Patchwerks Team

First Synthesizer
Yamaha DX27

Music Background
I've been fascinated by electronic music and synthesizers for as long as I remember. My first band was in 7th grade - I tried to sing but quickly realized keyboards were my forte. I was raised on a steady diet of prog rock and disco which led to a love of 80's new wave, punk and eventually techno, industrial and experimental electronic music. My current studio is a mix of modular (both 5U and Eurorack), synthesizers, drum machines, and software. In addition to playing in the studio and performing live, I am passionate about teaching and introducing others to the joy of synthesizers.

Dream Setup
My dream setup includes a really deluxe mixing desk, a layout that lets me access all of my modular and synth gear easily, and enough patch bays to allow me to reconfigure connections quickly and easily. Must-have modules would include a Rossum Assimil8or sampler, Mutable Instruments Plaits, Make Noise DPO, Instruo Arbhar, and an Industrial Music Electronics Stillson Hammer.

Music Goals
Ultimately, I think finding my unique voice that makes my music stand out and cultivating that in a series of releases and performances is my long-term goal. I also would love to collaborate with like-minded folks on some fun projects that expand my musical horizons

Artist you’d Most Love to Jam with (Living or Dead)
Daniel Lanois

Three Tracks in your Current Rotation
"Long Road Home" - Oneohtrix Point Never
"All the World Loves Lovers" - Prefab Sprout
"Molecular Delusions" - Ramases

DND Alignment
Chaotic Good

First Synthesizer
Roland Juno-60

Music Background
I grew up with music around my household from childhood with my mom singing and my dad playing piano. I always wanted to be able to control and play the sounds myself, even from when I was a 3-year-old. I took piano lessons and sang in the school choir, but hearing talkbox, synthesizer, and vocoder on the radio inspired me toward the sound of synthesizers and music technology. I got a job at a pizza shop when I was in high school so I could start saving toward a synthesizer studio, and little by little I was able to collect some synths. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, so synthpop and acid house became my goals for music. Those influences still persist in my musical compositions, though it's great to hear all the amazing innovations brought by fusing together R&B, electronics, soul, pop, and whatever else.

Dream Setup
I've been collecting synthesizers for so long that I probably already have my dream setup. But that doesn't mean it's ideal. I think currently my dream setup is a small set of powerful and inspiring synths, and I do love my vintage - so PPG Wave, Prophet-VS, Juno-60, Pro-One, and Minimoog. But pair that with a killer mixing desk like the SSL Origin and an array of vintage samplers, like the Emulator-II and MPC3000. I guess I can't leave out the drum machines, which for me are the TR-909, TR-808, LinnDrum, and TR-727 as mainstays. It's tempting to add more and more, but I've found in my experience the tighter the better! So perhaps I'll leave it there, except for the requisite analog preamps and compressors for vocals and digital multiFX like the H3000D/SE and Lexicon PCM80/90. Oh, and I absolutely need a full-size, weighted keyboard controller with 88 keys!

Music Goals
I'll always create music for my own enjoyment, but I do love sharing my creations with other people. Some of my music is reflective and contemplative while other recordings are aimed to make you dance and have fun. In a way I'm living my dream already, working with people who want to get into music-making or advance their studio system with synthesizers. Anything that gets me playing and into the groove is going to bring fulfillment and enjoyment to my day. I just strive to get that feeling of inspiration and groove, and when I do that's all I need!

Musician you’d most Love to Jam with (Living or Dead)
David Bowie

Three Tracks in your Current Rotation
"Feels So Real" - Patrice Rushen
"Don't Give Up" - Peter Gabriel with Kate Bush
"Automatic" - Tensnake featuring Fiora (originally recorded by The Pointer Sisters)

DND Alignment
Lawful Good

First Synthesizer
MicroKorg (returned after I realized I needed something to record it in Ableton, whoops)

Music Background
I started out playing trombone in 6th grade, which I played until the end of high school. Along the way, I did Jazz Band from 7th to 12th grade, playing trombone and bass guitar, as well as Marching Band from 9th to 12th grade. I started jamming more in college with the bass guitar with some friends and also started picking up more guitar and keys, but was mostly playing around in Ableton, mixing soft synths with guitars and bass, and trying to make beats with Maschine 1.5. After college, I got a drum set and taught myself drums, and continued more down the route of hardware synthesizers and sequencers. I've played in a few bands with friends here in Seattle, but mostly am playing music in the synth scene with eurorack and standalone hardware.

