Tides (2018)

Mutable Instruments 14HP
fw 1.0 (Tides 2018 factory)
OSCILLATOR LFO FUNCTION ENVELOPE VCO WAVESHAPER

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Tidal modulator (2018 redesign). Digital function generator: AD envelope, cyclic VC-LFO/VCO, or AR envelope across three ranges (1/8 Hz, 2 Hz, 130.8 Hz). Shape/slope/smoothness/shift are CV. Four outputs re-interpreted by output mode. CLOCK input for PLL sync.

Patch Ideas · 8

Quadraphonic dispatch panner
Cyclic mode · Mid range · Output Mode 1 (Different amplitudes) · slow LFO on SHIFT CV sweeps the signal through OUT 1–4 · feed each output to a VCA on a different speaker/channel
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Tides, LFO, VCA A, VCA B, VCA C, VCA D. Signals: 5 cv.TidesLFOVCA AVCA BVCA CVCA DRange: Mid (2 Hz)Mode: CyclicOutput Mode: 1 (Different amplitudes)SHIFT CVcvOUT 1cvOUT 2cvOUT 3cvOUT 4cvOutcvCVcvCVcvCVcvCVcvcv
★ Percussive voice with end-of-attack accent
AD mode · Output Mode 0 · SHAPE full CCW (expo) · SLOPE 10 o'clock (snappy) · OUT 1 shapes main VCA · OUT 3 (end-of-attack gate) triggers a second VCA for a click/accent layer · clock into TRIG
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 7 modules and 6 connections. Signals: 3 audio, 1 cv, 2 trigger.TidesClockVCOFilterVCA MainVCA ClickNoiseRange: SlowMode: ADOutput Mode: 0 (Different shapes)TRIGtrigOUT 1cvOUT 3trigOuttrigOutaudioInaudioOutaudioInaudioCVcvGatetrigInaudioOutaudio11. end-of-attack accentaudiocvtrigger
Just-intonation four-voice drone
Fast range · Cyclic mode · Output Mode 3 (Different frequencies) · SMOOTHNESS full CCW (sines) · SHIFT knob spreads OUT 1–4 into harmonic ratios · mix all four for additive drone
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 6 connections. Modules: Tides, Keyboard, Mixer, Output. Signals: 5 audio, 1 pitch.TidesKeyboardMixerOutputRange: Fast (130.8 Hz)Mode: CyclicOutput Mode: 3 (Different frequencies)Smoothness: CCW (sine)V/OCT1v/octOUT 1audioOUT 2audioOUT 3audioOUT 4audioPitch1v/octIn 1audioIn 2audioIn 3audioIn 4audioOutaudioInaudioaudiopitch
★ Clock-locked polyrhythmic LFO
Mid range · Cyclic mode · Output Mode 3 · master clock into CLOCK jack sets base rate · FREQUENCY knob picks a division · SHIFT spreads OUT 1–4 into poly-rhythmic ratios synced to tempo
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Tides, Clock, Filter A, Filter B, VCA Pan, FX Send. Signals: 4 cv, 1 clock.TidesClockFilter AFilter BVCA PanFX SendRange: MidMode: CyclicOutput Mode: 3 (Different frequencies)CLOCKclkOUT 1cvOUT 2cvOUT 3cvOUT 4cvOutclkCutoffcvCutoffcvCVcvCVcv11. PLL synccvclock
Quadrature-style modulation from apex shift
Slow range · Cyclic mode · Output Mode 2 (Different times) · SHIFT around 2 o'clock spreads OUT 2–4 as delayed copies of OUT 1 · patch into four modulation destinations for correlated but phase-shifted motion
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Tides, VCO FM, Filter, VCA Pan L, VCA Pan R. Signals: 4 cv.TidesVCO FMFilterVCA Pan LVCA Pan RRange: SlowMode: CyclicOutput Mode: 2 (Different times)OUT 1cvOUT 2cvOUT 3cvOUT 4cvCVcvCutoffcvCVcvCVcvcv
AR gate-controlled envelope with release flag
AR mode · Output Mode 0 · gate from sequencer into TRIG · OUT 1 opens main VCA (attacks while gate high, releases on gate low) · OUT 4 (end-of-release) retriggers a reverb send or next event
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Tides, Sequencer, VCA, VCO, Filter (In) -> VCA, Reverb Send. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv, 1 gate, 1 trigger.TidesSequencerVCAVCOFilter (In) -> VCAReverb SendRange: SlowMode: AROutput Mode: 0 (Different shapes)TRIGgateOUT 1cvOUT 4trigGategateCVcvOutaudioInaudioGatetrig11. fires when release endsaudiocvgatetrigger
★ Folded bass VCO
Fast range · Cyclic mode · SMOOTHNESS full CW (wavefolded harmonics) · V/OCT from sequencer · SHAPE CV from envelope adds dynamic expo bite · OUT 1 into filter for waveshaped bass with evolving folds
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Tides, Sequencer, Envelope, Filter, VCA. Signals: 2 audio, 2 cv, 1 pitch.TidesSequencerEnvelopeFilterVCARange: FastMode: CyclicOutput Mode: 0Smoothness: CW (wavefold)V/OCT1v/octSHAPE CVcvOUT 1audioPitch1v/octOutcvInaudioOutaudioInaudioCVcvaudiocvpitch
Hard-sync lead
Fast range · Cyclic mode · external sub-VCO at fixed pitch into TRIG forces phase reset · V/OCT sweeps freely · SMOOTHNESS at noon · SHAPE CV from envelope · classic aggressive sync-lead timbre
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Tides, Sequencer, Sub VCO, Envelope, Filter (In) -> VCA (In) -> Output. Signals: 1 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 trigger.TidesSequencerSub VCOEnvelopeFilter (In) -> VCA (In) -> OutputRange: FastMode: CyclicOutput Mode: 0V/OCT1v/octTRIGtrigSHAPE CVcvOUT 1audioPitch1v/octOuttrigOutcvInaudio11. hard syncaudiocvpitchtrigger

