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A Brief History of Voltage & Thought

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The Origins (1897-1930)

It should be remembered that the first musical instruments using non-acoustic sound generation processes appeared at the beginning of the 20th century.

The first of these instruments is the Dynamophone (or Telharmonium) conceived by Thaddeus Cahill from 1897 and presented in public for the first time in 1906.

It was not until the inter-war period that the first electronic instruments appeared. The main ones are the Theremin (1924), the Ondes Martenot and the Trautonium (1930). Most of these instruments used a keyboard and could only play one note at a time.

The Art of Noise

The new sound generation processes attracted the attention of the Futurist movement which sought to imitate industrial sounds.

“Musical sounds are too limited to qualitative varieties of timbre... We must leave this restricted circle of pure musical sounds and conquer the infinite variety of sounds”
— Luigi Russolo (1913)

These proposals were materialized by the construction of noisy instruments: the Intonarumori.

Edgar Varèse

The composer of his time who contributed most to the acceptance of diverse sound sources in musical composition.

"Wherever we are, all we hear is mostly noise... We want to capture and control these sounds, we do not want to use them as studio treatments but as instruments..."

— John Cage, 1937

This would be made possible by the technique of Sound Synthesis.

The Late 1950s

The first modular synth was developed by Harald Bode.

Read about Harald Bode ↗

The 60s

Don Buchla (West Coast) and Robert Moog (East Coast) originated Modular Synthesis when making possible Control Voltage.

Philosophy of Sound

"Buchla tended to not refer to his instruments as synthesizers, since the name connotes imitating existing sounds. Rather, his intent is to make instruments for creating new sounds, avoiding the use of keys so that the musician isn’t playing traditionally... While Moog was interested in making playable devices for performers in the mainstream."

Defining Modular

Modular Synthesis gives the ability to connect or “patch” modules together in whatever way the composer wants in order to create unique, never-before-heard sounds.

Unlike self-contained gear with hardwired connections, modular offers the ability to expand the system in infinite ways.

Devices are controlled by other devices by means of CV (control voltage), the lifeblood of modular.

"THOUGH one has to bear in mind that Modular Synthesis isn’t about Modules… It’s not about the character of the Module itself BUT bringing together a collection of functions! Knowing how to use/interact them so as to become our own unique instrument."

HISTORICAL SYSTEMS

Buchla System 200

Moog System 35

Serge System

Anatomy of a System (1/3)

Case & Power

Euroracks are typically in rows of 3U measured in HP (horizontal pitch). A robust power supply is critical. The investment in a rack is typically one of the largest cash outlays and should not be taken lightly.

Oscillators (VCO)

The sound source. Converts direct current (DC) into an alternating current (AC) signal (sine, square, saw). Voltage Controlled Oscillators allow frequency variation via input voltage.

Anatomy of a System (2/3)

Filters (VCF)

Sculpts the sound timbre. Allows cutoff frequency and resonance (Q factor) to be continuously varied via control voltage. Essential for subtractive synthesis.

Envelopes (EG/ADSR)

Shapes a signal over time (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release). Controls volume or filter depth to define if a sound is percussive, plucked, or a swelling drone.

Anatomy of a System (3/3)

LFOs

Low-Frequency Oscillation. Below 20Hz, inaudible as pitch but used to create rhythmic pulses, sweeps, vibrato, or tremolo effects.

Amplifiers (VCA)

Voltage Controlled Amplifiers. Controls the amplitude (volume) of a signal based on an external voltage (usually from an Envelope Generator).

Essential Utilities

The glue that holds a patch together:

→ Multiples
→ Mixers
→ Slew Limiters
→ Clock Dividers
→ Attenuverters
→ Random Generators
→ Effect Processors
→ LOADS of cables...

External Knowledge

Plan your system on ModularGrid Glossary of Terms Synthe-Modulaire.com (FR)