SOUND ON SOUND

[Alanqa]

Having cleared out a few bits of unused gear I have taken my first steps into a larger world. (As Obi Wan would say).

I've ordered a rack case with power, a Behringer Neutron and a Behringer 914 filter bank. That's my starter kit.

Unusually (it would seem) I intend to use the modular for musical purposes rather than random atonal bleeps that seem to be the mainstay of modular racks if YouTube is anything to go by.

I am also building my own modules.

Who else uses their modular as a giant synth rather than a beep-booper?

[desmond]

Unusually (it would seem) I intend to use the modular for musical purposes rather than random atonal bleeps

Subscribed. Let's see what happens...

[BobTheDog]

Who else uses their modular as a giant synth rather than a beep-booper?

A tiny percentage, basically no one.

[nathanscribe]

On the contrary. I use mine as a flexible melodic instrument mostly, but it's also handy for a bit of utility work (trigger processing etc) and a few odd effects. That's the beauty of modular, you build what you want.

[Eddy Deegan]

I enjoy messing about with mine just for the fun of it but my main objective for it going forwards is to create textures & breaks that I can incorporate into bigger works.

I've also found it to be a muse of sorts as it can be surprisingly inspirational when composing.

[resistorman]

I use mine as an ambient soundscape generator, which at least has longer form bleeps and bloops. I use Arbhar as the sound generator into various echo, looping, filter, resonance, and reverb modules. Also sounds great with my guitar!

[The Elf]

I'm not quite at the Eurorack stage, but I do have some kit arriving in a month or so. But... it will be a basic synth for leads, basses and playing from a keyboard - not bloops!

[blinddrew]

Ben Asaro has been posting lots of interesting, and tuneful, stuff on his deep dives recently.

[Ben Asaro]

Ben Asaro has been posting lots of interesting, and tuneful, stuff on his deep dives recently.

Hey, thanks!

Yessss, bleeps AND bloops! Perhaps the biggest reason for this is because polyphony in eurorack is eye-wateringly expensive and you can get an analogue synth voice for a fraction of the cost of eurorack... at least in my experience.

It took me 3 years before I found my stride with eurorack. I’m a huge fan of experimental music but I’m too much of a melody junkie to do it myself. I’ve learned that my modular jam is Berlin school soundscapes.

This is the result of my eurorack deep dive,
https://donmusicpresents.bandcamp.com/album/golden-disc

[Ben Asaro]

Who else uses their modular as a giant synth rather than a beep-booper?

A tiny percentage, basically no one.

I think Colin Benders and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith do bleeps and bloops in a very pleasant way.

[Eddy Deegan]

Who else uses their modular as a giant synth rather than a beep-booper?

A tiny percentage, basically no one.

I think Colin Benders and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith do bleeps and bloops in a very pleasant way.

+1 to both of those suggestions!

State Azure is also worth a look/listen. Almost exclusively modular orientated; specialises in long generative pieces but does a fair amount of live and semi-live material as well.

[The Elf]

This is the result of my eurorack deep dive,
https://donmusicpresents.bandcamp.com/album/golden-disc

I like that. There's something quite organic in there that's appealing to my ears.

[Arpangel]

Ben Asaro is a great example of someone who can show you many uses of a modular system.
My opinion is that there is no defined use of a modular, it can be what you want it to be, that’s the whole point of them, as opposed to an off-the-shelf system.
YouTube? Just don’t go there, it’s not a true representation of anything, it’s just a confusing malaise of self serving individuals most of the time, there are a handful of good guys giving useful information, but not many.
I designed my modular as a random source, and effects unit, I could have made it more "versatile" but there is a danger with modular, you have to decide what it is specifically that you want to achieve, and make a no-compromise system for that purpose, otherwise, you can find that your box isn’t particularly good at any one thing, if you try and make it "too versatile"

PS, this "bleeps and hoops" random thing, there is more to this than meets the eye, birdsong, the sounds of nature, weather, are all truly random, and in these technological times, a lot of people are disconnected from nature, and they crave it, randomness, sine thing that seems to have a life of its own, can be a sort of substitute, it’s not to be underestimated.

[Ben Asaro]

This is the result of my eurorack deep dive,
https://donmusicpresents.bandcamp.com/album/golden-disc

I like that. There's something quite organic in there that's appealing to my ears.

Thanks, Elf! Your guidance and advice has had no small impact in the way I approach my arrangements!

[Ben Asaro]

YouTube? Just don’t go there, it’s not a true representation of anything, it’s just a confusing malaise of self serving individuals most of the time, there are a handful of good guys giving useful information, but not many.

There is a glut of similar information on YT, but I think if you avoid the 'content' (i.e., larger) channels, there's shed loads of interesting music and informative stuff on YT.

have to decide what it is specifically that you want to achieve, and make a no-compromise system for that purpose, otherwise, you can find that your box isn’t particularly good at any one thing, if you try and make it "too versatile"

If you have the budget, space, and time to 'go big', I say, go for it -- but you are quite right: generally speaking, you will only use small bits of a system at one time. I find myself using only a couple of voices, for example, but every dang utility I have available time and time again. Depends on what you're going for and how much patience you have to tune the thing, also.