Reaktor instruments

colB

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/116318#Comment_116318

No you're not missing anything, an appropriately clever user could have come up with Prism, Monark, Super8, or whatever else... but that's like saying a 'user' of MS Visual C++ could have come up with Grand Theft Auto or Starfield... it's true, but it's maybe missing the point. Core is limited in some ways, but you really can implement DSP algorithms from scratch, and they will sound the same as if they were written in C++ (or whatever other language). HOWEVER, most of the stuff in the user library uses factory library DSP components, like oscillators and filters, so could sound like Reaktor... not all though, there are some 'users' who scratch build the DSP for their creations. And the more recent core based factory stuff is very good and also more extensible, to possible to still end up with unique sounds just by configuring it differently... so toolkits rather than monolithic units for filters etc.

colB

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/116275#Comment_116275

I would suggest that if finding the parameter pane and setting MIDI up in there is too difficult for a person, then modular synthesis will be too difficult, and I'd be amazed if said person was able to simultaneously use a mouse and watch a screen without falling off their seat ;)

when I say I don't think it could be simpler, I mean 'in use', so patching up some rack of Blocks, and using it to make music, it's super easy, just like it is in VCV, and whatever else. All of them make that part easy enough that it's orders of magnitude easier than actually producing something remotely musical using modular synth techniques!

Once you've spent a little time familiarising yourself, then Blocks is very quick and easy to use in terms of workflow. you literally drag stuff from the file explorer, drop it in and drag patch cables from outputs to inputs.

Hardware Eurorack is WAY more challenging. One slight mistake when installing a module, and you let the magic smoke escape, and that module will never make music... and possibly even others, and/or the power supply... yeah, Blocks is simple to use!

It's not the same though. The Blocks A/B modulation system is powerful and clever, but it's somewhat different from a hardware Rack, each has it's strengths and weaknesses. VCV for example is much closer to how a hardware modular functions in that respect. That doesn't make it better though, just different. Anyway, there are much bigger differences between software virtual vs analogue hardware, that all the virtual systems share. Not particularly close to modelling the real thing yet, so I approach them differently, and don't mind that Blocks has it's own thing going on.