Eurorack - Mutable Instruments Clouds

Demo of Clouds. Granular texture synthesizer by Mutable Instruments for the Eurorack modular.
First part are two different samples processed in normal granular mode.
Second part is a real-time processing of the CS80 wave from Braids receiving pitch from K4815 and going through Make Noise Echophon. In this second part, Clouds are in bonus mode number four (also called Spectral Madness) which is a developer left-over extra feature that you enter by pressing and holding the audio quality / blending mode button for five seconds. Note, the extra modes are not supported by the developer, but still amazing extra's.
There are four modes in Clouds in addition to mode number 1 which is the default granular engine.
1. Default granular processing.
2. Pitch and time stretcher.
3. Looping delay mode.
4. Spectral madness.
Enjoy...
Clouds: mutable-instruments.net/module...
Demo by Luftrum: www.luftrum.com

[@fosferus]

apparently it was 7 years ago that i first watched this video, and it blew my mind open. since high school i was always interested in exploring strange new sounds and fx processing. i got there with some fixed architecture synths and fx pedals, but it was always clunky feeling - there was no element of chance and sound design was linear and methodical. then i stumbled onto this video knowing nothing about eurorack. as i sat and listened to the amazing textures i thought "where do i even begin? what do you put it in? how does power work? what screws? and cables?" then the spectral madness part of this video started. i heard sounds unlike any synth or pedal could make. etherial space gongs and chants, instant drones, cute little robotic blips and tweets.. all possible with the turn of a knob. i knew right then i had to figure it out at any cost; that this was the future of music for me. this was everything i wanted a synth to be, but never knew was possible. still have clouds, still love it. thanks for the video, it's sill an amazing demo of what this module can do.

[@TheParanoidAndroid79]

I'm convinced that this is less a demo and more a work of contemporary art.

[@jpiekkala]

This is only a demo, but so musical and entertaining that you could make it into a concert.

[@Wiktorion]

I often come back to this video just to relax a bit. Especially the ambient chord thing is great.

[@brianobush]

Awesome reading of Henry Van Dyke's poem "The red flower". Love Lucy Perry's voice, sharp and haunting at times with the right effects.

[@Luftrum1]

+Brian Bush Thanks Brian, Lucy's voice is quite mesmerizing. She could read from the phonebook and still sound alluring.

[@larsoe]

Thank you, I was looking for the title

[@Myuzak]

One of the best demos I've seen. No narrative, just music from the instrument. The music is the real description of what Clouds can do. Thanks for this

[@Koettnylle]

This is still one of the best clouds demos out there, in that it picks sound sources favourable for processing and overall niceness

[@noisejockey]

One of the best overviews of how Clouds can be used. Super inspiring. Thanks and nice work, Luftrum!

[@Luftrum1]

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it...

[@aboxinthesea]

Couldn't agree more! Well done again

[@DivKid]

yep what Noisejocket said, lovely module and a great video! :)

[@tombrews]

This is the module that makes me want to go modular

[@keplerhughes4390]

+no This is the module that DID make me go modular...

[@sinkarna]

ditto

[@jonridley]

haven't bough clouds yet but am building a modular around a few mutable instruments thanks to clouds/braids/rings etc

[@wombra8314]

same, cheers! ✊🏽👽

[@dannygeiyer]

I'm about to take the plunge myself and watching this video reinforces that decision.

[@CharlesMuccia]

Wow! I am thoroughly impressed! That module sounds awesome! Great video, thank for sharing it!

[@countimbroglio]

Really the most beautiful demo anywhere. I come back to it often to get lost in its wide open spaces.

[@robertt4351]

Oneof the best euro demos Ive seen/heard, well done!

[@audulus]

My second time listening through - it's almost like an EP!

[@EdisonGrove]

Definitely my next eurorack module! Nice performance! Really unique textures

[@kidko]

people in my studio walked over to my desk to see what was making such interesting sounds. Great demo, thanks!

[@Luftrum1]

kidkoexist Thanks for your kind comments also on the ErbeVerb demo, glad you found them inspiring. Clouds is a really fantastic module...

[@wotmate1440]

So eerie! I love it!

[@drewmorgan7089]

Lovely video! Useful demo and aesthetically great. Thanks for this.

[@evabowan]

watched this 3 times and can't stop.

[@andypre72]

great module, especially at 9:45 i can hear the NOSTROMO approaching...

