v1: Metropolix sequence; Sofia into Blades with Quadigy envelopes
v2: USTA sequence; Brenso into Natural Gate
bass: USTA sequence; Tš-L into I-ō47 with cnōc and cèis envelopes
modulation from øchd, Sapèl
p1: Prophet Rev2 into Lexicon Vortex
p2: Super6
Beats: RolandCloud TR-808
Effects: Eventide Blackhole Immersive and Valhalla

20240707 I Only Wanted To Share Your Sunlight

"owntland" is a deep dive into the darkness and unfathomable mysteries of electronic ambient music. This hypnotic track explores complex and immersive soundscapes created using some of the most iconic and modular synthesizers.

Synthesizers Used:

Moog DFAM: Known for its organic percussive rhythms and hypnotic patterns, the DFAM provides a dense and textured rhythmic foundation, reminiscent of the heartbeat of a deep-sea creature.

Moog Subharmonicon: This unique synthesizer delivers polyrhythmic patterns and sub-bass harmonies, creating layers of sinister and low-frequency sounds that envelop the listener in a mysterious atmosphere.

Eurorack: The Eurorack modular system allows for infinite sound exploration. From ethereal drones to granular textures, each module adds a unique dimension to the composition, making every listen a different experience.

Moog Model 15: A true legend in modular synthesizers, the Model 15 offers rich and warm analog sounds. Its powerful oscillators and smooth filters create deep and enveloping soundscapes, perfect for the dark ambient genre.

owntland work in progress)

fight

A 4th revision of my earlier Swell Physics Study.

I’ve very much enjoyed this patch, and have gone through several revisions. The base, Swell Physics controlling the RYK Algo and being the modulation heart of the patch, has not changed at all. In fact the knobs on Swell Physics have not been touched. There has been some slight detuning, panning, and timbre changes with the Algo, but the notes and levels are still the same.

I’ve changed filters several times, and landed on the Bizarre Jezabel Pkhia, a stereo multimode filter (using the LP outputs). I previously tried the Instruo DAPF, Xaoc Devices Zagreb, and Bizarre Jezabel Seju Stereo. Even if the dry and the filtered output of the Algo are in parallel in the mix, the filter is crucial, really taming down annoying harmonics created by the wavefolding/waveshaping on the Algo. Running in parallel allows them to not be totally lost, but also not grating your ears.

A huge addition was to use the Olivia Artz Modular Time Machine to give some length and body to the ocean spray as well as the waves. A pretty slow delay time and moderately high feedback gives everything some depth and a more natural decay. And since the taps are all at different levels, it helps create some movement in the stereo field.

I’ve also given it a performative aspect which creates some drama outside of the ever-rolling waves, primarily by improvising on Beads, giving it feedback from the mixer, as well as changing the grain length and size. This latter change lends and almost orchestral type timbre to the output and mixed in reverb.

I’ve also added HP filtered blue noise, which is brought in and out according to the Average output of Swell Physics. Although I am not going for a beach sound, open ocean spray can be mezmorizing.

There were various modulation tweaks throughout the multiple revisions. Sometimes adding, sometimes removing, and sometimes just dialing it in. Almost all of the modulation in this patch is from the Average output in various attenuated/verted forms. Joranalogue Orbit 3 plays a small role with modulating the level of the Average output which controls the wavefolding/waveshaping. The Auza Wave Packets, triggered by the 3 > 4 gate output on Swell Physics, also plays a small role by modulating the Density CV input on Beads.

One of the best additions was by using the Walrus Audio Slöer for reverb. In fact, when I realized after my first recording that I wanted an octave down reverb, I purchased the Slöer (knowing full well that I’ll use it more than plenty). The octave down really gives it body and fills out the sound, with the waves and Beads occupying mid and high frequencies. The lo-fi DSP and modulation really add some beautiful texture to a scene constantly in flux.

Swell Physics - rev4

Seriously?!

Forget It !

a star in a blue sky

DAWless jam, 60hp 6U blue Blackhole case filled with Mutable Instruments euro rack modules (peaks, plaits, ripples, rings, beads, marbles, tides, shades, veils), intellijel mixup and outs.

20240914 Mi Blue Jam 1

Drone: USTA Sequence; Rings into Fumana with Morphagene spectral modulation, into Beads
Arp: USTA Sequence; Brenso into NaturalGate
Bass: Metropolix sequence; Cš-L into I-ō47 with ceis and cnōc envelopes
Pad: Oberheim OB-X into Eventide Blackhole Immersive
Effects: SSL, Eventide, ValhallaDSP and Lexicon.
Mastered with Vertigo VSM-3, SPL Passeq and AMEK Mastering Compressor

20241123 Slow Intense Sensations

creating patch into subsequent 25 then adding piano and pads with hydrasynth, beat with ep1320 and rings/clouds

f# min 4/4 95bpm

all those moments

Sketch #32

This track was recorded live in one take with no further editing beyond volume adjustments and light compression in Ableton Live. The main voice is the Make Noise XPO through the Make Noise DXG Low-pass Gate.

The minimalist soundscape is built upon a foundation of Eurorack modules, including the Make Noise Morphagene, Maths, and XPO, alongside contributions from the Qu-Bit Bloom, Data Bender, Mutable Instruments Plaits and Beads, and more. The track also features the Roland TR-8S and the Arturia Microfreak.

The vocals, sampled from a live session with a friend last week (originally recorded for music at 135 BPM), are processed through the Chroma Console effect pedal and emerge as fragmented whispers within the dark and atmospheric soundscape.

