Ripples (2020)

Mutable Instruments 8HP
VCF FILTER VCA DISTORTION

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Analog multimode filter. HP, BP, LP outputs with switchable 2/4-pole slope on BP/LP. Quad-VCA core with OTA resonance, LP through a final VCA, soft-clipping drive on input 1 — Japanese-classic voicing.

Patch Ideas · 7

★ Clean voice + drive send
VCO saw → IN 2 (clean path) · same VCO → IN 1 via attenuator → IN 1 GAIN high (drive path) · envelope → VCA CV · slope to 4-pole · play with the IN 1 attenuator to blend clean and overdriven tones through one filter without leaving Ripples.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Ripples (2020), VCO, Envelope, Attenuator, Output. Signals: 4 audio, 1 cv.Ripples (2020)VCOEnvelopeAttenuatorOutputSlope: 4-poleIN 2audioIN 1audioVCA CVcvLPaudioSawaudioOutcvInaudioOutaudioInaudioaudiocv
★ Self-oscillating sine VCO
No audio input · RES full CW · V/OCT from sequencer · FREQ sets octave · LP out is a pure sine · use Ripples as a second VCO for kick drums or sub layers · VCA CV from envelope to gate the sine on and off.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Ripples (2020), Sequencer, Envelope, Output. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 gate.Ripples (2020)SequencerEnvelopeOutputRES: full CW (self-oscillating)Slope: 4-poleV/OCT1v/octVCA CVcvLPaudioPitch1v/octGategateTriggateOutcvInaudioaudiocvpitchgate
★ Parallel HP + LP split
Drum loop → IN 2 · HP → stereo L (transients, hats, cymbals) · LP → stereo R (body, kick) · independent effects on each bus · slope to 2-pole so both bands stay wide · the HP's resonance-dependent slope lets RES sculpt how much mid leaks into the HP channel.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Ripples (2020), Drum Loop, Reverb L, Delay R. Signals: 3 audio.Ripples (2020)Drum LoopReverb LDelay RSlope: 2-poleRES: ~11 o'clockIN 2audioHPaudioLPaudioOutaudioInaudioInaudioaudio
Ping filter with no audio
No audio input · RES around 70% (just below self-oscillation) · envelope → FM input with FM attenuverter at 2 o'clock · trigger pings the filter to produce plucked, tuned percussion · V/OCT for pitch per step · short envelope decay sharpens the ping.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Ripples (2020), Sequencer, Envelope, Output. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 gate.Ripples (2020)SequencerEnvelopeOutputRES: ~70%FM attenuverter: ~2 o'clockV/OCT1v/octFMcvLPaudioPitch1v/octGategateTriggateOutcvInaudioaudiocvpitchgate
Filter-FM cross-modulation
VCO1 → IN 2 as carrier · VCO2 audio-rate → FM input · FM attenuverter controls depth · self-oscillating RES adds sideband colour · slope to 4-pole for heavier spectrum · unorthodox FM voice that blends filter resonance with oscillator modulation.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Ripples (2020), VCO 1, VCO 2, Output. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv.Ripples (2020)VCO 1VCO 2OutputSlope: 4-poleRES: highIN 2audioFMcvLPaudioSawaudioSinecvInaudio11. audio-rate FMaudiocv
No-VCA voice
VCO → IN 2 · envelope directly to VCA CV (unpatched = +7V, so patching gates the voice) · skip an external VCA entirely · the LP output's internal VCA handles both filter and amp stages · great for space-constrained racks or a simple synth voice.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Ripples (2020), VCO, Envelope, Sequencer, Output. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 gate.Ripples (2020)VCOEnvelopeSequencerOutputSlope: 4-poleRES: ~noonIN 2audioVCA CVcvLPaudioV/Oct1v/octSawaudioTriggateOutcvPitch1v/octGategateInaudio11. replaces VCAaudiocvpitchgate
Line-level guitar preamp
Guitar → IN 1 · IN 1 GAIN at 3 o'clock for overdrive · slow envelope follower → FM with attenuverter at 1 o'clock · played harder opens the filter (auto-wah) · LP with light resonance to shape · LP VCA held open with nothing patched.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Ripples (2020), Guitar, Env Follower, Output. Signals: 3 audio, 1 cv.Ripples (2020)GuitarEnv FollowerOutputIN 1 GAIN: ~3 o'clockSlope: 4-poleIN 1audioFMcvLPaudioOutaudioInaudioOutcvInaudio11. auto-wahaudiocv

Behaviors

Two input paths patching IN 1 vs IN 2

IN 1 feeds a soft-clip drive stage (GAIN-scaled) for coloured overdrive; IN 2 is a clean path that matches the tone of Ripples mkI. Both are summed internally — patch a clean source to IN 2 and drive a second source through IN 1 for blended parallel processing on a single filter.

