The Serge Modular Synthesizer - History, Theory, and Application
Вставка
- Опубліковано 19 чер 2024
- I delivered a lecture on the Serge Modular Synthesizer at Synthplex 2022 in Burbank, California. I wanted to share it with the larger community, and thus re-recorded it in my studio.
The Serge is a fascinating system, with a fifty-year history and a number of companies that still support the format today. I hope that this lecture is a useful springboard to those who are unfamiliar with it. Longtime fans may learn some new details as well. I certainly learned a lot when researching for this lecture.
IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION
I mention connecting a banana jack to the ground of the power supply of my Eurorack system, to allow for interconnectivity. It has come to my attention that this language could be misconstrued as connecting the ground cable to the earth main of the AC input. I meant connecting the ground cable to the 0V, or GND of the 12-volt DC power supply. Do not, under any circumstances, mess around with the mains AC power supply. If you don't know what you are doing, hire a professional. Any modifications made are at your own risk. My thanks to Laurie Biddulph of Elby Designs for pointing out the ambiguous language.
Under the Big Tree is Nicolas Peck's UA-cam channel, focused on esoteric electronic music, modular and vintage synthesizers, sound design equipment and techniques, and the composition, production and performance of music.
www.underthebigtree.com
Serge Manufacturers:
serge-modular.com/
www.elby-designs.com/
prismcircuits.net/
www.low-gain.com/
www.73-75.com/
Serge Websites
serge-fans.com/
carbon111.com/serge_index.html
www.modwiggler.com/forum/inde...
I think it is worth to mention that Serge T. is currently designing a 5th generation of modules together with SERGE Modulars/R*S.
Also most classic Serge modules from R*S got some significant updates that improve performance and add functionality.
please make part two with some audio examples! I’m particularly interested in the sound details of the different versions of some modules (esp. between eldest ones vs. modern reissues)…
Great idea. I will do.
Fantastic video. Serge rocks and so do you.
Now I want all of the Serge Modules... Fantastic video, thank you.
Well, there are so many options out there that you can collect them all, over time. Remember that many of them are variations on other ones. You can do so much with just the positive and negative slews, for example, due to the patch programmable nature of these designs.
Thank you for this great introduction !
Brilliant lecture, loved it.
Thank you so much for this great overview of Serge modular . It’s interesting to hear the history that shaped the design choices
I totally agree. Being a Serge fan for decades, it was fascinating to delve into this stuff. I'm delighted that I was able to share it with you.
Thanks for posting. I met Serge's brother, Ivan when he was director of Harvard university's electronic music studio. By the end of the 80's I was listening to the music of Michael Stearns, who was a master of the the mighty Serge. Why Michael sold his Serge is still a mystery.
Perhaps he wanted to move on to different musical avenues of exploration? I don't know either.
I thought the Serge he used belonged to someone else?
i think he moved on to samplers/romplers. saw steve roach post something about it a few years ago, and the new owner of stearn’s serge was on modwiggler as well
Fantastic demonstration. I never knew about the Serge ethos and philosophy!
BRAVO Nick
Such a blessing to have these Serge flavors available in the 21st century and a generous, well informed host to guide us through. Looking forward the fabulous content on your channel. Thanks 🎉🎉🎉
Great piece of synth history! Thank you.
My pleasure!
Love the serge content, keep it coming!
Thanks! Will do!
how nice to get a video from you - you're one of my favorites!
Oh, come on! That means so much to me. It's a dream to someday retire and just teach electronic music. Perhaps one day I can. In the mean time, I'll keep making these videos as much as my schedule allows. :)
Thank you for this excellent video. I attended your Serge presentation at the Synthplex 2022. It was in my opinion the best of all the talks. The Serge programmable module concept, and especially the DUSG piqued my interest tremendously. I have been a synthesizer enthusiast since 1973 when I first heard ELP, but sadly, in all these years I never knew about the Serge synthesizer. You do us a great service with this video.
Very nicely done. I had some Serge panels, and it's amazing how you could fiddle around and discover stuff, like all the time, even after years of tinkering. It's very deep.
Hey Nick! GREAT video. Once thing...Rex Probe wa snever a CalArts student
FANTASTIC VIDEO! I'm traveling so when I can find the time I'll send some info (including photos if allowed) about my own 7 panel system obtained in the late 70's and early 80's. I was able to visit the Haight location in the early 80's, looked like a great place to work. My electronic music experiences began with post-gig (rock band) experimentation on a small Buchla 100 system in the late 60's. Ten years later I managed to get a bachelor's degree in composition in electronic music from Western Washington University in 1983 using my Serge system and a large eMu modular system. I missed by one year working with Morton Subotnick during his residency there. Ironically I was able to attend his 80th birthday live performance of Silver Apples of the Moon many years later in San Antonio.
I'm currently relocating my Serge system, expecting to power it up next month for the first time in over 30 years. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you might have for insuring a safe and sane power up. I assembled three of the second generation panels myself so I have no excuses...
This is one of the best videos I’ve seen on synthesis over all on you tube!
I honestly want to try a modular setup really bad but the prices turn me away. I know a single piece can go from $2-300 up to over a grand. I guess it's really just up to you and what you want to build. Still very interested in getting my hands on a few one day.
U have an ORGONE in there ?!!!!!
I just got the Eurorack one 2 weeks ago.
