Doepfer Polyphonic Modules - a conversation with Dieter Doepfer

[@YomYestreen]

Dieter Doepfer - What an awesome guy. I believe future generations will look back on him in the same company as Bob Moog or Buchla. The man pioneered a format which is revolutionizing synthesis, and this video is evidence that he does it out of love for the craft. Anyone making music with eurorack owes him a debt of gratitude, even if you don't own a single Doepfer module. Thank you, Dieter! You changed the music world. (And thank you Robin, for the interview!)

[@OB1techno]

I would already place Dieter in the same bucket as Bob and Don TBH.

[@marcbrasse747]

Sorry but to use the world revolutionary in this context is hyperbole. Doepfer has been very important by keeping on to the modular synthesizers when everybody else called it oldfashioned. Just as Mr. Doepfer points out here his format was a logical step for him but hardly a revolution. Even Bob Moog would always carefully refrain from cliams that he invented the synthesizer. He didn't. He simply helped established a format that became mainstream. If you really want to know when synthesis was born type in terms like: Telharmonium, Theremin, Ondes Martenot, Trautonium, Hugh Le Caine.

[@XanderEwald]

Marc Brassé Well, he is the person that specified the Eurorack format, so it’s understandable the Eurorack community celebrates him.

[@marcbrasse747]

@@XanderEwald Absolutely. It's just my conviction that hyperbole does not make things better but actually worse. Celebrate people for what they actually do and leave the mythbuilding away. That just leads to misinformation and we all know what that does to the world.

[@rickdeckard1075]

@@marcbrasse747 I think theyre just communicating fan-to-fan enthusiasm, both sender and receiver know to calibrate the conversation

[@AnxiousCowboy]

Dieter Doepfer needs his own youtube series! loved listening to his demos and explanations...

[@256k_]

This is one of the biggest reasons why im so attracted to the modular subculture because it’s so laid back and the focus is all about the music and the technology... when you look at the commercial music industry its all about money and fame it really ruins it for me.... im always attracted to small niches because the main driving force will always be passion and not money. Thank you for doing this video. I hope one day i get to meet some of the modular legends as well

[@elissitdesign]

fayekhelmi until pop music discovers modular and bastardizes it!

[@MichaelDowComposer]

for the love should always be the way!

[@jasonwebb7978]

@@elissitdesign That's fine! It'll be the same as guitar pedal nerds. Only the most fanatic will be pausing the videos to see what modules are used!

[@christophedevos3760]

Very interesting interview. I can acknowledge that Mr. Doepfer is a very accessible, helpful and sympathetic person. All the best, thanks for sharing.

[@Larry30102]

This ranks up there with one of the great eurorack vids. Very much appreciated it.

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Thanks, what a lovely comment.

[@Cochlea303]

Great that is a massiv amount of informations. Being part of so many questions I had. Wonderful thanks for that. Greetings from Berlin Ben.

[@kentkacs3140]

Really enjoyed this. So nice to listen to a leisurely, informative chat that isn't recorded on a noisy trade show floor.

[@That.old.mountain]

dieter is a great man. i have used so many different brands of eurorack, and have sold most of it, but always kept the doepfer and love the functional, economical, beauty of the sound and aesthetic. you can do anything with these modules

[@7177YT]

so sweet. What a humble and level headed man Dr. Doepfer seems to be, pretty zen. (: Nice one Mr V. many thanks! Edit: Can you talk Mr. Doepfer into recording a live set? He showed some chops there. (:

[@jacco1967]

Thank you for this interview with the man who got me in eurorack and learned the basics to explore other brands also.

[@angeldc54]

Dieter Doepfer: brilliant as always. Cheers

[@tobillusion]

25:05-25:50 really nice to see the process of explaining and understanding the logic behind a concept, to obtain the knowledge of why you would even need the "thing". For short time I had the same thought during the exchange, you could do it with 1 filter, adsr, etc... but of course you dont want to play the notes all at the same time all time :) Thats why I really like the video, its great! Really nice and interessting talk

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Exactly that :)

[@N.A._McBee]

If only we had more gatherings like this one on YT, such stuff makes my day 😎

[@FileTransferProtocol]

Awesome video. So fun to watch you connect with this legend. Also, the DivKid photo-bomb at 13:52 is pretty great too! (Reflection in glass on upper right hand of screen)

[@positivityfunction]

My favorite part was you two just jamming. Nice interview.

[@MadcapJake]

what a dude, i had no idea. great interview!

[@BadChizzle]

You guys are very groovy it’s plain to see. Bleep and bloop is you and bleep and bloop is me. Cooler than Cool and hipper than hip. Helping me along on my modular trip. I’m a VCO and he’s a VCA... you’re a VCF and together we play. Things with no creative limits have always attracted me. Also if the power goes out... we can make a patch cable tree. Your flying Buddy, Chuk

[@KoshDukai]

@19:24 So funny how Dieter Doepfer turned a "newbie" (eh!;) question into a more useful and more informative and interesting answer :) The question about a mix out on the 4xOSC module, that would only make sense if you don't want to have a VCF+EG->VCA+EG per OSC (i.e. per "voice"), which is assumed to be possible on a polyphonic system. You'd get various degrees of a paraphonic system, with only a mix out, depending at what stage it was at. Example of another level of paraphony: MicroFreak is 1xDSP(4xOSC->4xAMP+4xEG)->1xVCF+EG.

