Monday, January 26, 2026

Inside the Studio of Dutch Synth Legend Allert Aalders by Modulogue

Another fine video from the team at Modulogue surfaced on YouTube this weekend, continuing their mission to document the stories behind the Dutch electronic music scene. 

These are the kinds of stories that don’t always get told often enough, focusing on the people, ideas, and motivations that quietly shaped a culture around sound.

This time, Modulogue visited Utrecht-based musician and event organizer Allert Aalders of Sonar Traffic, a synthesizer and electronic music studio rooted in hands-on experimentation. The video traces his journey from performing live techno as part of Human Beings to designing presets for industry heavyweights such as Native Instruments, Korg, Arturia, FabFilter, and Kilohearts, a path that bridges underground practice and professional sound design.

Video:
Inside the Studio of Dutch Synth Legend Allert Aalders // Modulogue
" We visited Dutch synth legend Allert Aalders in his studio in the woods near Utrecht. Part of iconic synthesizer act 'Human Beings' and founder of Modular Synth event: 'Modulation' and part of the Dutch Modular Fest crew. Under the name of Sonar Traffic, Allert creates presets for both hardware and software synthesizers such as Arturia, Native Instruments, Korg, Steinberg, Fabfilter and Kilohearts."

Sonar Traffic http://www.sonartraffic.nl/ 
Human Beings https://humanbeings.bandcamp.com/
Modulation / modulationutrecht
Dutch Modular Fest https://www.dutchmodularfest.com/

Bringing modular artists, developers, makers, and creative minds together is at the core of Modulogue’s work. Earlier this year, they also sat down with Tim Nieuwenhuis of MIDI Amsterdam to talk about the early days of Eurorack in the Netherlands. Together, these conversations offer a fascinating glimpse into how a niche format evolved into a vibrant, connected community centered around electronic music and modular synthesis.

Follow Modulogue đŸ‘‡ https://www.modulogue.com/ 


Monday, January 05, 2026

SiteTip: MiniMIDI.world, A simplified guide to TRS MIDI by @audionerd

If you’re diving into the world of hardware synths, drum machines, and (eurorack) modular gear, you’ve probably bumped into the confusing topic of MIDI connections over 3.5 mm mini-jacks.
Unlike traditional 5-pin DIN MIDI, many modern instruments use smaller TRS or TS jacks for MIDI signals but there’s no single universal wiring standard. 
Photo via ExpertSleepers

That means the same cable might work on one device and not at all on another. 
minimidi.world is made and maintained by Eric Skogen, aka “audionerd.”, a Minneapolis-based developer ,and exists to take the mystery out of this by offering a clear, practical breakdown of how these minijack MIDI connections work and which devices use which type, saving you from trial-and-error cable frustration. 

At the heart of the site is a simplified guide to TRS MIDI, explaining how MIDI’s three signal pins map to the Tip-Ring-Sleeve of a 3.5 mm plug.

Here you will find easy-to-follow diagrams and explanations of the most common Type A and Type B TRS standards (and the simpler TS variants), along with examples of manufacturers that use them.
This makes it much easier to understand why a cable works for a Korg device but not for an Arturia, and how to adapt or choose the right cable accordingly.

But minimidi.world doesn’t stop at theory, it also links to community-maintained device lists and GitHub data, encouraging users to contribute updates when they discover new gear or newer wiring quirks.
Whether you’re a synth enthusiast trying to patch together your setup, a gigging musician sorting cables backstage, or a DIY builder crafting custom MIDI interfaces, this site is a go-to resource to demystify minijack MIDI and keep your rig talking smoothly.

minimidi.world, A simplified guide to TRS MIDI by @audionerd

Also check out https://audionerd.com/
More about the MIDI standard: https://midi.org/
Top photo credit and more reference see this Expert Sleepers post on Flickr.