clouds

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.

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