Settings

Here’s where you’ll configure all the under-the-hood stuff such as cable behavior (oh behave!), user-interface preferences, account settings, and audio and MIDI settings.

General

Undo, user log file settings, and more. Wee!

• Add Undo For Module Control Changes With The Mouse- Enabling this allows undo of knob/slider/button adjustments to modules. You’ll probably want to leave this on if you want the ability to undo all aspects of patch editing and programming.

• Load Last Preset On Startup (Standalone Only)- Automatically loads the last preset used when Voltage Modular standalone version is started.

• Create A Log File For Usage- This creates a text doc of all of Voltage Modular's internal and routines during use. It is mainly intended for those developing custom modulars using our Module Designer app. Clicking Show Log Folder opens the folder containing Voltage Modular log file docs. We've included a photo of a log, y'know... just in case.

• Preset Folder- Displays the current location of Voltage Modular's sound presets. This can be changed by clicking and typing in the field.

  • Browse... - Displays the current location of preset folder in the file manager.

  • Set Default- Sets the current displayed Preset Folder path as the default location

• Clear Cache Files- Deletes all log files, temporary sounds, and the image cache.

• Delete Module Files- Deletes all modules. This is here in case a module becomes corrupt; you won't permanently lose anything, because Voltage Modular will "know" your modules have been deleted and automatically re-download all purchased modules. That said, it might take a bit, so don't delete module files five minutes before you're gonna hit the stage.

CPU

These settings define how Voltage Modular utilizes your computer's processor hardware.

• Use Multiple Threads For Mixing- On a fast computer with multiple cores, this feature can improve mixing performance considerably, but it will also use more CPU. On a slow computer, this feature can potentially slow down mixing and cause degraded performance. The number of mix threads used can be set in the dialog. This option is off by default, so definitely enable it if you have a honkin' fast multi-processor computer.

• Use OpenGL Hardware Acceleration- This allows improved graphics performance if your graphics card supports it. If you're not sure, we recommend doing some research on your graphics card (or just try both ways to see what performs better).

Interface

Here’s where you can customize Voltage Modular’s user interface settings.

• Reset To Default Window Size- Resets the Voltage Modular workspace to 1280x720 pixels. Use this to reset the window size if Voltage Modular's workspace somehow becomes too large for your display and can't be resized.

• Minimum Cabinet Width- This sets the narrowest you’ll be able to size Voltage Modular when resizing by dragging the edges of the window.

• Cabinet Theme- These are various “skins” for the outside and inside of the Voltage Modular’s cabinets. Try this with a hardware modular!

• Tooltip Delay- Tooltips are those handy little bits of text that pop up when hovering over a control or jack (go ahead and try it, we’ll wait…). The Tooltip Delay setting defines how long you must hover before the tooltip pops up.

• Knob Movement- Defines how mouse movements relate to turning onscreen knobs. It defaults to Vertical Drag, but can be changed to Horizontal Drag, or Rotary Drag if you're one those folks that cut their teeth on the Steinberg Model E VST back in 2000.

• Library Location- This determines whether the library containing the Modules, Cabinets, MIDI, and Store tabs appears on the left (default) or right side of the workspace. If you need to find a public library, we recommend Google maps.

• On Control Double-Click- Defines what happens when the mouse is double-clicked on a control. If Edit Value is selected, an exact number can be entered by typing the number and hitting [ENTER] or [RETURN]. If Sets Default Value is selected, double-clicking a control resets it to its default value.

• Zoom Interface 2x- Doubles the zoom level of display. This intended for high resolution displays ("Retina" displays on Mac).

• Allow Module Dragging From Any Part Of Module- By default, modules can only be moved by clicking and dragging in their top area, around the module title. Enabling this allows modules to be grabbed and moved from any non-control. part of the module. The usefulness of this setting largely depends on what type of input device you're using, i.e. mouse with wheel, trackpad, etc. The idea is to minimize unwanted module movement if you accidentally "miss" when moving a module control.

• Mouse Wheel Adjusts Control Value- Enabling this lets you adjust knob, slider, and switch values by moving the mouse wheel. This works great with a standard mouse wheel, but you'll want to disable it if you're using an Apple Magic Mouse (which will move the control AND scroll the window).

• Show Tooltips On Any Control Change- Displays parameter tooltips/values next to controls any time a control is changed, i.e. if a control is moved via an assigned MIDI controller or a Perform panel knob, etc.

• Show Control Tooltips Under Mouse- Displays parameter tooltips/values when the mouse is hovered over a control or as a control is moved with mouse clicked.

• Hide Store On Library View During Searches- If this box is unchecked, Voltage Modular will show modules don’t own in a special Store category. Clicking this option disables display of the Store category and only shows modules you own.

• MIDI Program Changes Should Change Current Preset- Allows MIDI program change messages to change Voltage Modular patches.

