The Gains and Drawbacks of Modular Synthesis
Modular is as complicated as it looks
If you’re anything like me, you probably find modular synthesis extremely beautiful.
However, if you are like me, that means you don’t know much about whether modular is your way to go.
Today, I will explore the gains and drawbacks of indulging in this niche hobby.
What Is Modular Synthesis
The most basic definition of a modular synth is an electronic musical instrument comprising of individual modules.
These modules connect via patch cables, which send a signal that you can use to alter the parameters of your synth.
The modules that make up a modular synthesizer carry different purposes.
Some modules function to make the base sound “Voltage Controlled Oscillator,” while some alter the sound “Voltage Controlled Filter” and “Voltage Controlled Amplifier.”
The Gains
Uniqueness
One of the most significant gains when building your modular synth setup is that you can create your own unique synth.
That’s because the modules that make up the synth can be bought separately or together.
Depending on the modules you buy, the case you use, and the cables connecting the signal flow, you can have a wildly different synth to somebody else.
Flexibility
Playing off of uniqueness, you also have a lot of flexibility regarding your synth.
Remember, you can make a synth that controls and plays how you want it to.
If you want your reverb to turn on and off while you have a saw wave at a constant pulse, you can do that with the suitable modules.
What’s even more remarkable is that depending on your approach, you can patch it quite differently multiple times too.
It isn’t Musician Specific
Despite being called a “musical” instrument, you don’t need to create music to get actual use from it.
Often, when someone gets into modular synthesis, it’s because they want to get their hands more dirty with the sound design.
Whether you make music with these sounds or not is up to you.
The Drawbacks
Cost
The biggest drawback to modular synthesis is that your wallet will take a hit.
Although individual modules don’t cost that much, as most cost around $50-$100 each, these costs can start to add up quickly.
What’s even worse is when you consider the accessories you need to purchase.
That includes your power supply, case, and cables, which can be a sizable sum when you put them together.
Learning Curve
Because of all the different parameters, knobs, and switches you tweak, it’s no surprise that modular is complicated.
If your goal is to learn, you will need to absorb much information about different modules and how they interact.
If you want to create music, you’ll need to start looking at ways to implement your setup with different sources.
Although there are a lot of fundamentals that come with it, there are also a lot of specifics you’ll need to wrap your head around.
Fleeting
Depending on how you like to view modular, you may identify this as a gain, but modular can be rather fleeting.
I mean that when you make a sound you like, all it takes is one knob twist or parameter shift to take it away completely.
If you don’t record the sound, your chances of getting it back are almost impossible due to all the random adjustments you likely made.
Conclusion
Modular synthesis, like any other hobby, has a lot of positives and negatives, and it’s up to you whether it’s worth it.
Despite all the drawbacks, I believe modular synthesis is immensely intriguing.
At the same time, I can also understand why one wouldn’t view it as worth the money or effort.
However, if you’re still hellbent on going modular, do yourself a favor and plan your rack ahead.
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