A quick demo of the TubeOhm Shruthacon Steiner-Parker filter board for the Mutable Instruments Shruthi-1 synth. The Shruthacon is in the left channel, while a second Shruthi-1 with a TubeOhm Ladder filter is in the right channel. No effects or post-processing apart from a little reverb - all distortion effects are from the Shruthacon built-in feedback/distortion circuit (and the filter FM feedback circuit in the TubeOhm Ladder filter) - everything recorded in a single take. I just slowly increased and decreased the resonance, to just short of self-oscillation, and the feedback/distortion level, on the Shruthacon filter, while the track was being recorded. Unlike most Steiner-Parker filters, this one is very controllable, and you can dial in the resonance to the sweet spot where it sings just before it goes into crazy self-oscillation - highly recommended. 

TubeOhm Shruthacon Steiner-Parker filter for Mutable Instruments Shruthi-1 - Spiegel im Spiegel

Drone using three Mutable Instruments Braids oscillators in VOSM, WMAP and FOLD modes, fed through six Mutable Instruments Ripples using LP4 and BP2 taps, with timbre and  colour on the Braids and filter cut-off on all six Ripples each individually modulated by 12 CVs from three Frames, each running in quadrature LFO mode with voltage offset enabled. LFO speed and the four parameter knobs on each Frames slowly tweaked. No pitch modulation or variation whatsoever. Recorded live in a single take, no post-processing except a little stereo reverb.

Tim-Tam Bears

Test of new percussion modes in MI Braids v1.7

It's anarchic!

Preview of the natural harmonic series quantisation coming in Bees-in-the-Trees version 3.1. Three Braids, each running Bees-in-the-Trees v3.1beta, with FMCV=HARM (natural harmonic series quantisation), each Braids FM input modulated by a channel of a Frames in quadrature LFO mode. Each Braids has one internal LFO running, modulating timbre or colour. A Grids provides triggers to advance the meta-sequencer for two of the three Braids, swapping between 8 different oscillator models on each. The centre Braids remains on the FOLD model the whole time. No sequencer or notes track was used. Each Braids filtered through a Ripples, with no envelope or filter modulation. Some reverb, no other effects or post-processing, all one take.

Bees-in-the-Trees version 3.1 natural harmonic series preview

A demonstration of Bees-in-the-Trees alternative firmware for the Mutable Instruments Braids module. This track uses the new harmonic series quantisation feature for the FM CV input (FMCV=HARM), which is new in version 3.1 Three Braids, each running Bees-in-the-Trees, are used, panned left, right and centre, each set to the PLUK Karplus-Strong oscillator model, with TSRC=AUTO to internally generate triggers as the pitch jumps from one harmonic overtone to another. Each Braids is modulated through its FM input by individual outputs from a Mutable Instruments Frames module running in quadrature LFO mode. Internal (Bees-in-the-Trees) LFOs in each Braids are modulating the timbre and colour parameters. The signal from each Braids is routed through a Mutable Instruments Ripples filter (three of them) in LP mode with moderate resonance, and then into the audio interface (Behringer FCA1616). No modulation or envelopes are used on the filters, just manually opening their cut-offs initially. Some small room reverb added in Logic Pro X but no other post-processing. Recorded live in a single take. Frames LFO speed and LFO waveform and phase parameters were manipulated by hand.

Bees-in-the-Trees v3.1 demo: Plucking in Rhythm and Sorrow

This is a quick-and-dirty demonstration of the new Turing Machine implementation inside Bees-in-the-Trees v3.4 alternative firmware for the Mutable Instruments Braids eurorack module. In this track, three Braids, each running Bees-in-the-Trees v3.4 are used, panned left, right and centre. Each one is filtered through a Mutable Instruments Ripples filter, but no envelope or modulation is used on the filter. No VCA is used. The three Braids are triggered by a Mutable Instruments Grids. Each of the Braids was running in Turing Machine mode - the melody played by each Braids was generated internally, by itself. No external sequencers or MIDI-to-CV convertors or keyboards were used - the entire track is aleatoric, generated entirely by the three Braids running Bees-in-the-Trees firmware. All modulation and envelopes were also internally generated on each Braids by Bees-in-the-Trees.

Bees-in-the-Trees-v3.4: Built-in Turing Machines

A demonstration of the two new "bytebeat" oscillator models in Bees-in-the-Trees v4.0-beta modified firmware for the Mutable Instruments Braids eurorack synthesiser module. Recorded live using two Braids running Bees-in-the-Trees v4.0-beta, each filtered through a Mutable Instruments Ripples filter (LP4 mode), with filter cut-off modulated by a channel of a Mutable Instruments Frames running in LFO quadrature mode. Reverb only, no other post-processing. The first part of the track uses the BYT0 model on both Braids, with the timbre, colour and pitch potentiometers slowly modulated by hand (no internal or external modulation sources were used). The second part is similar, but using the BYT1 model.

