Modular Synthesis for Studio and Stage

James Richmond and Julian Rodgers dive into the world of modular synthesis, explaining what it is and how it fits into both studio production and live performance. They explore the process of creating unique sounds from scratch, the challenges of patch recall and share practical advice for anyone looking to get started with modular gear. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:52 - Modular Synth Definition 01:50 - Semi-Modular 02:59 - James' Modular Synthesis Work 04:05 - Reaktor And Max 07:32 - The Appeal Of Modular 09:54 - Generating Your Own Sounds 11:24 - Creating A System 13:11 - Software Vs Hardware Systems 14:02 - Creating Brand New Sounds 16:16 - Stochastic Modulation 21:31 - Handling Recall 22:57 - Gigging With Modular 26:42 - Preparing For Performance 28:12 - East Coast Vs West Coast 29:44 - Practical Performance Challenges 31:34 - Careful Onstage Monitoring 33:08 - Starting Out In Modular 37:08 - Affordable Synthesis James Richmond Biog James Richmond is a composer, producer and audio engineer working across electronic and guitar-based music. He is the guitarist and producer for Liam Vincent & The Odd Foxes, has released experimental electronic work under the name Euclidean Circuits and has a solo project called The Deathbird. He also develops bespoke audio tools through EventFieldAudio and writes about music production, studio systems and monitoring from his hybrid modular and analogue studio. Julian Rodgers Biog Julian Rodgers is a freelance writer and audio engineer with a background in live sound. After many years working in education introducing new users to Pro Tools, he now lives by the sea in West Cornwall, where he plays keyboards in a couple of bands. He also plays bass and guitar equally badly, and remains an enthusiastic collector of microphones and opinions about all things audio. Catch more shows on our other podcast channels:

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Modular Synthesis for Studio and Stage is an episode from Electronic Music by Sound On Sound Ltd.

This episode is 41:07 long.

This episode was published on Apr 22, 2026.

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