HOW TO Build a Portable Live Techno Rig (and Actually Perform With It)

video upload by SynthDad Music

"Turing machines are generative sequencers that create looped melodies that slowly evolve and change over time, perfect for techno. I'm using the Shroud of Turing from Flatsix Modular in my compact techno setup. It's a 1U turing machine with clever features like user-defined scales and the ability to save different scales to play. I'm using it with Shakmat Ballista Blast as the main voice . Ohmforce Bohm is the main kick and I play it against Shakmat Battering Ram for dual-kick fun."

HOW TO Build a Portable Live Techno Rig (and Actually Perform With It)

video upload by SynthDad

"I used to think a bigger setup meant more options meant better music. Turns out the opposite is true, at least for me.

For a while my live rig was getting more complex every time I played it. More modules, more flexibility, more things to manage. And instead of playing, I was troubleshooting. So I stripped it back.

In this video I walk through the portable techno case I built for live performance; what made the cut, what didn't, and why having fewer options actually made me more focused and more musical on stage.

If you make techno with hardware and performing live is something you're thinking about, hopefully this is useful.

Timeline:
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Breakdown of my setup - kicks
01:01 Adding texture with Oneiroi
01:36 Battering Ram as second kick
02:03 Lead voice Ballista Blast
02:25 Sequencing with Shroud of Turing
05:23 Changing up the melody
05:52 Quantising notes to change the mood
07:27 Putting it all together to play
22:36 Conclusions"

Modular techno performance with a portable setup

Ballista Blast by Shakmat, Six Sound Examples

video upload by Liminal Pulses

"In this showcase, I've created six different sound sources with the Ballista Blast by ‪@ShakmatModular‬ . It can do SO MANY THINGS, and do them AMAZINGLY, but I thought I'd focus on six sound design examples, so we can zoom in on a few core engines and all the various sounds you can get from those engines. Let me know what you think of each one in the comments!

Each sound example is 2.5 minutes long, save the last example, which is 4 minutes.

0:07 Sound Example One, Engine: WaveTable. Type: Basic. ENVLP Mode: ASR. ANLG VCF: Type 2. VCA Mode: Drone. Distortion type 2, level 3 out of 5. FM. Alt = ON

2:23 Sound Example Two, Engine: Classic. Mode: Width. ENVLP Mode: AR. ANLG VCF: Type 2. VCA Mode: Drone. FM. Alt = ON

4:46 Sound Example Three, Engine: FM. Algorithm Type: Magnet Claw Arms. VCA Mode: Drone. ENV Mode: AR. FM.

7:10 Sound Example Four, Engine: WaveTable. Type: Digi 08. VCF Type: 2p VCA Mode: Drone. ENV Mode: AR.

9:50 Sound Example Five, Engine: Classic. Mode: Sync. VCA Mode: Drone. ENV Mode: AR. ANLG VCF: Type 2. FM.

12:15 Sound Example Six Engine: WaveTable. Type: Harm 1. Distortion type 2, level 3 out of 5. ENVLP Mode: ASR. ANLG VCF: 4P. VCA Mode: ENV. Distortion type 2, level 3 out of 5. FM.

I'm using effects by the ‪@busycircuits‬ MFX and ‪@tiptop-audio‬ Z5000.
The first two sound examples feature a sequence by the Varigate 4+ by ‪@malekko1‬
The second two feature the Pseudos by Raw Yaw Media.
The last two feature the T12 by ‪@doboz.modular‬"

Shakmat Modular masterclass | 25 March 2026

video upload by Signal Sounds

"For our first in-store event of 2026, we played host to our friends from Belgian Eurorack brand Shakmat Modular. Shakmat’s Francois showcased their modules - including the forthcoming Ballista Blast synth voice and Lancer’s Lash snare drum - in a unique live performance, before breaking down the patch and discussing the workflow. It’s full of invaluable tips for anyone performing live with modular synths!

Buy Shakmat modules at Signal Sounds:
https://www.signalsounds.com/shakmat-...

More info:
https://shakmat.com/

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & live performance
10:39 Case walkthrough & module demos
45:25: Audience Q&A"

This Eurorack Combo Creates INSANE Industrial IDM!

video upload by Metamyther

"Dive into a gritty, hypnotic journey into industrial IDM as the Shakmat Four Bricks Rook joins forces with the Mystic Circuits IDUM. Witness how the pairing creates chaotic beats filled with glitchy goodness. This patch breakdown and live jam demonstrates powerful ways to push your modular system into new, unpredictable territories."

