External sound modules first popped up in the eighties and then became popular in the nineties. These units come loaded with sounds and sometimes rhythms, and while they’re not as popular, they still being made for niche users.
The Idea Behind Rack MIDI Sound Modules
In the past, synthesizers were only able to take care of one specific part of a song, like a lead, a bass line or a chord, so if you wanted to create layered tunes, you basically needed a lot of costly synths. To solve the impracticality of setting up sixteen synths in the same room, the industry came up with rack-mountable sound modules. These 19-inch modules used to be a common sight in studios, where having just one master keyboard set up next to a rack loaded with modules was a neat solution. During the 1990s, so quite a while after most synthesizers had become multitimbral instruments, even entire synths were available in module-form. This had a lot to do with polyphony because back then, producers liked to combine various instruments to build a single sound (e.g. strings, a choir, pianos, vibraphones, etc) since every single instrument would otherwise come at the 'cost' of polyphony.
Decline in Popularity
The computer made its definitive break-through as a professional studio sound source in the 21st century. Meanwhile, software such as GigaSampler quickly made sample-streaming a big part of modern music production, which is no longer hindered by any technical limitations (multitimbrality, polyphony, memory, etc) from way back when. Just like good-old samplers, sound modules have almost completely disappeared thanks to computers.
A New Target Audience for Sound Modules
So, do sound modules still have a right to exist? While the answer is yes, they no longer cater to their original users. Most of the sound modules in this department are aimed at keyboard entertainers: vocalists that bring their keyboard to weddings or other festive gatherings to perform live acts. These travelling musicians typically prefer (the charm of) an extensive keyboard over working with a laptop and can use modules for access to extra sounds and rhythms.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sound Modules
What's a sound module?
A MIDI sound module is basically a synthesizer or keyboard without keys. Sound modules are great if you already have access to a keyboard and you simply want an extra range of sounds to play with. They're hooked up with a MIDI cable.
What's a synth sound module?
A synth sound module is a synthesizer in the form of a slightly hard-to-program rack module. Synth sound modules can come in handy if you already have access to a keyboard yet want access to more sound options. Nowadays, most modules have a tabletop design, are easy to program and are generally used for more creative live performances.