Maybe the best oscillator in euro land I’ve ever used. Yea the DPO is a “classic” and the LI is bad ass .. but damn .. the OA is just soooooooo good.
It’s a bottomless pit of sounds
6:18 The company SERGE Modular/R*S is based in the Frankfurt a.M./Germany area.
Great info!
Really informative stuff here. Thank you.
What an excellent and generous resource of experience thanks so much
The mullet! lol. What a great studio to be able to mess around in, I would have spent as much time there as possible
Fantastic, Nick. Thanks so much for this! It'll be a good resource for students.
I'm sure the history is not perfect, but it was as close as I could get with my research, and I hope it will be a valuable teaching asset.
@@UndertheBigTree Serge is still pretty active on Facebook and seems to be responsive, I'm sure he'd be happy to weigh in.
great video! well done
Thank you!
Great video. I had a three panel system from the early 80s. It had lots of issues due to age and care but it did sound amazing. It needed lots of work and I sold it right as the market went crazy for modular synths.
This is great.
Thank you so much. Appreciate the visit.
Magnificent! Come see Nick from Under the Big Tree and friends play the Serge Modular on December 16th, 2023 from 8pm to Midnight at the Coaxial Arts Foundation in Los Angeles.
It's going to be an all-Serge night! Hours of bleeps and bloops. I can't wait to perform, and see my wonderful friends do so as well.
I wish I had know of this event, hopefully someone will upload a video. 😂
Great overview Nick!
Thanks Doc! Hope all is well.
Very cool video sir!
Thanks!
Excellent work here!
Thanks a lot!
One of my dreams is to find an old unloved 80's SERGE system and refurbish it.
*fingers crossed some old lady is cleaning out the attic* lol
How are your soldering chops? You might make faster progress building DIY. Of course, the lion's share of the available DIY designs I've seen are more Paperface era than 80's. But it's a start...
Really nice video Nick! I used the Buchlas at CalArts just a few years after these events in the early 80s. At the time I was completely unaware of these goings on. I’m surprised the music school didn’t try to supplement the studios with some Serge equipment, as the Buchlas were in high demand.
That is a mystery. I went to Mills for my MFA in electronic music, and I can't seem to remember any Serge there at all! But I recently saw a website that I believe was CalArts, where they have a nice, modern all-black Serge system. I'm sure they must now appreciate the legacy, and the importance of what was developed there by Serge and co.
Hey Nick - this is great. Thanks for this detailed overview 🙂
Ben, I dig your videos and music so much. I think I've watched your lecture on the gigantic ancient Serge at least 3 times. Thank you for watching!
Cheers Nick, dig your videos too! 🙏🤘
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Oh, and I look forward to meeting you at a synth convention some time. I saw you at Knobcon a couple of years back, but never made it over to say hi.
One could call it a.... re-SERGE-ence... I'll see myself out
I built two panels last year, and am enjoying them very much.
At first, I resisted getting into a system, that used banana jacks, instead of the usual 1/8" jacks found in eurorack. I wanted all my gear to adhere to one standard.
But after trying it, I find the stacking banana jacks to be very ergonomic, and much prefer them, for their ease of insertion, and stack-ability. Makes patching much more fun/liberating.
The fact that you can just touch the tip of the jack, into a socket, without fully inserting, makes experimentation much easier.
Thanks for this excellent video on the subject.
It was much needed, as Serge is somewhat obscure, and not a lot is available on this subject.
Wishing you happy trails, and continued success with your music interests 🎶🌎☮❤
Thank you so much! And totally agreed on the banana jacks. Never a scratchy jack to be found. Best on your musical journey as well. :)
Old school audio guy here (60's to now) that also loves the banana jacks. Better contact, easier to install, and stackable. It was a pleasant surprise using them on my Serge panels.
It is ironic that buying/building Serge panels is much more expensive, than buying Moog/ARP/Roland clones from Behringer now.
I love my 74-75 paperface panels, and would appreciate more explanations, and examples of how to use the different modules. You do a better job of it, than other UA-cams I have seen.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the compliment. It took me quite a while to finish posting and editing this video because of other commitments. I've done video breakdowns on several Serge modules, but mostly more recent ones. Sounds like I need to get in there and do videos on the first couple of generations of modules.
I hope you continue your video work, this video was very well produced and informative. @@UndertheBigTree
the 3900 man. Great vid, thx, i'm in...
Good luck!
Bring the mullet back!!! Kidding. Great video.
Done. I'll start growing my party in the back right now.
16:00 banana jqcks
💙
Thanks(?)
Thank you for a great video. I think it’s worth mentioning that $700, the price of the original Serge modular, is more than $5000 in today’s money. Doesn’t seem all that affordable anymore…
You are absolutely right. It's easy to look back from 2023 to think of $700 for a synth as affordable, but it was certainly not so in the 70's. I remember working in music stores all through college, and spending all my money on whatever synths I could afford. That was long before modular, such as Eurorack, became relatively "affordable".
Thank you for taking the time to responf, @@UndertheBigTree - I appreciate it a lot ❤
please consider adding better captions than the auto-generated ones! this is great but it is hard to follow along when half the captions mangle people's names
Thank you for that feedback. I'm so busy that it took most of a year just to get this video edited and posted. But I will look into methods for adding captions that don't involve my transcribing the entire video by hand.