Mutable Instruments Tides User Manual

Mutable Instruments | Tides

Tides is a digital waveform generator providing both single-shot and cyclic operation modes, and covering
a very wide range of frequencies from 0.5mHz to 10kHz. As such, it can serve as an AD or AR envelope
generator, a LFO, or an audio oscillator. Its unique design allows the waveform to be controlled along 3
dimensions: curvature of the rise and fall segments (shape), relative timing of the rise and fall segments
(slope), and harmonic content (smoothness).

Tides is designed for Eurorack synthesizer systems and occupies 14 HP of space. It requires a -12V /
+12V supply (2x5 connector), drawing 5mA from the -12V rail and 55mA 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.

1 of 6

Mutable Instruments | Tides

A. Mode switch. This button cycles back and forth between Tides’ 3 operation modes: AD envelope

(green LED), cyclic (LED off) and AR envelope (red LED). Note that a trigger pulse (or gate) must be sent
to the TRIG input for the AD envelope (or AR envelope) to be triggered!

B. Range switch. This button cycles back and forth between Tides’ 3 frequency ranges: low (20 minutes

to 5 Hz - green LED), medium (0.05 Hz to 300 Hz - LED off), and high (8 Hz to 10kHz - red LED). Note
that the “high” mode is optimized for audio frequencies and that the shape/slope settings have a different
response curve optimized for this. Read the “Time domain vs frequency domain” section for some
enlightenment!

C. Main frequency control. This knob has a range of +/- 4 octaves. The output bicolor LED next to this

knob reflects the amplitude of the generated waveform. The LED is green in the attack phase, and red in
the decay, sustain and release phases.

D. FM input attenuverter. This knob controls the polarity and amount of frequency modulation from the

FM input (7). When no patch cable is connected to this input, a 0.1V constant signal is internally switched
there, causing this knob to behave like a fine frequency control.

E. Shape control. This knob adjusts the shape of the wave - providing different combinations of

curvatures for the rise and fall segments.

F. Slope control. This knob adjusts the balance between the rise and fall time. When turned fully counter-

clockwise, the rise time is null and the decay segment takes up the whole duration of the cycle (decaying
envelope). When turned fully clockwise, the attack segment takes the whole duration of the cycle and the
fall is immediate. Both phases have equal duration when the knob is at 12 o’clock.

G. Smoothness control. When set at 12 o’clock, the waveform produced by the waveshaper is output

without any modification. Turn the knob counter-clockwise, from 12 o’clock to 7 o’clock to progressively
attenuate the high-frequency content of the signal (2-pole low-pass filtering). Turn the knob clockwise,
from 12 o’clock to 5 o’clock to progressively enrich its high-frequency content through wavefolding.

1. 2. 3. Shape, Slope, Smoothness CV inputs. The Shape/Slope/Smoothness knobs act as offsets

added to these inputs.

4. Gate/Trigger input. In cyclic mode, sending a pulse to this input simply resets the phase of the

oscillator. In AD and AR modes, this signal is the trigger/gate driving the envelope. The detection
threshold is 0.7V.

5. Freeze input. Whenever the signal on this input is high, the oscillator or envelope stops in its tracks -

until the input is back to 0V. The detection threshold is 0.7V.

6. V/Oct frequency input. Tides is digital and tracks well. If it does not, head to the “Calibration” section

to fix this!

7. FM input. The signal on this input is attenuverted by (D).

8. LEVEL input. This input acts as a VCA to scale the UNI and BI outputs (input range: 0V to 8V - higher

voltages tolerated and clipped). This input is normalled to a constant 8V signal - causing the UNI and BI
outputs to have a full amplitude when no patch-cord is connected to this input.

9. CLOCK input. The oscillator frequency or AD/AR cycle time can be synchronized to an external digital

signal (detection threshold of 0.7V). More about this in the “Clocked/PLL mode” section.

10. High-tide output. This output goes high (+5V approx.) at the end of the attack phase, and stays at

2 of 6