Trovarsi’s Modular World

For Trovarsi, live sets are where it all clicks. Armed with a modular rack, drum machines, and a combination of sequencers, the LA-based electronic musician builds her music in real time. She’s continually reinvented her approach since she started producing electronic music in the early 2000s by testing new DAWs and with new instruments in different combinations. For example, one of her recent innovations involved integrating Bitwig Studio with her Eurorack system using a DJ mixer. These experiments have culminated in a bountiful harvest of recent releases, both as a solo artist as well as alongside fellow Bitwig Studio aficionado ALX-106, with whom she often performs live. (He has also created some video tutorials for Bitwig.)

In this interview, Trovarsi shares how she created a system that supports spontaneity and precision, and she offers a detailed look into her current workflow and how Bitwig Studio helps bring it all together. She also reflects on the importance of building community in electronic music, from founding the Southern California Synth Society to creating inclusive spaces where new artists can connect, learn, and grow.

Let's start with your background. How did you get into music as a fan, as a creator, and as a professional?

Music has always been a part of my life. As a kid, I played violin, then piano, and did some vocal work too. In my teenage years, I worked at a record shop, and that’s where I really started diving into electronic music. This was back in the late ’80s and early ’90s in Madison, Wisconsin, when barn raves were a thing, and you’d call a number to get the location. Sometimes I’d head down to Chicago, and that’s where I truly got introduced to house music.

But my actual journey into production didn’t begin until the early 2000s. I started messing around in GarageBand, then moved over to Logic. Before that, I’d done vocals for other people, and eventually I thought, “I want to learn how to do this myself.” For a long time, I had to juggle my creative drive with a completely different kind of day job. So I’d have these bursts of working on music, and then life would pull me away from it.

When did you start using hardware?

I experimented with DJing for a while, but I never really saw myself as a DJ, even when I was doing it pretty regularly. My ultimate goal was always to play live. So I started incorporating drum machines, synths, and eventually fell deep into the Eurorack rabbit hole. That’s when everything shifted for me. I played hybrid sets for a bit, but ultimately decided to fully commit to live performance and step away from DJing altogether. A friend warned me, “You know this might mean fewer gigs,” but I was like, “I’m doing this for me.” For me, it wasn’t about chasing gigs — it was about creating something authentic, something that came from the heart.

What drew you to playing live over DJing?

I think it really stems from my background with more “traditional” instruments like violin and piano. When you bring out your rack or drum machines, you’re physically playing the instrument. That’s what drew me in: the immediacy of it, the ability to shape and design sound in real time. It just felt more alive and expressive to me than DJing ever did.

What were some of the first pieces of gear that you bought?

One of the first pieces I got was the microKORG – the one with the vocoder. I also had a TR-8 and an Analog Four early on, plus some of those little Korg Nano controllers. Those were my starting points. Part of the fun with hardware is the constant cycle of buying, selling, and trading gear — I've done a lot of that over the years. I still do! It’s all part of the journey.

Buying and selling music equipment helps people develop their taste in gear and figure out what works for them. How did you find your way through that process? What do you look for in new modules or new gear?

Buying and selling gear has definitely helped shape my taste. It’s how I figured out what actually works for me. I’ve gone through a lot of modules and machines, especially sequencers. The three that really stuck are the Vector Sequencer by Five12, the OXI One, and the Metron by WMD. They each have overlapping features, but also standout elements that made me gravitate toward them.

With the OXI, I love how easy it is to randomize and evolve a sequence on the fly — it’s super intuitive, and the visual feedback is really clear, which is a big plus for me. The Metron is my go-to for drum sequencing. I love how easy it is to create fills and variations within a pattern — it’s perfect for building tension or breaking things down in a live set. And then there’s the Vector, which I use mostly for melodic sequencing. I get that immediate visual feedback — seeing the exact notes and the key I’m working in — so if I want to make a quick change, I’m not guessing or backtracking.

Depending on the type of show I’m doing, I’ll choose one over the others — or sometimes use a combination. It all comes down to what kind of control and flexibility I need at the moment.

What type of show calls for which type of sequencer?

It really depends on the vibe and format of the show. For example, I recently performed at an event in LA called Switched-On Cinema with Marie Nyx. Composers pick a film and score it live while the movie plays with subtitles. For that performance, I needed something that gave me the flexibility to change notes on the fly, depending on the emotion or pacing of a scene. The Vector is perfect for that kind of dynamic, reactive playing.

