Mutable Instruments Clouds
Granular texture synthesizer with four processing modes
18 HP Eurorack module
Clouds is a granular audio processor by Mutable Instruments that turns incoming audio into evolving textures by slicing it into tiny grains and recombining them. It continuously records into a buffer, then replays overlapping grains with independent control over playback position, grain size, pitch shift, and texture. Four processing modes offer granular synthesis, pitch shifting/time stretching, a looping delay, and spectral (FFT-based) processing.
Features
- Four processing modes: Granular, Pitch Shifter, Looping Delay, Spectral
- Continuous audio recording into buffer with Freeze function
- Stereo input and output
- Built-in reverb
- Voltage control over all parameters including Freeze and Trigger
- Four quality/buffer-length settings trading fidelity for recording time
- Blend knob controls Dry/Wet, Spread, Feedback, and Reverb
- Trigger input for externally clocked grain generation
- Parasites and Supercell alternative firmware available
Controls & Jacks (26)
- In Level — Input gain for the stereo pre-amp. Sets recording level into the buffer, accommodating both hot modular signals and quieter line-level sourc
- Density — In Granular mode, sets grain rate — CCW for periodic/rhythmic grains, center for random triggering, CW for dense overlapping clouds. In othe
- V/Oct In — 1V/octave pitch tracking input for transposing the processed audio. Use with a keyboard, sequencer, or other pitch CV source to play Clouds
- Blend — Dry/wet mix with 4 sub-modes accessed by short-pressing the Blend button: dry/wet balance, fully wet + feedback, fully wet + reverb, or full
- Size — Controls grain length (16ms–1s) in Granular mode, pitch-shift window size/quality in Pitch Shifter mode, loop length in Looping Delay mode,
- Pitch — Transposes the processed audio from −2 to +2 octaves with 1V/Oct tracking. Applies to grains in Granular mode, sets shift amount in Pitch Sh
- Texture — In Granular mode, morphs the grain window from harsh boxcar through triangle to smooth Hann shapes. In Pitch Shifter mode, controls diffusio
- Freeze Gate In — Gate input that freezes the audio buffer while the gate is high, equivalent to holding the Freeze button. Release the gate to resume recordi
- Density CV In — CV input with attenuverter for modulating Density (±5V). Bipolar — center knob position means zero modulation.
- Audio In R — Right channel stereo audio input. Leave unpatched for mono input (Left is normalled to both channels).
- Texture CV In — CV input with attenuverter for modulating Texture (±5V). Bipolar — center knob position means zero modulation.
- Trigger / Clock In — Trigger input that fires a single grain in Granular mode, or resets the read position in other modes. Can also clock grain generation when D
- Position — Selects the grain read point in Granular mode, delay time in Pitch Shifter mode, loop start in Looping Delay mode, or frequency band scrub p
- Mode — Cycles through the 4 processing modes: Granular (default), Pitch Shifter / Time Stretcher, Looping Delay, and Spectral Madness. Current mode
- Audio In L — Left channel stereo audio input. Normalled to Right input — patch only Left for mono-to-stereo processing.
- Audio Out L — Left channel processed audio output. Carries the stereo granular, pitch-shifted, delayed, or spectral output depending on the selected mode.
- Position CV In — CV input with attenuverter for modulating Position (±5V). Bipolar — center knob position means zero modulation.
- Blend CV In — CV input with attenuverter for modulating Blend (±5V). Bipolar — center knob position means zero modulation.
- Audio Out R — Right channel processed audio output. Carries the stereo granular, pitch-shifted, delayed, or spectral output depending on the selected mode
- Load/Save — Short press cycles through 4 buffer memory slots (indicated by status LEDs). Long press saves the current buffer contents to the selected sl
- Size CV In — CV input with attenuverter for modulating Size (±5V). Bipolar — center knob position means zero modulation.
- Freeze — Captures and locks the audio buffer — no new audio is recorded while frozen. Grains or processing are generated entirely from the frozen con
- Status LED 1 — Status LED indicating the current processing mode and buffer memory slot. LED color and pattern change across the 4 modes.
- Status LED 2 — Status LED indicating the current processing mode and buffer memory slot. LED color and pattern change across the 4 modes.
- Status LED 3 — Status LED indicating the current processing mode and buffer memory slot. LED color and pattern change across the 4 modes.
- Freeze LED — Lights up when the audio buffer is frozen (Freeze active). Indicates that no new audio is being recorded.
How-To Guides
- Create an ambient pad from any sound
- Pitch-shifted harmonizer
- Rhythmic granular stutter
- Spectral freeze drone
Explore the interactive Clouds panel on BleepDex — tap any control to learn what it does.
