Stages

Mutable Instruments 14HP
fw 1.2
ENVELOPE LFO SEQUENCER SLEW FUNCTION

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Six-segment generator. Each segment configurable as RAMP · STEP · HOLD via TYPE button. Chained segments form envelopes, LFOs, sequencers, or complex multi-stage shapes. Per-segment audio oscillator mode via long-press (1.2 firmware).

Patch Ideas · 10

★ Six-step CV sequencer
All six segments set to STEP so each slider is a target voltage; clock into GATE 1 advances the chain step-by-step.
Walkthrough
  1. Press TYPE on each of segments 1–6 until the LED is orange (STEP).
  2. Set all six sliders to the step voltages you want (use the slider LED ladder as a pitch ruler).
  3. Turn every SHAPE/TIME pot fully CCW — shortest glide, so steps jump cleanly.
  4. Patch your clock (Out) into GATE 1 only. Leave GATE 2–6 unpatched so segments 2–6 join the group.
  5. Patch OUT 6 into a quantizer's In, then quantizer Out into a VCO's V/Oct.
  6. Mult the clock to a separate envelope trigger so each step articulates with an AD envelope on a VCA.
Signal out Stages OUT 6 — stepped 0–8V sequence, one step per clock pulse.
Listen for A six-note CV lane that advances on every clock. Raising the SHAPE/TIME pot on any step adds portamento into that note; dropping a slider rewrites the scale-degree on the fly.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Stages, Clock, Quantizer, VCO, Envelope, VCA. Signals: 1 cv, 2 pitch, 1 trigger, 1 clock.StagesClockQuantizerVCOEnvelopeVCAAll segments: STEP (orange)All SHAPE/TIME: fully CCW (fast glide)GATE 1clkOUT 61v/octOutclkIn1v/octOut1v/octV/Oct1v/octTrigtrigOutcvCVcvcvpitchtriggerclock
★ Full ADSR envelope
Four-segment chain — RAMP attack, RAMP decay, HOLD sustain, RAMP release — triggered from one keyboard gate on GATE 1.
Walkthrough
  1. Set segment 1 to RAMP (green): slider up = peak level, SHAPE/TIME sets attack curve (noon = linear).
  2. Set segment 2 to RAMP (green): slider at the sustain level, SHAPE/TIME sets decay curve.
  3. Set segment 3 to HOLD (red): slider matches segment 2's slider (the sustain plateau). SHAPE/TIME = maximum CW so the hold lasts as long as the gate.
  4. Set segment 4 to RAMP (green): slider at 0V (fully down), SHAPE/TIME sets release curve.
  5. Patch your keyboard Gate into GATE 1. Leave GATE 2–4 unpatched so all four segments form one group.
  6. Patch OUT 4 into your VCA's CV input.
Signal out Stages OUT 4 — 0–8V ADSR envelope.
Listen for Classic ADSR response to keypresses. Sculpt the attack/decay/release curves with each segment's SHAPE/TIME pot — expo for pluck, log for pad swells.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: Stages, Keyboard, VCA. Signals: 1 cv, 1 gate.StagesKeyboardVCASeg 1: RAMP (attack)Seg 2: RAMP (decay)Seg 3: HOLD (sustain)Seg 4: RAMP (release)GATE 1gateOUT 4cvGategateCVcvcvgate
Complex-shape free-running LFO
Six RAMP segments looped on themselves produce a six-vertex non-sinusoidal LFO — no clock needed.
Walkthrough
  1. Press TYPE on each of segments 1–6 until green (RAMP).
  2. Alternate slider heights — e.g. high/low/mid/high/low/mid — to shape the waveform's vertices.
  3. Set SHAPE/TIME on each segment to taste (CCW = expo curve, CW = log curve, noon = linear).
  4. Long-press TYPE on segment 1 AND segment 6 at the same time — the segment 1 LED blinks, confirming the whole group loops.
  5. Leave all GATE jacks unpatched so the six segments form one group.
  6. Patch OUT 6 into your filter's cutoff CV input.
Signal out Stages OUT 6 — free-running 0–8V LFO with a six-vertex shape.
Listen for A slow asymmetric modulation that never sounds like a sine or triangle. Each slider is a waypoint; each SHAPE/TIME pot is the curve getting there. Move one slider live to reshape the LFO in real time.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 2 modules and 1 connection. Modules: Stages, Filter. Signals: 1 cv.StagesFilterAll segments: RAMP (green)Long-press TYPE on seg 1 + seg 6 together to loop the group: OUT 6cvCutoffcvcv
Two independent AD envelopes
Split the six segments into two three-segment AD envelopes, each triggered by its own gate.
Walkthrough
  1. Segments 1–3: set seg 1 RAMP (attack), seg 2 HOLD (brief plateau), seg 3 RAMP (decay to 0V).
  2. Segments 4–6: same pattern — seg 4 RAMP (attack), seg 5 HOLD, seg 6 RAMP (decay to 0V).
