Utilities for polyphonic channels

Plugins & Modules
1

UPDATED 2024-11-16

I converted this post into a Wiki, so everyone can contribute.

In order to keep this list useful to all and prevent chaos, I would like to encourage everyone to stick to the format when adding content or contact me to discuss improvements.

This list originated in the desire to obtain a structured overview of useful utilities for polyphonic channels, so I searched the library using the search term ‘polyphony’ and the tag ‘utility’ and screened the results. Since then, the list has been amended, expanded and restructured several times, but for sure is still incomplete.

There currently are 6 main categories for modules that (in some way) process individual polyphony channels: ROUTING, MAIN, MODULATION, FIXED, METER and COOL.

Within the categories, modules are listed in alphabetic order of their plugins.

Small example patches/selections to show wiring and function of select modules are still being added. Links are embedded in respective module names.

As some modules can carry out more than one task, they were placed into multiple categories.

Perhaps you’ll find an interesting module idea or two, or even can share your own favorites here.

1.) ROUTING

→ Modules supporting the routing of individual polyphony channels

Split channels (poly to n-mono)

  • Split4, Split8 (23Volts, on GitHub)
  • Signals (CV funk)
  • S16 (docB)
  • Split8 (Grande)
  • Unmeld (MindMeld)
  • Alchemist + Alembic (Sanguine Modules)
  • Splitter (Sm@rTAZZ Studio)
  • Split (VCV)

Merge channels (n-mono to poly)

  • Merge4, Merge8 (23Volts, on GitHub)
  • M16 (docB)
  • M16S (docB)
  • Merge8 (Grande)
  • Meld (MindMeld)
  • Merge (VCV)

Split and merge channels

  • MuxDeMux (Amalgamated Harmonics)
  • MergeSplit4 (Grande)
  • SMMix (Mockba Modular)
  • MultiVoltimetro (NYSTHI)
  • Split/Add/Merge (Sapphire)

Combine/Resplit multiple polyphonic signals

Sum channels (poly to mono)

  • MONO (Bogaudio)
  • Sum (VCV)

Group channels

Mono-to-poly channel multiplier

  • MonoPoly (23Volts, on GitHub)
  • POLYMULT (Bogaudio)
  • Signal Manifold (Count Modula)
  • Cloner (ML Modules)
  • Dolly-X (Sanguine Modules)
  • Polyphonic Repeater (Sparkette’s Stuff)
  • Clone Merge (Venom)

Poly-to-poly channel multiplier

Sort channels

Randomize/Shuffle channels

Route/Re-assign channels

Append or replace channels

Subtract channels

Rotate channels

Mono-to-poly or poly-to-poly voice assigner

Select channels

Sequence/Step through channels (upon trigger/clock)

Mute and/or solo channels

Crossfade between channels

Others

2.) MAIN

→ Modules supporting control over main input and/or output signals in individual polyphony channels

Offset channel values

  • Poly Offset (Venom)

Scale channel values

Offset and scale channel values

  • POLYOFF8, POLYOFF16 (Bogaudio)
  • OFS, OFS3 (docB)
  • Kitsune + Denki (Sanguine Modules; currently in nightlies, soon to come to the library)
  • Formation (scanner darkly)
  • µAFFIX, AFFIX (stoermelder)

Matrix Mixers

Unison

Others

3.) MODULATION

→ Modules supporting the processing of modulation input signals in individual polyphony channels

AD

  • Rampage (Befaco)

ADSR

Clock Modulator

Delay

Detune

Filters

Function Generator

Gate Delay

Gate Length

LFO

Offset and Scale

Phasor

Sequencer

VCF

VCO

4.) FIXED

→ Modules supporting control over fixed voltage output signals in individual polyphony channels

Fixed Binary (button on/off, gates)

  • Boly Puttons (computerscare)
  • Push (Grande)
  • Bank + Re(x) + In(x) + Out(x) (SIM)
  • Polygate (ZZC)

Fixed Variable (knob, fader, text)

  • PolyVolt (Amalgamated Harmonics)
  • POLYCON8, POLYCON16 (Bogaudio)
  • POLYOFF8, POLYOFF16 (Bogaudio)
  • Knoly Pobs (computerscare)
  • Faders (docB)
  • PLC (docB)
  • FixedVoltageSource (NYSTHI)
  • Raiju (Sanguine Modules)
  • Formation (scanner darkly)
  • µAFFIX (stoermelder)
  • AFFIX (stoermelder)
  • Digital Programmer (Voxglitch)

Fixed Spread or Swarm

Fixed Random (upon trigger)

Shift Register (upon trigger)

5.) METER

→ Modules supporting metering or visualization of individual polyphony channels

Graphical

Text-based

  • PolyProbe (Amalgamated Harmonics)
  • NoteMeter (Chinenual)
  • Debug (computerscare)
  • MultiVoltimetro (NYSTHI)
  • KordZ (Ohmer Modules)
  • Visualizer (Squinktronix)

6.) COOL

→ cool modules that are polyphonic in some way, but don’t fit any of the other categories; relaxed taxonomy

Rooter

Sequencer

26 Likes
2

Very cool idea! I don’t know if any of these would also fit the list, but might be worth considering Bogaudio: POLYCON8, POLYCON16, POLYMULT, POLYOFF8, POLYOFF16.

