This is another longish-piece built from smaller, building-block
pieces. As I mentioned
before,
I've found I kind-of like building larger compositions using this methodology.
This one is much more 'through-composed' though, with the motivation for each
block being the exploration of one of the newer modular-synth modules I
have added to my analog synth rig. I thought about somehow trying to integrate
the 'blocks' into a more coherent presentation by sectioning them up and
remixing them in various ways, but I think the journey-down-the-river
aspect works ok in this one.
The 'river' I'm traversing in this music is, as stated above, an exploration
of some new synthesis/signal-processing modules I've recently acquired.
One of the interesting things about many of the newer Eurorack modules is that
they instantiate much more complex processes than the foundational
oscillators, filters and ADSR/VCA modules that comprise basic analog
synthesis techniques. These modules build upon granular synthesis
approaches, physical modelling routines, chaotic oscillator systems
and others resulting in really interesting music/technology collaborative
improvisations. I truly enjoy the way that new technologies can do this.
Here's a run-down of the modules I used for each of the smaller pieces
that formed the realization of the ModExplore music:
- ModExplore1: Mutable Instruments Beads + 4MS Spectral Multiband Resonator
- ModExplore2: Mutable Instruments Plaits + Intellijel Bifold
- ModExplore3: After Later Audio Resonate (rings) + Cre8audio Capt'n Big-O +
Cre8audio Chipz + Dreadbox Eudamonia
- ModExplore4: Intellijel Plonk
- ModExplore5: Schlappi Engineering Boundary + Behringer Model D
- ModExplore6: After Later Audio bOSC + After Later Audio ENVy +
After Later Audio FILThy + Bastl Pizza +
Intellijel Flurry + 2hp swarm
- ModExplore7: After Later Audio uBurst
- ModExplore8: After Later Audio Monsoon
- ModExplore9: After Later Audio Atom
Here are the links to each of the pieces. Just for fun, I decided to make
each one exactly five minutes long. The final larger composition,
ModExplore, is less than 5 (minutes) X 9 (pieces) because of
the mixing/grafting together of them all.
Brad Garton
May, 2025
