Erica Synths - Graphic VCO **In Depth Eurorack Demo**

TIMING INDEX / LINKS BELOW - Here's my in depth run down of the Erica Synths Graphic VCO. It's a eurorack module that packs in a nice interface for controlling wavetables, on board waveform drawing and design, tuneable and shapeable sub generator and output, loads of onboard FX including FM, Ring Modulation, Phase Distortion, Bitcrush / Downsample, Distortion, Wave Folding and Wave Wrapping. There's loads to go at so check out the timing description below and skip around to see the bits of the video you'd like to check out.
TIMING INDEX
00:00 Hello and preview of what's to come
01:23 Verbal feature walk through and look through the settings and menus.
05:58 A selection of patches not from elsewhere in the video. Aiming to fly through a selection of the potential sounds this is capable of.
07:31 AB mode. Crossfading between two waves and waveform morphing. Also looking at some of the available wave banks.
09:14 Wavetable mode. Looking at and morphing through the default wavetable banks.
12:01 Matrix mode. Creating an XY 2 dimensional space to modulate through and operate wavetables.
14:28 AB Wave Design mode. DRAWING WAVEFORMS! Using the on board wave editors to clear, draw new waves, create new waves and also looking at the harmonics editor which is the spectral mode. That view may be familiar to anyone who has used an additive synth before, editing harmonic partials to adjust the waveform. This also looks at loading and saving waves.
19:09 Settings screen. A quick look through what we can set up in the settings including display settings, oscilloscope settings, smooth or discrete waveform morphing (stepped or smooth), key/scale quantizer for the 1v/oct input, external scope to show us the inputs and monitor signals coming into the module, on board tuner / calibration tool and more.
20:46 FX MODES - First looking at what the FX mode is and the oscillator set up we'll be using.
21:17 FX MODE - FM - Looking at Frequency Modulation with the on board modulation oscillator and using the FX inputs to modulate FM index (depth) and ratio (tuning). This looks at FMing a sine wave and also wavetables.
25:34 FX MODE - Ring Modulation - Using the on board modulation oscillator to ring modulate the wavetables.
27:07 FX MODE - Phase Distortion - looking at manual and low level phase shifting through to audio rate phase distortion synthesis, again over wavetables which gets really fun.
28:40 FX MODE - Wave Folding - DC / manual fold depths as well as LFO fold modulation through to audio rate fold modulation. Which gives some great overtones without getting out of hand.
30:19 FX MODE - Wave Wrapping - comparison to wave folding to start with then modulation over the wrap settings from manual to audio rate.
32:53 FX MODE - Bitcrush / Downsampler - also a less pronounced effect than the others at times this changes the whole behaviour and feel of the output making it feel like a more lo-fi digital oscillator. It works really well over slowing modulating waves.
34:40 FX MODE - Distortion - exploring clipping both simple and more complex waves and using clipping as an extra dimension of sound manipulation over the wavetables.
36:52 Sub Generator - looking at output 2 with variable tuning from 0 to -24 semitones, using the 'cent' detune for unison / dual oscillator detune like sounds, mixing in the main output, syncing the sub oscillator and changing from copying the main output waveform through to static waves. We also look at a few basic intervals to create chord tones when mixing the outputs.
41:04 Sub Generator BONUS - patching the sub output and main output to sound like two totally independent musical lines. This is one of my favourite ways to use and patch up sequences and riffs on a modular system.
43:24 Final features / settings / snapshots and more! - Looking at the final few things including snapshots, randomising the whole unit and more.
46:05 Kick drum / percussion synthesis - patching up a kick drum / bass line hybrid sound. You can apply these techniques to other modules too.
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[@reekhavok2724]

Great video as always. Watched it the first time when it convinced me to order one and watched again tonight as a cheat as the module showed up today.

[@DivKid]

Nice one! Glad to help out

[@brendonmoeller]

Incredible module. Highly recommend

[@DivKid]

Nice one Brendon.

[@Natemasterflex]

Man, this thing was a long time coming huh! Great demo Ben! 🤓

[@DivKid]

Cheers Nathan, took a while going down various paths with it for a while.

[@Natemasterflex]

DivKidVideo oh I didn’t mean you Ben! Didn’t they announce this module like four years ago or something? I wasn’t trashing on anyone or anything like that, I just meant “yay, it’s here!!!”.

