RESOURCE LIST
This is an ever-growing collection of my favorite resources for further learning (articles, books, videos) as well as tools/instruments I personally use and highly recommend.
BOOKS/ARTICLES
(Modular) Synthesis
Synthesis Workshops
Rob Hordijk
A thorough text-based resource on sound synthesis and sound design by one of the most interesting electronic instrument designers I have ever encountered, Rob Hordijk (creator of the Blippoo Box, Benjolin, among others).
Read MoreInterview with Donald Buchla
Polyphony Magazine (1983)
An interview with Don Buchla about his 400 Series electronic instruments. I find his thoughts from this interview on the potential for interfacing with electronic instruments in creative ways particularly inspiring.
Read MoreRay Wilson
A practical, hands-on guide to basic electronics concepts and building your own analog synthesizer from the ground up.
Read MorePatch & Tweak
Kim Bjørn and Chris Meyer
A beautiful and accessible introduction to synthesis from the perspective of multiple well-known modular artists and creators.
Read More
The Horizons of Instrument Design:
A Conversation with Don Buchla
Keyboard Mag
Another interview with Don Buchla from around the release of the 400 Series instruments. Additional thoughts on the implications of electronic instrument design.
Read MorePush Turn Move: Interface
Design in Electronic Music
Kim Bjørn
Another beautiful book about the design of hardware and software tools and instruments in the electronic music world, from DAWs to modular synths.
Read MoreComposing with Tape Recorders
Terence Dwyer
A guide to classic musique concrĆØte and tape music techniques.
Read MoreElectronic Music
Pink Noises: Women on Electronic Music and Sound
Tara Rodgers
A collection of interviews with women in electronic music and experimental sound working/creating in different areas of the music world from composition and improvisation to instrument design, installation work, performance art, and DJing.
Read More
Electronic Music: Systems, Techniques, and Controls
Allen Strange
An historical text providing ground-level insight on working with modular synthesizers by Buchla associate and electronic composer Allen Strange. Written in the 1970s, this was the first in-depth look at the theory and aesthetics of composition with modular synthesizers, taking a methodical look at all components of a synthesizer and how they might be used. Includes examples for how to execute techniques on period instruments, as well as score examples from composers working in the medium.
Read More
Composing Electronic Music: A New Aesthetic
Curtis Roads
An in-depth look at the aesthetics of electronic music composition by computer music pioneer Curtis Roads. This book takes a look at individual topics/parameters in electronic music one by one (pitch, rhythm, spatialization, form, etc.), providing extensive discussions and a huge range of listening examples for each.
Read More
Microsound
Curtis Roads
Curtis Roadsā€™s seminal work on granular synthesis, a synthesis method focused around creating composite sounds and forms out of short (<100ms) fragments of sound. This book presents a remarkably thorough methodology and theoretical structure for several approaches to granular synthesis, as well as the aesthetic implications of working with sound on this microscopic level.
Read More
Computer Music Tutorial
Curtis Roads
A frequently-updated resource by Curtis Roads covering classic and emerging techniques in digital synthesis and computer music. This one gets pretty deep and covers a lot of ground, making it a great source of inspiration.
Read More
Handmade Electronic Music
Nicolas Collins
An introduction to hacking and building your own electronics from the ground up. Collins covers a wide range of ideas about instrument design, focusing on easy and affordable ways to make sound—from circuit bending to logic circuits and more.
Read More
Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture
Thom Holmes
A comprehensive yet accessible history of electronic music. This author publishes new editions of this book regularly to add recent research, so be sure to look for the latest edition. One of the few electronic music history books I have found that features a reasonable representation of women in the field.
Read More
Music, Makers, Machines
Google Arts & Culture
An incredible interactive resource from Google that allows you to explore historical timelines of key inventors, artists, and innovators in the electronic music world, as well as focused deep dives into specific instruments, techniques, albums, studios, genres, and more. Definitely worth exploring!
Read More
Experimental Sound Practices
Feedback Systems: An Analytical Framework
Dario Sanfilippo and Andrea Valle
This article provides a fascinating overview of feedback in various musical and multimedia creative contexts, as well as an introduction to chaos, randomness, circular causality, emergence, and related topics.
Read MoreIn Search of a Concrete Music
Pierre Schaeffer
An English translation of a text originally published in 1952 by tape music pioneer Pierre Schaeffer (the person who coined the term “Musique Concrete”). This is a challenging but fascinating glimpse into Schaeffer’s philosophy and practice in working with sound and electronic music.
Read MoreThe Liberation of Sound
Edgard Varèse
A collection of transcribed lectures from 20th-century composer Edgard Varèse. Varèse was a pioneer of early tape music and electronic music techniques, and also had incredibly interesting thoughts about structuring and organizing sound.
Read MoreComposing / Improvising
Deep Listening: A Composer's Sound Practice
Pauline Oliveros
An excellent introduction to Pauline Olivero’s practice of Deep Listening. Oliveros and Deep Listening has had a tremendous impact on my life and creative practice, and I cannot recommend her work enough.
Read MoreSonic Meditations
Pauline Oliveros
A collection of text-based prompts for group and/or solo deep listening practice.
Ā
Ā
Read MoreNotes (8 pieces)
Wadada Leo Smith
A collection of writing from improvisor/ composer/trumpeter (and one of my mentors) Wadada Leo Smith on spirituality, improvisation, graphical notation, rhythm, and composition. Very esoteric and philosophical, but very much worth the time.
Read MoreMETA / HODOS
James Tenney
A philosophical essay described by the author as a “conceptual framework for musical description and analysis.”
Read MoreSilence: Lectures and Writings
John Cage
A collection of lectures and essays written by 20th-century experimental composer John Cage from 1939 to 1961.
