Today we chat with Jerome Begin, an American composer and musician based in New York. We talk about his musical journey, how he approached modular synthesizers and why, and take a look at his compositional approach through the commissioned score he wrote for the Douglas Dunn dance company. Jerome is currently Music Advisor at the Juilliard School Dance Division, and has composed many scores for dance, theater, concert works, installation and film performed worldwide. In his current works, he is mostly working on the interaction between electronic devices and acoustic instruments. www.jeromebegin.com Two modular scores mentioned in the interview: Greener Grass: https://vimeo.com/790299860 Bubble: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp66DG7CNic

Today's guest is Ben Carey, an Australian composer, improviser, and educator, based in Sydney/Eora. He makes electronic music using the modular synthesizer, develops interactive music software, and creates audio-visual works. Ben is a Senior Lecturer in Composition and Music Technology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, and his research and practice are concerned with interactive and generative music. https://bencarey.net/ https://bencarey.bandcamp.com/ Listen to the podcast here: • Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1 • Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645 • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/ Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:33 Ben’s musical journey 00:05:38 Building your own instrument vs ready-made synthesizers 00:11:38 Digital vs analog and the problem of interfaces 00:30:38 Ben’s patch 00:49:00 Clocks and spaces 00:55:00 Morphagene as a reverb 00:59:03 Feedback patching and resonances 01:15:43 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:24:35 Closing remarks #fraptools #electronicmusic #modularsynthesizer #euroracksynth #sounddesign #synth

Mat Watson is an Australian multi-instrumentalist focussed on the exploration of electronic sound and the drum set spanning experimental, improvisational and traditional forms. He is widely recognised for his involvement in large-scale unconventional orchestras and collaborations. He has played with Japanese underground legends Boredoms on several BoaDrum concerts and composed music and conducted the MESS Synthesiser Orchestra (16 people and 40 synthesisers) at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Collaborations include Bronx No Wave icons E.S.G, Australian music legends Underground Lovers (Moda Discoteca) and Ollie Olsen (Taipan Tiger Girls), among many others. He has produced records under his own name, along with several aliases and currently runs record label Eternal Music Projects out of Imaginary Sound Fields. Bandcamp: https://eternalmusicprojects.bandcamp.com/ Website: matwatson.co Listen to the podcast here: • Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1 • Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645 • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/ • Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:41 Mat's musical journey 00:22:48 Approaching modular 00:36:15 Mat’s first patch 00:49:55 Mat’s second patch & breakdown 01:10:38 Patch discussion 01:21:28 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:28:12 Giovanni’s patch

Sam Sakr is an Australian musician, sound artist and producer. He has written for artists like Sarah Aarons, Dua Lipa, Cardi B, Carly Rae Jepson, The Veronicas, and many more. His introspective solo project Sakr blurs the lines between sound design and electronic music, creating a world of his own. Sam's music: https://sakrmusic.bandcamp.com/music Listen to the podcast here: • Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1 • Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645 • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/ • Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:45 Sam's musical journey 00:19:30 The modular synthesizer in the daily work of a producer 00:38:18 The Sakr project 00:48:16 Sam's patch 00:50:53 Patch breakdown 1:00:57 Patch discussion 01:09:30 On keyboard synths 01:18:13 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:27:01 Giovanni's patch and breakdown

Trevor Tunnacliffe is a composer and multi-instrumentalist from Vancouver, Canada. His musical interests draw mostly from the early Renaissance counterpoint treatises, which he first encountered as a viola da gamba player. He plays bass, guitar, and modular synthesizer for Unthunk, his collective project whose music ranges between chamber and pop, including a mix of vocal and instrumental pieces. Unthunk music: https://unthunk.ca/ Listen to the podcast here: • Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1 • Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645 • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/ • Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:38 Trevor's musical journey 00:14:41 Modal counterpoint in Trevor's music 00:27:43 Trevor's patch 00:43:57 The idea of a voltage "timeline" 00:53:36 Oceanography and music 00:56:32 The Unthunk collective 01:00:31 Tuning systems and just intonation 01:04:58 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:17:52 Giovanni's patch

Tim Davies is a modular synth artist, drummer and audio engineer from Oxford, UK. Educated at Oxford University, where he achieved a Master’s in Physics, Tim’s scientific background has a large influence on his creative work - which explores the many parallels between the worlds of modular synthesis and jazz music. Tim is one half of the electronic duo Marble Sun, plays drums+synthesisers for the singer songwriter Ralph Porrett, and also writes his own music. Marble Sun Bandcamp https://marble-sun.bandcamp.com/album/sunflower-2 Marble Sun- Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/59LnVNZ53Em2V1GvHKuo9f?si=YCciYxqRTWqClntlJMgoKg Marble Sun - Socials https://www.instagram.com/marblesunmusic/ Tim Davies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98DbqgA42UM Listen to the podcast here: • Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1 • Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645 • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/ • Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ 00:00:00 Introduction 00:42:18 Tim’s musical journey 00:12:53 Marble Sun and other projects 00:22:25 Tim’s compositional approach 00:29:17 Tim’s patch 00:34:07 Modulations, destinations, Fumana 00:54:11 On noise and gritty sounds 01:14:35 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:24:28 Giovanni’s patch #fraptools #eurorack #modularsynth #electronicmusic #housemusic

