Making Your First Sound in VCV Rack

In this tutorial I will be showing you how to start experimenting in the modular synth program VCV Rack. VCV Rack is a free program that is used to emulate a modular synth, so it is great for people who want to get started in synths but don't want to spend all of the money.

Supplies

For this tutorial you will need any Windows, Mac or Linux machine.

Step 1: Downloading the Program

In order to start you will need to download the free program VCV Rack. It can be found at https://vcvrack.com/. After visiting this website hit download and select your respective operating system.

Step 2: The Parts You Will Need

When you create a new project in VCV Rack it will have many different part, but you only need a VCO-1, MIDI-CV, ADSR, AUDIO-8. Delete all of the parts except for those that I just named.

Step 3: The Patches You Will Need

In order to a sound you will need to make patches between your modules to start run a patch between v/oct on your MIDI-CV to your VCO-1, and your gate on the MIDI-CV to your ADSR gate. You can run any of the waveform on your VCO-1 to the retrig on the ADSR. Finally run a cable from your ADSR to chanels 1 and 2 on your audio module.

Step 4: Experimentation

In order to create many fun wave forms, you can mess with all the dials and try to add more modules. The main goal is just to have fun experimenting with modular synthesis. VCV Rack is a free open source program with an ever expanding count of modules, so just try and have fun.