VCV Rack – a free, multi-platform modular synthesizer platform – has been updated to version 0.6.0, adding VCV Bridge and more.
Here’s what the developers have to say about it:
This is the largest update ever with nearly 300 commits and 3 months of development effort. It includes VCV Bridge, a plugin that allows audio and MIDI to be transferred between Rack and your DAW.
See the change-log for a list of new features and fixes. Most notably, this release includes VCV Bridge for routing audio between Rack and a DAW using a VST/AU effect plugin. This release enables future VSTi/AU instrument plugins with MIDI and DAW clock transport to be added in a later Rack 0.6.x update.
The Plugin Manager now handles most open-source plugins and potentially all plugins with time and help from the VCV Community.
If you are upgrading from Rack 0.5, you will need to delete or backup Rack 0.5 plugins in your “Documents/Rack/plugins” directory before launching.
Here’s what’s new in VCV Rack 0.6.0:
- Released VCV Bridge for interfacing Rack with your DAW
- VST/AU effect plugins (Mac and 32/64-bit Windows) for using Rack as a send/return on a DAW track
- Enables future VSTi/AU instrument plugins with MIDI and DAW clock transport to be added in a later Rack 0.6.* update
- Updated Plugin Manager to handle open-source plugins
- Potentially all plugins can be added with help from the VCV Community
- New Module Browser for adding modules to the rack
- Launch by right-clicking on the rack or pressing
- Add “favorite” modules by clicking on the star button
- Navigate modules with arrow keys or mouse
- Redesigned Core modules
- Access to audio channels beyond the first 8 inputs/outputs
- Improved AUDIO stability
- Added retrigger output to MIDI-1
- Merged MIDI clock module with MIDI-1
- Fixed MIDI-4 sustain pedal in polyphonic modes
- Improved sample rate conversion performance, is disabled entirely when not needed
- Patch cable colors are saved to patch files
- Added highlighting for active patch cables when hovering mouse over port
- Added shadows to knobs and ports
- Added File > “Disconnect cables”
- Released Rack SDK for compiling plugins without compiling Rack
It’s a free download via the VCV Rack site.
Just in case anyone is a daft as me, best to pay close attention to the line which reads “instrument plugins with MIDI and DAW clock transport to be added in a later Rack 0.6.* update” . I spent an hour trying to get the Bridge to take a MIDI signal before the author put me straight. The MIDI bridge in module is there, but it’s not ready yet. So, it can be used as an effect but not yet an instrument. I’m sure that was already clear to everyone but me!
So … Thank you ! I tried a couple of hours getting midi out of Logic to Rack. Audio is Ok.
I thought the same 😛
Midi works fine, u need to use a loopback driver. Used it all day yesterday while not working much on Friday…bridge is for the audio. Great update
Just to be clear, Bridge does work to send MIDI when not using an instrument plug-in in the path from Ableton Live, at least.
I should clarify that I did this with the VST. The AU would not load in Ableton.
You can use LoopMidi or some other virtual midi port software to send midi data from your daw to vcv rack.
Apologies for a possibly silly question, but where is the bridge module , it doesn’t show in my plugins ?