Read MoreNotations
John Cage
An incredibly inspiring collection of graphical/ experimental score excerpts and writings compiled by John Cage and fluxus artist Alison Knowles on the topic of notation.
Read MoreDOCUMENTARIES
I Dream of Wires
A full-length independent documentary about the unique history and culture surrounding the modular synthesizer.
What the Future Sounded Like
A 27-minute documentary about early experiments and breakthroughs in electronic music and technology from the 1960s onward.
Moog Documentary
A documentary about synthesizer designer Robert Moog, produced toward the end of his lifetime.
The Delian Mode
A documentary about British electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire and her work with the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.
Electromotive - The Story of ARP Instruments
A documentary about the origins and history of ARP Instruments, creators of the classic ARP 2500, ARP 2600, and ARP Odyssey synthesizers of the 1970s.
Wee Have Also Sound-Houses
Daphne Oram
An audio program from the BBC about electronic music pioneer and instrument inventor Daphne Oram. Oram is one of my personal heroes!
Listen HerePoème électronique ("Electronic Poem")
Edgard Varèse
Poème électronique (English Translation: "Electronic Poem") is an 8-minute piece of electronic music by composer Edgard Varèse, written for the Philips Pavilion at the 1958 Brussels World’s Fair.
Discovering Electronic Music (1969-1983)
A Bernard Wiles documentary from 1969-70, providing an overview of the state of electronic music and electronic studios in the 60s and 70s.
DEVICES/INSTRUMENTS
This section includes tools and instruments that I specifically used and/or referenced inside
the Learning Sound and Synthesis program for demos.
Eurorack
I use this Eurorack format audio interface module in my modular synthesizer as a means of interfacing my modular with my laptop and/or external audio sources.
Expert Sleepers ES-9
This is an alternate version to the ES-8 with 14 analog inputs (rather than 8) and added headphone and 1/4” outputs.
Intellijel Palette Case
This is my favorite tiny Eurorack case—totally possible to throw it in your backpack and/or take it on an airplane. I use this case in Module 7 with a few modules to demo connecting VCV Rack to Eurorack.
Audio Interfaces
iConnectAUDIO4+ — iConnectivity
This is the small audio interface I mention in Module 7. Truthfully, it’s nothing remarkable in terms of an audio interface, but I like it because it’s reliable, affordable, durable, and compact (great for travelling—I have tossed this in my gig bag and toured with it for years, without the added stress of travelling with a more expensive piece of hardware).
Universal Audio Apollo x8 Interface
I use this interface in my home studio for all of my recording and scoring projects, and I love it. Definitely a higher price tag than the iConnect, but the preamps sound wonderful and the available UAD plugins are incredible.
MIDI Controllers
KORG nanoKontrol2 MIDI Controller
This is the small black MIDI controller I use for demos in Module 7. It’s a good, solid option if you’re looking for something super portable and relatively affordable. The sliders/knobs have a tendency to fall off (mine is proof!) but it has served me well for many years and across many tours.
Sensel "Morph" MIDI Controller
This is by far my favorite general-purpose MIDI controller if you’re looking for something that will push you into a different workflow from knobs and sliders. Again, it’s small (portable) and relatively affordable, which are important considerations to me. You can completely reprogram every pad, and are able to send multiple MIDI CC’s with each pad (ie. X, Y, Z) which makes it easy to create expressive, multi-parametric mappings.
The overlays on the Sensel Morph are all swappable, which allows you to essentially have multiple MIDI interfaces in one hardware device. I personally use the Buchla Thunder overlay the most, but here are some other options as well:
Sensel “Buchla Thunder” Overlay
Sensel "Music Production Overlay
Sensel "Piano Overlay"
Semi-Modular / Virtual Analog
I use the Hydrasynth (made by Ashun Sound Machines) in combination with my Eurorack/Buchla modular synthesizers for a lot of sound design and production work. This synth comes in both a keyboard and compact desktop format. It’s easily one of the most versatile virtual analog synthesizers I’ve ever worked with, and I’m a big fan.
If you’re interested in getting started working with hardware synthesizers, but don’t feel ready to take the plunge fully into modular, here are some suggestions for semi-modular synths to help you get started:
Makenoise 0-Coast
The Makenoise 0-Coast is an affordable semi-modular analog synth that borrows characteristics from both Moog and Buchla style instruments. It can be controlled via MIDI or control voltage, but it also works great as a standalone instrument. Good for both conventional and experimental soundmaking.
Makenoise 0-Ctrl
A touchplate keyboard/sequencer designed for use with the 0-Coast, but it works great with any modular or semi-modular gear. Awesome for exploring different ways of physically interacting with your instrument. (NOTE: this doesn’t make any sound by itself, but is a blast when paired with other gear!)
Moog Mother-32
A semi-modular analog synth based on the signal flow of classic Moog synthesizers. Includes a built-in sequencer, and is great for leads, basslines, and classic analog sound effects.
Moog DFAM
A semi-modular drum machine/percussion synthesizer. Whereas the Mother-32 is great for leads and basslines, DFAM is better suited for sequences of percussive sounds and noisy textures.
Erica Synths Pico System III
Another semi-modular synthesizer, this time inspired by a combination of the Buchla Music Easel and techno and acid sonic aesthetic. Available both in desktop and Eurorack format versions. Also included the ability to store presets on external plugin cards.
Sound / Visual / Graphic Notation
This page contains affiliate links that allow you to find the items mentioned in the resource pack, and support what we do at no cost to you. While we may earn minimal sums when you use the links, you are in no way obligated to use them. Thank you for your support!
