Beads

Mutable Instruments 16HP
fw 1.1
GRANULAR EFFECTS SAMPLER DELAY

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Granular audio processor succeeding Clouds. Three recording qualities, automatic input gain, built-in feedback path and reverb, and a stereo L/R output with sum-to-L normalling.

Patch Ideas · 8

★ Tape-lofi frozen loop
Record a bar into Beads on Scorched cassette, freeze, then play the buffer back as a hazy granular loop.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Quality [A] until the Scorched cassette LED is lit.
  2. Patch a drum loop → IN L (1). Let auto-gain settle for ~5 seconds (input LED stops blinking).
  3. After two bars of recording, press FREEZE [B] so the button latches on.
  4. Set DENSITY [D] to ~2 o'clock for a dense random-rate grain stream.
  5. Set SIZE [G] to ~3 o'clock for long grains; SHAPE [H] to ~2 o'clock for smooth envelopes.
  6. Set DRY/WET [K] full CW (wet only) and REVERB [L] ~10 o'clock.
  7. Patch OUT L (8) → mixer L, OUT R (8) → mixer R.
Signal out OUT L / OUT R — wet granular loop of the captured bar with tape wow/flutter. Leave OUT R unpatched to hear both channels summed in OUT L.
Listen for The frozen drum loop becomes a warbly cassette texture — pitch drifts, transients smear, and the loop no longer repeats identically because grain position wanders over the buffer.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Beads, Drum Loop, Mixer. Signals: 3 audio.BeadsDrum LoopMixerQuality: Scorched cassetteFreeze: ONDensity: ~2 o'clockSize: ~3 o'clockIN LaudioOUT LaudioOUT RaudioOutaudioLaudioRaudioaudio
Quantized granular lead
Use PITCH CV + SEED clock to play Beads as a pitched granular instrument — one grain per sequencer note.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Quality [A] until the Cold digital LED is lit.
  2. Patch a held drone or pad → IN L (1). Let auto-gain settle.
  3. Press CV Assign [M] until the attenurandomizer [I] destination is set to PITCH.
  4. Patch your sequencer's 1V/oct → CV input (6). Set the PITCH attenurandomizer to noon-CW (modulation mode) for clean transposition.
  5. Patch the sequencer gate → SEED (4). Each gate fires one grain.
  6. Set SIZE [G] ~11 o'clock (~30ms), SHAPE [H] ~noon, DENSITY [D] noon (silent without SEED gate).
  7. Set DRY/WET [K] full CW and REVERB [L] ~1 o'clock.
  8. Patch OUT L / OUT R → your mixer.
Signal out OUT L / OUT R — melodic granular voice. One pitched grain per gate, pitched by the 1V/oct track.
Listen for A plucky, vocal-ish lead that follows your sequence. Turn PITCH [F] to transpose in octaves; sweep SIZE for shorter clicks or longer bowed tones.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Beads, Pad, Sequencer, Mixer. Signals: 3 audio, 1 pitch, 1 gate.BeadsPadSequencerMixerQuality: Cold digitalAssign [M]: PITCHDensity: noonIN LaudioCV in 61v/octSEEDgateOUT LaudioOUT RaudioOutaudio1V/oct1v/octGategateLaudioRaudioaudiopitchgate
★ Frozen octave-up shimmer pad
Freeze a chord, transpose grains an octave up, and let the internal reverb do the shimmer work.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Quality [A] for Cold digital.
  2. Play a sustained chord → IN L (1) for ~4 seconds, then press FREEZE [B].
  3. Set PITCH [F] to +12 semitones (straight up from noon).
  4. Set DENSITY [D] ~2 o'clock for a thick random grain cloud.
  5. Set SIZE [G] ~1 o'clock and SHAPE [H] ~3 o'clock (smooth envelopes).
  6. Set REVERB [L] ~3 o'clock and DRY/WET [K] full CW.
  7. Patch a slow LFO → SEED (4) so new grains keep firing in rhythm (or leave unpatched and let DENSITY free-run).
Signal out OUT L / OUT R — wet-only shimmer pad an octave above the frozen chord. No dry input in the mix.
Listen for A breathy pad with bell-like overtones floating above the original chord. The reverb tail sustains between grains; turn REVERB [L] CCW if it washes out the attacks.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Beads, Chord, LFO, Mixer. Signals: 3 audio, 1 gate.BeadsChordLFOMixerQuality: Cold digitalPitch: +12 stFreeze: ONReverb: ~3 o'clockIN LaudioSEEDgateOUT LaudioOUT RaudioOutaudioSlowgateLaudioRaudio11. optional rhythmaudiogate
Audio-rate SIZE FM bells
Drive SIZE from a VCO to get metallic FM-like partials out of a frozen tone.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Quality [A] for Cold digital.
  2. Patch a held sine or saw from a drone VCO → IN L (1). Wait for auto-gain.
  3. Press FREEZE [B] to lock the buffer.
  4. Press CV Assign [M] until the [I] destination is SIZE.
  5. Patch a second VCO (square or saw, ~200–800Hz) → CV input (6). Set the SIZE attenurandomizer to noon-CW (modulation mode), moderate depth.
  6. Set SIZE [G] around 11 o'clock and SHAPE [H] full CCW (rectangular envelopes highlight the artifacts).
  7. Set DRY/WET [K] full CW, FEEDBACK [J] ~10 o'clock.
  8. Patch OUT L / OUT R → mixer.
Signal out OUT L / OUT R — metallic FM-style voice built from grain interruption sidebands.
Listen for Bright inharmonic bell tones. Changing the VCO's pitch moves the sidebands; pushing the [I] attenurandomizer harder sharpens the metallic edge.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Beads, Drone VCO, Mod VCO, Mixer. Signals: 3 audio, 1 cv.BeadsDrone VCOMod VCOMixerQuality: Cold digitalFreeze: ONAssign [M]: SIZEShape: full CCWIN LaudioCV in 6cvOUT LaudioOUT RaudioOutaudioSquarecvLaudioRaudio11. audio-rateaudiocv
