1. Favourite knob/fader/switch on a piece of gear and why?
I have many, aesthetically I love the Whimsical Raps Mannequins lineup especially the Cold Mac SURVEY knob is one of my favourite because it acts as a meta-control over a patch. Modulating it I send correlated signals throughout the patch to discover sweet spots and surprising movements every time.
For pedals is the Clock knob on MOOD 2: it shifts pitch, fidelity, and texture simultaneously. It’s the ultimate tool for warping static loops into dynamic, organic, and unpredictable soundscapes.
2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you
change?
Lately is the Intellijel Multigrain. I’m a granular junkie and this module condenses every essential function with a perfect UI and constantly updated firmware. The morphing fader is the true magic; sliding between two distinct scenes allows you to discover shifting soundscapes during the transition, reminiscent of the interpolation found on the almighty Octatrack (another favourite). There is very little I would change; it is an ideal tool for finding those sounds within sounds.
3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?
I prefer to work in my studio when I have time; I view the whole room as one big instrument. Back in the past I used to bring with me, my Elektron Monomachine, but now that she’s a retired ‘old lady,’ I’d rather keep her safe and sound at home. If I’m working away from home, my laptop is the one tool I’d take to get some previous recordings organized.
4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?
It would be fantastic to see Fors Opal as a hardware instrument. It is a highly capable software rhythm machine that integrates FM, modal synthesis, pulsar noise, sampling and effects into a single, cohesive environment. Even if my Eletron Digitakt 2 & Digitone 2 are equally fun and inspiring.
I’m longing for a software equivalent to the Schlappi Engineering 100 Grit. It is a powerhouse for avant-garde sound design, functioning simultaneously as a filter, distortion unit, and noise generator. By leveraging audio and CV feedback loops, it produces evolving, chaotic textures. The brass touch points allows for the tactile injection of signals into the feedback paths, resulting in unpredictable alien sonic environments.
5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?
I’m diligent about research before buying gear, so I rarely have regrets. Every instrument is a learning opportunity. I’m not a collector but rarely sell gear. I really miss the Mutable Instruments Elements, which I sold only for space reasons; its ability to use external material as input for the resonator sounded great. Also I still kick myself for selling Korg EMX so cheaply, considering its current market value.
6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?
I find inspiration by patching my modular system. I treat it as a living ecosystem, focusing on autonomous patches that evolve independently. It shifts the process from composing to exploration. The modules I use in every single patch are the Intellijel Shapeshifter Dual Complex Morphable Wavetable Oscillator (my favorite oscillator), the 4ms Dual Looping Delay and Qubit Nautilus, various granular processors including Mutable Instruments Clouds, Intellijel Multigrain, Qu-Bit Electronix Mojave, Orthogonal Devices ER-301, and a Make Noise System.
Recently the Torso S-4 has been a revelation for me. Many ways to manipulate and process samples in this tool. Ironically, I find its lack of a traditional sequencer a positive constraint since it forces me to discover unexplored creative workflows.
7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?
I’d still begin with a laptop, focusing on Max/MSP and virtual modular environments like VCV Rack. While hardware will always be fascinating, modern software is simply too significant to ignore.
8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you
just can’t live without?
The Westlicht Performer is in my top 3 eurorack sequencers, though it’s not without its flaws. I’m a huge fan of its workflow and features. It’s a DIY project, so you can’t expect the same build quality as big brands, but the buttons are small and stiff, which really hurts the playability. Even though some of the switches on my unit are starting to go, I just can’t part with it (I will get it fixed soon). My only other wish would be for an additional set of dedicated mod CV outputs beyond just pitch and gate, which would really unlock its modulation potential.
9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve
discovered about a bit of kit?
Play with feedback by routing audio or CV back into the patch for recursive modulation. My Random*Source Serge is great for this, but this concept can be applied to any modular system. Building self-influencing systems where sounds and modulations auto- evolve in hypnotic ways and organic chaos.
Another fundamental modular technique I employ is decoupling trigger sequences from pitch CV. Unlike MIDI, separating these sequences leads to patterns evolving organically.
Artist or Band name?
I go by Lohacker, a name inherited from my first music-related mail account. It’s served me well in online communities, though I’ve always viewed it more as a functional alias than a final artistic statement.
Genre?
Depends where the patch goes, something between IDM, experimental noise, glitch, dub, ambient.
Selfie?
Where are you from?
Italy
How did you get into music?
My journey began with electric guitar, though my interest soon shifted to the sonic possibilities of effects. This fascination (especially for delays) evolved into synthesis since early 2000’s with the mythical Jeskola Buzz modular tracker and Ableton 1.0 since its release.
What still drives you to make music?
It is the meditation of listening to my generative patches. I find that being absorbed by the creative task is the most rewarding part of making music. Even just 15 minutes of musical activity in the morning helps me throughout the day.
How do you most often start a new track?
My tracks/patches usually begin as a late-night concept or a specific technique I visualize before sleep. Early in the morning, I approach my system with fresh ears to bring that idea to life. I avoid the rush to record and let the patch run for a couple of days. I then develop a secondary sequence on a separate case, and when these two autonomous ecosystems begin to influence each other I commit the performance to record. I make a big use of random gates/probability in sequences/shift registers and switches to build the various parts, then resample some bits apply granular processors and apply modulations to the effects. When playing guitar, I’m more on the ambient side, building layers through several unsynced loopers and delays.
How do you know when a track is finished?
You don’t (or when you finish with patch cables/modulation inputs!)
Show us your current studio
Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?
These four are my fundamentals:
- Avoid presets to find your sound.
- Resample and layer sounds to further manipulate them.
- Stop thinking about writing a song and start thinking about building a machine that generates sound.
- Try to prioritize ears over the eyes when working with a computer (turn off your monitor).
Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link
My Instagram and Youtube where I upload my patches.
