It's all Voltage | The Modular Classroom | Lesson 1 (feat. Serge DUSG and GTS)

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"OK, here's episode 1 of my modular classroom series. Again. I had to reupload due to editing errors. So I worked on it some more, added some stuff and removed a segment that went to Lesson 2.

I had to pick a reference because we all own different case layouts. I assume everyone can follow and try some of it if you own a Maths, Falistri, Rampage or Abacus. I'll be using Serge DUSG and GTS for most of this video. I did not include the 281T quad function generator because it will get its own lesson.

We're going to be taking about rise and falls a lot. They're the foundation for modular sound generation and movement. It's all voltage. When we think of a triangle wave as a basic waveform, we can break it apart and see it as a rising voltage, a falling voltage in a repeating cycle over periods of time. Time will determine if it's a VCO or LFO."

Slope Language | The Modular Classroom | Lesson 2 (feat. Maths, Rings and Clouds)

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"In Lesson 1 I introduced a hidden sonic world of rise and falls, a foundation for making sounds and movement and for interaction with other sounds and movements. I realized it's hard to make lessons without reference gear and I picked Maths as the No. 1 module to explain the core concepts of low level synthesis. While making this lesson, I figured out this 'slope language' which could be an alternative to patch diagrams. Diagrams only work on a system with a fixed layout and modules. In modular this just doesn't work because all modulars are different and personal.

I also needed to find a way to combine high level music making with low level modular techniques and explain why it's worth it to dive a bit deeper. I used Rings and Clouds as a methaphor for 'fastfood' because it's really easy to make great music. This often sounds like a bad thing but it's not. Too easy is good. It confirms that modular synths can be cool. But it's even cooler to hear what happens when we add a bit of low level movement. Sticking to the metaphor of cooking with sound, it becomes a Chef's kitchen, where Rings/Clouds are the signature ingredients, and Maths is the secret sauce.

The goal for these classes is to learn how to think in voltage slopes (rise and falls) and these 'slope language' diagrams seem to work for lots of module combinations. I was able to 'translate' a Maths patch to Tides and Blinds. It works because we're taking a step back from the panel layout, and focus on what the voltage is doing. The recipe. For me, it felt like a missing link that really helps me to explain things. Now let's hope this works for you too."