Well I have created a patch that does some of the features of this. You will need to supply your own samples for the Voxglitch Repeater. So here it is:
Data bender maybe.vcv (43.7 KB)
I don’t have Unfiltered Vol 1. or Hora Processors to load this, but even then, part of the point of DataBender is that it operates on live input instead of needing to act on samples. I could also load a glitch effect VST though host, but that’s also a bit clunky.
i could be wrong about this, but it seems like a lot of what data bender does can mostly be imitated from existing modules. from what i understand, it’s pretty much a multieffects box where there’s “cd skip” type looping/stuttter effect, pitch drift effect like tape, analog like distortion, and digital aliasing distortion. skipping/stutter effects can be imitated with the rj modules stutter module, wrong people tourette, as well as clouds or one of the similar live granular effects modules in freeze mode with an lfo quickly sweeping the position. wow and flutter type effects can be done with pitch shift, and analog-ish distortion can be done with various modules. the one thing that is more unique to it is the digiital alias type distortion, you can get somewhat close to that by using cf’s buffer module, but that’s not quite the same. Or you could just overload vcv’s cpu usage, but then you’d have to record externally with audacity or whatever, because the vcv recorder doesn’t pick up audio stutter from cpu overload. Also, i don’t have the unfiltered plugins, but glitch shifter from unfiltered vol. 1 seems somewhat similar.
I think something like data bender is much more useful in hardware where you have size and cost constraints, so it’s great to have something that does multiple things well, but in vcv, you can get a similar set of effects by combining different modules, besides maybe the digital alias distortion, which might not have a current equivalent in vcv.
1 Like
Hello again, here is another patch with only free modules based on aliasup advice. There is also a Bogaudio Matrix 8x8, so you choose which combinations of fx you desire. Hope this meets your requirements:
Data bender maybe mkii +matrix.vcv (45.7 KB)
Happy sound mangling!
Audio I created with the patch:
Stream Data Bender Maybe Mkii +matrix 2 by Adrian Bottomley | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
1 Like
This is actually pretty good, and gets to a lot of similar sounds. Unfortunately, I think the Data bender being compact and self contained (contrary to what @aliasup said) does still make a big difference in VCV, not just hardware. Part of the idea being that you can toy with a lot of mangling options quickly and with a clean interface that encourages exploration. What you’ve made, while cool, has the main source’s input routed to multiple places and is a bit of a spaghetti mess. Having it contained in a clean interface does matter.
Clouds and Beads I think show this in a way too- that mix of pitch shifting, reverb, delay, granular fun could be split into multiple things relatively easily, and provide more control in doing so- sometimes that flexablity isn’t what you want or need though.
2 Likes
Technically this is not a Eurorack module, but it would be cool to have:
SOURCE is an open-source music sampler powered by Freesound’s collection of 500k Creative Commons sounds contributed by a community of thousands of people around the world. SOURCE is a sampler that does not sample . Instead, it provides different ways to load sounds from Freesound and instantly generate new sound palettes to enrich the creative process and bring an endless SOURCE of inspiration.
Another cool module, though might be redundant in VCV:
1 Like
not the same thing, but have your tried my SFZ Player? It will play a lot of free samples.
I have tried your modules though not SFZ, since I use VCV Host. The key thing (about SOURCE) is it lets you find/search for free samples vs having to download them first
yeah, not the same. btw, the latency of SFZ Player in only one sample (like most VCV modules), whereas host is a little more to a lot more, depending on how you set it, which is fine for a lot of things…
Enlighten me : let’s say I use something like Pianoteq in Host, and I set the latency to 256 samples. Doesn’t that add 256 samples to the entire patch, so that Host will be synced with the rest of the modules, or does it drift away from the rest on its own?
No, there’s not latency compensation in VCV like in most DAWs.
Additionally, every cable adds one sample delay.
But in most cases this will not be audible.
Ok thanks. I’m guessing there’s a good technical reason for Rack not to have latency compensation?
there is. latency compensation is essentially delaying everything to the time of the slowest plugin. For a DAW doing playback, this is not really that noticeable. If VCV did that, it would no longer be any where near real-time
2 Likes
Ok, last question (because I don’t want to derail off topic any more than I did) : in my DAW, if I set the buffer size to 2048, I will notice a latency when playing live instruments, but other than that, it doesn’t bother me. Even then, it sucks when I play the guitar, but if I’m playing a synth pad with slow envelopes, it doesn’t matter to me if the notes lag a tiny bit.
Let’s say the latency in Rack makes it so, for example, when I modulate the filter frequency, it lags behind. Again, to me, that’s not a big problem because a) the lag is never too long and b) I don’t think instant return is a crucial element to generative type of stuff which is what I’m often doing.
So basically, the real time element isn’t vital to me, I can live with a little sample delay.
What I did notice in Rack, though, is that if I set the buffer size high enough, things get jittery, some sequence steps lag behind or simply don’t play etc.
My question is… uh… I forgot 
I’ll start a latency thread somewhere… a couple of things - the delay of host is usually shorter than the overall audio buffer delay. In any case it is independent. other thing: yes, if the latency is not constant it will be “jittery”, which “feels” much worse than a constant delay. Most DAWS I am familiar with have jittery delay, but I don’t know how VCV schedules work. I wouldn’t expect a jittery delay to translate to missed sequence notes. Lastly the obligatory “when you are 10 feet from a guitar amp you are hearing about 10 ms. of delay and you don’t notice it at all” (but there is no jitter).
1 Like
Yes, it makes feedback loops quite easy and natural. Softube Modular and Cherry Audio Modular work the same way.
On the other hand, Pure Data and Bitwig Grid use latency compensation. But if you want to introduce a feedback loop in these systems, you have to add a delay manually (I think the same goes for Max/MSP).
I find ADDAC has some nifty stuff that isn’t represented in VCV. I’d start a crowdfund for them if I knew a programmer or two.
I know someone will hate me for saying this but I’d want to see some Cwejman on there, if only to say “yeah guys it’s overrated let’s stop screaming like kids for them on Reverb”. I’d also start crowdfunds but it’s gonna net a bad idea in the end.
Some projects I’ve seen on the wild from Andrew are the rest of the Befaco line (saw some Muxlicer photos back in the day) and about 11 Malekko modules. I’d kill for a Varigate 8+ but that was like a year or more ago, it ain’t gonna happen.
2 Likes
I own a heuristic rhythm generator and it’s awesome. It is the inspiration behind the Quad Algorithmic Rhythm generator , although these days the QAR is far more powerful
3 Likes
I have to admit I don’t know much about these modules, but off-hand my impression is that rack already does have (free) modules that do most of these things. I’m sure there are differences, but (for example) there are a lot of clocks and filters already, aren’t there?
From my understanding, cwejman is kind of relic of a time where eurorack was only extremely high end gear. So I guess the hype is a mix of actual quality and symbolic legend.
2 Likes