Frap Tools: Dissecting Stereo Dyads and Modular Choreography in Studio No. 2

Francesco Gennari opens the session by presenting his composition, “Studio No. 2,” a piece that revolves around the concept of stereo dyads—two-note chords spatially distributed across the stereo field. The performance is a showcase of modular precision, with Gennari using filters as oscillators and employing dynamic panning to sculpt an immersive soundstage. The result is a piece that feels both minimal and expansive, with each dyad carefully positioned for maximum spatial effect.

After the live performance, Gennari promises a detailed breakdown of the patch and the creative decisions that shaped the track. The focus on stereo dyads is not just a compositional quirk but a deliberate exploration of how modular synthesis can manipulate space as much as tone. This approach sets the stage for a technical journey through both the musical and patching strategies behind the piece.

Gennari reveals that his workflow begins at the piano, where he sketches out the rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic foundations of the piece. This traditional starting point grounds the composition before it migrates into the modular domain, ensuring that the electronic textures serve a clear musical purpose.

Once the structure is set, the ideas are transcribed onto the modular system, where the sound chain is meticulously crafted to define the timbre of each element. The process involves translating the smoothness of dyads and bass from the piano into evolving modular voices, with particular attention paid to how each part will interact within the stereo field and over time.

The heart of the sound design lies in the interplay between the Cunsa filters, modulation sources, and a carefully orchestrated signal flow. Two Cunsa filters, set to self-oscillate, generate the stereo dyads, with their frequencies controlled by USTA’s CV outputs. Gennari primarily uses the low-pass outputs, blending in band-pass signals and white noise for additional texture, all dynamically attenuated and summed via the 321 and 333 modules.

To add movement, subtle vibrato is introduced using two sine LFOs from Pamela’s Pro Workout, clocked independently and routed to the filters’ frequency CVs. The summed signals are then sent to the QSC mixer, with one dyad panned left and the other right, creating a vivid stereo image. For further complexity, a distorted layer is crafted by routing the mixed outputs through a wave multiplier and additional saturation stages, with sample-and-hold modulation from Pamela providing animated panning.

The bass voice is no afterthought: Falistri’s green section acts as an oscillator, filtered through another Cunsa, with slow LFO modulation and QSC crossfading between low-pass and high-pass signals. This ensures the bass remains both solid and subtly evolving, underpinning the more ethereal dyads above.

Gennari rounds out the patch by integrating external effects, notably the Empress Zoia pedal, to further expand the sonic palette. One aux send from the QSC mixer is routed to a multi-delay processor, where manual blending of delay times and built-in reverb add depth and ambience to the modular signals.

The other aux send feeds the Empress Zoia, which is patched with three parallel effects: a ping-pong delay (clocked by USTA), reverb, and distortion. This setup allows for real-time tweaking of parameters, with Gennari demonstrating how increasing the distortion at the track’s end adds a final burst of energy. The result is a hybrid workflow where modular synthesis and pedal-based processing interact seamlessly, pushing the composition beyond the confines of the rack.