★ Granular delay with feedback runaway
Use SEED-clocked grains plus FEEDBACK [J] as a pitch-shiftable tape delay.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Quality [A] for Sunny tape.
  2. Patch a melodic source (plucked synth, guitar) → IN L (1).
  3. Patch a clock (1/8 or 1/4 notes) → SEED (4).
  4. Set DENSITY [D] ~2 o'clock (high probability of a grain per clock).
  5. Set SIZE [G] ~noon, TIME [E] around 10 o'clock (near-recent audio).
  6. Set DRY/WET [K] ~1 o'clock (keep some dry to hear source).
  7. Turn FEEDBACK [J] up to ~2 o'clock — each grain loops back into the buffer, piling up delays.
  8. Watch REVERB [L] at ~11 o'clock to smear the tail.
  9. Patch OUT L / OUT R → mixer. If it self-oscillates, pull FEEDBACK back.
Signal out OUT L / OUT R — dry source plus rhythmic pitched delay taps. At extreme FEEDBACK, OUT L self-oscillates and howls.
Listen for A synced granular delay that sits in the pocket of your clock. Turn PITCH [F] while FEEDBACK is high to get spiral/shepard-tone-style repeats.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Beads, Source, Clock, Mixer. Signals: 3 audio, 1 clock.BeadsSourceClockMixerQuality: Sunny tapeFeedback: ~2 o'clockDry/Wet: ~1 o'clockIN LaudioSEEDclkOUT LaudioOUT RaudioOutaudioOutclkLaudioRaudioaudioclock
Probability-gated stutter
Clock SEED and use DENSITY as a probability control to skip random grains.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Quality [A] for Cold digital.
  2. Patch a vocal or drum loop → IN L (1).
  3. Patch a steady 1/16 clock → SEED (4). Now DENSITY [D] is a probability control (CW = 100%).
  4. Set DENSITY [D] to ~1 o'clock — most clock pulses pass, some drop out.
  5. Set SIZE [G] ~11 o'clock (short) and SHAPE [H] at noon.
  6. Set TIME [E] ~9 o'clock (very recent audio — near-realtime stutter).
  7. Set DRY/WET [K] full CW (wet only), REVERB [L] at 0.
  8. Patch OUT L / OUT R → mixer.
Signal out OUT L / OUT R — wet stutter edit of the source. Probability is set by DENSITY; rate is set by your clock.
Listen for A stuttered glitch-edit version of your loop: some hits are present, others are skipped or replaced by older buffer material. Sweep DENSITY down to thin the pattern.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Beads, Loop, Clock, Mixer. Signals: 3 audio, 1 clock.BeadsLoopClockMixerQuality: Cold digitalDensity: ~1 o'clock (probability)Time: ~9 o'clockIN LaudioSEEDclkOUT LaudioOUT RaudioOutaudio1/16clkLaudioRaudioaudioclock
Self-seeding reverb drone
Freeze a short input, then let random SEED triggers and full REVERB build an evolving drone with no further input.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Quality [A] for Cold digital.
  2. Patch any tonal source → IN L (1) briefly (2–3 seconds).
  3. Press FREEZE [B] to lock the buffer, then unpatch the input cable.
  4. Patch a slow random gate source (e.g., Marbles t2) → SEED (4).
  5. Set SIZE [G] ~2 o'clock (long grains), SHAPE [H] full CW (soft envelopes).
  6. Set PITCH [F] at noon, TIME [E] slowly turning (or patch a slow LFO via CV input (6) + [I] set to TIME).
  7. Set REVERB [L] ~3 o'clock, FEEDBACK [J] ~11 o'clock, DRY/WET [K] full CW.
  8. Patch OUT L / OUT R → mixer.
Signal out OUT L / OUT R — a wet, self-sustaining drone derived from the frozen snippet.
Listen for A continuously shifting pad that never quite repeats. New grains spawn on each SEED trigger; the reverb tail fills the gaps. Nudge PITCH [F] by an octave for a shimmer variant.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Beads, Source, Marbles, Mixer. Signals: 3 audio, 1 trigger.BeadsSourceMarblesMixerQuality: Cold digitalFreeze: ONReverb: ~3 o'clockIN LaudioSEEDtrigOUT LaudioOUT RaudioOutaudiot2trigLaudioRaudio11. briefly, then unpatchaudiotrigger
Grain-clock drum trigger
Reassign OUT R to emit grain-trigger pulses and use Beads to clock an external drum or envelope.
Walkthrough
  1. Hold FREEZE [B] and press SEED [C]. OUT R is now a grain-trigger pulse source (repeat the gesture to undo).
  2. Patch any source → IN L (1) so grains have material to fire on (or freeze an existing buffer).
  3. Set DENSITY [D] to ~1 o'clock for an irregular random-rate trigger stream. Or patch a clock into SEED (4) and use DENSITY as divider/probability.
  4. Patch OUT L (8) → mixer (your granular wet signal).
  5. Patch OUT R (8) → external drum TRIG or envelope GATE. Each Beads grain now also fires that module.
  6. Use a stackable if you want to keep an audio OUT R elsewhere — but remember, while OUT R is in trigger mode it no longer carries audio.
Signal out OUT L — granular audio. OUT R — ~5V grain-trigger pulses (NOT audio while this mode is active).
Listen for Your drum or envelope fires in perfect sync with every grain Beads plays, tying external voices to Beads' internal rhythm. Dial DENSITY to thin or densify the trigger pattern.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Beads, Source, Mixer, Drum Module. Signals: 2 audio, 1 trigger.BeadsSourceMixerDrum ModuleOUT R mode: grain triggers (hold [B] + press [C])Density: ~1 o'clockIN LaudioOUT LaudioOUT RtrigOutaudioInaudioTrigtrig11. triggers, not audioaudiotrigger