  3. Patch your Gate A into GATE 1 — this starts group A on segments 1–3.
  4. Patch your Gate B into GATE 4 — this starts group B on segments 4–6 (the patched cable is what splits the groups).
  5. Leave GATE 2, 3, 5, 6 unpatched.
  6. Patch OUT 3 → VCA 1 CV. Patch OUT 6 → VCA 2 CV.
Signal out Stages OUT 3 and OUT 6 — two independent 0–8V AD envelopes.
Listen for Two separate percussive envelopes from one module. Fire them from different triggers for layered drum voices or a dual-VCA ducking setup.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Stages, Gate A, Gate B, VCA 1, VCA 2. Signals: 2 cv, 2 gate.StagesGate AGate BVCA 1VCA 2Seg 1-3: RAMP/HOLD/RAMP (env A)Seg 4-6: RAMP/HOLD/RAMP (env B)GATE 1gateGATE 4gateOUT 3cvOUT 6cvOutgateOutgateCVcvCVcvcvgate
Slew / portamento limiter
A single STEP segment with a short glide smooths incoming pitch CV — slider sets the target range, SHAPE/TIME sets glide time.
Walkthrough
  1. Set segment 1 to STEP (orange).
  2. Push segment 1's slider fully up so incoming pitch CV isn't clipped.
  3. Set SHAPE/TIME on segment 1 to about 10 o'clock for a short glide; rotate CW for longer portamento.
  4. Patch your sequencer's gate (or note-trigger) into GATE 1 — this advances the STEP each note.
  5. Patch the same sequencer's pitch CV into the back-panel SLIDER CV input for segment 1 (requires expander) OR use the normal-level-tracking trick: if no expander, see the alternate slew patch below.
  6. Patch OUT 1 into the VCO V/Oct.
  7. Alternate without expander: use a RAMP segment with SHAPE/TIME as glide, driving GATE 1 every note-change — gives asymmetric slew limiter behavior.
Signal out Stages OUT 1 — smoothed pitch CV with portamento between each new note.
Listen for Pitch glides into each new sequencer note instead of snapping — synth-lead expressiveness. CW SHAPE/TIME = longer glide, CCW = sharper staircase.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Stages, Sequencer, VCO. Signals: 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 gate.StagesSequencerVCOSeg 1: STEP (orange) · SHAPE ~10 o'clockGATE 1gateSLIDER CV 1 via expandercvOUT 11v/octGategatePitch CVcvV/Oct1v/octcvpitchgate
★ Audio oscillator + envelope on one module
Segment 1 long-pressed 3s becomes a pitched audio oscillator (1.2 firmware); segments 3–6 form an ADSR fired by the same gate that plays notes.
Walkthrough
  1. Patch your V/Oct pitch CV into GATE 1 (note: in audio oscillator mode segment 1 reads its pitch from the SLIDER CV input via expander, or from its slider if no expander).
  2. Hold segment 1's TYPE button for 3+ seconds — LED goes into the audio-oscillator blink pattern (complex sequence).
  3. Set segment 1's slider near the middle (C4 = mid-slider).
  4. Rotate segment 1 SHAPE/TIME through its range: fully CCW = triangle, noon = saw, CW = saw/square blend, fully CW = pulse. Pick a waveform.
  5. Set segments 3–6 as RAMP/RAMP/HOLD/RAMP (attack/decay/sustain/release).
  6. Patch your keyboard Gate into GATE 3 — this starts the envelope group on segments 3–6.
  7. Patch OUT 1 → VCA audio in.
  8. Patch OUT 6 → VCA CV.
Signal out Stages OUT 1 — ±5V pitched audio; Stages OUT 6 — 0–8V ADSR.
Listen for A complete mono voice from one Stages: the oscillator sings, the envelope shapes it. Slider LED blink rate slows near C notes as a tuning aid.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 3 connections. Modules: Stages, Keyboard, VCA. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv, 1 gate.StagesKeyboardVCASeg 1: Audio oscillator (long-press TYPE 3s)Seg 3-6: RAMP/RAMP/HOLD/RAMP (ADSR group)GATE 3gateOUT 1audioOUT 6cvGategateInaudioCVcvaudiocvgate
Looping envelope = tempo-less LFO
A three-segment AD envelope looped on itself becomes a controllable asymmetric LFO with attack, peak, and decay shapes you can tune live.
Walkthrough
  1. Segments 1–3: seg 1 RAMP (rise), seg 2 HOLD (peak dwell), seg 3 RAMP (fall to 0V).
  2. Long-press TYPE on segment 1 AND segment 3 simultaneously — segment 1's LED starts blinking, confirming the group loops.
  3. Seg 1 slider = peak height. Seg 1 SHAPE/TIME = rise time. Seg 2 slider = peak height (match seg 1). Seg 2 SHAPE/TIME = dwell time. Seg 3 slider = 0V. Seg 3 SHAPE/TIME = fall time.
  4. Leave GATE 1–3 unpatched — looping handles self-retrigger.
  5. Patch OUT 3 to your filter cutoff or VCA CV.
Signal out Stages OUT 3 — looping 0–8V envelope that cycles continuously.