Isabella Forciniti is an Italian sound artist, researcher, and performer based in Vienna. Her projects focus on the artistic potential of digital networking and environmental data. Her academic background encompasses communication sciences, multimedia, and computer music. She was featured on the Shape+ platform's selection and performed in many of Europe's avantgarde music festivals, like Wien Modern, Ars Electronica, Unsound Festival, and more. Isabella's music: https://isabella.klingt.org/ Video: https://youtu.be/XfK6I-0BUR8 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:38 Isabella's background 00:17:48 Current projects: free will, nature, technology 00:37:43 Musical scores and the eternity of music 00:49:39 Isabella's patch 00:57:33 Silence and reverb 01:08:36 Isabella's influences and the visibility of women, non-binary, transgender, and gender fluid artists 01:35:04 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:42:57 Giovanni's patch Listen to the podcast here: • Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1 • Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645 • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/ • Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ

Lukas Hermann is a German scholar, musician, and teacher, whose music reflects his deep interest in literature. His compositions for modular synthesizer oscillate between lyrical forms and abstract sound sculptures. He releases his music on Hauch Records, Petite Victory Collective and on the label of Eurorack Ruhr, a music collective he co-founded. Hermann regularly organizes session evenings, concerts and workshops for Eurorack Ruhr in the Ruhr region and other cities in NRW. Lukas' album: https://lukehrm.bandcamp.com/album/startling-cracks Listen to the podcast here: • Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0mfJXL5LGSl5sCM0pIFoOV?si=518eebac405f41e1 • Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/lets-talk-music/id1717656645 • Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/fraptools/ • Google https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5zb3VuZGNsb3VkLmNvbS91c2Vycy9zb3VuZGNsb3VkOnVzZXJzOjgxNjEzMDMzMy9zb3VuZHMucnNz?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiwuPuHkIWEAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAg Join our Discord community: https://discord.com/invite/TgAjm7aVWZ 00:00:00 Introduction and Lukas' musical journey 00:08:19 Adult & children education 00:14:15 Eurorack Ruhr and the Western German electronic scene 00:25:58 Luka's approach to music composition 00:31:36 Lukas' patch 00:45:01 Patch discussion: on feedback, instability, and interaction 01:03:48 Startling Cracks, Lukas' latest album 01:08:34 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:12:54 Giovanni's patch

Rayhan Sudrajat is an Indonesian ethnomusicologist and composer also known as Baséput. His research focused on Kalimantan death rituals from the musical perspective. Baséput is his electronic music project, whose concept is to link between the voices and instruments of the indigenous people and the modular synthesizer to create a new form of experience in the modular world. Baséput's EP: https://baseput.bandcamp.com/album/astungkara Video: https://youtu.be/oDQLAuvnS-8 00:00:00 Rayhan Sudrajat’s music and research on Kalimantan death rituals 00:09:28 Sundanese traditional music and modular synthesizers 00:20:28 Rayhan’s patch 00:27:25 Sampling ancient Indonesian instruments and Buchla synths 00:40:18 Microtonal scales with the USTA sequencer and other performance techniques 00:57:28 Techno and the importance of keep learning 01:04:37 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 01:10:36 Giovanni’s Patch

Giovanni from Frap Tools talks with Trevor Treglia, an American composer and synthesist whose work concerns text, microtonality, and alternative notation. Treglia resides in Los Angeles, California, and studies Composition and Experimental Sound Practices at California Institute of the Arts. He has produced several albums for the formforum label, most recently ‘Untitled,’ an album of long-form electronic compositions. Trevor has made several radio appearances on Dublab, N10.as, and hosts the monthly radio show 'No Escape Except Peace' on Internet Public Radio and Veneno Radio. Trevor's album: https://treglia.bandcamp.com/album/untitled Available on Spotify, Google, Apple Podcasts, and Soundcloud. Video: https://youtu.be/mtHkiNTm7d8 00:00:00 Introducing Trevor Treglia 05:40 Trevor's influences: Eliane Radigue, Morton Feldman, John Cage 12:20 Compositional techniques 24:48 Trevor's patch 36:06 Patch breakdown and current projects 41:11 Musicians as composers and listeners 49:14 Where is the music? Texts, l 56:51 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 1:02: Giovanni's patch

This is the first episode of a brand-new video & podcast interview! Giovanni from Frap Tools talks with Francesco Gennari, a talented musician who merges modular synths and classical counterpoint. We discuss his style, approach, background, and gear and make some patches along the way. Also available on Spotify, Google, and Apple Podcasts. Video: https://youtu.be/DygqHbm1rmg Francesco's album: https://imprec.bandcamp.com/album/frammenti https://frap.tools 00:00 Introducing our guest: Francesco Gennari 01:09 Noise punk, classical music, and electronic music 03:40 Skateboard, broken knees, and modular synths 05:50 On "Frammenti" and composing for the modular synthesizer 10:55 Counterpoint and randomization 16:55 The concept behind "Frammenti" 19:38 Francesco Gennari's patch 22:49 Francesco's patch breakdown 26:48 Patch discussion 31:48 On USTA, SAPÈL, FALISTRI and rhythm variations 40:56 Gödel, Escher, Bach 42:04 What could be the next Frap Tools module? 45:45 Giovanni's patch in the style of Francesco Gennari 47:39 Giovanni's patch breakdown