On the other hand, if I’m doing a techno set, I’ll usually pair the Metron for drums with the OXI for melodic parts. The Metron is super solid for driving rhythms and layering in fills and variations. And the OXI is great for improvisation—it makes it easy to adjust sequence lengths, quickly randomize, or shift patterns in the moment. That kind of fluidity is really important for live club sets where I want to keep things evolving and unpredictable.

What are you currently using?

Right now, I’m using two Digitakt IIs. I sample drums from my Eurorack into the Digitakts and build out the core drum elements from there. It frees up room in the rack and gives me more control over the mix.

My Eurorack case is 104hp, 6U. That sounds like a lot, but once you start dropping modules in, it fills up fast, so I try to be intentional with the voices I bring. I gravitate toward modules that have built-in envelopes or can play multiple roles. For example, I’ll use my 303 voice as a bassline sometimes, but other times I’ll flip it and use it as a lead.

What's your general workflow for live performances or recording?

I’ll write different patterns using the voices in my setup. I keep a few empty presets ready so I can write new material on the fly during a set. I never use song mode — I always say, “I am the song mode.”

I use Bitwig as a hub for mixing and for building out my FX. If I’m using a DJ mixer, Bitwig lets me avoid hauling extra hardware just for FX — I can set up send effects as chains on a track and run the modular through them. That gives me access to a variety of digital reverbs, delays, and other effects without needing to dedicate another 6U or 12U just to processing. Plus, Bitwig helps me tighten up the overall mix with compression and limiting, which is a huge advantage for live sets.

What convinced you to try Bitwig Studio in the first place?

What initially drew me to Bitwig Studio was The Grid, the CV capabilities, and the modulation system — they’re incredibly flexible and creative tools. But honestly, a big part of it was also the interface. I’m very visual, so the look and layout of the GUI really matters to me. Even small details, like having clearly labeled Send knobs, make a huge difference. I need to be able to glance at the screen and know exactly what’s going on without second-guessing things like “What’s Send D again?”

The first time I really dove into Bitwig was when I was working with the Metron sequencer, which doesn’t have MIDI. I wanted to sequence drums and strange percussive sounds by sending CV into Bitwig, and it was super easy to set that up. That kind of workflow flexibility is huge for me.

When I perform with Alex (ALX-106), we both use Bitwig to handle mixing and clocking. The syncing is amazing — we just connect our laptops via Ethernet, and everything locks perfectly.

You're also very active in the community of music tech. For example, you founded the Southern California Synth Society. What's that?

In 2017, it all started pretty casually — I was hanging out with a friend, and we started soldering gear together. Then we began inviting a few more people to join us, and before long we thought, “You know, we should make this a real thing.” That’s how the Southern California Synth Society was born.

Today, we’ve grown to about 250 members, with a lot of folks joining in remotely. During the pandemic, we started doing livestreams to stay connected, and now we regularly host performances and special events, like our annual gathering during NAMM Show. We also do community events like soldering days, which are always a good time.

All of our events are free, and everything is volunteer-based, from the performers to the venues. We’ve kept it that way on purpose because it’s always been about building community, not about making money. It’s really about bringing people together around a shared love of synths, sound, and creativity.

Not everyone who becomes interested in music production or who makes music becomes interested in the community of music technology. Why is it important to you to be involved in this way?

For me, it’s always felt essential. Eurorack especially can be really intimidating if you’re new to it. I remember when I was just starting out, I went to the Noise Engineering booth at NAMM, and they walked me through a patch. I realized that people in this space are actually really kind and generous. It’s all about sharing information.

Back then, there weren’t many accessible entry points into hardware or modular. Most of what I found online were these super advanced videos of complex patches. But there wasn’t a lot out there for beginners or people in that intermediate space who just needed a starting point and someone to talk to. I really believe that the more you teach, the more you understand yourself. It’s a way of paying it forward, and that’s something I live by. So creating spaces to hang out, learn from each other, and grow together just came naturally.

Inclusivity has always been at the heart of it — not just in terms of gender, but also in how people choose to make music. Whether you're using a laptop, drum machines, pedals, or a full modular rig, it all counts. It’s about expression, not gatekeeping. Honestly, without the support and connection of this community, I wouldn't have the foundation I have today.

And now, I really want to help create that foundation for the next wave of artists and makers — especially those who might feel like they don’t fit into the traditional mold. If someone can come to a meetup, a livestream, or even just watch a demo and feel like “Yeah, I belong here,” then I’ve done my job. That’s the kind of energy I want to keep putting out into the world.

Photos by Joanna Bautista.