KVR Audio

Charlie Firpo · Post by **Charlie Firpo** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:52 pm

Hey.. tap tap.. is this thing on? Ok fine. I wanna hear from more Vaz users out there. In my ears.. it sounds just Lovely. The filters are aggresive and smooth whatever you want. And to be able to combine Fm with PD and.. well you name it. It´s like the soft synth that created the Point to end all of it. (I´ve posted Before about Vaz and Imposcar.. i´m nothing just a simple fan boy.. by the way. I love Brian WIlson and The Beach Boys.. There you go) But i wanna hear some more voices from the Vaz Choirs. I know that EvilDragon likes it. One question though... will i still be able to run it on my daw even 15 years from now on? (With the help of bridges and so on?)... i can´t imagine a future without Vaz,,

audientronic · Post by **audientronic** » Sat Jun 28, 2014 11:58 pm

All it needs is a facelift, a mac version, and an introductory special on the mac version.

Charlie Firpo · Post by **Charlie Firpo** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:05 am

Yes a facelift would be nice!

Still, i Think it´s just fine. Heck, i used to program sound in tracker style interface so Vaz doesn´t look to bad to me. But i can see your Point.

But what about the surviving Point. I am a Little bit worried about the future. I wanna hold on to Vaz like a dear old hardware piece. (I´ve got a Korg N364 and a Sidstation so far)

But still, i wanna feel safe with Vaz in the future (Even if it never goes 64bit). Would you still be able to use it as progress goes ahead? (I sound like a total dumbass i know, but Equipment/Daws/OS has never been my strong Point so i guess i just need to hear some calm Words from my fellow users (Charlie.. Everythings gonna be aaaaallright)

audientronic · Post by **audientronic** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:15 am

Well, you probably have a few years. After that, you can keep it alive as long as your old machine stays alive.

Charlie Firpo · Post by **Charlie Firpo** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:26 am

Thanks for the reply Audientronic (your handsome devil

) Yeah i know but that is what bothers me.. say that i wanna upgrade my machine to a newer OS. Like 120 bit Windows. In 2019. Do you Think that there will be devlopers that still will be bringing bridges for old 32 bit plugins. Vaz to me.. is like a precious (Myyyy precious...) hardware that i wanna keep in the future. I just love the sound and posebillities of it. I know that some newer Vst´s sure come´s closer to analog part of it. Like Diva. Just a fantastic Vst! (Great Job Uhe). But i miss some things in it. Like being able to use a short noise in the beginning to create a "Michael Jackson" style bass. Vaz has all of it.. total fredom... and like Evildragon said (I Think in one of his posts.. feel free to correct me EvilDragon). That the NI analog newest emulation sounds more analog than Vaz. But Vaz uses "shortcuts" to bring that sound. But still... in a mix, does it really matter?

elassi · Post by **elassi** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:38 am

I have a small box sitting on a cupboard that'll make you cry one day.

robogone · Post by **robogone** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:45 am

Very outdated. I would buy it if it was given a facelift.

elassi · Post by **elassi** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:53 am

What kind of facelift do you have in mind, robojam?

Add-it: Imho the only thing that could be introduced is sort of a 'macro module' to make it easier to tweak patches on the fly. Because even with my own creations it is hard for me to remember the routings when the patch has not been used for some time. A macro thingy could solve this. A good example for this has been established in Omnisphere/Trilian.

Charlie Firpo · Post by **Charlie Firpo** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 12:56 am

Yeah, outdated. But what about the total freedom? I know that it competes with the thoughest software (Diva, Lush.. and so on) today. But with Vaz you can do PD and FM and.. well make your grandma look sexy.. almost. To me (and this is very personal) i Think it looks great. i demand nothing more. Exept some minor Changes maybe. But heck.. i loved programing the C64 and it´s trackers. Making Crazy instruments by putting in numbers like "81 DF 41 Ac Aa Cf". (Thats a snare drum). But i want to hear "Charlie" Vaz is gonna be with you from 20 years from now on. Just like if you did own a Moog with super batteries.

robogone · Post by **robogone** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:12 am

elassi wrote:What kind of facelift do you have in mind, robojam?

