MATHS

Make Noise 20HP
fw 1.0
FUNCTION ENVELOPE LFO SLEW

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Analog function generator. Four channels: two full-featured (1 & 4) with rise/fall/curve and cycle, two attenuverter/offset channels (2 & 3) with unity mixing.

Patch Ideas · 26

★ Bouncing ball (self-accelerating envelope)
Positive-feedback envelope that speeds up on each cycle, like a ball bouncing and losing energy.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 1 Cycle so it's lit — the envelope free-runs.
  2. Set the CH 1 attenuverter (center column, '1') to full CW so Variable Out 1 carries the envelope at unity.
  3. Set the CH 2 attenuverter to about 2 o'clock — this knob sets the feedback depth.
  4. Patch CH 1 Variable Out 1 (bottom row) → CH 2 Signal In.
  5. Patch CH 2 Out → CH 1 Fall CV. Each cycle now shortens its own fall.
  6. Patch CH 1 Unity Out (top, big arrow) → your VCA CV to actually hear the envelope.
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out — accelerating envelope, 0–8V.
Listen for A decay that gets shorter on every repetition until it chatters. Turn CH 2 attenuverter CW for faster acceleration, CCW to slow it down; near noon the feedback stalls and it free-runs steady.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: MATHS, CH 1, CH 2, VCA. Signals: 3 cv.MATHSCH 1CH 2VCACH 1 Atten: full CWCH 2 Atten: ~2 o'clockCycle ONFall CVcvVariable Out 1cvUnity OutcvIncvOutcvCVcv121. audible envelope2. shortens fall each cyclecv
★ Quadrature LFOs
Two LFOs, 90° out of phase, running off each other's end-of-stage pulses — no Cycle button needed.
Walkthrough
  1. Leave CH 1 and CH 4 Cycle buttons OFF.
  2. Set CH 1 Rise and Fall to the same time, matching what you want as the overall LFO period.
  3. Set CH 4 Rise and Fall to the same matching time.
  4. Patch CH 1 EOR → CH 4 Trigger.
  5. Patch CH 4 EOC → CH 1 Trigger. The pair now self-sustains.
  6. Briefly press CH 1 Cycle once to kick it off, then release.
  7. Take CH 1 Unity Out → Filter Cutoff (or any CV destination).
  8. Take CH 4 Unity Out → VCA CV (90° ahead of CH 1).
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out and CH 4 Unity Out — two 0–8V envelopes, 90° apart.
Listen for Two modulation sources that feel related but never land at the same place at the same time — filter and VCA breathe against each other for animated timbral motion.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: CH 1, CH 4, Filter, VCA. Signals: 2 cv, 2 gate.CH 1CH 4FilterVCACycle OFF, Rise + Fall matchedCycle OFF, Rise + Fall matchedTriggateEORgateUnity OutcvTriggateEOCgateUnity OutcvCutoffcvCVcvcvgate
ASR envelope with sustain plateau
Trick MATHS into acting like an attack-sustain-release envelope by patching the gate into Signal In instead of Trigger.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise to your desired attack time.
  2. Set CH 1 Fall to your desired release time.
  3. Patch your gate source → CH 1 Signal In (NOT Trigger).
  4. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → VCA CV.
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out — envelope that attacks, holds, then releases, 0–8V.
Listen for While the gate is high, the envelope reaches full level and stays there (the plateau). When the gate drops, it falls at the Fall rate. Using Trigger instead gives AD only — no sustain.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: Gate Source, CH 1, VCA. Signals: 1 cv, 1 gate.Gate SourceCH 1VCARise = attack, Fall = releaseGategateSignal IngateUnity OutcvCVcv11. not Trig — gives true ASRcvgate
Push-pull crossfade
One MATHS envelope simultaneously opens one VCA while closing another — crossfades between two sound sources with a single modulator.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 1 Cycle and set Rise + Fall for a slow sweep (several seconds).
  2. Set CH 2 attenuverter full CCW — this inverts whatever enters CH 2 Signal In.
  3. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → VCA 1 CV. (Unity Out stays available; patching it does not remove CH 1 from the SUM bus.)
  4. Patch CH 1 Variable Out 1 → CH 2 Signal In. Now CH 2 holds an inverted copy of the CH 1 envelope.
  5. Patch CH 2 Out → VCA 2 CV.
  6. Patch sound source A → VCA 1, sound source B → VCA 2, and mix their outputs.
Signal out VCA 1 Out + VCA 2 Out summed at a mixer — crossfaded audio.
Listen for As the envelope rises, VCA 1 opens and VCA 2 closes; as it falls, the reverse. Continuous movement between the two sources instead of a hard cut.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: MATHS, CH 1, VCA 1, CH 2, VCA 2, Mixer. Signals: 2 audio, 3 cv.MATHSCH 1VCA 1CH 2VCA 2MixerCH 1 Atten: full CWCH 2 Atten: full CCW (invert)Cycle ON, slow rateUnity OutcvVariable Out 1cvCVcvOutaudioIncvOutcvCVcvOutaudioInaudio121. opens2. inverted — closesaudiocv
Envelope follower
Turn MATHS into an envelope follower — pull a smooth CV that tracks the amplitude of any incoming audio.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 4 Rise at noon.
  2. Set CH 4 Fall past noon CW for gentle tracking, or CCW for tighter faster tracking.
  3. Patch your audio source (voice, drum loop, whatever) → CH 4 Signal In.
