You can hear it demonstrated in the first patch in this video. Experienced eurorack synth users will be right at home from the start. But there was a music room and in there was a modular synth that a family friend had donated to the school. Beginners tutorial for modular synthesizers analog modular. Is getting a semi modular synth a good way into modular. Modular synths with benge this video, via futuremusicmagazine, takes a look at memetune studios, the home of ben edwards, aka benge. Modular synths benge interview at memetune studios. The patch uses two vcos, one lpf with cv of slope look it up. This page is dedicated to my new and evergrowing project of building a modular synthesizer. The main reason was my girlfriend wanted to use my previous ikea rast style case as an balcony table. In fact, i would say that if you wanted to learn about synthesis from first elements in the easiest, most enjoyable way possible, modular synthesis is for you. Moog model 10 modular synthesizer at switched on youtube. Truegrid truegrid rising on modulargrid modular synthesizer. The new user could open a patch, find themselves confronted with something like this.
Introducing patchbook a markup language for modular synth. Modular synths benge interview at memetune studios youtube. Ad infinitum music was established in 1996 with the introduction of a series of 3. Truegrid rising on modulargrid modular synthesizer. Patch bay computer pic inks to very cool article on analog computers and calcu. A modular synthesizer has a case or frame into which arbitrary modules can be fitted. Despite what a lot of people say, i think its generally a bad idea to go with a predesigned modular synth. To put it simply, patchbook is an opensource markup language standard designed to be easily readable and writeable by humans that can be used to write down modular synth patches.
May 25, 2008 synthhead music videos, synthesizers modular synthesizer, tutorial. Modular synths are all about going step by step, learning the ins and outs of a module, and then figuring out what you need after that. I run memetune studios, which is the result of my long obsession with synthesizers and analogdigital recording gear. An ideal synth for those who want modular flexibility in an easily. Modular works just like hardware eurorack systems do, right down to the voltage standards indeed you can even patch out of your computer using an interface with dccoupled outputs and interact with hardware systems.
Learning modular an introduction to modular synthesis by. Modular synths benge explains creating a sequence on a modular. In fact, there is no wrong, but not everything you patch will be musically useful, thats up to you to decide. I was probably only seven or eight when i first saw it and i remember playing on it. Feb 28, 20 modular synths benge explains creating a sequence on a modular syntheziser. All of this stuff is in the studio and is connected up to a big patch bay, the idea being that you can then use short patch cords to make connections between things, and you can combine them together in interesting ways. Voltage control voltage control is the most important concept to understand about modular patchable synthesizers. May 25, 2008 how to patch a modular synthesizer mooguphonic put together this introduction to basic modular synth patching. Home to producer and musician benge, memetune studios is walltowall synth magic, featuring some of the rarest and most impressive synths. The three most popular formats around at the moment are. How to patch a simple modular synth musical geometry. Bedroombased boffins the world over are manufacturing increasingly bizarre and esoteric synth modules.
Benge shows us his buchla 200e, moog 3c, serge modular, arp 2500, ems vcs3 and formant modular synthesizers at his amazing. Benges 20 systems album features 20 tracks from different vintage synths. I sent the output to the oscilloscope and it makes a lovely green accompaniment. Modular synths benge takes future music on a tour of his. It is free and open source, allowing people to develop new modules. Feb 25, 20 modular synths benge interview at memetune studios. Jan 3, 2014 take a tour around benges memetune studios. If you arent interested in building a custom eurorack modular synthesizer, you can look into the variety of modular prebuilt systems vintage king has to offer. Beginners tutorial for modular synthesizers analog. I managed to get a house that had enough space to pretty much get everything how i wanted it, so i built a big live room and a control room with all the modular synths. Today, the synthesizer is used in nearly every genre of music, and is considered one of the most important instruments in the music industry. It was a box with patch cords and nobs all over it.
Voltage control voltage control is the most important concept to. You can put this on in the background while you are doing your selfisolating, it might help pass the time. The plans the design is based on doepfers a100 low cost 9u case. Aug 22, 2017 to put it simply, patchbook is an opensource markup language standard designed to be easily readable and writeable by humans that can be used to write down modular synth patches. The magic of modular synths and why artists love them. The first time i saw a modular synth, i was taken aback by the massive nest of patching cables, seemingly flying off in all directions and connecting various devices with countless knobs and flashing lights, somehow creating all kinds of strange sounds. Patches for a newcomer to pulsar, or indeed to modular synthesis in general, the pulsar modular synth can be quite bewildering. Watch as benge creates modular magic using his amazing stash of vintage and rare, modular synthesizers. Vcvrack is an emulation of modular synthesizers, that works like in the real life, where patches are made adding modules and connecting them with patch chords.
