Is anyone interested in another challenge for VCV Rack? During the month of May 2024, we’d like to shine a bright light on the magnificent Venom plugin.
Your challenge:
Create a patch using at least five (5) different modules from the Venom collection. It’s a bonus if you use more. Expanders do not count toward this requirement. There currently are 39 modules in the Venom collection, so there is a lot to choose from
You can add other modules, as long as they are available for free from the current VCV library
You are encouraged to explore new territory! Decide for yourself what this means to you
The Venom documentation is an excellent point to get started. Also, check out the VCV Rack forum for announcements by and discussions with the developer.
Tag entries “VenomTakeFive May 2024” and submit up to 5 patches here by Friday, May 31, 2024.
Post patches on Patchstorage, if possible, and/or in this thread.
Post video/audio examples on YouTube/SoundCloud; run time should be around 5 minutes per patch.
I have gotten lots of positive feedback about my modules, but it is rare that I get to see a patch where Venom is used. So I am very much looking forward to seeing how people make use of Venom!
If anyone has any questions about how something works, please first check the documentation. There are lots of features that may not be obvious at first glance, and I have tried hard to cover everything in the manuals. That being said, my documentation mostly covers the mechanics of how the module works, without saying much about how it might be used. That is where the creativity comes into play!
If you still are struggling with a module, then please post a question, and I will be glad to help out. If you are shy, then you can send me a private message. But I think it is best to share the Q&A with the community at large.
Please don’t ask general Venom questions here. Post a question in the Plugins & Modules category instead. Let us keep this topic about the challenge patches.
Thank you for putting all the hard work into the Venom modules, Dave! I too hope that we’ll see many marvelous patches here over the next month. Your offer to stay in touch and answer questions is very kind and much appreciated.
I’m starting work toward a submission for this challenge. I have a question for @DaveVenom. I’m really interested in your Linear Beats module. I’m reading its documentation, and I think I’m starting to understand what it does.
But I’m having a hard time understanding why it does these things. I’m still at an early stage in my development as a musician, so it would be educational to know what your underlying motivation was when you created Linear Beats. It would also be helpful to see videos/patches that use it.
I have a feeling this module will be fun, because I like the idea of making fun rhythms. I’m looking forward to understanding Linear Beats better.
Well I am not a trained musician, let alone a drummer. I don’t know the theory behind why linear drumming might be used, but I do know it sounds cool.
I can guess that it is easier to create complex patterns that aren’t muddy - especially if playing with polymeters, where the strike pattern has one meter, but the accents are different. For example, maybe alternate between kick, snare, and hi-hat in triplets, but accent every fourth beat. The accents will fall on different drums.
Hah, actually I read that post or at least the first few comments and was like – I don’t get it, I’ll invest my time otherwise.
Something about how modules populate on the web vs internal-vcv picker?
Honestly, it’s all sub-optimal from my experience, and I just muddle through. I would simply be happy if the “last used” view within vcv were accurate.
Anway. Fun challenge and I hope to craft something more gentle/listenable before the month is over!
I had assumed it was in tribute to the drumming style many drummers had learned to make very clear syncopated material. If you listen to some of Steve Gadds playing especially, he would play beats like this to create very clear controlled stuff like 50 ways to leave your lover. I remember I think a David Garibaldi instruction series on the subject many years ago, but I could be mistaken. Drummers def talk about the technique for clarity.
I have always loved the percussion in that track (and everything else about it too). Now I’m starting to see a possible connection. Thank you! More educational moments for me.
Yeah, this is the thing. I did understand that from reading the manual. But I’m such a novice at creating music that I didn’t know why that mattered. Reading @DaveVenom’s idea of complex but not muddy percussion distilled something I experienced trying to create rhythms in my own patches, but didn’t know how to articulate. It felt like there was always a point where I went from boring to muddy, but funky or interesting have been elusive for me. You have to understand, even the notion of muddy is a new concept for me!
`Hi all, here is my submission…I have tried to generate an ambient blues chord progression. It is in A-minor, and I am using my own Saw and Triangle VCO’s to put them to a proper test :-). I tried to use the NORSIQ to generate a pentatonic melody, but not sure how succesful I was at it…still figuring out how this beast really works…I like the Rhythm Explorer…gives you enough randomness to keep it interesting without going into real sequencing yourself…Of course, lots of LFO’s, Reverb and Delay to get some motion…You can download the patch here: https://mlaban.home.xs4all.nl/music/VCV/VenomTakeFive%20May%202024%20-%20Ambient%20Blues%20by%20Marinko%20Laban.vcv
Okidoki. It took a long time to create this patch. Venom plugins are also a bit crazy. Nevertheless I managed to get at least 10 modules running. I also tried some of Dave’s patches and tried to understand them. Many thanks Dave for your guides. I had a great time again and learnt something new.
I have underlaid this Clip with an old Clip of mine which I posted on YT in 2014. For me… everything fits.
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