  4. Patch OR Out → your CV destination (Filter Cutoff is the classic target).
Signal out OR Out — positive-only CV that rises and falls with audio amplitude.
Listen for Auto-wah behavior: the filter opens on loud transients and closes on quiet passages. Fall knob is your release — turn it CW to smooth out quick transients, CCW to make it snappy.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 2 connections. Modules: MATHS, Audio Source, CH 4, Filter. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv.MATHSAudio SourceCH 4FilterRise noon, Fall past noon CWORcvOutaudioSignal InaudioCutoffcv11. auto-wah envelopeaudiocv
Complex modulation shape (dual LFO mixer)
Combine a slow and a fast LFO into one ever-shifting modulation signal, with independent level + polarity on each.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 1 Cycle; set Rise and Fall for a slow cycle (4–8s total).
  2. Press CH 4 Cycle; set Rise and Fall for a fast cycle (0.5–1s total).
  3. Set CH 2 attenuverter to ~1 o'clock (positive, moderate).
  4. Set CH 3 attenuverter to ~11 o'clock (slight negative).
  5. Patch CH 1 Variable Out 1 → CH 2 Signal In. (This also removes CH 1 from SUM, so SUM only carries what CH 2/3/4 contribute.)
  6. Patch CH 4 Variable Out 4 → CH 3 Signal In. (Same — removes CH 4 from SUM.)
  7. Patch SUM Out → your modulation target (Filter FM, Wavefolder CV, anything).
Signal out SUM Out — slow LFO + fast LFO, each scaled and signed by their respective attenuverters.
Listen for Modulation that lopes slowly but jitters on short timescales. Adjust the attenuverters to rebalance — CH 2 dominates = slow character wins, CH 3 dominates = fast chatter wins.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 3 connections. Modules: MATHS, CH 1, CH 2, CH 4, CH 3, Filter. Signals: 3 cv.MATHSCH 1CH 2CH 4CH 3FilterCH 2 Atten: ~1 o'clockCH 3 Atten: ~11 o'clockCycle ON, slow (4-8s)Cycle ON, fast (0.5-1s)SUMcvVariable Out 1cvIncvVariable Out 4cvIncvFMcv11. combined dual-LFO shapecv
Analog clock divider
Abuse MATHS's retrigger-blocking to turn one fast clock into multiple slower ones — one channel per division.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise to a length longer than your clock's period. MATHS ignores triggers arriving during Rise, so you get half-speed.
  2. Patch your clock → CH 1 Trigger.
  3. Patch CH 1 EOR → destination as a /2 clock.
  4. For further division: set CH 4 Rise longer than CH 1's envelope period.
  5. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → CH 4 Trigger.
  6. Patch CH 4 EOC → destination as a /4 clock.
Signal out CH 1 EOR (/2 clock) and CH 4 EOC (/4 clock). Both are 0V/10V gates.
Listen for Two clock lanes derived from one master, each slower than the previous. Change the Rise lengths on the fly to shift the divisions live.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Clock Source, CH 1, Destination, CH 4. Signals: 3 gate, 1 clock.Clock SourceCH 1DestinationCH 4Rise longer than clock periodRise longer than CH 1 envelope periodClkclkTrigclkEORgateUnity Outgate/2 Clockgate/4 ClockgateTriggateEOCgategateclock
Directional portamento (asymmetric glide)
Slew pitch CV differently depending on direction — e.g. snap up instantly, glide down slowly.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise full CCW (near-instant attack when pitch jumps up).
  2. Set CH 1 Fall to ~2 o'clock (slow descent when pitch drops).
  3. Set Vari-Response (Curve) at noon for a linear glide.
  4. Patch your pitch sequencer → CH 1 Signal In (NOT Trigger — Signal In lets MATHS act as a slew limiter).
  5. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → VCO V/Oct.
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out — slewed pitch CV, tracks input but asymmetrically in time.
Listen for Notes that rise cleanly but fall with a downward glide (or vice versa if you reverse Rise and Fall). Great for fretless-bass and synth-lead expressiveness.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: Sequencer, CH 1, VCO. Signals: 2 pitch.SequencerCH 1VCORise CCW (fast up), Fall ~2 o'clock (slow down), Curve noonPitch1v/octSignal In1v/octUnity Out1v/octV/Oct1v/oct11. snaps up, glides downpitch
Sub-harmonic generator
Feed a VCO into CH 4 Trigger at audio rate; CH 4's Cycle running a bit slower than the VCO emits a sub-octave pulse.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 4 Cycle.
  2. Set CH 4 Rise + Fall very short, but slightly longer than one period of your audio-rate VCO (e.g. a few hundred microseconds).
  3. Patch VCO Out (audio-rate) → CH 4 Trigger. CH 4 tries to retrigger but can't keep up — you get one MATHS cycle per N VCO cycles.
  4. Patch CH 4 EOC → a mixer as your sub-octave pulse.
  5. Mix in the original VCO for a Trautonium-style bass reinforcement.
Signal out CH 4 EOC — pulse train at a sub-octave of the incoming VCO.
Listen for A buzzy square-ish sub-octave below the VCO's pitch. Sweeping Rise/Fall changes the ratio — 2:1 for one octave down, 3:1 for a fifth below, and so on.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: VCO, CH 4, Mixer. Signals: 2 audio.VCOCH 4MixerCycle ON, Rise + Fall short (> 1 VCO cycle)OutaudioTrigaudioEOCaudioInaudio121. audio-rate trigger2. sub-octave pulseaudio
