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How to think more like a modular synthesist?
Okay mates. This is a question I've been meaning to ask for a while now. So after a year of not clicking with miRack, I'm looking to get back into it to produce some generative Ambient soundscapes. Now I'm no stranger to basic generative music as I've used AUM with Flux Pro and mLFO before, and I'm no stranger to producing soundscapes in general. However, I want to basically set up something, let it run for a certain length of time, record it, and post it online.
Now I'm familiar with the basics of modular synthesis, but I'm at a loss as to how to produce some of the incredible beautiful evolving generative soundscapes I often see pop up in the Creations section. The type of soundscapes that are so delicate and complex that just nudging one knob ever so slightly would make the whole thing fall apart.
Well, I did find this course on Udemy believe it or not that I'm going to purchase.
https://www.udemy.com/course/modular-synthesis-with-ios-apps/
I'm wondering what else is out there. I tried to use Google but am at a loss. Any better-focused help would be greatly appreciated.
Comments
Check out https://www.youtube.com/@echo_opera/videos
Some of his videos have the Drambo project files attached.
Nice!
Didn't know our friend @echoopera had videos of Drambo. 
Cool! I'll be checking those out for sure.
I checked the syllabus of the iOS Modular Synthesis course on Udemy, and it uses Model 15 and Ripplemaker for its curriculum.
And Udemy have a sale going on that ends in 5 hours. 😂 I'm definitely in luck!
Why don’t you just experiment? Try something, and if it doesn’t sound the way you want it to sound, figure out what is missing. Try a fix, then rinse, lather, repeat.
Find some footage of early synth artists live, especially if you can see how they are tweaking. There’s a really good Tangerine Dream gig on YouTube somewhere that has some good closeups of what they are doing. (Warning though: the majority of their tweaking is constant correction of pitch and timing.)
I've tried that already in miRack, and this is what it got me.
It's long, dull, and rubbish. 😂
I didn't think to search for Tangerine Dream live.
Well, that's a good place to start, even if their knob tweaking is just correction of pitch and timing, lol. They are one of my many inspirations.
Here is a generative patch I made five years ago, doing its thing using exactly those two synths! For the generative part it's just Rozeta LFO and Cells:
This might not be what you're trying for, but Eno-style ambient is ridiculously easy in AUM. Get some loops, trim them so no two are the same length, and loop them in AUM file players. The longer the loops and the more you have of them, the longer before you will hear the same combination of sounds twice.
For infinite variation, put a separate LFO on each loop's fader. Each LFO at its own speed--slower is better. No tempo syncing. Use sine or triangle waves for the smoothest mix. This will give you an infinitely varied ambient mix.
The thing that got me going was this video, part of Dean’s MiRack beginners series:
I used the techniques I learnt from this and applied them to one sample for this track (I made a pitched down version in NS Obsidian for one instance, loaded into MiRack with the others). The idea was to use only the one windchime sample as a sound source. The album is 31 tracks from 31 artists all using just that sample alone as the sound source:
https://aemc.bandcamp.com/track/the-clearing
If you’re already familiar with techniques such as phasing, modulation and other ambient/soundscape techniques (which you are), these will shift nicely into MiRack, particularly using clock divisions which phase (I have a liking for using different prime numbers so things don’t repeat for quite a while).
Things which can really help include:
I guess thinking about voltages as voltages is a way in, so for example stop thinking of a sequencer as producing notes, just stepped voltages, which can be used to make notes, but can do other stuff. So you can keep the module count down by reusing signals, eg have a sequence making notes, but also use it to modulate a filter cutoff or a reverb decay time. Not necessarily a filter or reverb applied to the audio being pitched by the sequencer. And also remember pitch and gate/triggers don’t have to come from the same place, unlike MIDI sequencing.
One other bit of advice would be to dial back on intent and focus more on exploring what the modules do. I’ve noticed you’re very intent driven, and that’s no bad thing - this isn’t a criticism! But with this stuff I think it’s useful to drop the pilot and let yourself flow into it. Which probably sounds like New Age bollocks, but I hope it makes some kind of sense.
@jwmmakerofmusic : modular in eurorack/mirack terms isn't substantially different from wiring things together in AUM and using midiLFOs and the like to control AU parameters.
Modules in miRack and Eurorack are basically just like normal hardware effects boxes and hardware synths EXCEPT that anywhere there would be a knob or slider there is a place where you can wire in a patch cord. Those patch points are just using signals to do the same thing as turn a knob or change a slider.
While that's true of old-school modular synths -- the old school synth (Moogs, Buchla's, etc) modules were simple things like oscillators and filters. Now, a lot of modules are full-featured and often unusual devices.
What is complicated is not so much the modularity but the actual functionality that you need to learn.
☝️ This! Probably way more useful advice than my ramblings!
WOW! That is really great music! And a really cool video!
I love this a lot. Subbed and liked.
