Patching modular synthesizers. Combining computers and hardware synths. Performing electronic music live. Mixing for spatial audio, including quadraphonic and Dolby Atmos. Are these subjects that both excite, and – it’s okay to admit it; you’re among friends – perhaps intimidate you?

You’re not alone. But I have some good news: I have been doing all of the above for some time now – in some cases, decades – and I’m happy to share with you everything that I’ve learned.

What I’ve created for you:

• This Learning Modular web site includes a modular synth glossary plus blog posts on modular synths and related subjects – all available for free.
• A companion web site for my musical persona Alias Zone includes performance videos, album previews, and more.
• I have a Patreon subscription channel with roughly 500 posts (and growing!) on subjects from individual module tutorials, to patching techniques, to synthesizer history, to song track and performance breakdowns, to why I’ve chosen the modules I have for my own systems – and more. Recent content also includes mixing in spatial (surround) audio as well as electronic music studio design.
• I also have a free newsletter. You can subscribe by clicking here. You are also automatically subscribed when you purchase one of my courses or subscribing to my Patreon channel (more on both below). Click here to access the previous issues.
• I co-wrote a book on modular synthesis – the critically acclaimed, best-selling Patch & Tweak– which explains each part of a modular synth starting with the very basics and progressing through advanced applications. The publisher Bjooks has also launched a companion Patch & Tweak Club website with access to almost all of their books as well as additional interviews and articles – some written by me.
• And, I’ve created a series of online courses which cover synthesis basics, as well as for different types of modular systems.

Here is a description of each of those courses, with links to their own web site:

Online courses:

Why I can help you:

I was attracted to electronic music when I was young, and wanted to figure out how to make those sounds myself. I took synthesis lessons as a teen in the 1970s, learning on a modular Steiner-Parker Synthasystem. A kit-based PAiA modular was my dorm room companion in college:

Soon after I graduated, I was working at the legendary synth manufacturer Sequential Circuits as their MIDI expert, where I contributed to several instruments and created Vector Synthesis. I went on to work for Digidesign, Marion Systems (Tom Oberheim), and was the chief engineer at Roland R&D US. (If you want to learn more about my background – from my early days designing synths to my recent album projects – visit the About page, which includes several in-depth interviews.) I was recently awarded a lifetime achievement award for my contributions to MIDI, and am now being recognized as one of the first independent musicians to build their own Atmos-capable studio. I also record albums and perform live – often in quad – with my hybrid modular + laptop systems.

tl;dr: I know how these machines work from the inside out – I’ve even designed them.

I’ve always enjoyed sharing what I’ve learned with others. I taught synthesis at UCLA Extension, was the technical editor for Music Technology and Recording magazines, and wrote columns for Keyboard magazine and Synths & Software.

I also have a lot of experience creating videos and books. Before I started Learning Modular, I recorded nearly 50 online courses on creating graphics for television and film for what was then lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning), and my wife Trish and I co-wrote 13 books on that subject.

In short, I can distill complex subjects down to information artists can immediately put to use. I remember what it was like to know nothing, and to learn these subjects from scratch. Even my advanced posts make sure they bring along the beginner for the ride as well.

Your path forward:

You can continue to patch, perform with, and record modular synths the way most have: by randomly poking around, and hoping for happy accidents to magically appear.

Or, you can save time, money, and frustration by learning how these wonderful machines actually work on the inside, and even more important: how to make them work for you. Once you have mastered the fundamental concepts and techniques, the barriers between you and your synth will melt away, and it will become your partner – rather than your adversary – when you want to create your own sounds and music. Let’s get started!