An arguably unknown piece of music gear outside of its group of devoted followers, the modular synthesizer has been an important instrument since its creation in the days of flower power, having had a greater impact on the music you love than you realize. In Beijing, this OG hardware has found a home with tamiX, a modular live performer among many other things.
In this latest Temper Sampler, our own in-house music maniac Rochelle Beiersdorfer goes down a very deep digital rabbit hole to get to the bottom of the culture surrounding this old school synth and the fashion-forward woman who wields it, tamiX.
Going to the beat of her own synth: Meet the lady of the hour, tamiX
WHO?
tamiX is someone who’s going to the beat of her own drum — or should we say synth? She is a person who wears many hats, taking up the ranks as a visual artist, skater chick and self-proclaimed “photo idol,” according to her social media. But, within the capital’s electronic music scene, tamiX is recognized as being a pioneering female voice in the modular synth community as a Buchla improv performer
The first modular synths were built in the 60s, according to “I Dream of Wires,” a documentary released in the early 2010s. The debate on who was the originator is tied between two American inventors, namely, Don Buchla and Bob Moog. Even with the verdict still out on who created the original modular synth, Buchla and Moog both claiming the other one was the inventor, “I Dream of Wires” states that it’s agreed upon that Moog was the first to commercialize the device.
More recently, in 1995, a third modular synth setup hit the market, continuing the evolution of hardware-focused gear by allowing for digital adaptation. This new addition to the market is called a Eurorack and from our scouring of the World Wide Web seems to be the most popular option among synthesists. Along with the dispute on who created the modular synth, there is also two varying approaches to how the analog device should be utilized. Referred to as West Coast and East Coast syntheses, these approaches highlight the work ethics of synthesists, with East Coast being viewed as more conventional in its creative process. This mindset is indicative of Moog’s philosophy and advocates for modular synth creators to follow structural rules when creating music.
In contrast, the West Coast approach, which is associated with Buchla and is the school of thought that tamiX subscribes to, promotes unconstrained experimentation and spur-of-the-moment whimsy that brings with it some soul-searching, according to the online gear shop Perfect Circuit’s blog. That’s enough on the modular synth’s timeline and associated schools of thought.
Now, what about this analog synth’s impact on music? Well, that previously mentioned indie doc states that classic rock bands, such as The Beatles and The Monkees, included modular synths in their music, even performing with massive cases on stage. An example of the modular synth’s presence within classics from yesteryear is The Monkees’ track “Daily Nightly” from their 1967 album “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.” #TemperTeachings
WHAT?
tamiX’s sonic works are one-of-a-kind improvisations, relying on the mood of the venue or the vibe of the event for inspiration.
“Playing modular synthesizer live has to be based on improvisation,” tamiX explains via WeChat, a ubiquitous super app in China, “while it also requires a lot of prep before going on stage, there’s still a large component of freedom to play on stage. So, freedom is the core ideology and my favorite part.”
And once she’s on stage and gets patching, tamiX creates soundscapes that teleports the listener into a realm of psychedelic snaps and pulsating, hypnotic beats.
With a background of playing the violin during her childhood, tamiX’s improv is saturated with melodies. And although her compositions are (mostly) on-the-spot reactions, these creations flow with meticulous intent, buzzing and luring you into spheres of sonic groove that is both captivating and exhilarating. In short, tamiX concocts electronic melodies that pulse with such infection licks that you can’t help but get carried away, swaying all the way.
“I want to explore the boundaries of improvisation. A lot of live electronic music seems so boring, and I want to fully immerse myself in the music being played and take the audience along with me,” tamiX explains, “the audience can see directly how my Buchla modular synthesizer-based techniques and tricks trigger sounds, change sounds, affect sounds, and not only hear but see the music being played, like a real musician playing an acoustic instrument.”
A great example of how she’s testing “the boundaries of improvisation” and taking the audience for a joyride is her performance at Groundless Factory on May 24th.
As part of the 2024 Boiler Room tour’s Beijing stop, tamiX’s hour plus set experimented with sounds that both hiss and buzz, yielding a vibe that, in our humble opinion, is in the vein of dark techno and 80s synthpop (think Depeche Mode or Tears for Fears). And from footage available on BiliBili, the Chinese YouTube equivalent, the audience is all for getting taken on this joyride, bopping and moving in unison to tamiX’s electronic incantation.
