Underdog Electronic Music School: Modular Mayhem for Live Techno Lunatics

Let’s be honest: transitions and atmospheres can make or break a live set faster than a BBQ gone wrong in a windstorm. Surco’s top questions from students always come back to these two: how do you glue your jams together, and what’s happening at your end-of-chain? He’s got answers that are more practical than a stubby holder at a summer rave.

Surco shows how he clears his setup before each show—a ritual he calls ‘pre-disastering’—so he’s forced to improvise from the first kick. The trick? Use your effects sends, particularly in pre-fader mode, to sculpt atmospheres out of the very sounds you’ll use later. If your mixer’s got this feature, you can turn even the most basic synth bleeps into lush backgrounds without revealing your hand too early. It’s all about recycling sounds, filling out the frequency spectrum, and making sure everything gels—no need to stress about keys or matching samples. The transitions? They’re built right in, sneakier than a possum in your bin.

Now, here’s where Surco gets philosophical—don’t just fear mistakes, mate, weaponise them! In a live modular set, there’s no such thing as a wrong note, unless you’re stuck in your own head. Surco reckons the best creative sparks come from those ‘oops’ moments, so lean into ‘em like you meant it all along. If you stuff up, just repeat it three more times and watch the crowd think you’re a genius.

He’s adamant: the audience doesn’t know your plan, so play it cool and let happy accidents fuel your next move. It’s liberating, like dancing in the rain after a scorcher—suddenly, everything’s possible. Surco’s advice is to ditch perfectionism, embrace the chaos, and let the unexpected shape your set. That’s the true spirit of modular performance, and honestly, it’s a ripper approach for anyone brave enough to step up and jam live.