Articles

Interviews Artists Culture

TENGGER: “No matter how beautiful nature is, you cannot appreciate its beauty unless your mind is calm.”

A pan-Asian family trio blending synths, harmonium, and spirit, TENGGER creates deeply meditative music rooted in nature and love. We spoke with the group about spirituality, breath, family, FM synthesis, and their evolving sound after separation and reunion.

Articles Excerpts PUSH TURN MOVE

Hands, eyes, ears: 5 legendary makers on synth interface design

What makes a synth feel right to use? Here are thoughts from five instrument creators on design, usability, and how we connect with electronic instruments. Not rules, but perspectives that might spark ideas or offer a new way to think about music-making tools.

Articles

Getting started with VCV Rack

Whether you're new to modular or a seasoned Eurorack head, VCV Rack offers a flexible, free way to patch, prototype, and explore anywhere. This guide shows how to get started, test ideas before buying hardware, or go deeper with powerful modules – no rack space (or budget) required.

Articles Modular Performance

Don’t Patch! 5 counterintuitive strategies for performative composition on modular synthesizer

Nicolas Bernier, Composer, producer, artist, and Professor at the Université de Montréal, shares five counterintuitive strategies for performative modular synthesis, including why you might not want to patch at all. A fresh perspective on composition, repetition, and live performance!

Articles Culture Synthesizers

Into the Mirage: The fascinating world of Arabic synthesizers

Arabic music’s rich scales demand synths beyond Western tuning, like the mythic Juno-106A, vintage Korg Sigma, modern Minilogue XD, and vintage Casios. Explore how these instruments, hardware mods, and modern microtonal tools support authentic Arabic melodies and traditions in electronic music.

Featured Podcast Minimoog

Kitty Liv: Soulful expression with the Minimoog Model D – Podcast Ep. 2

In this Patch & Tweak Podcast episode, singer and multi-instrumentalist Kitty Liv talks with host JoE Silva about soulful songwriting, analog gear, and how the Minimoog Model D becomes a voice of its own in her emotionally driven creative process.

The WASP: British budget genius and cult legend

Meet the Wasp: bold, buzzy, and brilliantly ahead of its time. Explore this cult classic with exclusive photos– and don’t miss the special Pro member offer on Cherry Audio’s Yellowjacket, a modern tribute to the Wasp’s legendary sound.

Patch Tips Articles Modular

Linear versus exponential VCAs and envelopes

In this how-to article, Chris Meyer breaks down when to use linear vs. exponential VCAs and envelopes in modular synth patches. Learn how response curves shape loudness, mixing, FM depth, and modulation—and why combining exponential envelopes with linear VCAs often sounds most natural.

Interviews Culture Artists

Korean scene: Dancing on the edge of electronic music

South Korea’s electronic scene is surging, with Eurorack rigs, vintage samplers, and gritty drum machines at the core. Meet four artists, Mount XLR, Go Dam, Mono Lens, and Mogwaa, plus modular maker Holocene Electronics, all shaping a uniquely Korean sonic culture.

Vintage poly-patching: The unique KORG PS-3300

A cool look into one of the most advanced semi-modular synths ever. Discover the story of the rare KORG PS-3300 with exclusive photos – plus a look at Cherry Audio’s PS-3300 software synth.

Featured Interviews Artists

Polyculture, Polyrhythm: Three African electronic music artists making waves

From Afrobeats to Singeli, Africa’s electronic music pulses with polyrhythms, local textures, and bold sonic experiments. Artists like KMRU, Mikael Seifu, and Gafacci fuse tradition with cutting-edge production, proving the continent’s vibrant future in global electronic music.

Popular Featured Patch Tips

Patching your own chaotic envelope generator

Tired of static envelopes? Chris Meyer shows how to build Zadar-like, chaotic, smooth-random shapes with organic bumps and wobbles that evolve on every trigger. Three patch levels let you sculpt animated, expressive envelopes.