One Synth Challenge #168: Voltage Modular 2.7 (MyLoFy Wins!)

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https://soundcloud.com/miaulement/miau- ... llenge-168

14 instances of Voltage Modular vst in Bitwig
(6 for drums, 3 for hi-pitched glitches/percs in the second part, 5 for tonal sounds)

Bitwig effects:
drum machine
note pitch shifter
eq5
compressor
tool
reverb
delay-2, delay-1
note receiver, note filter (for sidechain business, paired with note sidechain modulator)
mid-side split

3rd party:
Ozone imager 2
kHz reverb
kHz delay
OTT
TDR Molotok
Loudmax

Updated details:

It was an interesting challenge. At first I was somewhat annoyed of the free version not having modules for some basic functionality(no stereo device for panning was especially frustrating), but then I embraced the challenge. Also it turned out it's pretty easy to make your own modules in VM (compared to VCV with c++ and designing ui with code), so I already made a panner device and in the process of making a multimode filter.

I tried to make all sound design to happen inside VM, and use the daw only for mixing/sequencing/automation. It sort of worked out, except for some stuff like reverb - at first I was really going to use only VM's reverbs for the sake of additional challenge, but after some time playing with them realized that I don't like any of the free ones. So I decided concentrate on other stuff and mostly use bitwig and khz reverbs.

Same for panning, although I had some ideas of implementing panning with two mixers with levels controlled by perform knobs that are inversed for one of the mixers. But that didn't look like a lot of fun and I just used ozone imager and bitwig/khz delays for widening the sounds.

Also the delay module was a disappointment. I could neither make a chorus out of it - no cv for time, and actually turning the time knob produces horrible artifacts, nor use it as an adjustable comb filter - the time takes only integer amount of ms(and no cv again). It's probably made this way so it's as light on cpu as it could, but that was a bummer.

My computer is quite slow, so I had to freeze tracks to satisfy VM's appetite. In addition to freezing synth tracks I used another trick - after roughly designing the drums I sampled them and used the samples as a placeholder for composing drum parts. Then when it felt like drums needed more sound design I would do it by one and resample again. This way the drum track is always in midi form and is easy to deal with. Of course in the end I rendered everything without samples as required by the rules. The final render took 8:40, which I guess is not so bad for 5:30 track. This trick has its pitfalls, it's hard to match velocity response for example, and I had such problem when quiet hihats disappeared completely after render, and I had some time wondering why the track sounds not the way it sounded before. But overall this trick worked quite well for me.

Also worth mentioning that the performance is not an issue for me, as in real life scenario I would just resample all the stuff I like and disable the plugin. This approach has a benefit of committing to stuff and not designing one sound endlessly. Also samples are subject to chopping, stretching, reversing and other fun manipulations.

Well, in the end I really liked this challenge. I haven't been making any music for a while and it was a nice refresher. I liked the plugin, compared to VCV I was missing huge selection of modules, but then realized that my VM's experience is probably more like a hardware experience. Usually you don't have a lot of hardware stuff, and you use the stuff you have to the max. Similarly, I mostly used just simple oscillators, filters and Vult's adsr/ahd, and that was enough to make decent subtractive as well as FM-based patches. I also used Partial Oscillator and Impulse Synth for glitches/percs, these two are great. Partial Oscillator is really deep, and Impulse is instantly inspiring(also clean interface is great, I hope people behind Playertron don't mind I put its image on soundcloud cover of my track :ud: I'm learning blender and really liked the interface. The image is how I imagine the insides of a working eurorack module :))
Last edited by miau on Tue Mar 07, 2023 2:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Hi!

A last minute entry from me:

https://soundcloud.com/user-167923738/h ... al_sharing

DAW: Logic Pro 10.7.6
Cherry Audio Voltage Modular: 14 instances (mostly presets, a few modified or self-made)
FX: mainly Logic Pro stock plugins (Channel EQ, Chromaverb, SilverVerb, Stereo-Delay, Stereo Spreader, Compressor, Noise Gate), Valhalla Supermassive, OTT
Master Bus: Loudmax Limiter

The mix is kinda raw, but I think much better than last time (Wave Manuel). Hope you like it (a bit).

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Hopefully I'm not too late, but here's my submission.

DAW: Reaper
Instruments: one instance of Voltage Modular
Other FX: ReaLimit, Analog Obsession BXQ, Room041, COMPER, FrankCS, KONSOL, Kolin

Yet another rush job, but I hope you like it!

https://soundcloud.com/mika-ritola/zomb ... r_airheads

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Down to the last 10 minutes instead of the last minute. Progress. Next time I'll save time to mix.

https://soundcloud.com/kylebenjamin/kyl ... al_sharing

--Synth--
Voltage Modular (33 instances)

--Effects--
ReaEQ
ReaDelay
ReaComp
Midi Note Filter
Kilohearts Distortion
Kilohearts Transient Shaper
Kilohearts Compressor
TDR Nova
CamelCrusher
Valhalla SuperMassive
U-He Protoverb
TAL Reverb 4
Voxengo Span

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I lied. I used 18 instances. Accidentally included buses and sends above.

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Good luck to all.
I couldn't finish anything properly last month :(
I hope to be able to participate again this month.

Best regards
Juergen

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Juergen wrote: Wed Mar 01, 2023 5:29 pm Good luck to all.
I couldn't finish anything properly last month :(
I hope to be able to participate again this month.

Best regards
Juergen
wait a sec- I liked that test piece you posted!

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I'm glad you like my test track :) but it's too late to post it :(

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Voted!
Wow, very big variations here in every way. From phenomenal tracks to some peculiar misses. :shrug: ...still loads to enjoy! :phones:

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Voting done!
"Some people don't like music created on a PC and declare it as "fake". I don't care. The only thing matters to me is the end result."
SoundCloud YouTube Patreon

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Voted.

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Voted

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Voted!

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Voted.
It's interesting how the approach to this round was slightly different than usual, as was the case with Cardinal. In fact, in addition to the classic sound design performed to find the various sounds of an arrangement, pre-established or in progress but still very 'classic', I greatly appreciated those tracks that exploited the modular nature of the synth and that by researching created structures as well as sounds, starting directly from the "virtual voltage", just saying.
Great work, always a lot to learn. Thank you all.

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Voted and commented on all tracks. I voted 'blind' by placing large on-top sticky note over the names, showing only the play button. I also found after listening again to all tracks that I needed to move some tracks to higher votes.
Last edited by Mike777 on Thu Mar 09, 2023 7:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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