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:36 - Gathering Raw Material
02:14 - Patch Breakdown
06:43 - Finished Track

Shakmat Ballista Blast : Demo

video upload by Shakmat

"The Ballista Blast is a compact hybrid synthesizer voice built to hit hard, move fast, and cover a serious amount of ground in just 12hp.

It blends digital sound engines with a proper analog processing chain, so you can go from squelchy basslines to glassy textures, from smooth harmonic tones to wild, chaotic mayhem, without being stuck with a single ammunition type.

To keep things alive, the Ballista Blast includes a built-in envelope, an assignable random source, and a velocity input, all routable to nearly any parameter, so even the simplest patch can feel animated and performance-ready.

Because good shots deserve a save button, Ballista Blast stores 256 presets, with Select Bus support for quick recall in a system built for action.

CHAPTERS
---------------------------------------------------
0:00 Sound Excerpts
2:02 Architecture
2:38 Controls
4:35 Main Synthesis Menus & Engines
10:31 Classic Engine
14:00 Wavetable Engine
18:05 FM Engine
24:53 Integrated Envelope
29:28 Randomizer
32:10 Velocity
34:12 Memory
37:20 SD Card
38:42 Global Options"

Shakmat Ballista Blast Expander : Demo

video upload by Shakmat

"The Ballista Blast Expander adds a flexible modulation source to enhance your Ballista Blast. The main module is fully CV controllable and gives CV access to almost any parameter but what if you can have a dedicated modulation source assignable with configurable depth to the key parameters of the Ballista Blast ? What if those modulation settings can be stored and recalled with your favorite presets ? This is what this expander has to offer.

Did we say you can have two expanders per Ballista Blast ? Two expanders, two times more modulation, twice the fun.

CHAPTERS
---------------------------------------------------
0:00 Intro
0:50 Installation
2:58 Menu
6:28 Destination"

Shakmat Ballista Blast | What This Module Can REALLY Do

video upload by Braintree56

"Shakmat Sent me the Ballista Blast to demo for you.

In my first video on the Shakmat Ballista Blast, I gave a brief overview and some first impressions...

But once you start digging into it, you realize this module goes way deeper than that.

In this video, I take a deeper dive into the Ballista Blast and explore what it can really do when you push it beyond a simple voice. From advanced modulation routing to the different synthesis engines, this module starts to feel less like a utility voice and more like a flexible sound design tool. I'm going to show you the whole thing!

• Assignable envelope routing to multiple destinations
• Built-in randomization for evolving patches
• Multiple Engines and Modes

All of these features can be combined in ways that go far beyond a typical 'starter voice.'

If you're building a compact case—or just want to get more out of a single module—this one has a lot to offer."

Shakmat Modular Ballista Blast Synth Voice Review

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Ballista Blast is a hybrid synth voice with classic waveforms, wavetables and some funky FM with multiple algorithms. It has a great filter, useful envelope and lots of CV for modulation. There's also an expander which adds a hardwired LFO that can modulate a whole bunch of stuff simultaneously. There is a tiny screen and some menu diving but it's very playable and sounds pretty awesome to me. Let's have a poke!"

This 12HP Module Might Be the Only Voice You Need

video upload by SynthDad

"The Ballista Blast is Shakmat Modular's hybrid digital/analog modular voice, squeezing a remarkably deep feature set into just 12HP. In this video, I walk through all three engines — Classic, Wavetable, and FM — and show you what this module is really capable of.

The Classic engine layers saw and square waves through two switchable analog VCFs (acid or bubbly, your call), a VCA, and an onboard distortion unit. The Wavetable engine runs a customisable wavetable set through that same analog chain, bridging digital texture with analog warmth. And the FM engine brings original multi-operator algorithms — up to four operators per patch — controlled via three macro knobs that keep complex FM territory surprisingly playable.

CORRECTION: The FM engine is actually a lot more complex than I describe in the video, and can do more than 2-op FM depending on the algorithm you choose.

Tying it all together: an onboard envelope, an assignable random generator, velocity and gate inputs, and nearly parameter-wide modulation assignment.

Timeline:
00:00 Introduction
00:50 Walk through of Ballista Blast
03:46 Pitch locking
04:31 Filter and Distortion modes
05:12 Built-in VCA
06:17 Wavetable oscillator
08:33 FM engine
09:52 Dubby FM chords example
10:55 Drone example
11:42 Modulation matrix
13:50 LFO mode on Expander
16:21 Randomising to change up sounds
18:59 Generate random patches for inspiration
21:01 Conclusions
21:45 Closing jam"

The Final Sweep/Burial Pyre (A Eurorack Modular Demo)

video upload by Genshi Media Group

"::| TO HEAR THE FULL RANGE OF FREQUENCIES AND STEREO EFFECTS, A GOOD PAIR OF HEADPHONES IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |::

'The Final Sweep/Burial Pyre' - A Eurorack Modular Demo.

