Ringo’s Comment

Plait는 Mutable Instruments의 베스트 셀러 모델인 Braids의 후속 모듈입니다.

Braids 얘기를 좀 하자면, Braids는 Macro Oscillator라는 이름으로 출시가 되었던 디지털 사운드 소스 모듈입니다. 복잡한 파형을 가진 소리를 만들기 위해서 오실레이터, 필터, 앰플리파이어, 웨이브 셰이퍼, 링모듈레이터 등등이 필요한데요, 그 복잡한 신서사이저 알고리즘을 심플한 하나의 오실레이터 모듈의 외형처럼 디자인 하여, 사용자는 그저 마음에 드는 소스를 골라 쓰면 되는 방식이었습니다. 유로랙 포멧에서는 전통적인 오실레이터 보다 웨이브 테이블이나 컴플렉스 오실레이터 계열들이 강세를 이루는데요, Braids 도 그 계열의 인기 모듈이었습니다.

Braids가 단종되면서 mkII 격인 Plaits가 발매되었습니다. MI의 설명에 따르면 새롭게 디자인 했다 라고 하네요. 역시나 전작과 마찬가지로 아주 쓰기 쉽고 정말 다양한 사운드를 가지고 있습니다. 자체적으로 Low Pass Gate와 Decay Envelope을 가지고 있어서 독립적인 사용도 가능한, 작지만 다재다능한 모듈입니다.

Macro Oscillator

Plaits is the spiritual successor of Mutable Instruments’ best-selling voltage-controlled sound source, Braids. Not just a mkII version: its hardware and software have been redesigned from scratch.

Just like its predecessor, it offers direct access to a large palette of easily tweakable sounds, covering the whole gamut of synthesis techniques. What has changed is the interface: gone are the screen, menu system, hidden settings, and the long list of somewhat redundant synthesis models.

Thanks to additional CV inputs, and to the use of 3 timbre-shaping parameters per model, Plaits is straightforward to use, and much closer to the ideal of one synthesis technique = one model. What were fragmented islands of sound in Braids are now part of a continuum of sounds.

The module is very easy to use as a stand-alone voice or percussive source: its built-in low-pass gate allows the module to be operated without a VCF or VCA, and an internal decay envelope is normalled to some of the CV inputs.

Great care has been taken regarding audio quality, anti-aliasing, and CV interpolation, resulting in a richer, cleaner sound.

All this for less HP, mA, and €/$ than the original!

8 Synthesis Models for Pitched Sounds

• Two detuned virtual analog oscillators with continuously variable waveforms.
• Variable slope triangle oscillator processed by a waveshaper and wavefolder.
• 2-operator FM with continuously variable feedback path.
• Two independently controllable formants modulated by a variable shape window (VOSIM, Pulsar, Grainlet, Casio CZ-style resonant filter…).
• 24-harmonic additive oscillator.
• Wavetable oscillator with four banks of 8×8 waves, with or without interpolation.
• Chord generator, with divide down string/organ emulation or wavetables.
• A collection of speech synthesis algorithms (formant filter, SAM, LPC), with phoneme control and formant shifting. Several banks of phonemes or segments of words are available.

8 Synthesis Models for Noise and Percussions

• Granular sawtooth or sine oscillator, with variable grain density, duration and frequency randomization.
• Clocked noise processed by a variable shape resonant filter.
• 8 layers of dust/particle noise processed by resonators or all-pass filters.
• Extended Karplus-Strong (aka Rings’ red mode), excited by bursts of white noise or dust noise.
• Modal resonator (aka Rings’ green mode), excited by a mallet or dust noise.
• Analog kick drum emulation (two flavors).
• Analog snare drum emulation (two flavors).
• Analog high-hat emulation (two flavors).

Inputs / Outputs and Controls

• 2 model selection buttons, with 8 bicolor LEDs displaying the active model.
• Main frequency control, 8 octaves.
• Three dimensions of timbre control: harmonics, timbre, morph.
• Attenuverters for the timbre, morph, and frequency modulation CV inputs. These CV inputs are normalized to the internal envelope generator.
• Model selection, harmonics, timbre, morph, FM CV inputs.
• Main V/O CV input, with a large input range (-3V to +7V).
• Trigger input, triggering an internal D envelope, or the exciter for the physical/drum models.
• Level CV input, controlling the internal digital low-pass gate, or acting as an accent control for the physical/drum models.

Technical Characteristics

• CV inputs: 100k input impedance, 4kHz, 16-bit.
• Audio outputs: 48kHz, 16-bit, DC-coupled.
• Cortex-M4 ARM processor.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Current Consumption: 50mA@+12V, 5mA@-12V
• Width : 12HP
• Depth : 25mm

https://mutable-instruments.net/modules/plaits

#12HP #Noise #Oscillator #Synth Voice #Waveshaper