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source ........ mutable instruments docsrev ............................ 2026.10

beads

_travelers guide_for managing memory spells
30grains at once
4recording qualities
32s longest buffer
[ seed ] press[ seed ] hold› thennoon = 12 o’clockcw / ccw = clockwise / counter
no modes: grains · size ∞ = delay · no inputs = synthalways recording unless frozen · up to 30 grains · knobs are read once per grainpink = hold
01

grains · seed

bds_01
[ seed ] 4 s
latch on: grains flow by themselves · seed pulses slowly · power-on default
[ seed ]+[ freeze ]
latch on, the quick way
[ seed ]
short press = unlatch: grains only while [ seed ] is held / its gate is high
[ density ] noon
no grains (latched or clocked)
latched [ density ]
ccw steady rate · cw random rate · far end = c3 period
+ seed in [ density ]
clocked: ccw divide 1/16 → 1 · cw chance 0 → 100%
unlatched [ density ]
repeat rate while [ seed ] is held · noon = one grain per [ seed ] press / trigger
[ density ] cv
at audio rates: exponential fm, 1 v/oct
02

grain playback

bds_02
read once
each grain reads the knobs as it starts: turning shapes the next grains, not the ones playing
[ time ]
where in the buffer · ccw newest · cw oldest
[ pitch ]
−24 to +24 semitones · notches at chosen intervals
[ size ]
length + direction (see below)
[ shape ]
grain envelope · ccw clicky · cw slow attack
◂ 4 s reversed30 ms11 o'clock4 s ▸∞ = delaysizesquaresnappybellslow attackshape · ccw ▸ cwenvelope only: direction is set by size
__fig.01 : the density dialone knob · five jobs
◂ ccwnooncw ▸latchedfreenonesteadyrandomlatched+ seed in1 ← 1/160% → 100%divide the clockchance per ticknoneunlatchedseed heldrepeat raterepeat rateone grain per seed presssize ∞free delayfull bufferaudio rateaudio rate + extra tapshortershortersize ∞taps · clock1/11/21/41/81/161/21/31/41/61/81/101/121/16
03

attenurandomizers

bds_03
cv in cw
more external cv on that parameter
cv in ccw
the cv sets the random spread
no cv ccw / cw
internal random: peaky / uniform
pitch fully cw
pitch cv tracks 1 v/oct
pan
random parameter or rate = random pan too
cv patchednoon = none◂ cv = spreadcv amount ▸nothing patchednoon = none◂ peaky randomuniform random ▸
04

recording · input

bds_04
[ quality ]
cycle 4 recording qualities (LED colour, see panel)
in l / in r
l only = mono · l + r = stereo
on patching
auto gain +0 to +32 dB over 5 s · level LED blinks · limiter on big jumps
[ quality ] 1 s
restart auto gain
[ quality ]+turn [ feedback ]
manual gain · kept until the next long [ quality ] press
[ freeze ] / gate
stop recording · otherwise it always records
frozen > 10 s
buffer saved, back at the next power-on
while frozen
no quality or mono / stereo change
05

mix · output

bds_05
[ feedback ]
output back into the grains · each quality limits it its own way
[ dry/wet ] [ reverb ]
balance · reverb amount
[ cv assign ]
cv in › feedback / dry-wet / reverb · LED shows which
[ cv assign ]+turn
set each knob’s own cv amount
[ cv assign ]+[ seed ]
grain triggers on the r out (on / off)
r out empty
l + r summed to l · the chain is always stereo
ingrainsfeedbackdrydry/wetreverbout
__fig.02 : the memory welldeeper = older
new soundfalls innowjust hearddeeper= olderoldestend of memorybelow the floor: overwritten as new sound sinks inshallownewest soundsmall cup= short graindeeplong agobig bucket= long grainspreadbuckets landaround the depthhauled upone bucket = one grainheard once, then gonefrozenthe surface ices over:nothing new falls inthe buckets keep drawingfrom what is already there
06

