Although the VCV Rack modules are so plentiful I’ve been considering building a full scope 124 HP 3 row +1u row eurorack in a Pittsburgh Modular eurorack case. I want The eurorack analog modules I have in mind as a potential build as an alternative to VCV Rack are the following oscillators.
1 - a Xaoc Devices Odessa for pads/meditative sounds/noodling/fx/etc
2 - a Verbos Complex Oscillator for drones/meditative sounds/noodling/fx/etc
3 - a Synthesis Technology 352 Cloud Terrarium for drones/meditative sounds/pads/soundscapes/textures/etc
4 - a set of 4 AJH Mini Mod Minimoog style oscillators for moog sequencing
I wanted to use Xaoc Devices Zadar digital 4 channel envelopes with the required VCA’s for each oscillator and use digital interfacing for all the cv and gates to link directly to Ableton Live. The build would take me all of 2024 to acquire but I can buy module by module and tend to buy sales items for a very fair price. Originally I was all software & plugin based.
Is there a good alternative set of modules to the ones I listed in the current VCV Rack 2 Pro? Can VCV Rack or plugins & software touch my concept rig in richness and fidelity and creativity? Please look in depth for me at this.
It sounds like an ambitious goal. Good luck with it!
I do not want to discourage you, but warn you for the misconception that gear (or software) are granting you a better performance. I believe everyone falls into this trap at least once in their life, believing 1+1 will add up to 11. But a lot of times it prooves to be very counterproductive and will obscure your workflow or creative process.
No hardware or software are going to improve your creativity. Sure they can streamline a workflow, but that is not the same as creativity.
If you will follow this plan, and buy module for module, take your time and buy your next module only after you have “fully” grasped the former. This will take you maybe even longer then one year. And it will guide you better in the end I believe. VCV is a great tool for discovering how a module (or the synthesis techniques it uses) is working, giving you a as deep as you want insight in its workings. I would advice to build some of the above modules with basic VCV building blocks, so you demystify the “black box illusion” some of the bigger, complex modules give. There is no magic. Just a deep understanding and a imaginative mindset.
If you really want hardware and that experience you will never get the hands on vibe completely from VCV. I don’t think most users would defend VCV as a hardware alternative. In fact I have come to see it as its own thing with deep roots in Eurorack. Hardware is awesome, VCV is awesome.
I’m really not rich I know that the rich have no limit to the spending per day or week. Think of this concept things like the Moog One costs over $7000 for 8 voice polyphony and a digital/analog full keyboard and offers way less than the rig I have in mind in options. Not only that but if you buy a module each month or so it’s like a much cheaper monthly investment than doing something like getting 2 classic analog keyboards like a Prophet for instance in addition. I was just hoping someone could explain better if it’s worth saving for analog gear for me. I already have lot’s of plugins and software I collected over the last 20 years or so that I always love to keep up to the times with.
The weakest link I think in the concept rig components I listed is the Verbos oscillator I think but who knows. I love the Mutable Instruments stuff in VCV and a lot of the cv/sequencing stuff the most so far. The type of cool stuff you can do linking the gates and cv to analog it’s sweet but I just wanted positive or negative critique on my concept rig compared to the whole shebang from VCV Rack.
The Chebyshev? What is the brand and name of that one in VCV? I didn’t like the Cherry Audio Chebyshev at all but I find Voltage Modular by Cherry very satisfying because since I bought it they kept releasing lot’s of good new things for it. + The interface is one of the best in the industry in modular. Oh yeah I remember dBiz makes a wonderful Verbos similar Harmonic Oscillator. My life is going real bad but my music habits are fundamentally advanced fun and friggin MENTAL!
Cover to my new funny haha music. Real fun stuff that’s kooky and clever. I always collect images for my ID3 tags. So far noones answered about the rig. 4 song IDM album.
I find that Chebyshev II module way less elegant than the Verbos Harmonic Oscillator or things like the Xaoc Devices Odessa. The SquinkyLabs looks cheap but I don’t judge a book by it’s cover it’s just that almost noone really uses the plugins in the creative meditative soundscape new age and fantasy industry.
I realize oh come on no industry people use the plugins I use except for in the film industry and tv industry and when I think about it it’s all this standard although hi fidelity stuff like Spitfire Audio and Omnisphere and East West etc in the orchestral realm mostly. I don’t do orchestral.
I don’t really agree with this. After getting a physical rack I’ve been more creative and making more music than I have in years. The tactile nature of it is no comparison to software, even when using controllers, and it makes a huge difference to me. I’m not sure what you mean by ‘better performance’ but I am able to perform better with my hardware and I am more inclined to try performing with it.
VCV is wonderful but if someone is interested in getting hardware and can afford it then I would fully encourage it.
I have a history with the wonderful Reason software VAZ Modular Reaktor and the Nord Modulars that I long ago started with. It’s mind numbing for me to try conquer over 3000 very useful modules as opposed to a one config master rig.
I think that the only issue I face with your concept of trying individual hardware modules is that the rack unit case is massive enough to be an annoyance unless I get one of the cool what’s it called the intellijel or other similar cases initially for stuff but then the intellijel has to be resold or scrapped. I am VCV phobic actually because 3000 modules is too much.
What hardware do you use? I like some of the module demo’s on Youtube that I heard and State Azure uses tons of amazing modules for wonderful soundscapes including ones I want to consider getting. The fidelity is poor on most of the reviews and demo’s for eurorack modules I heard that are on Youtube for some reason except for State Azures mostly.
I own an Arturia Microfreak and a DSI Evolver. When I tried the Evolver the presets were scrambled and I really wasn’t impressed. I had in mind to use the Soma Instruments Terra with those. I don’t like them much. Resale ones. The Terra is TBD. It seems real neat.
I agree with you that hardware can improve immediacy etc and that it can spark inspiration and therefore creativity. But I did not try to discourage the OP into working with hardware instead of software. I just wanted to warn for buying 4 very deep modules too quickly -where starting slowly and building/developing from there, could be way more fruitful.
So in hardware (also because it is way more expensive) this means not buying too much modules at once.
In software (like VCV) it means restricting yourself to a set of modules. Once you learn them, you could expand if needed or desired.
Don’t download all 3000 modules. You don’t need them all.
Try to work with a fixed set and build from there. Like having an actual rack.
There are already some threads where people advice which sets are good to work with.
Or you could watch videos on Youtube of successful combinations of modules.
I can see that it would be wise to try before I decide whether to go big on the rig I think. Odessa and ES-9 could do real nice in an Intellijel rack I think. I learned about the Xaoc Devices and Verbos Electronics etc. through State Azures vids. I never thought I would master music like him without extreme dedication and all his assortments of modules. For me gas, inspiration and total dedication can go far.
I won’t be healthy enough to load the whole State Azure trove in a 15 year period I know. My mind is going hal. That’s the ticket to a paradise parade! Plus my net is colocated. They just wanted more parades.
Cover to my new funny haha music. Real fun stuff that’s kooky and clever. I always collect images for my ID3 tags. So far noones answered about the rig. 4 song IDM album.