Voltage Modular User Guide

Last updated 2023.04.17

Thanks for choosing Voltage Modular! We’re sure you’ll have a blast creating
amazing sounds with what we feel is the finest virtual modular synthesis
system available.

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If you have some experience with hardware modular synthesizers, you’ll
likely jump right in and get cookin’, but if you’re new or need information
about specific functions, this is where you'll find it. This guide won’t cover
the functions of specific modules, but it will explain all of Voltage Modular's
basic underlying functionality: preset loading and saving, adding and moving
modules, the Voltage Module store, and more - essentially everything except
how individual modules work.

Compatibility
Mac OS: Voltage can run as a standalone application or an AU, VST2, VST3,
or Pro Tools AAX virtual instrument. It can also run as an effects plug-in in the
aforementioned formats.
Windows: Voltage can run as a standalone application or as a VST2, VST3,
or Pro Tools AAX virtual instrument. It can also run as an effects plug-in in the
aforementioned formats.

User Account Log In

To use Voltage Modular, you’ll need a user account. If you haven’t yet
created one, click the Create Account button which automatically opens the
Cherry Audio website where you’ll be walked through the easy-peasy

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process. Once a user account is set up, simply enter your email and
password in the appropriate fields to start using Voltage Modular.

Voltage Modular Install and

Copyright Protection
Voltage Modular’s copyright protection uses an advanced encryption scheme
that customizes the primary app and modules for use on your computer only.
You'll need an active internet connection during initial installation of the
primary app, modules, and sound presets, but once installed, you're free to
go off the grid, eat organic spelt in a field, and power your music computer
with a generator hooked to your stationary recumbent bike. (Voltage Modular
is licensed for use on up to four computers. Users can log into their accounts
to control which computers are licensed.)

Configuring Standalone Version

MIDI and Audio I/O
Voltage can be used as a standalone application with or without a hardware
keyboard or pad control. With its Musical Typing Keyboard, multiple note and
trigger sequencers, you can make a heck of a lot of music without even
plugging in a keyboard. To use a hardware keyboard or pad controller, click
the gear icon to open Settings.

Click the Audio tab:

… then check the box for the appropriate USB controller in the Active MIDI
Inputs area.

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Audio inputs and outputs can also be set in this tab. Voltage will typically
default to built-in system audio outputs, but clicking the pop-up window will
display all other available audio hardware. The audio input can also be set
here, but it’s not necessary unless you intend to use Voltage’s audio in jacks
to process external audio (more on this in the I/O Panel section).

Getting Up and Running

If you’re new to modular synthesis and just want to start making sounds,
have a look at the following video. It gives a quick overview of loading
presets, adding, moving, and patching modules, and more.

Technical Assistance

Cherry Audio's unique online store and automatic updating should make
operation a smooth experience, but if you run into any issues or have
questions, you can discuss issues online at the Cherry Audio forums at:

[Link]
... or you can communicate directly with our surly and uncooperative
outgoing and friendly tech support staff at:

[Link]

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The strip at the top of the Voltage Modular interface is where you’ll load,
save, and create sound presets. It also contains basic utility functions such
as undo, redo, zoom level, and more. Let’s go over them:

New- Opens a new blank patch preset. If an unsaved patch is currently open
or you’ve modified an existing saved patch, a dialog will ask if you’d like to
save the patch in its current state. This greatly reduces the possibility of
losing a patch that you may have spent a lot of time creating.

Save- Use this to save patches. There are a couple of levels of hierarchy:

Collection- This is the top level of organization, and contains entire “sets”
of presets. The Core presets are the main collection of factory presets
included with Voltage. New preset collections are included with

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 additionally purchased module sets (such as Misfit Audio Electro Drums),
and we also include a User Presets Collection. However, you’re free to
create your own collections. To create a new collections, click in the
Collection text field (where it says User Presets above) and type a name.
User-created sounds can be freely saved to any collection; we like to keep
‘em separated for organizational purposes.

Categories- Within each Collection are a number of sound categories. As

with collections, you’re free to create as many categories as you like. To
create a category, click in the Category text field of the Save dialog
window (where it says MS Patches above) and type a new category name.

Patch- A patch is an individual sound. To save a patch, simply type the

name in the Name field and click Save.

Keywords- You can add descriptive words such as “huge,” “noisy,” “poly,”
etc. to patches to make them appear when terms are typed in the Search
field. Use commas to separate multiple keywords entries.

Type: Effect/Instrument- Select one when saving patches. This tells

Voltage Modular whether the patch is intended for use as a virtual
instrument, or as an insert effect.

Browsing Patches- Patches can be browsed by clicking the <Select Preset>

field. To select a preset collection, click in the area that says <All
Collections> or on the downward-facing arrow next to it.

Clicking on the left-side categories narrows down which patches are

displayed.

<All Presets> will show presets from all collections and categories.
<Recent> displays recently used presets. (surprising, right?)

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Preset Filter Buttons- Toggling these buttons filters which patches show in the
patch list.
All- displays all patches
FX- displays on patches saved as effects
Insts- displays only patches saved as instruments
Show Variations- hides or shows patch variations. More about variations in
the Using Variations section.
Refresh- This is the circular arrow button and it doesn’t toggle a display
filter. Clicking this checks the Cherry Audio server for new or updated
presets. This occurs automatically every time Voltage is launched, but it’s
useful for developers.

Pin - Clicking the push-pin icon locks the patch selection list open, allowing
fast and easy browsing and auditioning of patches. Click the icon again to
disable pin mode. when in pin mode, the up and down arrow keys can be
used to select patches.

Preset Step Back/Forward Arrows- These step to the previous or next preset.

Undo/Redo- Use these to undo or redo your last action. Patch a cable to the
wrong place? Undo button. It remembers many steps, so if you really loused
something up, keep on clickin'...

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Zoom- Clicking this allows resizing of the I/O Panel, Performance Controls,
and main module cabinets to accommodate various screen and window
sizes. These settings won't change Voltage Modular’s overall window size;
this can be done by clicking and dragging an edge or corner.

Settings- This is where user preferences for cables, audio interfaces, user
account, and more are configured. See the Settings section for full
information.

Cable Transparency- Clicking the checkerboard icon displays the cable

transparency slider. Slide this to the left for more transparent cables, or to
the right for more opaque cables.

Cable Color Select- Click this to select the global cable color, i.e. the color of
any newly patched cable. Clicking Random randomly chooses a color for
each new cable.

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Show/Hide Cables- Clicking this hides or shows all cables. It has no effect on
sounds, and its status does not save with patches. Cables can also be shown
or hidden using the key shortcuts [CONTROL-D] (PC) or [⌘-D] (Mac).

Special Cool Cable Color Select Feature!- The color of any existing cable
can be changed by right-clicking in jack area. Right-clicking on a jack that
doesn’t have a cable plugged in will change the global cable color (i.e. the
same as changing the color with the toolbar button).

Library- The “library” refers to the column on the left of the screen (or right
depending upon the preference setting) containing the Modules, Cabinets,
MIDI, and Store tabs. The Library button simply hides or displays the column.
This is useful for maximizing the available display space for modules in a
patch. Click here for more information on the Library column (or check the
card catalog in the 786’s at your local library).

Perform- The Perform control panel contains nine knobs and four buttons;
each control can be assigned to control one or more module controls. Like
the Library button above, the Perform button simply hides or shows the
panel to maximize the viewable cabinet workspace. Click here for the full
lowdown on the Perform control panel - it's pretty useful and pretty
awesome!

Tempo- Displays Voltage Modular’s current internal tempo setting, which in

turn controls the rate of the IO Panel Sync Out jack. The tempo display only
appears in the standalone version of Voltage Modular as VST, AU, and AAX
plug-in versions receive sync data from their host DAW app.

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To change the tempo setting, double-click the number and type in the
desired BPM value.

QWERTY Musical Typing Keyboard- Opens an onscreen keyboard allowing a

standard QWERTY computer keyboard to be used for playing music notes. For
more information, check out the QWERTY Musical Typing Keyboard section.

Voltage logo- Though it appears to be in-app advertising, clicking this

displays “about” information, and shows the version number and current
registered user ID.

Help - Clicking this launches your web browser and opens the very help
document you’re currently reading. Circular logic at its finest.

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The library refers to the column on the left of the screen (or right depending
upon preference settings) containing the Modules, Cabinets, MIDI, Buses, and
Store tabs. The library tab can be hidden or displayed by clicking the
Library button in the top toolbar. Let’s go over each tab:

Modules Tab

The library Modules tab displays all modules currently owned by the logged-
in user (that’s you, bub). This is where you'll go to add new modules to a
patch, either by clicking Add, or by dragging-and-dropping to a cabinet.
For more information about the Modules library tab, see Working With
Modules.

Cabinets Tab

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A “cabinet” refers to a single horizontal row of modules. In contrast to
presets, which save and load all modules and cabinets as a single entity,
saving and loading cabinets allows mixing and matching of rows of modules,
aka cabinets. This allows subsections of larger presets to be moved freely
between patches. Cabinets also offer a time-saving way to load and save
templates for sound creation. When the Cabinets tab is selected, all saved
cabinets are displayed in the library column.
For more information about the Cabinets library tab, see Working With
Cabinets.

MIDI Tab

This tab displays information about how hardware slider/knob, button, and
pad MIDI controllers are assigned to on-screen controls. It's also where you
can see and configure DAW automation and Performance Controls Panel
assignments.

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For more information about the MIDI library tab, see MIDI Continuous
Controller Assignment.