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Yes, and you’ll witness the unlocking of my understanding of that a few minutes later 😊

[@KoshDukai]

@@MoltenMusicTech ahaha, yeah! Guess I spoke too soon. It was an interesting moment to watch ^_^ Great video! Thanks for sharing it with us all :D

[@TerekkiTerekki]

Thanks for this - great interview

[@cybergshulz4328]

Very nice interview

[@AmericanAstroMonkey]

I totally agree with working in front of a PC all day I do not want to go home and play a software synth.

[@BasariStudios]

Lovely! Thank You Mister Doepfer! And Molten Modular!

[@Annatar3469]

Lovely video. It's like two mates just having a chat.

[@wimwijn1]

Thanks Robin, for this very nice video

[@N.A._McBee]

An eye-opener, superb stuff!

[@nutritionalyeast7978]

it makes a lot of sense to cram multiple filters or VCAs into a smaller space with shared+fewer controls. There are so many situations beside polyphony where four basic, similarly set LPFs would be useful. The octal VCA seems perfect for complex FM/AM patches. Saves space for patches of increased complexity!

[@synthshoot1026]

Very interesting. Loved it.

[@BenA718]

The production value of this video is stellar. Are those hypercardioid mics? Great discussion, very informative!

[@stensarapson2378]

Looks like these are Schoeps MiniCMIT microphones. Great company, superb mics.

[@Alphastare23]

Excellent piece! I only have 2 Doepfer modules, the Wasp filter and the A-138s mixer module which isn't very exciting at all but I absolutely love them, the feel, the build quality, the sound, the affordability. I look forward to getting more down the line. Cheers!

[@MoltenMusicTech]

I’m the same. I have a clock divider and sequential switch - vital but a bit dull. Looking at the possibilities of the Quad VCA though.

[@Alphastare23]

@@MoltenMusicTech I'm sure that would be a solid purchase.

[@digitaldividemusic]

I just started dabbling into eurorack. I did buy the Doepfer eurorack case A-100 LC6 and then an A-138b mixer. The main intent was to get my Behringer Model D and Neutron into a eurorack case. I have to say, they look so much cooler in the A-100 then sitting on the table. Now every time I look at the A-100 Im thinking it should rather be full of little modules instead of behingers. They just take up so much space in the rack. But, then I digress. As a newbie in modular, these little behringers are probably a great place to get started and understand patching in the modular world. 1 other comment. I kind of agree wirh Dieters comments on sitting at the computer all day. I am one of those guys. It does make it hard to want to stare at a computer at night doing music after sitting behind a computer all day for work. I think this added to my desire to get into modular. Get away from the PC.

[@Alphastare23]

@@digitaldividemusic You can always remove the Behringer synths if you decide to get some modules, part of the beauty of it is that you can re-arrange at will.

[@digitaldividemusic]

@@Alphastare23 True and still have the cases for both behringers. Being more into rack mounts, keyboards and software, this is a whole new realm. Im having enough trouble coaxing useful sounds from the Neutron. I got a couple step sequencers too. Using those and locking all this to my DAW clock is the goal.

[@OB1techno]

This is awesome. I'm designing/building a polyphonic modular system at the moment and there's some very useful insight here.

[@jonaseggen2230]

When Camera and Robins head is aligned in the right way, and because of that rollup or whatever it is that block out the T, it says "homan". I like that, this is wherry homan indeed. As Robin talks about starting with eurorack, and getting a reply from Dieter, I remember when starting my self and eagerously following and listening to the steps of Molten when ever a new video was released. Btw, it also says "all of"...

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Thanks for that :)

[@jonaseggen2230]

@@MoltenMusicTech Thank you your self. The way you did and do this, where you are not afraid at all to expose your lack of knowledge and almost childlike curiosity, made and makes it really easy for others like me who has only fractions of clues about what is going on, to follow and chase that white and fluffy bunny on it's adventure. You make a great example in proving that you do not have to be extremely smart and deep to enjoy this tea party.

[@CampSpaceship]

amazing vid. thanks mate.

[@couchcamperTM]

what a great channel. and now it's historic ^^

[@OIP_1]

this is excellent! thanks!

[@MmostlyRandom]

brilliant video. this is my favourite so far of any from the TSR19

[@dillipphunbar7924]

What atop bloke Dieter is...and Robin...nice one

[@tobillusion]

btw 31:30 how do those led lights work? I need this lol

[@MoltenMusicTech]

There’s an RGB doepfer Module

[@FatSynthDude]

"Does it have an SD card?" I about died of laughter. Oh, the naivete of youth!

[@knobsstrings]

Such a lovely talk!

[@ElJoellito]

I really enjoy the LEDs in the case. Does anyone know how that works?