Today i will show you how to wire up a basic monophonic, single voice synth with a separate envelope for the amplitude and filter and a bit of modulation via some lfos. How to patch a modular synthesizer mooguphonic put together this introduction to basic modular synth patching. I think a semi modular is the best way to start into the modular world, it teaches you a lot about signal paths before you have to buy multiple modules and they will tend to have most of the basic functions you would spend a lot on as modules going blind, also with mo32, sys1, and mbrute you get a sequencer, sequencer modules are very costly. For new synthesists that are just starting out, sweetwater often recommends a modular synthesizer that you can not only play on its own, but can also use within a larger modular rig. Modulargrid is a database for modular synthesizers with an intuitive drag and drop rack planner. The waveform is the raw clay out of which we mold our sound. One day i decided to move my modular drum synth into bigger case. We know you all love a bit of synth porn so heres benges bakers dozen. Eurorack and modular synth prebuilt systems vintage king. Obviously the recreations may not be exactly the same as the original patch but they should show that any synth can be used to create a good range of sounds. If you are like me, you have an insatiable search for knowledge regarding new modules and synths and patches. Sampling, introduced with the fairlight synthesizer in 1979, has influenced all genres of music and had a major influence on the development of electronic and hip hop music. Benge in his incredible memetune studios in london.
This is the second part of my isolation sessions in which i set up a selfplaying patch on a synthesiser and just let it play on its own for a while here is a 12 minute video of a vintage serge modular from the early 1970s. The book covers synthesis, its history, concepts, possibilities of modules, and interviews with creators and artists. The sos guide to choosing a modular synth sound on sound. Heres the first episode of modular podcast where ben, greg and matthew discuss their highlights from the 2016 winter namm. This video series is an introduction to modular synthesizers, with each video exploring a few modules and showing how to create an easy patch. In a modular synthesizer, you can patch anything to anywhere. Modular synths benge interview at memetune studios future music magazine. Basic modular synth patches i found this fantastic site exactly what im after which features roland drum patches. We supply diy synthesizer kits, pcbs and parts for your diy modular synth. Oddly, they use pink noise for the kick rather than a sine, and almost everything requires 2 vc lpfs, but its still very instructive and informative on how the sounds come together.
Exploring modular synths easy patch introduction video 1. Today, the synthesizer is used in nearly every genre of music, and is considered one of the. My goal for patchbook is to create a standard that can help users write down patches in a way that could also be potentially used by different websites, educational. I was there for about ten years, but i fancied a change of scenery so i moved everything down here to cornwall, which is kind of the complete opposite of east london.
Modular iv factory patch, created by roy thinnes for the mod iv patch contest. Feb 26, 20 modular synths with benge this video, via futuremusicmagazine, takes a look at memetune studios, the home of ben edwards, aka benge. Nov 12, 2014 this peculiar vision must surely have been playing on audiorealisms mind when it crafted abl pro, which takes its feted 303alike oscillators, filters and other bits, then exposes them to the users every whim via a fullon, patchcable powered modular routing system. I have several modular systems in one place, all connected together. We interview the man of many modules about his studio and amazing synth collection. This peculiar vision must surely have been playing on audiorealisms mind when it crafted abl pro, which takes its feted 303alike oscillators, filters and other bits, then exposes them to the users every whim via a fullon, patchcable powered modular routing system. We are a community of artists and sound designers who are very excited by the resurgence of analog synthesis with some great new innovations. Were marking the first birthday of our make music section with a celebration of modular synths, the artists that patch with. As a manufacturer of high end custom faceplates for some of todays most popular modular synthesizers, we wanted to explore why these big boxes of knobs and wires are so popular. A prebuilt modular synthesizer offers a variety of functions and work similar to a selfcontained synthesizer. The aim of this project is to create an application that will allow users to visually describe and share patches for analogue modular synthesizers. Benges modular synth collection studio, future music. Theres no need to be depressed no one was born knowing how to patch a modular synth. I would definitely recommend modulars to absolute synth beginners.
Five minutes gets you an overview of what a modular synthesizer is and a basic patch example. Similar to softubes modular plugin, users can download extra modules based on popular units such as mutable instruments and befaco. Its quite a similar setup to the studio i had in hoxton. The new software lets users patch together virtual modules in a rack environment. And the good news is, you just found the solution learning how to use modular synths isnt difficult once you grasp how they work on the inside, and know what each module is doing to the signal flowing through it. This first video features the make noise rene, the. The following examples have been recorded with alsamodularsynth and the mcprevvcoplugins using only a simple computer keyboard with vkeybd.
Modular synths benge explains creating a sequence on a modular syntheziser. The synths do have a sound of their time but i didnt set out to. Modular synthesizers come in different varieties of module size, patch. Not all modular synthesizers are eurorack format any synth module that offers patch points for cv and gate signals can be integrated into a modular synth rig. Artist, producer and modular synth obsessive benge shows us. Listen to patch truegrid rising from user solitud on the html5 web modular synthesizer truegrid. Realtime handson experimentation is the greatest part about modulars. The secret world of modular synthesizers sound on sound. Come with us as we step away from the modular mainstream and take a look at some of the more eccentric eurorack synth modules this weird world has to offer. For example, if you want to play a minimoog synth through an mxr flanger and then put that sound through a tape delay.
I recently started building my first eurorack modular synth by purchasing some bread and butter modules. Modular synth patch cable at europes largest retailer of musical instruments fast delivery, 30day moneyback guarantee and 3year thomann warranty. Modular synth starter kit guide theres never been a more exciting time to enter the modular world. A100 patch examples still under construction, additional patches will follow we hope that the following patch examples will help for a better understanding of your a100 system and stimulate you to search for new unusual patches. Slow lead synth with powerful bass slow powerful noisy synth best played in the bass region.