Why you can never have too many VCAs 

"VCAs are the animation lane of modular" omg. That was a lightbulb moment for me, thank you so much. /computer musician

I LOVE the discussion of variance and subtlety. This comes up a lot in visual arts as well. The human heart LOATHES perfection. So when 3D artists create something too clean they have to grime it up. Give it imperfections. Digital ANYTHING is too clean, and the more variation, the more interest and character. Thanks for the lesson! Love this.

I am so happy to see this video. I just finally got a 2nd VCO and discovered modulating a VCO with another VCO/LFO Your VCA trick is the next step. Thank you!

Finally a modular video with sounds that are cool, and not boring and annoying/obnoxious. Keep up the good work dude!

Finally understand VCAs, thanks! Loved how you explained and showed exactly what was patched into what. p.s. Your set at Moogfest was phenomenal!!

Again, excellent hands on explaination. I've followed your journey, thanks for bringing us along.

BRILLIANT. Thank you so much. Understanding this all so slowly...but it's videos like this that are taking me there....

Seriously man.... Thank you for this great lesson! I have been so boring when it comes to my envelope use! been yearning for new ideas for the pair I have and you really inspired me! Fantastic!

Great video, as usual. I always love your videos and end up watching them more than once. I have no true VCAs in my euro system. I have a Moddemix and an Optomix. I should probably buy a standard VCA. I'm considering buying an Intellijel or building one of the Befaco VCA's. Your video taught me a lot and gave me some great ideas. I was of the opinion that VCAs can end up being a crutch, because with a little practice, I've learned to turn knobs up and down with the accuracy and speed of a cycling Maths or DUSG. The first time I ever got fast and accurate enough with my manual knob turning to get into the audio rate, I was very impressed with myself and thought I might be the Steve Vai of modular synthesis. Then I realized, that those bullying frat boys, who kidnapped me and made me drink radioactive cheetah blood, had changed me on a biological level. I think they turned me into some sort of superhero. Unfortunately, being slightly misanthropic and self centered, I have decided to use my powers for synthesis (and possibly yo-yo) only. Sorry world. The real life equivalent of the Flash wouldn't be very useful anyway. Also, you wouldn't believe how fast I can go through a pair of shoes when I use my powers to run around! And... I don't know an elderly, philanthropic materials scientist, with a messianic complex, and fashion design experience, who is willing to make me a special suit, take me under their wing, be my wise benefactor and slightly sarcastic, moral compass. But seriously. Looking forward to your next video is always exciting. I've never been less than pleased with your output, even if you are demonstrating a module I have no interest in. Thanks again.

The timing of this video content is uncanny. Late last night I was playing with the vca and lfo in my b.neutron, desperately trying (and failing most of the time), to create subtle changes in order to liven up my boring sequences. This was very helpful. Thankyou

thanks for what you do! I only have a small Make Noise sysytem cartesian and the Karp odyssey module but you always show me new ways to approach them and get interesting results

Nice vid Alex, great to get the idea of modulating the modulator out there! Thanks for the shoutout too 👍🏻

Fantastic video mate. You just simultaneously answered like 5 questions I hadn't yet thought to ask. Insta-subscribed.

Been working on a patch since yesterday wondering what to do next - then this popped up! Just in time - many thanks.

The BEST explanation of VCA's and their use I have seen. Thanks so much.

This helped my understand my Quad VCA much better. Instead of just using it to throw envelopes on my VCOs I can take the next step into modulation now. Thanks alot!

I was trying this on an Alesis Micron yesterday. This is amazing. You have blown my mind...

Great video 👍. I was just looking for VCA reviews and happily the algorithm shared this video to me. I'm building a wind synth sound engine and figured out that I'd need VCAs to make best use of the expression capabilities of the motion sensors in the Roland AE-30. This video gives me more thoughts - not least of which is I need more VCAs than I thought! 😀

Another awesome tutorial video! Particularly valuable as I've just bought a couple of 0hp VCAs from Mystic for my tiny rack!

I really enjoy your vids because they are not just informative but also a pleasure to watch.

I'm considering getting into modular and searching RU-vid to learn more and this video was super inspiring. Your examinations are clear, and your example with the rings was beautiful. Thank you for this video.