[@vicepc8]

the beggining moved me....thank you! c':

[@djey308]

12:00-12:50 puts me in an instant trance... i'm quite desensitized to ambient music too. damn well done demo.

[@collina24]

Some demo video is a work of art

[@kmal16]

I've very excited about this as it offers a lot more sonic characteristics that are mostly found in today's amazing plugins like NI's Reakor, Cosmos Saturn, Omnisphere and Alchemy, but are hard to reproduce in more traditional analog synths, other than the Waldorf series. Thanks, this is amazing, I saw a friend (synth creator himself) perform on this Cloud module and was pleasantly surprised with how evocative his set was. Thanks for posting and the price is also affordable. A wonderful tool to have in your arsenal of sound design capabilities. Would be interested in getting this. :) Keep creating more tools like this if you can.

[@Wiktorion]

Excellent demo. Very inspiring.

[@terrybrown106]

Wow. I just bought a Clouds module along with a Blackhole, Ears, and an Atom from a private seller on Marketplace. I haven't done anything with them yet. But it looks like I'm going to have a lot of fun getting some strange effects from them. To me, in this video, the Clouds sounds so much like a waterphone. This would be good for doing soundtracks for horror movies.

[@aleatoriac7356]

This is immensely pleasurable to the brain-bits

[@landongeorge5257]

Right around 5:00 is some of the most moment making, beautiful breath of clean dark air I've witnessed in a minute.

[@RestlesSo0]

extremly nice demo!!! absolutely cool! the drone feel really got me. oh and yeah best way to review a product imo :) thx

[@janzerv1]

Stellar work. Must have module too!

[@wombra8314]

perfect demo thanks. this vid sold me on clouds! subbed

[@AmlethLeMaudit]

This is technically interesting and artistically inspiring, thank you very much for this video (I do not own the MI Clouds, but I'm currently working on a way to send my modular signal into my own granular algorithms made with SuperCollider).

[@KristerNielsen]

Sounds superb!

[@paulstillwell]

Really nice work!

[@ambitsmusic]

oh fucking shit, I just pulled the trigger on a clouds, because of that amazing chord section at 5.00, it sounded so good like burial.Best demo of clouds, you use it so well, suttle . so excited :O

[@evwaldron]

You've sold me on this module.... I NEED it now LOL.

[@Fluidstructure]

Great demo. Inspiring

[@FlockOfHawks]

two of them in a row , that would be totally awesome . . .

[@H4NDCRAFTED]

Very nice demo, thanks.

[@olg88]

Wow, amazing stuff!

[@waheex]

I must get one of these, fantastic

[@stevebrenner9538]

Great demo of an excellent module A++++

[@simonharris2577]

mind expanding terrain....cheers

[@JensPaldam]

I have listened to this over and over because of the beautiful ambient bit starting around 3:24. The modulated poem works as a great appetizer! The whole thing is a little bit deceptive because it makes you assume that Clouds can make anything sound this amazing. Here, the quality of the sound being fed through it makes a big difference, but sure - it can work wonders with a bit of luck and persistence.

[@boybianchi]

Not that difficult to find a really good sample from a Rhodes.. off you go! :-)

[@canecreek00]

Sublime demo, thank you.

[@gammakeraulophon]

Very nice ! 👍

[@Zvark]

I have a feeling that when I am able to afford Eurorack this is one of the first modules I get.

[@FadingCanvas]

Mesmerizing !

[@StonedRiderRecords]

wicked sounds!

[@robotopsyrobotopsy6486]

Amazing !

[@TylerVanHoomissen]

This is dope dude

[@m.g.kroger]

Give a nice device in the hands of a great sound designer and.. that's all folks!

[@Romanowitch]

wow, that was intense !

[@djnosleeves85]

sounds haunting and beautiful

[@ilmaripohjola2633]

Very nice!

[@riamiwovideos]

that sounds nice 😊

[@thekevinc]

10:00 is such a nice drone

[@Grauskegg]

Magiskt!

[@syncdestroyer]

Ok. I'm sold.

[@moorhertz829]

Fantastic!

[@alpakaalpaka3983]

really like your taste

[@viDUBla]

Incredible

[@joeneoj]

amazing

[@NimrodScott]

Unbelievably subtle...

[@Chicagomatic]

Wonderful.

