Composer and synthesist Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL, has restarted his Studio Time video series, in which he offers a behind-the-scenes look at the tools and techniques he users in doing his work.
In his latest video, Holkenborg discusses his massive Eurorack modular system, with the emphasis on the capabilities of each module and his thinking in selecting the modules for his system. He notes, “Future videos will include full demos with audio!”
Holkenborg, is best known for his epic film scores, for films like Mad Max Fury Road, Deadpool, Black Mass and Divergent. In our 2017 interview with him, he discussed how he uses his modular to create sounds for his soundtrack work:
“Sunday is modular day. On Sunday, I just get out of bed in my pajamas and then I walk into the studio with a cup of coffee and everything that I’m doing all day is just making sounds with the modular.
Whatever I do on Sunday is going to get recorded in Cubase. Then at the end of the day, I just sort it quickly, these are bass sounds, that is drones, that is this, that is that.
When I need a certain sound, it’s like, ‘I did something a couple of months ago.’ Then I go digging into the folders and I find it. I’m able to work really quick, but still use sounds that I’ve spent hours and hours crafting.”
Video nr 10 about Junkie XL’s Eurorack system?
I’m sure I’ve seen this on here a few days ago.
Okay, not exactly the same, but damn similar.
Also, no actual sounds or music again.
I don’t know why I watched it. I’m not getting that time back again.
Good musician, probably a good bloke, but really quite boring videos.
Nice Modular set up though to be fair. Like, really nice.
I couldn’t begin to justify a Kaiju system like that, but he’s demoing the wisest approach: sample as you go. Modulars can degenerate into time-sucking wankery too easily, so that’s the ideal way to retain the golden moments.
“sample as you go”
+1, and Amen
This has been my mantra for the last 40 years.
Really puts a discipline on wankery rabbit hole excursions lol.
Also, IMHO it is in general, the best defense against endless audio fatigue same sounding bleep bloop filter sweep blah blah cliche stuff that’s been done to death on Modular now for decades.
Make BPM your best friend. Convert BPM to Time. It’s like learning a new wonderful secret language. Then, chop and slash and mangle accordingly. It’s called arranging.