1. The opening scene is a beaut. 2. I’ve never liked the sound of euro rack synthesis BUT that track is incredible! All of these modular Monday’s are opening my eyes more to the possibilities eurorack can provide. It’s so much more than a bleep and a bloop
Exquisitely done. Beautiful feels all the way. Loved how the piano just blended in so unobtrusively. It's so freeing to write out of the box, and I used a similar method for years whenever I'd write for myself & for art installation things. All straight to stereo from the desk, with different passes and variations. Using modulars can be the best aural road trip ever, as long as you stay in control of your vehicle during the wilder drifts & tailouts. Thank you for sharing ✊
This is fantastic. For a year or two, I've always had this idea in the back of my head of using real instruments in conjunction with synthesizers. Seeing the piano with the mics hooked up to the system excites me, thanks!
Christian, this is absolutely brilliant. Please, please, please keep this kind of performance in the Modular Mondays segment going. Also, you might consider starting up a Patreon account specifically for this music and offering downloadable mp3s there for those of us who would love to support you personally while also listening to this music more than just as a part of a video. I'd be the first to sign up.
Interesting how things go away and come back around. I started producing and recording music on patchable synthesizers before computers came on the scene. Now they're back. I really like the blend of live playing with modular synth patches. I do think, though, that that combination will most often lead to an ambient and somewhat aleatoric end result (which is totally cool). You're not likely, however, to randomly end up with something like a Beethoven symphony. Interesting to think, though, that when Beethoven was working on a symphony, hunched over a big piece of paper with a quill pen, what he was doing kind of looked like Bob Cratchit doing period desk-jockey work for Mr. Scrooge. His workplace didn't look very musical, either. Weirdly, working on modular synths really looks a lot like being a telephone operator in the early part of the last century. Playing a piano keyboard has got some similarities to operating a typewriter. When you stop to think about it, most of the things we do relating to producing music have something in common with something else humans do that doesn't relate to music. I would think the biggest feature of making music with a modular system is that it's somewhat different from sitting behind a DAW. Anything that gives us a break from what we normally do has some value and is refreshing. But the way we normally do things (even if that's sitting behind a DAW) isn't necessarily bad, or unmusical.
Oh my, you could tell it was going to be special when hearing the individual sounds and it didn’t disappoint! I cannot allow myself to want modular (other than my mother 32) as I don’t have room and imagine this rig costs a fortune) but I really do want it after watching this.
Just played it again and as others have stated, it's one of the best things I've heard from modular - and from someone who had no prior knowledge of it. Incredible. We need a album (damn right I'd buy it)
Oh, that was really beautiful music! But that last part, how scary and intimidating it felt shows how bonded we are to "all that digital". Thank you for the fresh -or maybe old?- approach throughout that whole series.
Awesome frankensynth freakout!!! Really great with your piano. Beautiful :-) And yay!!! Didn't know you had a Dimension D!! AWESOME!!!! In nabbed one of those a few years ago for a shockingly low price--the best!!
This is really one of the best examples of musical performance on a modular. Very beautiful and engaging piece! Christian, I've been really trying to build a modular rig for the last 2 years, but I struggle with all the decisions... I like the 5U or Moog Unit size and feel, and haven't really been much of a euro rack fan... that is, until now! You really have put together an amazing, musical, and versatile modular setup without having to have a 3 square acre multi million dollar wall of knobs! I am quite impressed with this series and the performance you've put together here!
Wonderful Christian! I know for many of us, we seem to be of two minds. As soon as the synths come on, the more traditional side of our brains turns off and we struggle to blend more traditional instruments and styles of music into our electronic creations. You seem to be able to do this effortlessly. Well done!
I went back and watched the first three MM’s in the light of “get out from In front of the screen”. As a guitarist this is something that is required, but as a keyboardist this resonated .
That bit when you pull out the cables is soooo spot on! Its such a good felling i didn't know i liked until i tried it the first time. Its whats missing in modern music making
Now that - was impressive. Getting very close to my favourite band How To Destroy Angles.I don't buy into the anti-DAW argument and I've had it extensively with Steve Albini (you're just wrong Steve). The computer IS my instrument - especially since developing peripheral neuropathy (used to be a guitarist). At the end of the day It's just another tool and for the deriders there isn't actually a digital set of rules that says you have to cut & paste, quantise, edit-to-death anything. Anyway, composition was fantastic - more please.