#Eurorack #ModularSynth #MutableInstruments"

SCJS#85 - DARK AGES

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"Small Case Jam Sessions #85 - DARK AGES

GITGUD, TABOR, BATTERING RAM, NOISE SWASH

Recorded live thru Syntakt delay & reverb

‪@Jolin_wbs‬ ‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@4msCompany‬"

SCJS#84 ORGANISMS - TAKE I

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"Small Case Jam Sessions #84 ORGANISMS - TAKE I

GITGUD, TABOR, BATTERING RAM, NOISE SWASH

Recorded live thru Syntakt delay & reverb

‪@Jolin_wbs‬ ‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@4msCompany‬"

SCJS#83 ORGANISMS - TAKE II

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"Small Case Jam Sessions #83 ORGANISMS - TAKE II

GITGUD, TABOR, BATTERING RAM, NOISE SWASH

Recorded live thru Syntakt delay & reverb

‪@Jolin_wbs‬ ‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@4msCompany‬"

SYNTHESIZER NIGHT SHIFT

video upload by DESTROY WITH SCIENCE

"My first time exploring the ‪@Dreadbox-synths‬ ARTEMIS! Really enjoying the experience so far. Also I got a new camera, so we're back to HQ uploads i guess (no more phone camera to twitch VOD hahaha).

GEAR LIST

Dreadbox Artemis + Telepathy
1010music Bitbox Micro
Bastl Crust + Neo Trinity
Noise Engineering Electus Versio + Lacrima Versio + Desmodus Versio + Incus Alia + Xer Dualis + Univer Inter + Mimetic Digitalis + Sinc Defero
Nano Modules CEQ
Shakmat Dual Dagger
Tiptop ModFX
4ms WAV Recorder
Befaco Out
Novation Launchpad Pro MK3
Midi Fighter Twister
Raspberry Pi 4"

SCJS#82 THE HITCH-HIKER [HWJ Full Jam]

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"Small Case Jam Sessions #82 THE HITCH-HIKER [HWJ Full Jam]
It is the full jam of Hardware Jam Challenge: Soundtrack
• HWJ THE HITCH-HIKER (excerpt) A modular so... [below]

GITGUD, TABOR, 8BIT CIPHER, EFI, ZERSTORER, BATTERING RAM, AHH

Recorded live thru Syntakt delay & reverb

‪@Jolin_wbs‬ ‪@cirtcele‬ ‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@alizondevices‬ ‪@xodesnet‬"

HWJ THE HITCH-HIKER (excerpt) A modular soundtrack

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"Hardware Jam Challenge: Soundtrack

GITGUD, TABOR, 8BIT CIPHER, EFI, ZERSTORER, BATTERING RAM, AHH

Recorded live thru Syntakt delay & reverb

‪@Jolin_wbs‬ ‪@cirtcele‬ ‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@alizondevices‬ ‪@xodesnet‬"

SCJS#81 SWASHED IN THE DARK - Experimental noise music

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"Small Case Jam Sessions #81 SWASHED IN THE DARK

Bean Jelly, Dual S&H, Battering Ram, AHH, Noise Swash

https://fl3shb4ck.bandcamp.com/
Make some noise!

‪@alizondevices‬ ‪@gehirnenterprises‬ ‪@addacsystem6002‬ ‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@4msCompany‬ ‪@xodesnet‬"

SCJS#79 THE LAST BEAT

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"Small Case Jam Sessions #79 THE LAST BEAT

Noiswasp, Battering Ram, Amnis, Wave Bard, Prism

https://fl3shb4ck.bandcamp.com/
Make some noise!

‪@bastlinstruments‬ ‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@alizondevices‬ ‪@gehirnenterprises‬ ‪@RitualElectronics‬ ‪@QuBitElectronix‬"

JAMUARY26#19 ALGODRONE 626

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY JAMUARY26!

Griffin's Claws, Algo, Beads

Make some noise!

‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@RYKModular‬"

JAMUARY26#14 ALGODRONE 615

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY JAMUARY26!

Griffin's Claws, Algo, Beads

Make some noise!

‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@RYKModular‬"

JAMUARY26#13 ALGODRONE 614

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY JAMUARY26!

Griffin's Claws, Algo, Beads

Make some noise!

‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@RYKModular‬"

JAMUARY26#11 ALGODRONE 609

video upload by FL3SHB4CK

"HAPPY NEW YEAR! HAPPY JAMUARY26!

Griffin's Claws, Algo, Beads

Make some noise!

‪@ShakmatModular‬ ‪@RYKModular‬"