34 - Max Modular

Giannis Kampiotis
December 16, 2022

Hello music people 👋

Today in the spotlight, Max Modular

Coming from California, he evolved from a clubber to a producer. He might not do it for a living but his productions are on a high level 🎶

Read Time: 5 minutes 📰

Studio

Gear List

Squier - Telecaster
Squier - Jazz Bass
Moog - Subsequent 25
Make Noise - Strega
Roland - JU-06A
Teenage Engineering - PO-35
416HP Modular Setup
Sleepy Circuits - Hypno Video Synthesizer
Harmonica
a handful of guitar pedals

This issue is brought to you by

Our own G.A.S. Newsletter Instagram Profile

Follow to see in-studio videos from the featured artists 🎛️🎚️

Interview

Who are you and what is your relationship with music?

I come from San Diego, California.

My first step into making music was learning how to play guitar in high school. When I started attending college I started to listen to more electronic and house music, going to raves and seeing DJs play. That's when my interest in electronic music really started to grow.

At some point when I was at college I downloaded Ableton and I started to teach myself how to make electronic music. It quickly became a favorite hobby of mine.

Once I was out of college and started working, I started to buy hardware synthesizers which eventually led me to modular synthesizers.

Music making is not my primary source of income, I work as an accountant for a biotech company. I enjoy the work, and music making can be a nice way to unwind and relax after looking at spreadsheets all day.

What's the one thing in your studio you can't live without?

My telecaster

What is the least expensive piece of gear that gave you the most results?

I use passive utility modules like multiples or attenuators in my modular patches all the time. Not the most exciting piece of gear, but they're essential to me.

What's your process?

I'll usually start with a drum loop, either in Ableton or playing on the modular rig, and then build other elements on top of that like bass, melodies, pads, etc, until I have a loop that I can build out into a larger track.

How would you explain your style?

I'd describe my style as ambient but upbeat.

I like to use reverb and effects that create very spacious atmospheres.

What’s your biggest struggle?

My biggest struggle is finishing tracks.

I have a lot of ideas and project files, but can only manage to complete a few at a time.

Has this journey of building a hardware setup changed the way you think about music or life in general?

When I first started making music, I was really focused on finishing and releasing tracks but as I got older and started building a hardware setup making music is more like a meditative practice.

If I happen to make something I like I'll record it and it may end up in to a track, but often times at the end of a session I'll un-patch everything on the modular and start fresh next time.