![Eurorack Modular Synthesizer](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/Eurorack_Modular_Synthesizer.jpg)
Eurorack is a
modular synthesizer
Modular synthesizers are synthesizers composed of separate modules for different functions. The modules can be connected together by the user to create a patch. The outputs from the modules may include audio signals, analog control voltages, o ...
format originally specified in 1995 by
Doepfer Musikelektronik
Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH is a German manufacturer of audio hardware, mostly synthesizer modules (modular synthesizer), based in Gräfelfing, Upper Bavaria and founded by Dieter Döpfer. The product range covers analog modular systems, MIDI con ...
.
It has since grown in popularity, and as of 2022 has become a dominant hardware modular synthesizer format, with over 15,000 modules available from more than 1000 different manufacturers ranging from DIY kits and boutique, cottage-industry designers to well-known, established synth mass-manufacturers like
Moog and
Roland
Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the ...
.
Compact size,
3.5mm mono jacks and cables for patching all signals, and lack of a visual or sonic aesthetic defined by one manufacturer sets Eurorack apart from other modular synthesizer formats, and these factors have contributed to the popularity of Eurorack among both manufacturers and musicians.
History
![Doepfer A-100](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Doepfer_A-100.jpg)
Before Eurorack, in the late 1970s, several modular systems based on the industrial “Euro” card frames appeared:
* Elektor Formant (3U or 6U x 7HP, 3.5 mm jacks, 31 pin bus, +/-15V)
* BME PM10/Axiom (3U x 8HP,
RCA/Phono jacks, 31 pin bus, +/-15V)
* The Synton 3000 (3U x 8HP,
4 mm “banana” jacks, +/-15V) was of similar format, but constructed more like a modern Eurorack synth.
By the late 1980s, these had all ceased production.
Dieter Döpfer built some Formant modules before producing his own systems. His Voice Modular System from the early 1980s was a Eurocard-based "modular" (the modules were non-patchable voice cards etc.) polyphonic synth, but the front panels look very similar to the later A100 modules.
In 1996, Doepfer Musikelektronik released the first Eurorack-format modular synthesizer system, the
Doepfer A-100, followed by successive new series of compatible modules in 1997 and 1998.
[ In the UK, Analogue Systems had been independently developing a very similar format, with small technical differences such as the power connectors. Analogue Systems would later change their products to offer Eurorack compatibility.
In the mid 2000s, other manufacturers such as Cwejman, Make Noise Music and TipTop Audio adopted Doepfer's Eurorack format and started designing and manufacturing compatible modules.
By 2013, the Eurorack format had gained in popularity. Music technology journalists estimated that there were already at least 80 manufacturers offering over 700 modules, greatly expanding the musical possibilities available from a Eurorack system to include sampling and sample manipulation, West-coast-style wavefolding, DSP-based effects and more.
In the mid 2010s, increasing interest in Eurorack modulars prompted large, well-known music technology manufacturers to start producing Eurorack-compatible equipment aimed at this new market. In addition to modules, manufacturers like Arturia started producing outboard devices such as the Beatstep and Microbrute
designed to be able to communicate with Eurorack modular synthesizers via 3.5mm jacks transmitting control voltages. In 2015 Moog released the Mother 32, a Eurorack-compatible semi-modular synthesizer.
By the end of fall 2018, the ModularGrid website included more than 316 manufacturers.
]
Specifications
For synthesizers, ''Eurorack'' is a de facto standard to allow different modules to fit in the same cases and communicate among themselves. The basic requirement is compatibility with the Doepfer technical specifications:
* Mechanical: ''A100 Construction Details''
* Electrical: ''A100 Technical Details''
Physical
The physical specification is based on the Eurocard standard of:
* 3U (5.06 inches or 128.5 mm), where height "U" is measured in rack units
A rack unit (abbreviated U or RU) is a unit of measure defined as . It is most frequently used as a measurement of the overall height of 19-inch and 23-inch rack frames, as well as the height of equipment that mounts in these frames, whereby th ...
, rounded for a lip (nb: 3U in standard rack units would be 5.25 inches or 133.3 mm).
* 1HP (0.2 inches or 5.08 mm), where width "HP" is measured in horizontal pitch units. A card width is generally integer multiples of 1HP, although some manufactures work in multiples of 0.5HP.
Eurorack modules may be further characterized by depth: shallow modules (2.5 cm to 4 c
can fit into "skiff" cases and are casually referred to as "skiff friendly".
