The Journey into Live Modular Synths, a talk by Mylar Melodies

Here's a talk I gave about making a live modular improvisational system, and the many tips, tricks and lessons I've learned along the way so far. It's a bit of a brain dump of insights I've been picking up over the last few years, then a quick demo (plus we chat about some specific modules), and questions. Hit me up in the comments if you have some yourself!
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This talk was given on 2nd September at a 'Modular on the Lake' Workshop in Switzerland. For more on future events visit: modularworksho...
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[@martebar6700]

Great video! I agree with the "practice like it is a real gig" advice, but it's a specific type of practice, helps with endurance and learning to let go when you screw up, but at the same time, I believe it is also helpful to have other types of deliberate practice sessions during which you work on a very specific aspect of your live that you want to make better. Like for example a special type of transition that you want to nail every time, some tempo change routine, make your sound evolve in a certain way. Those kind of moments can be improved with repeated specific practice, and will certainly help during the longer sessions

[@mikeellisonhimself]

Good advice - particularly for beatbox users needing to have transitions to give time to switch songs on their MPC or whatever.

[@vibratemutate]

that voice ... you are my personal morgan freeman of eurorack ;D i bet even listening to you reading the telephone book would be awesome xD

[@fxberg]

david attenborough of eurorack for me ;)

[@gregorio98000]

Couldn’t have said it better myself!

[@monoseq9797]

@@fxberg Probably the greatest compliment ever.

[@logonazo]

Ace!!

[@DavidDeLuge]

It's like Richard Hammond and Paul McKenna all rolled into one...

[@Crucial_Realm]

I could spend the rest of my life listening to you talk about modular synths. I got into modular after watching your review of the akemie’s castle, bought one, and built a system and am now deep down the rabbit hole. You’re the man!

[@chrisarndt8251]

Thom Montecchi Very similar story here. It was the 0-coast though..

[@MrStognabologna]

Lol that video was definitely envolved in my fall down the euro hole

[@d0ug6raham]

Thom Montecchi Atlantis one for me

[@jank-official]

yeah, I have a ton of stuff because of this dude, but I really want a Metropolis now :D

[@jasoncaldwell4239]

The Dfam Rainmaker got me hooked. I still pull that up on my phone and play it through my truck stereo on my commute just for the jam

[@sonicstate]

That was brilliant - really didnt feel like an hour went by there.

[@jonaseggen2230]

Wow! How?! That was an hour?!!!

[@indigoskywalker]

It’s his soothing voice 😂

[@davidalovell]

“Don’t just fill the sound spectrum like a big sausage” = Favourite piece of advice ever :)

[@domgraveson1942]

Very interesting... I saw William Basinsky this weekend. He stood there in front of a mac for an hour and played loops from Ableton (I think) thru a distortion mixer - but it was amazing. He was so assured of his right to be there, made us listen and engage through his confidence. Gave meaning and value to ambient for me, as a live form.

[@ogasi1798]

DJ SHADOW still one of the best shows i have ever been to, total performer, i remember him in his MPC heyday and the shit he pulled on stage via MPC linked to lighting, mind blown

[@mynmyself]

A looper pedal has become my definite safety net! Im sending different sections of my system, and sending it back into a filter and my aux reverb, so very easy to make nice changes and progressions without stoping the sound or having to loose your patch

[@davidrhodes6413]

Just stumbled on this whilst checking out your playlists. Brilliant talk.

[@TimRichardson1984]

Really respect the openness you have in talking about your modular journey, very helpful for others messing round with this stuff! Thanks

[@creaturefarm2698]

Man! Your videos about modular and performance are amazing and so informative! You totally sold me on the DFAM in your other vids. Keep doing what you are doing. Fantastic. Your ability to take a subject that can appear fairly impenetrable up front and make it accessible is a gift. Keep it up!

[@Sarahbuildsstepsequencers]

Such a handsome fellow! How nice to add your face to your lovely face! Now, to watch this video! Thanks for doing what you do!

