But what is a modular synth for? Is it the ultimate DAWless machine? In this video I try to ponder what it's all for. Is there a "best" way, or even a "right" way to use a modular? Probably not. Lately, my approach has become more explorative and experimental, which seems to be a good fit for modular. It is such a versatile machine perhaps the "best" way is simply your own way.
Thanks for the comments, and conversation. To sort of repeat .. ultimate? .. yes, I think so. The viewing of patch cords, from origin to destination .. is quite useful, for my brain, anyway. I have enough available now, that makes for ignoring, or forgetting about features, that I was routinely using some months ago. Example: Marbles was mentioned .. and yes .. I haven't had that patched in for some time.
That's an interesting point too. You do get a sort of muscle memory when constantly patching and repatching, similar to playing any other instrument like a piano or guitar I guess.
I also regard my modular synth as an exploration station. Playing it is a solitary activity that fulfills almost every musical need for me. However I still do regard music as a social activity (or artifact, or both) so I also feel the need to share what I make with others. When I turn that direction I tend to bend my modular synth to recognizable structures like melodies, phrases, and movements. I worry that others will tire quickly of the experiments that delight me. Whenever I do that I think to myself, "This isn't the best use of this instrument. I'd be better off crafting a song in my DAW." But there is a benefit to working within all the limitations, some unexpected sounds and structures emerge.
That's really interesting. As you say the constraints and limitations of modular definitely drives creativity. I think you'd be surprised though, how many people actually would be interested in your sonic experiments, may well be a different audience to the less experimental stuff or maybe it would be the same people, either way though I think people would be interested.
Likewise, I also have an interface for my modular, midi though rather than audio, which allows me to work in the DAW and write parts in midi which are then realised through modular. As hybrid way of working I find it more rewarding than working purely in DAW, but it also allows the full power of the DAW for arranging and structuring etc. This is definitely needed for some projects. However, my preferred workflow is definitely as DAWless as possible. Having said that, I have often thought about something like ES-9 to give the ability to record tracks individually, which would aid mixing greatly and post-production.
I recently did a little Lo-fi guitar album called “Norli” on 4 track. The 4 track was super basic, I could only record 1 track at a time, no EQ or FX loop. This was a forcing function for me to “shift left” on my decisions about things like reverb, tone, etc - what was on tape, was on tape! This helped me to simply record and move on. A modular doesn’t force a particular workflow, but it does eliminate some workflows - or at least make them hard! So it reduces your cognitive load in one area, allowing you to focus on other ideas. I like to make music in all kinds of ways. I’m just a hobbyist, so I enjoy making jungle on my Tracker just as much as making blackened thrash in GarageBand or grindcore on an early 2000s hard disk recorder! The modular is great for generating samples, but it’s also a forcing function for thinking of the sound workflow in particular ways.
You may be overthinking and oversimplifying it - modular is a group of sound components whose power is about personalisation, choosing the modules to create your perfect 'workstation' and mould a workflow that fits your mindset - , If you want to do abstract soundscapes, orchestral soundtracks, 80s pop backing, minimalist classical, bleeps blops, dance music, generative ambient, synthwave and more, all in the same piece potentially. It is also about flow - unlike most other electronic music creation, especially in the box/daw, it is about real time, multi-layered creativity. For me it is also about portability and taking smallish systems into nature or urban environments and like an open air painter, creating in the moment ...
Hi Gary, thanks for your insightful comments. I think you're totally right. I was watching a video a couple of days ago that was talking about how different mediums throughout time had affected the way music was consumed and how the introduction of each new medium caused an outcry with the masses, who saw it as the death knell of their old favourites. One example was vinyl. With the advent of recorded performances and popularity of vinyl, for the first time ever, audiences were able to listen to music that didn't vary from one performance to the next. Previously improvisation was key, but as audiences started expecting to hear what had been recorded improvisation became less and less important, in favour of tunes that could be repeated. In many ways this tradition has continued on in certain musics (jazz and blues, etc.), but it's also a very important (necessary) part of modular too. Improvisation and flow is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a modular performance and maybe what it is best suited for, irrespective of genre. It's nice to think the tradition of valuing improvisation over recorded repetition is still alive and strong, and modular is part of that.
