VCV Rack

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VCV Rack is a modular analogue synthesizer, more precisely a Virtual Eurorack DAW. It uses a plug-in systems to add more Eurorack emulated modules. As hardware Eurorack, it can be connected to midi, audio sources and destination, and other Eurorack modules. See also Wikipedia:VCV Rack. VCV Rack allow input from computer keyboard too, via the rack module MIDI-CV (included in "fundamental" modules pack).

The main principle of a modular analogue synthesizer is to add several module in the rack, and connect the different modules with wires, here by clicking on a connector and dragging in into another connector. Buttons on the modules allow you to change specifics parameters of the module.

Installation

Install vcvrack^AUR or the binary package from Unofficial user repositories#proaudio which already come with the Fundamental modules. These are not supported by VCV developers, ask the respective maintainers for support. vcvrack-bin^AUR will install the official binary version provided by VCV.

To install modules, there are several options:

Install them from the official VCV Library (requires creating a free account).
Build open-source plugins yourself, see the manual for reference.
The AUR and proaudio-repo versions of VCV Rack are patched to support plugins installed to /usr/lib/vcvrack/plugins, a few of which are also available on the AUR. To get all plugins available from binary repos (currently only Unofficial user repositories#proaudio), install the vcvrack-plugins package group.

Using computer keyboard Input

To use computer keyboard Input:

add the MIDI-CV module in your virtual Rack
Click on the middle line on the screen of the module.
Choose QWERTY keyboard for virtual piano keyboard
Choose Numpad keyboard for virtual percussion keyboard

You can add two (or more) times the module, to have QWERTY part controlling some part of your setup and Numpad controlling some other part for example.

Using computer audio input and output

The Audio-8 (8 channels) and Audio-16 (16 channels) modules, from "Fundamental" modules pack, allow to input and output audio to JACK, PulseAudio, ALSA or (MIDI) Bridge Output. To set the desired Input or Ouput:

Choose the desired sound library on the first line of the screen of the virtual module
Select the Input or Output port on the Second line.

For using audio Input source into the modular setup use the "From device" connectors For using audio Ouput destination, from the modular setup, use the "To device" connectors.

Oscilloscope

The Scope module can show you the signal from any part of the setup; allowing you to debug your patch.