SampleScience releases Modular Synth VCO, a freeware sample-based virtual instrument for Windows and macOS.
Today’s featured instrument is admittedly a bit of an odd duck. I will preface this by saying I am a massive fan of modular synthesis, so it should ostensibly be right up my alley.
SampleScience’s new Modular Synth VCO plugin is an interesting sample-based instrument, to say the very least.
You can access four basic waveforms, a saw, rectangle, triangle, and sine. These waveforms are captured directly from the vaunted Doepfer A-110-1 VCO module.
Now, the signal path of this instrument is 100% digital, but it has enough intrigue and imperfection to imbue a bit of that analogue feel to it.
Modular Synth VCO has a fairly standard signal path for a Maize Sampler plugin.
An ADSR shapes the amplitude of the overall signal, which is then fed to a fairly standard low-pass or high-pass filter. You aren’t going to get up to insane modulation with this particular instrument, but it at least brings some of the flavours of modular synthesis to the fore.
Also included is a quartet of effects.
You’ll have access to distortion, delay, chorus, and reverb, typical choices for sound design purposes.
These effects sound fine. They certainly won’t replace some of your mainstays. However, they do complement the sound of the sampled oscillator quite well.
SampleScience has also included 25 presets. The added caveat for this is that the presets themselves aren’t compatible with Apple’s Logic Pro X.
There is an LFO for adding some motion and intrigue to your sounds. The synth has three separate voicing modes with polyphonic, monophonic, and legato options.
All said it could be a great way to add a little synth flavor to your productions. If you’re looking to delve into the world of modular synthesis, it could be a bit lacking.
Modular Synth VCO is free for Windows and Mac computers. Supported plugin formats are VST, VST3, and AU. Mac users will need Mojave or newer.
The plugin does seem to work just fine on my M1 machine, but I can’t really tell if it provides a universal binary for Intel and Silicon machines.
Still, you can’t argue with the cost, at least for a punt and some experimentation.
Download: Modular Synth VCO (FREE)
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