Mutable Instruments Tides v2: The Oscillator

Mutable Instruments Tides v2 is a special module to me. Not only is it a multi-outputting wave-generating monster (LFOs, audio rates, and everything in between) with many variable parameters, but it was the first big name brand module that I purchased new; that is, the first one I decided to spend relatively big bucks on.

I've had it for about several months now and you've seen it in many of my videos, where its done things from rhythmic clocked modulation, to acting as a clock source. But for this video, I'd like to show everyone how you can use Tides v2 as an oscillator. 

What I'll be doing in the video below is sending a sequence into Tides, then taking the four outputs of Tides (something new in v2) and varying their parameters to produce some interesting sounds. Enjoy!

I really liked putting this patch together and the sequence sounds amazing, to me, through Tides (see sequence details below). And I love the way the sounds changes even with the slightest turn of the knobs. 

Let's break down this patch now. 

It's not a complex patch I must admit. I have my Arturia Keystep loaded with a 32-note sequence which when started will output this sequence as voltages according to the 1V/oct standard into Tides. Tides is set to "oscillator" mode": 130.8Hz frequency output (red LED), cyclic bipolar oscillations (yellow LED) with its outputs having different frequencies (red LED). The four outputs are mixed together via my DIY mixer, then sent to my DIY Dual VCA, which is opened and closed by a gate signal from the Keystep every time a note in the sequence is generated. All of that is then inputted into Clouds, mainly to add reverb to the sound.

In addition, I have Pam's Workout also receiving the gate signal from the Keystep to set the tempo; i.e. every time a note in the sequence is played. The FutureRetro Transient is triggered from Pam's and adds a bass beat to the patch, to give it a more complete sound. 2HP Arp also makes an appearance, generating a voltage every 16 notes via Pam's to shift the pitch of the sequence (so it doesn't sound like the same thing, note-wise, all the time!)

And that's basically it. Now in the video, I vary three of Tides' parameters. In order, I start with Slope, which adjusts the ratio of ascending and descending segments of the outputted waves. This is sort've like an attack/decay feature built into one and as you can hear, basically changes the sound from a triangle wave to a more sawtooth-like wave. Next, I vary the Smoothness, which depending on how its varied either low-pass filters the wave (counterclockwise) or adds "kinks and bumps" along the slope (clockwise). This made for some funky sounds! Lastly, I vary the Shift/Level. This changes the frequency of each output relative to one another to produce "intonation chords". In the video, I use my DIY mixer to adjust the volume of each output, just to illustrate the difference across outputs. As I said before, changes in a few of the parameters can produce a wide array of sounds; it's quite versatile, and I didn't even touch the Shape parameter for this video!

Before I end, I would like to point out that keen listeners will have recognized that the sequence used in this video is the intro sequence to the song Levels by Avicii (the proper non-radio cut version). I had decided to use this sequence for the video simply because I had always wondered if it could be replicated using an oscillator Eurorack module. In addition to this, last week marked the two year anniversary of Avicii's untimely death, and it was just by coincidence that I had planned to release this video with that sequence, near that date...

-Uncle Peter