Gear Hunter

Mutable Instruments - TIDES

Description

Tides - Tidal Modulator

Tides is all about waves that go up and down, from minute-long cycles to audio rates. This module is Mutable Instruments' unique take on the looping AD envelope generator- pushing this well-known trope to unknown territories.

The core of the module is a digital asymmetric triangle function generator, which can be used in AD and AR modes (for envelope generation), or looping (as a VC-LFO or VC-DO).

The triangle generator is followed by a wavetable waveshaper providing linear, exponential, logarithmic, sinusoidal, or arc-sinusoidal shapes for the A and D segments. Then, a second processor applies either a 2-pole low-pass filter to the waveform, smoothing its sharp edges; or a rubbery wavefolder, adding kinks and bounces to the waveform.

Digital Function Generator
* 3 operating mode: single shot (attack/decay), sustained (attack/sustain/release), looping (VC-LFO/VCDO).
* 3 frequency ranges: low (20 minutes to 5 Hz), medium (0.05 Hz to 300 Hz), high (8 Hz to 10kHz).
* Freeze gate input to stop the oscillator and hold its output.

A Large Palette of Waveforms
* Shape control with CV input, covering various combinations of linear, exponential, or sinusoidal segments.
* Slope/asymmetry (A/D time ratio) control with CV input.
* Smoothness control with CV input: smoothes the waveform using a 2-pole digital filter, or adds bumps and kinks with a digital wavefolder.

Advanced functions
* Output level CV input (digital VCA).
* Dual outputs: standard unipolar waveform, and double-shot waveform with a positive spike during the ascent and a negative spike during the descent. At audio rate, both of them have a different sound.
* Accurate V/Oct tracking with straightforward calibration procedure.
* Clock input to lock onto a multiple or fraction of a trigger sequence, or to generate harmonies directly from an audio signal (PLL mode).

Tides (Original version) Specifications
* All inputs: 100k impedance, DC to 7.8kHz.
* CV inputs: 12-bit, 1kHz for shape/slope/smoothness, 12-bit to 6kHz for FM, 12-bit 48kHz for amplitude.
* CV Outputs: 16-bit, 48kHz.
* Output levels: +/- 5V for the BI output, 0V to +8V for the other outputs.