"Since when did we become desk jockeys?" I'm a software engineer by day, video game composer by night, and that's why I write out my music longhand and minimize the time at the machine by just using it at the last moment to 'conduct' the music into the DAW. It's also how I program too by the way, I found long ago that starting at a computer screen kills creativity and problem solving.
Files and folders, the desktop approach of recalling/organisation, needs the use of the eyes to such an extent that the left side of the brain takes full control. It almost becomes office work at times. The outboard approach is so removed from relying on eye coordination with a mouse that the right side of the brain naturally takes over and we start to make adjustments with out thinking about it in the same we would when playing an acoustic instrument.
I've scrolled through the comments - not really all that far - and hadn't seen this question asked. Will you be releasing a version of this to Soundcloud? It is so atmospheric and amazing. I'd love to listen to a high quality version of it!
Despite the fact that you have walked us through every stage of this, I essentially have no comprehension at all at how you are achieving that sound, but wow!! That was beautiful! I was totally sceptical, but kept watching having faith we’d get to this point - I’m glad I did. So here’s an idea: how about a Henson modular synth album - I would totally listen to this stuff, and it’s not a genre I’m at all familiar with. On a similar note, I love the demos you and others produce for Spitfire - how about a Spitfire album, using only Spitfire samples? You could make a killing on this, because all your output is top notch. Logical next step?
Thank you. Very inspiring! I have a problem though: I come from a very free music background and love to dabble and sometimes really get something interesting out of that. However over the last years I have been drawn into notating and midi-ing and computerizing my music. I have found great fun in that and yet my greatest achievement was a track I did for an oriental clip and I really wanted a soprano singer for some lyric minor lines. In lack of money and time I decided to sing it in myself and quickly followed the rest of the band as a live performance. My Neighbors must hate me by now but the result was quite beautiful. I often am this mindset of live-Impro as not being fully worth work from a composer... Your Videos have given me new inspiration! I from now on will try to follow a hybrid path of concept and randomness of live performance. Thank you so much!
I have to agree with most of the other comments. One of the best examples of modular performance I have seen and your workflow is just how I imagined mine would be if I won the lottery ;) ...one of these days. Keep up the fabulous work buddy. Love the performances and I love the vlog, Im looking forward to seeing what you come out with next!
Beautiful stuff. Given the unpredictable nature of the sound generation and all the time needed to setup, experiment and refine, do you realistically see this as a real alternative to the pc/Mac for professional music production...?
Great piece of music Christian! The purpose of it all is to make music; and it's really showing! I recently picked up the Metropolis and I'm having much fun with it. I'm curious to know what you like in the Metropolis over let"s say something a little more complex like the Orthogonal ER-101. Couldn't agree with you more on working with computers.
Hey Christian. Have you ever tried Reason (DAW) ? In Reason every instrument and effect is an actual device with audio/cv wires, sitting in a virtual rack. I think It ticks a lot of boxes you mention and could be a great virtual fuckbox. Happy to share examples if you like !
Hey Christian. What were the musical considerations. By which I mean the key and the tuning and progression especially when you were conceiving the samples etc. AND what about the micing and the mixing the use of the modules and stuff is great and the workflow but it’s the musicality that’s sets this apart . I can own most of those modules . But when you conceived the sounds how did you realise them ? Hope that makes sense ?
Beautiful composition. I totally agree with you about computers killing creativity when trying to write music (my day job is sitting at a computer). Step away from the keyboard/mouse and enjoy the happy accidents!
