Tides by Mutable Instruments
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.
What sets this 2018 revision apart from its predecessor is the introduction of additional output modes, producing variations (shifted in amplitude, time, phase or frequency) of the main signal.
And of course, a redesign from scratch focused on accuracy and audio quality.
Features
- 3 operating mode: AD envelope, looping (VC-LFO/VCDO), AR envelope
- 3 frequency ranges for the main frequency knob: low (2 minutes to 2 Hz), medium (0.125 Hz to 32 Hz), high (8 Hz to 2kHz). This range can be widened by applying an offset on the V/OCT input
- 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
- Size: 14HP
- Depth: 25mm
- Power: 50 mA +12V, 20 mA -12V