Rob Papen Explains Subtractive Synthesis On A 5U Modular Synthesizer

Sound designer and synth designer Rob Papen shared this video, which features an introduction to subtractive synthesis, using a large-format modular synthesizer. 

Papen gives a detailed walkthrough of making a typical subtractive synthesis patch.

The video features a Synthesizers.com Portable-22 – an analog modular in 5U format. It features three oscillators, envelope generators, amplifiers, a mixer, state-variable filter, ring modulator and more. Details are available at the Synthesizers.com site.

Note: The video includes a brief promo for Papen’s book, The Four Element Synth, which is available via Amazon.

6 thoughts on “Rob Papen Explains Subtractive Synthesis On A 5U Modular Synthesizer

  1. Rob Papen is NOT I repeat not a synth designer. Everything he creates is outsourced to two current developers. He has ideas, yet he is not a designer/developer/engineer.

    1. You’re confusing programming/engineering with design.

      Suit doesn’t develop the circuits for STG modules, but he designs them.

      Paul Schreiber doesn’t code his Synth Techmodules, but he designs them.

      This is standard on complex projects.

      The synth designer makes decisions about what it should do, how it should work, what it should look like, etc. They could outsource the graphics, circuitry, programming, etc and still be the designer.

      1. As a developer, I am not confusing anything, and this could be construed as semantics, however in this case, I believe the word designer is being used too liberally.

        However thanks for your much needed clarification.

  2. This video was NOT shared i repeat not shared by Rob Papen he just posted it online, and the modular synthesizer is NOT i repeat is not that large, is way smaller than a car and i drive cars, i know what im talking about.

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