My eurorack modular ambient etudes

Hi all.
I want to invite you to listen to the new album of my band.
Drone doom / power ambient.

Gamardah Fungus "Natural Storm"
https://gamardahfungus.bandcamp.com/album/natural-storm

Eurorack modular for pads and drones + electric guitars for solos.

EDITED Dec 18th 2019, 17:49

Hi Yalivec,

Nice and impressive music, thanks a lot for sharing this!

Especially the guitar is nice and impressive :-) That brings me, though, at least for me personally, to one point... I wouldn't have mind a bit more accent on the Eurorack modular system to give that here and there a bit a higher chance of "shining through" so to speak. The guitar is quite leading and overwhelming in a good way but it's a bit pity for the modular sounds; slightly bit too much in the background if you would ask me. Of course this is most likely wanted in this music, so it's rather my personal view on it.

Other than that, I am very jealous about the fact that you produce nice music of which I only can dream of, I wouldn't be able to make nice music like that!

I wish you good luck and I look forward to your next release :-)

Kind regards, Garfield Modular.

Wow, thank you very much for such a detailed answer. Yes, maybe the guitar plays a leading role on this release, and the modular synthesizer is more for creating the background and atmosphere. We wanted to show that a modular can be not only a solo instrument, but also can be well introduced into heavy guitar music.
Nevertheless, on our previous releases, the modular synthesizer plays a leading role . Therefore, you are welcome to listen to our early works. Also, in 2020 we are planning a new album, in which the modular synthesizer will again be the main instrument.
In any case, thank you very much for the nice words, it's very kind of you. Wish you good luck with your music!

Hello Igor,
glad to see you here again! and thanks for your 4ms smrf, love it very much!
it's so cool you wrote about your album here, you had to do it a long time ago. as you know, I even bought CD!
despite the fact that there is a lot of guitar sound, the synthesizers are gorgeous. my favorite synth parts are pad on the first track and sound design on third. but also the guitar on the second track is amazing!
I wish you successful sales of your album and happy holidays! Hope to see you in France next year!

EDITED Dec 22nd 2019, 12:09

Thanks a lot, Warren!

Also, here is my new solo eurorack video, without guitars, modular only. Hope, you enjoy!

Hi Yalivec,

Nice one too! :-)

But ehm... modular only? What's that tape doing there then? ;-) Or is that for recording purposes only?

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi, thank you!
Yep, tape is only for recording.
There is full explanation of the patch on youtube under the video :)

Just uploaded a new video of the patch, that started the creation of our album “Natural Storm”.
Super slow chord and noise modulation on Make Noise Telharmonic and Mutable Instruments Plaits, plus guitar sample recorded by our guitar player. More explanations under video on YT.

Hi Yalivec,

Welcome back with some more great music! I took the effort to sit in my "listening" chair listening at your latest and above music track here. Once the music stopped (the track came to an end) I was just sitting there... not knowing what was going on with me, what I just experienced and what I wanted to be continued but I had to get my lazy arse out of that chair and now I am listening to your first track (beginning of this post) again :-)

To cut that short, this latest track, I feel it's better balanced, the guitar is still doing a fantastic job here (I love that guitar sound that almost sounds like a bird that's calling or something, beautiful sound!) however you give your modular a better chance to let it come through too, yeah on the view of having it balanced I like this latest track.

Listening at your first track again (from this post), it's less balanced perhaps but you are definitely more daring there, so that's challenging the listener more and makes the listener (okay me at least) exciting about what's coming next. So both tracks I like it pretty much. I think my favourite is your last track but they are both fantastic.

To summarise: I just can't wait for your next track you are going to surprise us with!

Kind regards and thanks a lot for sharing this, Garfield.

Hello!
Thanks a lot for all your detailed answers and attentive listening!
It is very important for me to read such thoughts and analysis. Sometimes seems that it's not interesting to anyone except me, and it’s a little frustrating. But such reviews support me not to stop and continue to experiment.
Thanks once more. New videos coming soon!

Cool video as always! Keep up the good work! Waiting for you in Barcelona ;)

One more simple calm composition to help all of us relax a bit during these hard times.
All sounds based primarily on Mutable Instruments and Happy Nerding modules. Recorded directly onto a tape.
Take care of each other, be safe and stay home whenever possible!

Hi Yavilec,

You certainly know how to impress people when listening at your music! After the first few seconds when I started your "Lullaby Of Spring" I sprinted to my "listening chair" and enjoyed listening. If it comes to relaxing, calming down, indeed exactly what we need now in these weird and uncertain times of the Covid-19 virus, this music of yours is just that what one could wish for and enjoying it.