• Delay Play Trigger and Gate Until Measure Boundary- When enabled, the IO Panel Transport Play and Play Gate signals "wait" until the host DAW playback hits an even bar number. This is very helpful for keeping sequencer-based patches in time with host playback. Without this, sequences can start playing between bars, resulting in synchronized playback that's slightly "shifted" forward or back in time from other project audio or MIDI.

• Auto Align New Cabinets To The Left- When checked, all modules in newly created cabinets will automatically align to the left, with no gaps. This can be disabled for individual cabinets by right-clicking in an empty (i.e. no modules) cabinet area.

Cables

These preferences define how Voltage Modular’s virtual patch cables behave.

• Animate Cables- When checked, Voltage Modular cables will bend and dangle like real cables. This makes everything sound better (not really, but it looks cool).

• Move Cables Away- When checked, hovering over a cable (or multiple cable spaghetti) will temporarily shift them out of the way to make it easier to see modules beneath.

• 3D Cables- Checking this shades cables to appear more well, three-dimensional. Best of all, you won’t need those silly red and green glasses to see this.

• Draw Shadow- Causes cables to cast a shadow upon modules.

• Cable Thickness- Adjusts the thickness of all cables.

• Transparent Cables- This works in conjunction with the Cable Transparency button discussed previously.

  All Cables- Cable Transparency slider affects all cables.

  All But Current Jack - Hovering over a jack will make its cables opaque. If the Cable Transparency control is set to its maximum setting, Transparent Cables will have no effect.
  
  All But Current Module - Hovering over a module will make all of its cables opaque. If the Cable Transparency control is set to its maximum setting, Transparent Cables will have no effect.
  

• Show Signal Animation- Enabling this superimposes a stream of “marching ants” over cables displaying signal flow and direction. (They’re easier to see at wider cable width settings.) The Speed slider adjusts the speed of display, but has no effect on signals.

• Enable Animations For Jacks- Selecting this shows a nifty little animation when a jack is clicked to use its built-in six-way mult. If you’re a super impatient Type A personality (like the guy typing this), unchecking this box disables the animation, causing the six-way mult to pop up immediately.

• Hide Cables When Dragging Modules- Causes cables to temporarily disappear when moving modules around.

Account

Settings for your personal login information and account.

• Email- This displays the email address of the current login.

• Update Login Info- No, this isn’t a place for news and tour dates for yacht rock superstar, Kenny Loggins. Clicking this opens the same email and password login screen you’ll see when initially launching Voltage Modular.

• Ask Before Downloading Updated Modules- We often fix bugs and improve modules. By default, Voltage Modular automatically downloads new versions of modules when available. Checking this box defeats automatic updates and will ask if you’d like to update modules. We’ll never make changes to existing modules that can potentially “break” existing patches, but nonetheless, we recommend enabling Ask Before Downloading Updated Modules if you’re using Voltage Modular for live performances or other “mission critical” situations.

• Use One-Click Purchasing- Enabling this skips over all that login/credit card nonsense and speeds up buying modules. Don’t leave this on if you have an irresponsible kid who’s crazy for modular synthesis (or if YOU are an irresponsible kid who’s crazy for modular synthesis).

• View Account Settings- This opens your personal account page on the Cherry Audio Store website containing information about modules purchased and more.

• Software Update- Click this to see if an updated version of Voltage Modular available.

Audio/MIDI

Settings for audio and MIDI hardware input and output. This tab is only visible in the standalone version of Voltage Modular.

• Output- Use this drop-down menu to choose a physical audio output source. This defaults to Built-In Line Output, i.e. your computer’s onboard system audio, but you’ll get better fidelity with an external professional audio interface. The biggest audible difference is usually reduced background noise or hum, but external audio hardware also offers greater flexibility in terms of number of inputs and outputs and built-in mic or low-level instruments pres (i.e. electric guitars). These are especially useful if you’re using Voltage Modular’s external inputs to process sound. The Test button will produce a sine wave when clicked; this will help with troubleshooting, aka, “WHY THE HECK ISN’T THIS MAKING ANY NOISE?!?”

• Input- Clicking the drop-down menu lets you select which physical input(s) feed the Audio In from host jacks in the I/O Panel. The small horizontal input meter to the right illuminates when the selected input is receiving an audio signal.

• Sample Rate- This sets Voltage Modular’s global sample rate. Lower sample rates offer better performance, but if you have a fast computer, high sample rates may offer slightly improved fidelity.

• Audio Buffer Size- As with any digital audio app, this defines performance vs. note latency, and will largely depend upon computer CPU speed. A professional external audio interface will almost always exhibit better performance than “built-in” system audio. Lower settings will result in less latency (in the form of faster response to notes played), but will increase the chances of audio gapping or crackling noise.

• Active MIDI Inputs- Displays all available MIDI input sources, i.e. keyboards, pad controls, MIDI knob/fader control surfaces, etc. Checking the boxes to enables devices.