip mode but it will be at a later stage.

-Will there really be an advantage in using resources when client/server tcp/ip mode becomes available?

The advantage is strictly dependent on the balance between the power of the client and the power of the server, which is also one of the reasons why we do not offer support on this feature in the first period. We have not designed Modula with the aim of having more local resources: the main functionality of the application remains to have a visual workflow similar to that of an analog console. The advantage in the consumption of resources is limited when using the native protocol of Modula, and becomes significant when using a protocol like Dante.

-So client and server have to be the same type of computer?

Not necessarily. For instance, a Mac can control a Windows server or vice versa.

-Who will offer me support and, above all, where will I be able to download it from?

Modula will be available for sale on the website of Quantica Audio Inc. Support will be provided partly by Quantica and partly by Acustica Audio. The product will be available for download on the Aquarius platform

-Will my personal data be present on both platforms and who is responsible for such data?

The user data are present only on the e-commerce platform of Quantica Audio inc, so they will be managed by an American company. Aquarius manages an independent user, with a completely untied login and password. Acustica Audio does not have access to sensitive data of Quantica users except for the data necessary to manage the user support and to ensure the proper operation of the application.
Acustica Audio reserves the right to request access to data when necessary for technical and administrative reasons.
For easy management we recommend you use the same Aquarius credentials for all products. In this way you can see all the products within the same login session.

-I am already an Acustica Audio user. Will I receive a discount?

There will be loyalty coupons available, but with potentially different percentages from those used for Acustica Audio products. You will receive these coupons before the product launch.

-I already own some of these plugins, or all of them, will I get a discount?

Unfortunately not. However, we should mention that all other Acustica products could benefit from a low price – or free Modula version – for a limited period of time. The value of Modula will become more and more evident as the software available for the platform increases. For the first adopters we offer a lower entry price and this is the reason for the initial discount.

-Are they exactly the same plugins as the ones available on the Acustica Audio store?

They are different plugins. Let’s take an example: if you own the Cola plugin, the Modula version will be free for current owners. The policy may change. In any case, an additional fee would only apply if the policy changes and you do not have a product license yet.

-How can I be sure that the product will work in my system before I buy it, and above all that I like it?

That’s the key question for us.
First of all, Modula acts like a player and has no copy protection. The protection is in the libraries. So you can freely download Modula from Aquarius, and a trial version of a library to test the workflow. The first trial library will be that of Magenta5.

-If Modula is available for download, why should I buy it?

Because the trial library has an expiration date, like all the trial versions offered on the Aquarius platform.
Then I could use it with a free skin that you will provide me later as a user of a product that has been designed for Modula. Really, I still don’t see why I should buy it.
We will start providing skins for Modula when they are available, but the ownership of the product is limited to having previously purchased Modula, and having it in the same Acquarius account.
For example, if you have Cola in an account and a Cola skin modula is available, you must have Modula on the same account and then the Cola skin will automatically become visible.
Remember that the skins for Modula will be designed / developed and distributed starting March 2020 and following a release order yet to be defined.

-If I don't have a touch screen, do I still have an advantage when using Modula?

Of course, you can organize your Modula frame into many separate virtual console views, optimized according to your own workflow. Even if you use a mouse, the view of the channels conveniently renamed and organized in a console type frame will allow you to speed up your work.

-Where in the chain should I insert Modula plugins?

They can be used anywhere in the chain, for example as channel inserts, group inserts and so on. You can use different mute/only groups, so you can have multiple plugins in series within the same DAW insert channel.
You might keep all DAW faders at unity and insert the Modula plugin as last in the chain as well.
Alternatively, a typical workflow involves using a group of mutes/only on the master, a group of mutes/only on the buses and so on.
It’s really up to you.

-Can Modula channels communicate with each other?

Many features are planned and will be developed in the future.

-Do I need Nebula in order to run Modula?

Not at all.

-I can't find the Modula application. Where is it?

You will find the Modula application in the following path:
Mac: /Library/Audio/Presets/AcusticaAudio/Nebula4/Client/M4.app
Win: C:/Nebula4TempRepository/Client/M4.exe