ATOMIC

Atomic for VCV Rack

Atomic modules bond on contact. Push them edge to edge and they work as one module of your own making, with no cables between them: a rig. Sequencers, complex LFOs, multi-segment envelopes, generative machines: as simple or as wild as you like. You already love building patches from modules; Atomic lets you build the modules themselves.

A rig: CLK, QNT, ATN, eight CVs and a SEQ, bonded into one sequencerA rig: CLK, QNT, ATN, eight CVs and a SEQ, bonded into one sequencer

The modules

Clock

CLK

A clock, in BPM or in Hz, for every SEQ to its right.

The CLK panel, BPMThe CLK panel, BPM
  • Tempo in BPM
  • Rate ticks per beat
  • RUN start and stop
  • CLK follow an external clock
  • RESET back to step one
  • CLK the clock
Full guide

Constant voltage

CV

A fader that holds a voltage.

The CV panelThe CV panel
  • Fader -10 V to +10 V
  • IN replaces the fader
  • OUT the value
Full guide

Curve

CRV

A function: one voltage in, another out, through a line you bend.

The CRV panelThe CRV panel
  • Start the voltage it starts from
  • Bend the shape between
  • End the voltage it ends on
  • SHAPE the bend from a voltage
  • IN where on the curve
  • OUT the curve's voltage
Full guide

Quantizer

QNT

Snaps a voltage to a scale, or holds a chord on a poly cable.

The QNT panel, KeysThe QNT panel, Keys
  • Transpose move the notes
  • Keys light a scale
  • IN a voltage to snap
  • OUT quantized, or a chord
Full guide

Sequencer

SEQ

Steps through the modules to its left; alone, an arpeggiator.

The SEQ panelThe SEQ panel
  • Step the playhead
  • Rate steps per tick
  • Mode play, halt, once
  • POLY IN a chord to arpeggiate
  • CLK a clock
  • PHASE the playhead by voltage
  • OUT the sequence
Full guide

Attenuverter

ATN

Gain and offset; bonded, the range of the modules to its right.

The ATN panelThe ATN panel
  • Lanes gain left, offset right
  • × gain from a voltage
  • + offset from a voltage
  • IN a signal
  • OUT scaled and moved
Full guide

Triggers

TRG

Trigger buttons; bonded to a SEQ, a trigger sequencer.

The TRG panelThe TRG panel
  • Pulse fire once, or toggle
  • Triggers click to fire or light
  • IN a poly cable drives them
  • OUT one trigger per channel
Full guide

Mixer

MIX

Fifteen channels and a master; bonded, a fader for each module to its left.

The MIX panelThe MIX panel
  • Levels a channel each
  • Master the sum
  • IN a poly cable, or several stacked
  • OUT the mix
Full guide

Polyphony

POLY

Merges the modules to its left into one poly cable, or splits one across those to its right.

The POLY panelThe POLY panel
  • Rows a channel each
  • IN a poly cable
  • OUT the channels, one each
Full guide

Rig browser

RIG

Saves the rig to its right as a file, with scenes, snapshots recalled by voltage.

The RIG panelThe RIG panel
  • Shelves factory rigs, or yours
  • Name click for the rigs
  • SAVE the rig as a file
  • Scene the one showing
  • SCENE choose by voltage
  • NEXT the next scene
Full guide

Gap

GAP

Splits a rig in two, while it still saves as one.

The GAP panelThe GAP panel
    Full guide

    How to build your own rig

    1You want to build your own sequencer?

    Drop a SEQ.

    A SEQ aloneA SEQ alone

    2You want it to sequence voltages?

    Put five CVs on its left. Pushed edge to edge they bond: a strip, the bracket, runs along the top of all six, and each CV is a step.

    3You want those steps quantized?

    Put a QNT on the left of the CVs and light the keys of a scale. Every CV now lands on a lit key and shows its note.

    4You want them to span a few octaves?

    Put an ATN anywhere on the left of the CVs, before the QNT or after it, and drag its gain to the octaves you want.

    5You want the sequencer to have its own clock?

    Put a CLK anywhere to the left of the SEQ, and the SEQ, silent until now, starts to play.

    6You want to keep your little sequencer?

    Put a RIG at the far left and click SAVE. Everything to its right goes into a rig file, cables and all, to open again from the RIG.

    Examples

    Every one is a rig on the RIG's factory shelf, ready to open.