
Show Notes
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 synthesis the trials and tribulation of learning to develop a module how Ali and Chris linked up for Ali Modular (skills that complement) modbap workflows, where does the MPC sit in a hybrid studio learning about Esu, the trickster god of the Yoruba inspiration for Esu's panel design (custom printed aluminum) effects algorithms, Marvel naming, and the arch nemesis to Magneto how Ali and Chris decided to build a triple FX engine as their first module the importance of being excited about your own projects Esu'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 chat what does "architecture" mean in the context of module development Ali's DSP learning curve, the joys of having a mentor when learning a skill using your musical ear to dial in algorithm sound and behavior on the flip side, learn how to do things right first before relying on your ear the mod matrix vs. live playing, how do you balance depth vs. immediacy (changing presets w/ CV) the importance of beta testers module design, sliders to knobs, and the minutia of UX design Ali performing in Europe, feeling the love for modbap what's next for Ali Modular (Ogun Orisha!) going from prototype to production, what does that look like with Electrosmith the importance of processes and applying them to future efforts keeping Esu's Trifecta fresh, new algorithms, and minimum viable products other single and multi-effect eurorack modules Ali / Chris are fans of making a multi-effect that isn't overwhelmingly complex getting started with modbap style production (MPC, Elektron, and modular synthesis) the benefits of having a multi-effects engine in a smaller setup congratulations 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/cpr2323 Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/cpr A8 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/
More from The Rack Pack
The Rack Pack #22 This 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/4isXkJD Links U•D•O DMNO: https://www.udo-audio.com/dmno Modular On The Spot LA: https://motsla.com Music For Wineries, Oct 25: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DemgKxUSoEB/ EZBot stream on Elektron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DlNucvqP50 Synthdad’s Oneiroi video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceUX5awTRRc Befaco Ark: https://www.perfectcircuit.com/befaco-ark.html Happy Modular cases: https://www.etsy.com/shop/HappyModular Ethereal Electronics Shooting Stars: https://etherealelectronics.nl/products/shooting-stars Nireus: https://www.instagram.com/nireusofficial/ Genki Instruments Katla: https://genki.is/katla Squarp 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.
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.