Without modulation, our sounds would be static and lifeless - buzzing waveforms or dull drones bereft of motion or interest. More often than not, modulation is obvious - the gentle slope of an envelope generator’s decay or the rhythmic throb of a low frequency oscillator. We’ve touched on both of these particular modulation tools in previous instalments, but this month we’ll take a more detailed look.
We’ll also consider some less obvious applications of modulation. For instance, we’ll look at how you might use audio-rate modulation to add some timbral character to a sound. You may already know something about frequency modulation - aka FM.
We implore you not to overlook the human element in your explorations. Some modulation sources don’t appear in the form of showy modules with oodles of knobs, but are instead applied by our own performance techniques. These sorts of sources are crucial if you want to elevate your modular synth patches beyond mere noisemakers, pushing them instead into the realm of expressive musical instruments.