#251

Émilie said on instagram that, that would not happen, since finding the mid-point on a slider is too difficult and inconvenient. (slight paraphrasing)

#252

Since I just bought a Blinds, I’m kind of relieved there isn’t a brand new version of it too :laughing:

Where I used to think the Intellijel Quad was the best overall choice of quad VCA, I think New Veils takes the prize.

1 Like
#253

Almost certainly the new Clouds (maybe other things – updated Elements?). There’s this and the repeated claim that there are more preorders for “Clouds II” than any other module (also Clouds II is more of a Braids => Plaits than a Tides => Tides 2018; as in, it is one of those uniquely named pieces that she says constitute the two releases coming by EOY) – hence “large” (in HP, since it’s gonna be 14, in production numbers, and in hype).

My best guess on a name is “Birds”, but I’ve no clue on a date.

3 Likes
#254

Yeah that name pop’t up a couple of times. I don’t know anything for real but i also think the new clouds will be more in line with braids->plaits instead of a revision under the same name. She said a couple of times that there are 3 modules coming. When we don’t count in the revisions (that would already be 4) 0 of the 3 modules are released. That one of those modules will be “new” clouds is likely…

#255

Awesome Veils rework.

Fingers crossed for a super modulator in 12hp :crossed_fingers: Or is 14hp confirmed?

Sad it’ll be Emilie’s swan songs.

#256

post from just a few minutes before I replied in the Blinds thread says two new big ones coming, so I think it will be four rather than three (although she DOES love to work in threes…).

Thinking the Birds will have a built in random source – Clouds feels like it was made for a specific patch and doesn’t include all the elements necessary to accomplish that patch (namely: attenuated ranom), but only includes that thing which did not exist elsewhere at the time (granular processing in Euro with those particular modulation destinations open). Releasing something with a pretty definite teleology (at least in the mind of the creator) and imagining that there would be other extended use cases, turned out to be a bit of a downer because the userbase can’t read minds, and just treated it like a pretty sound box at the end of the chain (and it was a huge success! can’t predict shit! nobody can!).

Contrasting this with the designs since 2018, everything MI has put out has been a discreet instrument with a definite set of outputs (or at least “class” of outputs) that can accomplish a traditional function (Marbles-as-S+H // stepped random), but also an extended version of that function. The modules are themselves a ‘patch’ with open patch points within them that increase interest and extend application.

On a more philosophical level: I feel that early MI modules kinda had a ‘novice’ use-case (CV -> VPO on Rings with no other modulation) and an ‘advanced’ use-case (Rings feedback patch, maybe). But the connective tissue between the two, for a user, wasn’t clear – there were no real <> to the advanced functionality; either you Knew How to Modular and would do weird angular stuff, or you didn’t, and you’d chill out w/ the pretty sounds.

The new stuff seems to have not only this ‘aptitude modality’, but also a gradient path along which one can slowly increase complexity. The module teaches you how to step things up slowly in a deliberate and metered fashion, there’s always a way to +1 yourself into something completely different without having to get there 10 ticks at once, and without having to go back to the drawing board on a patch.

So yeah remember the abstract of this thesis was uhm… expected built-in random… and expect them to sell out immediately despite there being like 50k made in the first batch or some other ridiculous number.

Edit: I am literally a professional proofreader and reading my own post is destroying me. Gonna let it stand, though.

11 Likes
#257

Hmm, may have missed it previously, but I see that Yarns is also retired.

#258

From the Mutable forum:

Q: Remaining releases?
A: Two, which have new, unique names (these are not “upgrades” sharing the same name as the module they replace).

And yeah, I do expect both of these are similar to the Braids->Plaits evolution: more functionality in some areas, but a more elegant and focused UX. Compact enough so that people have less tendency to seek out shrunken clones, without being cramped.

What is the source of the “Birds” thing? Twitter, Reddit, some other place I don’t normally go?

2 Likes
#259

A random exclamation of the word ‘BIRDS!?!??!’ in the Clouds Successor thread from the oracle herself.

2 Likes
#260
31 Likes
#261
1 Like
#262

20 characters of love electrelane

1 Like
#263

Now I’m thinking of the Crow thread :wink:

1 Like
#264

the cascading cv inputs from the Intellijel Quad is still a big plus

1 Like
#265

As is the bigger knob for the level (as opposed to an offset pot). Definitely an interesting layout, but my quad vca is not going anywhere.

1 Like
#266

I have tried many different layouts (there were 6 revisions before that one).

A common use case for me is to have sources which have modulations (say from an envelope or LFO), mixed with sources which have no modulations.

With the Intellijel Quad, the loudness of the modulated sources has to be adjusted by their CV amount pot (the small one), and the loudness of the unmodulated sources has to be adjusted by their LEVEL pot (the large one).

It boils down to this: if you want to make an enveloped sound louder or softer, you won’t do this by offseting the envelope, but by increasing or decreasing the amount of this envelope.

This is why I normal the CV inputs with a constant voltage (instead of cascading the CV of the previous channel), and also why I use the larger control (here the slider) for the CV amount. With that layout, the level of a source, modulated or unmodulated, is always adjusted by the slider.

It’s a matter of affordance - the 4 sliders make the module obviously look like a mixer. It’d better behave as much as possible like one.

38 Likes
#267

Am I understanding it correctly that the offset is there to let you use a bipolar LFO as a Unipolar? (or add a drone base level to an envelope) but you can’t subtract offset, correct?

#268

Yes, that’s the main use case for this control.

Yes. If the offset control was bipolar, it would be more difficult to adjust it to the default setting, which is 0.000V (and not -0.1V or +0.1V). A slight positive offset causes annoying “bleed”, a slight negative offset causes an annoying delay of an envelope attack phase (especially if this attack is slow).

6 Likes
#269

Is the offset summed to the input CV before the CV is attenuated by the slider? It seems that would be the case, given the intended use. This is of course different from the Intellijel µVCA or QuadVCA where the level / bias control is summed with the input CV after attenuation.

#270

Hi there,

I just wanted to drop in and say that I would love to see an official Mutable Instruments system!

Have just finished putting together my first modular (a Shared System) and find the ‘wholeness’ of single maker systems fascinating as a representation of the designer’s musical and ergonomic philosophy.

I love the Make Noise old-school Electronic Music vibe, though Mutable has that lovely modern cosy organic quality which I’m missing.

I’m just too indecisive to customise a system!

1 Like