Mutable Instruments / Beads

Beads is a texture synthesizer that processes the input audio signal in real time and outputs it.

Beads is a texture synthesizer that processes the input audio signal in real time and outputs it in granular form.

Reinventing a classic module
Beads is a reinvention of Mutable Instruments' Clouds.

The module concept is the same as Clouds, processing the input audio signal in real time in granular form. The parameters on the panel are clearly arranged like Clouds.

The similarities with Clouds end there. Beads' hardware and software have been redesigned from the ground up to achieve lofty goals: a clearer and wider sound palette, more control, greater playability, and direct access to exciting new features.

Connecting I'S and T'S
Beads' significantly improved specifications allow for higher audio quality, longer buffers, better sample interpolation and anti-aliasing algorithms, and faster execution of key DSP blocks. Granulation now allows you to explore new sonic territories, including formant, wavetable, hard-sync-like sounds and crispy noises.

The parameter ranges, the response to knob rotations and modulations have all been improved, opening up new possibilities like reverse playback and percussive envelopes.

Control, Chaos and Character

Control: To trigger or schedule grains, Beads offers new features such as splitting or randomizing an external clock or trigger signal, spraying bursts of grains in response to a gate, or taking the grain rate to track the frequency of a V/Oct CV or an external oscillator.

Chaos: Each major parameter of the grains has its own attenuation randomizer. This allows direct CV control of the parameter, CV control of the random spread of this parameter, as well as internal randomization using some of the Marbles algorithms.

Character: Beads offers 4 audio quality settings that affect not only the buffer sample rate and bit depth, but also the converter clock, the signal path amplitude limiting and saturation, the reverb tone, and additional media emulation effects. From the sound of the earliest digital devices to the sound of dirty cassette tapes, these are the modes that Clouds uses to recreate.

About the modes
Beads can operate as a delay without switching to another mode; it just plays endless grains. The DENSITY, TIME and SEED controls are also available to enable various functions such as tap tempo, beat slicing, time stretching, and comb filtering at V/Oct tracking rates.

Even without an audio signal input, Beads can granularly process the wavetable with its 8 internal banks.

All parameters have dedicated knobs.

Width: 14HP
Depth: 25mm
Current consumption:
+12V: 100mA
-12V: 10mA