Buses Tab

Displays info and allows modification of “hidden” input and output cable
buses created within patches.

For more information, see the Buses section. If you need more information
about school buses, city buses, or those cool double-decker buses, you’re on
your own.

Store Tab

The Store library tab lets you purchase modules and sounds from directly
within Voltage Modular. Purchased modules and sounds are automatically

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downloaded and installed for use in Voltage Modular. For information about
using the Store library tab, see The Voltage Modular Store.

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The input/output, aka I/O Panel, is Voltage’s "mission control." Here you’ll
route audio signals, virtual control voltages, and MIDI to and from your
computer, audio hardware, and DAW software. It's also where the powerful
patch Variations section and inbuilt WAV Recording section live.
The standard round “mini” jacks send or receive virtual control voltages or
"CV" just like a hardware modular synthesizer. These conform to the
1V/octave standard used in most analog synthesizers and can only transmit
a single signal at any time. The Poly Sources section contains “poly jacks,”
capable of transmitting up to 16 simultaneous signals; the five-pin jack in the
MIDI section can transmit up to 16 channels of note and controller data, just
like its hardware counterpart.

CV Sources
Oct- Transposes the pitch of the outgoing pitch control voltage in [Link]
LEDs to the right display the transposition interval.
Pitch- This is the pitch control voltage output. This usually is patched to an
oscillator keyboard CV input, allowing oscillator pitch to track the keyboard in
chromatic half-steps.
Gate- Outputs a constant 5V gate signal for as long as a key is pressed. This
typically is patched to an envelope generator or voltage-controlled amplifier
to control amplitude.
Trig- A trigger signal is much like a gate signal, but instead of staying high
while a key is held, it briefly outputs 5V then returns to 0V (roughly 0.02
milliseconds). It’s often used to turn something on or off, or trigger a "one-
shot" drum sound.
Single/Multi- Defines how the Gate and Trigger voltages behave when a key
is struck while another key is held. In Single mode, a new gate and trigger
voltage will not be sent until all previously held keys are released. In
Multi mode, new gate and trigger voltages are sent any time a new key is
played. (Because the gate voltage is already "high," it will very briefly dip to
zero volts when a new key is struck in order to let the module know to
retrigger.)

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Vel- Outputs a velocity control voltage between 0V and 5V, proportionate to
how hard the key (or pad) is struck when using a velocity-sensitive controller.
Aftertouch- Outputs a control voltage between 0V and 5V, proportionate to
ongoing key pressure when using a controller that transmits aftertouch.

Sus- Outputs a 5V control voltage when a MIDI sustain pedal message

greater than 64 is received.
Bend- Outputs a control voltage between -5V and 5V, proportionate to pitch
wheel movements. No voltage is transmitted at nominal position.
Mod Wheel- Outputs a control voltage between 0V and 5V, proportionate to
mod wheel position.

Poly Sources
These are a special type of jack, capable of transmitting up to sixteen
separate "lanes" of CV's, for use with special poly modules from Cherry
Audio, PSP, and others. Poly modules and cables make creating and playing
poly patches a cinch!

They make use of a special "poly" cable, identifiable by its slight larger D-
shaped connector and striped cables. Poly cables can only be patched to
an appropriate poly jack. In addition to poly oscillators, filters, amps,
mixers, etc., Voltage Modular includes a number of utility modules for
splitting and converting poly cable signals to standard "mono" CV's for
tremendous flexibility (type "poly" in the Library search field to see them).

Poly Pitch- This transmits pitch control voltages.

Poly Gate- Outputs 5V gate signals for as long as keys are pressed.

Poly Vel- Outputs control voltages between 0V and 5V, proportionate to how
hard the key (or pad) is struck when a velocity-sensitive controller is used.
Number of Voices- Globally sets the maximum number of poly voices, up to
16 voices. Reducing the number of voices may be helpful if you're using a
computer with limited CPU.

MIDI
Voltage Modular’s MIDI From Host jack transmits polyphonic pitch, note on-
off, and MIDI CC data from external keyboard controllers and other devices.

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When used with various MIDI-compatible modules, this allows for polyphonic
patches, arpeggios and more. Voltage MIDI cables are a little fatter than
"standard" patch cables and can only be routed to modules with MIDI jacks,
including the Poly Oscillator, Arpeggiator, MIDI File Player, and a number of
MIDI modules. The LED beside the jack indicates when MIDI data is being
received from a controller.

Transport
Sorry, this isn’t some nifty Star Trek doodad, but it’s still pretty cool. The
transport section carries 5V trigger CVs that simplify using and syncing
Voltage in DAW projects or in the standalone version of Voltage.
Play- Transmits a 5V trigger when play mode is initiated in DAW host
software.
Stop- Transmits a 5V trigger when stop mode is initiated in DAW host
software.
Sync Out- Transmits a constant 96-pulse-per-quarter-note (PPQN) signal used
to synchronize sequencers and other modules to DAW host tempo. These are
intended for use with Voltage’s Sync Divider module, which essentially "slow
down" the super-fast sync signal to musically relevant note clock values.
The standalone version of Voltage will output 96 PPQN sync at the tempo
specified in the Tempo field of the top tool bar. The Tempo field does not
appear in the plug-in instrument versions, because the sync signal is derived
from DAW project settings.

There are a couple of important things to understand about sync signals:

Sync signals are dumb: Sync signals have no idea where the "one" is,
or whether your DAW is playing or stopped. If a sync signal is routed to
the Sync Divider module and its clock is sent to a sequencer, the
sequencer will play at the same tempo as the host DAW project, but
“shifted” in time by some random (and usually undesirable) amount which
will likely make you insane. Please don’t hop on a forum and tell the world
that Voltage won’t play in time. Instead, keep reading…
Use the Reset jack for perfect timing: You’ll notice that the Sync
Divider, all sequencer modules, and most other timing/trigger-related
modules have Reset input jacks. Routing the Transport section Play CV out
to these resets these modules to "one" the instant the DAW play button is
pressed, forcing everybody to play in time together. (Make sure the DAW
play marker is starting on an even beat when you hit play, or else

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 everything in Voltage will play in perfect time, but out of time with the
DAW project.)

Play Gate- Outputs a constant 5V signal any time the DAW host is in play
mode. This isn’t necessary to play sequenced patches in sync, but it can be
handy for more esoteric applications, such as opening voltage-controlled
amplifiers during playback.

Audio Sources
These allow audio to be routed in from either a host DAW when using the
Voltage plug-in version (via the plug-in’s sidechain inputs) or via the
computer’s onboard audio inputs when using the Voltage standalone edition.
The Audio In sources can be configured in Settings (gear icon in the top
toolbar) when using the standalone version.

… then clicking the Audio/MIDI tab

and selecting the Input pop-up window. Input level can be set using the
horizontal meter next to the pop-up, or with the input meters by the jacks in
the I/O Panel.

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The Audio Sources are useful when using Voltage as an insert effect in a DAW
(check out the Insert & Bus Effects category in the presets). They can also be
used as carrier and modulator sources with the super cool Vocoder module.

Main Outs To Host

This is Voltage’s master output section.
Volume Knob- Voltage Modular’s master volume. Note that like the
CV Octave and Single/Multi settings, its setting is stored with patches.
Limiter- Clicking this engages a transparent-sounding audio level limiter
across the final output bus. Its intention is to prevent blowing your head off
with loud or obnoxious patches. Safety first at Cherry Audio!

Main Outs To Host 1L(M)/1R jacks- The main out jacks that the final module of
a patch is plugged into- the final module must be plugged into these or the
neighboring Aux Outs in order to hear sound ("Hello, tech support? It doesn’t
make any noise…").
Are They Inputs or Outputs? The concept can be a little confusing:
these jacks are routed to your computer’s audio hardware. Technically,
they’re inputs, because you’re plugging an output of a module into them,
but since they’re internally attached to your computer’s audio hardware,
we call them "outputs." (Incidentally, we had some "spirited discourses"
on this topic and how to name them appropriately. Just plug the final
module in here and everything will be fine, we promise.)

Aux Outs To Host

These work like the Main Outs To Host jacks explained in the preceding
paragraph, but they’re routed to your DAW or audio hardware additional
outputs. Depending on the audio interface used, they can potentially be
custom routed within a DAW’s virtual mixer or set up to output to additional
DAW audio buses or audio interface physical outputs. A useful application
would be to route a patch containing multiple drum modules through
different DAW plug-in effects. (Kick to a compressor, snare to a reverb, etc.)

Variations

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The Variations panel allows saving of all knob, slider, switch, or other control
settings for individual patches. Variations only store control positions - they
do not store patch cable routings. The concept of Variations is to treat a
given patch as its own instrument, with variations representing different
control settings on that instrument, much like a standard hard-wired synth
with presets.
Save button- Click the Save button, enter a name in the dialog box, and click
OK. You can save as many variations as you like.
Forward/Back arrow buttons- Used to select the previous or next variation.
Variations may also be selected by clicking the downward arrow at the right
of the display and selecting the desired variation.
Variations CV Jacks
These allow the use of CV’s to select variations in a couple different ways.

Prev Var- Decrements the variation selection back when a voltage > than
2.5V is received.
Next Var- Increments the variation selection forward when a voltage > than
2.5V is received.
Rand Var- Randomly selects a new variation when a voltage > than 2.5V is
received.

