This is the first in a collaboration with Synthtopia.com, featuring open source developers of both hardware and software. More information is available at synthtopia.com...

It's been a while since I've seen something with as much momentum as VCV Rack. This system went from "it was just released at Knobcon" to "everybody is using this for everything"! Part of the reason behind its success is the quality of the project - which has been coded by Andrew Belt (with design assistance by Wes Milholen).

The system is pretty amazing, with a virtual modular model that is second-to-none. But it is also a completely open-sourced framework, too - one that has been embraced by a number of developers. For example, recent interviewee Michael Hetrick just released a huge set of modules based on some of his explorations; but we also see that Andrew has supported versions of the Mutable devices within the Rack system as well.

In our chat, we go over Andrew's background, how he does his development, and what he finds important in an open source project. In the course of the discussion, you'll certainly learn more about why VCV Rack is so detailed, how he works with other developers, and what the future might hold. Enjoy!