Voltage comparator / gate extractor
Instant Rise + Fall turns CH 1 into a threshold detector — EOR fires a gate whenever the input crosses a level.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise full CCW and Fall full CCW (instant response, no slew).
  2. Set CH 2 attenuverter full CW (unity pass-through). This lets you scale the input up if it's weak.
  3. Patch your slow CV or audio source → CH 2 Signal In.
  4. Patch CH 2 Out → CH 1 Signal In. (Using CH 2 Out means you can trim the signal level; patch directly to CH 1 Signal In if you don't need scaling.)
  5. Patch CH 1 EOR → wherever you want the threshold-crossing gate.
Signal out CH 1 EOR — 0V/10V gate that fires whenever the scaled input crosses above CH 1's internal threshold.
Listen for A gate every time the source rises past a certain voltage. Useful for extracting rhythmic events from an audio envelope or CV shape.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 3 connections. Modules: MATHS, CV Source, CH 2, CH 1, Destination. Signals: 2 cv, 1 gate.MATHSCV SourceCH 2CH 1DestinationCH 2 Atten: full CWRise + Fall full CCW (instant)OutcvIncvOutcvSignal IncvEORgateTriggate11. gate on threshold crossingcvgate
Coupled oscillators (quadrature-triggered pair)
Get quadrature LFOs without Cycle mode — CH 1 and CH 4 trigger each other forever after a single kick.
Walkthrough
  1. Leave CH 1 and CH 4 Cycle OFF.
  2. Set Rise + Fall equal on both channels to whatever period you want.
  3. Patch CH 1 EOR → CH 4 Trigger.
  4. Patch CH 4 EOC → CH 1 Trigger. The pair is now mutually reinforcing.
  5. Briefly press CH 1 Cycle once to kick the pair into motion, then release.
  6. Take CH 1 Unity Out and CH 4 Unity Out as your two CVs — they run 90° apart forever.
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out and CH 4 Unity Out — two 0–8V LFOs, 90° out of phase.
Listen for Same sonic result as the Quadrature LFOs patch, but without Cycle mode engaged — so they're more easily resettable (cut the EOR→Trig cable to stop, re-kick to restart).
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: CH 1, CH 4, Destination A, Destination B. Signals: 2 cv, 2 gate.CH 1CH 4Destination ADestination BCycle OFF (briefly ON to kick off)Cycle OFFTriggateEORgateUnity OutcvTriggateEOCgateUnity OutcvCVcvCVcv11. self-sustaining paircvgate
Formant complex oscillator
Run CH 1 at audio rate with a sharp shape, modulate its Rise with a slow LFO — get a Mangrove-style formant oscillator with a sweeping peak.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 1 Cycle. Set Rise very short and Fall very short so the cycle runs at audio rate.
  2. Turn Vari-Response (Curve) full CW for a sharp exponential pulse shape.
  3. Press CH 4 Cycle. Set CH 4 Rise + Fall for a slow LFO rate (several seconds total).
  4. Patch CH 4 Unity Out → CH 1 Rise CV. This modulates CH 1's rise time up and down.
  5. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → VCA audio input.
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out — pitched audio at audio rate with a shifting formant shape.
Listen for A voice-like tone whose timbre sweeps between a bright pulse and a softer rounded peak. Scale CH 4's modulation via its attenuverter (CH 4 Atten centered position) if the depth is too wild.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: CH 4, CH 1, VCA. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv.CH 4CH 1VCACycle ON, slow LFOCycle ON, audio rate, Rise short, Curve full CWUnity OutcvRise CVcvUnity OutaudioInaudio11. sweeps formantaudiocv
Self-modulating cycle (audio-rate FM)
Feed CH 1's audio-rate cycle back into its own Rise CV through CH 2 — produces chaotic pitched FM.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 1 Cycle. Set Rise short enough to hit audio rate.
  2. Set CH 2 attenuverter between 1 and 2 o'clock (start moderate; this is your chaos knob).
  3. Set CH 1 and CH 3/4 attenuverters to noon so only CH 2 contributes to SUM.
  4. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → CH 2 Signal In.
  5. Patch SUM Out → CH 1 Rise CV. The channel now modulates its own rise time from its own output.
  6. Patch CH 1 Unity Out (a second cable from the same jack is fine here since Unity Out isn't normalled) → VCA audio input.
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out — audio-rate, pitched, with self-FM character.
Listen for A buzzy FM-like tone. CH 2 attenuverter tilts the character — CCW stable and clean, past noon bright and chaotic. Tame too much screech by pulling CH 2 attenuverter back toward noon.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: MATHS, CH 1, CH 2, VCA. Signals: 1 audio, 2 cv.MATHSCH 1CH 2VCACH 2 Atten: ~1-2 o'clockCycle ON, audio rateSUMcvRise CVcvUnity OutcvIncvInaudio11. self-FM feedbackaudiocv
Krell patch (self-evolving random)
Todd Barton's classic: each envelope cycle samples a new random voltage, which sets the next cycle's timing. Envelope durations wander autonomously.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 4 Cycle — the channel will free-run.
  2. Patch noise → external S&H audio input.
  3. Patch CH 4 EOC → external S&H trigger input. Every time CH 4 completes a cycle, S&H grabs a new random voltage.
