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One of the fine Voltage Modular module coders should make a spectral oscillator module similar to the one found in the Nord Modular G1 and G2. Spectral oscillators are very good through the right filter/delay chain for dub & techno, etc. noodling.

SA2K wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 4:36 pm One of the fine Voltage Modular module coders should make a spectral oscillator module similar to the one found in the Nord Modular G1 and G2. Spectral oscillators are very good through the right filter/delay chain for dub & techno, etc. noodling.

It sounds like you would like someone to make you a spectral oscillator like the ones found in the Nord Modular G1 and G2 so you can use it to make Voltage Modular presets. If so, have you considered hiring a third-party module maker to do that for you?

No. I just think Voltage Modular and its users could use one. Others are currently requesting Serge & Buchla modules. I look forward to any of the requested modules.

I've owned and used both G1 and G2 extensively.

The Spectral Oscillator in the G1 is rudimentary, offering limited control over the overtones (odd/even balance, and amplitude on a 'sliding scale' which basically translates into either a triangle wave or a sawtooth wave with a variable-slope LPF).


There's also a SineBank oscillator, 6 individually controlled sinewaves, another rudimentary spectral oscillator.


The SineBank has an equivalent in VM already, the Additive Oscillator.


I'm not aware of a spectral oscillator in the G2, although there are waveshaping oscillators and an FM oscillator.

huggermugger wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 6:39 pm I've owned and used both G1 and G2 extensively.

The Spectral Oscillator in the G1 is rudimentary, offering limited control over the overtones (odd/even balance, and amplitude on a 'sliding scale' which basically translates into a sawtooth with a variable-slope LPF).


Screen Shot 2023-08-22 at 2.33.06 PM.png


There's also a SineBank oscillator, 6 individually controlled sinewaves, another rudimentary spectral oscillator.


Screen Shot 2023-08-22 at 2.33.20 PM.png


The SineBank has an equivalent in VM already, the Additive Oscillator.


Screen Shot 2023-08-22 at 2.34.31 PM.png


I'm not aware of a spectral oscillator in the G2, although there are waveshaping oscillators and an FM oscillator.

I like the G1s spectral oscillator. I thought the G2 had it also maybe I was wrong. I still want a Nord style spectral oscillator made for Voltage Module. Even though it’s rudimentary it has its own sound. The additive oscillator is worth working with but it isn’t exactly what I had in mind. The spectral oscillator is the main thing I think VM is missing that separates the NM from VM for my purposes.

I found the G1 Spectral Oscillator disappointing. I had previously worked with the Kawai K5 Additive Synth, which allowed significant control over the amplitude of the 63 harmonics. The sound was sterile, but the timbral variety was fairly rich.


The G1's Spectral Oscillator is much more limited - the Odd-only setting is basically a triangle wave with variable gain on the overtones (but only via a slope), and the All setting is a sawtooth wave. If VM does get its own spectral oscillator, it's going to have to do a lot better than that to get me excited. The G1 Spectral is also missing an Even-only setting, which is actually quite a lovely sound (a triangle is all the odd harmonics, Even is all the even harmonics). Befaco makes the Even Oscillator for VCV Rack.

huggermugger wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 7:09 pm The G1 Spectral is also missing an Even-only setting, which is actually quite a lovely sound (a triangle is all the odd harmonics, Even is all the even harmonics). Befaco makes the Even Oscillator for VCV Rack.

Doesn't having only even harmonics effectively give you a sawtooth wave one octave higher?

I guess if you include the fundamental along with the even harmonics, you would effectively have a sine wave sub-oscillator mixed in.

Befaco Even VCO

I actually have a spectral/additive oscillator in the making. There are a few things I still have to sort out, but the bulk of the work is done and I'm quite happy with it so far.

To give you a little sneak'n'peak on the features:

• up to 512 partials (very high CPU usage)
• all partials can be automated/remote controlled in amplitude and phase
• basic waveforms included (sine, square, saw, ramp, triangle)
• load audio files (up to 1024 samples)
• AM, PM, FM
• "oddification"
• damping

I plan to finish it by next month, though this highly depends on the workload I'll have on my full-time job.