DOCUMENTATION

CONTENTS

MODULES

KNOWN ISSUES

FINAL NOTES

MODULES

VCO

Complete manual and reference for the VCO module.

UPDATED MAR 9, 2026

How Does It Work?#

VCO is a classic four-output oscillator that generates saw, square, sine, and triangle waves at the same time, with octave range selection, tuning controls, and pulse-width modulation.

Quick Overview#

  • All four waveform outputs are available simultaneously.
  • Range, Pitch, and Fine set the oscillator tuning.
  • PW and PW Amt control pulse-width behavior for the square path.
  • V/Oct, FM, and PW Mod let the oscillator track pitch and respond to modulation.

Inputs And Outputs#

PortTypeWhat It Does
V/OctCVApplies 1V/oct pitch control.
FMCVApplies bipolar frequency modulation.
PW ModCVModulates pulse width through the PW Amt attenuator.
SawAudioSawtooth output.
SqrAudioPulse/square output.
SinAudioSine output.
TriAudioTriangle output.

Controls Reference#

ControlRangeDefaultBehavior
Range32', 16', 8', 4', 2'8'Sets the octave footage.
Pitch-12..12 st0Coarse tuning.
Fine-20..20 ct0Fine tuning.
PW0.05..0.950.5Sets the base pulse width.
PW Amt0..10.5Sets how strongly PW Mod affects pulse width.

Signal Behavior#

  • The oscillator starts from a C4-based core and applies Range, Pitch, and Fine before CV.
  • V/Oct multiplies frequency in octave steps.
  • FM applies a normalized bipolar frequency ratio on top of the current pitch.
  • PW Mod is scaled by PW Amt, then clamped so pulse width stays inside the safe 0.05..0.95 range.

Output Notes#

  • Saw, Sqr, Sin, and Tri come from the same oscillator core, so they stay phase-related.
  • The square output is band-limited, and the triangle output is derived from the square path.
  • This makes VCO a good central source when you want multiple related waveforms available at once.

Patching Ideas#

  • Use Saw or Sqr as the main subtractive source and keep Sin for cleaner FM or bass layers.
  • Patch an LFO into PW Mod for animated pulse-width movement.
  • Split the simultaneous outputs to different filters or VCAs for parallel tone shaping.