It usually takes me a while before I get my mind adopted to the music and start to get in relax mode but your music somehow managed to do that almost straight away!

One little hint/feedback, I am not 100% sure but I had the feeling that most of your music and sounds where exactly in the stereo middle positioned, so nice in the stereo sweet-spot so to speak. It wouldn't harm though to have one or two sounds a bit out of the stereo centre for some "stereo variations" other than that this track is perfect!

Well done, I will listen more than once to this track and of course I would have nothing against more music of yours :-)

You take care too and kind regards, Garfield.

Hello GarfieldModular,

Much appreciated for your detailed feedback!
I am so happy that my music helps someone to relax a bit these days.
Also, thanks a lot for your advice about stereo panning. Actually, I thought about this technique and in the future I plan to try it. The only problem for me about this is some technical points. My philosophy in making music is to record it in one take. No matter on a tape or digital recorder. So now I can't make panning variations on selected tracks in Logic afterwhile. But now I'm planning to buy a separate module for stereo panning to do it while recording. So, I hope in future I'll try this trick :)

Thank you once more for attentive listening! Be safe!
Igor

Hi Igor,

You are welcome and about panning. You might want to have a look into Make Noise modules (of course other brands have stereo modules too), they might have here and there an interesting module for you helping on stereo effects. The most obvious one is of course the X-Pan module (I don't have this module yet but I am considering it).

Or have a look into mixer modules with panning knob (I am using the Doepfer A-138o & p, the 138p comes with 4 channels and each channel has its own panning knob).

You stay healthy too and kind regards, Garfield.

Actually, if you're going to go all in on a stereo modular mixer, Toppobrillo's Stereomix 2 would be a very good place to start. Sure, it won't fit in the current cab, but it DOES give you CV over panning, level per channel, a cue mix (very useful for adjustments on the fly), mutes per channel, AUX sends (with CV over level per channel) and a stereo AUX return, and so on. And while it's not cheap at $479, it covers ALL of your mix processing/control needs. And then some.

Hi guys,

Yep, I thought about Toppobrillo's Stereomix or Happy Nerding's PanMix. The last one is produced by my friend from a neighboring town, so I can try it first. Also there is a smaller version PanMix Jr without cv controls, but a very cool for tiny cases.
Actually, now I've sold that small case from videos above and bought two cases: 104x2 for studio and 70x1 for travelling around. Many plans for future videos, hope that all this nightmare that is happening in the world will end soon.
Wish you all stay healthy! Cheers!

I'm definitely an advocate of Happy Nerding's stuff...their 6 hp mixing/VCA modules are an awesome way to drop more functionality into small builds without spending loads of $$$. As for the PanMix...don't JUST look at it as a mixer. Rather, view it as a pile of dedicated VCAs specifically for your audio chain...which is pretty much what it is. By relying on the mixer's VCAs for the tail end of the audio instead of some VCA-specific module, you can then make more use of your VCAs for CV/mod purposes, which just makes that set of subpatches that much more powerful. Although, I do like the Stereomix 2's implementation better, as that gives you simultaneous level/pan per strip, PLUS you get the AUX bus setup on top of that...and that last detail, with its own VCAs, has loads of "abuse potential". Coupled with a reverb, for example, you can use simultaneous CV changes that allow the reverb to act as a stereophonic "Z axis", with the ability to emulate forward/backward movement into the stereo field.

Lugia, thanks a lot for your detailed explanation. Now I need a time and money to decide what i need exactly to buy.
I’m unlikely to buy it fast, so I hope you will like my upcoming videos without new modules too :)
Once more, thanks for your advices and thoughts!
Cheers!

One more simple calm composition to help all of us relax a bit during these hard times.
All sounds based primarily on Mutable Instruments and Happy Nerding modules. Recorded directly onto a tape.
Take care of each other, be safe and stay home whenever possible!

-- yalivec

Oh my, it's so beautiful! I want full album like this.

Thank you very much, Warren!
First of all for your suport on Gamardah Fungus. I saw your order on a Bandcamp and will send your cd tomorrow!
As for my solo album, I'm working on it almost every day now. Hope to find a nice home (label) when I finish it.
Cheers!

Made a new sketch based on drones, pads and strings.
I continue to study delicate distortion of Soma Lyra8 FX module.
The solo string part is from Intellijel Plonk.
A significant role here plays pitch shifting from Happy Nerding FX Aid.
Better to listen with headphones at high volume.

Cool and soothing, as always!
As far, as I understand, you changed your mind about selling me Soma FX? :)

Hi Igor,

Nice to hear from you again and this, I agree with Warren, is cool. Again a nice track to listen at :-)

I hope you will steady deliver us lovely tracks like this!

