Composing On The Modular Synthesizer: Theatre Soundtrack

In which I compose a track for a theatre play on a Eurorack modular synthesizer.
Electricity bill support: / hainbach
Questions and answers: / hainbach
Chat: / discord
I still hear that modular synthesizers are fartboxes, can do only bleeps and bloops or are mainly a source of happy accidents. With the tools available today, its easy to use a modular to precisely score what you have in your mind, and shape just like you would on a multitrack workstation. The added advantages are the joy of hands on control, the sounds of analog circuitry and modulation send to many signals, creating a more cohesive mix even before hitting tape. Recall is of course only possible as long as you keep the patch, or get really exact about manual patch-sheets.
The play is Woyzeck by Georg Büchner and premiered rather successfully last weekend. Learn more:
www.mecklenburgisches-staatst...

[@eckharteric]

Any chance this will get released outside of the stage production? I absolutely love it.

[@Hainbach]

With all the nice feedback I will release a soundtrack mini-album on patreon.com/hainbach. Its rehearsal recordings and the unfinished version of this track (I don't have the Gamelan Strips, they are at the theatre). I could not make a regular release of it because of that.

[@Hainbach]

Its on Patreon now.:-)

[@ConwayBob]

@@Hainbach -- Once you get the Gamelan Strips back, you can make yet another version. Something to which we all can look forward!

[@EnginAtik]

It already made a great soundtrack for this video.

[@DivKid]

Great to see the process, thanks for documenting. Filming and documenting things while actually doing creative commissioned work can be a real pain. You the man! :)

[@Hainbach]

Thank you Ben! That was indeed a challenge

[@bitegoatie]

This helps so much. It would help young composers and directors even more. It is a master-level video - one high point in a high-standard body of work. It’s not that I didn’t understand already the points you made. The way you bring everything together in the context of your process and the quality of the music and theater (and the writing of the play - it’s a favorite) the makes the lesson compelling to watch and persuasive in its presentation. Thank you.

[@Hainbach]

Thank you for writing this reflection, it's been video that took a long time to make so I am happy if it resonates.

[@RobotalismGames]

It was so interesting, you perfectly succeeded to explain your work and make us live this adventure with you. Thanks!

[@sardarian1876]

Easily one of the best modular composition videos on YT!

[@S1P1G3]

Wonderful to see and hear the process. Thanks for sharing.

[@boarthefighter]

This was awesome and very insightful!

[@VeggieLard]

This was absolutely amazing. Love the track, and the concept of the video was great too!

[@vaspers]

Very nice. Thanks for uploading this.

[@cowarden]

Wow! +1 vote for seeing more videos like this. The music sounds great, and it's inspiring to see this process in action.

[@njdpdv]

Very interesting! Thanks again for giving a peek into your creative process and all the explanations ✨👍✨

[@Audhentik]

Großartig wie immer! Danke schön mal wieder ❤

[@marsmediapro]

Thank you for showing us your process! VERY Much appreciated!

[@firehandszarb]

some really good sounds , very inspiring

[@HarryFullerCT]

I love everything about this. A chance to follow a creative spark from conception to reality. Thanks for bringing us into the process.

[@3str]

Love the approach and attitude.

[@alejandromontanez2977]

I really love the aesthetic of the production! Fits Woyzeck well

[@SyncdAlien]

Fascinating, thank you.

[@johntbd]

Super run through. Bravo on on your flexibility. The end result seemed to work well. Your tight schedule and working methods are an inspiration.

[@REDACT3D]

Beauty bud, thanks for bringing us along for the ride! always put the headphones on when i'm around here!

[@Hainbach]

Thank you, was a nice chat, too!

[@thelostart2896]

"broken gear is the most fun " :) great video.. great work

[@sxipshirey]

gorgeous sounds

[@Sensillum]

Great video, fantastic track.

[@nickmaxwellambient6615]

Your music is so dirty and wonderful to listen to. Just a total rejection of overproduced perfection and an embracing of beautiful imperfection. I love it, thanks for sharing!

[@chiefthomson]

brilliant track, absolutely love the rhythmic composition and the melody. Also nice message at the end, where some might be insulted if the music you created is not used, it's far more important to realise, in the end it has to fit with what the director imagined it to be. thanks for sharing, great insight

[@ConwayBob]

Thank you, Hainbach, for one of your best videos to date. I love watching these intimate glimpses into your creative process, to see how you have incorporated some of your past explorations (e.g., the Gamelan Strips, some interesting Eurorack modules, old lab test instruments) into your ongoing music composition/production work. Collaboration with a theatre director and actors can be such a joy, even if you end up having to leave out some of the products of those long hours of work. I would count NONE of those hours as wasted time as they all are helping to make you the master you will be in 2029. Excellent work on the music, the play production, and the video.

