Eurorack: Big Ideas, Slow Execution
One area of my studio where I had big plans but painfully slow execution is Eurorack.
My interest in Eurorack originally started when Behringer began releasing their modular modules. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I have a weakness for things that come in series, and their Eurorack lineup did exactly that. That detail mattered more to me than it probably should have.
Why? Because for someone like me, modular can easily become endless.
If I were buying completely unrelated modules from different manufacturers, there would never be a moment where the system felt finished. And me, a credit card, and an infinite Eurorack ecosystem is probably not a healthy long-term plan. A defined series, on the other hand, offers a psychological stopping point—this many modules, from this line, and I’m done. Or at least, that’s the theory.
The Case Is Ready… The Modules Are Not
During my studio redesign, I picked up the Cre8audio Nifty Case bundle. On paper, it was perfect:
- A compact Eurorack case
- Limited space (which I saw as a feature, not a flaw)
- A size that fit perfectly on the shelves on the right side of my synth wall
It checked every box.
And yet…
It’s now 2026, and I haven’t installed a single module.
I do have plans. Real ones. I just haven’t started.
Why Eurorack Spoke to Me in the First Place
My interest in Eurorack came from the same place as my decision to move from a software-based studio to a hardware one in the first place: watching people build and explore their own creative systems.
Those Eurorack YouTube channels make it look like pure joy—rows of modules, tiny knobs, blinking lights, cables draped everywhere, patching ideas together in real time. It looks chaotic, tactile, and deeply personal.
Now, I realize that saying this makes it sound like I’m easily influenced by YouTube trends, like some sort of lone sheep wandering after the herd. Anyone who actually knows me will tell you that’s not how I operate.
I’ve always marched to my own drum—sometimes to my benefit, sometimes not. If everyone turns right, I turn left. If everyone stands, I sit. If everyone sits, I stand. That’s just how I’m wired.
So when something sticks with me, it’s not because it’s popular—it’s because something about it genuinely resonates.
And Eurorack does.
2026: Clarity at Last
What is different in 2026 is clarity.
With my studio now much closer to completion, the remaining gaps are obvious. I know what gear I still want. I know where it will go. I know why it would be there. Eurorack no longer feels like a vague curiosity—it feels like a specific, intentional addition that needs to earn its place.
That doesn’t mean everything is settled. Budget matters. Time matters. And just as importantly, my students’ interests matter too. Their studio builds often reflect similar interests to my own. Partially because I have a little bit of everything.
So will the studio be “finished” in 2026?
Honestly, I don’t know.
But I do know this: the direction is clearer than it’s ever been.
Looking Ahead
Whether Eurorack finally comes to life this year or remains a slow-burn idea a little longer, I’m excited about where things are heading. This studio build has never been about speed or perfection—it’s been about learning, experimenting, and sharing that process honestly.
And as always, I’ll continue developing Illustrious Sound as a resource for my students—one that reflects not just what works, but what it actually feels like to build a creative space in real life.
One module at a time… eventually.