CV Sel- Allows selection of any current variation with a voltage input between
0 and 5V. The total number of variations is divided evenly over the 0-5V
span. For example, if there were two variations, variation 1 would be
selected from 0-2.49V, and variation 2 would be selected if the voltage was
2.5-5V. This is particularly useful if you’re using a sequencer to select
variations.
Variations Management

The Variation Management window allows renaming, deleting, and changing

the order of Variations. It also lets you assign any MIDI controller to select a
specific variation, which opens a lot of creative possibilities. To open the
Variations Management window, click on a variation name in the display and
select Manage…

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The Variations window contains a list of all variation names for the current
patch. Let’s go over its functions:

Move Up/Move Down- These buttons change the order of the Variations list.
This can be important if the variations are intended to play chronologically in
a performance situation. To edit the order, click on a variation name, then
click the Move Up or Move Down button until the variation is in the desired
location.
Rename- Click this to open an edit field and rename the currently selected
variation. Variations may also be renamed by double-clicking their name in
the list.
Delete- Clears the selected variation. You’ll get an, “Are you sure?” prompt,
but deletion can’t undone, so be careful.
Learn- Allows assignment of any MIDI controller to select a variation. Select
the variation you’d like to assign, click the Learn button to arm learn mode
and move the external control you’d like to select the current variation. Any
type of controller can be assigned, including continuous controls such as
knobs and sliders, but momentary buttons, drum pads, or keyboard keys
make the most sense.

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All of the above functions can also be performed by right-clicking a variation
in the list. MIDI controller assignments can also be unlearned by right-
clicking.
When you’re done editing variations, click the OK button.

Recording

The Recording section is a fast and easy to use WAV recorder. It can used in
the plug-in or standalone versions, but it’s especially useful when using the
standalone version. Recordings will be 48 kHz/32-bit WAV files.
Folder- Opens a file browser where the default destination of recorded files
can be set. Voltage remembers this location, so you won’t need to set it
every time.
Rec- Click to start recording. The button will glow red during recording. Click
again to stop recording… easy-peasy. A separate new file is created each
time recording is initiated.
Recordings are sourced from the Main Outs To Host jacks only- the Aux Outs
jacks do not feed into the recorder. Appropriate levels should be set using
the meters in the Main Outs To Host section prior to recording. The Main Outs
section Limiter is not in the recording path.
Rec Gate- Engages recording when a constant CV > 2.5V is applied.
Recording continues as long as the gate CV is high, and stops when the CV is
removed (specifically, if the gate CV is < 2.5V). A new recording file is
created when the CV goes high; in other words, engaging and disengaging
recording with the Rec Gate input creates new files each time the CV goes
high and low.
The Rec Gate input is not intended for use with trigger signals; a trigger
signal would just create a very short recording.

Cable Normalization
Strictly speaking, this is module-specific feature, but because it involves the
I/O Panel, we'll discuss it here.

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Voltage modules can be coded to communicate directly with I/O
Panel connections without the use of patch cords via “invisible”
patch cords. The idea is to speed up setup by automatically configuring
often-used cables and routings.
For example, the Cherry Audio DCO-60 and Synth Voice voice modules use
normalized connections to connect I/O Panel Pitch and Gate CV outputs to
the appropriate oscillator and envelope generator inputs. This eliminates the
need for cabling, and makes setting up these "full voice" modules
exceptionally easy. Dependent upon how a particular module is programmed,
any I/O Panel input or output jack of any type can be normalized to any input
or output of that module.
Cable normalization does not strictly apply to I/O Panel connections;
connections within a module may be normalized as well. With its numerous
normalized modulation input jacks, our Synth Voice module showcases this
design approach particularly well.
One thing to be aware with normalized connections is that input jacks
behave a little differently than outputs. If an output jack is normalized to a
connection, and a cable is plugged into that output, the normalized
connection is not affected; it simply treats any extra cables as if it were a
multed output. Conversely, if a cable is plugged into a normalized input, the
"invisible" normalled connection is broken and removed from the signal path.

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Phew, now that we have all that menu and settings stuff out of the way, let’s
get to the part everyone’s been waiting for: creating wicked modular synth
sounds with a mess o’ cables! Here we’ll walk through the creation of a basic
two-oscillator subtractive synthesizer patch:
Cabinets operate in Voltage Modular much as they do in the hardware world,
except that you’ll never need to worry about power routing or requirements,
and that the size and number of cabinets is only limited by computer screen
real estate.

Upon launch, Voltage Modular will display an empty screen. To create an

empty cabinet, right-click anywhere in the empty gray area and choose Add
Cabinet, or add a module by dragging it to the gray area or clicking the
module’s Add button.

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Here we’ve added an empty cabinet. Note that the cabinet’s edge and “back
panel” appearance change dependent upon the Cabinet Theme selected in
Settings Gear icon>Interface>Cabinet Theme. In this screenshot we’ve
chosen the roadworthy-yet-understated Vinyl theme.

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Here we’ve dragged in an Oscillator module. You could choose the
All category and scroll to locate the Oscillator module, but it’s much faster to
type the first few letters of the desired module in the Search text field. Here
we’ve typed “osc” which filters the display to only show modules with “osc”
in their name. Just like finding stuff on Netflix, only noisier.
To patch a cable, click on a jack, drag it to the desired destination jack, and
release the mouse button.

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Inputs vs. Outputs
An important concept to understand is that all jacks are exclusively
an input or an output (unlike a hardware modular synth, where some jacks
can be used as inputs or outputs). When a jack is clicked to patch a cable in
Voltage Modular, jacks not available as destinations are grayed out. For
example, if you’re patching a cable from an output jack, all other output
jacks are temporarily grayed out. The same applies if you’re patching a cable
from an input jack; all other input jacks are grayed out. Now back to our
previously scheduled programming...
In the screenshot above, the Pitch CV output is being patched, causing all of
the oscillator output jacks to become grayed out, while all of the oscillator
inputs are potential destinations.

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Here we’ve added two cables for a basic subtractive synth patch. The green
cable routes the keyboard pitch control voltage out (we’ll refer to control
voltages as "CV's" from here on out) to the oscillator’s keyboard CV in to
allow keyboard control of pitch. The red cable routes the oscillator’s sawtooth
wave output to the main audio outputs. You’ll notice the sound plays
continuously, but we're about to fix that.

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Here we’ve fleshed out our basic patch with the addition of a Filter, and
Amplifier, and two Envelope Generators (one to control the filter cutoff, and
another to control amplitude).
Now that we’ve covered how to set up a basic patch, we’ll go over some
(slightly) more advanced things you should know about cabinets, modules,
and cables.

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Basic Cable Operations
Patching A Cable- Simply click on a jack, drag the cable to the desired
destination jack and release the mouse button, but there’s one very
important thing to be aware of:
Unlike a hardware modular synth, where some jacks can be used as inputs
or outputs, all Voltage Modular jacks are exclusively an input or an
output. To help clarify this, when a jack is clicked and held to patch a cable,
jacks not available as destinations are grayed out. For example, if you’re
patching a cable from an output jack, all other output jacks are temporarily
grayed out. The same applies if you’re patching a cable from an input jack-
all other input jacks are grayed out.
In the screenshot above, the Pitch CV output is being patched, causing all of
the oscillator output jacks to become grayed out, while all of the oscillator
inputs are potential destinations.
Disconnecting A Cable- Cables can be disconnected by grabbing one end of a
jack and dragging it to any area that isn’t a jack, or by right-clicking on a jack
and selecting Disconnect Cables.

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Selecting Cable Colors- There are a couple of ways to select cable colors. The
most obvious way is to click the colored dot in the top menu bar to reveal the
color picker palette and select a global color. By "global," this means all
newly patched cables will be the chosen color (or a random color, if
Random is selected). Existing cables are not affected.
To change the color of an existing patched cable, right-click on one of the
jacks it’s connected to, then click a new color. This changes only that cable,
and won’t affect the global cable color in the top menu bar.
Super Handy "Pre-Patching" Cable Color Selection- Right-clicking a
jack that doesn’t have a cable plugged in opens the color palette and
changes the global color; the same as clicking the color selector in the top
menu bar. This is convenient for specifying a cable color right before
patching a new cable.

Adjust Cable Transparency- Clicking the checkerboard icon in the top toolbar
displays the cable transparency horizontal slider. Slide this to the left for
more transparent cables, or to the right for more opaque cables.

Show/Hide Cables- Clicking this hides or shows all cables. It has no effect on
sounds, and its status does not save with patches. Cables visibility can also
be toggled with the key shortcuts [CTRL-D] (PC) or [⌘-D] (Mac).

Cable Buses

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Cable buses offer an ingenious new way to build complex patches and
eliminate excessive cabling. Cables buses allow an unlimited number of
"invisible" cables to be routed to and from multiple sources and destinations.
There is no limit on the total number of cable buses that can be created. In
addition to adding tremendous flexibility, cable buses go a long way toward
cleaning up the appearance of patches, due to their invisible nature. Cable
buses can be created for mono CV jacks, poly jacks, or MIDI jacks.
In the following example we'll use a mono cable bus to simplify routing a
pitch CV from the I/O Panel to multiple oscillators. Begin by setting up the
basic two-oscillator patch shown below. Notice that we haven't connected
the IO Panel CV Sources Pitch output.

Right-click the I/O Panel Pitch jack, move down to Assign To Mono Bus, and
click Add New Bus...

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The following window opens. The name field defaults to the jack name, or a
custom name can be added. The bus color can also be customized by
clicking on the color swatch. Click the OK button.

The jack will now be "filled in" with a number and color; this is the bus
number.

