Introducing Vector Modular: Free, Open Source, Focused

Announcements
1

Introducing Vector Modular: Free, Open Source, Focused

Vector Modular is excited to debut in the VCV Rack community, presenting four new modules designed to amplify your creativity and sonic exploration.

Best of all, these modules are free and open-source!

Initial Available Modules:

Click here for Vector Modular on the VCV Library

baseOsc panel

baseOsc

Versatile oscillator with analog waveforms, FM, PWM, wavetable synthesis, regular and digital noise, quantization, LFO mode, and bit reduction.

Why try?

  • Rich sounds and varied modulation options from the multiple waveform capabilities.
  • Unique noise options, to add texture and experimental sounds to your patches.
  • Precision controls and a built-in quantizer for 19 scales.

Learn more at vectormodular.com/modules/baseOsc

baseTrig panel

baseTrig

Clock-signal generator with tempo control, reset, and rhythmic divisions.

Why try?

  • Easily create intricate rhythms with 14 rhythmic interval outputs.
  • Sync with external clock signals.
  • LED indicator provides real-time tempo monitoring.

Learn more at vectormodular.com/modules/baseTrig

soloMixer panel

soloMixer

Color-coded 3-channel mixer with solo performance control, cascading outputs, and CV offset.

Why try?

  • Per-channel controls and color-coded LEDs offer intuitive feedback.
  • Quickly toggle between two output mixes for performance or comparisons.
  • Cascading outputs facilitate complex signal routing, as well as a default CV offset function.

Learn more at vectormodular.com/modules/soloMixer

3i/9o panel

3i/9o

Flexible multiple that uses normalled connections to connect outputs.

Why try?

  • Easily organize and visualize duplicated signals without clutter.
  • Configurable, via patching, for multiple output options to suit your needs.
  • LED indicators show real-time signal polarity and level.

Learn more at vectormodular.com/modules/3i9o

Join the Vector Modular Community

I’m excited to see VCV Rack users try out these modules and share their feedback!

Your insights will be invaluable in shaping future updates and improvements.

I’m thrilled to embark on this journey of developing and improving modules, as modular synthesis is very dear to me.

One day, I hope to bring the best of these modules to hardware for everyone to enjoy.

For more information, please visit vectormodular.com.

Feel free to contact me directly at steve@vectormodular.com

Happy patching!

currentModules

32 Likes
2

They look and sound fantastic, can’t wait to give them a try.

2 Likes
3

Thank you for the kind words; hope you have fun!

1 Like
4

Amazing this is so cool its time to get heavy and distorted with this thank you !!!

1 Like
5

just a little thing: the toggle buttons on baseOsc are not working properly if I left-click them:
they change function but I’m not aware visually of what they are doing.
if I right-click them and input 1 they give the correct visual feedback

(Rack 2.5.2 on win10)

thank you for your time!

1 Like
6

Beautiful looking modules and I love the idea of using VCV as a testbed for hardware R&D. Excited to see where you take this!

1 Like
7

Thank you, enjoy!

Some tips for getting heavy when I was testing:

  • baseOsc’s bit reduction works great on dirtying up output, with some of my favorite results being on the triangle, sine, and wavetable outputs
    • bit reduction also works in LFO mode which can lead to interesting stepped modulation outputs
  • baseOsc can be self-patched, so this can make FM, PWM, or Index modulation really interesting
  • baseOsc’s CLKN mode from MI Braids is linked to the PW and Index values (and their modulation)
    • playing with these values can take it from noise down to very harsh and digital tones, almost like a pulse wave. really fun to experiment and when I make the overview video I’ll include some specific ideas
  • soloMixer has soft clipping on all 4 channels (each input channel + the final mix)
  • baseTrig can get to 300 BPM via the max value on the knob, but it can go way higher via clock input and/or the tempo modulation
    • I got some crazy results by using 1 or more triggers trigger a sound or sample, then getting the tempo up to audio rate. turned a drum beat to a crazy sound, and then i use tempo modulation input to make it rise and fall, worth experimenting with!
8

Thank you so much for trying them, and for sharing your feedback!

I totally agree that those buttons don’t have clear enough visual feedback. I will make this a priority for the next update (I do not have a strict timeline though, for full transparency)

  • LFO button

    • when you press this, basically in the code it divides the pitched outputs by 100 (not sure how this specifically affects frequency etc, I just found this value “felt” good for the coarse knob in LFO mode)
    • this works for any sample rate, as it is based on the current sample rate
    • When LFO mode is active, the pitch LEDs (above the coarse knob) will be based on the current output voltage, not the current pitch output value like it is when it’s in regular mode
    • I tried to get this to move even when not outputs were plugged in, but it didn’t look right. I think modules run at a lower resolution or something when not actively patched out, which makes a ton of sense in terms of CPU usage of VCV rack as a whole.
    • to test, please try plugging in some outputs then toggling the LFO button. If you are using sine or saw outputs, for example, the leds should match the output signal.
    • I’ll think about how to improve this. Maybe if nothing is plugged in, I’ll just make all of the LEDs turn on, showing that it’s different than the pitch mode

  • FM Mode Lin/Exp toggle

    • totally agree that there is currently no clear way to see what mode you are in
    • this is my bad, as I tend to use this feature on other synths and oscillators purely by sound, not really caring which mode I’m in
    • you can most easily hear the difference by feeding signal into FM, cranking it up, then toggling between the two (I like this for audio-rate FM)
    • I will see if I can fit a LED indicator(s) near it so it is clear which mode it’s in
    • I’m new to coding for VCV rack, so I’m not 100% sure on the context-menu display and how that relates to what’s happening in the module
      • I will learn about this and make it a priority to update it, as will as consider the hover and context menus on all modules going forward

I do plan on making overview videos for each module that kind of explain these features, but I’m not sure when.

thank you again for taking the time to try them out, and for sharing your feedback! It really helps and my goal is to be receptive to feedback and improve where possible

1 Like
9

Thank you so much, I appreciate it!

I am definitely more experienced in coding than hardware currently (love Arduino and custom circuits but haven’t done embedded audio like modules would need), so I figured I would develop and flesh out the ideas where I feel comfortable before moving on to the next stage.

have fun!

1 Like