Thank you very much for sharing and kind regards, Garfield.

Thank you very much, guys!
@Warren, you're right, I'll leave it to myself for now. Love it too much! :)
@GarfieldModular, big up for your permanent support! It means a lot to me!

Hi all!

I'm happy to invite you to listen a new release of my band, which is devoted to our 10th anniversary.
A lot of Eurorack modular and Nord modular for pads and drones + electric guitars for solos and riffs.
Ambient / drone doom / + three drum'n'bass remixes.

Gamardah Fungus "10 YEARS COMPILATION: SINGLES, RARITIES, REMIXES"
https://gamardahfungus.bandcamp.com/album/10-years-compilation-singles-rarities-remixes

Hi Igor,

Oh man, oh man! You are giving us here a very good treat and it's a nice idea of the 10 years compilation album. I love the "Human Or Not" track, very nicely done!

If you don't mind, I continue listening at your album, this is just what I needed to have a good start into the weekend. Thanks a lot for sharing this, and while I am going to have a fantastic weekend listening at your album, I wish you are going to have a nice weekend like me too :-D

Kind regards, Garfield.

@GarfieldModular Thank you very much! Wishing you all the best too. Have a nice weekend, hope my music will hepl :)

Also, I've recorded a new video, but I think it's perfect to show it on Helloween, because of its sound, ahahah :) A bit of dark ambient, influenced by Bernard Parmegiani... So, well, I need to record another one for the start of my favourite season of the year.

Cheers,
Igor

New composition for eurorack modular synthesizer inspired by modulation possibilities of Xaoc Zadar and Happy Nerding FX Aid XL.
You can hear the full audio picture from about the middle of the track, when three melodic patterns come together.
No post production. Better to listen with headphones.
Detailed explanation under the video on my YT channel.

Hi Igor,

Just when I was thinking: "I am missing something..." and there you are with a new track, yeah! ;-)

This is a nice light and subtle track, I like it. Quite refreshing for the mind I would say. I wouldn't mind if you had more of this kind of tracks.

Thanks a lot for sharing this and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Garfield! Thanks a lot! Glad you like it.
I also like the sound of this track. Therefore, I am planning to do some more compositions in this style.
But I think my next track will be completely different from what I did before. I'm finishing it now and I think it will be ready for Halloween :)

Hi Igor,

You make me curious about your "Halloween upcoming track" ! :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

I was planning to post this video on Halloween, but for technical reasons I had to reshoot it, so I'm posting it only now :(

It's a simple generative minimalistic noise/click'n'cuts composition built with just three modules: Soma Lyra8 FX, Xaoc Batumi and Mutable Instruments Clouds.
Inspired by Bernard Parmegiani Incidences/Résonances piece on De Natura Sonorum 1978.
Not an attempt to recreate sound, but a desire to rethink the ideas of the master.
Better to listen with headphones to hear a lot of micro sounds and glitches. You can find all explanations on YouTube, if needed.

Hi Igor,

Oh a nice and long track with experimental sounds you got there! I guess that fits well with Halloween ;-) Well you know the saying, better too late than not at all :-)

The sounds of some parts are going towards a kind of drone-sound and while you where absent here from this forum, did you heard about the new forum rule here yet? Any drone kind of track needs to be at least 17+ minutes ;-)

I guess you can get away with it because it's not a pure drone, anyway, I still like your track! :-)

Thank you very much for sharing this and kind regards, Garfield.

P.S.: That thingy about 17+ minutes for drone tracks is a kind of fun thing recently introduced so don't take that too serious ;-)

Hello Garfield,
That rule about drone tracks is very funny indeed :) I will think about making something longer next time if I plan a drone track in future :)
In fact, this time I was more keen to make acousmatic composition in Parmegiani like style more than just drone and noise. Lately I am very passionate about his music and it influences me. This track turned out to be completely different from what I did earlier, you know. I want to try experimenting with such sound more in the future.
Anyway, thank you very much for your feedback. It's always nice to read reviews from different people - it stimulates the creativity!

Kind regards,
Igor

@yalivec, this is lovely, and maybe just the right length actually ;p

I'll say I especially like the space in this, lots of room to digest the sound, I often end up taking a maximalist approach myself but it can be overwhelming (see for example my "doin dishes" album on Bandcamp). So, well done! I might try to copy this patch!

Anyway, have you checked out the Recollections GRM label on Bandcamp? It's worth it if you're into the classics, lots of undiscovered or less known bangers including my favorite Jaap Vink https://recollectiongrm.bandcamp.com/album/s-t

Hi @troux,
I listened to your Bandcamp and found a lot of interesting stuff on “modular drafts”, thank you.