Behaviors

AD envelope mode Mode Button: AD

TRIG fires a unipolar AD envelope (0V → +8V → 0V). SHAPE morphs expo/lin/log, SLOPE sets attack-vs-decay ratio, SMOOTHNESS smooths or folds the shape. Retriggerable at any point.

AR envelope mode Mode Button: AR

Gate at TRIG drives a unipolar AR envelope: gate high → attack to +8V and hold; gate low → release to 0V. SLOPE controls attack-vs-release ratio.

Cyclic oscillator / LFO mode Mode Button: Cyclic

Free-running bipolar generator. In the 130.8 Hz range it tracks V/OCT as a VCO; in slow and mid ranges it's a complex LFO. SMOOTHNESS CCW smooths to sine, CW wavefolds into harmonics.

Output Mode 0 — Different shapes Output Mode Button: 0

OUT 1 is the main signal. OUT 2 is the raw asymmetric triangle before smoothness. OUT 3 is an end-of-attack gate. OUT 4 is an end-of-release gate. SHIFT/LEVEL acts as a bipolar attenuverter on the main signal.

Output Mode 1 — Different amplitudes (dispatch) Output Mode Button: 1

The signal is routed across OUT 1–4 with smooth crossfading controlled by SHIFT/LEVEL. Sweeping SHIFT moves the envelope/LFO from one output to the next — great for quadraphonic panning or sequential VCA triggers.

Output Mode 2 — Different times (apex shift) Output Mode Button: 2

OUT 1 is the reference waveform; OUT 2–4 are progressively time-shifted copies whose apex/phase SHIFT/LEVEL moves. Great for quadrature-style motion or tap-delayed envelopes.

Output Mode 3 — Different frequencies (ratios) Output Mode Button: 3

OUT 1–4 run at frequency ratios set by SHIFT/LEVEL. At 12 o'clock all four are unison; turning the knob spreads them into polyrhythmic LFOs or just-intonation chords.

External clock sync (PLL) CLOCK patched

Tides locks to the CLOCK input's frequency. With TRIG unpatched it generates an envelope per clock tick in phase with it; with TRIG patched it adjusts envelope duration to the clock rate. FREQUENCY knob selects a 1/16x–16x ratio.

Hard sync (TRIG in cyclic mode) TRIG patched + Cyclic mode

TRIG edges reset the oscillator phase, enabling classic hard-sync timbres when driven by an external sub-oscillator or sequenced reset.

End-of-attack / end-of-release gates Output Mode 0 + AD/AR

OUT 3 pulses at the end of the attack segment and OUT 4 at the end of the release segment — handy for chaining envelopes, ratcheting sequencers, or triggering secondary events.