Electrical
The Eurorack electrical specification defines a common bipolar 12V DC power bus (+12V, 0V, -12V). This can be distributed by one of two connectors with a standard 2.54 mm (0.1 in) Pin header, pitch:
* 10-pin ribbon cable, with +12V, ground, and -12V pins
* 16-pin ribbon cable, with Gate, CV, +5V, +12V, ground, and -12V pins
Audio and control signals are exchanged between modules via 3.5mm mono jack cables. The electrical characteristics of signals are split into three loosely defined categories:
* ''Audio signals'' are typically a maximum of 10V peak-to-peak (i.e. between -5V and +5V)
* '' Control voltages'' can either be unipolar or bipolar. Bipolar control voltages are typically 5V peak-to-peak (i.e. from -2.5V to +2.5V), unipolar voltages between 0V and 8V. The V/Octave scale is used for pitch information
* ''Trigger, Gate or Clock signals'' are digital 0V to 5V pulses typically used for timing and event signalling.
1U Modules
Several manufacturers offer Eurorack-compatible modules in a smaller 1U tall format, sometimes referred to as "tiles". As of 2018 there are two competing standards for 1U modules, differing mainly in their height. 1U modules manufactured by Intellijel are 39.65mm high, whereas 1U modules manufactured by Pulp Logic and other manufacturers are 43.2mm high. Pulp Logic also proposes a more compact power connector for 1U modules, consisting of only three pins.
Module types
Voltage-Controlled Oscillators (VCOs)
The most common source of sound in any modular synthesizer is a Voltage-Controlled Oscillator. They depend on a Control Voltage, a lot of times routed from external hardware (for example, an analog synthesizer with a CV output, or MIDI signals processed on a MIDI-to-CV converter), to both control pitch, and output different waveforms.
There are various Control Voltage standards for determining the Voltage/Pitch relationship. The most popular ones are (1) Volts-per-octave, where 1 V equals one octave, and (2) Hertz-per-Volt, where each octave equals doubling or halving the voltage.
Noise Source
They still under the category of source modules, these modules are responsible for producing different “types” of noises (or colors). They can output (1) white noise — where all frequencies in the spectrum are equally powered, (2) pink noise — where there is more power to the lower end, due to its logarithmic nature, (3) brown noise — similar to pink noise, but steeper slope, (4) blue noise — oversimplified, the opposite of the pink noise, with more power concentrated on the higher frequencies, among others.
Modulators
Under the category of processors, modulators will modify an incoming signal. The effects produced are widely varied and a lot of times, modules will be built for a specific function, for example:
* LFOs (Low-Frequency Oscillators) will produce a inaudible frequency (usually below 20Hz), that will be used to modulate the VCO, and produce a vibrato-like effect by varying the pitch.
* Tremolos will affect the loudness of a signal producing a similar effect of the LFOs.
Filters
Another kind of processor, filters are modules shaping the sound by attenuating specific frequency ranges. These modules will contain all or a selection of the following: (1) a high-pass filter (where anything above a certain frequency can “pass”), (2) a low-pass filter (anything below a given frequency can pass), (3) a band-pass filter (where anything “in between” two frequencies can pass), and (4) a notch filter (where one cuts a specific range of frequencies out allowing everything else to pass).
Sequencers
Essentially, modules that can both operate as a source or a processor of musical content in the form of CV or MIDI messages. The most common kind are step-sequencers, where each individual musical event is triggered in a “step” of a bigger sequence (or loop).
Utilities
Utility modules are the ones responsible for expanding certain capabilities of a specific setup. They can be used to combine, split, divide, multiply, quantize, or offset a signal. One example of a utility module is a multiplier, that allow one to send any CV output to many other inputs. Another example are the attenuators responsible for scaling the CV signal with a control knob (much like faders in a mixing console).
Effects
A lot similar to the concept in a guitar pedal, effects modules are used to change the sound of an incoming signal. They can be (1) dynamic processors, used to control the level of a signal (like compressors, or limiters), (2) equalizers, used to change the frequency characteristics of a given sound (sometimes in the form of a eurorack mixer module), or (3) special effects, like delays, reverbs, or choruses.
DIY and open source
The technical and modular nature of Eurorack often attracts people who are interested in modifying or building their own modules or cases. Many Eurorack manufacturers started off as individuals building "do it yourself
"Do it yourself" ("DIY") is the method of building, modifying, or repairing things by oneself without the direct aid of professionals or certified experts. Academic research has described DIY as behaviors where "individuals use raw and semi ...
