Free Software Friday is our regular Friday feature here at the dBs blog. We dig the depths of the music production and media webosphere and discover what downloadable plugin freebies are worth double clicking each week.
After a prolonged wait, the much-loved and celebrated VCV Rack has now launched 2.0 as well as a pro version.
The original VCV Rack dates back several years and quickly became a darling of the free software world, thanks to its fantastic entry-point to the world of modular synthesis, open-source foundations and quantity of module options.
VCV Rack 2 does everything that you would want from an upgrade - and more! From quality of life improvements such as a new night mode to a redesigned UI and enhanced module browser, it's everything you loved about VCV Rack but better.
Downloading the free version comes with a pre-created selection of modules, but create an account with VCV and you can access the 1500+ free modules in the VCV Library, and start building out your own setup.
Perhaps the biggest change is that VCV Rack 2 also comes with a pro version which brings with it plugin support, so it can now run within your DAW. Users of Rack 2 Free will have to continue using the plugin as a standalone app.
Along with plugin support (which is currently only VST 2), the pro version allows for 16 I/O channels, the ability to save patches inside your DAW, process vocals, guitar, etc. with Rack as an effect plugin, perform Rack as an instrument plugin and generate MIDI for other tracks in your project using Rack's sequencer modules. That's just some of what the Pro version offers.
For anyone who's yet to try out VCV Rack and is looking for an inexpensive and highly-intuitive entrance to the world of modular, then the free standalone app will be all you need and more. If however, you've been a long-time user and want to use Rack within your DAW and/or support the developer then Pro is money well spent.
VCV Rack 2 is available for Windows, Linux and macOS and can be downloaded for free using the link below. VCV Rack 2 Pro is $99 for the rest of 2021 and will cost $149 from the start of 2022.
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https://vcvrack.com/RackWant more free software? Check out all our other Free Software Friday blogs here
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