Controls

Global Frequency Coarse frequency, spanning ±4 octaves around the centre value of the selected range. When CLOCK is patched, sets the integer multiplier/divider against the clock.
Slow: ~1/8 Hz centre · Mid: 2 Hz centre · Fast: 130.8 Hz (audio) centre
Global Shape Morphs the waveshape of the ascending and descending segments from exponential through linear to logarithmic.
CCW: expo · noon: linear · CW: log · bipolar CV via SHAPE attenuverter
Global Slope Asymmetry / attack-vs-decay ratio between the rising and falling segments of each cycle.
CCW: fast attack / slow decay · noon: symmetric · CW: slow attack / fast decay
Global Smoothness CCW applies low-pass filtering (smooths toward sine); CW applies wavefolder distortion. Drastically reshapes spectrum.
CCW: LPF smoothing · noon: raw segments · CW: wavefolded harmonics
Global Shift/Level Dual-purpose knob whose function depends on the selected output mode (attenuverter, output selector, time-shift, or frequency-ratio).
Mode 0: output attenuverter · Mode 1: crossfaded output routing · Mode 2: phase/apex shift · Mode 3: inter-output frequency ratio (12 o'clock = unison)
Global Range Button Selects one of three frequency ranges. LED indicates which range is active.
1/8 Hz (slow/movements) · 2 Hz (rhythms and modulations) · 130.8 Hz (audible tones)
Global Mode Button Selects the ramp/envelope behaviour of the generator.
AD: one-shot unipolar envelope (TRIG starts attack–decay) · Cyclic: free-running bipolar oscillator/LFO · AR: one-shot unipolar envelope with sustained attack while gate high, release on gate low
Global Output Mode Button Cycles the relationship between the four outputs, re-interpreting the SHIFT/LEVEL knob and CV.
0 Different shapes · 1 Different amplitudes (dispatch/crossfade) · 2 Different times (apex shift) · 3 Different frequencies (polyrhythmic / just-intonation ratios)
Global Frequency CV Attenuverter Scales and inverts the FREQUENCY FM CV input. The V/OCT jack is always 1V/oct and unattenuated.
±1 unity · noon: zero
Global Shape Attenuverter Scales and inverts the SHAPE CV input.
±1 unity · noon: zero
Global Slope Attenuverter Scales and inverts the SLOPE CV input.
±1 unity · noon: zero
Global Smoothness Attenuverter Scales and inverts the SMOOTHNESS CV input.
±1 unity · noon: zero
Global Shift/Level Attenuverter Scales and inverts the SHIFT CV input (mode-dependent like the knob).
±1 unity · noon: zero

I/O

IN · 8

  • TRIG >1V edge GATE
    Trigger/gate. AD: rising edge resets envelope to 0V and starts attack–decay. Cyclic: edges reset oscillator phase (hard-sync). AR: gate high raises to +8V, gate low releases to 0V.
  • CLOCK >1V edge CLK
    External clock input. Locks the module to the clock's frequency; FREQUENCY knob becomes a multiplier/divider (1/16x – 16x). At audio rates an algorithm prioritises pitch accuracy over phase alignment.
  • V/OCT -3V to +6V typical CV
    1V/octave pitch input, precalibrated and unattenuated. Separate from the FREQUENCY FM jack.
  • FREQUENCY CV ±5V CV
    Exponential frequency modulation input, scaled by its attenuverter.
  • SHAPE CV ±5V CV
    Shape modulation, scaled by the SHAPE attenuverter.
  • SLOPE CV ±5V CV
    Slope/asymmetry modulation, scaled by the SLOPE attenuverter.
  • SMOOTHNESS CV ±5V CV
    Smoothness modulation, scaled by the SMOOTHNESS attenuverter.
  • SHIFT CV ±5V CV
    Modulates the SHIFT/LEVEL parameter; behaviour depends on the selected output mode (attenuates, dispatches across outputs, shifts apex in time, or detunes the four outputs).

OUT · 4

  • OUT 1 ±8V (unipolar 0–8V in AD/AR)
    Mode 0: main processed signal. Mode 1: receives crossfaded signal when SHIFT targets it. Mode 2: reference (unshifted) output. Mode 3: fundamental frequency.
  • OUT 2 ±8V (unipolar 0–8V in AD/AR)
    Mode 0: raw asymmetric triangle (pre-smoothness). Mode 1/2/3: second tap of the SHIFT-controlled dispatch / time-shift / frequency-ratio spread.
  • OUT 3 ±8V (unipolar 0–8V in AD/AR) GATE
    Mode 0: end-of-attack gate. Mode 1/2/3: third tap of the SHIFT-controlled dispatch / time-shift / frequency-ratio spread.
  • OUT 4 ±8V (unipolar 0–8V in AD/AR) GATE
    Mode 0: end-of-release gate. Mode 1/2/3: fourth tap of the SHIFT-controlled dispatch / time-shift / frequency-ratio spread.