[@Hainbach]

Thank you Bob for taking to write this nuanced comment. I really appreciate that. With instruments I take a long-term approach: the Gamelan strips were always meant for this for example.

[@leondenengelsen1157]

Amazing! Love it!

[@moritzbokelmann]

Someone walked up on me watching this video, stood behind for a few seconds and asked me if you've lost your mind. I said "yeah but like in a good way" :D Love seeing your creative process. Really similar to my workflow.

[@jericho2x2]

Großartig. Danke für den Einblick.

[@Flying_Karsten]

great work

[@MrUnit731]

I love this! Thanks man 💥

[@erichewes3288]

Hainbach: now offering sage work advice alongside creative content.

[@Hainbach]

Its kind of what I had planned for the future - I have been living of composing for more than a decade and I want to share not only creative or technical knowledge, but also the business/health/hustle side of it.

[@erichewes3288]

@@Hainbach I've only just started making music in the last few months. and i took the plunge into modular with no previous musical knowledge. so i'm focusing on having as much fun as possible, but in the back of my head i have lots of mad dreams about doing a live set. anyway your videos are really helpful for inspiration and i'm sure any other advice about the other aspects of music creation will be well received.

[@AM-ui9mc]

Those videos that show the creative process are the best on the internet. And if it includes modular synthesizers then OMG

[@Hainbach]

Thank you! I think so too - watching people create, be it art, music or a giant slingshot are my favorite videos.

[@stefan1024]

Love your final result! It has a pop quality in the best way possible, I could even imagine some vocals on top of it or some other narrative/melodic/"foreground" element.

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, I can develop on it further, now that it is "free"

[@konstantine8054]

So true that the piece did not get used at the end! This is one of your best videos so far. And your editing skills are now on par with your audio mastery.

[@Hainbach]

Thank you mate!

[@joelcorriveau]

I just watched this with my 7 and 2 year olds, in lieu of Saturday morning cartoons! We loved it. Thanks for sharing. You put A LOT of work into telling this story. Turned out lovely. Best wishes!

[@Hainbach]

Thank you, as a father of girls of similar age this is very touching.

[@nicholassturgess-monks4458]

Really great perspective re: the relationship between artist and performance. I actually became interested in music largely through directing theatre.

[@gotFAITH92]

@HAINBACH Ich freue mich so, dich in den Weiten KZbins gefunden zu haben! Großartige Arbeit die du leistest. Danke!

[@Hainbach]

Danke dir, das freut mich!

[@ericyoung5960]

You created a wonderful piece. What I know of this play, based on your video, I must say the director made the right call... that gamelan piece is so beautifully melancholy and just works in its simplicity. Your track would make for a mind blowing climax in the right situation though. I was seeing a scene play out in my head while listening.

[@Hainbach]

I agree with you! But for the climax we had a track played with increasing intensity on the gamelan while all the actors chanted "immerzu" "again", which worked very well.

[@jprnn]

Great insights! I loved this video! As someone who works occasionally in dance, I sympathize with the reality that sometimes a perfectly good song will get discarded. What I do, is first of all, always leave your ego at the door, and secondly always look for what's best for the piece as a whole. Sometimes that means speaking for an idea, and sometimes that means letting it go. Thank you for bringing this up! It's an important part of the profession of a composer for live arts.

[@ChibaCityBlues]

Damn! I love your music!

[@PCoyte]

Thanks for sharing this. I work in theatre & have been desperate to incorporate my modular gear but often end up working in the box due to the process & deadlines meaning there are many last minute changes & rewrites. I have manage to use it for textures and samples that I can easily recall and even more satisfying for live for dance pieces.

[@Metatr0n]

This track is musical 侘寂. (wabi-sabi, essential element in Japanese philosophy about accepting and embracing the imperfections in this world) Gave me goose-bumps.

[@blindianajones]

Really liked the final piece. Like others, would love to hear it as a song. The test equipment osc is a great addition to the feel of the piece.

[@PepitoMegaChocolato]

Magnifique !

[@morayonkeys]

What a wonderful video! I love writing for theatre, the energy is so different to writing albums or for film. That production looks fabulous too. I wish I could do more of it but so few companies have the budget :(

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, in Germany its state sponsored, which makes a difference. Though budgets are cut, there is a solid base.

[@morayonkeys]

​@@Hainbach Good to hear that it still happens somewhere! Annoyingly in the UK it's the big theatres that get most of the funding and the smaller, more experimental ones - which can do so much more with so much less money - get nothing.

[@studentsmusic]

Interessant...auch schönes vintage zeug in the back, wem - copycat und stockhausen style equipment (wie wdr e-studio)...theater soundtrack mit eurorack hatte ich noch nicht auf dem schirm. Jetzt schon. Danke für den upload.

