That is a lot of food for thought. Thank you! I am definitely interested in waveguides for generating sounds. I would love to create models that can produce a wide variety of interesting and realistic sounds.
Haha.
Yeah, there’s huge potential in Digital Waveguides. So underrated. It’s like Additive and/or FM/PM synthesis. Mostly unloved due to their immense flexibility and thus their inherent complexity and time consuming ‘programming’. But even relatively simple implementations can be very usefull.
The subject of Digital Waveguides (and much more on sound and DSP) has been deeply researched by Julius O. Smith III (et al) at CCRMA at Stanford University. Much of this research is published in great detail, free of charge. Some of it may be licenced or even patented.
The VCV Rack Development guide on DSP at
also points to his homepage and work at CCMRA Stanford
Julius Orion Smith III
Professor Emeritus
Music and by courtesy Electrical Engineering
CCRMA Home Page
JOS Home Page
Global JOS Index
JOS-Hosted On-Line Publications
Taxonomy of Digital Synthesis Techniques
And CCRMA Stanford and Julius O. Smith are not the only ones researching and publishing great stuff…
Anyway…
Maybe just start with the basics of a small (1 x 1, 2 x 2…max 8 x 8) 2D Waveguide Mesh and its variables and configurations. Waveguides are computionally very efficient (in terms of Physical Modelling) but nonetheless, the computational resources needed can soon multiply (exponentially) with size and complexity of the mesh.
Physical Modeling with the 2-D Digital Waveguide Mesh
Recently I (re)tried my luck at plugin development. I actually did set up a VCV Development environment on my machine and messed with some code. The main trigger to do this was because as of last November (2022) AI (Large Language Models, notably ChatGPT at that time) seemed to be able to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and c++ coding skills…
I have been messing with the internals of some existing Modal/Waveguide plugins (e.g. NOI Sinesis, Sckitam WaveguideDelay, docB MVerb, Frequency Domain Dance This Mesh Around and such). But I just lack the technical skills (and time to invest) to realize my ideas (GUI and internals). Currently I can’t even adapt and combine existing modules/code with the help of AI LLM’s and resources on the Wild Wild Web towards something fundamentally adding something to what already exists…
Altough, about AI/LLM’s and developing/coding
The current AI’s/LLM’s are a lot more plentiful and powerful then a year or even months ago and are still making progress at exponential (and alarming) rates. They are not only becoming evermore helpful as a knowledge base and code generator (and verifier/optimizer). They are also more and more able to (cross) translate from/to other languages (both human spoken and programming languages). Thus opening up knowledge and projects in other languages then your own and c++.
Maybe I will give it another try later…by just using AI, Natural Language Processing (NLP)/LLM prompts and other modes. And just explain what i want and sketching GUI’s and have an AI generate the code. And use Voice Recognition/Processing modes to complain in realtime about unexpected results…
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Having more fun with my new chaotic oscillator modules Frolic and Glee.
I approached this as a fixed-rack performance: first I made the rack without knowing what it’s like to perform it. Then I saved the file and decided I’m only going to perform the patch, not change it. From now on, I must learn the rack as an instrument, for better or worse, and perform it as its own type of instrument, on its own terms.
The inspiration for this game was something I once read: “Constraints enhance creativity.” When your scope is limited and there are fewer variables for you to deal with, you have an opportunity to experience a creative flow with very fun results.
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Another fixed rack design, this time focused on fun rhythms.
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So true. Constraints promote creativity. Constraints force you to get the most out of what you got. Also teaches you to look at stuff from the perspective of basic properties and behaviours to exploit those to the max. Instead of just working with dedicated tools and using stuff for what it is intended for.
Below, an extreme example of this ‘constraint’ concept by Jakub Ciupinski, who built a complete complex patch out of one single module: the stock VCV VCF.
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I like your disciplined approach to explore what you can do with a single fixed rack. I know Omri Cohen, among others, recommends that approach. I’ve only done that with two patches, both being emulations of hardware: My Benjolin patch(es) and Subharmonicon patch(es). Both are definitely fun instruments on their own.
Your recent posts inspired me to explore Sapphire again. This video uses Frolic and Glee as the sole sources of both CV modulation and audio (with some help of Tube Unit, Venom modules, and Squinky F2 filter).
I don’t think I have ever created a satisfying patch without having some preconceived constraints, or fundamental concept that I want to explore. I think this is my most Draconian self imposed patch constraint to date - use nothing but AirWindows for VCP challenge #75. I ended up using 81 instances, nearly half of which are used to construct a 4 channel mixer with a pair of aux sends/returns.
But lately I am more interested on seeing what can be done with a limited number of modules (limiting both type and quantity), much like Don’s recent patches.
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I’ve been busy working on a new VCV Rack module called Sapphire Nucleus. Here is a sneak preview. You can tell I haven’t even finished the panel design artwork yet. But I wanted to share this because I’m excited by the wacky sounds I get out of Nucleus with very little coaxing!
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Oh yes! Based on that preview, I think you have a winner - to my ears the best sound generator you have created so far.
I think it would pair beautifully with my Benjolin.
Or a live duet jam could be cool - You playing the nucleus, and me a Benjolin. I think the audience would perceive distinct instruments, yet also sense us responding to each other.
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the low droney tones from 7:30-11:00 are wild and the warped percussion after is just too fun
superb work, love this preview, the plugin is exploding, almost literally!!
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Super trivial ask but is there any chance we might get a light grey and or dark module scheme?
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I would be open to adding multiple color schemes in a future release, after I have stabilized the design of Nucleus. That will be a plugin-wide refactoring job that will require a release cycle of its own.
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Oh man, that would be a blast! I’m definitely looking forward to crafting two or three minimalist “fixed rack” patches centered on the Nucleus. I can imagine playing one of these hypothetical patches as an instrument to accompany a jam session!
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Here’s another drone session I recorded tonight:
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I’m starting to learn more about the construction of ambient sound textures. Here is a demo of something I learned recently: feeding a series of notes through deep and 100% wet reverb can create an ethereal choir synth pad.
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If you have the premium VCV Host plugin, then by all means get the free Valhalla Super Massive reverb/delay plugin and load it into Host-FX. It is amazing for ambient patches. My favorite go-to setting is the SFX->Nebulae->Planetarium preset.
If you don’t have Host yet, then I think Super Massive is all the reason you need to get it!
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This recording is intended as a contemplative meditation soundtrack. It uses a pair of my upcoming Sapphire Nucleus modules as a bell and gong. Om Shanti Om!
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That looks nice!
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I’m really excited for this module Don. Can’t wait!
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