Also I'm glad you paid attention to the space. Space and pauses was the most important thing for me in this patch. And I am pleased that this is noticeable.

And of course I know the GRM label and love it very much!
Thanks a lot for your feedback!

EDITED Dec 4th 2020, 09:52

Yep, it was very noticeable! Looking forward to your next tune.

Hi all!
My new video is the generative polyphonic composition, inspired by memories of the organ at the St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest. Also, I tried to do something interesting with a Neutron that I borrowed from my friend.
This simple patch is built on sequences of Behringer Neutron and Make Noise Telharmonic with light modulations of Mutable Instruments Plaits. All fx from Happy Nerding Fx Aid XL.
Better to listen with headphones. More explanations on YouTube.

Wow. Beautiful.

Hi Igor,

Wow indeed! This is indeed very beautiful. I am almost speechless that kind of good :-) When I started to listen at your music for no particular reason (I guess) I started to think back to my childhood.

I must have missed that great organ in Budapest when I was there back in the 1990's. Next time I will come to Budapest I try to check it out :-)

That reminds me of a small travel to Italy (several years ago now), alone by car, just a couple of days and I love to just drive around on small streets somewhere in the mountains of the Northern Italy towards the west coast when I made somewhere in a rather small town a little break and just walked around in that little town. Till I passed by a little church where I heard organ music, I almost continued my stroll when I, luckily, made a U-turn back to that church "to check it out". There was nobody in the church, only the woman who was playing the organ. In the beginning I don't think she was aware that I quietly slipped into the church and sat there listening at her playing the church organ, though a small church it had a relatively large organ with those large pipes. Beautiful to look at, somewhere deep in the mountains/hills, very peaceful and beautiful to listen at the organ being played.

It are those moments that will stay with you forever. Your music track here belongs definitely to this category that will stick. Seriously beautifully done, thank you very much for sharing this with us and kind regards, Garfield; wishing I was driving around in Northern Italy again :-)

@GarfieldModular wow, thank you so much for such a feedback!
It's incredibly interesting to read such stories! It is especially gratifying that these memories were inspired by my music.
I was in Budapest 2 years ago, just before the pandemic started. And I was lucky enough to get into St. Stephen's Basilica and hear the organ playing there on exceptional holidays. Somewhere I had a video filmed with a phone where this organ is heard. I'll search and add here if I find it.
I hope that after the end of the pandemic, I too will be able to make a little trip to Italy, France and Spain, which I planned before.
Thank you very much again for your feedback.

I shot a tiny promo video for new cassette release of my band.
Featuring reel-to-reel, modular, guitars and space :) Hope you will like it.
Album is here - https://gamardahfungus.bandcamp.com/album/polaris
Pre-orders started today.

Video is here:

Hi Igor,

Oh that's a nice demo track for your album. The atmosphere is so... tense... cutting like sharp knife here through the air. Beautifully done!

I continue listening on Bandcamp :-) Thank you very much for sharing this and kind regards, Garfield.

Thank you very much!
It's just a pre-order, so there is only one part available on Bandcamp.
Full album will be available on April. I will make a video with patch from it in a few weeks :)

My new light melodic composition for eurorack modular synthesizer inspired by beautiful spring in my country.
Based on tree sequences of Mutable Rings and Plaits and Intelligel Plonk. Happy Nerding FX Aid XL and Mutable Clouds on effects. More details on my YouTube channel under the video.

Hi Igor,

That's a lovely and peaceful track. So nice and relaxing, hmmm... I want more :-) I wish every spring would be like this!

Great work, I don't mind more from you in similar way. Thank you very much for sharing and kind regards, Garfield.

Thank you, @GarfieldModular!
Your answers always inspire me to write new sketches :) Glad you like them.
I am finishing my debut solo album and will post more sketches soon!

Have a nice day!

New dreamy composition for eurorack modular synthesizer and electric guitar.
This patch formed the basis of the track from the latest album of my band Gamardah Fungus «Polaris».
You can check the full album here: https://gamardahfungus.bandcamp.com
Better to listen with headphones. As usually, more explanations on YouTube under the video.

Hi Igor,

Just hitting the play button again. I just finished a hard and long day work and finally, I am getting rewarded with one of your great tracks :-) I don't know how you do it, but seriously after a stressful day of work, there is nothing better than listening at one of your tracks. This latest track does that just fantastic good :-)

I might end up the rest of the night, keep clicking on the play button, can't get enough of it, too nice ;-) Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.