Switchable slope (BP/LP only) slope toggle

2-pole (12 dB/oct) is punchy and present, 4-pole (24 dB/oct) is rounder and more classic-LP. HP output ignores the switch and its slope instead moves with resonance — useful for resonant whistles that stay out of the way of a simultaneous LP voice.

Loudness-compensated resonance raising RES knob

Unlike most ladder designs, the OTA feedback stage keeps perceived loudness flat as resonance rises — no loss of body at high Q. The compensation introduces a slight liquid coloration at the resonant peak, intentionally evoking Japanese 80s filters (JP-8, Polysix).

Clean self-oscillation sine RES beyond ~75%

A soft-limiter OTA in the feedback path keeps self-oscillation clean — the LP output emits a pure sine wave above 75% resonance. With V/OCT patched, Ripples works as a sine-wave VCO over about four octaves of musical tracking.

Improved V/OCT tracking over mkI V/OCT calibration

The 2020 revision has dedicated, trimmer-calibrated V/OCT with ~4 octaves of musical tracking — the mkI had no V/OCT input at all. Set FREQ ~10 o'clock, RES to max, dial the trimmer while playing octaves on a calibrated keyboard (filter is not temperature-stabilised, expect drift on long sessions).

LP VCA always open VCA CV unpatched

VCA CV is normalled to +7V internally, so the LP output is always open by default. Patching any CV breaks the normal. Great when you want the filter to double as the VCA for a voice — one envelope replaces a separate VCA module.

VCA soft-compression overhead VCA CV above +5V

The VCA on LP is linear up to +5V (unity gain). Above +5V, additional voltage is progressively compressed rather than linearly scaling — so a hot envelope peaking at +8V doesn't overdrive the output. Useful headroom when patching raw envelope modules into VCA CV.

IN 1 as overdriving preamp IN 1 GAIN near max · clean source

The IN 1 soft-clip stage with gain up to 5× serves as a line-level-to-modular preamp with built-in saturation. A guitar or synth output patched to IN 1 gets amplified and overdriven before filtering, giving a vintage drive character that's independent of filter resonance.

Controls

Global FREQ Cutoff frequency. Full audio sweep from sub to treble.
20Hz – 20kHz · CV summed with FM and V/OCT inputs
BP / LP outputs Slope switch Toggles between 12 dB/oct (2-pole) and 24 dB/oct (4-pole) response on the BP and LP outputs. HP output is unaffected.
Down: 2-pole · Up: 4-pole · HP slope tracks resonance
Global RES Resonance amount. Self-oscillation occurs around 75% of rotation upward. Loudness-compensated so level doesn't drop as resonance rises.
0 – 12 o'clock: clean · ~75% onward: self-oscillation · liquid coloration near the edge
Input 1 only IN 1 GAIN Input 1 pre-gain into the soft-clip stage. Low = clean, high = overdrive. Modular-level signals saturate at full; line-level sources find unity here.
Gain 0 – 5 · CW: soft-clip drive
FM CV FM attenuverter Bipolar attenuverter for the FM CV input. Centre zeroes the FM path.
CCW: invert · noon: zero · CW: unity · ±depth for FM input

I/O

IN · 6

  • IN 1 modular to line level · overdrives at high gain AUDIO
    Audio input through the soft-clipping drive stage. Gain set by IN 1 GAIN knob. Mixed internally with IN 2.
  • IN 2 modular level · clean path AUDIO
    Clean audio input matching the tonal character of Ripples mkI. Always unity gain, no drive. Mixed internally with IN 1.
  • FM ±5V typical · attenuverted CV
    Frequency modulation CV, scaled by the FM attenuverter. Non-tracking — use V/OCT for pitch.
  • V/OCT 1V/oct · 4-octave tracking range CV
    1V/octave tracking cutoff CV. Trimmer-calibrated for ~4 octaves of musical response when self-oscillating. Improved tracking over Ripples mkI.
  • RES CV 0 – +5V · positive-going CV
    CV input for resonance amount. Adds to front-panel RES knob.
  • VCA CV 0 – +5V linear · > +5V compressed · +7V normal CV
    CV input for the final VCA on the LP output. 0V silences, +5V gives unity, above +5V is progressively compressed. Normalled to +7V when unpatched.
    NORM → +7V (LP output always open when unpatched)

OUT · 3

  • HP modular level · resonance-dependent slope AUDIO
    High-pass output. Slope shifts with resonance (not affected by the slope switch). Quad-VCA core gives a bright but not harsh character.
  • BP modular level
    Band-pass output. Slope (2-pole or 4-pole) follows the front-panel switch.
  • LP modular level · VCA-controlled AUDIO
    Low-pass output through the internal VCA. Slope follows the switch. This is the primary voice output.