We were lucky to catch up with Or Lubianiker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Or, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I think the short answer is: I took music very seriously from a very young age, but I never treated it like a “hobby.” I put in thousands of hours with the bass because I was genuinely obsessed—not just with playing well, but with understanding the intricacies of music, tone, and how musicians connect with sound. That led to some incredible opportunities over the years, touring and recording with artists like Marty Friedman, Noa, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Gus G, Frank Gambale, and John Browne.

But behind the scenes, I was always thinking like a product person. I didn’t just want to play—I wanted to know how everything works! Pedals, basses, software and anything in between. I even had a bass custom built from scratch just so I could attend all the build sessions and document every bit of the process.
So when the chance came to develop a line of bass plugins at Waves Audio, formed around my personal style and sound, I dove in. I worked on intelligent samplers, dozens of plugins, hardware for musicians and eventually co-founded Modalics, where we’ve released a range of tools designed for forward-thinking musicians.

I’ve always kept my finger on the pulse of what musicians are exploring, especially those pushing technical and creative boundaries—and moving into music-tech felt like a natural extension of that.

At the end of the day, most musicians are entrepreneurs at heart. You have to create something from nothing, believe in it before anyone else does, and keep going even when it’s tough. For me, it took a mix of blind faith, a lot of confidence, and a willingness to invest time—sometimes doing unrelated work—just to give myself the space to keep growing in music. It’s not always easy, but it’s been worth it every step of the way.

Another thing that’s been incredibly helpful for me is surrounding myself with outliers—people who are already far ahead on the path I want to be on. It’s one thing to be inspired from a distance, but when you regularly spend time with people who are actually living the kind of life you’re aiming for, it makes everything feel more tangible and attainable. You see the work behind the scenes, the mindset, the habits—and it pushes you to level up without it feeling abstract.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in central Israel without any real sense of what was possible in music, or even that music could be a career. I was a curious kid who didn’t quite fit into traditional systems like school or organized sports. What did click for me were things I could explore on my own, and playing music, especially the bass, was the ultimate example of that. It was something I could dive into, obsess over, and shape with my own hands.

Looking back, there were a few key moments that nudged me along the path, but more than anything, it was an unwavering belief that if I just kept doing the work, something would happen. I played in countless dead-end bands, said yes to every gig regardless of the terms, and made sure that when I did get to play, people remembered it. Maybe I was a bit cocky early on, and I probably overplayed and annoyed a few bandleaders along the way, but no one talked during my bass solos.

That obsession with music opened up doors I couldn’t have imagined: touring the world, collaborating with incredible artists like Marty Friedman, Noa, Yossi Sassi, Bumblefoot, Gus G, Frank Gambale, and John Browne, and performing for audiences in the hundreds of thousands over the years. It also taught me a lot about myself. When you’re deeply committed to something, it shows. That authenticity becomes your signal, and it helps people find you.

Musically, I think of myself as a resourceful rock and metal bassist who happened to spend enough time around musical geniuses that some of it rubbed off. I learned what I needed to survive rehearsals with advanced players and I made sure to keep evolving. I might not be conservatory-trained, but I take pride in how far my ear, instinct, and obsession have taken me.

That same drive eventually led me into music tech. It started when I was working closely with my longtime collaborator Eyal Amir in our band Project RnL. Eyal had already been in touch with Amir Vinci, the head of product at Waves Audio at the time, and when a unique collaboration opportunity came up, Amir, who was already a fan of our work, invited us to pitch an idea. Eyal believed I would be a great fit for a long-term, hands-on role in a music-tech project, a space he was already experienced in. That moment turned out to be a major turning point for me.

Together, we developed two groundbreaking sampler plugins for Waves, centered around a fresh, musical approach to sampling. During my time there, I wasn’t fluent in C++, but I had a growing understanding of how coding, design, and the product lifecycle fit together. I learned rapidly by doing, and I became increasingly involved in the process of bringing products from concept to reality.

Eventually, I had the chance to lead the vision and development of products more independently, including innovative hardware projects that pushed boundaries and deepened my understanding of the tools musicians need and the challenges they face.

All of this led to what I’m most proud of: co-founding Modalics. This company represents the full arc of my musical and technical journey. Modalics is where Eyal and I bring our shared identity as musicians and creators into a focused brand. We build expressive, often unconventional tools that reimagine how composition and rhythm can be approached, all through vibrant and intuitive interfaces. From day one, we treated the company like an album or a big show. For the first year, it was just dreaming and building in our own creative bubble, trying to shape something meaningful that could connect with others.

What I hope people take away from my story is that everything I’ve done, whether on stage or in the studio or behind a computer, has been powered by curiosity, hard work, and a lot of faith. Musicians are natural entrepreneurs. We build things from scratch, push through setbacks, and constantly evolve. That mindset is what carried me through this journey, and it’s what drives Modalics forward today.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Honestly, just give people a chance. It’s easy to get jaded or overstimulated these days, but when you come across an artist doing something real and meaningful, take a moment to let them know. Buy their music, share their work, support them however you can. You never know what kind of butterfly effect that encouragement can have. You might end up being the reason someone keeps going—and eventually creates your favorite piece of art.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I don’t know if I had to “unlearn” this – but I used to think that not knowing something is shameful and it’s the reason I missed out on a ton of learning opportunities. Hiding my ignorance wasn’t helping me along, it was a delaying factor in my personal development.

If you’re in an enviroment that punishes you for saying “I don’t know” – you’re in the wrong place. Unless you’re a doctor during surgery or something… you shouldn’t say that then.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.modalics.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orlubianiker
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orlubianiker
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/or-lubianiker-24337854/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ruleofthump
• Other: Look for my album “No Need to Abort” on Spotify if you like wild metal music.