Listen for A tempo-less LFO with independent control over rise shape, peak dwell, and fall shape. Pull seg 2's SHAPE/TIME CCW to get a pure triangle LFO; pull it CW to hold the peak before falling.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 2 modules and 1 connection. Modules: Stages, Filter. Signals: 1 cv.StagesFilterSeg 1: RAMP (rise)Seg 2: HOLD (peak dwell)Seg 3: RAMP (fall)Long-press TYPE on seg 1 + seg 3 to loop the group: OUT 3cvCutoffcvcv
Sequencer + envelope combo
Segments 1–3 are a three-step STEP sequencer, segments 4–6 are an AD envelope. Clock drives both.
Walkthrough
  1. Segments 1–3: set each to STEP (orange). Sliders = the three step pitches. SHAPE/TIME ≈ CCW for clean jumps.
  2. Segments 4–6: seg 4 RAMP (attack), seg 5 HOLD (brief plateau), seg 6 RAMP (decay).
  3. Patch your clock into GATE 1 — starts the sequencer group.
  4. Patch the same clock (multed) into GATE 4 — starts the envelope group and fires it on every step.
  5. Patch OUT 3 → Quantizer → VCO V/Oct.
  6. Patch OUT 6 → VCA CV.
Signal out Stages OUT 3 — stepped pitch CV; Stages OUT 6 — 0–8V AD envelope, one hit per clock.
Listen for A three-note loop playing with percussive articulation from the same clock. Tweak seg 6's SHAPE/TIME to stretch or shorten the decay under every note.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Stages, Clock, Quantizer, VCO, VCA. Signals: 1 cv, 2 pitch, 2 clock.StagesClockQuantizerVCOVCASeg 1-3: STEP (sequencer)Seg 4-6: RAMP/HOLD/RAMP (envelope)GATE 1clkGATE 4clkOUT 31v/octOUT 6cvOutclkIn1v/octOut1v/octV/Oct1v/octCVcvcvpitchclock
Extended sequencer with pendulum playback (1.2)
1.2-firmware feature: a HOLD 'control segment' at the start of a clocked group picks the playback mode for the remaining STEP segments.
Walkthrough
  1. Set segment 1 to HOLD (red) — this becomes the control segment; its SHAPE/TIME now picks playback mode, not hold duration.
  2. Set segments 2–6 to STEP (orange) — these are the five actual sequencer steps.
  3. Rotate segment 1's SHAPE/TIME to about 2 o'clock for Pendulum mode (order: CCW→CW the pot walks Up, Down, Pendulum, Alternating, Random, Pseudo-random, Addressable).
  4. Set the five step sliders (segments 2–6) to the step voltages.
  5. Patch your clock into GATE 1 — the control segment reads it and drives the five steps in pendulum order.
  6. Patch OUT 6 → VCO V/Oct (if segment 1 is RAMP instead of HOLD, the output is pre-quantized to semitones across 0–1V).
Signal out Stages OUT 6 — stepped CV playing segments 2–6 in pendulum (1→2→3→4→5→4→3→2→1) order.
Listen for A back-and-forth sequence without a dedicated sequencer. Switch playback modes live by rotating segment 1's SHAPE/TIME — random pot position produces a sample-and-hold-like scramble.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: Stages, Clock, VCO. Signals: 1 pitch, 1 clock.StagesClockVCOSeg 1: HOLD = control segment · SHAPE ~2 o'clock (Pendulum)Seg 2-6: STEP (sequencer steps)GATE 1clkOUT 61v/octOutclkV/Oct1v/octpitchclock
Multi-module chain — 12-step sequencer
Link two Stages via the back-panel ribbon cable; the two 6-segment groups act as one 12-step chain.
Walkthrough
  1. Power both modules OFF. Connect the 3-pin ribbon cable between the two Stages' back-panel expansion headers.
  2. Power up — the two modules now share chain logic.
  3. On Stages A, set all six segments to STEP (orange). On Stages B, same — all STEP.
  4. Patch your clock into Stages A GATE 1 only. Leave every other GATE unpatched on both modules so all 12 segments join one group.
  5. Set all 12 sliders as your 12-step pitch sequence.
  6. Patch Stages B OUT 6 (the final segment) → Quantizer → VCO V/Oct.
  7. Patch the clock (multed) → envelope trigger → VCA CV for articulation.
Signal out Stages B OUT 6 — 12-step CV sequence, 0–8V.
Listen for A single twelve-step loop spread across two physical modules. The ribbon cable makes them behave as one module — you can extend up to six chained Stages units for a 36-step chain.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 5 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 2 pitch, 1 trigger, 1 clock.Stages A + Stages B (3-pin ribbon linked)ClockStages AStages BQuantizerVCOEnvelopeVCAAll 12 segments: STEP (orange)Clock patched only on Stages A GATE 1: OutclkGATE 1clkOUT 61v/octIn1v/octOut1v/octV/Oct1v/octTrigtrigOutcvCVcvcvpitchtriggerclock

