Wires & Noise Patch Downloads:
https://wires-and-noise.chadeby.studio/
Greetings!
Here you will find a small collection of progressively more complex "patches" that demonstrate different aspects of (virtual) modular synthesis.
These are designed to support the Wires & Noise workshop and work with VCV Rack 2 Free, available for download from https://vcvrack.com/Rack#get.
The VCV Rack Modules We'll Be Using Today
Here is a list of modules (beyond the included VCV Rack 2 Free "core" modules) used in the workshop patches listed below.
This is an intentionally limited/curated list since there are currently an overwhelming 3000+ modules available for VCV! These modules will already be included in the workshop account you will be given, but are listed here for reference in case you want to elaborate on some of these patches with your own account in the future; just add them to your library (they are all free):
Alright Devices:
- Chronblob2, Effect (a sync-able stereo delay)
Audible Instruments:
- Bernoulli Gates (Branches), a module for probability routing
- Macro Oscillator (Braids), a classic digital Voltage Controlled Oscillator
- Macro Oscillator 2 (Plaits), a bit more capable version of Braids; a Voltage Controlled Oscillator
- Modal Synthesizer (Elements), a Voltage Controlled Oscillator that uses physical modeling
- Resonator (Rings), an effect using simulated sympathetic resonance
- Texture Synthesizer (Clouds), a granular synthesis effect—one of the recent "modular cliches" is making a patch that produces soft sounds that are then processed by Rings then Clouds...overused or not, it can still be lovely!
Bogaudio:
- FM-OP, a versatile Voltage Controlled Oscillator with built-in ADSR envelope (I reach for this one frequently...)
- LFO, a capable Low-Frequency Oscillator with many waveforms
- 4FO, a Low-Frequency Oscillator as above, but with 4 channels out of phase
- 8FO, a Low-Frequency Oscillator as above, but with 8 channels out of phase
- WALK2, a 2D Random (drunk!) walk, outputs X, Y, and distance
JW Modules:
- GridSeq, a fun grid-based sequencer
- Quantizer, a basic quantizer that "snaps" voltages to musical scales
- Simple Clock, a simple clock generator with built-in clock divisions
MindMeld:
- MixMaster Jr, an extremely powerful mixing console
- AuxSpander Jr, a mixer expander for the above that adds 4 send-return channels for effects
Sapphire:
- Elastika, a weird spring network simulator that acts as an oscillator and/or an effect (physical modeling)
scanner darkly:
- Orca’s Heart, a sophisticated generative sequencer with up to four voices
SS-Modules:
- MELODYGEN, a generative sequencer with baroque vibes
Valley:
- Plateau, a lovely, lush plate reverb effect (My go-to reverb...)
- Topograph, a "Euclidean" trigger sequencer that can generate complex patterns (mostly for percussion)
VCV:
VULT:
- Caudal (free), a pendulum/orbital/goldfish simulator...use it for modulating other modules
- Debriatus (free), a gritty distortion effect
The Tutorial Patches
Important: To get audio output when you first open a patch in VCV, you'll need to right-click where it says "NO DEVICE" in the audio module and choose your preferred audio interface from the list. This can be confusing if your machine has different devices and/or drivers, but you can't hurt anything by guessing and you will eventually find the right choice!
This is as close to as-basic-as-it-gets in synthesis!
We have a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) running through a voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) to the audio interface (through the scope)—the scope is here to examine the shape of the VCO's waveform.
Things to try:
- Adjust the FREQ knob on the VCO and listen to (and see!) the difference
- Adjust the vertical gain of the VCA and observe the effect
- Switch the output of the VCO from SIN to TRI, SAW, and SQR and observe the effects
Here we add a low-frequency oscillator (LFO) to turn the VCO's FREQ knob for us! The LFO is just like a VCO, but at much slower rates of oscillation. We use them not to make sound (although some LFOs can get up into audio rate) but instead to modulate other modules.
Things to try:
- Try the different outputs of the LFO (and then move on to patch 003 before this one drives you nuts!)
This patch introduces the envelope generator (ADSR EG) to control the VCA. ADSR stands for Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. The envelope changes the overall timing of a sound event and can change the emotional valence of a sound.
