Supercontinuum, a.k.a. Thomas Wilk, is an experimental techno and hardcore producer in Brooklyn, NY. His track “Supercontinent” appeared on Elements’ 2022 X Compilation VA and he has performed live sets with the Brooklyn techno collective DGN8S. He performs with a modular synth and Ableton hybrid setup, as well as doing digital and vinyl sets. He builds his own modular synth gear and casually keeps up an online store, Hot Gay Modular Synth, https://hot-gay-modular-synth.myshopify.com/, in which he sells accessories he has designed, like synth knobs, sports bras, mixtapes, and screen prints.
Fresh off his release with Rebekah’s Go Hard Or Go Hardcore, we invited him to walk us through is handbuild machine and performance setup.
Words and photos by Supercontinuum
My live setup currently has two flavors: hardcore and ambient, depending on the party.
For playing a live hardcore set, I use a Roland TR-8S and my homemade Supercontinuum modular synthesizer, (which I have spent over ten years building, and breaking. The synth is also candy-colored, and is what I describe as “Hot Gay Modular Synth.”) The synth has two mono audio outputs: one goes through an Electro-Harmonix Ring Thing to a Boss PS-3 pitch shifter/delay to the main mix, and the other synth output goes to the external signal input to the TR-8S. If I am playing live in the studio I also have a Chroma Polaris synth to play, in which I make demented or sublime Tangerine Dream-esque sounds, but it is an antique, and massive, and weighs like 70 lbs., so it doesn’t get to come to shows at the club!
If I am playing an ambient set, I just use my modular synth set through the guitar pedals mentioned above.
I plug all of my devices into a small 4-channel Behringer MX602A mixer — TR-8S stereo outputs in one channel, the stereo outputs of the guitar pedals loaded up with modular synth outer space sounds into a second channel, and optional Chroma Polaris synth with mono output into a third channel.
The TR-8S is the “brain” of the setup, as I have created lots of patterns on it, and it sends a MIDI clock signal out to my modular synthesizer. The patch I make on the modular varies for each show, but I make a base patch in advance, as in the heat of the 180 bpm firestorm coming out of the drum machine I cannot be making elaborate patches.
On my TR-8S I have loaded up samples of distorted kicks, broken metal sounding percs, and other insane and obliterating noises that I have created, mostly in Ableton. Some other haunting pad sounds, vampiric lead tones, and mutated vocals are also used. With the onboard TR-8S effects and the standard Roland drum palette, I have quite an arsenal just in this box. My patterns range from 4 on the floor, to distorted schranz things, to gabber runaways, to all sorts of weird IDM breakbeats.
For my modular, generally the patch structure follows this logic: the MIDI signal from the drum machine is used as a clock signal for three sequencers, which output control voltages at each step for leads and triggers to activate envelopes. I have two main oscillators typically outputting square waves, as I can modify their pulse width modulation. The square waves are then fed into filters. The filters go into voltage controlled amplifiers (VCAs) and envelope generators control the amplitudes of the VCAs. After the VCAs, the signals are fed into a four channel mixer, which sums the signals for the main outputs. Did I mention I also have four noise oscillators that I feed into various control voltage inputs for light chaos? And, lastly, there is a standalone “kick and snare” generator, which creates the sound of a flabby analog kick down to about 30 Hz. A white noise generator creates its snare sound. Also, my modules are made with banana jacks, so I can stack multiple cables on top of each other at each connection, for lots of extra spice.
For me every performance is sacred; I don’t take any chance to perform for granted. I like to make the event special, and I usually dress up, and become a character. This usually makes the set memorable.
For instance, while playing a dark solo modular set at a party called “Euwhoria,” I was wearing three-inch platform boots, custom-made black spandex pants with zippers that go up the front of either leg, some sort of black top, and I had spirit-gummed long elf ears on. My face was painted all white, and I was looking Lord of the Rings meets demonic twink.
I was pounding out my set; I had my modular kick drum generator creating one drum pattern, which I would alternate with another oscillator pumping out low throbbing triangle waves acting as a bass sound. I had several sequences fading in and out, and I was getting enthralled in making new patches and sound mods. I was swaying a bit unsteadily in my platforms, and the stage was a little crooked; it was also hard for me to see much of anything, as all of my LEDs were shining in my eyes and the room was dark and filled with fog machine smoke.
The energy kept building, and somehow through my limited vision I kept tweaking the knobs, building a sonic tapestry. The final build of my set was happening, and I pulled a cable out of a port, and the force of the banana jack coming out pulled my entire synth off its stand and the entire rig collapsed into my lap! I slowly fell to the floor with my synth, and that was the stunning end to my performance. Deteriorating ambience, thank you, William Basinski!
During a recent hardcore set, a very exciting moment happened towards the end of the set where in my final 190 bpm section I had a 4 to the floor beat happening. I have a kick and percussion sample triggering at different times, in which one of my TR-8S knobs will modify their cutoff frequencies. By just slightly turning this knob it boosts certain frequencies so that either instrument really squeals, and if I modify its pitch at the same time it sounds crazy. The energy in the room was really high as both I and the crowd were pogo-ing up and down. The kicks and the percs were squealing and slapping like monstrous bats. Eventually, there is nowhere else for the song to go, so I mix in modular synth streams and vibrating pad sounds for the final ambient comedown to close out the set. Playing live is such a joy.
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