Mutable Instruments Frames User Manual

Mutable Instruments | Frames

Keyframing is a computer animation technique in which an animation sequence is created by manually
adjusting the position/orientation of characters/props at a few key moments, and letting the computer
interpolate the trajectory between them. Mutable Instruments’ Frames brings this concept to your modular
system, and allows up to 4 signal levels or CVs to be animated in this manner. Frames’ input/output
architecture is extremely flexible and allows mixing, panning, attenuation and CV generation applications ­all with the morphing/interpolation capabilities of a keyframer. Download the quick start guide.

Frames is designed for Eurorack synthesizer systems and occupies 18 HP of space. It requires a -12V /
+12V supply (2x5 connector), consuming 30mA from the -12V rail and 90mA from the +12V rail. The red
stripe of the ribbon cable must be oriented on the same side as the “Red stripe” marking on the printed
circuit board.

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired
operation.

This device meets the requirements of the following standards: EN55032, EN55103-2,
EN61000-3-2, EN61000-3-3, EN62311.

Frames’ core is a quadruple VCA, the gains of which are digitally controlled to create animated
sequences.

The inputs labelled 1, 2, 3, 4 are directly routed to each of the four VCAs. When no jack is plugged into
them, they receive instead the signal from the ALL input. For example, if you connect the output of a VCO
into ALL, and the output of a drum module into 4; the VCA 1, 2, and 3 will process the VCO signal, and the
VCA 4 will process the drum sound. What happens when no jack is plugged into the ALL input? The VCAs
receive no signal… unless the +10V OFFSET switch is pushed. When this switch is pushed, the ALL input
receives a constant +10V signal (unless a jack is inserted in!), and this signal is then routed into the 4
inputs (unless a jack is inserted in one of them!).

Once the VCAs have done their work, the 4 attenuated signals are sent to the outputs labelled 1, 2, 3, 4.
Unless a jack is inserted in one of these individual outputs, the signal is also sent to the global MIX output.
For example, if inputs 1, 2, 3, 4 receive the square, sawtooth, triangle and sine outputs of a VCO; and if a

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Mutable Instruments | Frames

patch cable is connected to output 4, the MIX output will contain a blend of the square, sawtooth and
triangle outputs - while the attenuated sine signal will be present on the patch cable plugged into output 4.

To put this into practice, here are some examples of applications:

Waveform mixing. Patch 4 audio sources into the 1, 2, 3, 4 inputs. Then take the signal from the MIX output.
Panning. Patch a monophonic audio source into the ALL input. Take the left and right signals from outputs 1

and 2 - and maybe front and back signals from 3 and 4 if you are working in quadraphony!
Effect or filter routing. Patch a dry audio signal into the ALL input. Send each of the individual outputs to

various filters or effect processors, and mix back with a standard mixer module or even a fixed-gain summer
(such as Mutable Instruments’ Links).

CV control. Leave all inputs unconnected. Switch on the +10V offset (the +10V constant signal will flow into
ALL, and then into all inputs). The outputs 1, 2, 3, 4 can be used as 4 CV sources.

Mutable Instruments’ favorite… Patch the outputs of two instances of Braids (our digital oscillator) into inputs
1 and 2. Switch on the +10V offset. The +10V constant signal will flow into ALL, and then into the unused
inputs 3 and 4 - the outputs 3 and 4 are thus CV sources, which can be fed into Braids’ TIMBRE inputs. Send
the MIX output to a filter or VCA. This configuration allows to simultaneously control the levels of the two
oscillators; and their TIMBRE CV.

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Mutable Instruments | Frames

The big FRAME knob is used to move through the animation, from the beginning (knob turned fully
counter-clockwise) to the end (knob turned fully clockwise). The animation is played as you turn the knob.

The keyframe LED G indicates whether the current position of the FRAME knob stores a keyframe (LED
lit) - or whether it is just an intermediate interval between keyframes (LED switched off).

The ADD button creates a keyframe at the current position of the FRAME knob. The DEL button removes
the keyframe at the current position of the FRAME knob (if there is no keyframe at the current position of
the FRAME knob, nothing happens).

The 4 potentiometers at the top of the module adjust the gains of the 4 channels at the current keyframe.
If there is no keyframe at the current position of the FRAM E knob, nothing happens - the gains will be
interpolated between the previous and next keyframe in the sequence and you do not have control of
them.

Frames provides two types of visual feedback. Firstly, every time you create a keyframe it is given a
different color, illuminating the FRAME knob and creating intermediate hues as the animation is played.
Secondly, the 4 LEDs below the 4 knobs at the top of the module indicate the current value of the gains for
the 4 channels.

In this walkthrough, we will create a sequence blending two waveforms from a VCO. Of course, any other
signal source can be used - but throughout this section we will refer to the two input signals as the
“square” and “sawtooth” inputs.

We assume that the module has just been powered on for the first time (or reset - see the ‘advanced
features’ section below). After the short animation played when the module starts, The FRAME knob is
white and the keyframe indication LED is off - indicating that no keyframe has been created yet.

Switch off the +10V offset. Patch the square output of the VCO into the input 1; and the sawtooth output of
the VCO into the input 2. Monitor the MIX output. We will simply ignore channels 3 and 4.

Set the FRAME knob to its minimum position (7 o’clock). We are going to create the first keyframe in the
animation. Press the ADD button. Use the 1 and 2 knobs to set the square signal to its maximum level,
and the sawtooth signal to its minimum level. Our animation will thus start with the square signal at its
maximum level, and the sawtooth signal at its minimum level. Observe that the FRAME knob is illuminated
in red (the color of our first keyframe), and that the keyframe indicator is also lit.

Rotate the FRAME knob to its medium position (12 o’clock). We are going to create the second keyframe
in the animation. Press the ADD button. Use the 1 and 2 knobs to set the square signal to its minimum
level, and the sawtooth signal to its maximum level. The second stage of our animation will thus have the
square signal at its minimum level, and the sawtooth signal at its maximum level. This second keyframe is
given an orange color.

Rotate the FRAME knob to its final postiion (5 o’clock). Press the ADD button to create the last keyframe
in the animation. Use the 1 and 2 knobs to set the square and sawtooth signals to medium levels. This
third keyframe is given a yellow color.

You can now rotate the FRAME knob to move back and forth through the animation. As you rotate the

FRAME knob you can notice several things:

The LEDs 1 and 2 (and of course, the mixer gains!) go through the different values that have been
programmed: first square wave, fading into sawtooth, and ending with a mix of both.

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