64 bit would be a good start, and then maybe some updates to move it forward from what always seems like a Windows 95 era app.

Charlie Firpo · Post by **Charlie Firpo** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:19 am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Kwz1SqGrjI This isn´t directed to you Robojam (Cause your wishes is perfectly in demand) but.. check this out all other KVRérs that complains about small guis and.. whatever. This tune is programmed in Assembly (as shown in the video and that what was the Composer saw when he put in those numbers). That´s how they did it in the old Days.. I guess we´re spoiled nowdays, don´t ya Think?

Winstontaneous · Post by **Winstontaneous** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:20 am

In the 8 years I've been making computer music I've never found an instrument I enjoy as much as VAZ Modular (unless you consider Reason an Instrument instead of a DAW).

Things I love:
- It still sounds great, even compared to modern CPU-munching circuit modeled stuff. K Filter (Korg MS-20) and Comb Filter are especially swanky
- Hosts VSTs
- Control/modulation options put most other software modulars to shame, including building blocks emulating Serge/Buchla functions, and comprehensive clock/gate modules to build your own sequencers
- Most flexible microtuning I've ever seen - you can set Scala scales per instance, or anywhere you want in a patch using the Quantize module
- Has the only Granular synth I've ever heard that sounds/feels like a vintage instrument, like I imagine Dennis Gabor's tape-drum thingy would sound
- Has variety of sequencer modules with great randomization options
- I actually have no problems with the visuals (though I've asked him to add purple as a color) and the UI is very usable. I prefer the sliders to knobs, and the drop-down modulation per-module is great, though I know some people hate it. Keeps the screen uncluttered (no cables) while giving a much better view of what's actually happening per-module than a central mod matrix.
- Visualization (scope and CV modules) options are very helpful for seeing what's going on
- More powerful than the other modulars I've tried (KarmaFX, Sonigen, Void, Tassman) while being more immediately patchable than low-level environments (Pure Data, Bidule, Reaktor, Usine)

At this point it seems like MadGav has more or less abandoned VAZ development. A few years ago he said his day gig (writing software that controls automated pharmacy dispensers) was taking up most of his time. Someone suggested that if he combined his two interests and made a modular synth that dispensed certain substances, that would pretty much be the be-all and end all for electronic music.

I agree a macro container would be fab, and I really wish it ran natively on OSX (I've tried Crossover Games but it's too buggy).

I'd certainly pay for updates and continued VAZ development. If people feel the same way they should post in the KVR VAZ forum.

Charlie Firpo · Post by **Charlie Firpo** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 1:28 am

Thanks for your most thoughtfull reply Winstontaneous (Had a hard time to spell that name)

I agree with every Point you made about Vaz. I Think it´s time for us (the real Vaz fans) to let Madgav know that we´re out there and want to support his work by letting him know in the official Vaz forum. But wholy moly.. where should i start? It would be like Writing a love letter to Brian Wilson..

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 3:57 am

For a synth some people talk highly of, it is remarkably invisible.

I cannot try it cause it is Windows only... and there are no audio demos on the Vaz site... almost nothing on Youtube... no audio demos to be found elsewhere. The few bits of audio I have heard were not at all impressive... and nothing like the quality available in the top softsynths of today.

I've reserved judgement due to such a small sampling of audio, but I am doubtful of the praise given in this thread (no offense meant).

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Sun Jun 29, 2014 11:05 am

Yep, I love how it sounds indeed. That's the best thing about it. I do have some dislikes, though:

* I don't like that it doesn't have a 64-bit version
* I don't like how there are no prev/next buttons for patches
* I don't like the slider-based interface and dropdown-based modulation. I'm very used to Reaktor-like cabled GUI, and there should definitely be an option for that in VAZ IMHO
* I don't like how most controls don't have Ctrl+click to default value (you only have right-click then select Set to Zero for SOME bipolar knobs)
* Patch management is horrible. PERIOD.
* You can MIDI learn all you want but there's no easy right-click option to remove the learned assignment you've made to a particular control. You have to go to the main dashboard for all controller assignments. Meh.
* Macro containers, definitely missing, yes. But I don't think they would be any help without cable-based GUI as well.

I feel like talking about Vaz Modular