VCV has announced two new plugins for VCV Rack, the open-source modular synthesizer.
VCV Console is an 8-channel mixer with 3 send/return buses, VCAs on each channel, constant-power panning, anti-pop switches, and soft output saturation. Available at the VCV Rack website for $15, or $20 in 2018.
Pulse Matrix 16 and Pulse Matrix 8 are two powerful trigger sequencers for sequencing drums, voices, or arrangement events. Both variations have four playback modes per channel, the ability to independently clock, reset, and randomize channels, and row/column shift through triggers and CV. These modules have been designed with patch programmability in mind, so you can extend its features by sending its own triggers into itself to program events at certain steps. Also available at the VCV Rack website for $25, or $30 after New Years.
VCV does not ask for donations for the open-source Rack project—instead, they recommend that you give to one of the hundreds of third-party Rack plugin developers if you can afford to.
They say "We would prefer to give you something in exchange for your support, so we will be releasing a plugin every week or two while Rack is being developed. It is our dream to work on VCV Rack full-time in 2018 to improve its performance, stability, and compatibility as well as adding features with the goal of creating a serious alternative to traditional timeline-based DAWs. Rack, its open source plugins, and a few planned future projects like the VST/AU Bridge and upcoming Eurorack ports will remain free and open source forever, so you may continue using them as-is or expand your collection while supporting the project."