Advertise on podcast: The Rack Pack

The Rack Pack is back after a slow summer, minus Stu. Mark recaps Bloop Groop's Culture Night special in Dublin with Arturia, where he built a modular system from an empty case in front of a live audience. Jonas reports from Knobcon and the first EMIXX West in Denver, and recounts his run in with the law for playing synths. Plus: Swells vs. Desmodus Versio, the Plinky, Noise Engineering's 23 new Legio firmwares, Radio Music Mk II, Soma Enigma, the Sidekick, and the dangers of going to lunch with Jeffy. Modular On the Spot LA: https://motsla.com Dublin Bloop Groop: https://www.bloopgroop.com/ EMIXX West: https://www.emixx.org/EMIXXWEST KnobCon: https://www.knobcon.com/

It's a lean crew this time — a smaller version of The Pack meets up to talk the ebbs and flows of creativity, what summer does to a Eurorack habit, and wherever the conversation wanders. On the docket: the campaign to bring Modular On The Spot LA back to life, recent gear scores and lingering GAS, and the eternal question of fitting music-making into full lives. Don't miss Stu's progress report on becoming Geddy Lee, plus an update from the Seaside workbench.

In this episode of The Rack Pack, the crew is joined by modular synth wizard DivKid for a full post-Superbooth decompression session. We recap the biggest announcements, weirdest modules, unexpected trends, overheard hallway gossip, and the collective sensory overload that only Superbooth can provide. Along the way, the Pack and DivKid dig into what actually stood out after the dust settled, which gear kept pulling us back in, and what the current state of modular says about where the scene is headed next.

In this episode, The Rack Pack visits the headquarters of Noise Engineering, where we sit down with founders Kris Kaiser and Stephen McCaul. Surrounded by the machines that have shaped some of the most distinctive sounds in Eurorack, we get a behind-the-scenes look at how it all actually comes together. We dig into the realities of running a modular company in a rapidly shifting landscape—everything from supply chain chaos and scaling production to staying creative when the industry itself keeps evolving. Kris and Stephen open up about how they’ve navigated these challenges without losing the identity that makes Noise Engineering, well… Noise Engineering. Of course, we also get into their design philosophy: how ideas move from strange sonic experiments to fully realized modules, what inspires their signature aesthetic, and how they balance playfulness with precision. Join us for this journey into how Noise Engineering engineers their noise! http://noiseengineering.us

In this episode, The Rack Pack welcomes Jason Lim, founder of Instruō, for a deep dive into the ideas shaping one of modular’s most distinctive voices. We explore Jason’s design philosophy—where aesthetics, tactility, and musical intention all collide—and how that philosophy shows up in every Instruō module. We spend time unpacking his latest project, a massive quad filter that pushes both sonic flexibility and physical presence to new extremes, and what it reveals about his approach to instrument design. Along the way, we get into the balance between features and usability, where new module ideas come from, and how Instruō "makes sounds with the things that they make to make sounds with." Finally, we look ahead: what’s next for Instruō, where the line between utility and artistry is heading, and how Jason thinks about the future of modular in an increasingly crowded landscape. https://www.instruomodular.com/

In this episode, The Rack welcomes Adam Harding of Boredbrain Music. We get into the origins of Boredbrain, and how the simple Patchulator blossomed into a full-blown eurorack product line. We also get into the brand-new Xcelon SL desktop mixer—why Adam decided to step outside the rack, what makes this streamlined version different, and how it fits into modern hybrid setups where modular, pedals, and DAWs all collide. Finally, we look ahead to the upcoming EMIXX event in Ashland, VA—what it is, why these smaller regional meetups matter, and how community-driven events keep the modular scene feeling human. Boredbrain website: https://www.boredbrainmusic.com/ The EMIXX Expo: https://www.boredbrainmusic.com/event/emixx-2026-9/register

In this episode, the Pack welcomes New York–based modular artist, community builder, and YouTuber Metamyther—both to the show and to Los Angeles. We dig into his creative mindset and the philosophy behind his signature industrial-cinematic modular performances, talking through how he approaches composition, live performance, and the systems he builds to support long-term creativity. Metamyther also shares the gear that most inspires him, his workflow for staying consistently prolific, and how community plays a role in his artistic practice. Along the way, we catch up on the recently wrapped Buchla & Friends trade show in Los Angeles, swapping impressions and highlights from a weekend steeped in west-coast synthesis energy. Metamyther's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@metamyther Metamyther's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/metamyther/ Metamyther's music at Bandcamp: https://metamyther.bandcamp.com

A new year, a new rack of hopes and fears. The Pack is back to kick off 2026, digging into what we’re excited about, what we’re watching closely, and what we’re absolutely not ready for in the coming year.

In the final episode of 2025, the Pack gets together to talk about our favorite modular-related things from the year, and what we're looking forward to from next year. Join us for the first year-end wrap up of our young podcast's life!

