In a live rig, sync only the elements that must be locked and leave the rest free-running for a more musical, less rigid result

Blawan syncs ‘as little as possible, only [what] really needs to be synced.’ In his chain the reverb is left un-synced, and effects like the analog delay run free rather than clock-locked. The reasoning: forcing every module onto a shared clock makes the result rigid and machine-like, whereas letting delays, reverbs and modulation drift produces the ‘out of time’ textures and human feel he wants. Only the rhythmic backbone (sequencer triggers, looper) needs tight timing. The heuristic — sync the skeleton, free the flesh — reduces patching complexity and preserves organic movement, and is a deliberate counter to the assumption that everything in a rig should be tempo-locked.

Examples

Blawan: ‘I try to sync as little as possible, only that [which] really needs to be synced’ — the Big Sky reverb and Bug Brand delay are not clock-locked, producing ‘sizzly out of time’ textures; only the sequencer and looper carry the tempo.

Assessment

Which elements of a live modular rig genuinely need to be clock-synced, and which benefit from running free? Explain how leaving delays and reverbs un-synced changes the feel of the music. What complexity cost does over-syncing add to a rig?