*VIDEO* You can never have enough VCAs! Here is why...PART 3

davidjames · Post by **davidjames** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 11:44 am

Excellent video! Looking forward to the series. I'd like to better understand the VCA controls and when to use them. CV amount, bias, level, etc.

oysteingn · Post by **oysteingn** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 12:16 pm

thanks! looking forward to more of these!

SB-SIX · Post by **SB-SIX** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 12:25 pm

Great vid! Just a few details i'd like to clear up if you don't mind...
- ducking amplitude has nothing to do with compression. It might sound a bit like sidechain compression but compression is different. Thats about flattening peaks and bringing up more silent parts
- tambour = timbre (tambour sounds like talking about a tambourine)
There were some other words (amplitude) but dont remember what you made of it.
I dont say this to be a dick, i'm far from perfect in my english too, but i've done some vids in the past where i got feedback like this that helped me. I always thought the word "chord" was pronounced "tjord" until someone told me it was more like "cord".
And indeed more and more modules have built in vca's which leaves the dedicated vca's open for other tricks. I have 3 vca's in my 9u system which has been enough so far. But this vid reminds me to do more with AM / ring mod so thanks for the inspiration!

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 1:06 pm

SB-SIX wrote:Great vid! Just a few details i'd like to clear up if you don't mind...
- ducking amplitude has nothing to do with compression. It might sound a bit like sidechain compression but compression is different. Thats about flattening peaks and bringing up more silent parts
- tambour = timbre (tambour sounds like talking about a tambourine)
There were some other words (amplitude) but dont remember what you made of it.
I dont say this to be a dick, i'm far from perfect in my english too, but i've done some vids in the past where i got feedback like this that helped me. I always thought the word "chord" was pronounced "tjord" until someone told me it was more like "cord".
And indeed more and more modules have built in vca's which leaves the dedicated vca's open for other tricks. I have 3 vca's in my 9u system which has been enough so far. But this vid reminds me to do more with AM / ring mod so thanks for the inspiration!

Thank you for the feedback.

You are right about the compression/ducking. For the purpose of the demonstraition I figured this overly simplified patch would do the trick. I thought I was clear in the video that it was not a real compressor.

Pighood · Post by **Pighood** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 1:37 pm

eyeiaye wrote:New in the game. Watched you vid, purchased a VCA Matrix. I think you made the user who I purchased it from quite happy

VCAM changed my wiggling life. Waaaay more fun that ought be legal.

SB-SIX · Post by **SB-SIX** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 6:24 pm

FrankMurder wrote:
Thank you for the feedback.

You are right about the compression/ducking. For the purpose of the demonstraition I figured this overly simplified patch would do the trick. I thought I was clear in the video that it was not a real compressor.

Ah yes i see it now in the text sorry i missed that the first time...

bradfromraleigh · Post by **bradfromraleigh** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 7:00 pm

I have been looking at different VCAs but there are so many choices.

I would love to see a thread about the characteristics of the most popular options for VCAs. For instance, I've heard some described as clean and others dirty. Some are good for CV while others not. Maybe a VCA characteristic matrix would be nice...

onurkalaycioglu · Post by **onurkalaycioglu** » Sat Jan 23, 2016 7:52 pm

Amer1231 wrote:
onurkalaycioglu wrote:
Pighood wrote:
or you can have a couple/bunch of these and save some hp....

That looks nice, but they dont exist on your website blog thingy

sorry to derail the thread again... VnIcursal VCA info is on the home(news) page of my "site" and i just added it to my main module section.

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Sun Jan 24, 2016 10:26 am

So thanks to all of you for your positive response to introduction video both the very positive and the constructive criticism. The video has been up for a day and has 1000 views on Youtube already. I am pretty amazed by this and I guess I will stay up a bit late tonight and record a follow up segment if I can.

Anyway

euxine · Post by **euxine** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 5:59 am

FrankMurder thanks so much for doing this!! Even though I know a fair bit of this, it's always good to fill gaps in knowledge and review the basics.

Also really enjoyed your uVCF videos - reminds me not to get too reliant on fancy featuresets when trying to get the sound I want - I should be always be thinking from a signal path / control path point of view.

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 2:41 pm

So. Here is the first part.

I tried to listen to some of the critisism and suggestions in the thread.

Some of you may also like to know that it if flu season here in the North so my voice and accent is extra crispy in the video.

Anyway in the video I try to cover the basic settings of a VCA. The difference between exponential and linear. BIAS. You know... The basics. It ends with a bit of demonstrative patching.

