Learning Modular Synthesis: Eurorack Expansion
6h 59mIntermediate2017-07-03
Authors

Chris Meyer
Principle at Crish Design
Course details
You have a small core modular or semi-modular synth, and you're wondering: What should I add next to grow the capabilities of my system? And how can I get the most out of what I buy? In this extensive course, synth designer Chris Meyer reveals the important utility or "glue" modules you need to expand a core system such as a Moog Mother-32, and then explores a selection of the wide range of modules available in the Eurorack modular synthesizer format. Each chapter on a module type—such as oscillators, filters, modulators, and more—starts with a general movie showing you what features to look for in a module and how to patch it into your system, and then dives into three contrasting, representative examples of modules available inside that category. Along the way, Chris reveals a wide variety of synthesis tricks and techniques for the performer or sound designer, with styles ranging from melodic to dance to noise/industrial.
This course has been designed as the logical follow-up to the original Learning Modular Synthesis or Learning Modular Synthesis: Moog Mother-32 courses, and should be helpful to a wide range of modular synthesists.
Learning objectives
Shopping for modules more intelligently, with a better understanding of what features, options, and sound possibilities to look for
Interfacing your modular with the rest of your studio, including MIDI and sound connections
Reading waveform and spectrograph displays to better understand what each module is doing in your system, and how that translates to the sound that you hear
Creating new timbres using and combining both East and West Coast techniques, employing creative waveform mixing, frequency and amplitude modulation, soft and hard sync, waveshaping, and more
Managing audio levels to balance your desired amount of predictability and fidelity versus instability and distortion in a patch
Taking advantage of additional MIDI and CV controls to more interactively perform your modular patch, including managing control voltage levels to dial in the desired result
This course has been designed as the logical follow-up to the original Learning Modular Synthesis or Learning Modular Synthesis: Moog Mother-32 courses, and should be helpful to a wide range of modular synthesists.
Learning objectives
Shopping for modules more intelligently, with a better understanding of what features, options, and sound possibilities to look for
Interfacing your modular with the rest of your studio, including MIDI and sound connections
Reading waveform and spectrograph displays to better understand what each module is doing in your system, and how that translates to the sound that you hear
Creating new timbres using and combining both East and West Coast techniques, employing creative waveform mixing, frequency and amplitude modulation, soft and hard sync, waveshaping, and more
Managing audio levels to balance your desired amount of predictability and fidelity versus instability and distortion in a patch
Taking advantage of additional MIDI and CV controls to more interactively perform your modular patch, including managing control voltage levels to dial in the desired result
Skills covered
Sound DesignAudio and MusicVideo
Concepts
0. Introduction
- 01 - Welcome
- 02 - Waveforms, harmonics, and voltages
1. Integrating with a Eurorack System
- 03 - Getting sound out
- 04 - Comparing built-in and dedicated MIDI-to-CV converters
- 05 - Getting more expression out of your controller
- 06 - Introducing the multi-function disting
- 07 - Improving articulation with a second envelope
- 08 - Patching VCAs for alternate outputs
- 09 - Using VCAs to control modulation depth
- 10 - Mixing oscillator waveforms
- 11 - Mixing and altering control voltages
2. Adding a Second Oscillator
- 12 - Adding a second oscillator - Tuning
- 13 - Adding a second oscillator - Waveforms
- 14 - Intellijel Dixie II+ - Overview
- 15 - Dixie II+ - Waveforms
- 16 - Dixie II+ - Hard sync and flip
- 17 - Dixie II+ - Static FM (frequency modulation)
- 18 - Dixie II+ - Dynamic FM
- 19 - Verbos Complex Oscillator - Overview
- 20 - Verbos Complex Oscillator - Harmonics (waveshaping)
- 21 - Verbos Complex Oscillator - FM (frequency modulation)
- 22 - Verbos Complex Oscillator - AM (amplitude modulation)
- 23 - Verbos Complex Oscillator - Soft sync
- 24 - Mutable Instruments Braids - Overview
- 25 - MI Braids - Wavetable synthesis
- 26 - MI Braids - Analog emulations
- 27 - MI Braids - West Coast techniques
- 28 - MI Braids - Vocal and formant synthesis
- 29 - MI Braids - Physical modeling
- 30 - MI Braids - Percussion synthesis
- 31 - MI Braids - Other algorithms
3. Alternative Filters
- 32 - Patching in a different filter
- 33 - Doepfer A-106-5 SEM filter - Overview
- 34 - Doepfer SEM - Alternate filter modes
- 35 - Erica Dtech VCF - Overview
- 36 - Erica Dtech - Exploring instability
- 37 - Doepfer A-127 Triple VCRF - Formants
- 38 - Doepfer VCRF - Adding motion
4. Waveshapers and Other Sound Modifiers
- 39 - Patching in a sound modifier
- 40 - Random Source Serge Wave Multipliers - Overview and VCA
- 41 - RS Wave Multipliers - Wavefolding (odd harmonics)
- 42 - RS Wave Multiplers - Full wave rectifiers (even harmonics)
- 43 - AJH Synth Ring SM - Overview and mixer
- 44 - AJH Ring SM - Sub bass
- 45 - AJH Ring SM - Ring modulation
- 46 - Happy Nerding Super Sawtor
5. Envelopes, LFOs, and Other Modulation Sources
- 47 - Adding a different modulation source
- 48 - WMD MultiMode Envelope + Expander - Overview
- 49 - WMD MME - Envelope shapes
- 50 - WMD MME - Envelope modes
- 51 - WMD MME - Voltage control and expander
- 52 - IME Kermit Dual Modulation Aid - Overview
- 53 - IME Kermit - votage control and cross-modulation
- 54 - IME Kermit - Tap tempo
- 55 - IME Kermit - Lo-Fi VCO
- 56 - Sputnik West Coast Random Source - Overview and noise
- 57 - Sputnik WCRS - Fluctuating random
- 58 - Sputnik WCRS - Quantized and stored random
- 59 - Sputnik WCRS - Switch and sample and hold
6. Level Control - Amplifiers, Mixers, and Low Pass Gates
- 60 - Patching in another mixer or voltage controlled amp (VCA)
- 61 - STG Soundlabs .mix
- 62 - Verbos Scan and Pan - Overview
- 63 - Verbos Scan and Pan - Voltage controlled panning
- 64 - Verbos Scan and Pan - Waveform mixing
- 65 - Lifeforms Dynamic Impulse Filter - Overview
- 66 - Lifeforms DIF - Melodic uses
- 67 - Lifeforms DIF - Buchla bongos
- 68 - Lifeforms DIF - Processing percussion
7. Effects Modules
- 69 - Patching in and controlling modular effects
- 70 - Roland 572 - Phase shifter
- 71 - Roland 572 - Analog delay and chorus
- 72 - Roland 572 - Gate delay
- 73 - WMD SSF DPLR VC Delay - Overview
- 74 - WMD SSF DPLR - Interactive performance
- 75 - Synthrotek Verb - Lo-fi reverb
- 76 - Synthrotek Verb - Modulated resonator
Conclusion
- 77 - Going further