(strike New) Updated Venom Plugin v2.1.4 now available in the Library!

Thanks so much for the kind words Lars!

I wish. There are two nearly identical pages. The brand page has the correct count. But the plugin page where you can subscribe to the entire plugin still has the incorrect count. I opted to link the plugin page because I want people to be able to subscribe to the plugin, instead of adding individual modules.

Wonderful release thank you !

Rhythm Explorer is going to be tonnes of fun.

With that as a basis I hope Venom has a module inspired by this in its future: VERMONA - meloDICER

It will be fun to send Rhythm Explorer to notes as well as drums.

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It’s only the top count that is wrong on the plugin page, the hidden module is actually not shown. So the count says 9 but only 8 modules are shown. You should probably just write to Andrew and inform him, ref. his announcement today about “hidden”.

Congratulations, @DaveVenom! I’m looking forward to trying out your modules, especially Recurse and Rhythm Explorer. I can’t believe you released all this goodness right out of the gate. It takes me a couple months to release one module at a time, LOL!

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Intriguing idea. I already have a pretty full plate of modules I would like to build. But something like that might be interesting in the future. I need to listen to some demos to see what the results might be like.

Update - I listened/watched some demos - and I like it!

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Great tool! I’m currently exploring it.

Your Harmonic Quantizer is a very convenient way to generate single harmonics.

For some reason in the synthesis domain there is relatively little said and done specifically focusing on “harmonics” / “harmonics series” / “spectral synthesis” / “additive synthesis”. Even though it offers many unique (and interesting/usefull) options.

E.g. it’s great fun to send random (ranges of) harmonics at random amplitudes at random times with random amp envelopes into delays, reverbs and/or resonators to create evolving spectral patterns. Either using single sines or switching/rotating multiple sines (e.g. using polyphony).

As said it also combines great with PM, FM, AM/RM (Phase, Frequency and Amplitude/Ring Modulation). Since these techniques very much depend on integer multiples/ratios to stay within the realm of harmonics.

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I am glad you like it :smiley: I was a bit surprised there wasn’t already a module to assist with generating harmonic (integral multiple) V/Oct CV values. This was a module that I had conceptualized over 1 year ago.

Don’t forget about polyphonic inputs and outputs! One HQ can generate up to 16 harmonics, perhaps all for the same root note, or maybe for different root notes.

Hi Dave, I’m finally getting around to try out your modules and . . . loving them!!

I’m just scratching the surface because they seem crazy deep, and the detailed manual helps a ton.

Thanks so much for all the hard work you’ve put in. Alot of these concepts are exactly what I’ve been looking for. :pray: :bowing_man:

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Oh and I forgot to mention, extremely CPU efficient.

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Wow! Thanks Auret - that is great to hear!

Yeah - I was very pleasantly surprised by the performance, yet I don’t feel like I did any special programming to optimize performance.

One time that I did attempt some optimization ended up being counter-productive, so I stripped it out. There really is no need to update computations based on parameter knobs every sample cycle, so I tried processing the knob values every n cycles (32 for example). In the process, I ended up adding a few function calls. If anything, it only hurt performance. Rather than investigate, I just backed the “optimizations” out. But it seems to me that the code was already efficient enough that adding function call overhead negated any benefit of fewer computations.

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I just realized the Bernoulli Switch introduces clicks when switching between audio inputs. I am adding a fix for the next release - adding a context menu option to enable a cross fade slew with each switch.

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One week ago (1 day after Venom plugin was released to the library) I performed live with my Native American style flutes backed by two VCV Rack patches that feature the Venom Plugin.

I finally prepared a couple demo videos that briefly walk through the techniques used with the Venom modules in those two patches.

The first patch uses Bernoulli Switch to swap left and right channels at audio rates for two drones in A and E. The Recurse module is used to recursively filter the two channels with a resonant low pass filter. Two filter sweeps provide an eerie sound as the filter glides through the harmonic series.

The second patch features the Rhythm Explorer. One instance is used in a “traditional” way to create stochastic random rhythm patterns for drums. But another instance is clocked at audio rates to function as a VCO.

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I’m new to the vcv rack world (especially patching in general) and was having a hard time understand how to patch up rhythm explorer. So glad to be seeing this video. Thank you for it!