[@wonkyrobot]

I have never listened so intensely to any talk before! You have a lot of responsibility for my modular addiction! - So thank you! - BTW, On your rig update some time ago, you talked about DI and you did not understood why sound engineers insist on use them. Here is the awnser: The main reason is to make a unbalanced signal - a ballenced signal. (Allso: The most stageracks have only XLR in, so a DI converts the jack to XLR aswell, AND most DI have a ground lift, so you can use the DI to deal with hum aswell) Like you pointed out in the video, not all DI are the same, so bring your own (high end) one is a GREAT advice, so thanks for that! :D

[@wonkyrobot]

Bouns, bouns tip: If you dont bring your own DI, and it distorts when you turn your rig up, ask the sound engineer to Pad - 20 dB (sometimes 30 or 40) the DI. Even the very cheap LD Systems DI have a Pad -20 dB switch on it :)

[@AJL200]

It also protects your gear in the event of phantom power being incorrectly ON on your mixer channel(s)

[@edmontontech2008]

I literally use your voice as a lullaby. Soothing. And then your techno videos wake me up :D

[@johnnybeaver4093]

It's your enthusiasm that went a long way towards turning these tools into the specific tool I needed.

[@jonaseggen2230]

Thanks for all your enthusiastic lectures on modules. Good to see your face, looking as sympathetic as you sound. You are a brilliant teacher and as you seem like a patient and welcoming person I hope some kids ever get the chance to learn something from you to.

[@mylarmelodies]

ahhh thanks mate! x

[@nero_di_seppia]

learned a bunch from this, thanks!! will play with using the same sequence for multiple voices but using different trigger sequences

[@ChuckLeone]

Great talk! I've learned a lot from watching your videos and podcast and would love to attend one of these talks. For the last 6 months I've been exploring modular, slowly building a 3u 104 hp skiff piece by piece. The system I had in my head in the beginning and how my current system actually turned out are completely different. Even the way I play it is completely different than how I imagined I would use it. I set out to build the groovebox of my dreams and ended up with an instrument I had never imagined possible. Besides drums and percussion, I can't think of any other musical instrument in existence that offers the player both the empowerment of determining it's functional design and an almost infinite flexibility of how it's played.

[@sebastiennesp1978]

"The MORGAN FREEMAN OF EURORACK" Wonderful, that will stick!!!!

[@donnydarko7624]

lolol

[@MrStognabologna]

Love your bit on live performances. So much have I had these same thoughts , came all the way from a vinyl dj to a eurorack enthusiast in my quest for more interesting production of music

[@Deaphdot1]

Same here

[@josepholiverstreeter-smith7821]

Suzanne Ciani Live Performance at P2 Art’s Birthday Party in Stockholm Sweden brought me back to this, to reflect on the importance of stage position and what the audience see. ‘Reverse Birds Eye’ has to be in the top 3!

[@MadcapJake]

I have not yet sipped the modular kool-aid but I think much of what you said is applicable to making live electronic music in general!

[@TiagodaSilvaSound]

This talk is so excellent. I got so much out of it in terms of workflow and live approach. And I feel much more confident about my upcoming gig where I’ll be doing modular for the first time live.

[@chedhead3278]

Cheers for putting this up Alex, LOTS of useful info and things to think about even for non modular peeps. Don't try and do too much, you won't enjoy it and neither will your audience, amen.

[@SONICrider]

Hi, always like your vids and listened this (intro)talk while setting up the studio for an upcoming gig... You spoke about monitoring --> my approach is (some venues don't understand until they see me playing later on) I play off stage in front of the audience my back turned towards them, so they can see what I do, they can approach me but most important I experience the music the same as the audience, no monitors needed :-) (I have adjustable tables when I tour with my own car) Just thought I share this :-) Hope you don't mind \0/

[@lemonaut1]

what a cool approach! i may borrow this. kinda like that professor student inversion trope where a young professor will start the first day of class while being seated among the students.

[@scowlsmcjowls2626]

Im a groovebox kid. Desktop synth. Semimodular syth. I would have to sell all that gear to fit modular and then its even more money more stuff more wires. The thing is if you listen to a recording of soundwaves as you said most ppl dont know how you get it done. I think ppl obsess too much over modular gear like its the mecca

[@gregorio98000]

Thank you for this video, really inspiring and you’ve got a lovely way of speaking, super refreshing and easy to understand

[@macronencer]

Amazing story about the ARP2500 and Close Encounters - I hadn't heard that before! Wow. Tangentially... my son and I were in Wyoming in 2017 (we watched the solar eclipse a few days later in Idaho) and we visited Devil's Tower. At the campground there, they have regular showings of the movie - and you can sit outside to watch them. Devil's Tower itself is literally looming behind the TV screen as you watch!

[@brettprice527]

I'll tell you who has no safety net during a stream or performance. Marc Rebillet.. granted he's doing somewhat of a simpler style of music, it's all improvised. Great chat. Love your videos.

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Elektron Analog 4 is a great way to sequence and control modular plus you get 4 voices on top of CV control. Modular drums are very expensive so I use the Elektron for that and samples. Frees up modular for cool stuff like bass lines and ambient textures and weird spice.

