Modular units are all about versatility and multi-functionality, with many users after a device which is flexible and can be applied to numerous sonic scenarios. Blinkenlights have released their Vactrol Drum for Eurorack which delivers a huge range of real and unreal drum and percussive sounds for your modular noodles requiring low end thunder and high frequency sizzles!
The Vactrol Drum employs a white noise generator (similar to the Roland TR-808) through a vactrol filter and VCA to generate kick drums, rimshots and hihats, as well as alien bleeps, squeeks and crashes. Controls include amplitude, resonance, attack, decay, bias and pitch envelope with gate and trigger inputs – to sculpt the sound depending on what you need. The unit has voltage controlled pitch, and can work as a noisy oscillator which the resonance turned up!
It comes as a PCB and panel with an extensive build guide (PDF), with BOM, schematics and test instructions to ensure it’s all good – the PCB silkscreen shows the names and values of all the components which makes construction that much easier! The finished unit is 4HP wide, 3U High and 100mm deep, and available now from the Blinkenlights Tindie Store!