Now we'll assign (fancy word for "connect") our pitch cable bus to the
oscillator pitch CV inputs. Right-click on the first oscillator's Pitch CV inputs,
select Assign To Mono Bus, and choose (1) Pitch Output Jack.

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The jack will have the same bus number and "filled" appearance as the I/O
Panel Pitch jack.

Right-click the second oscillator's Pitch CV jack and click (1) Pitch Output
Jack. The I/O Panel Pitch CV output is now routed to both oscillators' Pitch CV
inputs. In this way, the cable bus can be routed to as many destinations as
desired. Be aware that a single jack can only be connected to one
cable bus at a time. Jacks can be disconnected from a bus by right-clicking
and selecting Off.
Cable buses can also be configured as a single destination with unlimited
inputs. In fact, cable buses may be configured to combine multiple sources
and destinations, allowing the creation of elaborate modulation matrixes
such as those in classic and pin- and switch-matrix analog synthesizers such
as the EMS VCS3 and ARP 2500.
Convert Bus To Cables- Exactly as its name implies, this converts all
connections for a bus to mono, poly, or MIDI cables, dependent upon the bus
type. The cables will inherit the color originally assigned to the bus.

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Show Bus Connections- Hovering over any jack with a cable bus temporarily
enlarges the colored circles for all other jacks currently assigned to the bus.
This makes it easy to see jacks on the selected cable bus.
Combining Standard Cables and Cable Buses- Cable buses have no effect on
standard jack connections. In other words, in addition to cable buses, you're
free to connect as many strandard cables as desired to jacks.

Buses Library Tab-The Library tab includes a tab dedicated to cable buses. It
mostly serves as a convenient way to view all cable buses in the current
patch. It displays the bus number, bus name, connection type, total number
of connections for each bus. (If they let me have my way, it would be called
the "bus schedule.") Individual bus parameters can be edited, and buses can
be deleted or converted to cables by right-clicking in the list.

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Advanced Cable Shortcuts and
Tricks
Following are some not-so-obvious shortcuts that seriously speed up
patching operations.
The Unlimited Mult Hiding Beneath Every Jack

If you look closely at the I/O Panel Gate CV out, you can see we’ve routed
two cables from this jack to control both envelope generators. Single-clicking
on any Voltage Modular input or output jack reveals a six-way multiple jack
(aka, a "mult"), which is super convenient for routing (or mixing) multiple
sources. The mult stays visible until a cable is routed, at which point it
disappears.

Built-in jack mults initially display six jacks, but if more than six connections
are added, the "ring" grows and additional jacks appear. Here't the nifty part:
there's no limit to the number of mult jacks that can be added to a
connection. (We can't wait for some wiseacre to attempt to connect 1500
cables to one jack.) You'll likely take this for granted after working with

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Voltage for a bit, but if you happen to use a hardware modular synth, you'll
desperately long for unlimited built-in multiples!
As an aside, a few standard Mult modules (Multiple and Micro Mult) are
included with Voltage, because sometimes seeing all connections is
advantageous; the mult modules also let you use Voltage's labeling feature
(right-click+"Add Label").

Move or Unplug Multiple Cables Plugged Into A Single Jack

Multiple cables plugged into a single jack can be moved at the same time by
holding the [SHIFT] key and clicking and dragging to a new destination. This
is also a very handy way to unplug multiple cables from a jack if the mouse
button is released in an "empty" area (i.e., not on a jack).
Rapidly Routing A Cable To Multiple Destinations
This one’s not so obvious, but it’s really handy. To patch cables from a single
jack to multiple destinations, press and hold the [CTRL] key in Windows or
the [⌘] key on Mac , click the source jack, then click as many destination
jacks as desired and release the modifier key when you’re done. This works
with input or output jacks, and is particularly useful for patching pitch and
gate CV’s from the I/O panel to multiple oscillators or envelope generators.

Poly Cables
Poly cables are a special cable for use with poly modules from Cherry Audio
and other developers. Recognizable by their D-shaped connector and striped
cables, a poly jack and cable can transmit up to sixteen separate channels,
or "lanes," of CV or audio, which drastically simplifies polyphonic patch

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creation. Poly CV, gate, and velocity signals are available in the I/O Panel Poly
Sources section.
Poly cables and modules are discussed thoroughly in the Working With Poly
Modules section.

Virtual MIDI Cables

Voltage Modular’s virtual MIDI cables behave much like standard cables, but
instead of carrying a single audio or control voltage signal, they carry 16
channels of note and control data just like a good ol' MIDI cable. Though
virtual MIDI cables have been somewhat superceded by our Poly jacks,
they're handy for certain applications, particularly when MIDI controller data
is being transmitted or received from hardware instruments.
You’ll notice that virtual MIDI cables are a bit fatter than standard cables; this
is done to make them easy to recognize on-screen (and to fit all that extra
data). Virtual MIDI jacks also contain the previously discussed built-in

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unlimited mult, and if that’s not enough, there’s a MIDI Multiple module as
well. If you're using Voltage Modular Core edition, you'll find numerous MIDI
input, output, drum trigger modules and more for transmitting and receiving
MIDI data with external instruments and other useful functions.

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A "cabinet" refers to a horizontal row of modules. Cabinets have no width
limitations; you’re free to add as many modules as you like. If the number of
viewable modules exceeds the width of the Voltage Modular window, a scroll
bar appears at the bottom of the window. Optimally, you’ll want to see as
much of a patch on-screen as possible, so it makes sense to organize
modules into additional cabinets, stacked vertically. (It also makes sense to
"borrow" your rich brother's 120" flat-panel TV and use that as a computer
display, but you didn't hear that from us.)

The Cabinets Library Tab

This is a useful Voltage feature that many users aren't aware of. Any cabinet
(i.e. a single row of horizontal modules) can be saved independently of a
Voltage preset. Not only is this is nice for creating patch templates, it's really

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useful for moving parts of patches to a different patch (you may need to do
some fancy shuffling of modules into a single cabinet row first).
All stored saved cabinets are visible in the Library tab regardless of the
currently selected patch.
Loading Cabinets- Cabinets can be added to the current preset by clicking
the Add button, dragging to the module area, or by double-clicking. Newly
added cabinets always appear beneath existing cabinets, but once a cabinet
is added, modules can be freely dragged between cabinets.

Saving Cabinets- To save a cab, right-click either on the left-edge of a

cabinet, in open area of the cab (i.e., an open space without a module), or on
one of the “aluminum” rails and select Save Cabinet.

Choose an existing category by clicking the downward arrow, or type in the

text field to create a custom category, then type a name in the Name field.
The Save With Cables box is on by default and will save all cable routings.
Disabling it will save the module layout only, without cables.

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Deleting Cabinets- To permanently delete a cabinet from the library, right-
click it in the library tab and click Delete. Be careful with this (though you
can hit the Undo button).
Like the Modules tab, cabinets can be saved in user-named categories, but
unlike modules, which are “pre-assigned” to one of Voltage Modular’s five
module categories, there are no limitations on the naming convention or
number of cabinet categories.
Search- This super-handy field lets you search for modules by typing a few
letters of the module name. For example, typing “LFO” would display the LFO
and MiniLFO modules. The search field can be initialized by clicking the
X icon.

Graphic/List View Select- This little guy is easy to miss, but clicking it toggles
between graphic+name or name-only display in the cabinet list.

Sort- This drop-down menu allows sorting of the module list by name,
category (more on this below), date acquired (as in, “show me my new
stuff!”), or the company that made the module.

Filter- Allows filtering of which modules are displayed using descriptive

headings.
None- Shows all currently owned modules with no separate headings.

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 Categories- Divides up modules by "stock" and user-created categories.
Name- Sorts categories alphabetically.

Creating Cabinets
The easiest way to create cabinet is to drag a module from the library or an
existing cabinet onto the gray area next to the library. Cabinets can also be
added by right-clicking anywhere in the empty gray area and clicking Add
Cabinet.

Cabinet Right-Click Menu

The contextual menus that appear when you right-click in a "blank" (i.e., no
modules) area of the cabinet.

Add Module...- Allows modules to be added quickly without using the Library
tab. The submenu displays Favorites, then the five module type categories.
Add Empty Cabinet- Adds a new blank cabinet. The new cabinet will appear
beneath if there are any existing cabinets.
Save Cabinet- Saves the cabinet that’s being right-clicked to the library
Cabinet tab.
Duplicate Cabinet- Creates a copy of the cabinet with all modules directly
beneath. All cables within the cabinet only remain intact.
Duplicate Cabinet With External Cables- Creates a copy of the cabinet with
all modules directly beneath. All cables will be intact, including cables
patched to destinations not within the cabinet. (e.g., I/O panel connections).
Remove Cabinet- Clears the entire cabinet and its cables. Be careful with this
one, as it’s easy to mess up patches (you can always hit the Undo button).

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Align Modules- These functions allow rapid tidying up by moving all of a
cabinet's modules left or right while simultaneously closing up gaps.
Left- Moves all modules of the current cabinet all the way to the left and
closes gaps between modules.
Right- Moves all modules of the current cabinet all the way to the left and
closes gaps between modules. Align Modules/Right will only move
modules to the farthest currently visible right-side border.
Auto Align Left- This is an on/off parameter- when Auto Align Left is
enabled, modules automatically slide to the left, with no gaps. If modules
are moved or deleted, any existing modules to the right will slide left to
close the gap. Auto Align Left is a per-cabinet setting. The default on/off
setting of Auto Align Left can be set in Settings>Interface>Auto Align New
Cabinets To The Left.