Masterclass! Straight foward concepts explained for everyone...

As I’m just about to pull the trigger on a quad vca, this was a timely find. Thanks!

Another fabulous video. Fully take the point. Thank you so much.

Amazing demonstration. Really helpful. Thanks.

Wow! Superb even by your standards. Only recently got Shapeshifter and Rings so I'm nowhere near figuring them out, but modulating the modulation makes terrific sense.

Amazing! When can we expect the video for the plaits?!

You know, I've been toying with the idea of getting Rings a lot recently and I think this video will push me to finally get one (and a bunch more VCAs too ;) ) Also super excited for the podcast with ebcidic, the last two have been quality

Thanks for being awesome mr Mylar :)

"huuh... nice." -mylarmelodies 2018

Very nice applications, great way to bring out polyrhythms.

Superb video . always good quality information .

Great instruction, and sounds. Thanks man.

This video is so essential to everyone getting into modular. Even every LFO modular or envelope needs a freakin VCA. Learned that and realize how essential VCA are in this community

fantastic video - I watched it several times. What is your opinion on the Doepfer A-130-8 octal linear VCA ? Would it be a suitable replacement for the AD50 ? Ah, and happy new year! :)

Thank you for introducing me to ebcidic - what a super sound he produces!!!

Would love to see a video on that arp odyssey you’ve got lurking in the back!

Beware when purchasing: The A in VCA can either stand for amplifier or attenuator. I would also not overlook the importance of mixing and offset or straight inversion. I personally can't get enough of all three

Thank you for sharing a secret to making modular sound alive. The principle applies to electronic music made in other ways.

I saw the title and my brain immediately analogized it to "the Earth is round". Statements of pure truth. Excellent video as always!

Excellent explanation, thanks a mill!

Excellent video. Thank you.

VNICURSAL VCA by Zlob is 6 VCAs in 8HP with a summed output. Love mine. Great way to have a ton of VCAs without taking up HP in my smaller system

I love this video so much thank you man!!!

"To put a VCA in the path": i will not forget it ! Thanks you a lot from France (Gers).

Thanks for the video very important to a novice like me, will help a lot. Cheers

Thank you so much for this! 🤗😁👊

This is fantastic - thank you.

So useful for me as I'm starting to design my first modular (beyond a few Mother ecosystem semi mods). I bet most people reading this comment know how you dive into ModularGrid and just start racking up the insane VCOs and sound sources (Deckard's Voice, Elements, Quad Morphing VCO) & sequencers & filters... it's the sad truth that VCAs just don't seem "sexy" to us amateurs. That is, until you described them in this video. My takeaways / Cliffs Notes: NEED MORE VCAS, lol - they help modulate the modulators and control the chaos. For example, they help inject motion & subtlety & life. They let stuff that’s happening, happen “LESS” or “NOT ALL THE TIME” (making things come in and out, for example) The SYSTEM is “always tweaking the dials, EVER so slightly” - it makes ALL the difference in the world… because SO MUCH REPETITION in techno / programmed music / generative.. So it constantly moves IN and OUT of phase with animation… so many knobs just wiggling SLIGHTLY .. all over your system.. Life.. dynamics.. Organic, subtle in the background… the ear is EXTREMELY perceptive. (And I just racked up a few extra VCAs in my ModularGrid... they suddenly seem a LOT more sexy to me... by imagining them as the organic little creatures, subtly wiggling knobs all over the system... making the whole patch breath with life, like a forest!!!)

Cool vid and gave me some ideas... But also got me diving into the Gristleizer module.... Saw some cool vids and convinced me these modules are a great add to my set up... Thanks a lot \0/

Great watch and great video

Great as usual.

Loved this. Layman happy.

You're one of my favorite people on RU-vid!

killer video thanks so much !

I think it stems down to people avoiding utilities in general - unless it's maths or some flavour of the month MI module, it's suddenly "boring". Utilities are bloody interesting - not everything has to be self contained mini synths!

This is really helpful...thank you

i fckn love ur charisma man

That is a very good and perceptible lesson

Just getting into Eurorack. Feel I need a VCA. Like the look of the Mutable Instruments Veils quad VCA. Can't find any videos for this module though. But looks like a decent, capable VCA module as far as I can tell.

