I got into modular synths recently. Always wanted to. It seems they’re not only making a comeback, there’s a new revival era, a subset riding on the top of analog revival craze. There’s plenty of information on the net, and even some music magazines started doing reviews of modules.
Paradigm shifted a bit since the days of gigantic Moogs: there’s plenty of digital, complex modules with memory or computer integration. And of course folks these days are using it more for techno/ambient than Tangerine Dream/Emerson stuff. And prices are not astronomical anymore.
However, it’s still a cabinet of messy entangled cables resembling telephone exchange. (Quite charming IMHO.)
Is anyone aware of this trend? What are dopers’ opinions?
I used to use Reason. All the functionality and complexity of a rack full of stuff, complete with crazy wires in the back, without the need for an actual rack, stuff or wires. I used a full 88 key MIDI board and a nifty MIDI controller with a bunch of assignable faders. It was tons of fun and I made some music on it that I still like when it pops up on a random playlist.
I used Reason too. I still use it, actually. Great fun, beautiful software.
But, the reason (heh) I made this thread is - despite of (or because of?) computers being more powerful than ever, and complex virtual modular synth software such are Reason, Arturia and others, more and more people these days are going for the “old school” hardware modulars, cables, woodworks, power supply units, oscilloscopes, all of it. The market is thriving.
I know nothing about them, but if you haven’t seen the documentary on their history’ I Dream of Wires, I strongly recommend it: I Dream of Wires (2014) - IMDb
I’m not sure I would call the modular-revival a subset of the analog revival, though they are related. There has been a vibrant subset of analog synth-lovers into modular for much longer than that. The analog-hype has been present ever since the DX7 completely changed the game. The analog revival happened because of Korg testing the waters with monotrons. Analog synth-lovers, who had been longing for analog for decades, answered with a resounding yes! and a thumbs up. Then Korg and Arturia followed up by releasing more modestly budgeted analog synths or remakes. Other manufacturers followed behind, like Waldorf. Before that you had DSI making digitally controlled analog synths for the less than financially secure musician, and virtual analog synths trying to make up for the subtractively deprived. For me, fraq and euro, and especially Doepfer symbolize the revival of modular synths. The impression I got was that the modular revival is more closely related to diy, bending and hacking, than to the analog-revival. There is some insane digital modules out there, by the way, don’t overlook them! Hybrid is the way to go, IMO.
If you have questions about modular synths, check out MOD WIGGLER - Index page
It’s quite a loosely moderated place though, and I personally don’t post there, as I’m not that interested. But they have so much information to share about modular synthesis, you should be able to learn a lot by just lurking and reading the archives.
Another good resource might be http://forum.vintagesynth.com/
It’s kinda dead now, but I think you’ll still get responses in the general section, and the archives contain just so much information.
I built a whole bunch of synth modules from PCBs that I got from Music From Outer Space. Sadly, the guy who designed them, Ray Wilson, died last year. But you can still find the some of the boards from other places he did business with.
I built VCOs, LFOs, VCFs, VCAs, ring modulators, noise generators, and some other stuff I can’t remember. I also designed an awesome-looking front panel for all of it and had it manufactured via Front Panel Express. I just need to finish a few PCBs and build a box to hold it all, but other projects got in the way.
I don’t have any particular musical talent, but I got fascinated by modular synths because I’m fascinated in general by complicated things that emerge from relatively simple building blocks. I suppose that’s why I ended up a a professional computer nerd. And of course, modular synths just grew directly out of analog programming; a synth patch is just a program made with wires.
Oh, also I need to build a step sequencer! Those things are rad. I bet I could make one pretty easily with an Arduino.
Try saying that to the wider modular community on the net! “We don’t use computers!” Which is of course, nonsense, it IS an analog computer, as you said.
As for DIY building, my proverbial hat off to you, sir. I would like to build modules, even design new ones. Unfortunately, I don’t have any skills or knowledge (I have a good grasp of signal flow of control voltages, but anything behind the curtains is voodoo magic for me.)
I understand digital circuit design fairly well, but anything analog is a complete mystery to me. But I’m good at following directions and can solder parts to a PCB. And most of the time it works!