@@justrichardcharles Thanks for that - glad you agree ... I endeavour to also make the patching process musical now, a video to come where I am simultaneously talking about a patch from scratch (on a cliff 200m above the valley) and also making it flow and work without the 'commentary' - so a sort of flow-patching ... ends up being two 40 minute videos though! Basically as you said about live improvisational forms, modular can fall into the stop start trap (like a daw) when patching, my ultimate goal is to play it from scratch as if a performance!
I think its for making random bleeps and bloops, sounds like from 1960s scifi movies - in a complicated, nerdy, brainteasing way, with expensive equipment. Also its an extreme consumerism thing if you look at the marketing, every few months the youtube influencers present us the next best thing everybody needs. Its also a collectors thing, like model railway. Never thought of it as a musical instrument. Is stuff like Morton Subotnick "Music" ?
I both agree and disagree with what you're saying here. There definitely a massive consumerist aspect to modular, especially in the last 10 years or so. But that's probably true of any corner of the music tech consumer industry. Just look at guitars, the amount of different guitars available, new models every year that are only slightly different to the previous year, same with guitar pedals, or... Mountain Bikes! Whatever you're into there will be a gas for it. We get loads of students in college that are always coming in with the latest guitar or a new set of pedals, not sure how they pay for it all as students. And there will be plenty of people learning to play the guitar that will never really get anywhere but just enjoy owning and collecting nice guitars. Does their ownership of gear devalue the music made by others or are more serious? And then we have to look to a definition of what music is. I think that definition will change over time. Would a composer of the 1700s recognise punk as a valid form of music or just noise. Perhaps a good definition of music is an attempt to organise sound in some way, to sculpt order from chaos, but then what is the difference between a musician and a sound engineer. In answer to your question 'Is stuff like Morton Subotnick "Music"?' I would say yes because there is order and structure within it, even if we have to dig deep to find it. But also I enjoy listening to it. 😁
@@justrichardcharlesI can take any noise, instrument, wave and modify it to resemble the symphony. Have looked into Martin Howse and his journey through the interfacings with the earth, the unseen waves we interact with and interpret into music, noise, aural effects which encourage us to emote? Philosophically I break life into levels of harmony. Binary of yes and no. Computers break it down to code and discern yes and no’s. The computer doesn’t know if the current ceases it requires another source of electricity. It’s interesting how we break down our senses into pulses if electricity and then our blood brain barrier interprets the current into feelings and thoughts. Pi is infinite. If you let the algorithm go it will just keep adding to the points/digits. We decide yes/no positive/negative correlation and how it feels. AI is still far off. Quantum uses compartments to quantify. Figuratively we do, too. As Eno noticed with a microphone capturing sound outside and looping we innately get used to the car door slam coming around at a certain part of the loop. I’d rather have something I can tune and harmonize with others. Sound waves through time, frequency. Distance, filters can always be tweaked after the actual oscillator we choose makes a pattern. Random frequencies and Pi? Round and round. Hope the theory makes sense. Human algorithmic choice trumps binary code all day long. There’s no pattern, yet there is because we have freedom to choose. Limbic does not choose. Its choice is survival. “Yes/no this is beneficial.” We’re privileged we can choose. The elements are harsh if we don’t have a roof and food. Oh and power. ;) Enjoy
Dood, if yer gonna keep changing yer name why not go with "Rick Boxato" or even "Ricardo Beeyado" or something - might help nudge the channel along. : -)
Haha, I know right. I just wanted to change it once, but somehow managed to confuse things, so now it's still the same as it was and it's locked for 14 days 🤦🏻. This is what comes of doing things in the middle of the night when you're half asleep. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
But what is a modular synth for? Is it the ultimate DAWless machine? In this video I try to ponder what it's all for. Is there a "best" way, or even a "right" way to use a modular? Probably not. Lately, my approach has become more explorative and experimental, which seems to be a good fit for modular. It is such a versatile machine perhaps the "best" way is simply your own way.
