Episode 19: Early Summer Catchup

The Rack Pack #22This week the Pack takes on the ethics of reverse-engineering software and the open-sourcing of Beads. We also compare notes on getting ready for a 45-minute set versus a 15-minute one, and why rushing is dangerous. There’s gear too: making ambient music with the Befaco Oneiroi, the Befaco Ark “groovebox in a module,” Ethereal Electronics Shooting Stars and the Squarp Core. Plus Stu’s existential question of the day, and the synths we’d take to a desert island.CONTEST! Download the stems we recorded at the Vintage Synthesizer Museum and make a piece of music with them. Your track must be 1 to 3 minutes long and use only sounds from this project. The stems come as a Logic project, with a subfolder of raw WAV files. Entries are due December 15, 2026. We’ll play the top three on air, and the winner, picked by The Rack Pack, gets some TRP swag.Download the stems: https://bit.ly/4isXkJDLinksU•D•O DMNO: https://www.udo-audio.com/dmnoModular On The Spot LA: https://motsla.comMusic For Wineries, Oct 25: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DemgKxUSoEB/EZBot stream on Elektron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DlNucvqP50Synthdad’s Oneiroi video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceUX5awTRRcBefaco Ark: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/befaco-ark.htmlHappy Modular cases: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HappyModularEthereal Electronics Shooting Stars: https://etherealelectronics.nl/products/shooting-starsNireus: https://www.instagram.com/nireusofficial/Genki Instruments Katla: https://genki.is/katlaSquarp Core: https://squarp.net/core/The Vintage Synthesizer Museum: https://vintagesynthesizermuseum.com

In this episode the Pack chats with musician, producer, music educator, and content creator Sarah Belle Reid. The conversation hits how to improvise with electronic instruments, what it means to listen, and how Sarah approached her most recent project, an electro-acoustic opera that took seven years to make! We struggle with the usual modular existential questions like whether to go big or to go small, and how to embrace our mistakes, even the ones made while podcasting.Sarah Belle Reid's "Times Undoing and Progress" is available for preorder at bandcamp: https://sarahbellereid.bandcamp.com/album/times-undoing-progressSign up for her course on sound and synthesis here:https://www.soundandsynthesis.comSarah's website:https://www.sarahbellereid.com/

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.comDublin Bloop Groop: https://www.bloopgroop.com/EMIXX West: https://www.emixx.org/EMIXXWESTKnobCon: 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/@metamytherMetamyther'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.