Sooo cool. Thanks, luv. You should do a show on how to make a drum kit with least amount modules possible. DFAM sounds so good but I think it’s sexier to make your own drums. Besides, the dfam module is gargantuan. I want my drums to hit that hard, just not to be THAT BIG.

I was his 500th like, how gratifying.

Hey there love the content! But I have a question. How exactly are you using the TR-08 in this patch, I have a TR-08 of my own and have been thinking about taking a leap in to modular, but the only one page Manuel left me kind of confused lol! How are you getting audio out of the TR-08 does the CV trigger on the front translate in to actual sound or do you feed the CV in for clocking only and the TR goes in to its own place?

Really good and really cool :)

thanks for the info. i'm interested in the patch at 6:55, modulating the modulation, but it just kind of flies by! what exactly is being patched?

those ladik modules seem cool but are they impossible to get a hold of? The varigate 4+ might be an alternative?

Really useful and interesting. Why have I never come across audio rate amplitude modulation before? Having lots of fun making strange sounds and fantastic patterns on the oscilloscope with AM. Many thanks :-)

I didn't realize how much I needed a reminder to do this.

Good information video!

Loving the fact that I'm not the only one who makes videos in his PJ's! ;)

Superb. Thanks

Up until now I've been living a static life. Now, thanks to mylarmelodies I'm animated.

Just ordered an Intellijel Quad VCA module to go with my Doepfer A100 Basic system that only came with one VCA. Since I bought another VCO and LFO, and a quad EG, should help modulate things better.

thats why blinds is a masterpiece. fractal vca stuff

Great stuff as always. 12:05 "huh" ... "ace" replaced??

love your explanations. always a lesson! what kind of screws are those? is there a name for it? keep up!

great video!

Hey, loving the videos... just bought a behringer 902 cause of your video. Sorry for the newbie question but in a normal set up is it filter then VCA or VCA into filter?

Thank you!!

made it to about 1:20 and subbed. Good stuff.

I agree and currently have 18 VCAs in some form, though I want to add that the "you can never have enough VCAs" logic is a bit lazy or linear minded; many things which involve VCAs in the path of multiple strands of connected modulation can also be achieved by simply mixing cv (e.g. Envelopes into one VCA) and/or sufficiently complex cv sources, + osc and LFO with sync, especially if there is cv over it. There are times also when I thought I needed another VCA when I actually just needed a switch or some type of probabilistic output.

beautiful! this is a fabulous reminder to throw some VCAs in the CV path! What are you using for reverb @ 7:30? It sounds so nice with that AM!

Glad that you proved that it is possible to make awesome modular music without using VCAs :-) I think FM synthesis is more fun less VCAs more about tweaking LFOs and modulators is more interesting than messing with stacking up 50 VCAs, VCOs, filters that gets expensive quickly and too much work. That is why west coast FM synthesis appeals to me way more than east coast subtractive synthesis even though my first experience was with Moog east coast synths.

Hi, mylarmagic as you allways, brilliant ☺👌 Wich sequencer i that? Kind regards ✌❤

Hey, can you tell me if the VCA of Abstract Data is linear or logarithmic? Or is it wayne if you are using discrete technology?

Dude your watch is dope

he actually did it the absolute madman

jolie pop swatch, ça me rappel ma jeunesse

that was very educational sir. so i need more VCAs and also more sequencers ;) what seqs are those you play at 10:54?

great! thanks so much

This is super cool! Is this VCA method "essentially" the same as using an attenuator to reduce the amount of control signal going into a module, say to reduce the wide swings of an LFO down to something less intense? Or would a VCA be doing something different than an attenuator would in some of these examples?

Superb Groove of life.

THANK YOU!!! Now I understand :-)

I remember you having a HexVCA, is there a reason you went with Abstract Data?

Batumi LFOs controlling a quad VCA is nice. Especially in phase mode. Less knob twiddlin'

Great explanation and examples! What is the sequencer you are using?

So, that trigger output from the TR-08 is fine to use as a Euro rack trigger? AWESOME!

Instead of VCAs, you can craft any modulation shape, timing, etc, desired in Ableton Live CV Tools... significant power if you’re really trying to produce music with modular sound elements.

thanx clear explanation

I finally understand VCAs 😂 thank you