tides

Mutable Instruments Tides

Tidal modulator: envelopes, LFOs, and oscillator in one

14 HP Eurorack module

Tides is a digital function generator that produces flowing, tide-like voltage shapes ranging from slow LFO sweeps to audio-rate oscillation. It excels at generating envelopes, LFOs, and VCO waveforms with continuous morphing between shapes, and its four outputs can simultaneously produce different waveshapes, amplitudes, phases, or frequencies from a single generator. Its musical character is fluid and organic, capable of everything from gentle modulation to polyrhythmic clocking and just-intonation chord generation.

Features

  • Three ramp modes: one-shot AD envelope, looping cyclic LFO/VCO, and one-shot AR envelope
  • Three frequency ranges: low (2 min to 2 Hz), medium (0.125 to 32 Hz), high (8 Hz to 2 kHz)
  • Shape control morphing between linear, exponential, and sinusoidal segments with CV input
  • Slope control setting attack-to-decay time ratio with CV input
  • Smoothness control applying 2-pole LP filter (CCW) or wavefolder (CW) with CV input
  • Four output modes: different shapes, different amplitudes, different times, different frequencies
  • External clock input with PLL for tempo-locked operation at ratios from 1/16 to 16x
  • V/OCT pitch tracking input for use as a VCO or pitch-tracked LFO
  • Attenuverters on all five CV inputs
  • SHIFT/LEVEL knob and CV input for controlling output routing/phasing/frequency spread
  • Bipolar +/-5V outputs for cyclic signals and unipolar 0 to +8V for gates and envelopes
  • 14-bit DAC at 62.5 kHz (31.25 kHz in different frequencies mode)

Controls & Jacks (32)

  • Frequency CV— Frequency modulation CV input for exponential FM
  • Shape CV— Shape modulation CV input, range +/- 8V
  • Slope CV— Slope modulation CV input, range +/- 8V
  • Frequency— Spans a range of ±4 octaves around the central value set by frequency range. Clockwise for faster in AD/AR mode, counter-clockwise for slowe
  • Smoothness CV— Smoothness modulation CV input, range +/- 8V
  • Shift/Level CV— Shift/level modulation CV input, range +/- 8V
  • Smoothness— Waveshape transformation: counter-clockwise applies 2-pole low-pass filter smoothing, clockwise adds kinks and bumps with wavefolder
  • Trig/Gate— Trigger or gate input. In AD: trigger initiates attack/decay cycle. In cyclic: trigger resets oscillator. In AR: rising edge raises envelope
  • Smoothness Attenuverter— Attenuverter for smoothness CV input
  • Output 1— Main signal output with voltage-controlled attenuverter
  • Clock— Clock input for tempo or frequency-locked operation. Frequency knob controls ratio between clock frequency and generated signal frequency (1
  • Shape— Shape control of the ascending and descending segments, covering various combinations of linear, exponential, or sinusoidal segments
  • Output 2— Second output (waveform depends on output mode selected)
  • Shift/Level Attenuverter— Attenuverter for shift/level CV input
  • V/Oct— Volt-per-octave pitch control input, range -3 to +7V
  • Frequency Attenuverter— Attenuverter for frequency modulation CV input, controls exponential FM amount
  • Output Mode— Selects the relationship between the four signals: different shapes, different amplitudes, different times, or different frequencies
  • Frequency Range— Selects the central value of the frequency knob: low (1/8 Hz, movements), medium (2 Hz, rhythms and modulations), or high (130.8 Hz, audible
  • Output 3— Third output (waveform depends on output mode selected)
  • Output 4— Fourth output (waveform depends on output mode selected)
  • Slope Attenuverter— Attenuverter for slope CV input
  • Shift/Level— Output polarization and shifting: adjusts amplitude/polarity of first output or shift in amplitude/time/frequency between outputs depending
  • Slope— Ratio between the durations of the ascending and descending segments (A/D time ratio or asymmetry)
  • Shape Attenuverter— Attenuverter for shape CV input
  • Ramp Mode— Selects operating mode: AD envelope (one-shot), cyclic (LFO/VCO), or AR envelope (one-shot)
  • Mode B— Indicates when output mode is set to shift (amplitude/time/frequency) mode
  • Output 2 LED— Activity indicator for output 2
  • Output 3 LED— Activity indicator for output 3
  • Output 4 LED— Activity indicator for output 4
  • Output 1 LED— Activity indicator for output 1
  • Mode
  • Range

How-To Guides

  • V/OCT Calibration
  • Firmware Update
  • Voltage-Controlled LFO
  • Polyrhythmic LFO Machine
  • Just Intonation Chord Generator
  • Subharmonic and Overtone Generator
  • Tempo-Synchronized LFO
  • Morphing AD Envelope
  • Four-Phase LFO Chorus
  • Punchy Bass Envelope
  • Wavefolding LFO

Explore the interactive Tides panel on BleepDex — tap any control to learn what it does.

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