Wow! Thanks Lars. I couldn’t ask for a better response.
I submitted both of these videos/patches to the recent VCV reddit community built in Challenge, where you were restricted to using only free VCV branded modules.
This first one is something I prepared more than 1 year ago, but never submitted anywhere. It stems from an experiment I ran to create a self panning note by using two slightly detuned sine waves. On the left I use both sine waves unmodified. In the right I invert one of the sine waves to make a cosine wave. The pairs on each side constantly go in and out of phase, causing alternating constructive / deconstructive interference. But because one side uses sine and the other cosine, the left and right alternate between which side is sounding at any given time, resulting in a panning effect. I then ran with the idea and created two virtual wind chimes of six notes each, a couple octaves apart. For the final submission I greatly simplified my patch by using some of the newer VCV modules that weren’t available when I first created it.
This 2nd patch is a reworking of one of my more complex patches that stemmed from my “Fundamental Constructs” project. The original used Valley Plateau and VCV Drums, both of which violated the challenge rules. So I substituted VCV Delay for the reverb, and built VCV Free module constructs for 2 toms, a rim shot, open and closed hi hat (with choke), a ride cymbal, and two crash symbals. I’m very happy with how the ride and crash cymbals turned out.
5 Likes
Really nice patch Dave!
1 Like
I see you are using a bitcoin mine to run rack! This patch is massive.
I just saw that scanner-darkly will soon be releasing a new version of Orca’s Heart plus friends.
I remember reading a number of posts speaking lovingly about Orca’s Heart when I first started my VCV Rack journey three years ago. But at that time I hardly knew anything about modular patching, and I was reluctant to try anything that I didn’t understand.
Well, after reading scanner-darkly’s post, I finally tried the original Orca’s Heart, and I really like it! I threw this simple patch together in no time, using just VCV and Venom modules, with Orca’s Heart providing all the sequencing and almost all the modulation. For those that don’t have VCV Pro, you can substitute Valley Plateau for the reverb easily enough. I didn’t spend any time trying to sync the scale change with the sequence, and decided to just post what I have anyway.
Orca’s Heart First Patch.vcv (3.2 KB)
I have so much more to explore with Orca’s Heart, yet now I am eager to try the new version!
6 Likes
lovely, thanks for posting it!
Trying out the new (as yet unreleased) Rotini module from Sapphire. It computes the cross product of two vectors. More info at Don Cross / CosineKitty / Sapphire - #144 by DaveVenom
Sapphire Rotini in the Crystal Palace.vcv (4.8 KB)
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Here is a quick little patch featuring a new version of VCO Lab with new shaping options for sine, triangle, and saw waveforms. It should be available in Venom version 2.9 within a few weeks.
The sound is composed entirely from a heavily modulated sine wave with a bit of reverb added - that is it.
VCO Lab Dynamic Rumbling Drone.
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I am almost ready to release Venom 2.9
Here is a demo of new expanders for the Venom Benjolin Oscillator. The Gates expander uses logic to create different gate patterns out of the Rungler shift register bits. The Volts expander uses configurable digital to analog conversion to create stepped CV out of the Rungler shift register bits.
For this patch I use the expanders to create a 4 part autogenerative sequence that is played by the VCO Lab.
The VCO Lab has also been enhanced with new shaping options for the sine, triangle, and saw waves. In this case I use normalized rectification of the sine wave - the waveform is continuously scaled to maintain an approximate 10 V peak to peak wave form as the rectification offset moves.
I add a bit of reverb, but no other effects - not even a filter. I am really enjoying additive synthesis.
12 Likes
Great stuff Dave!
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Thanks Lars.
The Volts and Gates expanders are heavily inspired from the Volts and Pulses expanders from After Later Audio that work with both their Benjolin and Turing Machine modules.
I hadn’t seen anyone use either expander with the Benjolin, so I had no idea what to expect. I am really happy with the result!
This simple patch was my very first attempt to use the expanders, and it took all of 15 minutes to set up. I was shocked how beautiful the patch sounds - constantly shifting, but always in the pocket. The new VCO Lab shaping options help as well.
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I was recently in Ireland with my wife for our 35th anniversary, and I came up with this when I got sick and was stuck in the B&B for a day. I do enjoy minimalist patches every now and then. The non-octave-repeating scale folds at 13 semitones instead of an octave, which I think adds a lot of interest. The Sapphire Lark is a really nice polyphonic chaotic CV source, and VCO Lab is a sonic playground.
This patch was recorded with a new version 2.11.1 of the Venom plugin with improved sound for the VCO saw and square waveforms. It has not yet hit the library. Not sure if it makes a noticeable difference, but v2.11.1 can be downloaded at Release Release v2.11.1 · DaveBenham/VenomModules · GitHub
Also, I am using the Galactic3 ambient reverb effect in the AirWindows, which is currently not in the library version of AirWindows. You can get it in the nightly build at Release Nightly · baconpaul/airwin2rack · GitHub
Lark Song
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I have been concentrating on programming for quite a while now, with most of my patches done mostly for testing or demoing my plugin. Not the best for the soul, and I am feeling the itch to start producing more music again.
I will start with a series of drone patches that feature various Venom modules and techniques. Here is the first one, featuring VCO Unit and Reformation.
I’ve been playing along with some of my flutes, and it feels good! I hope to get a recording with flute, perhaps at an open mic, or virtual open mic. I’ve gone too long without getting out in the world and performing. With this patch I will probably simplify and get rid of the octave changes and some of the modulation to make the drone evolution more subtle, giving more room for the flute.
6 Likes