Cardinal – Virtual modular synthesizer plugin

[v64]

Programs like this and VCV Rack are great ways to get started on the road to building your own modular synthesizer [1]. Many of the modules in the program are based on real hardware, and while the hardware versions of these modules can cost hundreds of dollars, the software versions are using the exact same firmware. Whether you stay virtual or go out and build the hardware equivalent of your rack, it's a great way to experiment and learn the basics at a lower cost than in the past.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular_synthesizer

[fsckboy]

>while the hardware versions of these modules can cost hundreds of dollars, the software versions are using the exact same firmware

firmware? so for the modules you are talking about, what you are saying is that they're virtual analog software synths anyway, and the "hardware" aspect simply provides some jacks for patching?

[vindex10]

Very nice project, it has all the basic modules to start learning from, and most importantly - in one place.

I'm using it myself in combination with Ardour, now at the beginning of my learning curve - it is great!

[tpm]

Also there is now a physical eurorack module where you can load and play VCV modules. https://modulargrid.net/e/4ms-company-metamodule

[dag11]

When can I get this module in VCV? :)

[geethree]

Wow. I guess I haven’t been paying attention to 4ms lately.. this feels wrong but right. I like it.

[Lucasoato]

It would be nice to add a guide or a question in the FAQs about using your PC keyboard for MIDI input. I've explored the project and the menus a bit, but I can't get it to work from the browser (Firefox, Linux).

[gausswho]

I'm a little torn on how I feel towards the Cardinal project. It claims not to be a fork on a technicality. It brings some improvements certainly and VCV dev has felt stagnant the last couple years, but it's also a little uncomfortably (to me) ideologically trying to GPL VCV. At least they are transparent about it. I like their community presence. I wonder if most users of Cardinal are aware how much of what they appreciate is the work upstream. A lot of value is lost to not have access to all of VCV's free-but-not-GPL modules, but the gap is shrinking.

[drmr]

What do you mean `trying to GPL VCV`? The Rack 2.0 project was always licensed `GPL3.0-or-later` so we are using it exactly as intended.

Cardinal also contains MIT, BSD and CC0 modules. As long as all the code is compatible to GPL3.0-or-later since everything is built into a single static binary.

A lot of work has gone into due diligence in order to vet all the resources that have gone into the project: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal/blob/main/docs/LICENSES....

The value proposition that Cardinal offers by being self-contained is one of stability, backwards-compatibility and being able to easily share patches with other users without having to download or buy anything additional.

See the differences document to better understand how the projects compare: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal/blob/main/docs/DIFFERENC...

[kibibu]

VCV Pro has the DAW plugin feature as a paid extra. Cardinal seems to be taking the GPL version of VCV and using it to undercut the main income source of the VCV project.

[vegadw]

This only includes a small subset of the VCV Library, some of the best modules aren't included in this and pretty cool. There's also some incredible paid modules in the library worth checking out.

[chabes]

There are also a few collections that are available only in Cardinal, and not VCV

[drmr]

You think over 1200 modules is small?

Definitely enough for endless hours of modular patching.

[jinay]

I'm in the process of building a similar project aimed towards beginners, so it's hopefully a bit less daunting than Cardinal/VCV Rack.

https://wavepen.jinay.dev/

[throwaway888abc]

It remind me Rebirth [0] (had so much fun epochs ago). Soo many buttons, but where the heck is play button ?

I will leave it more experienced musicians :). Looks like great project

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReBirth_RB-338

[kostadin]

Do you mean Reason? This was the first virtual synth with patching UI that Propellerhead released a bit after ReBirth.

ReBirth was amazing though and would love if someone brings it back. They had an iPad version that worked pretty well but apparently Roland forced them to take it down.

[fp64]

Does this offer anything besides circumventing the little set of features that VCV Rack charges money for? Am I subsidizing the development of this tool with my paid VCV Rack version?

[drmr]

You can read about all the main differences in this document: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal/blob/main/docs/DIFFERENC...

One could argue that a plugin version is more than a minor feature.

Cardinal is not affiliated with VCV in any way. We use the upstream Rack source-code as a base so any support towards VCV will ultimately "trickle down" (in the form of code) back to Cardinal as well.

[squigz]

How might one get started with this sort of thing? It's always intrigued me but it's very daunting...

[Archit3ch]

It lacks the VultModulesFree from VCV...

[drmr]

These are proprietary so how would you include these?

Cardinal is based on open-source modules (compatible with GPL3.0-or-later license) that are all compiled into a single static binary.

This is not possible with proprietary binaries.