Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
I was right—in a sense. Modular synths are GREAT at making all kinds of amazing sounds.
But I was wrong in thinking that’s ALL I would get out of them.
The truth is, learning about synthesis and modular signal flow unlocked SO much for me—and I see this happening for my students all the time, too...
➡️ It helped to open my ears to a new way of listening, which in turn helped my music-making and sound design improve SO much. I felt equipped to take more musical risks, explore more freely, and ultimately make music that sounded & felt more like ME.
➡️ It gave me—for the first time ever—agency over my music-making process. I could go from idea to sound creation to recording; all in a few hours work. Of course there were other skills I had to learn such as recording & using a DAW, but modular synths opened the floodgates for me & helped me see how much was possible. 🔥
➡️ Getting comfy with modular patching and signal flow made other gear feel SO easy to learn.
I believe this so deeply: focusing on universal modular synth foundations is the fastest way to get really good at not only Eurorack synths, but also semi-modular, keyboard synths, synth plugins, and even audio programming.
(^^this approach is also exactly how I teach inside Learning Sound and Synthesis—for a reason!)
These days I use modular synths for live performances, as tools in my studio to help with composing and idea generation, to help me make demos & guide tracks for recording sessions, as improvisation partners to spark endless inspiration, and yes—to make LOTS of very cool, funny, weird, noisy sounds 😉
PS: My modular synthesis class “Learning Sound & Synthesis” is opening for enrollment in a few weeks! Go to the link in bio if you want to be notified when the doors open up. You'll also get my "Live Performance w/ Synths" masterclass for free when you enroll in LSS as an early bird! (exclusively for folks on waitlist!)
I was right—in a sense. Modular synths are GREAT at making all kinds of amazing sounds.
But I was wrong in thinking that’s ALL I would get out of them.
The truth is, learning about synthesis and modular signal flow unlocked SO much for me—and I see this happening for my students all the time, too...
➡️ It helped to open my ears to a new way of listening, which in turn helped my music-making and sound design improve SO much. I felt equipped to take more musical risks, explore more freely, and ultimately make music that sounded & felt more like ME.
➡️ It gave me—for the first time ever—agency over my music-making process. I could go from idea to sound creation to recording; all in a few hours work. Of course there were other skills I had to learn such as recording & using a DAW, but modular synths opened the floodgates for me & helped me see how much was possible. 🔥
➡️ Getting comfy with modular patching and signal flow made other gear feel SO easy to learn.
I believe this so deeply: focusing on universal modular synth foundations is the fastest way to get really good at not only Eurorack synths, but also semi-modular, keyboard synths, synth plugins, and even audio programming.
(^^this approach is also exactly how I teach inside Learning Sound and Synthesis—for a reason!)
These days I use modular synths for live performances, as tools in my studio to help with composing and idea generation, to help me make demos & guide tracks for recording sessions, as improvisation partners to spark endless inspiration, and yes—to make LOTS of very cool, funny, weird, noisy sounds 😉
PS: My modular synthesis class “Learning Sound & Synthesis” is opening for enrollment in a few weeks! Go to the link in bio if you want to be notified when the doors open up. You'll also get my "Live Performance w/ Synths" masterclass for free when you enroll in LSS as an early bird! (exclusively for folks on waitlist!)