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WHEN?
With a stage name that was playfully inspired by the Japanese rockers Japan X’s moniker (“my Japanese name is tami, and, to prevent having to rename [myself], I added the X at the end, kind of like Japan X’s name haha”), tamiX started meddling in the realm of unpredictable sonic play during the pandemic.
“About [two three] years ago,” tamiX tells Temper, “just right after [the COVID-19] pandemic began. I was back from Tokyo [with] nothing to do.”
During this period of involuntary downtime, tamiX took up two new hobbies: skateboarding and playing the modular synth.
“Modular seem[ed] so cool!!!,” tamiX exclaimed over WeChat when asked what about the modular synth piqued her interest, “and it can [make] lots of unheard sound[s]. It’s hard to tame though, I just decided to give it a try.”
After the spark of curiosity was ignited and under the guidance of “Meng Qi, one of China’s top modular synthesizer players and developers, and Jun Yan, a music producer,” tamiX busted into the Middle Kingdom’s modular scene with a bang.
Since then, she’s become a constant face within the community, being a regular on bills for electronic music events, conferences and gigs alike.
MUSIC AND FASHION
“Music is the coolest fashion,” tamiX asserts, having played on a few runways for the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology University’s annual student show. Before these shows, tamiX would get an advance notice of the collections’ styles and would mentally start musing how to use music to “complement the runaway performance,” because, as far as she’s concerned, “music can help fashion convey its style better.”
When she’s not evaluating the atmosphere on the runway, tamiX is very much conscious of what she’ll wear when preparing for a gig. “I think about the theme of the show, the vibe, the audience’s expectations, the style of the music and decide what I’m going to wear–I even dress up my Buchla modular synthesizer to make it fit in with the vibe!”
Sporting miniskirts, spaghetti strap tank tops and knee-high socks in a wide array of bright, neon colors, tamiX’s fashion aesthetic takes a strong nod to Harajuku street fashion. But even with her vibrant schoolgirl style, tamiX is a fashionista who sees fashion as more than just clothes. “Fashion is not just as simple as what a person wears, it can reflect a person’s thoughts, stance and approach to the world” she asserts, knowing fashion’s meta-qualities of expression better than anyone through her “photo idol” endeavors.
Since 2022, she has singlehandedly created and independently published a handful of picture books (写真集| xiězhēnjí in Chinese), using this medium to convey various narrations that sometimes even see the modular synth playing a minor role.
WHERE?
tamiX is based in Beijing but is a frequent globetrotter, having performed all over Asia, Europe and the United States.
Speaking of a tamiX performance….
She will be performing at Dawn Dusk Club (DDC) in Chaoyang district, Beijing on September 7th as part of Modular Human Body Structure, or 模块人体结构 (mókuài réntǐ jiégòu) in Chinese. Dubbed a night dedicated to electronic and modular music, tamiX will be joined on stage by drummer Gu Yongjian, a well-versed drummer and member of the band Psychic Space ( 心灵空间|xīnlíng kōngjiān), for a collab that will see the mixing of modular synth and percussion, according to the show’s deets on ShowStart.
Besides this upcoming appearance at DDC, the Buchla improv performer is always a familiar face at The Modular Commune, a regular get-together for modular performers and fans in Beijing that she also co-organizes.
WHY?
In a world that is so damn pre-recorded, scripted and social media obsessed, tamiX’s sonic (pretty much) off-the-cuff works are a breath of authenticity, inviting you, the listener, to go on a journey for the sake of the journey.
After all, “life is about the journey and not the destination” and tamiX’s brainchildren fully embody this slightly hacky life philosophy’s meaning by being packed full of twists and turns that tamiX herself can’t even fully anticipate. In other words, experiencing a live impromptu performance from this synth-wielding fashionista forces you to be present and relish in the beauty of spontaneity.
What’s not to love about that?
Follow tamiX on the socials for the latest scoop on where this Buchla-improvising skater girl will be bringing the sonic vibes:
All images courtesy of tamiX. Slight alterations done by the author.
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