Modular Synthesis: Beginner's Guide

“Modular Synthesis: Beginner's Guide” introduces the essential building blocks of modular synthesis for those new to the format. In this course, synth expert Sami Rabia demonstrates the core components and signal flow concepts required to begin working with modular systems. The training begins with setting up VCV Rack and configuring controller inputs and audio outputs. You’ll learn how to navigate the interface efficiently and use helpful shortcuts to speed up your workflow. From there, Sami explains how to generate and control sound using Gates and VCAs, followed by an exploration of Control Voltage (CV) and its role in modular systems. The course then covers oscillator shapes, phase, sync, and frequency modulation for creating a wide range of sounds. Additional lessons explore cross modulation, filtering techniques for tone shaping, and the fundamentals of sequencing. The series concludes with setting up sequencers, using quantizers, and creating polyphonic sequences. While VCV Rack is used throughout the course, the concepts demonstrated apply directly to hardware modular synthesizers.