Select All Modules- Highlights all modules in the cabinet. You’d typically use
this to move or delete all modules in a cabinet simultaneously.

Moving Cabinets
Cabinets can be vertically relocated. You can swap positions of multiple
cabinets, or move cabinets above or below the I/O Panel or Performance
Controls panel. To move a cabinet, click and drag on the left edge of the
cabinet frame. It can be little hard to tell where you’re supposed to grab, so
we’ve highlighted the "grab" area in red In the screenshot below. It isn’t
actually red in Voltage Modular, but it the left and right edges of the currently
selected cabinet re shaded a little darker. This works exactly the same for
moving the I/O Panel and Performance Controls pane.

Cherry Audio Voltage Modular User Guide - 44

Cherry Audio Voltage Modular User Guide - 45
Here we’ll cover the nuts and bolts of working with modules (but unlike a
hardware modular synth, no actual nuts or bolts are involved). Before we
discuss the big Library tab on the left (or right, if you changed it in Settings),
we'll take a short detour to discuss module categories.

Module Categories
All modules are assigned to one of the categories below when programmed.
Note that the number of categories has been expanded considerably from
Voltage version 1.0.
Controllers- keyboards, sequencers
CV Processors- modules that perform operations that alter CV
Drums- drums and percussion modules
Effects- traditional audio effects such as reverb, delay, chorus, distortion.
Envelope Generators- modules that shape CV over time
Filters- audio filters such as lowpass, bandpass, highpass, etc.
Instruments- modules that contain complete synth instruments
I/O- audio, CV, or MIDI modules that transmit or receive signals to
external hardware
Logic- modules that perform mathematical CV operations
Metering- audio level meters, oscilloscopes, etc.
Mixers- modules that mix audio or CV signals
Oscillators- modules that generate audio or control signals
Polyphonic Utilities- modules for combining or breaking out poly audio
and control signals
Processors- filters, waveshapers, EQ's, things that alter sound.
Sequencers- modules that create melodic or rhythmic repeating CV
patterns
Sources- oscillators, noise generators, anything that makes a sound.
Switches- modules that enable, disable, or redirect signals
Utilities- general category for modules that control signals or simplify
patching
Visualizers- modules that display signals graphically

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These categories affect how Voltage Modular handles processing internally.
Modules may be sorted according to their category (see all the sort criteria
below).

Module Tab Controls and Fields

These are the fields and buttons directly above the module list.

Search... - This field lets you search for modules by typing a few letters of the
module name. For example, typing “LFO” would display the LFO and MiniLFO
modules. The search field can be initialized by clicking the X icon and can be
immediately accessed at any time with the keyboard shortcut [CTRL-F] (PC)
or [⌘-F] (Mac). If currently hidden, the Library tab automatically opens when
the Find keyboard shortcut is used.

Graphic/List View Select- This little guy is easy to miss, but clicking it toggles
between graphic+name or name-only in the module list as shown in the
images below:

Sort- This drop-down menu allows sorting of the module list by name,
category (more on this below), date acquired (as in, “show me my new
stuff!”), or the company that made the module.
Name- Sorts all modules alphabetically from A-Z or Z-A.

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 Category- Sorts categories alphabetically
Date Acquired- Signal modules according to date of purchase.
Manufacturer- Sorts alphabetically by the company that made the
module.
Tags- Sorts according to user-added tags.

Filter- Allows filtering of which modules are displayed using descriptive

headings.
None- Shows all currently owned modules with no separate headings.
Category- Divides up modules by their categories. This is the default filter
setting.
Manufacturer- Sorts alphabetically by the company that made the
module.
Name- Sorts modules alphabetically.

Module view filters can also be selected by clicking on individual categories.

Refresh- Voltage Modular automatically downloads new modules or presets

each time it’s launched. The Refresh button checks for new content while
Voltage Modular is running; this is particularly useful for developers who are
frequently revising modules.
One of Voltage's most powerful module search and organization features is
the Tag Editor right-click command described in the following section, so
don't miss it!

Modules List

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The Modules tab in the Library displays all modules currently owned by the
logged-in user. This is where you'll go to add new modules to patch,
either by clicking Add, or by dragging and dropping to a cabinet.

Each module in the library displays the following:

Thumbnail Image
Module Name
Category
Manufacturer
Favorite Star- The star above the Add button turns yellow when a module
is favorited. The Favorites tag can be enabled or disabled by clicking on
the star and can be used as a sort criteria (see following section for more
info).
Add to cabinet button
User entered search terms (if any have been added by user)

Module Library Right-Click Functions

Add To Cabinet- This adds a module to a cabinet (though it's usually easier to
drag and drop the module).

Favorite- Adds a module to the Favorites category. This is the same as

clicking the the ✭ next to a module name.
Info... - Contains general information, links to modules in the online Voltage
Modular store, reviews, etc. For some modules, this also contains operational
information.

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Tag Editor... - The Tag Editor is a powerful, user-customizable resource for
searching and cataloging modules. Fortunately, it's also real easy to use.
Here's what it contains:

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 Category- All modules are assigned to a category during the programming
process, however module categories can be reassigned in this window.
Additionally, users can create their own custom categories and assign
them to modules.
To reassign a module to an existing category, click the Category menu,
select a category, and click OK.

To create and assign a module to a new, user-created category, click the

Category menu, choose Create New Category..., type the desired category
name at in the text prompt, and click OK.

To return a module to its original category, click the Category menu,

choose Default Category, and click OK.

Module Search Terms- This window lets you add custom search terms for
modules. Typing the search term in the Voltage Library Tab Search... fields
displays modules with matching search terms. To add a search term, type
the word in the Module Search Terms field and click OK.
To add multiple search terms, use commas between words (spacing
doesn't matter). User search terms are displayed in the module tab
header beneath the category and manufacturer name.

Working With Modules In Cabinets

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Clicking any non-control area (i.e., jack, knob, switch, etc.) of a module
selects it - the currently selected module will be outlined in yellow. Single or
multiple modules can also be selected by clicking in an empty cabinet region
(i.e. no module present) and dragging a square over them. Depending upon
cable behavior preferences, cables connected to selected module(s) may
display differently from unselected modules. Selected modules are affected
by move, delete, and other commands.
To select multiple non-adjacent modules, [CTRL]-click modules in Windows or
[⌘]-click on Macs. Multiple modules in different cabinets can be
simultaneously selected.

Moving Modules

To move a module or a group of currently selected modules, click and drag at

the very top of the module. The cursor will change to a hand, and a shaded
gray rectangle appears in the top area. Neighboring modules will instantly

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scoot out of the way, and all cable connections stay intact, because Voltage
Modular is magical, but you knew that.

Module Right-Click Commands

Module Preset- This allows all control settings to be saved for specific
modules. It can be useful for recalling complex modules settings (such as
sequencers) when using a module in different patches. They are module-
specific (i.e. presets for a given module are only visible and recallable for
that module), but they are not specific to patches. In other words, the
currently opened Voltage patch has no effect on a module's presets.

The Module Preset menus are as follows:

Save As...- Click this to save the current module settings.
Manage...- Displays the preset folder for the current module. Each module
has its own folder; for PC's these are located at
%appdata%\Voltage\Presets\ModulePresets. On Macs, they're located at
Users\ <username>\Library\Application
Support\Voltage\Presets\ModulePresets.

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 Saved Module Presets- At the bottom of the list are the saved presets for
the module. Select names to open them.

Add Label- Creates an editable text label that can be freely positioned within
the boundaries of the module. These can be very helpful when creating
elaborate patches, especially for "relabeling" controls to more accurately
describe their function in a given patch. Labels may also be creating with the
keyboard shortcut [CTRL-L] (PC) or [⌘-L] (Mac).
Newly added labels will appear in edit mode; type in the desired text and
click to exit edit mode. Labels can be moved anywhere on a module by
grabbing them (cursor turns into a hand). Labels may also be horizontally
resized by grabbing clicking and dragging on the left or right edges (cursor
turns into an arrow). Be careful with placement, as labels can freely be set
upon controls. It won't hurt anything, but it might make it hard to use a
control!
Edit- Allows editing of label text. You can also edit the text by double-
clicking a label.
Color- Selects the font style and "tape" background color. Note that new
labels will appear in the most recently used font/color style.
Remove- Deletes the current label.
Remove All- Deletes all labels in the current module. (Does not delete
labels in other modules.)

Duplicate- Creates a copy of the selected module with its current control
settings at the nearest available open cabinet space. Modules or groups of
selected modules can also be duplicated by [ALT]-dragging (PC) or ⌥-
dragging (Mac).
Randomize Controls- Sets all of a module's controls to a random value. This
includes knobs, sliders, switches, etc. This is a great way to create aleatory
music with sequencer modules, but more importantly, check out how smart I
sound using big words like "aleatory."
Reset Controls- Initializes all controls of a module.

