Developing Virtual Synthesizers with VCV Rack

Developing Virtual Synthesizers with VCV Rack takes the reader step by step through the process of developing synthesizer modules, beginning with the elementary and leading up to more engaging examples. Using the intuitive VCV Rack and its open-source C++ API, this book will guide even the most inexperienced reader to master efficient DSP coding to create oscillators, filters, and complex modules.

Examining practical topics related to releasing plugins and managing complex graphical user interaction, with an intuitive study of signal processing theory specifically tailored for sound synthesis and virtual analog, this book covers everything from theory to practice. With exercises and example patches in each chapter, the reader will build a library of synthesizer modules that they can modify and expand.

Supplemented by a companion website, this book is recommended reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of audio engineering, music technology, computer science, electronics, and related courses; audio coding and do-it-yourself enthusiasts; and professionals looking for a quick guide to VCV Rack. VCV Rack is a free and open-source software available online.

Preface

Acknowledgements

1 Modular Synthesis: Theory

2 Elements of Signal Processing for Synthesis

3 VCV Rack basics

4 Developing with VCV Rack

5 The graphical user interface: a quick introduction

6 Let’s start programming: the easy ones

7 Getting Serious: DSP "classroom" modules

8 Crunching numbers: advanced DSP modules

9 The graphical user interface: creating custom widgets

10 Additional topics

11 After reading this book

Bibliography

Index

Leonardo Gabrielli,PhD, is a research fellow at the Department of Information Engineering, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy, where he lectures on music production and conducts research on physical modeling and deep neural audio processing. He collaborates with the music industry as a DSP developer and he is scientific director of Acusmatiq MATME.