Frap Tools: Tactile Dialogues and Modular Free Will – An Interview with Isabella Forciniti

Isabella’s patching style is a study in tactile interaction and intentional limitation. Her modular setup is a hybrid affair, blending analog and digital modules to create a responsive, performative instrument. She favours a streamlined rig—eschewing maximalism in favour of depth, and pushing each module to its creative limits. This philosophy is evident in her demonstration patch, which centres on sculpting a single percussive sound using the Frap Tools Brenso oscillator as the primary voice, complemented by modules like Mutable Instruments’ Plaits, ALM’s digital drum voice, and a carefully chosen array of filters, envelope generators, and VCAs.

Central to her workflow is the use of Pamela’s Workout as a programmable clock and modulation source, orchestrating everything from Euclidean rhythms to complex logic operations. Modulation is not just a technical detail but a core expressive tool: subtle FM, envelope shaping, and wavefolding are all leveraged to extract nuance from even the simplest sound. Effects, particularly reverb, are treated as compositional voices in their own right, filling the spaces between beats and adding dimensionality without overwhelming the core character of the patch.

For Isabella, the physical act of patching—turning knobs, rerouting signals, feeling the response of the system—is inseparable from the music itself. She sees modular synthesis not just as a means to generate sound, but as a platform for real-time interaction, where every gesture can shape the unfolding sonic narrative.

Isabella’s influences are as diverse as her music, ranging from pioneers like Wendy Carlos and Suzanne Ciani to contemporary artists such as Arushi Jain (Modular Princess), Basak Kunak (a.k.a. a cosmos), and Yuko Araki. She values versatility, drawing inspiration from artists who fluidly traverse genres and technologies, and who aren’t bound by traditional notions of what electronic music should be. This openness is mirrored in her own output, which spans everything from intricate modular improvisations to cross-disciplinary collaborations.

A significant thread in the conversation is the visibility and recognition of women, non-binary, and gender-fluid artists in electronic music. Isabella highlights the ongoing gender gap at festivals and in industry narratives, noting the importance of collectives like Female Pressure in challenging entrenched biases. For her, diversity is not just a social imperative but a wellspring of creative possibility, enriching the scene with fresh perspectives and new sonic vocabularies.

Looking ahead, Isabella advocates for a new generation of musical interfaces that prioritise tactile, expressive control. She imagines expansions to modules like the Brenso—perhaps a polyphonic, sensor-driven controller that transcends the limitations of traditional keyboards and knobs. The goal is to deepen the physical dialogue between performer and instrument, making modular synthesis as playable and nuanced as any acoustic instrument.

This vision is rooted in a belief that the future of electronic music lies in innovative, user-centred design—tools that invite exploration and reward touch, rather than imposing rigid workflows. For Isabella, and for Frap Tools’ community of users, the next frontier is not just more features, but more meaningful ways to interact, improvise, and express oneself through modular sound.