Gone feat. Cri

Waspth

Composer and musician Yann Tiersen talks to William Stokes about his love of modular synthesis, the joys and challenges of touring and performing and how he found himself unexpectedly involved in film composition, followed by an exclusive performance using five selected modules.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
01:26 - An Accidental Film Composer
05:44 - Recording And Mixing Process
11:38 - Visiting Erica Synths
13:21 - Trans Musicale Festival In Rennes
18:47 - Eskal Studio On Ouessant Island
21:00 - Module 1: Serge New Timbral Oscillator
25:51 - Module 2: Instruō Lúbadh
31:06 - Module 3: Mutable Instruments Beads
32:58 - Module 4: Erica Synths Black Stereo Delay
37:21 - Module 5: TouellSkouarn Ar Merc'het Brao
41:30 - Yann Tiersen Performance

https://www.soundonsound.com/people/yann-tiersen-my-life-modules-sos-podcast

Yann Tiersen Biog
Yann Tiersen is a French composer and multi-instrumentalist whose work spans classical, electronic, and experimental music. He gained international recognition in 2001 for his soundtrack to Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (Amélie), following the success of his 1998 album Le Phare, which achieved gold status in France.

Since then, Tiersen has released numerous studio albums and has performed extensively across Europe, North America and Asia. His discography includes collaborations with artists such as Jane Birkin, Elizabeth Fraser and Matt Elliott. His work has been featured in films, theatre productions and contemporary art installations.

Tiersen's compositions have appeared in a range of films beyond Amélie, including Good Bye, Lenin! (2003), Alice et Martin (1998) and Tabarly (2008), as well as various short films and documentaries. His music is frequently used for its emotive and atmospheric qualities, particularly in European cinema.

His latest release, Rathlin from a Distance | The Liquid Hour (2024), is a double album where the first part comprises eight solo piano pieces written during a 2023 sailing trip, each linked to a specific location. The second part shifts to electronic production, incorporating modular synths, samples and rhythmic textures, created following a night at sea near Belfast. The project reflects Tiersen’s ongoing interest in location-based composition and the integration of acoustic and electronic elements.

Tiersen records at his studio on the island of Ushant, off the coast of Brittany and continues to tour internationally.

https://www.yanntiersen.com/
https://www.instagram.com/yanntiersen
https://www.facebook.com/yanntiersen.official
https://www.youtube.com/yanntiersen

William Stokes Biog
William Stokes is a producer, writer and artist in three-piece avant-psych band Voka Gentle. As well as being a critic and columnist for Sound On Sound, conceiving the popular Talkback column and heading up the Modular column, he has also written on music and music technology for The Guardian, MOJO, The Financial Times, Electronic Sound and more. 

As an artist in Voka Gentle he has made records with producers from Gareth Jones (Depeche Mode, Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave) to Sam Petts-Davies (Radiohead, The Smile, Roger Waters), has had songs featured on franchises from FIFA Football to The Sims and has toured across the UK, Europe and the USA, playing festivals from Pitchfork Avant-Garde in Paris to SXSW in Austin, Texas. He has collaborated with artists including the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne, Morcheeba, Panda Bear and Sonic Boom. 

Full biog at https://www.soundonsound.com/people/yann-tiersen-my-life-modules-sos-podcast

https://www.vokagentle.com/

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts

Electronic Music

Yann Tiersen - My Life In Modules

Show Notes

Yann Tiersen - My Life In Modules | Podcast

Made in 👾
New modular rack under construction 2025/01/26

somewhere between boards of canada, mogwai, steve reich, massive attack, Brian Eno.
between ambient, electronica, modular

Anthony Binding AKA MODUL is an innovative electronic musician based in Lancaster, in the heart of North West England. Born in Bolton in 1987,

Over the years, Anthony's setup has transformed, reflecting his evolving creative vision. His sound blends technical mastery with a deep love for electronic music, creating immersive and complex experiences that resonate.

<b>SOUND ON SOUND is the world's premier music recording technology magazine</b> - available in 5 formats: Paper, Web Sub, Replica, Full Issue PDF download or Tablet/Mobile apps. Based in Cambridge, England; independently-owned and continually published since 1985).&#13;
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Every month our UK and USA editions deliver consistently more pages than any competing title, packed full of in-depth product tests of Recording Systems, Music Software, DAWs, Virtual Instruments, Plug-ins, Synthesizers, Keyboards & Rack Modules, Music Computers, Samplers, Audio Interfaces/Soundcards, Mixing Consoles, Effects & Signal Processors — and not forgetting studio essentials like Microphones and Monitors.&#13;
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Plus the best Musician/Mix Engineer/Record Producer interviews you'll read anywhere. &#13;
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Our regular DAW techniques and practical 'how to' Tutorials offer no-nonsense advice for beginners and professionals alike, helping our global readership gain the most from their studio equipment.


A sonic exploration of the endless possibilities of modular synthesis. From abstract textures to hypnotic drones, these sounds are born from intuition and experimentation.

I'm a lab-rat. gear-head. Composer of sonic explorations. Seeker of tone and frequency. Patcher of modules. Twiddler of knobs. Bender of strings. Programmer of sequences. Lover of all things that oscillate, resonate and reverberate.

My main instrument is a Eurorack Modular synthesizer comprised of approximately 70 modules. My favourites include modules from Frap Tools Instruō, Intellijel, and Xaoc Devices. I use a 16-channel Line converter from nw2s to get modular signals into my DAW.
My main polysynths are an UDO Super6 and a Sequential Prophet Rev2.
Production tools are Bitwig with an Ableton Push 2, with two Universal Audio and Focusrite AD converters; and plugins from GForce/Oberheim, Waldorf, UAD, Valhalla DSP, Plugin Alliance, Eventide, Softube, and Roland.
I also compose with electric guitars and basses, Toontrack Superior Drummer, and various Brazilian samba percussion.

New tracks tagged #MutableInstruments