How To Play Modular Synthesizer With Mushrooms

You may have seen MycoLyco‘s videos of using mushrooms to play a modular synthesizer – like the example above, which has already accumulated over a million views.

The performances are an example of bio data sonification, but some may also view them as aleatoric or generative music. MycoLyco defines the range of sonic possibilities with the patch, but the system determines moment-to-moment what the results will be.

Here’s what they have to say about the process:

“Through the magic or rather science of bio data sonification, this flush of oyster mushrooms get a shot at playing a Eurorack modular synthesizer before they become my dinner. Electrical resistance is measure by passing a small current through the mushrooms similar to a lie detector test

The changes in resistance are then converted into control signals which determine the rhythm, pitch, timbre and effects parameters of the modular synthesizer.”

For a deeper look at How The F Does a Mushroom Play Eurorack Modular Synthesizer?, see the video below:

9 thoughts on “How To Play Modular Synthesizer With Mushrooms

  1. I miss the days when Synthtopia focused on synthesizers. Now, it’s like a NASA control panel convention; lots of technical jargon and Eurorack and the performance skills of a mushroom.

    1. Since when are Eurorack modulars not ‘synthesizers’?

      What is a ‘synthesizer’ from your perspective? Just keyboard synths?

      I remember when everybody what complaining about them covering iPad synths. But for a lot of people, the first synth they’ll ever own is something like miRack or Animoog.

      It seems to me like Eurorack is one of the biggest trends in synthesizers now.

      1. “It seems to me like Eurorack is one of the biggest trends in synthesizers now.”

        yes, but people do the most boring things with it
        hours of blip blip music and 8 notes that never change,
        yawn next please

        the is analogy to guitar school st. Anna,
        sister Anna teaches you how to play 4 chords ?

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