" (DIY) modules or offering DIY kits before expanding into production. Building DIY modules can be a gateway to learning more about electronics and physical manufacturing, as well as being satisfying and developing a more intimate connection with the synthesizer as a personal musical instrument.
Some manufacturers such as Befaco, Bastl Instruments and Erica Synths offer some or all of their modules both as assembled products or as kits to be assembled by the buyer. Doepfer offers a case and power supply kit, as well as 'low cost' cases designed to be customised and finished by the buyer.
Releasing modules exclusively as open source designs and DIY kits allows designers such as Music Thing Modular to design and release popular modules such as the Turing Machine or Radio Music without having to run a company or invest in manufacturing. Open Source licenses for both hardware and code allow individuals to build the modules from scratch, and companies such as Thonk to offer kits.
Some manufacturers do not offer kits or intend for end users to build their products, but release the code, schematics and layout under open source licenses. Émilie Gillet of Mutable Instruments cites transparency and the possibility for customers to customise or modify their modules as driving reasons for this decision.
Notable users
* Alessandro Cortini
* Andrew Huang
* Aphex Twin
Richard David James (born 18 August 1971), best known as Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born British musician, composer and DJ. He is known for his idiosyncratic work in electronic music, electronic styles such as techno, ambient music, ambient, and jun ...
* Beirut
* Blush Response
Blush Response is an American industrial techno project based in Berlin, Germany. It is the solo project of musician Joey Blush.
History
Blush Response is Cuban-American artist and sound designer Joey Blush.
He began Blush Response in New Y ...
* BT
* Celldweller
* Coldplay
* Covenant
* Daedelus
* Deadmau5
* Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in Basildon, Essex, in 1980. The band currently consists of Dave Gahan (lead vocals and co-songwriting) and Martin Gore (keyboards, guitar, co-lead vocals and main songwriting).
Depeche ...
* Emily A. Sprague ( Florist)
* Erika M. Anderson
Erika Michelle Anderson (born January 28, 1982), better known by her stage name EMA, is an American singer and songwriter originally from South Dakota, who presently lives in Portland, Oregon. In her career beginnings, she released her debut alb ...
(EMA)
* Rayna Russom
Rayna Kirilova Terziyska (Bulgarian:Райна Кирилова Терзийска) is a Bulgarian pop-folk singer and singer of traditional music. Rayna was born on 30 September 1981 in Sandanski, Bulgaria.
Albums
* 2002 "Dimming flame" (Bulga ...
* Geologist (Animal Collective
Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare (David Portner), Panda Bear (Noah Lennox), Geologist (Brian Weitz), and Deakin (Josh Dibb). The band's work is characterized ...
)
*Jake Williams
Jake Williams (born 1974) is a British electronic music producer and remixer, who currently records as Rex the Dog. Rex the Dog currently releases on Kompakt Records. As Rex the Dog, Williams is a proponent of DIY electronics and performs liv ...
* JunkieXL
* Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith is an American composer, performer and producer, originally from the Pacific Northwest and currently based in Los Angeles. Her work prominently employs Buchla modular synthesizers. She received acclaim for her albums ''Ears' ...
* Keith Fullerton Whitman
* Kyteman
Colin Benders (born 5 December 1986 in Utrecht) is a Dutch techno artist.
He is also the founding figure of The Kyteman Orchestra.
Childhood
Benders grew up in Sterrenwijk, Utrecht. Primary school was not easy for Colin; various diagnoses, like ...
* Lady Starlight
Colleen Martin (born December 23, 1975), known professionally as Lady Starlight, is an American DJ and musical performer. Based in New York City's Lower East Side, she is best known for her numerous collaborations with Lady Gaga. Starlight rele ...
* Luke Abbott
Luke Abbott is an English electronic music producer from Norwich, Norfolk. He records and performs extensively under his own name, under the alias Earlham Mystics and as one third of electronic jazz group Szun Waves. His work has been describe ...
* Martin Gore
* Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN and stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Trent Reznor was the only permanent member of the band ...
* Orphx
Orphx is a Canadian music duo made up of Rich Oddie and Christina Sealey who perform techno, industrial and experimental music. They have performed worldwide and have numerous releases on CD, vinyl and cassette through independent music labels ...
* Richard Devine
* Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe
* Surgeon
In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...
* The Blow
* Venetian Snares
See also
* List of synthesizer manufacturers
References
External links
{{Commons category, Eurorack
Eurorack
on Synth DIY wiki
Eurorack Rails DIY Guide
ModularGrid
— an interactive database of modules and manufacturers
Modular synthesizers