  4. Patch S&H Out → CH 4 Rise CV. Now each new random voltage sets the next rise time.
  5. Patch CH 4 Unity Out → VCA CV.
Signal out CH 4 Unity Out — random-length envelopes, 0–8V.
Listen for A stream of envelopes whose lengths keep shifting. No two are the same. Swap S&H → Rise for S&H → Fall for a different flavor; patch both for full randomness.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: CH 4, S&H, Noise, VCA. Signals: 3 cv, 1 trigger.CH 4S&HNoiseVCACycle ONRise CVcvEOCtrigUnity OutcvTrigtrigIncvOutcvOutcvCVcv11. random rise time each cyclecvtrigger
Trigger-to-gate converter (VC pulse width)
Short trigger in, shaped gate out — with independent voltage control over delay and width.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise to the delay you want between incoming trigger and the gate starting.
  2. Set CH 1 Fall to the output gate's pulse width.
  3. Patch your trigger source → CH 1 Trigger.
  4. Patch CH 1 EOR → destination that expects a gate. EOR goes high at end of Rise and stays high through Fall.
  5. Optional: patch a CV → CH 1 Rise CV for voltage-controlled delay, or CH 1 Fall CV for voltage-controlled pulse width.
Signal out CH 1 EOR — 0V/10V gate, delayed by Rise, width = Fall.
Listen for Take any click or trigger, come out with a properly-shaped, timed gate. Useful for swing, retriggering envelope tails, sample-playback windows.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: Trigger Source, CH 1, Destination. Signals: 1 gate, 1 trigger.Trigger SourceCH 1DestinationRise = delay, Fall = gate widthTrigtrigTrigtrigEORgateGategate11. delayed gate of Fall widthgatetrigger
Bipolar VCA (attenuverter trick)
Use CH 2 (or CH 3) as a manual-control bipolar VCA — no envelope needed, the attenuverter is the level knob.
Walkthrough
  1. Patch your signal source → CH 2 Signal In.
  2. Set CH 2 attenuverter: full CW = unity pass, noon = silence, full CCW = inverted pass. Between these is scaled (CW) or scaled-and-inverted (CCW).
  3. Patch CH 2 Out → your destination.
Signal out CH 2 Out — input scaled and optionally inverted by the attenuverter setting.
Listen for Manual volume control over any signal, with the ability to flip polarity. CH 3 works identically but has a different default offset when unpatched. Great for taming an LFO's depth or inverting a CV without needing a dedicated attenuverter.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 2 connections. Modules: MATHS, Signal Source, CH 2, Destination. Signals: 2 audio.MATHSSignal SourceCH 2DestinationCH 2 Atten: level (CCW invert, CW unity)OutaudioInaudioOutaudioInaudio11. bipolar scaled/inverted copyaudio
Voltage-controlled pulse delay
Voltage-controlled delay on any trigger — shift a clock lane by a CV-amount for swing, phase offsets, generative timing.
Walkthrough
  1. Patch your clock (or any trigger source) → CH 1 Trigger.
  2. Patch a CV source (LFO, sequencer, random) → CH 1 Rise CV. Positive voltage lengthens Rise, negative shortens it.
  3. Patch CH 1 EOR → destination. EOR goes high at the end of Rise — that's your delayed trigger.
Signal out CH 1 EOR — delayed gate, timing controlled by Rise CV.
Listen for Swing or lag applied to any clock lane. Modulate Rise CV with an LFO for drifting time, with a random CV for generative rhythm.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Clock Source, CH 1, CV Source, Destination. Signals: 1 cv, 1 gate, 1 clock.Clock SourceCH 1CV SourceDestinationRise CV = delay amountClkclkTrigclkRise CVcvEORgateOutcvClkgate11. delayed by CVcvgateclock
Full-wave rectifier (absolute value)
Two channels + OR = |signal|. Pass the positive half through one channel, invert and pass the negative half through the other, max them together.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 and CH 4: Rise full CCW, Fall full CCW (both channels act as pass-through for Signal In).
  2. Set CH 2 attenuverter full CCW — CH 2 Out is an inverted copy of whatever enters CH 2 Signal In.
  3. Patch your bipolar signal → CH 1 Signal In (CH 1 passes only the positive half because Unity Out is 0–8V).
  4. Patch the same bipolar signal → CH 2 Signal In.
  5. Patch CH 2 Out → CH 4 Signal In (CH 4 now receives a flipped copy; it passes only the previously-negative half, now flipped to positive).
  6. Patch OR Out → destination. OR takes the higher of CH 1 and CH 4 at any instant — that's |signal|.
Signal out OR Out — positive-only rectified version of the bipolar input.
Listen for A signal that's been flipped to always-positive. Doubles perceived rate for any symmetric wave and makes a useful envelope-follower front end.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 4 connections. Modules: MATHS, Signal Source, CH 1, CH 2, CH 4, Destination. Signals: 4 audio.MATHSSignal SourceCH 1CH 2CH 4DestinationCH 1 & CH 4: Rise + Fall full CCW (pass-through)CH 2 Atten: full CCW (invert)ORaudioOutaudioSignal InaudioInaudioOutaudioSignal InaudioInaudio121. inverted copy2. |signal|audio
Pseudo-VCA with soft clip
No VCA available? SUM an audio signal with a CV and let the SUM bus rails clip — a gritty AM-style VCA substitute.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise full CCW + Fall full CCW (pass-through for audio at CH 1 Signal In).