Dream Setup
Honestly, I'm living the dream setup, the main issue is just having everything plugged in and ready to go, so my dream setup would be a studio where I could have all my synths organized and all the cables nicely tucked away, everything synchronized and easily mixed. Though a 5U system would be sick…

Music Goals
The ultimate musical dream is happening, one of my passions is teaching and helping out other people, especially in the realm of technology and music. To have found Patchwerks was perfect, because it's amazing how talented and receptive everyone is, both in terms of my coworkers and customers. By creating a space for people to come in and play around with synthesizers and assure folks there actually aren't dumb questions and this world is more accessible than it seems is amazing. It fills me with immense pride to help people find that passion, whether it be just putting together a fun setup for creating weird sounds and exploring, or helping people realize that connecting with other synth folks and performing isn't as daunting as it seems.

Artist you’d Most Love to Jam with (Living or Dead)
Any member of Deerhoof

Three Tracks from your Current Rotation
"Glamour Profession" - Steely Dan
"Rock In The Video Age" - Jan Jelinek
"Walk For Me" - DJ Rashad

DND Alignment
Chaotic Good

First Synthesizer
MicroKorg

Music Background
Grew up studying guitar and singing in bands. Went to school for music production. Started trying to build a band-in-a-box and found myself with a plethora of modular and samplers. Now I run a music YouTube channel with a focus on live performance under the name EZBOT.

Dream Setup
More of it all! More modular, more keyboards, more guitars, more microphones, more pedals - I love them all so much!

Music Goals
Never stop making music no matter what!

Artist you’d Most Love to Jam with (Living or Dead)
Buke and Gase

Three Tracks from your Current Rotation
"Medicina" - Buke and Gase
"Artifice" - Sohn
"Terminal Slam" - Squarepusher

DND Alignment
Chaotic Good

First Synthesizer
Roland SH-201

Music Background
As a kiddo I loved playing violin & viola solo, quartet, and orchestral music. At some point I fell in love with rave music and hip hop and eventually started making my own computer music. I made the dive into modular after an inspiring Decibel Festival workshop and haven't looked back! I went on to study Audio Engineering in college and am really into instrument design, specifically the intersection of human expression and physical hardware.

Dream Setup
A MIDI Violin, a stack of synths including a Juno + RE-201 Space Echo, a modular case filled with ER-301s, everything Elektron has ever made including specifically a Monomachine, a proper mixing console, two turntables, and a microphone. Aaaand maybe most importantly, everything set up ready to go at the flip of one switch <3

Music Goals
#1 have fun. Would also love to tour with friends :)

Artist you’d Most Love to Jam with (Living or Dead)
SOPHIE

Three Tracks from your Current Rotation
“9 to 5” - Dolly Parton
"Carte sim” - Fasme
"Could Heaven Ever Be Like This" - Idris Muhammad

DND Alignment
Chaotic Neutral

First Synth
Roland GAIA

Violin was my first instrument and then Trombone in school band starting around 6th grade. When I was 12 I started playing guitar, and it's been my main instrument for 16 years now. Started using Cakewalk around age 15 and started recording and messing around with MIDI instruments. Studied Sound Design and Audio for Film at Indiana University and received a minor in Music. Composed and scored a few student films and provided foley, sound effects, and editing with Pro Tools. Currently use Ableton as my main DAW and like to perform or tinker with guitar + effects pedals, casio SK1, casio CT410v, OP-1, modular, bass, and a terrible singer but I do it anyway. I've performed with a few bands over the years and record original music at home.

Dream Setup
Moog One, Cocoquantus 2, Perkons HD01, OP1, Ondes Martenot, JU-06A, ARP Odyssey, ALL of the guitar pedals...

Music Goals
Make music for a Cartoon Network show. Tour internationally as a musician. Have an album reviewed by Pitchfork. Own a home studio. Play a music festival.

Artist you'd most love to jam with (living or dead)
Flying Lotus + Thundercat, The Who (especially Keith Moon and John Entwistle), and Modest Mouse

Three Tracks in your Current Rotation
"Advice" - Alex G
"Flyway" - Kero Kero Bonito
"Inside My House; Some Place I Keep Dreaming About" - Ricky Eat Acid

DND Alignment
Chaotic Neutral

First Synth
MicroKorg

Music Background
Lifetime guitar shredder and lover of weird sounds. Occasional synth tickler and recording engineer

Dream Setup
Everything on this stage ...Mellotrons specifically.

Music Goals
10,000 person outdoor concert in unbearable summer heat. Or to just have fun playing with my friends in my bands.

Artist you'd most love to jam with (living or dead)
I already get to jam with them! My band mates!

Three Tracks in your current rotation
"Working in a Coal Mine" - DEVO
"Propaganda" - Sepultura
"Fools Gold" - Thin Lizzy

DND Alignment
Chaotic Good