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Bypass Module- Disables a module. For modules where an audio or control
signal originates, this disables all signal output. For modules that process
signals (such as filters or audio effects), signals generally pass through the
module unaltered. Note that Bypass Module may or may not appear
depending on the programming of a module, so you or may not see it in the
right-click menu for all modules.
Enable Variations- Enables or disables control changes from variations on a
per-module basis. Control positions are still stored for variations, but
unchecking Enable Variations effectively "bypasses" them, leaving current
control positions intact. Enable Variations is enabled for modules by default.
For more information about variations, check out Variations in the I/O Panel
section.
Disconnect Cables- Removes all cable connections for the currently selected
module or modules.
Remove- Deletes a module or group of modules. Modules can also be deleted
by highlighting them and hitting the [DEL] key (PC) or the backspace key on
Mac (the little DEL key in Windows and the big one above the backslash key
on Mac).
Align Modules- These functions allow rapid tidying up by moving all of a
cabinet's modules left or right while simultaneously closing up gaps.
Left- Moves all modules of the current cabinet all the way to the left and
closes gaps between modules.
Right- Moves all modules of the current cabinet all the way to the left and
closes gaps between modules. Align Modules/Right will only move
modules to the farthest currently visible right-side border.
Auto Align Left- This is an on/off parameter- when Auto Align Left is
enabled, modules automatically slide to the left, with no gaps. If modules
are moved or deleted, any existing modules to the right will slide left to
close the gap.
Auto Align Left is a per-cabinet setting. The default on/off setting of
Auto Align Left can be set in Settings>Interface>Auto Align New
Cabinets To The Left.

Module Help- Opens a web browser link to the user guide for a module
(provided the manufacturer has created one).
About... - Displays a window with module information including its name,
build revision, author, copyright information, a brief description, and a link to

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its Cherry Audio Store web page. For third-party modules, this box
sometimes contains important information about controls, so have a look
here if you're confused by an itty-bitty switch that's labeled "‫א‬."

Module Control Right-Click

Commands
Right-clicking any knob, slider, switch, or button reveals the following right-
click menu:

Edit Value- Opens a field where exact values can be entered.

Return To Default Value- Returns any control (i.e. knobs, sliders, buttons,
switches, etc.) to their default value. It will be grayed out if the control is
already at its default setting.
MIDI Learn/Unlearn- These are used for assigning external MIDI hardware
controls. Check out the MIDI Continuous Controller Setup section for more
information.
Perform Assign- Allows knobs or buttons to be assigned to the Perform
controls panel (that strip of knobs and buttons directly above the cabinets). It
may not look too exciting, but it's a super easy and powerful way to
simultaneously control multiple parameters in all kinds of ways. Read all
about it in the Perform Controls Panel section.
Unlearn All- Cancels all MIDI CC, DAW, and Perform control assignments.

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Voltage Modular's Poly modules make use of a special "poly" cable,
identifiable by its slight larger D-shaped connector and striped cables. Each
poly jack and cable can transmit up to sixteen separate channels, or "lanes,"
of CV or audio, which drastically simplifies polyphonic patch creation.

At minimum, a basic polyphonic patch would include an oscillator, envelope

and amplifier for each voice. To create eight-voice polyphonic version, that
would require 24 modules - something like the hot mess above. Once
additional envelopes, filters, modulations etc. are added, it’s easy to see how
this would make for a huge and hard to control patch. Poly cables and jacks
immensely simplify the creation of polyphonic patches.

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The patch above is more or less functionally identical to our previous "mega
patch." It accomplishes the exact same thing with just three modules, as
opposed to the other patch's 26 modules. Furthermore, patches made using
poly modules and cables can have up to 16-voice polyphony.
Other than the use of poly cables and poly modules in place of standard
mono cables and modules, patch creation is almost exactly the same as
creating a standard mono patch.
Each poly module can be thought of as a "stack" of regular modules. The
number of modules in the stack is defined by the Number Of Voices setting in
the IO Panel. When set to eight, for example, every poly module is actually a
stack of eight standard modules, and every poly jack can send or receive
eight individual channels, or "lanes" of CV or audio.

Poly Modules and Cables Example

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In the patch above, the polyphonic note data received from a MIDI controller
is sent from the IO Panel Poly Pitch jack to the Poly Oscillator Pitch CV jack.
This single cable can send up to sixteen simultaneous pitch CV's to the
"stack" of individual oscillators living within the Poly Oscillator. The IO Panel
Poly Gate output jack is patched to the Gate In jack of the Poly Envelope
Generator, and indepently triggers a stack of envelopes controlling the
amplitude of each separate oscillator voice in the Poly Amplifier module. In
other words, individual note articulation is maintained, because all pitch and
amplitude CV's are on their own "lane."
In order to route this to the Main Outs, these eight lanes of audio needs to be
mixed down to a mono signal, but fortunately the Poly Amplifier includes a
Mono Mix Out level control and mono out jack.

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In addition to poly oscillators, filters, amps, mixers, etc., Voltage Modular
includes a number of utility modules for splitting and converting poly cables
to standard "mono" signals and vice-versa, resutling in a tremendous amount
of flexibility.
In order to save CPU, when the Poly Pitch jack in the Poly CV Outs section
of the I/O Panel isn't patched to anything, the Poly Gate and Poly Vel jacks
won't output CVs. If these jacks need to be used by themselves, the Poly
Pitch jack can be patched to the input of a "dummy" module like the Poly
Multiple, for example, to activate the Poly Gate and Poly Vel outputs.

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Assigning internal and external hardware controls is easy to do in Voltage
Modular, and really adds a whole new dimension of control and musicality to
patches. We'll cover the basics of assigning a hardware knob/slider/switch
control to a parameter and then delve into the MIDI Tab, where all controller
assignments can be viewed and tweaked.

Assigning An External Hardware

Control
In this example, we’ll assign a hardware slider control to the filter module
cutoff frequency. Start by right-clicking the Cutoff knob, and select MIDI
Learn.

All of Voltage Modular’s controls turn purple, indicating that MIDI learn mode
is enabled. Now move the hardware control you’d like to assign. You should
see the cutoff knob move as the external knob or slider is moved, and assign
mode is automatically disabled.

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If you change your mind, MIDI learn mode can be aborted by right-clicking
and selecting Stop Learning.
This is the basic procedure for assigning hardware controllers to almost any
module control. Hardware controllers may also be assigned to knobs and
buttons in the I/O Panel or the Perform controls panel.

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When in MIDI learn mode, previously assigned controls will display numbers
in squares on module controls. These indicate the MIDI continuous controller
number of the assigned hardware control (these are also displayed in the
MIDI library tab).
Once a MIDI CC controller has been assigned, in addition to real-time control
of a Voltage Module parameter, you’ll also be able to record and play back
controller data from a DAW.

The Library MIDI Tab

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This is command central for external MIDI controller, DAW automation, and
Voltage Modular’s Perform control panel assignments. Here you’ll be able to
see information about all currently assigned controllers and adjust control
ranges. Let’s go over the MIDI tab functions and displays.
MIDI Learn- This is almost exactly the same as enabling MIDI learn mode by
right-clicking a control. Click the MIDI Learn button to enter learn mode (all
controls turn purple). Unlike right-clicking on specific knobs, where Voltage
Modular automatically exits controller assignment mode, clicking the MIDI
Learn knob "stays on" to enable assignment of multiple hardware controls.
This is really handy for quickly assigning a bunch of sliders or buttons on a
grid-style controller.
To assign multiple controls, click MIDI Learn, click an on-screen control, move
the desired hardware knob or slider, then continue clicking and assigning on-
screen controllers until all desired controls are assigned.

When you’re done assigning controllers, click Stop Learning. (Just remember
that when we stop learning, we stop growing… maybe that doesn't apply
here.)
MIDI Tab Columns
Name- Displays the name of the module parameter being controller.

Type- There are three possible types of controller automation in Voltage

Modular:
MIDI Continuous Controller (CC)- The standard 128 MIDI controller
numbers as defined in the MIDI spec. More specifically, these are the
controllers transmitted by hardware knob, slider, or pad controllers. MIDI

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 CC’s can be used to control parameters in real-time or recorded and
played back within DAW software.
Parameter- Up to 128 slots used with DAW parameter automation.
Compared to MIDI CC controllers, DAW automation typically has finer
control resolution, easy on-screen drawing and editing of controller
movements, and allows controller movements to be directly written by
moving Voltage Modular’s on-screen module controls.
Perform Controls Panel- This refers to the panel directly beneath the I/O
Panel containing nine knobs and four buttons, which are assignable to any
module controls in a patch. Each knob or switch can control can control an
unlimited number of module parameters over different ranges (via the
Min and Max controls), and external hardware controllers can be assigned
to the Perform knobs and buttons. (See the Perform Controls Panel section
for the full lowdown.)

Value- Displays the specific automation controller. In the case of a MIDI CC,
this would be the MIDI CC controller number. For DAW automation, this is the
automation slot # (1-128) and associated module control parameter. For the
Perform controls panel, this displays the knob or button number.
Min- Sets a limit on the lowest value any automation control can set a
mapped controller to. This actually recalibrates the range of the automation
controller to the remaining parameter range.
Max- Sets a limit on the highest value any automation control can set a
mapped controller to. This actually recalibrates the range of the automation
controller to the remaining parameter range.
Super Tricky Min-Max Inversion- Not only can parameter ranges be
limited via the the Min and Max knobs, mapped control destinations can
be completely inverted by setting the Min knob all the way up and the
Max knob all the way down (or anywhere in between).

Generally speaking, parameter range limiting with the Min/Max controls is

really useful, so we encourage you to make use of them!

MIDI Tab Column Configuration

Right-Click Menus

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Right-clicking anywhere in the top row displays the column configuration
menu.
Auto-size This Column- Automatically resizes so that all text in this column is
visible.
Auto-size This Column- Automatically resizes all columns simultaneously so
that all text visible.
Column View Filters- Clicking any of these will hide or show the respective
columns.

MIDI Tab Parameters Right-Click

Right-clicking on an assigned parameter opens the menu above.