  2. Set CH 1 attenuverter at noon (so CH 1 itself doesn't contribute a raw copy to SUM — the signal goes through as a consequence of being at the channel).
  3. Set CH 2 attenuverter somewhere between noon and full CW — this sets AM depth.
  4. Patch your audio source → CH 1 Signal In.
  5. Patch your CV source → CH 2 Signal In.
  6. Patch SUM Out → destination. SUM adds audio and CV, clipping softly at the ±10V rails when the CV swing pushes it there.
Signal out SUM Out — audio gated/scaled by the CV at CH 2, with soft clipping.
Listen for Grittier than a clean VCA — the CV doesn't multiply, it adds, and the output saturates when the sum exceeds rails. Good for lo-fi character.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 3 connections. Modules: MATHS, Audio Source, CH 1, CV Source, CH 2, Destination. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv.MATHSAudio SourceCH 1CV SourceCH 2DestinationCH 2 Atten: sets AM depthRise + Fall full CCW (pass-through)SUMaudioOutaudioSignal InaudioOutcvIncvInaudio11. AM-scaled with soft clipaudiocv
Stepped random modulation (no S&H module)
Turn CH 4 into a sample-and-hold without needing a dedicated S&H module — full CCW Rise/Fall means CH 4 tracks its Signal In only during trigger moments.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 4 Rise full CCW, Fall full CCW (instant tracking, instant settle — effectively sample-on-trigger).
  2. Patch your clock → CH 1 Trigger.
  3. Patch CH 1 EOR → CH 4 Trigger (so CH 4 samples once per clock).
  4. Patch noise (or any slow-changing CV) → CH 4 Signal In.
  5. Patch CH 4 Unity Out → your modulation destination.
Signal out CH 4 Unity Out — stepped random CV that updates on every clock.
Listen for A sample-and-held voltage that changes each clock step. Use as pitch CV via a quantizer, or as a filter cutoff mod for chaotic bit-crush feel.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Clock Source, CH 1, CH 4, Noise, Destination. Signals: 2 cv, 1 gate, 1 clock.Clock SourceCH 1CH 4NoiseDestinationRise + Fall full CCW (sample-on-trig)ClkclkTrigclkEORgateTriggateSignal IncvUnity OutcvOutcvCVcv11. stepped randomcvgateclock
Triple cross-modulated LFO ring
CH 1 and CH 4 cycle at different rates, feed each other through CH 2 and CH 3, and the SUM modulates CH 1's Rise — an ever-shifting complex LFO.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 1 Cycle; set Rise + Fall for a medium LFO rate.
  2. Press CH 4 Cycle; set Rise + Fall for a noticeably different rate (~2×).
  3. Set CH 2 and CH 3 attenuverters to moderate positions (~1-2 o'clock).
  4. Patch CH 1 Variable Out 1 → CH 2 Signal In.
  5. Patch CH 4 Variable Out 4 → CH 3 Signal In.
  6. Patch SUM Out → CH 1 Rise CV. This feeds the mixed LFO state back into CH 1's timing.
  7. Patch CH 4 Unity Out → CH 1 Fall CV. Direct influence from CH 4 onto CH 1's fall timing.
  8. Take SUM Out (or CH 1 Unity Out) → your destination.
Signal out SUM Out — complex evolving modulation; or CH 1 Unity Out for just CH 1's voice.
Listen for A modulation signal that never repeats the same shape twice. The CH 2 and CH 3 attenuverters are your two personality knobs — turn them to reshape the behavior, from almost-stable to wild lockup territory.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 4 connections. Modules: MATHS, CH 1, CH 2, CH 4, CH 3. Signals: 4 cv.MATHSCH 1CH 2CH 4CH 3CH 2 & CH 3 Atten: moderateCycle ONCycle ON (different rate)SUMcvRise CVcvFall CVcvVariable Out 1cvIncvVariable Out 4cvUnity OutcvIncv11. cross-modcv
Ratchet / burst generator
Window CH 4's Cycle with a short envelope from CH 1 — each incoming gate produces a burst of accelerating pulses.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise and Fall short (AD envelope, ~100-500ms total length).
  2. Press CH 4 Cycle — CH 4 runs free.
  3. Patch your gate/clock source → CH 1 Trigger.
  4. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → CH 4 Rise CV. When CH 1 fires, its envelope controls CH 4's speed — starts fast at the peak, slows as CH 1 fades.
  5. Patch CH 4 EOC → your drum VCA envelope's trigger. Each CH 4 cycle fires a hit.
  6. Silence CH 4 between bursts by ensuring CH 4 Rise (with CV at 0V) is too long to cycle on its own.
Signal out CH 4 EOC — trigger stream with rachet bursts, one burst per incoming gate.
Listen for A burst of hits per trigger, accelerating at the onset and trailing off as CH 1's envelope fades. Perfect for generative drum fills, snare rolls, hihat flurries.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Gate Source, CH 1, CH 4, VCA Env. Signals: 1 cv, 1 gate, 1 trigger.Gate SourceCH 1CH 4VCA EnvRise short, Fall short (AD)Cycle ONGategateTriggateUnity OutcvRise CVcvEOCtrigTrigtrig121. windows + accelerates CH 42. ratchet burstscvgatetrigger
Classic Krell with dual random CVs
Todd Barton's Krell pattern extended: MATHS + two external S&H channels give you random attack, random decay, AND random pitch on every note.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 4 Cycle.
  2. Patch noise → S&H 1 Input.
  3. Patch noise → S&H 2 Input.
  4. Patch CH 4 EOR → S&H 1 Trigger.
  5. Patch CH 4 EOR → S&H 2 Trigger (both S&Hs sample fresh values each cycle).