Behaviors

Three recording qualities Quality button [A]

Cold digital reproduces Clouds' character. Sunny tape runs dry audio at a clean 48kHz. Scorched cassette emulates wow/flutter and tape saturation. The mode affects only the buffer writer — dry path is always clean.

Automatic input gain patch/unpatch IN L or IN R

On cable insertion or removal Beads monitors the input for 5 seconds and boosts gain from 0 to +32dB to match the source. The input level LED blinks during calibration. Hold [A] + FEEDBACK [J] to override with manual gain.

DENSITY modes SEED input state

With SEED unpatched, DENSITY is the rate source: CCW = steady clock, noon = no grains, CW = randomly modulated rate. Patch a clock into SEED and DENSITY becomes a divider (CCW) / probability gate (CW) applied to that clock.

Attenurandomizer per parameter turn [I] knobs past noon either way

CW from noon increases external CV depth on TIME/SIZE/SHAPE/PITCH. CCW from noon increases CV-controlled randomization — the same CV now jitters the parameter around its set value instead of directly modulating it.

Grain trigger on OUT R hold FREEZE [B] + press SEED [C]

Reassigns OUT R from audio to a grain-trigger pulse. Useful for slaving an envelope, drum, or VCA to Beads' internal grain clock. Repeat the gesture to return OUT R to audio.

OUT R sums to L when unpatched OUT R cable removed

Leaving OUT R unpatched mixes both channels down into OUT L — standard mono-safe normalling. Patch only OUT R to break the tie and leave OUT L dry/wet as set.

