About Sound Modules
The music industry has seen a dramatic change with the use of computers to create music. Sound modules have made it possible to have several different units creating very different sounds and therefore increasing the music producer's creative output.
Definition
A sound module is an electronic music instrument that fits into a rack mount and generates different tones to make a wide palette of sounds. By layering and shaping, these tones emulate the sounds of actual instruments like cellos, flutes, drums and many others.
In the most stripped-down sense, a sound module is a keyboard synth without the keyboard.
History
E-MU is often credited with creating the first sound module back in 1989 with the release of Proteus. However, this would be inaccurate. Roland actually came out with a piano sound module dubbed the MKS-30 back in 1983 at the dawn of the musical instrument digital interface era and digital synthesis. That was followed by four more (MKS-80, MKS-7, MKS-70 and MKS-50).
However, E-MU took the idea and never looked back, abandoning keyboard synths altogether and releasing over 15 sound modules between 1990 and 2000.
The Importance Of MIDI
MIDI was developed in 1982 as a way for different electronic instruments to communicate with one another. It is a language of information like how hard to hit a key (velocity) or which note to play. It enabled the use of a wide array of electronic instruments together such as drum machines, keyboard synths, samplers and more. This standard technology is absolutely essential in order to operate a sound module.
Sound Module vs. Keyboard Synthesizer
One main difference between sound modules and keyboard synths is a sound module's dependence on MIDI. It has to be connected via MIDI inputs to a controller in order to play it. A controller can be anything that has MIDI outputs and may or may not already have sounds built in. The most common is a keyboard, though there are others like electronic drum pads, guitars, pedals and even accordions.
Pros And Cons
The main disadvantage of a sound module is that you can't just unpack it and start playing. As previously mentioned, you must have a controller, which means there's an additional cost if you don't already have one. You are able to listen to the sounds, but there's no way to actually play them real time.
Another small disadvantage is the tiny operating screen, which makes discerning settings a little bit of an optic chore.
That being said, the major advantage it has over a keyboard synth is the space it saves. If you wanted the sounds from many different keyboard synths, you have to have a lot of space just to fit them into one area. With sound modules, all you need is a rack mount, a MIDI interface and one controller. This will allow you to have anywhere from five to 10 synths in a 2-foot-by-2-foot-by-2-foot space.
Tags: sound module, keyboard synths, sound modules, already have, electronic instruments, keyboard synth