  6. Patch S&H 1 Out → CH 4 Rise CV (randomizes the attack time of each cycle).
  7. Patch S&H 2 Out → CH 4 Fall CV (randomizes the decay time).
  8. Patch CH 4 Unity Out → Quantizer input.
  9. Patch Quantizer Out → VCO V/Oct (pitch follows the envelope's contour, snapped to scale).
  10. Patch CH 4 Unity Out → VCA CV to gate the voice.
  11. Patch VCO → VCA → your output.
Signal out VCA audio output — self-evolving melody.
Listen for A never-repeating phrase where every note has its own attack length, decay length, and pitch. Scale the quantizer to taste. The whole patch self-sustains — no external clock needed.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 10 connections. Signals: 1 audio, 6 cv, 1 pitch, 2 trigger.CH 4S&H 1S&H 2NoiseQuantizerVCOVCAVCA (In) -> OutputCycle ONRise CVcvFall CVcvEORtrigUnity OutcvTrigtrigIncvOutcvTrigtrigIncvOutcvOutcvIncvOut1v/octV/Oct1v/octOutaudioCVcvInaudio121. random attack each cycle2. random decay each cycleaudiocvpitchtrigger
Buchla low-pass-gate bongo
Use MATHS's exponential fall as a pluck/LPG contour — get Buchla-style plucked percussion without a dedicated LPG.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise very short.
  2. Set CH 1 Fall to medium (a few hundred ms).
  3. Turn Vari-Response (Curve) full CW for an exponential fall — the plucked character comes from this shape.
  4. Patch your clock → CH 1 Trigger.
  5. Patch random CV → VCO V/Oct (or a sequencer for melody).
  6. Patch VCO Out → VCA audio input.
  7. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → VCA CV. This envelope shapes the VCA like a Buchla LPG would — sharp attack, expo release.
  8. Patch VCA Out → your output.
Signal out VCA Out — plucked percussive tones.
Listen for Bongo/bell-like percussive hits with natural decay. Random pitch + exponential MATHS envelope = DPO-plus-Optomix character in a pinch. Tighten Fall for shorter plucks, extend for bells.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Clock, CH 1, Random CV, VCO, VCA, Output. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 clock.ClockCH 1Random CVVCOVCAOutputRise very short, Fall medium, Curve full CW (expo)OutclkTrigclkUnity OutcvOut1v/octV/Oct1v/octOutaudioInaudioCVcvOutaudioInaudio121. LPG-style plucked contour2. Buchla bongoaudiocvpitchclock
Self-patched Both (CH 1 ↔ CH 4 cross-mod)
The illustrated 'Both' patch from the MATHS manual — CH 1 and CH 4 reshape each other's timing, producing warping complex LFO shapes.
Walkthrough
  1. Press CH 1 Cycle and CH 4 Cycle (both free-run).
  2. Set CH 2 and CH 3 attenuverters to moderate settings (~1-2 o'clock) — these tame the cross-modulation depth.
  3. Patch CH 1 Variable Out 1 → CH 3 Signal In.
  4. Patch CH 3 Out → CH 4 Rise CV. CH 1's envelope now warps CH 4's rise timing.
  5. Patch CH 4 Variable Out 4 → CH 2 Signal In.
  6. Patch CH 2 Out → CH 1 Fall CV. CH 4's envelope warps CH 1's fall timing.
  7. Patch CH 1 Unity Out (or CH 4 Unity Out) → your mod destination. For chaotic melody, patch via a quantizer to VCO V/Oct.
Signal out CH 1 Unity Out or CH 4 Unity Out — two complex LFOs that shape each other's timing.
Listen for Two related LFOs that constantly warp and reshape each other. Beautiful for evolving pads, chaotic sequencing, or generative modulation streams. Start with attenuverters low for gentle interaction, increase for full lockup territory.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: MATHS, CH 1, CH 3, CH 4, CH 2, VCO. Signals: 4 cv, 1 pitch.MATHSCH 1CH 3CH 4CH 2VCOCH 2 & CH 3 Atten: moderateCycle ONCycle ONFall CVcvVariable Out 1cvUnity Out1v/octIncvOutcvRise CVcvVariable Out 4cvIncvOutcvV/Oct1v/oct1231. CH 1 warps CH 42. chaotic pitch drift3. CH 4 warps CH 1cvpitch
★ Slew + sum + inverter (three jobs, one module)
Use MATHS as a utility swiss-army knife — portamento on one channel, inversion on another, CV summing on a third. One module, three jobs for a whole voice.
Walkthrough
  1. Set CH 1 Rise and Fall both short (portamento slew — the slew time is shared by both directions).
  2. Set CH 2 attenuverter full CCW (CH 2 Out will be an inverted copy of its input).
  3. Set CH 3 attenuverter at ~1 o'clock (positive scaling for mod mixing).
  4. Patch your sequencer pitch → CH 1 Signal In.
  5. Patch CH 1 Unity Out → VCO V/Oct (pitch with portamento).
  6. Patch an LFO → CH 2 Signal In.
  7. Patch CH 2 Out → Filter Cutoff (inverted LFO).
  8. Patch a second modulator → CH 3 Signal In.
  9. Patch SUM Out → VCA CV. SUM carries CH 2 + CH 3 combined.
Signal out Three outputs: CH 1 Unity Out (slewed pitch), CH 2 Out (inverted LFO), SUM Out (mixed mod).
Listen for One MATHS doing three utility jobs for a single voice — glide on pitch, inverted modulation on filter, and mixed modulation on amplitude. Efficient use of HP when you don't have dedicated slew/inverter/mixer modules.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 10 modules and 6 connections. Signals: 4 cv, 2 pitch.MATHSSequencerCH 1VCOLFOCH 2FilterMod ACH 3VCACH 2 Atten: full CCW (invert)CH 3 Atten: ~1 o'clockRise short, Fall short (slew)SUMcvPitch1v/octSignal In1v/octUnity Out1v/octV/Oct1v/octOutcvIncvOutcvCutoffcvOutcvIncvCVcv1231. slewed pitch2. inverted LFO3. CH 2+CH 3 summedcvpitch