[@attichatchsound-bobkowal5328]

Doepfer makes a module for this; www.doepfer.de/a1973.htm

[@emdotambient]

3:47 ... was that a reference to Florian Fricke of Popul Vuh?

[@mldemoss9070]

What a great interview! I don't suppose theres a link to modulargrid or something similar where we could get a better look at the rack you guys were using?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Not that I know of, sorry

[@VictorSteiner]

Super nice atmosphere in the video! Thanks! What Dieter talks about at 17:00 ... did he mean that he has a quad sample and hold that distributes all 4 random voltages at the same time? It sounded s bit as if with each trigger one of the four sampled random, voltages gets an update. I would love to do that. How would that be possible? Having a clock that is slowed by maths or phase adjusted by Tempi ... hm ... what would be a solution for this with as little resources as possible?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

I think so.... i think that's what he was saying - 1 quantized random source feeding 4 S&H modules to generate polyphonic ideas... but it's not clear exactly how that works :)

[@VictorSteiner]

Molten Music Technology finally was able to finish the video .l. Oh boy ... I see you and me getting that Doepfer Sequencer.

[@lorinroser1742]

Fabulous interview...any links for the symphonium?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Symphonium?

[@UpandDownRacing]

+1 for Dieter he's a top guy willing to help :)

[@HoboMiracleMan]

Polyphonic modular offers a big opportunity to work with 4 part harmonies where each voice is a distinct 'instrument' with its own timbre and shape, but controlled with one keyboard. When we think of polyphonic synths it's mainly a keys/piano/pad patch where each voice has a similar sonic quality but a different pitch and envelope that makes them separate and not monophonic. But imagine playing a 4 part arrangement where the bass, tenor, alto, and soprano voices each sound like an independent instrument with separate parts, but you're controlling it all with one input device. One example might be a plucky bass that follows the lowest note, two pads that follow the middle voices and one lead that follows the highest voice. Essentially a full mapped out sound palette all controlled together.

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Interesting thoughts but i'm not sure the keyboard is the right way to approach polyphony in modular. Otherwise that all sounds very cool.

[@NickHchaos]

@@MoltenMusicTech Steve Porcaro would disagree with you, but in any case, you'll get more rhythmic bang for your buck sequencing each voice along different lines, usually, unless your name is Vangelis.

[@JEPeters00]

Great interview!

[@TehSyneS]

what a legend!!!

[@AndrewJohnClive]

Dieter, who was the guy that was not well known?❤️

[@mikehydropneumatic2583]

There is Kraftwerk everywhere.

[@alexmckenzie42]

Can this be achieved using the 135-2 vca instead of the 132-8?

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Sure, why not

[@johnnymidnight2982]

Robin, after seeing this, I think you'd really enjoy the Sinfonion. I plan on getting that to arrange full polyphonic compositions for my 4MS SWAN. I have the Endorphin.es Shuttle Control for my keyboard interface and that thing is fantastic. Check it out.

[@MoltenMusicTech]

I think I would too but it’s a major piece of investment in time, focus and intention as well as cash. Could be a future thing.

[@adrianrabbage4996]

Excellent!

[@mhausb6436]

27:30 sampling from Kraftwerk... uh oh!

[@DBCisco]

Awesome interview ! Thanks, Robin and Dieter !

[@TurkmanSouljah]

Woooooow 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

[@RabRabNZ]

if dieter says moooog then how does robert say buchla

[@AudioPervert1]

Dieter Doepfer, father of Eurorack. The dark energy has been a favorite synth for me, for close to a decade now. However @UCzLl8NF-hiP2HMq5dL2NQOQ could look at new modular makers, new regions, new designs and practices instead of just worshipping the pioneers.

[@Audhentik]

s/o dieter ❤

[@R1GAMBLER]

♥️

[@jasonwebb7978]

I think you mean "Another Pfennig has dropped"

[@TheSpiderTube]

When you introduce a keyboard to a modular system the audience focus shifts from the music to your keyboard playing and performance skills. You are now being judged against hundreds of years of virtuoso playing. Fine if you can tinkle the keys. But it also shifts you back into a known paradigm and once again you will be judged against every other piano piece ever written. IMHO Drop the keyboard and and expand your musical horizons :-)

[@MoltenMusicTech]

Yeah.... did you listen to Dieter? You make a fair point but, as Dieter said the point of polyphonic modules is that they are threaded through the modular way of working. If you want a regular polysynth then get a regular polysynth - the MIDI keyboard was only there to aid demonstration.

[@spiderlab2526]

@@MoltenMusicTech Yes I am in total agreement. I was just heralding a general warning to we modularists. People will judge you. I hide my 'keyboard' in the form of a Minibrute2S. Great video :-)

[@oldschoolebm666]

Fantastic interview. My only wish regarding modular is : "why is so expensive?! Make it cheaper, more accessible. Is the only thing keeping me from trying it :(

[@nickmoran1]

Doepfer secondhand atleast, seem to be very reasonably priced.

[@rmanpojo8485]

You can d.i.y. a lot too save some money for more complex/expensive ones.

[@spick1923]

"Using a keyboard feels like a regressive step" Tell that to Bach ;) Just sayin...