[@williamthazard]

Wow, thanks for this. The whole talk was extremely approachable, informative, and helpful. Any chance you could share the link to that Steevio comments google doc? I, for one, would be very curious to read through that

[@FUNKINETIK]

If you’re interested in any of Stevio’s early vinyl releases, check out his label ‘MindTours’ - good enough for Jeff Mills to have included in his sets : )

[@MrSharps02]

good talk! to add one thing during the QA at the end you mentioned that the metropolis doesn't have presets, but as of the latest firmware update it does! it's a bit funky though, you have the standard save which saves the entire config setup but not the slider and switch positions, and then a quicksave that saves slider and switch info but only the config setup stuff that directly pertains to the sequence so things like scale, root note, sequence length, etc. now you can do actual for real on command key changes without having to use an aux input :D

[@INER6]

The gopro idea is genius

[@DBPawlan]

This was the best talk yet that you've given on live performing! Fantastic.

[@InkyDaCaT]

I like the idea of playing with out being seen, I think the audience should be facing each other listening rather than looking, it is a strange thing whether to do live or prepared, I think there must be a middle way, but the more you do live stuff, the more you want to perfect it, because its fun, putting yourself through that panic😂

[@ednasdiscomachine6049]

Really interesting. 'Just slow down', great advice. Wish I could achieve this (in life as well!). Great post.

[@sinus7979]

Really nice talk, thanks for this ...

[@danvandal4127]

Thank you for sharing your insight! This resonates with me hugely.

[@ZsaZsaRoboto]

This was such a wonderfully informative talk and demo!!!

[@andrewsimmons8051]

Great talk. I enjoy your insight. I definitely play mine more akin to free jazz. Thanks for the extended talk

[@edkenndy]

Fantastic talk, and inspiring! Thank you for sharing this.

[@TheNimasan]

what a grat guy this man is. i am a fan of his. Big shout out to him & much love and support from munich germany

[@mylarmelodies]

😘

[@TheNimasan]

@@mylarmelodies right back to you my man!

[@rodrigoperez-segnini5704]

I really enjoyed your talk. Keep inspiring us!

[@MODUS_OP]

Cool video (as always)... Without a buffered multiple though, do your pitches track properly if your pitch CV is split off from the Metropolis so many times?

[@MODUS_OP]

Oh also, the 2hp Compressor does sidechaining I believe. A good/small solution!

[@mylarmelodies]

Yeah I find I get surprisingly good results with just normal multing vs. Buff mult, though buffered is best if you can!

[@piotr803]

Hello. Amazing vid. What you are describing in the way you multiply / gate the sequence from Metropolis is called "hocket". A method popular among monks a few centuries back as well as Skrillex on his first two albums. Super interesting. BTW - what's your modular sidechaining method? Maths + VCA? etc?

[@mylarmelodies]

P Godaz For me it’s to run your kick thru a envelope follower or simultaneously trigger an envelope, invert that, then multi it to control the other channels, then mix them. You need a lot of VCAs is the catch!

[@piotr803]

Couldn't you just stick one VCA after the mix, so it'd be a sidechain bus, so to speak? Or a Mixer with a VCA on the output if such thing exist...

[@dev31337]

Optimix turns out to be a really nice, simple, side chain compressor. Plus, you get two of them in 8hp if needed.

[@siofcreation]

That kick sound is incredible. What were you using for it? Great vid and good advice thank you.

[@PspiralifeTutorials]

love your work! good links to Steevio videos please :)

[@GoldryBluszco]

I recently got a pulplogic pelican case 54hp, and I've been trying to work in the limitation of that space. working in that boundary has taught me more than anything I've encountered in modular. Like you said, I dunno if big clunky cases are the future, I've really come around to idea focused mini systems

[@braincoral9866]

Ace stuff. I've filled my BeatStep Pro's projects with "complemetary" rhythms..16 projects of 16 patterns per seq and 16 drum patterns..I can kind of just go between each one and it still sounds good and quite random..I'm building up to playing out..

[@AnxiousCowboy]

Braincoral for melody too? Any tips on writing sequence progressions for melody? As a drummer who is new to melodic theory I’m having a hard time

[@mikeellisonhimself]

Braincoral. Great tip.

[@angelos808]

brilliant! felt like watching a high quality lecture :)

[@delusionalweb7870]

Great! That bass at 35:10 is insane...