Behaviors

Cycle Mode button press

Self-triggering LFO. Speed set by Rise + Fall. LED indicates cycle. Syncs to trigger input when patched — rising edge resets the cycle, enabling clock-locked LFOs.

Envelope gate → trig in

Patch gate to TRIG for ASR (sustain during gate high, release on gate low). Patch gate to SIGNAL IN for the same behavior with the signal path active. Patch trigger for AD — rise fires on trigger, fall fires immediately at peak.

Slew Limiter cv → signal in

Portamento / glide. Patch pitch CV to SIGNAL IN with nothing in TRIG. Rise = glide up speed, Fall = glide down. Set Rise CCW and Fall CW for instant-up, slow-down portamento.

Retrigger blocking trigger during Rise phase

MATHS ignores triggers arriving during Rise. Only retriggers during Fall. Enables analog clock division — set Rise time longer than the incoming clock period to skip every other trigger.

Vari-Response curve Curve knob

Full CCW = logarithmic curve (slow start, fast finish — sounds natural on decay). Noon = linear. Full CW = exponential (fast start, slow tail — snappy attack feel). Applies to both Rise and Fall simultaneously; use CH2/3 attenuverters to offset the resulting shape asymmetrically.

SUM / OR bus normalization patching CH 1 or CH 4 output

Patching a cable from CH 1 OUT or CH 4 OUT removes that channel from the SUM and OR buses. You cannot use an individual output AND have it contribute to SUM/OR simultaneously — use a mult or stackable if you need both.

CH 2 / CH 3 normalization gotcha CH 2 or CH 3 attenuverter at non-noon position with nothing patched

CH 2 Signal In normalizes to an internal ±10V reference; CH 3 normalizes to +5V DC. Attenuverters at non-noon with nothing patched inject DC offset into the SUM output. Set both to noon or insert a dummy cable to eliminate bleed.