[@Hainbach]

Danke dir! Ja, Stockhausen is Vorbild für das Setup am Rand. Back to the roots, sehr inspirierend.

[@thom-alphaxiii-5106]

your monster comes alive dr hainbach frankenstein! ^^ hope to see more videos like this on your channel, anyway hats off! cheers

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, it surprise me there! Sure, thinking of more videos like this, they just take a lot of time to make.

[@thom-alphaxiii-5106]

HAINBACH for sure it must take lots of time! Thx by the way for time and efforts to share your world. would be great, also, to go deeper when you talk about the integration of music with theatre plays or films, and why this track finally went out of the project ‘cause it was the wrong energy at the wrong time in the play, even if it sounded great by itself. This is a rare subject, the « space » for music when music is not the main project, the final product in a way. Sorry , i hope it makes sense , hard to explain in english.

[@immersiveworlds]

Love the Hermod!

[@gattifusi]

amazing

[@samothrace2106]

7:04 "FILTER!" I'm sampling that for sure.

[@AR6200]

Brilliant

[@NeonThoughtBox]

I find your work quite fascinating. I admire your willingness to accept the creative decision of the director to not use your music. It is a great work though and I hope you release this track somewhere else.

[@Hainbach]

I put the "unfinished" on my Patreon, but I think I can develop it more.

[@VCVRackIdeas]

I like your Auratone. I have Behringer C50A which is a copy of Avantone and use it as you in mono. Very informative about midrange

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, it helps a lot, like a fresh look.

[@sampleexamplemusic]

THE HAINBACH HAS SPOKEN.

[@georgeharris407]

It aroused my interest in the play itself and perhaps tack down a performance of it somewhere in Australia if I could afford the admission

[@Eidraify]

ace track

[@beepbeep2446]

Sounds like a pop song. Wow amazing!!!

[@Hainbach]

Half of were I come from is failed pop 😄. That was my old band from over a decade ago: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5uwoXtpdpaIadE

[@willibooy]

love this video! How do you approach theatre rehearsals when making electronic music like this? is it hard to adapt, unless you use midi as well as the audio? i have a million questions about this, if you would elaborate, it would mean the world to me! I'm wondering about the main differences between scoring for film as opposed to theatre; because with film you can load the scene into your daw and work with great detail, but since the theatre is alive and new every time, how do you approach making ideas and adapting and especially rehearsals!

[@tiesergrote]

craaazy . and nice :)

[@NatePerdomo]

We want to see you smile!!!!

[@jos9573]

"Wir müssen alle sterben" is probably the most German thing to put in any production, well, maybe after "Gott ist tot". :) Nice work!

[@FredericMarquardt]

Geil! 13.30 Hype!

[@thephantom8865]

This video is very interesting! I hope they payed you for your time since they didn’t use the track in the end.

[@Hainbach]

Yeah all good! I get paid no matter how much of my music is used.

[@thephantom8865]

HAINBACH Nice! I know how this industry can be at times.

[@ahzootube]

The song those performers are playing and singing is just amazing. Where can I listen to it?

[@Hainbach]

On patreon.com/Hainbach are all the recordings

[@pawnotdaw4559]

Hello and thanks for that. Very interesting. What was the interlude music as you were riding your bike to the theatre? That was ace!

[@Hainbach]

That is a track I made for my upcoming album on False Rec that is all test equipment.

[@pawnotdaw4559]

Love it!When is that coming out?

[@runnywhart7440]

HAINBACH, you are quickly becoming one of my favorite creators. I love your usage of obscure gear. Speaking of which, at 1:02, there is something that looks like a bomb sitting in front of your monitors. What is that? Where do I get one and how can I use it to make beautiful music?

[@Hainbach]

Thank you! That is for blowing away dust - you can get these in electronic and camera stores.

[@runnywhart7440]

@@Hainbach I thought it was something you could purchase at an adult store for cleaning something out a little more personal. ;)

[@runnywhart7440]

@@Hainbach Something like a Bathmate Hydrorocket

[@CashMattock]

I loved all the music from this video. The track you created is great. For fun would you mind if I sampled and added a vocal? I would completely understand if you said no. Cheers! ✌️

[@Hainbach]

Please do!

[@CashMattock]

HAINBACH Hi Hainbach! Great job on the latest videos. Keep them coming! I have a question for you... What are the lyrics to the song that the woman is singing in the play?

[@BeniRoseMusic]

What kind of modulation did you put into that filter to get that "burning feeling"? I love it!

[@Hainbach]

An rather steppy envelope form Double Andore, but due to the vactrols on the Borg it reacts very "molassy".