[@monoseq9797]

I personally think that your music chap is fucking mint! It'd be great to hear more! Really huge fan of your work. thank you

[@Charlie_Echo]

I don't play live but there's loads of great food for thought here around simplifying the interface to the modular and making it easier to get good noises out of. I'm going to try some of this stuff on mine - should make it much more fun and less hard work to play! Thanks :D

[@jedgould5531]

When he talks about requiring the user to specify the function, this trend is led by Expert Sleepers, with the endless menus.

[@v47_music]

you are the wisdom, sir

[@brandonbennett5471]

Awesome video! I'm sorry if I missed it, but what are you using for your kick?

[@mylarmelodies]

Tip-top The One! As in it’s a sample

[@brandonbennett5471]

@@mylarmelodies its a ffffat one! Just started watching your videos as I recently got into modular, I appreciate the knowledge and listening to your patches keep it up!!

[@BlueSB017]

Great talk pal. The Kenny Everett of Modular (in a good way!)

[@mylarmelodies]

All in the best possible taste

[@steveturner1815]

I really enjoy your sincerity.

[@TeamHash]

Thanks.. Dog bark freaked me out.

[@victorgarcia9674]

Great video. Probably i´m wrong but, In the explanation of the Radio Music module, is the "Synthesizer" Legowelt Meme?? XDXD

[@mylarmelodies]

hah, yep

[@ogasi1798]

oh and great talk btw pal, as usual great delivery, natural.

[@ZenMountain]

You're a great KZbinr and reviewer.

[@maxmatson1578]

Love your channel bro!... fucking Ace!!¡!🎹🎧👊💨💥💫😵👌👍✌

[@dysbomb]

I've been tuning Plaits in chord mode but using the simple waveform on the AUX out but I have to put Timbre at 12 o'clock and Morph full left. Oh and pull the trigger so it drones

[@mikeellisonhimself]

I don't use modular in my setup but the gig advice is extremely useful.

[@jimivandebeek]

You are a genius! I've learned so much from you in this video!

[@eighth_wave]

Great video! What are you using for a mixer in the bottom right?

[@mylarmelodies]

Eighth_Wave Befaco Hexmix! Click the modulargrid link in description for everything

[@Oceanwireaudio]

Great Alex - really absorbing stuff.

[@hallvardangelskar3513]

Great talk - thanks! How do you do the side chaining in this rig?

[@mylarmelodies]

I don’t, but I’d need to envelope follow the kick (or have an AR envelope trigger simultaneously to it), invert that, then use that signal to dip all the other channels volume (eg. 5+ VCAs).

[@hallvardangelskar3513]

Aha, I must have misheard what you said in the talk. Thanks for the explanation, though!

[@mrbluelynxchannel5207]

THAT BEAT AT 39:56 THO!!!

[@alexmckenzie42]

Can you link to the “techno test 2” you mention at 26:00 ? Would love to hear Metropolis and trigger riot jamming together.

[@mylarmelodies]

Et Voila x soundcloud.com/mylarmelodies/technotest2

[@Psionetics]

love these talks

[@benki._]

is that the Elite case? I'm waiting for one. How are you making it stand upright? is it leaning on a stand of some sort or it just opens and stays like that due to its dimensions/design? Thanks!

[@mylarmelodies]

It’s on little 3D printed stands! Ask MDLR and they should be able to fill you in

[@benki._]

Great thanks!

[@stuartnisbet4212]

Very informative and up front honest particularly the homage to Steevio.That has to be a daunting experience,playing live modular.

[@TomGurion]

Great talk! Now I need to listen to stevio. Where should I start?

[@JAkoGreyshire]

Which Feedback module EQ do you have and why did you choose that EQ and not the other flavor that they offer? How are you patching/using it? Thanks..

[@tokinn423]

Did you say you *haven't* found a good sidechain solution in Eurorack? Dynamix is ace!

[@Robert_Babicz]

thank you, very inspiring info.

[@matthewy393]

My body is ready for this

[@mylarmelodies]

HAH

[@LarsDanielTerkelsen]

Yup, we do have a problem with 12u cases that “closes all patched”, and the necessary bundling of cables (and using Stackcables), don’t we?

[@InsectInPixel]

@mylarmelodies, can you share the Google doc you have of Steevio? I’m on muffwiggler as InsectInPixel

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Two issues with modular: 1. Cost- to do the equivalent of my single Elektron Analog 4 which has sequencer, patch save function, effects and tons of things, I would need to spend 20k on eurorack gear! I know because friends have 20-50k worth of modular gear that does about what my Analog 4 and Korg Volca Beats do. A poly voice synth costs 2k. 2. No patch save feature- except for Buchla then you are talking about 20k for a Skylab Buchla system or 10k for a fully loaded Buchla Easel. I'd love to jump into a full blown modular setup but I don't have that massive cash to burn on it now as a hobby.