Welcome back to The Rack Pack, a modular synthesizer podcast. In this episode, the entire Pack sits down with techno artist SURCO for a deep dive into his workflow, approach to live sets, the gear he can’t live without, and how he keeps things fresh in a genre that thrives on subtle evolution. SURCO Links Instagram:  @surcolive  YouTube:   @surcolive  Website: http://surcolive.comSURCO's modular courses: https://www.surcolive.com/courses Other Show Links XAOC Odessa: https://xaocdevices.com/main/odessa/Elektron Tonverk: https://www.elektron.se/explore/tonverkMEGA x Decapod Bathymeter: https://www.megamodular.co/shop/p/bat...Shakmat Griffin's Claw: https://shakmat.com/products/griffin-...Ohmforce Bohm: https://ohmforce.com/products/bohmBuchla & Friends: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/buchla-f...

In this episode, (most of) the Pack welcomes musician, writer, neuroscientist, and YouTuber Jay Hosking into the fold. Jay isn’t just someone who makes beautiful synthesizer music. He also somehow manages to energize a whole creative ecosystem through his thoughtful YouTube videos, generous insights, and a buzzing Discord community devoted to experimentation and encouragement. We get into the good stuff here. The conversation flows from how the brain wires up ideas, to how we wire up our racks, to the eternal struggle of managing too much gear, to the hopes and wild possibilities of Eurorack’s future. This episode is a ride through music, mindset, and the joy of making sound together. Jay Hosking LinksYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JayHoskingInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayhoskingBandcamp: https://jayhosking.bandcamp.com Other Show LinksCinematic Laboratory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUIrEQUXmqoForge-tme Vhikk X: https://forge-tme.com/vhikk-xJay's video on the Elektron Tonverk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov8Hkqz-vWk

In this episode of The Rack Pack, the crew dives into a packed month of gear news and announcements shaking up the synth world. We start with Elektron’s much-anticipated Tonverk, unpacking what it adds to their growing ecosystem and how it might fit into existing setups. Then we move to Roland’s TR-1000, the company’s latest evolution of their legendary drum machines — and we debate whether it lives up to the hype. Along the way, we touch on several other notable releases and updates that caught our attention, including Drop, the new MIDI controller from Neuzeit Instruments. We also relive the energy of Machina Bristronica, one of the year’s biggest modular meetups. From crowded demo tables to late-night patch jams, we share the highlights, our favorite announcements from the show, and some personal stories from the floor.

Join us as we record on location in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg during Knobcon 2025. We speak about our experiences and we catch some passers-by, including YouTubers Metamyther and JAde Wii, to chime with their thoughts,

It's September and the Pack is off to KnobCon! We preview the Chicagoland synth camp and talk about what we are excited to see and do in Illinois this coming weekend.

Welcome to episode 06 of The Rack Pack 🎛 Today we've got Ali Modular in the house and we're talking everything Esu's Trifecta – the new triple FX engine from Ali the Architect and Chris Roberts. In this episode, we break past the 1 hour mark for the first time and talk about: Ali and Chris' separate and unique avenues into modular synthesisthe trials and tribulation of learning to develop a modulehow Ali and Chris linked up for Ali Modular (skills that complement)modbap workflows, where does the MPC sit in a hybrid studiolearning about Esu, the trickster god of the Yorubainspiration for Esu's panel design (custom printed aluminum)effects algorithms, Marvel naming, and the arch nemesis to Magnetohow Ali and Chris decided to build a triple FX engine as their first modulethe importance of being excited about your own projectsEsu's Trifecta specifics, what exactly it is and what it does (and why it took us 30 minutes to get to this topic)tips & tricks: clock / duck inputs, targeting bypass with CV, and FX chatwhat does "architecture" mean in the context of module developmentAli's DSP learning curve, the joys of having a mentor when learning a skillusing your musical ear to dial in algorithm sound and behavioron the flip side, learn how to do things right first before relying on your earthe mod matrix vs. live playing, how do you balance depth vs. immediacy (changing presets w/ CV)the importance of beta testersmodule design, sliders to knobs, and the minutia of UX designAli performing in Europe, feeling the love for modbapwhat's next for Ali Modular (Ogun Orisha!)going from prototype to production, what does that look like with Electrosmiththe importance of processes and applying them to future effortskeeping Esu's Trifecta fresh, new algorithms, and minimum viable productsother single and multi-effect eurorack modules Ali / Chris are fans ofmaking a multi-effect that isn't overwhelmingly complexgetting started with modbap style production (MPC, Elektron, and modular synthesis)the benefits of having a multi-effects engine in a smaller setupcongratulations to Ali Modular on their first module release If you thought hearing five voices was confusing enough, let's see how things work with seven 😅 Esu's Trifecta Links Pre-order: https://alimodular.com/Esu's Feature Overview: Esu's Trifecta  Feature Overview  ModularGrid: https://modulargrid.net/e/other-unkno... Ali the Architect Links Insta: https://www.instagram.com/ali.the.architect/Bandcamp: https://alithearchitect.bandcamp.com/ Chris Roberts Links Insta: https://www.instagram.com/cpr2323/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/cpr2323Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/cprA8 Manager: https://cpr2323.github.io/a8manager/Squid Manager: https://cpr2323.github.io/squidmanager/ Show Links Esu: The Misunderstood God of the Yoruba Religion: https://artsandculture.google.com/sto...The Last Emperor - Secret Wars Pt. 1:    • The Last Emperor   Secret Wars part 1  Electrosmith: https://electro-smith.com/