MIDI Learn- This is used to change the controller assigned to a particular
parameter. This only works if you’re changing to a MIDI CC controller.

Unlearn- Deletes the selected automation parameter.

Unlearn All- Deletes all controller assignments for the patch. Voltage Modular
will display a warning dialog prior to deletion in order to thwart potential
Unlearn-related disasters.
Voltage Modular really comes to life when hardware MIDI knob, slider, or pad
controllers are assigned to controls. Learning controller assignments is fast

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and easy, so let’s delve in.

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Module controls can be automated using DAW software automation. A
maximum of 128 parameters can be automated in Voltage Modular. The DAW
Automation Assign menus are only visible when running plug-in versions of
Voltage Modular in a DAW environment.

Assigning Parameters To DAW

Automation

To assign a parameter, right-click on the module control, select Automation

Assign, and choose any automation "slot." It’s not important which number is
used, as long as it doesn’t already have a parameter assigned.

The default automation parameter name (shown in your DAW) will be the
module name followed by the name of the automated parameter, but
custom names can be typed in this field.
Automation parameters can be viewed and edited in the Library MIDI tab,
and will also appear as an available instrument automation parameter in
your DAW software.

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The Perform controls panel comprises nine knobs and four buttons that are
freely assignable to control almost any controls within a module or the I/O
Panel. What makes them special is that each knob or button can be matrixed
to simultaneously control an unlimited number of module parameters. In
conjunction with the MIDI tab’s individual Min and Max controls, a single knob
or button can be configured to dramatically alter a patch, with great
accuracy. If you’re wondering why we choose nine knobs (as opposed to an
even number), this was done to match the sliders on many hardware MIDI
controllers (which in turn, often feature nine sliders to mirror the nine
drawbars of a Hammond-style tonewheel organ - cutting-edge technology,
circa-1935!).
Besides being really powerful, the Perform controls panel is a cinch to set up
and use, so let’s delve in:

Hide/Show Perform Controls Panel

The Perform controls panel can hidden or displayed by clicking the big yellow
Perform button at the top of the Voltage Modular window. Like the hide-able
Library tab, hiding the Perform Controls panel helps make room on the
screen when it's not in use.

Assigning Control Knobs To The Perform

Controls Panel

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To assign a control to a Perform controls panel knob, right-click on the
module knob, select Perform Assign, and choose a knob number. Once the
control is assigned, the module knob parameter name appears beneath the
selected Perform knob.

To rename the Perform knob, double-click the name, type a name, and click
[ENTER] or click the mouse. Renaming is especially useful if the knob is set
up to control more than one parameter concurrently.
To control more than one module parameter with a single Perform knob,
right-click on additional module controls and simply assign the same perform
panel knob. The name beneath the control won't change, but all Perform
control assignments will be viewable and editable in the Library MIDI tab.
As mentioned, the Min and Max controls can be used to fine tune the control
range for each module parameter. Be sure to take some time and experiment
with this - it's very useful when controlling multiple parameters with a single
Perform control knob.

Assigning Control Buttons To The Perform

Controls Panel

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These work much the same as the Perform control knobs, but are) intended
for assignment to module button controls. They are momentary in nature
(i.e. they send a brief on or off message when clicked). In the screenshot
above, two Perform buttons are configured to control the two Slope toggle
buttons of the Filter module.

Perform Controls Right-Click Menu

Edit Value- Opens a field where exact values can be entered.

Return To Default Value- Returns knobs controls to their default value. It will
be grayed out if the control is already at its default setting.
MIDI Learn/Unlearn- MIDI CC controls can be assigned to Perform controls,
allowing (amongst other things) real-time manipulation of multiple module
parameters.
Automation Assign- Assigns DAW automation slots to Perform controls.
Please see the DAW Automation section for more information.
Unlearn All- Cancels all MIDI CC, DAW, and Perform control assignments.

Move It All Around

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Don’t forget that, like the I/O Panel and cabinets, the entire Perform controls
panel can be moved vertically above or below the I/O Panel and module
cabinets by grabbing and dragging at the left side of its cabinet (highlighted
in red above, but it doesn’t actually turn red).

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Here’s where you’ll configure all the under-the-hood stuff such as cable
behavior (oh behave!), user-interface preferences, account settings, and
audio and MIDI settings.

General

Undo, user log file settings, and more. Wee!

Add Undo For Module Control Changes With The Mouse- Enabling this
allows undo of knob/slider/button adjustments to modules. You’ll probably
want to leave this on if you want the ability to undo all aspects of patch
editing and programming.
Load Last Preset On Startup (Standalone Only)- Automatically loads the
last preset used when Voltage Modular standalone version is started.

Create A Log File For Usage- This creates a text doc of all of Voltage
Modular's internal and routines during use. It is mainly intended for those
developing custom modulars using our Module Designer app. Clicking
Show Log Folder opens the folder containing Voltage Modular log file docs.
We've included a photo of a log, y'know... just in case.

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 Preset Folder- Displays the current location of Voltage Modular's sound
presets. This can be changed by clicking and typing in the field.
Browse... - Displays the current location of preset folder in the file
manager.
Set Default- Sets the current displayed Preset Folder path as the
default location
Clear Cache Files- Deletes all log files, temporary sounds, and the image
cache.
Delete Module Files- Deletes all modules. This is here in case a module
becomes corrupt; you won't permanently lose anything, because Voltage
Modular will "know" your modules have been deleted and automatically
re-download all purchased modules. That said, it might take a bit, so don't
delete module files five minutes before you're gonna hit the stage.

CPU
These settings define how Voltage Modular utilizes your computer's
processor hardware.
Use Multiple Threads For Mixing- On a fast computer with multiple cores,
this feature can improve mixing performance considerably, but it will also
use more CPU. On a slow computer, this feature can potentially slow down
mixing and cause degraded performance. The number of mix threads
used can be set in the dialog. This option is off by default, so definitely
enable it if you have a honkin' fast multi-processor computer.
Use OpenGL Hardware Acceleration- This allows improved graphics
performance if your graphics card supports it. If you're not sure, we
recommend doing some research on your graphics card (or just try both
ways to see what performs better).

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Interface
Here’s where you can customize Voltage Modular’s user interface settings.
Reset To Default Window Size- Resets the Voltage Modular workspace to
1280x720 pixels. Use this to reset the window size if Voltage Modular's
workspace somehow becomes too large for your display and can't be
resized.
Minimum Cabinet Width- This sets the narrowest you’ll be able to size
Voltage Modular when resizing by dragging the edges of the window.
Cabinet Theme- These are various “skins” for the outside and inside of the
Voltage Modular’s cabinets. Try this with a hardware modular!
Tooltip Delay- Tooltips are those handy little bits of text that pop up when
hovering over a control or jack (go ahead and try it, we’ll wait…). The
Tooltip Delay setting defines how long you must hover before the tooltip
pops up.
Knob Movement- Defines which how mouse movements related to turning
onscreen knobs. It defaults to Vertical Drag, but can be changed to
Horizontal Drag, or Rotary Drag if you're one those folks that cut their
teeth on the Steinberg Model E VST back in 2000.
Library Location- This determines whether the library containing the
Modules, Cabinets, MIDI, and Store tabs appears on the left (default) or
right side of the workspace. If you need to find a public library, we
recommend Google maps.
On Control Double-Click- Defines what happens when the mouse is
double-clicked on a control. If Edit Value is selected, an exact number can
be entered by typing the number and hitting [ENTER] or [RETURN]. If Sets
Default Value is selected, double-clicking a control resets it to its default
value.
Zoom Interface 2x- Doubles the zoom level of display. This intended for
high resolution displays ("Retina" displays on Mac).
Allow Module Dragging From Any Part Of Module- By default, modules can
only be moved by clicking and dragging in their top area, around the
module title. Enabling this allows modules to be grabbed and moved from
any non-control. part of the module. The usefulness of this setting largely
depends on what type of input device you're using, i.e. mouse with wheel,
trackpad, etc. The idea is to minimize unwanted module movement if you
accidentally "miss" when moving a module control.

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 Mouse Wheel Adjusts Control Value- Enabling this lets you adjust knob,
slider, and switch values by moving the mouse wheel. This works great
with a standard mouse wheel, but you'll want to disable it if you're using
an Apple Magic Mouse (which will move the control AND scroll the
window).
Show Tooltips On Any Control Change- Displays parameter tooltips/values
next to controls any time a control is changed, i.e. if a control is moved
via an assigned MIDI controller or a Perform panel knob, etc.
Show Control Tooltips Under Mouse- Displays parameter tooltips/values
when the mouse is hovered over a control or as a control is moved with
mouse clicked.
Hide Store On Library View During Searches- If this box is unchecked,
Voltage Modular will show modules don’t own in a special Store category.
Clicking this option disables display of the Store category and only shows
modules you own.
MIDI Program Changes Should Change Current Preset- Allows MIDI
program change messages to change Voltage Modular patches.
Delay Play Trigger and Gate Until Measure Boundary- When enabled, the
IO Panel Transport Play and Play Gate signals "wait" until the host DAW
playback hits an even bar number. This is very helpful for keeping
sequencer-based patches in time with host playback. Without this,
sequences can start playing between bars, resulting in synchronized
playback that's slightly "shifted" forward or back in time from other
project audio or MIDI.
Auto Align New Cabinets To The Left- When checked, all modules in newly
created cabinets will automatically align to the left, with no gaps. This can
be disabled for individual cabinets by right-clicking in an empty (i.e. no
modules) cabinet area.