[@thankyoumisterspell]

Your first point is definitely a deterrent to the hobby, however your second point is one of my favorite parts of it. The uniqueness of every patch, the knowledge that you'll never do it quite the same way again, making sure you record everything you want while certain things are behaving the way they are, that's one of my favorite parts of modular.

[@jank-official]

1. As he says - you only need a 303 and 909 to have fun... but this is a different purpose and different approach. No need to convert anyone to anything, methinks, just keep making cool stuff with your Elektron and Volca - as long as you're happy with it. 2. that is indeed a feature, not a bug... different philosophy, just like Alex mentions at the start. It is more artistic, less designed - more spontaneity instead of a preset programmed experience (not just for the audience, but also the artist themselves)

[@mylarmelodies]

I think one the best way to get into modular is to leave the voices to other devices and concentrate on making a modular sequencing rig! The most fun stuff is the sequencers if you ask me...

[@shane_l8085]

mylarmelodies Do you mean something that would sequence other synths that are not eurorack?

[@shane_l8085]

I use an O-Coast along with the Analog 4, great combo, the A4 can sequence and modulate the 0 Coast in fun ways and you can send the 0 coast into the A4 using filters and fx, gives you a little taste of modular.

[@Alberaan]

Any link to Steve-o videos or music?

[@johnnymidnight2982]

One of the main hurdles is multitasking. For instance, Bernard Sumner of New Order simply could not sing and play an instrument at the same time. After Ian died, he was recruited to fill in the role of vocalist and all the rest of it. In earlier albums, he would pause the guitar or synths and sing. When the song called for instrumentation, he would cease singing and go into a jam. GIllian Gilbert helped to fill in his loss, but Bernie would structure each song to accommodate his inability and either way, a legend was born from the ashes of Joy Division.

[@poolbath1]

Thank you for the video. What kind of case is that?

[@mylarmelodies]

MDLR 94hp travel case, not sure if it’s on his website yet but if you email he can fill you in.

[@budfoon]

Is your case an E416 Portable 12U? If not - what? Thanks!

[@Skrap87]

Great channel brother

[@radical_ans]

Who attached a human to my favorite floating hands?

[@mrparksy]

Great talk thanks.

[@jank-official]

you talk about sequencer (Metropolis) sending CV and 'several gates' to create everything and make the different rhythms... how do you sequence the gates?

[@mylarmelodies]

See Metropolis demo, it sends different gates with the bottom row of switches

[@jank-official]

doesn't that only give you one gate channel? I gotta watch the Metro demo again...

[@djfree5435]

Hey Mr. Amazing, when will you come to Austria? ;-)

[@michaelt_tamtam]

It's best not to use stackable cables for sending pitch CV to oscillators because they won't track the pitch correctly. Buffered mults are the way to go

[@mylarmelodies]

Yeah but mostly, it works anyhow

[@michaelt_tamtam]

@@mylarmelodies yeah true, if your note pattern has a small range (within 1 octave), that would work. I also like using multiple stack-cables, though I daisy chain them together with regular cables inbetween. I route the clock signals around my system that way and find it pretty neat

[@klangzaun]

Sidechaining should work well with endorphin.es cockpit. Great workshop. :-)

[@DerGrosseKrieger]

Re: Stillson Hammer in Q&A: Metropolis can save/recall 8 patterns as of firmware 1.30.

[@tonydubshot]

Well done mylar

[@morgnblack]

Surely that's not the new ALM wavetable oscillator next to Dixie?

[@mylarmelodies]

It is...

[@brianobush]

Saving melodies: How about CV recording?

[@mylarmelodies]

Yup it’s a thought, tho maybe better suited to have a sequencer with memories, just in case

[@cstrickland319]

Definitely interested in this. When the patch yields a melody worth building a song around, it can be a drag to manually transcribe/transfer it to something else that can preserve it, if it wasn’t already sequenced on something that can do so. Seems that CV-to-MIDI options are sparse, but I suppose it’s the way to go? I need to try this with Disting but haven’t done so yet... other solutions?

[@BlueSB017]

Bishops Miscellany is a very capable CV recorder which I use to record and mash up CV patterns from my touch plate.

[@thomasbrown3325]

Heh, I've got a gDoc full of Steevio gems too.

[@matthewrogers662]

can you share the steevio word doc plz!

[@edgarbrocke1807]

Nice to see the face behind the hands.