Behaviors

Group definition by GATE patching patching / unpatching GATE jacks

Inserting a jack in any GATE input marks the start of a group. Unpatched GATEs to its right join the group. Build envelopes, LFOs, or sequencers of any length 1–6 by placing GATE cables to define group boundaries.

RAMP segment (green) TYPE button → green

Output smoothly ramps from the previous voltage to the slider's level over the duration set by the segment. SHAPE pot selects curve (expo/lin/log).

STEP segment (orange) TYPE button → orange

Output glides to the slider's target voltage (glide time set by SHAPE pot), then holds there until the next trigger arrives. This is the sequencer-step mode.

HOLD segment (red) TYPE button → red

Output stays at the slider's voltage for a duration set by the SHAPE pot, then hands off to the next segment. Acts as a sustain plateau in envelopes or a fixed-length step in sequences.

Loop mode (long-press TYPE 1s) hold TYPE button ≥1s

Makes a segment loop on itself — LED blinks to confirm. To loop a group, long-press the TYPE buttons of the first and last segments of the group simultaneously.

Per-segment audio oscillator (1.2 firmware) hold TYPE button ≥3s on a solo segment

Converts a solo segment into a band-limited audio oscillator, ±5V. Slider = pitch (C4 mid-slider), SHAPE pot morphs through variable-slope triangle → saw → saw/square blend → variable-width pulse. Slider LED blink slows near C notes for tuning.

Extended sequencer (1.2 firmware) place HOLD or RAMP segment at start of a clocked group

The leading segment becomes a control segment (not part of the sequence). Its SHAPE pot picks playback mode (Up/Down/Pendulum/Alternating/Random/Pseudo-random/Addressable). RAMP control segments quantize the 0–1V range in semitones; HOLD uses full 0–8V unquantized.

Multi-module chain back-panel 3-pin ribbon cable

Daisy-chain up to six Stages units via the provided 3-pin cables to extend groups across modules — segments span physical units as one long chain.

Color-blind mode hold the leftmost TYPE button during power-on

Replaces RAMP/STEP/HOLD color differentiation with brightness and blinking patterns for better contrast.

Controls

Seg 1–6 Segment Sliders (×6) Main level/time control per segment. RAMP: duration. STEP: target voltage. HOLD: voltage level held for the SHAPE/TIME duration. Full-size 60mm sliders.
Slider LED color shows segment TYPE (green/orange/red). Blinks on activity.
Seg 1–6 SHAPE / TIME Pot (×6) Sub-knob per segment. RAMP: shape curve (expo→lin→log). STEP: glide time to target. HOLD: hold duration. Accepts CV via back-panel expander.
CCW: expo/short · noon: linear · CW: log/long.
Seg 1–6 TYPE Button (×6) Cycles segment type: RAMP (green) → STEP (orange) → HOLD (red). Long-press 1s = toggle loop on that segment (LED blinks). Long-press 3s on a solo segment = audio oscillator mode.
In color-blind mode (hold left button at boot): brightness/blink patterns replace color cues.
Global Segment Grouping via GATE Jacks Patching a cable into a GATE jack marks the start of a new group. All unpatched GATE segments to its right join that group until the next patched GATE. This is how chains are defined.
Small LEDs between sliders show group boundaries.

I/O

IN · 1

  • GATE (×6) >1V gate/trigger GATE
    Per-segment gate/trigger input. Patching a GATE jack starts a new group at that segment. RAMP/HOLD: advance on rising edge. STEP: glides to target, waits for trigger before advancing.

OUT · 1

  • OUT (×6) 0–8V unipolar (normal), ±5V (audio oscillator mode) AUDIO
    Per-segment output. In a group, only the last segment's OUT is typically used as the group's output; earlier OUTs reflect the individual segment's stage.