I hope you enjoy it and maybe you will learn something.

I also edited the original post to include the video there.

[video][/video]

davidjames · Post by **davidjames** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 3:10 pm

Excellent! I'm glad you removed the text, I agreed with a previous comment that it distracts from what you are doing and saying. I can watch and listen at the same time but don't make me read too! Good work, I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. Thanks!

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:32 pm

euxine wrote:FrankMurder thanks so much for doing this!! Even though I know a fair bit of this, it's always good to fill gaps in knowledge and review the basics.

Also really enjoyed your uVCF videos - reminds me not to get too reliant on fancy featuresets when trying to get the sound I want - I should be always be thinking from a signal path / control path point of view.

Thanks man!

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:38 pm

Trebbers wrote:Great video! Assume you already plan to cover it, but I'd like to suggest covering applications/uses of linear vs expo VCAs. Seems like the question would lend itself to a video tutorial as a basic difference between the two types ends up often being subtle in practice.

I talk a bit about this in the new video.

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:39 pm

davidjames wrote:Excellent video! Looking forward to the series. I'd like to better understand the VCA controls and when to use them. CV amount, bias, level, etc.

I tryed to cover this a bit in the new video.

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 4:41 pm

bradfromraleigh wrote:I have been looking at different VCAs but there are so many choices.

I would love to see a thread about the characteristics of the most popular options for VCAs. For instance, I've heard some described as clean and others dirty. Some are good for CV while others not. Maybe a VCA characteristic matrix would be nice...

I tryed to cover this a bit in the new video. I will try to use different VCAs in different episodes.

N59 · Post by **N59** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 5:06 pm

Very clear presentation.

I hope to see more. Great work!

ES · Post by ES » Wed Feb 10, 2016 12:11 pm

Hey, after watching your video I messed around with my uVCA II and found that when I shift from linear to exponential the sound is immediately quieter and thinner, definitely not clipping and distorting etc as happens in your video.

Am taking the output from an oscillator directly into the vca with the bias ful CW and then into a mixer. Same effect with bias CCW and an envelope opening the VCA.

No idea what the issue is!

Anyway, I look forward to more videos!

audiohawk · Post by **audiohawk** » Wed Feb 10, 2016 5:18 pm

Great videos. Technically well explained and musical.
Please keep them coming.
Just an observation... A more close up view would help "noobs" like me understand the patches better.
Thank you for your work

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 6:03 am

Thanks again for the positive feedback.

I finally managed to finish part 2. In this segment I focus on Bipolar VCAs, I try to explain the difference between two and four quadrant multiplication and explore a few of the possible uses for four quadrant multipliers or VC Attenuverters or Bipolar VCAs.

[video][/video]

I also edited the original post to include this video and its description.

If you like the video and the series I would really appreciate you hitting the like button on youtube and possibly leaving a comment.

I hope you enjoy it.

james2098 · Post by **james2098** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 8:39 am

excellent!

Troubleshooter · Post by **Troubleshooter** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 9:28 am

LowOver wrote:you can use math as two vca`s ,with variable character (lin/expo)
the PEG is a dedicated function generator (AD i think (Attack/Decay))
A VCA is just a "Voltage Controlled Amplifier" but it only "amplifies" from zero to one...so it got a negative amplification.
I call them "Voltage Controlled Attenuverter" for better understanding.

hope this is all correct.....may a more experienced wiggler call me nutts if i´m
wrong.

edit : 100 post......and i got nothing to sell

I sometimes prefer to think about them as voltage controlled analog multipliers....

colossus · Post by **colossus** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 4:51 pm

New one is great so far. Will finish later when I'm at my rack.

cyberdine · Post by **cyberdine** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:02 pm

Just to say that I don't care about the spelling, it's hardly the point.

I appreciate the fact that you've made these very clear and interesting, your patches are great and I learned something from watching them. So thank you.

FrankMurder · Post by **FrankMurder** » Wed Mar 02, 2016 1:22 pm

Part 3 is up:

Why can I never have enough VCAs? Part 3 - Wrapping up modulation and a few other pointers.

We look at the Intellijel MicroMod2 or uMod II. This will be the last video focusing on RM and AM. I may use them in later tutorials to compliment other things but this will be the last video focusing on that. I also try to give a few basic pointers that were missing from the other videos. Next video will probably be on mixing or stereo.

Enjoy!

[video][/video]

Also edited the original post to include it!

MOD WIGGLER

MOD WIGGLER

VIDEO You can never have enough VCAs! Here is why...PART 3