When I’ve run into that issue I’ve added independent A and R controls so you can control the slew rate. Since it doesn’t really add any complexity and it’s a little more flexible (and you don’t have to decide). Don’t know if you have the panel space.

Actually, looking at the two where I did that (for very different reasons), I see they both have knobs and a CV for that. (In cheby it’s called “Rise” and “Fall”.

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I thought about providing slew rate options in the context menu, but I think I will keep it constant on and off for now. The intent is just to eliminate audio pops, not to add a noticeable slew. The option is actually called “Anti-pop switching”

The panel is pretty crowded, and there are already rise and fall knobs. But they are for something entirely different - to specify the Sdhmitt trigger rise and fall thresholds. I may live to regret my label choice.

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As a module creator, I find I’m always debating with myself whether I should include yet another feature or not. I tend to answer no when

  • something can be done by the user by adding an external module
  • that thing is probably needed in a minority of cases

I tend to answer yes when

  • the feature affects internal functioning that is not accessible from outside the module
  • the feature is likely to be needed a good percentage of the time

I struggle most with these decisions when something is probably useful but could be done from the outside, yet I can’t figure out a priori how often people will want to use it. I suspect user feedback can bias the decision because those in favor of the feature will speak up, but those who don’t need it will tend to remain silent. Yet adding more complexity when not needed can cause harm to the usability of the module.

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My Rhythm Explorer demo patch used the Low Fat Milk (LFM) plugin to create some nice visuals - fun, but totally unnecessary. Unfortunately the LFM appears to have a bug that can lead to VCV crashes. So I updated the PatchStorage post to a new version without the LFM.

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:astonished: With the recent update, where there is oversampling added in the context menu on wincomp and bernouilli gate , this collection is downright spectacular!!

Thanks so much Dave! :raised_hands:

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Yes, as Koen said, my 2.1.4 update to the Venom plugin introduces anti-aliasing options via over sampling to the WinComp and Bernoulli Switch modules. It can make a huge difference when working with harmonically rich high frequency outputs. The Bernoulli Switch also has an option for slewed cross fade switching to prevent pops when slowly switching audio signals.

Here are all the v2.1.4 changes as listed in the change log:

  • Bernoulli Switch
    • Add anti-pop switching and oversampling options to the module context menu to better support audio output
    • The A and B outputs now produce the same number of channels in all cases
    • Add presets to emulate the four possible Mutable Instruments Branches configurations
  • WinComp
    • Add oversampling module context menu options to better support audio output
    • Move Absolute Value and Invert module context menu options to individual port context menus
  • Recurse and Recurse Stereo
    • Show all normalled connections on faceplate
  • Rhythm Explorer
    • Add “All - Reset” and “All - New” division modes. The “All - New” option enables creation of multiple rhythm generators that share a common clock, as well as shared reset and dice triggers.
    • Add Reset Timing context menu option
    • Dice and Reset buttons now remain lit until they take effect
    • Preserve seed between sessions
    • User presets now preserve seed so entire pattern can be saved
    • Cleanup run start behavior
    • Update Vermona Random Rhythm factory preset to support two rhythm generators, like the Vermona.
    • Round the square button corners

Below are some example patches and videos that demonstrate the positive effect oversampling can have. Both examples are running VCV Rack at 48 kHz sample rate.

My most recent Benjolin V4 patch uses WinComp to reduce aliasing in the PWM signal. The Benjolin compares two triangle waves and emits a high gate when Osc 1 < Osc 2, and low when Osc 1 >= Osc 2. This creates pulses that are reminiscent of a pulse width modulated square wave, but it is susceptible to serious aliasing when one or both oscillators are at high frequencies. My patch nonrmally has the WinComp oversampling enabled, but the following video shows what can happen if it is not.

You can get the demo patch at:

And here is an example showing how using Bernoulli Switch to swap left/right channels of two audio signals at audio rates can also create aliasing, and how the Bernoulli Switch can seriously reduce the aliasing.

Bernoulli Switch oversample test.vcv (4.2 KB)

I’ve got some more demo patches and videos to share, hopefully within the next couple days.

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I’ve posted a really cool use for the Venom Recurse and HQ modules - iterative ring modulation that remains musically harmonious. I think the subject deserves its own topic.

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