[@muffollo]

Have you ever walked out with a patch cable still hanging över your shoulder?

[@Hainbach]

Yes. More times than I care to admit.

[@CashMattock]

Hi Hainbach, I asked this question before it a reply but maybe you missed it. I know you’ve been very busy lately. What are the lyrics to the song the woman sings in the play? If you could give me the English version that would even be better. Thanks in advance.

[@Hainbach]

In this world nothing remains We all have to die This is well-known.

[@aljoshakonstanty]

How did you get into writing music for theatre? :)

[@Hainbach]

Joined the university amateur theatre group, learned the ropes there, met with directors studying, one of them got good work and we became a team

[@aljoshakonstanty]

@@Hainbach Oh that's super awesome! :)

[@Hainbach]

Yeah, it's fun!

[@dillipphunbar7924]

Interesting experience. Recording at a home studio, must be difficult to replicate the atmosphere of a theatre "space" , with it's irregular shapes and reflective/dampening surfaces.

[@Hainbach]

Oh I just mix as I normally would. Have gotten good at it over the years, so my music sounds pretty consistent across many systems. In fact, having regular access to big PA systems makes mixing much easier.

[@StevenSclafani]

Daunting project.

[@WellsOliver]

the least interesting question of the day: do you have your Doepfer cases braced at all to prevent them from falling over?

[@Hainbach]

They stack very well! Unlike my test equipment that once fell on me.

[@Kupka2408]

I was "accidentally" listening to Sven Grünbergs "Valgusxis" from the album "Hingus" while watching your video. (didn't notice that it was still playing in another tab) The melodic part in the last three minutes or so of that song were somehow matching your music perfectly so I thought it was part of your composition :D Listen to the melody here, it's amazing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJDciKWDqqtkiLs

[@Hainbach]

Oh this is cool, thank you for sharing!

[@sveinunggjessing1663]

German theatre, it's alive!

[@RockmannMusic]

They can't do movies so it's at least something

[@kellymerrill5294]

What if I cry like a little baby in the corner, eating dried fruit and sifting through the laundry of a cat named Roger? Would you cry too? Or be a funny doggy eating it's chow chow.

[@flourfree2K]

At some time (more in the beginning) of this video, I had this track jumping into my mind: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2LGg3qMlq95bbs and I don't know why.

[@thomasdupont7186]

no hate, but frankly while watching the work in progress i was saying to myself : "this is was way too techno or danceable" does it make sense ? i don't know how to put it since i'm learning english since three years only... But yeah looking at the pictures of the theatre and listening to the plot.... It was a little obvious it wouldn't work. Something more "intime" was needed... And by the way, i had the exacte same experience for a short film so... Hainbach DO has talent ! It's not a debate. But composing for live theatre is something different than just making a record. And like in german, french or english, i'm pretty sure the language we use doesn't help to truly explain what we need or want.

[@Hainbach]

No worries mate, but let me tell you that the track absolutely worked during rehearsals and was exactly what the director requested and needed to get the energy level from the actors during the rehearsals. I have been doing this for 18 years so I know what I am doing. :-)

[@thomasdupont7186]

you do, sorry if my comment was a a little arrogant, wasn't my intention.

[@danieljackson3868]

Sci-fi staging of Woyzeck?

[@Hainbach]

More post-apocalyptic out of time.

[@caydilemma3309]

German theater is wild how late is it for me to learn German just to study theater

[@Hainbach]

It's wild but also under fire from budget cuts and right wind politicians. So I hope it lasts, because it's a unique playground.

[@vooveks]

Stop! Wait! Forget all that - JAMO SPEAKERS?! Are you being ironic or what? - A concerned audiophile.

[@Hainbach]

This were from NDR, german broadcast, and were used whenever you wanted to impress. I use them to check the lower octaves, works great for that.

[@vooveks]

@@Hainbach OK. It's just that I always thought Jamo were a crappy brand (I remember them getting much derision from my HiFi-obsessed brother back on the 80s/early 90s. Apparently not! Interesting.

[@couchcamperTM]

you've got a OP 1? tell me what were your lottery numbers xD nee echt mal, da werd ich fast neidisch^^

[@Hainbach]

Vintage 2012 black Friday deal 😄

[@Nomo_Popo]

Well I think they should've just moved the scene near the end of the play where the energy fit better but nooooooooo

[@josemiguelmaciasvocar2690]

FILTER!

[@milztempelrowski9281]

LOL 7:20 56k Faxmodem Incoming (kzbin.info/www/bejne/mX_amGp5gb18aZo)

[@themadduck8784]

You can taste the salty undertones in the video when he says it doesn't get used in the play

[@AlexeyFilippenkoPlummet]

That melody was as German as it gets.