Things to try:
- Push the button on the PUSH to send a gate signal to the EG (which then opens the VCA). Try pressing for shorter and longer times
- Change the sliders for ATT, DEC, SUS, and REL on the EG and send a gate. Observe the changes. ATT is maybe the most obvious...
- See if you can make a more bell-like sound vs. a more flute-like sound
This patch introduces the sequencer (SEQ 3) to both activate the PUSH with a trigger signal AND to provide control voltage (CV) for pitch (FREQ) information in the VCO. The sequencer provides automation of both pitch and modulation. In Eurorack, 1 Volt = 1 octave. This sequencer has (up to) 8 steps. Initially, the first row of knobs are all set to whole volts, so each note is a C in a different octave.
Things to try:
- Turn the TEMPO knob on the SEQ 3 to change the speed of the sequence
- Turn the STEPS knob to change the number of steps/sequence
- Change the values of the first row of knobs to alter the CV signal going the V/OCT (FREQ) of the VCO
Now we swap out the basic VCO for a more sophisticated one: the FM-OP. Because it has a built-in EG and VCA, we can omit those two modules from the patch. The FM-OP also has feedback and depth which we can modulate from the 2nd and 3rd row of the SEQ 3. Sequencers aren't just about pitch control...
Things to try:
- Change the 2nd and 3rd rows of knobs to vary the timbre of the FM-OP
This patch introduces the quantizer. You probably noticed that you could get some less-than-pleasant sounds out of the SEQ 3 just by turning the knobs randomly! A quantizer snaps the voltages to the nearest valid note in a scale. I am using the JW Quantizer here instead of the VCV one because it is easier to understand if you don't play keys...We also lose the PUSH since it is not needed.
Things to try:
- Try out different scales on the Quantizer (the knob that says "Penta" right now because it is playing a major pentatonic scale); different scales tend to evoke different feelings
- Make new sequences that you like on the SEQ 3! Combine scale and pitch information to make a "success" sound and a "failure" sound
The same 8 notes can get a little repetitive! Here is one strategy to add a *little* more variety: each step goes into a Bernoulli gate and has some probability of coming out either the A or B output depending on the knob position...at 12 o'clock, the probability is 50/50. In this case, when a trigger comes out of A, it resets the SEQ 3, interrupting the sequence and providing some variation.
Things to try:
- Change the probability with the red knob and see how that influences the sequence
This is the same patch as 005, but now we add some delay and reverb effects to the end of the chain in the form of Chronoblob 2 delay and the Plateau reverb.
Things to try:
- Try adjusting the various settings on the effects modules--you don't have to understand what they all do; just listen to what happens!
This sequencer, MELODYGEN, has a built-in quantizer and constantly generates new sequences. You can control the range in octaves, how often it rests instead of playing a note, how often it repeats notes, and if it has a chance to add a decorative "trill" like in baroque music—and how fast to trill if it does.
Unfortunately, it needs a source of gates to run, so we use a Simple Clock to generate triggers and a DGATE to convert the triggers to gates.
Things to try:
- Sip tea and pretend you are at a harpsichord recital!
- Try different settings on the sequencer and the effects as well as changing the ADSR on the FM-OP
What to do if you have more than one voice? It's time for a mixer!
Here we have the MixMaster Jr along with its expander for send and receive effects (so each effect may be applied to each channel independently).
Also, there is an OCTAVE module to pitch one voice down to provide a little space in the mix.
Things to try:
- This mixer has MANY features, but try out the AUX sends (knobs with the red and orange indicators) and check out what the M and S buttons on each track do
Adding a pair of Macro Oscillators here followed by Resonators.
The finishing touch is an 8-channel LFO (8FO) to modulate parameters.
Things to try:
- Try the different Oscillator algorithms (the black knob) and try changing the frequency and waveform of the 8FO
A completely non-musical patch that shows off one of the weirder sides of VCV...this patch uses a simulation of six weight-and-spring networks to produce whistles, grumbles, and groans. Take care if the OUT knobs of elastika start glowing red!
A funny little percussion ensemble using Wavetable VCOs as "drums" (there are plenty of real drum modules in VCV, too!) driven by the Euclidean sequencer, Topograph.