[@DivKid]

oh I know it was a positive "yay it's here" sort of thing. The PCB on mine says 2015. So that might have been announcement year.

[@robertsyrett1992]

Thanks for getting the camera right up in there, I know that LCD screens can be tricky to film. The added clarity really helps demonstrate the intricacies of the interface.

[@ASuniala]

There's brightness and contrast settings for the display, by adjusting those and camera shutter it's possible to get good clear video of the module no matter what the lighting conditions are. But obviously camera positioning is critical as well, and it's spot on here.

[@robertsyrett1992]

But can it dance the Argentine Tango?

[@ASuniala]

Well I've only seen it do that a couple of times so it might just be pure luck rather than actual skill.

[@DivKid]

Brightness and contrast goes some way but the key is getting a lot of good light in at the right angles so focusing on the screen doesn't result in the rest of the image blacking out entirely.

[@AdamTheAd-vanc3d]

Very well demo'd and a very very intresting module ;-)

[@DivKid]

Cheers Adamski

[@ritec]

This module was so ahead of its time, it still is 4 years later.

[@DivKid]

It's a fantastic module!

[@snorrevonflake]

Looks like about to be discontinued, sale price at Erica website shop. Not sure if i should get it read a lot about defective screens and bugs that were never fixed.

[@BrunoWiebelt]

thats kind of attracts me and as a audio/visual guy it brings satisfaction I not found in other moduls

[@DivKid]

Seeing what's going on certainly learns the synthesis of it all.

[@Starthief]

This is really nice! Might have to make room for one after all :) I definitely hear some tones in it I don't like raw, but might be great with an LPG -- and it's got a lot of flexibility beyond those anyway. It seems kind of a shame that there's not a way to get the modulation osc tracking but not syncing with the V/OCT, but I guess that's what stackables are for. Also I bet self-patching the sub out into the input for FX modulation works nicely (or in some cases, feeding back the main input)!

[@DivKid]

It can get quite aggressive and abrasive but I love those tones through filters or LPGs. I just split the signal in the video when I wanted the FM to track. Some feedback patching would be cool! Not tried that yet.

[@LuCrow528]

This is clinical. I love it!!!

[@DivKid]

Nice one, cheers Corvus.

[@LuCrow528]

DivKidVideo it remind me of Blofeld but with more graphic movement on screen, and the fact you can draw waves in box and yata mashata, this box bad! The Blofeld is most definitely powerful too! Check out my channel?

[@DivKid]

I'll take a look at your channel, the Blofeld is great. I just couldn't get past the interface for most things and ended up trading it. Kind of regret that.

[@alifeinyellow]

Just made a trade for this to get later this week. Will be watching this daily so I’m prepared for it.

[@DivKid]

Hope it all went well and you're enjoying the module.

[@alifeinyellow]

@@DivKid loved this module, but I’ve moved onto the 4ms SWN, and it’s an absolute dream. Gotta thank Erica for such good UI and quality, though. I’ve had multiple things from them, and it’s all been top tier.

Nice video!

[@sunkenforest]

Just picked up this module and can confirm it's a beast. The only gripes I have are that the copy of the oscillator through the sub output will only discretely step through the wavetable, and the fact that there isn't a fine tune control for the oscillator. Aside from those, I patiently await the forthcoming update to allow loading waveforms.

[@DivKid]

Yeah discrete stepping on the sub is a bit of a shame at times I agree. Fine tune would be nice but I haven't struggled with the scaling on the one pitch knob so far.

[@DBPawlan]

Very cool and very complex module! First thing that I'd do is change the faceplate though.

[@DivKid]

if you're willing to pay high prices you can get panels made as one offs.

[@synkrotron]

Processing Out 1 and Out 2 as separate sounds... Most interesting...

[@DivKid]

Yeah that's a nice way to work, something I often do with multiple oscillators or oscillators with multiple outputs.

[@ZibZeptumn]

Hey, is anyone here having trouble getting the Erica synths graphic VCO to play in tune? I’ve calibrated it and tried everything I could find online. I’ve tried turning the internal quantizer on and off, tried using an external quantizer, nothing works.