delay · slicer

bds_06
[ size ] fully cw ∞
one endless grain = delay or beat slicer
latched, no clock [ density ]
noon = full buffer · turn = shorter, down to audio rate (comb, flange)
[ density ] cw half
adds an uneven extra tap
[ seed ] taps / clock
base time = the interval between taps or ticks
tapped [ density ]
subdivides it: ccw binary · cw wider ratios
[ time ]
delay time = a multiple of the base time
[ freeze ]+[ time ]
slicer: loops one slice · time picks which
[ shape ]
synced envelope on the repeats · ccw = plain
[ pitch ]
rotary-head pitch shift · noon = bypass
attenurandomizers
slow random lfos built in
delaynot frozenrecord headtime = 2 × basebaseslicerfrozentime picks the sliceslice = base time
08

patch ideas

bds_08
ramp-down lfo›time
scrub the buffer: time-stretch
sequencer›pitch
att fully cw: play melodies of grains
fast arpeggio›pitch
chords: each grain picks a note
seq cv›time gate›seed
sequence slices or phonemes
size ∞ density far
comb filter: density cv plays it in 1 v/oct
07

wavetable synth

bds_07
no inputs, 10 s
beads loses patience and granulates plaits’ wavetables
[ feedback ]
pick one of 8 banks
[ dry/wet ]
steady oscillator ↔ grains
[ freeze ]
holds the grain envelopes · no new grains
[ quality ]
output resolution (see panel)
pitch cv · knob
always 1 v/oct root · always pitch randomness
pdf
__fig.03 : front panel01–07 = sections · 08–18 = hardware
[ 01 ] __density : grain generation
[ 02 ] __time … shape : grain playback
[ 03 ] __attenurandomizers : cv · spread
[ 04 ] __quality : recording · gain
[ 05 ] __feedback dry/wet reverb : mix
[ 06 ] __size ∞ : delay · slicer
[ 07 ] __in l / r : audio in · empty = synth
[ 08 ] __freeze : latching button
[ 09 ] __seed : grain button · tap
[ 10 ] __cv assign : button
[ 11 ] __level LED : blinks = auto gain
[ 12 ] __freeze : gate in
[ 13 ] __seed : gate · clock in
[ 14 ] __density : cv in ±5 v
[ 15 ] __cv ins : time size shape pitch ±8 v
[ 16 ] __assign : cv in ±5 v
[ 17 ] __out l / r : r empty = sum to l
[ 18 ] __cv LEDs : assigned cv amount
Beadstexturesynthesizerfreezeseeddensitytimepitchsize∞shapedensityin lin rfreezeseedlrMutable Instruments[ 08 ][ 02 ][ 05 ][ 10 ][ 16 ][ 07 ][ 09 ][ 18 ][ 14 ][ 17 ][ 01 ][ 04 ][ 06 ][ 03 ][ 15 ][ 11 ][ 12 ][ 13 ]

_where things hide

no menus · held buttons · bds_10
held buttons
├─
quality 1 srestart auto gain
├─
quality + feedbackmanual input gain
├─
seed 4 slatch (or seed + freeze)
├─
cv assign + knobcv amount for feedback, dry/wet or reverb
└─
cv assign + seedgrain triggers on r out
firmware update only if needed
├─
prepunplug cv · audio file into in l · time mid
├─
bootpower on holding freeze
├─
playquality LED = meter (yellow = good) · time = gain
└─
all redlevel wrong: press freeze, retry louder
specs14 hp · 25 mm deep+12 v 100 ma · −12 v 10 mainputs 100kcv ±8 v grain · ±5 v density + assignseed + freeze read at audio rate · cv at 4 khzlatency 0.25 ms
LED colours quality button · buffer = mono / stereo
qualityratebitsmonostereocharactersynth outbright digital48 khz16-bit8 s4 spristine16-bitcold digital32 khz12-bit16 s8 slike clouds7-bitsunny tape24 khz12-bit20 s10 s48 khz dry path16 dry / 4 wetscorched cassette24 khz8-bit32 s16 swow + flutter4-bit
seed slow pulse = latchedlevel blinks = setting gaincv LEDs = how much cv each knob gets