Bees-in-the-Trees v4.0-beta: byte my ananas symphonie

A demonstration of the new BYT3 "byte beat" oscillator model that has been added to Bees-in-the-Trees v4.1 modified firmware for the Mutable Instruments Braids eurorack synthesiser module. This is a single Braids, running Bees-in-the-the-Trees v4.1, with pitch (V/octave) modulated by a Mutable Instruments Frames in LFO quadrature mode, The Braids is filtered by a Mutable Instruments Ripples filter, in LP4 mode, no modulation, and then by a Ken Stone CGS202 Serge Resonant EQ filter, set to emphasise the lower frequencies. Lots of reverb, but no other post-processing. No sequencer or keyboard is used - the "melody" is played entirely by the Braids module itself. Timbre and Color controls manually tweaked during the recording.

Bees-in-the-Trees v4.1: ByteBeat 3

A little four-part canon, recorded in one take using four Mutable Instruments Braids eurorack synth modules, each running Bees-in-the-Trees v4.1 modified firmware. No external envelopes, VCAs or other sources of modulation were used - what you hear is just the four Braids, passively filtered through a Serge/Ken Stone CGS202  resonant equaliser module. No VCFs were used. Slight reverb added in post-processing, no other effects used. Modules sequenced by Logic Pro X, CV and gate sent to modules via an Expert Sleepers ES-3 module and the Silent Way voice controller plug-in. However, no Silent Way envelopes were used, just the note (pitch) CV and gate signal.

Bees-in-the-Trees v4.1: Sophrological Sailing

A quick demo of a collaborative work-in-progress with pld, running on the excellent Ornament + Crime module by mxmxmx. Thanks to Justin Barrington-Higgs for suggesting the name for this firmware. More details in due course...

Harrington 1200: la petite souris

Further experimentation with the Harrington 1200 neo-Riemannian firmware for the Ornament + Crime eurorack synth module. This track was recorded live and is composed entirely in the modular, no MIDI tracks or other pre-scripting on the computer was used. Three Mutable Instruments Braids modules, running Bees-in-the-Trees firmware (with the meta-sequencer in Bees-in-the-Trees used to automatically create the voice changes throughout the track), plus two Mutable Instruments Peaks modules running Dead Man's Catch firmware were used. Mutable Instruments Grids module provides the percussion rhythms and clocks the Harrington 1200. No post-processing except light reverb added.

Deus ex macchiato

Harrington 1200: MOTR musik

Test track made using the AUTOMATONNETZ app for the Ornament + Crime eurorack module. AUTOMATONNETZ is a vector sequencer outputting neo-Riemannian triad transformations, fed to three Braids, two running Bees-in-the-Trees firmware, one running factory firmware (v1.8). Drums courtesy of two Peaks, running Dead Man's Catch firmware in random snare and hi-hat modes, plus basic kick drum mode. Recorded live an one take. Modulation by two Tides and an NLC Sloth module. Rhythm courtesy of a Mutable Instruments Grids module. No overdubs, reverb added in DAW, no other post-processing.

Oh Tomato Nets!

Verhulst's map

A track demonstrating bit-XORing of CVs output by the Quadatruria app in the Ornaments + Crimes firmware for the DIY Ornament + Crime eurorack synth module designed by Max Stadler. Control voltages output from O+C are fed to a pair of Mutable Instruments Braids modules, both with quantisers and internal envelopes enabled. The entire track is played by the O+C module - once configured, it just runs, creating both parts on the fly, no knob twiddling or other intervention. No sequences were programmed into the module - it creates them on-the-fly. Recorded live in one take into Logic Pro X, with reverb added only. The guitar part is processed via the Ken Stone Serge Resonant Equaliser MkII module in the eurorack.

XORtations

Viznutcracker, sweet!

Ornament & Crime eurorack module running Quantermain app (pre-release v1.1), feeding quantised CVs generated internally by O+C to 3 MI Braids in PLUK mode - all melodies composed by the O+C module, in real time, recorded in a single take.

Equitable equations

A track generated by Ornament & Crime running the Quantermain app, sequencing three Braids and a Grids into a Peaks for the percussion.

Melancholectomy

Factory Auricles

Quick and dirty demo of a new sequence source for the CopierMaschine and Quantermain apps which will appear in v1.2 firmware for the Ornament & Crime eurorack synthesiser module. Recorded live in one take, O&C driving three MI Braids and two MI Peaks (running DMC) for percussion, rhythm via a pair of MI Grids.

Dress Sequence

Demonstration of fractal integer sequences as a note source in the Ornament & Crime CopierMaschine app in v1.2 of the firmware (forthcoming)

Population Counts

Test track made with the new Acidic Curds app for the Ornament & Crime eurorack module.

Bennelong Bicyclist

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