This sounds like a great plan for an Ambient cook up. I'm well aware of the Eno-style, but I didn't think to do many of these techniques. Also, "no tempo syncing" has me thinking I should try to make loops not in terms of beats but rather in terms of random lengths of time. And I didn't think to use separate LFO's on loop faders. I do know "slower is better" as Ambient is meant to fade into the background.
I know of mLFO, but perhaps I should try out other LFO MIDI FX apps as well.
Bwahaha! 😆 "New Age bollocks", that was the proper laugh I needed for the day mate. But now to be serious, yes, this makes a whole ton of sense. I am a more intent-driven type of bloke. ❤️ And no, I didn't take it as criticism but rather a proper astute observation.
Doesn't take you being a psychic to figure that out about me. (Oh dear, a New Age reference. 😆 )
Also, your technical advice and piece of music are genuinely fantastic!
And Dean! Good old Dean. 
I missed that bloke. I forgot what videos of his I've seen before, but I know they weren't the miRack ones. This thread is going to be a great wealth of info and advice for me and already is.
YES! THIS! 👆 So much this! It's the functionality that I need to learn. I'm so used to using old-school style modular synths, and learning Model 15 has been super easy so far. So yes, it isn't the modularity but the functionality within miRack, but I think once I wrap my head around miRack, there'll be no stopping me outside of the limitations of my imagination.
In my opinion, the mistake people make in miRack is trying to wire up a bi ch of modules instead of finding a module of interesting and using extensively simple systems whose other components they thoroughly understand.
With hardware, one can’t afford to get modules on a whim. So, you learn how to use them. Treat miRack as having the same limitations.
As you noted above, any AU app that exposes parameters to CC is effectively a module. I consider many of my AUM setups with LFOs modulating whatnot to be basically a modular patch.
absolutely MAJOR crucial advice 👆🏼👆🏼👆🏼
create selection of your favourite modules, undeesrant what every one of them is doing - that’s alpha and omega of using modular.
that being said, Audibe Instrumets, Linderberg Research,MSM, Squink Labs and Valley are my absolute fabourit gems in miRack
That actually makes a lot of sense! I didn't think to work within my own imposed limits like that. 😃 I simply thought "Well, I have unlimited power and control with no extensive budget required outside of the initial purchase of miRack. I can shape the sonic universe to my every whim like Andrew Huang can on his hardware Eurorack, mwahaha!" 🤣 Yeah, I think me selecting a limited set of modules first before patching up anything is solid advice. Forces me to be more creative than technical. That, and your advice about functionality and @bygjohn 's advice of letting the process lead me rather than having a set intent are complete gems of solid advice.
This is why I love this forum so much.
All advice may not be technical per se, but it is solid.
@dendy I definitely agree 💯!
@jwmmakerofmusic : when you watch videos in YouTube , keep in mind that Andrew Huang of Loopop if whoever doesn’t just open a box and make a video. They spend some time learning the gear. Their job involves making it look effortless and spontaneous. We forget that hours and hours and hours went into learning the gear before.
Wait so you can point an LFO at the individual faders of each track in AUM? I missed this somehow 😯
Also using AUMs file player is such an overlooked workflow I feel like. It’s a ton of fun and really is great for Ambient. 4Pockets AudioScope and MidiMixer can also be great for this.
"We forget that hours..." or at least I forgot, lol. 😆 You're absolutely correct mate. Time to learn what I got. I watched Dean's video that @bygjohn linked me to, and it demystified a lot of things for me. I didn't know what a clock in modular synthesis did, and Dean demystified it amongst other previously "mystical" things.
Dean's approach seems to be much like how I tried to approach miRack last year - adding modules and hooking them up as you go. I think when I crack open miRack tomorrow, I'll try the opposite approach as suggested here - load only the modules I need before hooking anything up and to follow the KISS rule ("keep it simple, stupid").
If I can get a decent 3-5 minute drone with 1-2 basic oscillators and a couple of LFOs running (I'll also run it through a filter and one of the reverbs), I'll record it in AUM, upload it to Dropbox and post to this thread. Then I hope to receive some constructive feedback, and ideas and suggestions that can spark further growth and creativity within a modular environment.
Granted this is a huge leap for me given it's taken me a year to muster the courage to try miRack again. 🤣
You mentioned an early attempt you did being long and tedious. I think judicious editing is critical. More than any other style, when modular patching, always be recording. My few actual hardware modular tracks, like this, which I did a day ago:
Are always boiled down from something five or even ten times as long. You need to catch that lightning in a bottle. AUM File Player on the channel is your friend! And a good audio editor app which lets you make invisible cut n shunts in the flow is also very useful. I like Wavebox for this:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/wavebox-audio-editor/id1577078380.
A few geniuses like Mylar Melodies and Red Means Recording are so in command of their process that they can actually jam live with their rigs. I doubt I’ll ever be that good/knowledgeable/cool, so for me, editing is the way…
Bloody brilliant piece!
Cool app.