1 Like
3

The Venom Multi Merge and Multi Split both fit into the “Combine/Resplit multiple polyphonic signals” category.

Additional modules for Copy/Replicate/Multiply/Clone channels:

  • Venom Clone Merge
  • Venom Poly Clone
  • Bogaudio PolyMult

New Unison category (clone and offset channels)

  • Venom Poly Unison
  • Surge XT Unison
  • Bogaudio Unison

Additional modules for Offset channel values

  • Bogaudio PolyOff8
  • Bogaudio PolyOff16

I don’t know how to classify Venom Recurse, but it can be a handy polyphonic utility.

I am pretty sure docB has a number of modules that would fit into some of your categories

All of the Offset Channel Values modules also work as Polyphonic Fixed Value Generators

3 Likes
4

Thank you for the suggestions!

As I started the list with a simple search (polyphony + utility), I knew that quite a number of modules are still missing.

To me, Bogaudio modules are among the most straightforward and useful in the entire library, so will for sure include them here. Do you have suggestions for categories you think they would fit best?

5

I think the two POLYCON should be in Polyphonic fixed value generators,

the two POLYOFF should be in Offset channel values,

and the POLYMULT should be in Copy/Replicate/Multiply/Clone channels

1 Like
6

Thank you so much for your suggestions! Will take a look.

Of course, many modules are polyphonic and can do exceptional things on all 16 channels. For this list, I wanted to focus on the modules that in one way or another manipulate channel handling. Not sure ATM, whether I would classify the Unison modules as utilities, but they are very cool nevertheless.

7

Thanks!

1 Like
8

(Lol i even did not tried polyphonic cables in VCV yet and how works with them, seems something cool) Sorry is this feature something that exists in hardware too ? Or it strictly software idea ?

9

yes :smiley:

immagine
immagine818×850 55.1 KB

5 Likes
10

Thanks for making the list :slight_smile:

Some info. On Sanguine Modules you missed:

Alchemist can mix ,mute and solo poly channels (that is, in fact, its raison d’etre), if you add the Alembic expander, it can also split poly channels post-mix ;).

Medusa is a polyphonic mult.

Kitsune can offset (and attenuate) poly channels.

1 Like
11

Great, thank you! Will add.

1 Like
12

Unison does spread out CV values across the channels, so it is indeed a way of altering incoming CV. With a monophonic input, the spread is around that value. Good addition!

Interestingly, Unison by Bogaudio and Poly Unison by Venom seem to distribute to the channels differently.

UPC_Poly Unison (Venom)_20241007.vcvs (3.1 KB)

UPC_Poly Unison (Venom)_20241007
UPC_Poly Unison (Venom)_20241007630×573 118 KB

UPC_Unison (Bogaudio)_20241007.vcvs (2.3 KB)

UPC_Unison (Bogaudio)_20241007
UPC_Unison (Bogaudio)_20241007621×565 118 KB

1 Like
13

Can Kitsune attenuate/offset the channels individually or only in bulk?

14

Changes and additions were implemented for your review, further suggestions welcome. I re-arranged the categories in some places.

15

Great thread! Bogaudio’s Polycon is in my default template and gets used in every patch, I also use Polymult a lot to process monophonic guitar input with 16 channels of effects.

What about modules that spread poly signals into stereo?

Stocaudio - Spread Mockba Modular - ASSprdr (great name!) Fortisan Modulare - Pavo

There may be more. I was looking for one last week that pans poly channels around the stereo field and couldn’t find one (the modules above just spread channels statically although Pavo has a pan control). I can’t believe there isn’t a proper polyphonic panner!

1 Like
16

The Stoermelder Orbit can also randomly (with some control) pan poly channels on demand, and it has a drift control so they can move on their own after being assigned a position.

It also supports a poly external pan position input, but you will have to trigger it regularly if you want smooth continuous panning.

I should look into how hard it would be to add poly input support to my Venom Pan Mix Expander

17

Both: the upcoming Denki expander (already in the nightlies) allows CV control of attenuation and offset for individual channels.

1 Like
18

Oh… I forgot. Sanguine Modules - Oraculus: allows random/sequential selection of one channel from a poly cable.

1 Like
19

Also, the Bogaudio Pan honors poly pan location input.

20

@VirtualModular - It was actually quite easy to add poly support to my Venom Mix Pan expander CV inputs. It will be in my next Venom release.

1 Like