16:31 I've heard this idea before (that not being able to save patches in modular is great for creativity and workflow) and I agree in some ways but also see a different side... I don't really have modular, but do have a Korg MS20 and Moog Mother 32. They are both so much fun to create sounds on. However, sometimes, once I have a sound I want for the composition I'm working on, I can't really play with them any more until the composition is finished. So, I often look at them and would love to just be creative with making sounds, but don't feel I can change them because I have the sounds I want for that song I'm writing. (I could take a photo of the knobs and cables, but that becomes hassle and the creative moment kind of fades at the thought of that). On the other hand, I recently bought a Novation Peak and that is a beautiful synth that is equally wonderful to create patches on. But, because it saves patches - I can 'init' patch and just go nuts on it, safe in the knowledge that the other sound I had is safely saved. So that ends up being the synth I play with most, learn the best, and get the most amazing sounds out of. Also, because it's fully midi - I can record a 'performance' on it (playing notes) and then (in homage to modular) overdub the recording with knob twirling filter sweeps, LFO's, effect changes, etc. It's just such fun and the ability to save patches is a crucial part of that :)
Hey Christian, lovely to hear this. Do you feel your modular has given you new musical energy? Silly question since you're such skilled composer but interesting to hear what this modular journey might come with.
To me personally, the modular stuff looks more intimidating than all the work i do on my computer. Maybe it's the fact that i just haven't tried it and am unfamiliar with it. Do you find it really frees up your creativity?
I don't know if you clock generator supports it, but is there someway of using an expression p-peddle to control tempo? A bit of rubato was all I was missing!
Gotcha - thanks! Didn't know you were a summing guy. I had a Dangerous 2 Bus+ but in the end it didn't really do that much for me other than take up more time - out it went.
I still record direct to hardware from keyboards and microphones. I only mix and convert on my computer. I find if I try and create in the PC I am distracted by all the claptrap. I never create a template because I want to have to find sounds as I create; sure I have 'go to' sounds, but that's less restrictive than a constant set.
![[Live] : ONE 169 วันนี้!! "อนาโตลี vs อูมาร์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/IK3YZVWuFJg/mqdefault.jpg)
Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant !!!!!
Awesome!!
A Big Fat YES Mr H!
Utterly phenomenal.
Waiting for the album with anticipation, might I be so bold as to suggest a title? Quoting verbatim of course: Big Floppy Knobs.
Possibly the best thing I've ever heard with a modular setup. Love this workflow, makes me want both a nice modular setup and an upright
Check out Junkie XLs mega modular set up.
th-cam.com/video/pd2odbR8TB4/w-d-xo.html
check out Colin Benders
chemicalBR0 yep, his stuff is great. Massive live system that he managed to patch live in some cases
Amazing! Thank you Christian for this great journey.Very inspiring.
Wonderful
superb, - refreshing to hear modular synthesis used in a more, controlled and restrained enviroment.
1. The opening scene is a beaut.
2. I’ve never liked the sound of euro rack synthesis BUT that track is incredible! All of these modular Monday’s are opening my eyes more to the possibilities eurorack can provide. It’s so much more than a bleep and a bloop
Sorry to repeat the last post - but is the most beautiful patch I've ever heard coming out of a modular. Unbelievable good. That's it, keep coming.
Wow. Christian this is a wonderful piece of music! Really enjoyed this.
Exquisitely done. Beautiful feels all the way. Loved how the piano just blended in so unobtrusively.
It's so freeing to write out of the box, and I used a similar method for years whenever I'd write for myself & for art installation things. All straight to stereo from the desk, with different passes and variations.
Using modulars can be the best aural road trip ever, as long as you stay in control of your vehicle during the wilder drifts & tailouts.
Thank you for sharing ✊
This is fantastic. For a year or two, I've always had this idea in the back of my head of using real instruments in conjunction with synthesizers. Seeing the piano with the mics hooked up to the system excites me, thanks!
Christian, this is absolutely brilliant. Please, please, please keep this kind of performance in the Modular Mondays segment going. Also, you might consider starting up a Patreon account specifically for this music and offering downloadable mp3s there for those of us who would love to support you personally while also listening to this music more than just as a part of a video. I'd be the first to sign up.
Now we're cooking! Best episode yet CH. Great stuff.