And for free? Nice! I usually use TwistedWave for my audio editing tasks, so not sure if that can achieve what Wavebox can.
I often jam live in AUM when it comes to Ambient. It's easy to do in AUM, and I hope I can someday achieve the same in miRack, even if it's more me messing around rather than anything intent-driven.
I'm wondering which battery-powered Bluetooth control surfaces are out there full of knobs I can pair with my iPad. Something for me to consider researching and investing in.
I won't lie, I have an ulterior motive with learning miRack. I also want to produce more Minimal Techno ala Richie Hawtin. 😂 The track I produced today called "Binarual Minimalism" sounds like what I want to produce, but I did it in NS2 (which is a DAWlike environment). I want to try the DAWless live jam approach to Minimal Techno like Richie Hawtin, even if when I perform the piece I do it through my iPad's speakers rather than over my airpods in order to minimise latency. 😂
Have you dabbled with making percussive stuff using modular? I know it’s not the generative ambient stuff but it helped me just learn how to navigate modular really well. It got me to get into the fm stuff and into the whole buchla west coast stuff which led to me starting to mess with sine waves a lot more running through wavefolders and low pass gates. Then I ditched oscillators altogether and started using filters for sine waves which just led to more ideas of how to modulate things and get more movement and more ambient and generative stuff cos all that led me to the Krell patch and by then I was able to understand the logic of it really well and make my own modifications to it and helped me understand the generative process more and it just got my brain thinking in a more modular synth way.
I’m not saying your path will be the same but that’s how my path unfolded for me by starting light with percussion and got me on the right track cos as first it was overwhelming as fuck but then I was able to narrow down my focus and it got me to think outside the box more and more.
https://mirack.app/learn/
I just found this on the miRack website itself, chock full of helpful stuff to also teach myself modular synthesis!
This is really cool.
Also, don’t forget miRack can run inside AUM so you are sorted for the File Player thing.
interesting aproach to using modular is also just connect audiou out into some recorder and then forget it.. then jyst tweak, twist, reconnect cables, modules- just experiment - for hours.. lot of happy accidents will happen..
then you can revisit audio recording of whole session, cut interesting parts and rearrange them in daw..
there is infinite ways of utilizing modular, completely self-sustained generative patches is probably one of most knowledge demanding, tou doesn’t need to jump directly into most complicated part :-)) Start with simple things ..
You can get pretty far with just recording whoke session to cut later most important parts.
When it comes to playing live dawless techno with small modular, Yhor is probably best YT channel you can check on this topic .. ha has lot of jams like but has also lot of videos where he is actually explaining what he is doing, how he is connecting things.. lot of knowledge, lot of inspiration, and most importantly he makes really solid great techno.
he uses various setups modular + something , where “something” is usually digitakt or octatrack so you can easily replicate his workflow by loading miRack and Drambo (or mirack and koala for more straightforward sampling approach) in AUM …
I keed! I keed!
Some great ideas here from the brilliant Dash Glitch using VCV rack which you can probably translate most of to miRack.
Can't help you on this one my friend. 🫣 I've gone through all of this and more, just to find the best spot for my creativity and position where I can express myself musically without hindering personal style.
Found my edge in Drambo, not all of the Drambo but some of it. If I go full on, then creativity goes down, not good. Even scripting for Mosaic I found that is too much, I will use it only if left as a final option to go forward.
Regarding miRack, Audulus took his spot for me. Audulus is exactly how I imagine something HW modular transcribed to a digital graphic environment. Only using it when going nuts on some experimentation, almost always resulted in loss of musical creativity.
My only advice, discover, learn, experiment whenever you can but keep your musical mojo intact where it is most productive. 😎
I’d just like to thank @jwmmakerofmusic for kicking this thread off, because I’m making mental notes of a lot of the advice/ideas here. No two people work the same way, and sometimes an idea from someone else will set off a whole new train of thought and experimentation.
I’ll second, third, fourth (or whatever it is now) the advice to stick with a few modules to start with. Don’t try to use everything at once, you’ll just sprangle your brain and get discouraged. And there’s a lot to be said for using MiRack in conjunction with AUM, maybe with small patches doing some single function to start with and using the stuff you’re familiar with for other parts. For example, maybe make a patch that generates MIDI notes that you then send to another synth you’re already familiar with. That kind of thing, so you start to get usable results without getting overwhelmed.
FWIW I’ve not even touched most of the modules in MiRack yet, and others have just started to be used when there’s been something I wanted to do and had to figure out a way to do it.
I've barely dabbled on MiRack too since purchasing it on release, although I did play a lot with VCV in the past.
Besides some golden tips here, the whole thread just inspired me into trying something else - doing the same thing on all modulars/semi. For example, trying the drone patching from Dean's video on MiRack, Drambo, Ripplemaker, zMors, Audulus, Jasuto, Klankwelle, Pulse Code's Modular, etc. (maybe not all of them, probably focused on my main which is the 4 first ones, but you get the idea)