Thanks for the comments, and conversation. To sort of repeat .. ultimate? .. yes, I think so. The viewing of patch cords, from origin to destination .. is quite useful, for my brain, anyway.
I have enough available now, that makes for ignoring, or forgetting about features, that I was routinely using some months ago. Example: Marbles was mentioned .. and yes .. I haven't had that patched in for some time.
That's an interesting point too. You do get a sort of muscle memory when constantly patching and repatching, similar to playing any other instrument like a piano or guitar I guess.
I also regard my modular synth as an exploration station. Playing it is a solitary activity that fulfills almost every musical need for me. However I still do regard music as a social activity (or artifact, or both) so I also feel the need to share what I make with others. When I turn that direction I tend to bend my modular synth to recognizable structures like melodies, phrases, and movements. I worry that others will tire quickly of the experiments that delight me. Whenever I do that I think to myself, "This isn't the best use of this instrument. I'd be better off crafting a song in my DAW." But there is a benefit to working within all the limitations, some unexpected sounds and structures emerge.
That's really interesting. As you say the constraints and limitations of modular definitely drives creativity. I think you'd be surprised though, how many people actually would be interested in your sonic experiments, may well be a different audience to the less experimental stuff or maybe it would be the same people, either way though I think people would be interested.
@@justrichardcharles I like your generous outlook. I'll seriously take your suggestion into consideration.
I use my modular in both ways. As an audio interface I use an ES-9, recording multiple channels , then the finishing touch is do in the daw.
Likewise, I also have an interface for my modular, midi though rather than audio, which allows me to work in the DAW and write parts in midi which are then realised through modular. As hybrid way of working I find it more rewarding than working purely in DAW, but it also allows the full power of the DAW for arranging and structuring etc. This is definitely needed for some projects. However, my preferred workflow is definitely as DAWless as possible. Having said that, I have often thought about something like ES-9 to give the ability to record tracks individually, which would aid mixing greatly and post-production.
I recently did a little Lo-fi guitar album called “Norli” on 4 track. The 4 track was super basic, I could only record 1 track at a time, no EQ or FX loop. This was a forcing function for me to “shift left” on my decisions about things like reverb, tone, etc - what was on tape, was on tape! This helped me to simply record and move on.
A modular doesn’t force a particular workflow, but it does eliminate some workflows - or at least make them hard! So it reduces your cognitive load in one area, allowing you to focus on other ideas.
I like to make music in all kinds of ways. I’m just a hobbyist, so I enjoy making jungle on my Tracker just as much as making blackened thrash in GarageBand or grindcore on an early 2000s hard disk recorder!
The modular is great for generating samples, but it’s also a forcing function for thinking of the sound workflow in particular ways.
You may be overthinking and oversimplifying it - modular is a group of sound components whose power is about personalisation, choosing the modules to create your perfect 'workstation' and mould a workflow that fits your mindset - , If you want to do abstract soundscapes, orchestral soundtracks, 80s pop backing, minimalist classical, bleeps blops, dance music, generative ambient, synthwave and more, all in the same piece potentially. It is also about flow - unlike most other electronic music creation, especially in the box/daw, it is about real time, multi-layered creativity. For me it is also about portability and taking smallish systems into nature or urban environments and like an open air painter, creating in the moment ...
Hi Gary, thanks for your insightful comments. I think you're totally right. I was watching a video a couple of days ago that was talking about how different mediums throughout time had affected the way music was consumed and how the introduction of each new medium caused an outcry with the masses, who saw it as the death knell of their old favourites. One example was vinyl. With the advent of recorded performances and popularity of vinyl, for the first time ever, audiences were able to listen to music that didn't vary from one performance to the next. Previously improvisation was key, but as audiences started expecting to hear what had been recorded improvisation became less and less important, in favour of tunes that could be repeated. In many ways this tradition has continued on in certain musics (jazz and blues, etc.), but it's also a very important (necessary) part of modular too. Improvisation and flow is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a modular performance and maybe what it is best suited for, irrespective of genre. It's nice to think the tradition of valuing improvisation over recorded repetition is still alive and strong, and modular is part of that.
