Camera Obscura: Torin Geller on the Power of Modular Synthesis

Torin Geller is the technical and creative director of audio at One Thousand Birds LA. When he’s not cooking up new sounds for clients or endlessly tweaking the custom speakers he built over at OTB LA, you’ll find him searching the streets for LA’s best burrito.

LBB> What is your niche craft obsession?

Torin> Eurorack Modular Synthesis. This is a format of synthesizer where you can buy single modules, which are individual parts of a synth that perform a specific function that may or may not generate sound on their own, and then connect them using patch cables to create your own custom assembled synthesizer. This allows one to create their own instrument that fits one’s creative needs, and allows for near infinite experimentation in how you connect your modules when creating sounds. 

LBB> Where/ when/ how did you first come across this thing? 

Torin> I think I was first exposed to modular synthesis when I started to really dive into electronic music in high school, and would research what synthesizers bands I liked at the time were using to create their records. I remember seeing m83 play live using a modular synthesizer and was fascinated by all the wires, it looked so bizarre. 

LBB> Was it an obsession straight away or something that has evolved over the years?

Torin> Definitely something that evolved over the years. It really took off in college where I was lucky enough to study under Morton Subotnick, an early synthesizer pioneer who’s credited with creating the first electronic music LP, as well as being instrumental in the design of one of the first commercially available synthesizers with the Buchla system.  

LBB> What are the most interesting debates or conversations you are having around this obsession?

Torin> I think the debate around the hyper commercialisation of modular synthesis via the internet is super interesting. This is something that’s endemic to most creative fields where you need to buy your tools, and thus there exists an industry of marketing them to the masses, but it’s particularly interesting in regards to electronic instruments and modular synthesis specifically, as it’s blown up in popularity online in the last few years in primarily an aesthetic way. YouTube and Instagram accounts abound with videos and demos of visually striking modular systems making lovely music, and it’s very easy to digest this content and think “if only I had that new module, I could be making some incredible music…” and it’s easy to lose sight of why you’re using a synthesizer in the first place - to make art. The modularity of modular synthesis also lends itself to becoming an endless money pit where you can always expand your system, or swap out for the latest trendy module. And lastly, being electronic instruments, it’s easier for it to fall into similar patterns of other tech based products where new products feature new, improved features or entirely new innovations, or the lifespan of an instrument might be shorter than say, an acoustic guitar.

LBB> How widespread do you think this obsession is with your peers?

Torin> I think it’s fairly widespread, especially in the sound design community where there is a need to create new, interesting sounds that might not be possible to achieve on a typical keyboard based synthesizer. From creature sounds to sci fi effects or designing UI sounds, modular synthesis is a powerful tool for creating custom sounds for clients that have never been heard before.  

LBB> Can you share any examples of work where that obsession really came to the fore and elevated the final production? Can you tell us about it and share links if possible?

Torin> Audible Edibles feature in Hii Mag Issue #2. This was a really fun project where I was tasked with interpreting various food items as sonic experiences. Each of the five food sounds were entirely created on the modular synth. I think the pawpaw fruit and the ramps sounds are good examples of two 'typical' sounds that can be achieved with modular synthesis - ambient drones and pointallistic noise experiments. . 

LBB> For anyone just getting into your field, what advice would you share to help them get their head around this particular thing?

Torin> Check out VCV Rack! It’s a free software with digital recreations of thousands of modules. It’s a fantastic tool, and if you’re thinking about getting into modular synthesis it’s a perfect way to see if that workflow is compatible with your own creative workflow.