Analog OR for envelope priority CH 1 and CH 4 both active

OR OUT always follows whichever of CH 1 or CH 4 is higher at any moment. Two envelopes with different timing on OR OUT produces a combined shape that always takes the longest/loudest — useful for VCA accent without mixing.

EOC / EOR as clock outputs Cycle mode active on CH 4

CH 4 EOC fires a gate at the end of every fall — use as clock output or to trigger other modules. CH 1 EOR fires at the peak of its rise. Chaining EOR → CH 4 TRIG and EOC → CH 1 TRIG creates quadrature LFOs (90° phase offset) without Cycle mode.

BOTH input normalization patching to Trigger or Signal In

The TRIG and SIGNAL IN jacks are normalled — a signal patched to TRIG also acts on SIGNAL IN unless SIGNAL IN is separately patched. This means a gate patched to TRIG controls both timing and signal path simultaneously by default.

Controls

CH 1 & 4 Rise / Fall Time knobs. CW = longer.
0.001s – 10s+ · CV controllable
CH 1 & 4 Vari-Response (Curve) Response shape for Rise + Fall. Tick mark = Linear.
CCW: log · noon: linear · CW: expo → hyper-expo
CH 1-4 Attenuverters Scale, attenuate, amplify or invert each channel's Variable Out (feeds SUM/OR bus).
CCW: invert · noon: zero · CW: unity
CH 2 & 3 (unpatched) DC Offset (via CH 2 / CH 3) With nothing patched to CH 2/3 Signal In, the attenuverter scales an internal reference, producing a DC offset into SUM / OR.
CH 2: ±10V range · CH 3: ±5V range

I/O

IN · 14

  • CH 1 Trigger +2.5V min for HIGH GATE
    Gate/trigger fires CH 1 envelope
  • CH 1 Signal In ±10V CV
    CV/audio processed by CH 1 rise/fall
  • CH 1 Rise CV ±8V CV
    Linear CV of CH 1 rise time. +V lengthens rise, −V shortens.
  • CH 1 Fall CV ±8V CV
    Linear CV of CH 1 fall time. +V lengthens fall, −V shortens.
  • CH 1 Both CV ±8V CV
    Bi-polar exponential CV over the entire CH 1 function. +V shortens total time, −V lengthens.
  • CH 1 Cycle In +2.5V min for HIGH GATE
    Gate HIGH cycles CH 1, gate LOW stops cycling (unless Cycle button engaged).
  • CH 2 Signal In ±10Vpp
    Input to CH 2 attenuverter
    NORM → +10V reference when unpatched
  • CH 3 Signal In ±10Vpp
    Input to CH 3 attenuverter
    NORM → +5V reference when unpatched
  • CH 4 Trigger +2.5V min for HIGH GATE
    Gate/trigger fires CH 4 envelope
  • CH 4 Signal In ±10V CV
    CV/audio processed by CH 4 rise/fall
  • CH 4 Rise CV ±8V CV
    Linear CV of CH 4 rise time. +V lengthens rise, −V shortens.
  • CH 4 Fall CV ±8V CV
    Linear CV of CH 4 fall time. +V lengthens fall, −V shortens.
  • CH 4 Both CV ±8V CV
    Bi-polar exponential CV over the entire CH 4 function. +V shortens total time, −V lengthens.
  • CH 4 Cycle In +2.5V min for HIGH GATE
    Gate HIGH cycles CH 4, gate LOW stops cycling (unless Cycle button engaged).

OUT · 11

  • CH 1 Unity Out 0–8V ENV
    CH 1 function/envelope tapped before the attenuverter. Patching here does NOT remove CH 1 from the SUM/OR bus.
  • CH 1 EOR 0V or 10V gate GATE
    End-of-rise gate from CH 1 only. Goes high at peak of CH 1 envelope.
  • Variable Out 1 ±10V
    CH 1 after its attenuverter. Normalled to the SUM/OR bus — patching removes CH 1 from SUM/OR.
  • Variable Out 2 (CH 2 Out) ±10V
    CH 2 attenuverter output. Normalled to the SUM/OR bus.
  • Variable Out 3 (CH 3 Out) ±10V
    CH 3 attenuverter output. Normalled to the SUM/OR bus.
  • Variable Out 4 ±10V
    CH 4 after its attenuverter. Normalled to the SUM/OR bus — patching removes CH 4 from SUM/OR.
  • CH 4 Unity Out 0–8V ENV
    CH 4 function/envelope tapped before the attenuverter. Patching here does NOT remove CH 4 from the SUM/OR bus.
  • CH 4 EOC 0V or 10V gate GATE
    End-of-cycle gate from CH 4 only. Goes high at end of CH 4 fall stage.
  • SUM ±10V
    Analog sum of the four Variable Outs (post-attenuverter).
  • INV ±10V CV
    Inverted SUM — same shape as SUM, flipped. Useful for reversed modulation when the destination has no invert input.
  • OR 0–10V
    Analog OR — highest instantaneous voltage across the four Variable Outs. Positive-only; ignores negative voltages.