Interesting how things go away and come back around. I started producing and recording music on patchable synthesizers before computers came on the scene. Now they're back. I really like the blend of live playing with modular synth patches. I do think, though, that that combination will most often lead to an ambient and somewhat aleatoric end result (which is totally cool). You're not likely, however, to randomly end up with something like a Beethoven symphony. Interesting to think, though, that when Beethoven was working on a symphony, hunched over a big piece of paper with a quill pen, what he was doing kind of looked like Bob Cratchit doing period desk-jockey work for Mr. Scrooge. His workplace didn't look very musical, either. Weirdly, working on modular synths really looks a lot like being a telephone operator in the early part of the last century. Playing a piano keyboard has got some similarities to operating a typewriter. When you stop to think about it, most of the things we do relating to producing music have something in common with something else humans do that doesn't relate to music. I would think the biggest feature of making music with a modular system is that it's somewhat different from sitting behind a DAW. Anything that gives us a break from what we normally do has some value and is refreshing. But the way we normally do things (even if that's sitting behind a DAW) isn't necessarily bad, or unmusical.
An album, full of stuff like that, take my money!!
Thank you Christian! This is very interesting and helpful! Looking forward to your next video!
Christian, this is utterly beautiful! Such a moving piece, both literally and emotionally. Please keep this going!
wow, this is like a whole new level of creativity!
That was beautiful! Really enjoy these vlogs.
Beautiful composition. Just wow!
Oh my, you could tell it was going to be special when hearing the individual sounds and it didn’t disappoint! I cannot allow myself to want modular (other than my mother 32) as I don’t have room and imagine this rig costs a fortune) but I really do want it after watching this.
WOUAH! This is so beautiful.
Just played it again and as others have stated, it's one of the best things I've heard from modular - and from someone who had no prior knowledge of it. Incredible. We need a album (damn right I'd buy it)
You are a master!! that was beautiful...
Fantastic
Beautiful!
Amazingly beautiful.
Just when I have talked myself out of getting a eurorack set-up, you go and post something like this. It’s bloody awesome!!! For f**ks sake.... 🙄
Oh, that was really beautiful music! But that last part, how scary and intimidating it felt shows how bonded we are to "all that digital". Thank you for the fresh -or maybe old?- approach throughout that whole series.
That was absolutely top shelf.
Does that mean a bit porny, I guess you can take a man out of porn music but you can't take the porn music out of the man.
Not porny at all. Good like a fine bottle of gin they keep on the top shelf behind the bar. Maybe that's just an American thing.
Omg, As mentioned before me, please do release this! Beautiful sound, oh so smooth..
Awesome frankensynth freakout!!! Really great with your piano. Beautiful :-) And yay!!! Didn't know you had a Dimension D!! AWESOME!!!! In nabbed one of those a few years ago for a shockingly low price--the best!!
This is really one of the best examples of musical performance on a modular. Very beautiful and engaging piece! Christian, I've been really trying to build a modular rig for the last 2 years, but I struggle with all the decisions... I like the 5U or Moog Unit size and feel, and haven't really been much of a euro rack fan... that is, until now! You really have put together an amazing, musical, and versatile modular setup without having to have a 3 square acre multi million dollar wall of knobs! I am quite impressed with this series and the performance you've put together here!
Wonderful Christian! I know for many of us, we seem to be of two minds. As soon as the synths come on, the more traditional side of our brains turns off and we struggle to blend more traditional instruments and styles of music into our electronic creations. You seem to be able to do this effortlessly. Well done!
Dang, this is absolutely fantastic!
I went back and watched the first three MM’s in the light of “get out from In front of the screen”. As a guitarist this is something that is required, but as a keyboardist this resonated .
Thanks again. Love this.
That bit when you pull out the cables is soooo spot on! Its such a good felling i didn't know i liked until i tried it the first time. Its whats missing in modern music making
Beautiful composition, amazing textures !
Now that - was impressive. Getting very close to my favourite band How To Destroy Angles.I don't buy into the anti-DAW argument and I've had it extensively with Steve Albini (you're just wrong Steve). The computer IS my instrument - especially since developing peripheral neuropathy (used to be a guitarist). At the end of the day It's just another tool and for the deriders there isn't actually a digital set of rules that says you have to cut & paste, quantise, edit-to-death anything. Anyway, composition was fantastic - more please.
I totally agree your way Christian! Thank you for this kind of lovely ephemeral moment of music artwork...
From Paris.