Reverse grains SIZE [G] fully CCW

Pushing SIZE past the CCW region plays grains in reverse, producing the 'sucking backwards' effect without any extra patching.

Feedback for delay/oscillation FEEDBACK [J] CW

The L output feeds back into the granular input. Moderate settings turn Beads into a granular delay; extreme settings self-oscillate and howl (use REVERB [L] or DRY/WET [K] to tame).

Freeze stops the writer, not the reader FREEZE button [B] or gate (3) high

Input audio is no longer written into the buffer. Grains continue reading and pitching the captured material. Dry path still passes through DRY/WET.

Controls

Global Quality [A] Selector button cycles recording quality: Cold digital (Clouds-style), Sunny tape (bright 48kHz), Scorched cassette (wow/flutter).
Three LEDs indicate mode · hold [A] + turn FEEDBACK [J] to manually trim input gain
Global FREEZE [B] Latching button. Disables writing to the recording buffer — grains keep reading the captured material.
Also driven by FREEZE gate input (3) · hold [B] + press SEED [C] to emit a grain-trigger pulse on OUT R
Global SEED [C] Grain trigger button. Short press disables latched generation; press-and-hold (or high gate on SEED input) fires grains.
Hold [C] for 4s to latch grain generation on · short press to unlatch
Global DENSITY [D] Grain rate. Noon = silent; CCW = constant rate, CW = randomly modulated rate. With clock in SEED input, acts as divider/probability.
Noon = no grains · CCW constant · CW random · repurposed as divider when SEED clocked
Global TIME [E] Buffer read position. Fully CCW plays the most recent audio; fully CW plays the oldest material.
Has attenurandomizer [I] · CW extends to the longest retained history
Global PITCH [F] Grain transposition, −24 to +24 semitones. Quantizes to semitones when PITCH CV on input (6) is selected and patched.
±2 octaves · has attenurandomizer [I]
Global SIZE [G] Grain length. ~30ms near 11 o'clock, up to 4s fully CW; CCW plays reversed grains; at max CW the grain loops (infinite sustain).
Has attenurandomizer [I] · audio-rate CV on input (6) allowed
Global SHAPE [H] Grain amplitude envelope. CCW = rectangular/clicky; CW = slow attacks reminiscent of reversed grains.
Has attenurandomizer [I]
Global Attenurandomizers [I] Four small bipolar knobs for TIME/SIZE/SHAPE/PITCH. CW from noon increases external CV amount; CCW increases CV-controlled randomization.
Routed via CV input (6) · selector button [M] picks which parameter the knob affects
Global FEEDBACK [J] Amount of L output fed back into the granular input. Turning up creates delay-style repeats and self-oscillation.
Hold [A] + turn this to manually trim input gain
Global DRY/WET [K] Balance between input passthrough and granular output at the L/R jacks.
CCW = dry only · CW = wet only
Global REVERB [L] Amount of internal reverb blended into the wet signal.
Routing is always on; knob controls send level
Global CV Assign [M] Selector button assigns the assignable CV input (7) to modulate either FEEDBACK, DRY/WET, or REVERB.
LEDs show the current destination · also selects which attenurandomizer destination CV input (6) targets

I/O

IN · 6

  • IN L / IN R (1) ±8V audio AUDIO
    Stereo audio inputs. Automatic gain (+0 to +32dB) adjusts for ~5s whenever a cable is inserted or removed.
    NORM → IN L feeds IN R when IN R unpatched (mono-to-stereo)
  • FREEZE (3) >1V gate GATE
    Gate input. High = stop writing to the buffer (same as FREEZE button).
  • SEED (4) >1V trigger GATE
    Trigger/gate input. Fires grains while high. A steady clock here repurposes DENSITY as a divider/probability control.
  • DENSITY CV (5) ±5V CV
    CV for grain rate. Audio-rate allowed for audio-rate grain re-shuffling.
  • Attenurandomizer CV (6) ±5V CV
    Single CV input routed by [M] to modulate or randomize TIME/SIZE/SHAPE/PITCH. Attenurandomizer [I] sets depth and mode.
  • Assignable CV (7) ±5V CV
    CV input routed by [M] to modulate FEEDBACK, DRY/WET, or REVERB.

OUT · 2

  • OUT L (8) ±8V
    Left channel of the dry+wet+reverb mix. When OUT R is unpatched, L and R sum here (mono-safe).
  • OUT R (8) ±8V GATE
    Right channel. Unpatching re-sums R into L. Can be reassigned to emit a grain-trigger pulse (hold FREEZE [B] + press SEED [C]).