I wanted to point out that I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out ZZC’s modules, particularly that clock you’ve included. You could accomplish a great deal with almost nothing but ZZC’s free modules (of particular note would be the function generator, quantizer, and clock divider expansion module). While this may not be so applicable in the hardware realm, I’ve been finding phase to be and interesting area study in digital audio production and and interesting means of exploring rhythm, and ZZC modules are a great entry-point.
Also, I think you might do with a function generator (ZZC’s own is a good way to start for a modular, minimal approach, the Befaco Rampage is a great all-in one solution), which can generally go quite far for oscillation and modulation on their own, though if you went the ZZC route, you might find an attenuator with offset useful.
While I do hazard to use the Audible Instruments modules from time to time, I still haven’t learned them well and feel like many of them make for a study or ecosystem all their own. They’re a pretty common addition but I think can distract from more fundamental elements in a patch (and can be difficult to learn alongside the fundamentals apart from more focused study). That Geodesics oscillator, however, while an oddball, bundles some interesting fundamental study into a tiny package. However, as some have pointed out, it would be worthwhile to start with a more basic oscillator. And do use a scope, it’s infinitely helpful for understanding what you’re hearing.
Orca’s Heart might well be the only sequencer you’ll need, though I do recommend Geodesic’s own sequencers for something similarly complex but a little more like a traditional sequencer. It would be be an exaggeration to say Orca’s Heart can be a black box, but it can be helpful to see the steps laid out the way more traditional sequencers do. Again, it might be worthwhile to try a more basic sequencer first, however.
As some have pointed out, VCV has incredible mixer options in the form of Mindmeld’s own, and if you’re looking to use VCV like a DAW or to emulate more traditional outboard approaches, that’s the way to go. If, however, you might fancy exploring an approach perhaps unique to VCV Rack and in the spirit of its weirdness, I would suggest Glue the Giant as a minimal, yet powerful modular mixing option.
Finally, while poly might distract from some of the fundamentals, if you are going to use Orca’s Heart extensively, muxing its output is my favorite way of generating poly without external software or equipment (and among the very few suitable ways of doing so without a gargantuan patch, honestly). Otherwise you may want a poly sequencer, as I’m not sure that any of those modules generate poly on their own.