éliane
Woow this was so amazing and especially with good headphones
Fantastic.
Really really great work there! Could listen for hours to your piece of music there. Keep going!!!
"Since when did we become desk jockeys?" I'm a software engineer by day, video game composer by night, and that's why I write out my music longhand and minimize the time at the machine by just using it at the last moment to 'conduct' the music into the DAW. It's also how I program too by the way, I found long ago that starting at a computer screen kills creativity and problem solving.
I love that song. Absolutely beautiful...
Nice piece. Did you at least take a photo of your patch? :) I could have listened to this one for a while longer..... MORE!!!
Files and folders, the desktop approach of recalling/organisation, needs the use of the eyes to such an extent that the left side of the brain takes full control. It almost becomes office work at times. The outboard approach is so removed from relying on eye coordination with a mouse that the right side of the brain naturally takes over and we start to make adjustments with out thinking about it in the same we would when playing an acoustic instrument.
Just superb. And love the hiss - welcome back!
I've scrolled through the comments - not really all that far - and hadn't seen this question asked. Will you be releasing a version of this to Soundcloud? It is so atmospheric and amazing. I'd love to listen to a high quality version of it!
Love the territory you're delving into, Christian! Reminds me of Nils Frahm!
Despite the fact that you have walked us through every stage of this, I essentially have no comprehension at all at how you are achieving that sound, but wow!! That was beautiful! I was totally sceptical, but kept watching having faith we’d get to this point - I’m glad I did. So here’s an idea: how about a Henson modular synth album - I would totally listen to this stuff, and it’s not a genre I’m at all familiar with. On a similar note, I love the demos you and others produce for Spitfire - how about a Spitfire album, using only Spitfire samples? You could make a killing on this, because all your output is top notch. Logical next step?
Really beautiful piece. Better still, genuinely inspirational too.
Thank you. Very inspiring!
I have a problem though: I come from a very free music background and love to dabble and sometimes really get something interesting out of that. However over the last years I have been drawn into notating and midi-ing and computerizing my music. I have found great fun in that and yet my greatest achievement was a track I did for an oriental clip and I really wanted a soprano singer for some lyric minor lines. In lack of money and time I decided to sing it in myself and quickly followed the rest of the band as a live performance. My Neighbors must hate me by now but the result was quite beautiful.
I often am this mindset of live-Impro as not being fully worth work from a composer...
Your Videos have given me new inspiration! I from now on will try to follow a hybrid path of concept and randomness of live performance.
Thank you so much!
Brilliant. And really inspiring. As always, thank you very much!
Wow! I love what you are making with this machine Christian. Lovely patching, and amazing retro vibe
I have to agree with most of the other comments. One of the best examples of modular performance I have seen and your workflow is just how I imagined mine would be if I won the lottery ;) ...one of these days. Keep up the fabulous work buddy. Love the performances and I love the vlog, Im looking forward to seeing what you come out with next!
Very inspiring! Probably the best use of the DFAM that I have seen so far as well.
Beautiful stuff. Given the unpredictable nature of the sound generation and all the time needed to setup, experiment and refine, do you realistically see this as a real alternative to the pc/Mac for professional music production...?
it's been great watching you figure all this out and incredibly informative! beautiful composition, too!
So you're touring with Trent Reznor next year then? :P
That's an awesome piece of music Christian! You should release it as a song.... why did you unplug the patch!!!!
wow, such an awesome sound out if this set up, it's definitely inspiring me to want to get a bit creative with how I make music
CH you've done it!
Wonderful
Really need to get one of those piano modules. Sounded great!
Great patch man! Your voice is really coming through on this! Love that you incorporated the piano into it! 🙌
Great piece of music Christian! The purpose of it all is to make music; and it's really showing!
I recently picked up the Metropolis and I'm having much fun with it. I'm curious to know what you like in the Metropolis over let"s say something a little more complex like the Orthogonal ER-101.
Couldn't agree with you more on working with computers.
Bravo!
Wonderful, keep up the good work man !
I loved this! Very nice! I wonder if you can demonstrate composing like this but to picture?
