Gear Acquisition Syndrome It has been a year since I started building my modular synth, and recently, I completed my first solo performance. Besides playing and experimenting, I find myself deeply engrossed in contemplating solutions, patches, and modules. Surprisingly, I enjoy the mental exploration just as much as the practical hands-on work. Having spent years working “in the box,” where the challenge lay in creating something concrete from the vast array of unlimited options at my disposal, the modular world presents a different kind of challenge. Here, I grapple with limitations, striving to create something creative and tangible. If I encounter a limitation, my approach is to either find a workaround or seek out a module that addresses the constraint. For instance, I recently searched for a module with functionality similar to Ableton Live’s Beat Repeat. The process of searching is somewhat addictive. There are countless problems to solve, multiple solutions, and a variety of mod...