[@jackweaver7055]

You taunt us with the virtually unobtainable Natural Gate.

[@DivKid]

I know Phil is really working to get more made and at a quality he's happy with. He has very high standards.

[@scottgodon-decoteau430]

YESSSSSSSSSS! THANK YOU! And that last patch was just killer! (@scoobatankswanson)

[@DivKid]

Nice one Scott.

[@Syncopator]

Can the FM modulating oscillator be set to a relative frequency? (Relative to the carrier freq)? Normally in FM you want that to track the V/Oct along with the carrier, at like, +1oct or -1oct or something like that...

[@EricaSynths]

Syncopator Yes, the modulation oscillator can be synced to the principal one at different ratios

[@DivKid]

Yeah you can sync it.

[@dannywolfe8352]

Would you say this is a strict improvement on the Black Wavetable VCO? This clearly has more functionality but I seem to prefer the sound and less menu-intensive aspects of the Black Wavetable.

[@DivKid]

Not so much improvement as a different product. For simpler functions and just instant wavetables to move through the Black Wavetable VCO does a great job. I see this as a more patch saving / preset machine for setting up more complex VCO behaviour, sub tunings and FX. Fantastic for performance. Sonically with the same waves loaded they're similar.

[@skyreadersociety6183]

what's operating behind the module? Is it a raspberry pi?

[@nectariosm]

The morph sounds much better than the Shapeshifter. This looks super menu divy though...hmmm

[@DivKid]

doesn't feel super menu divey to me in use but making the demo there's definitely a fair bit of hopping in and out of settings. However you just save snapshots and there's barely any menu usage at all then.

[@nectariosm]

Its understandable really as this does so much and the video demonstrates the interface very well and sure, you can save presets and use those. But yeah, I think I would prefer this module to be bigger and be less encoder driven. Anyhow, very nice in depth demo and it definitely sounds better than my Shapeshifter that went on sale today.

[@DivKid]

I can appreciate that, few more HPs, few more knobs etc. Then people would say "I wish it was smaller for my live case" etc. I think they have a good balance, although more knobs I would like I aren't sure which of the features I think I'd definitely want to have on knobs if say they added 4 knobs to it. Hard to pick when it does so much.

[@nectariosm]

you've sold me on it, just sold my shapeshifter and got a couple of modules, this being one of them

[@tomevans8240]

How much oscillator... is too much oscillator?

[@rulindachatt]

I think for smaller systems this is killer.

[@DivKid]

No such thing as too much oscillator Tom! :)

[@PATRIK67KALLBACK]

This module has a ton of options, but I think for everyday use it is bit too complicated.

[@DivKid]

I think for every day use just don't try to do everything it can do, or worry about having lots of options. But if you were using it everyday I bet you'd fly through all the options if you wanted to.

[@markmccarthy3304]

Which is more powerful, this or The Shapeshifter?

[@woodlandcritterpunch]

It's hard to say really. The shapeshifter can do a ton of things this can't, but the reverse is also true.

[@markmccarthy3304]

woodlandcritterpunch That's what I thought. Which would be better for live use?

[@woodlandcritterpunch]

Well I'm not sure. I don't own the Graphic VCO, and I don't really do live performances. But the Graphic does seem to have more menu diving than the Shapeshifter, so I suppose I'd probably choose the Shapeshifter for that personally.

[@EricaSynths]

Mark McCarthy On Graphic VCO you can save Snapshots and recall them instantly during live performance and that will chance the sound radically in a fraction of second. But which one suits your performance better, it’s your decision.

[@DivKid]

The snapshots are a godsend for performance. Or even just working with a longer recording project.

[@bitegoatie]

RTFC

[@DivKid]

read the ... code? I don't need to see the code to use it, I don't really get the comment.

[@bitegoatie]

DivKidVideo See 5:47.

[@bitegoatie]

I mean, read the comments. It was just a comment on your subliminal inclusion of RTFD.

[@DivKid]

ah RTFC I thought was "code" not "comments". Just having a little joke around around a few conversations about how pointless the description can be. As it seems less than 10% bother to look.

[@Wojohomack]

Dude! You're making my ears bleed!

[@DivKid]

are bleeding ears a pleasurable thing? Did you need to extract blood to compliment medical or playtime procedures? If not I advise you turn it off.