Junkie XL dives in on his page on how he uses his modular wall for scoring. Here is a performance: th-cam.com/video/pd2odbR8TB4/w-d-xo.html
I really enjoyed that!
Hey Christian. Have you ever tried Reason (DAW) ? In Reason every instrument and effect is an actual device with audio/cv wires, sitting in a virtual rack. I think It ticks a lot of boxes you mention and could be a great virtual fuckbox. Happy to share examples if you like !
Great track!
Brilliant! Great job
Hey Christian. What were the musical considerations. By which I mean the key and the tuning and progression especially when you were conceiving the samples etc. AND what about the micing and the mixing the use of the modules and stuff is great and the workflow but it’s the musicality that’s sets this apart . I can own most of those modules . But when you conceived the sounds how did you realise them ? Hope that makes sense ?
Just when I had given up on going modular...
Very nice. I am also trying to work in more piano into my modular setup.
Brilliant as always. your videos are truly outstanding. How did you send the signal from the piano mic to the clouds module?
Beautiful composition. I totally agree with you about computers killing creativity when trying to write music (my day job is sitting at a computer). Step away from the keyboard/mouse and enjoy the happy accidents!
Have you considered Pam's New Workout as a central clock source for both CV and MIDI? I've found it invaluable.
I predict that your album will be realeased on the Erased Tapes label
Bloody Hell, I couldn’t cope with all that Christian! Just bought your Studio Strings btw. Very nice indeed!
WTF brilliant 🎩📈
16:31 I've heard this idea before (that not being able to save patches in modular is great for creativity and workflow) and I agree in some ways but also see a different side... I don't really have modular, but do have a Korg MS20 and Moog Mother 32. They are both so much fun to create sounds on. However, sometimes, once I have a sound I want for the composition I'm working on, I can't really play with them any more until the composition is finished. So, I often look at them and would love to just be creative with making sounds, but don't feel I can change them because I have the sounds I want for that song I'm writing. (I could take a photo of the knobs and cables, but that becomes hassle and the creative moment kind of fades at the thought of that). On the other hand, I recently bought a Novation Peak and that is a beautiful synth that is equally wonderful to create patches on. But, because it saves patches - I can 'init' patch and just go nuts on it, safe in the knowledge that the other sound I had is safely saved. So that ends up being the synth I play with most, learn the best, and get the most amazing sounds out of. Also, because it's fully midi - I can record a 'performance' on it (playing notes) and then (in homage to modular) overdub the recording with knob twirling filter sweeps, LFO's, effect changes, etc. It's just such fun and the ability to save patches is a crucial part of that :)
Hey Christian, lovely to hear this. Do you feel your modular has given you new musical energy? Silly question since you're such skilled composer but interesting to hear what this modular journey might come with.
To me personally, the modular stuff looks more intimidating than all the work i do on my computer. Maybe it's the fact that i just haven't tried it and am unfamiliar with it. Do you find it really frees up your creativity?
(11:41) Carried me away! ...Headphones recommended!!!
Nice!! The shape of the sto is not a filter but more of a wave shaper.. it folds between odd and even harmonics, i think
Thaaaaaanks!
I’m pretty sure it’s pulse width modulation which does effect harmonic spectra.
Floored. But, I did go into this one thinking it was going to be a bake off
Cool Vibe... Right On
I don't know if you clock generator supports it, but is there someway of using an expression p-peddle to control tempo? A bit of rubato was all I was missing!
Totally agree with your view on working on computers, that's what producers used to be for: freeing up musicians to get on with it.
Nice way of putting it, I'll use if I may.
How are the faders for the summing mixer?
very nice
Brilliant video, as always, Christian. What's the fader controller you have under your second screen?
Very nice Christian!
If you don't mind, what is that mixer/controller device under your right monitor?
Thanks again!
Gotcha - thanks!
Didn't know you were a summing guy. I had a Dangerous 2 Bus+ but in the end it didn't really do that much for me other than take up more time - out it went.
I still record direct to hardware from keyboards and microphones. I only mix and convert on my computer. I find if I try and create in the PC I am distracted by all the claptrap. I never create a template because I want to have to find sounds as I create; sure I have 'go to' sounds, but that's less restrictive than a constant set.