@@justrichardcharles Thanks for that - glad you agree ... I endeavour to also make the patching process musical now, a video to come where I am simultaneously talking about a patch from scratch (on a cliff 200m above the valley) and also making it flow and work without the 'commentary' - so a sort of flow-patching ... ends up being two 40 minute videos though! Basically as you said about live improvisational forms, modular can fall into the stop start trap (like a daw) when patching, my ultimate goal is to play it from scratch as if a performance!
I think its for making random bleeps and bloops, sounds like from 1960s scifi movies - in a complicated, nerdy, brainteasing way, with expensive equipment. Also its an extreme consumerism thing if you look at the marketing, every few months the youtube influencers present us the next best thing everybody needs. Its also a collectors thing, like model railway. Never thought of it as a musical instrument. Is stuff like Morton Subotnick "Music" ?
I both agree and disagree with what you're saying here. There definitely a massive consumerist aspect to modular, especially in the last 10 years or so. But that's probably true of any corner of the music tech consumer industry. Just look at guitars, the amount of different guitars available, new models every year that are only slightly different to the previous year, same with guitar pedals, or... Mountain Bikes! Whatever you're into there will be a gas for it. We get loads of students in college that are always coming in with the latest guitar or a new set of pedals, not sure how they pay for it all as students. And there will be plenty of people learning to play the guitar that will never really get anywhere but just enjoy owning and collecting nice guitars. Does their ownership of gear devalue the music made by others or are more serious? And then we have to look to a definition of what music is. I think that definition will change over time. Would a composer of the 1700s recognise punk as a valid form of music or just noise. Perhaps a good definition of music is an attempt to organise sound in some way, to sculpt order from chaos, but then what is the difference between a musician and a sound engineer. In answer to your question 'Is stuff like Morton Subotnick "Music"?' I would say yes because there is order and structure within it, even if we have to dig deep to find it. But also I enjoy listening to it. 😁
@@justrichardcharlesI can take any noise, instrument, wave and modify it to resemble the symphony. Have looked into Martin Howse and his journey through the interfacings with the earth, the unseen waves we interact with and interpret into music, noise, aural effects which encourage us to emote?
Philosophically I break life into levels of harmony. Binary of yes and no. Computers break it down to code and discern yes and no’s. The computer doesn’t know if the current ceases it requires another source of electricity. It’s interesting how we break down our senses into pulses if electricity and then our blood brain barrier interprets the current into feelings and thoughts. Pi is infinite. If you let the algorithm go it will just keep adding to the points/digits. We decide yes/no positive/negative correlation and how it feels. AI is still far off. Quantum uses compartments to quantify. Figuratively we do, too. As Eno noticed with a microphone capturing sound outside and looping we innately get used to the car door slam coming around at a certain part of the loop.
I’d rather have something I can tune and harmonize with others. Sound waves through time, frequency. Distance, filters can always be tweaked after the actual oscillator we choose makes a pattern. Random frequencies and Pi? Round and round. Hope the theory makes sense. Human algorithmic choice trumps binary code all day long. There’s no pattern, yet there is because we have freedom to choose. Limbic does not choose. Its choice is survival. “Yes/no this is beneficial.” We’re privileged we can choose. The elements are harsh if we don’t have a roof and food. Oh and power. ;) Enjoy
Dood, if yer gonna keep changing yer name why not go with "Rick Boxato" or even "Ricardo Beeyado" or something - might help nudge the channel along. : -)
Haha, I know right. I just wanted to change it once, but somehow managed to confuse things, so now it's still the same as it was and it's locked for 14 days 🤦🏻. This is what comes of doing things in the middle of the night when you're half asleep. 🤣🤣🤣🤣