Cables
These preferences define how Voltage Modular’s virtual patch cables behave.

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Animate Cables- When checked, Voltage Modular cables will bend and
dangle like real cables. This makes everything sound better (not really,
but it looks cool).

Move Cables Away- When checked, hovering over a cable (or multiple
cable spaghetti) will temporarily shift them out of the way to make it
easier to see modules beneath.
3D Cables- Checking this shades cables to appear more well, three-
dimensional. Best of all, you won’t need those silly red and green glasses
to see this.
Draw Shadow- Causes cables to cast a shadow upon modules.
Cable Thickness- Adjusts the thickness of all cables.
Transparent Cables- This works in conjunction with the Cable Transparency
button discussed previously.
All Cables- Cable Transparency slider affects all cables.
All But Current Jack - Hovering over a jack will make its cables opaque. If
the Cable Transparency control is set to its maximum setting, Transparent
Cables will have no effect.

All But Current Module - Hovering over a module will make all of its cables
opaque. If the Cable Transparency control is set to its maximum setting,
Transparent Cables will have no effect.
Show Signal Animation- Enabling this superimposes a stream of
“marching ants” over cables displaying signal flow and direction. (They’re
easier to see at wider cable width settings.) The Speed slider adjusts the
speed of display, but has no effect on signals.
Enable Animations For Jacks- Selecting this shows a nifty little animation
when a jack is clicked to use its built-in six-way mult. If you’re a super
impatient Type A personality (like the guy typing this), unchecking this
box disables the animation, causing the six-way mult to pop up
immediately.
Hide Cables When Dragging Modules- Causes cables to temporarily
disappear when moving modules around.

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Account
Settings for your personal login information and account.

Email- This displays the email address of the current login.

Update Login Info- No, this isn’t a place for news and tour dates for yacht
rock superstar, Kenny Loggins. Clicking this opens the same email and
password login screen you’ll see when initially launching Voltage Modular.
Ask Before Downloading Updated Modules- We often fix bugs and improve
modules. By default, Voltage Modular automatically downloads new
versions of modules when available. Checking this box defeats automatic
updates and will ask if you’d like to update modules. We’ll never make
changes to existing modules that can potentially “break” existing patches,
but nonetheless, we recommend enabling Ask Before Downloading
Updated Modules if you’re using Voltage Modular for live performances or
other “mission critical” situations.
Use One-Click Purchasing- Enabling this skips over all that login/credit
card nonsense and speeds up buying modules. Don’t leave this on if you
have an irresponsible kid who’s crazy for modular synthesis (or if YOU are
an irresponsible kid who’s crazy for modular synthesis).
View Account Settings- This opens your personal account page on the
Cherry Audio Store website containing information about modules
purchased and more.
Software Update- Click this to see if an updated version of Voltage
Modular available.

Audio/MIDI
Settings for audio and MIDI hardware input and output. This tab is only
visible in the standalone version of Voltage Modular.
Output- Use this drop-down menu to choose a physical audio output
source. This defaults to Built-In Line Output, i.e. your computer’s onboard
system audio, but you’ll get better fidelity with an external professional
audio interface. The biggest audible difference is usually reduced

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background noise or hum, but external audio hardware also offers greater
flexibility in terms of number of inputs and outputs and built-in mic or low-
level instruments pres (i.e. electric guitars). These are especially useful if
you’re using Voltage Modular’s external inputs to process sound. The Test
button will produce a sine wave when clicked; this will help with
troubleshooting, aka, “WHY THE HECK ISN’T THIS MAKING ANY NOISE?!?”
Input- Clicking the drop-down menu lets you select which physical input(s)
feed the Audio In from host jacks in the I/O Panel. The small horizontal
input meter to the right illuminates when the selected input is receiving
an audio signal.
Sample Rate- This sets Voltage Modular’s global sample rate. Lower
sample rates offer better performance, but if you have a fast computer,
high sample rates may offer slightly improved fidelity.
Audio Buffer Size- As with any digital audio app, this defines performance
vs. note latency, and will largely depend upon computer CPU speed. A
professional external audio interface will almost always exhibit better
performance than “built-in” system audio. Lower settings will result in less
latency (in the form of faster response to notes played), but will increase
the chances of audio gapping or crackling noise.

Active MIDI Inputs- Displays all available MIDI input sources, i.e.
keyboards, pad controls, MIDI knob/fader control surfaces, etc. Checking
the boxes to enables devices.

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Following is a list of Voltage Modular's keyboard shortcuts (or "hot keys," if
you prefer). We'll also talk about some not-so-obvious handy mouse
functions.

Keyboard Shortcuts
Please note that shortcut key functionality can be affected by "focus" and
existing key shortcuts in the the host app when running Voltage Modular as a
virtual instrument.

COMMAND MAC OS WINDOWS FU

Undo ⌘Z CTRL Z Ca

Redo [SHIFT] ⌘Z [SHIFT] [CTRL] Z Re

New Patch ⌘N CTRL N Cr

New Patch - No Save Dialog ⌘ [SHIFT] N CTRL [SHIFT] N Cr

Save Patch ⌘S CTRL S Sa

Save - Overwrite Current Patch ⌘ [SHIFT] S CTRL [SHIFT] S Ov

Previous Preset ⌘← CTRL ← Lo

Next Preset ⌘→ CTRL → Lo

Zoom In ⌘+ CTRL + key Zo

Zoom Out ⌘– CTRL – key Zo

Reset Zoom To 100% ⌘0 CTRL 0 Re

Show/Hide Library Tab ⌘1 CTRL 1 To

Show/Hide Performance Controls ⌘2 CTRL 2 To

COMMAND MAC OS WINDOWS FU

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 Add A New Empty Cabinet ⌘B CTRL B Ad

Show/Hide Cables ⌘D CTRL D Di

Show/Hide QWERTY Keyboard ⌘K CTRL K Di

Delete Module [BACKSPACE] [DELETE] Re

Add Module Label ⌘L CTRL L Ad

Randomize Module Controls ⌘R CTRL R Ra

Mouse/Track Pad Zoom Control

The table below clarifies zoom functions with various input devices.

MOUSE MOVEMENT MAC OS WINDOWS

Zoom In/Out - mouse w/wheel ⌘ mouse wheel CTRL mouse wheel

Zoom In/Out - track pad ⌘ slide finger CTRL slide finger

Zoom In/Out - Apple Magic Mouse ⌘ slide finger –

Rapidly Routing A Cable To Multiple

Destinations
We discussed this trick back in the Working With Cables and Buses section,
but we like it so much (and it's kind of a keyboard shortcut thing), we
thought we'd mention it again:
To patch cables from a single jack to multiple destinations, press and hold
the [CTRL] key in Windows or the [⌘] key on Mac, click the source jack, then
click as many destination jacks as desired and release the modifier key when
you’re done. This works with input or output jacks, and is particularly useful
for patching pitch and gate CV’s from the I/O panel to multiple oscillators or

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envelope generators. We refer to this function as "quick patch." (which is
also a fine wall spackling product, but don't tell them or they'll sue us and
we'll have to get rid of this handy function...)
Quick patch is also really useful when adding additional cables to a jack with
one or more cables already plugged in. Here's why: when a jack with existing
cables is clicked, its multiple opens, then a cable can be plugged into one of
the multiple's available jacks. Even if you're patching a single cable, holding
down the [CTRL] key (Windows) or the [⌘] key (Mac) lets you skip the
opening the multiple and clicking on an open jack - instead the new cable
immediately "plugs in." Now click the destination jack (or jacks) and the
patch is complete.

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We don't know why you'd want to do such a thing, but just in case, we'll
explain the removal procedure for Mac OS and Windows.

Uninstalling In Mac OS
There isn't a dedicated "uninstaller" app for Mac, so you'll need to manually
delete the following files from a few folders:

FILE TYPE LOCATION

Voltage Modular main app /Applications/Voltage Modular

Application files /Library/Application Support/Voltage

User files ~/Library/Application Support/Voltage*

Audio Unit /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Voltage Modular

VST /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/Voltage [Link] and V

VST3 /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Voltage Modular.vst3 an

AAX /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/Volta

*This is Apple's extra-confusing other "user" Library folder, which is different

from the "main" Library folder. The easiest way to access it is to click the Go
menu at the top of the screen while holding down the [OPTION] key.

Uninstalling In Windows
The procedure for uninstalling Voltage Modular is the same as other Windows
applications:
Click on the Windows search bar and type Add or Remove Programs.
Search the list of installed applications for Voltage Modular.
Select Voltage Modular and click Uninstall.

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The Store library tab lets you purchase modules and sounds from directly
within Voltage Modular. Purchased modules and sounds are automatically
downloaded and installed for use in Voltage Modular.
Categories in the store only display modules not installed on your computer
except for the Purchased category, which displays previously purchased
modules and sounds.

Purchasing Modules and Sounds- To purchase a module, module collections,

or sounds package, click on the price button, or double-click anywhere in the
listing.

Purchase Online- This takes you to the Cherry Audio website where you’ll be
able to complete purchases. Upon completion of the transaction, the new
module(s) is automatically downloaded to your hard drive and installed for
immediate use. Yay!

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The Information tab displays information about the item you’re purchasing
(bet you didn’t see that coming), and the Reviews tab contains user reviews
to help you make decisions on purchases.

If Use One-Click Purchasing is enabled (Settings Gear

icon>Account>Use One-Click Purchasing), modules will be instantly
purchased- you will not be taken to the Cherry Audio website.

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