If anyone knows otherwise, feel free to leave a comment.
Update2 via Robert Saint John in the comments: "[Atomic Shadow] is correct, this is simply the Cherry Audio/MRB bundle of VM900 modules for Cherry Audio’s Voltage Modular platform, released in October 2021. We have not announced any plans to release this as a standalone or VST instrument"
"In one of my previous videos I was bemoaning the fact that the 960 Sequential Controller modules—henceforth to be called sequencers, as is right and proper—did not have clock inputs. And while technically true, at some point in a week or so of having given up on the idea and not thinking about it, it somewhat randomly occurred to me that you could make use of the Shift input to essentially clock the sequencer. The "proper use" of the Shift input is to force the sequencer to advance to the next stage when it sees an input voltage. It's not exactly a true clock because technically the sequencer clock would not actually be running but the effect is more or less the same; when the Shift input sees a pulse, it advances the sequencer to the next step. Sort of like a clock.
So normally what one does with a running sequencer is have it send out voltages on each step that get converted into notes by an oscillator. However, while that's the usual there's no reason you have to actually use it that way. In this instance, we're using the second row of voltage knobs to send out 2 volts on the first step and 0 volts on the others. Essentially this means that if the sequencer is set to 4 steps we've now divided that by four if we only send out a voltage on that first step. Voilà, we just made a 4-to-1 clock divider using only analog circuitry.
But that's just the beginning. Let's say Sequencer 1 is set to three steps and Sequencer 2 is set to five steps. If they're both being clocked by the same external oscillator, you now have a 5 against 3 rhythm going on. But what if you turn up knob 4 on that second sequencer? Now you have 1 and 4 out of 5 playing against the 1 out of 3 of the first sequencer. And now we're headed for polyrhythms. But why stop there? You can add in a third sequencer, for example. Or you can start ratcheting some of the steps to make even more complex rhythms. Or what would happen if you used the voltage of one of the sequencer steps to change the frequency of the clocking oscillator? Or how about doing all of these sorts of things and also have the sequencer's internal clock running as well? That's the beauty of modular; you can do all sorts of things.
I haven't explored all of those options in this particular video because if I did it would've been three hours long. Perhaps next time. What I've done this time though is go through all of the steps to get something like this working, more than enough to get you started if you're so inclined.
"The Cherry Audio Quadra is a super-accurate and immensely improved emulation of the ARP Quadra synthesizer, originally released in 1978 - a rare and coveted “unicorn” instrument in the synthesizer world, reproduced for the first time as a virtual instrument.
We've wildly expanded it for an experience that blows away the real thing in every conceivable way. Each of its four sections is independently assignable to any region of the keyboard for endless splitting and layering flexibility. The overall sound quality has been improved for a richer and fatter tone. And not only did we make a killer emulation of the onboard phaser effect, we added a stereo chorus/flanger, a syncable echo, and studio-quality reverb - all individually routable for unprecedented effects flexibility."
Synth Stack 2 assembles ten of Cherry Audio's virtual instruments at an astoundingly affordable price, including the Voltage Modular Core + Electro Drums package, DCO-106, CA2600, Surrealistic MG-1 Plus, Polymode, Eight Voice, PS-20, Memorymode, Mercury-4, and the stunning new Quadra.
Thousands of professional presets, deep control of each and every instrument, and authentic sounds await in this single massive collection!"
Voltage Modular Year 3 Collection | Cherry Audio
video upload by Cherry Audio
The new Cherry Audio Voltage Modular Year 3 Collection brings three iconic modular instrument collections into a single bundle. From the raw sound of the VM900 series to the mythical VM2500 modules to the lush Synthesizer Expander Modules, the Year 3 Collection packs a serious punch of electrifying power to any cabinet.
With 40+ modules, hundreds of presets, and full modular connectivity, unlimited sonic adventures await."
"Well I've always loved the Tangram sequence. It's iconic, what I think of when think of sequencers. From the Tangerine Dream album in 1980 of the same name. It's four patterns of 7 notes, each played twice. I even already did a video about it several weeks ago, except I used "standard" digital modules to do it. Three sequencers, the kind where you put in note names (such as A3, B5, etc.), and were you have digital clock modules controlling everything. Makes things easier! Except now that Cherry Audio's come out with the VM900 Collection of Moog-style modules, I now have a real (LOL) sequencer to work with. Totally analog, nothing digital. Which means you can't say something like, "give me 96bpm," you have to figure out the precise voltages you'll need to get the results you want. And you have to use analog logic and programming to get all your events happening when you want them and all in the proper order. Endless fun! (No, I mean it!) It's not that it's harder to do, it's that it makes you think differently to get things working. Wouldn't have it any other way.
"Well, been playing almost nonstop in Voltage Modular with the VM900 module collection, basically a pile of Moog-style modules from Cherry Audio. So what does one do with a Moog modular? For my part I'd head straight for the 960 sequencer. And what does one do once you've gotten that working? Well, ratcheting is the next step, of course. Voltage Modular does have a number of ratcheting modules, and the clocks to drive them, but I wanted to do it analog-style, not any of this new-fangled modern digital stuff (ignoring for the moment that this is all in computer software, of course). Was pretty satisfying to get it working. To be totally transparent the ratcheting aspect of the patch was not my original design. Many years ago Roger Arrick of synthesizers.com did a demo video of his Q960 sequencer module and how to use the 962 switch and an oscillator to make the ratcheting pulses. That video has been in the back of my mind for years, and in my bookmarks, but I don't quite have the Euro hardware for it and there hasn't really been a 960-style sequencer in Voltage Modular. Until now, that is.
So I took Arrick's basic concept, which is pretty ingenious, and adapted it to the slightly different modules in Voltage Modular. Turns out doing ratcheting in the analog realm is a lot more work than using a digital ratcheting module. Surprise! Was incredibly happy to get it working.
In this setup I'm using Row A of the sequencer for the notes and Row B for voltages used to generate the extra triggers. And it's great fun to play with the knobs and change the number of ratchets and which notes in the sequence get them. However, that's a lot of manual labor, and I wanted to take it a step further and make the ratchets happen on their own at random steps. That is not in this video, alas, but fear not, I've been able to patch it up and that's what the next, more in-depth video will be about. Still done entirely in the analog module realm though, for authenticity's sake."
"Saw a tweet from Cherry Audio about the newly released set of VM900 modules about two hours ago, instantly purchased them, and then made this video as a quick demo. Nothing fancy, single oscillator, no LFOs, minimal envelope count, but it still sounds fantastic. For me it was a no-brainer instabuy. Will certainly make some more in-depth videos of the VM900s, just wanted to get this out there."
With the sound, look, and feel that started it all, the Cherry Audio/MRB VM900 Collection delivers the audio and visual experience of the legendary Moog 900-series modules with spine-tingling impact and accuracy. Every detail has been expertly reproduced, for a virtual window into the halcyon days of early analog synthesis. Award-winning synth designer Mark Barton’s (MRB) proprietary DSP coding reproduces each and every sonic nuance with unprecedented accuracy.
The 27-module VM900-series collection has not been altered or updated to reflect modern trends - panel layouts and operation have been preserved in order to present a one-to-one early analog experience like no other. From oscillator drift to warm mixer overdrive to painstakingly reproduced panel art, it’s all there - the Cherry Audio/MRB VM900 Collection is simply a “must-have” module set for all purveyors of vintage analog synthesis!"
Note the Cherry labels at the bottom of each module. It looks like Cherry/MRB