[@sebastianalarcon1204]

so sick

[@9bitjim]

Id like to start with clouds for my synths then get more modules in a case to build a modular. But wow this thing blows me away in every demo.

[@djey308]

you're telling me the Echophon can turn the gnarly braids CSAW voice into a straight-up william basinski track? the segment beginning at 3:33? ghottdamn!

[@kitespongan]

Too rad for words... I'm convinced I want Clouds, but wallet is not :(

[@Klangraum]

das ist wirklich gut. erweitert die moeglichkeiten um ein vielfaches.

[@thirdsmusic]

Headphones required for maximum effect! If I was not sold on this already I am now for sure.

[@Luftrum1]

Thanks! Yes, the stereo separation really comes to life with headphones on, absolutely.

[@charliehale4960]

This is awesome. I’m a little confused. Midway through, the chill out sounding synth base is the clouds itself or is clouds modulating the effects

[@casinoversusjapan9041]

Now if only Mutable Instruments had a vinyl lathe module ...

[@Sarahbuildsstepsequencers]

Wow. Such entrancing, sounds. I got so completely pulled into this. Do you have things like this published to iTunes? You definitely should be recording your sessions.

[@CablesForClouds]

Awww look at her 😍

[@williambowden4192]

So are you getting the stereo effect in the chordal part of the video by having the clouds module after the echophon - which is mono isn't it? Best demo out there btw!

[@Luftrum1]

+William Bowden That's correct. The Out of Echophon is mono, although it's reverb brother the Erbe-Verb (not used in this demo) got two outs for stereo. Clouds also got Out's for both L and R.

[@supermonkeycollider]

Sold.

[@flashbangofficial]

Ha I just wanna listen to an album of this x

[@RobinParmar]

beauty

[@mylarmelodies]

Ouch, now I want one of these.

[@everymandan4176]

Well about time yer on the other end of that feeling mate!!

[@dontlooklistenmodular4742]

Just got a clouds module and a morphagene module, now it's time to have fun. Next on the list is math

[@jonaswortmann5467]

I gotta get this ! jesus

[@larushruiz9197]

Amazing! Since there are so many questions and this is with doubt one of the best videos out there is it an idea to remake it and show a tutorial or a picture how to patch? :)

[@Luftrum1]

Thanks. I didn't take a picture of the setup and it would be difficult to recreate or tutorialise but then again, that's the beauty of modular. :-) The patch is partly deciphered further down the thread.

[@6884]

This is great and so inspiring...I must confess I'm really tempted to rip this audio and make something with it. (don't worry, if I'll ever do, you'll know before anyone else) I'm quite tripping right now.

[@aeffchen5252]

But thats my thoughts also :) have to rip this audio, haha

[@SorchaSublime]

would you consider doing a demo of beads with the same audio recording? for the sake of comparison? and also because this is the best demo of clouds in terms of demonstrating functionality on the internet?

[@1997Mrlorenz]

Very great! Which modules du you use in the complete rack?

[@StonedRiderRecords]

10:55 amazing

[@leonswitch]

🙌

[@MikeHudsontek]

What mode is Clouds in from 3:30 minutes? and how is this working with the input gain knob on zero ? really nice demo btw, thank you!

[@theugene]

Cool

[@ilmaripohjola2633]

Good damn i like this, You have an album or something?

[@-SamotoMas]

Ohw yeah!

[@Hospizzzz]

It‘s strange.. I heard the sound starting at 03:30 before... I‘m sure I‘ve got it somewhere in my library but does anyone know what it is called?

[@dat_chip]

Great module! Just one thing... when pitching down, the treble gets somewhat muffled, which might be because it's recording at 44.1 or 48 khz. Going at 96 kHz would solve that.

[@asym9244]

Nice vid. Thanks! Who makes the cables plugged into the "Freeze" input of clouds? Looks like you use the same cables elsewhere as well. I like the small footprint. Cheers!

[@Luftrum1]

Asym9 You mean the pink ones? They are Ad Infinitum cables by Make Noise. They come as 6-inches (15 cm) in a 5-pack only. I got them from Schneidersladen as far as I remember.

[@VCVRackIdeas]

ultimate tool for spoken word? for the sound of Coil style? yes!

[@ArctaProductions]

Coil is just what I was thinking lol

[@drtchock]

the ambient section reminds me of Labradford.

[@Perversion12]

I have a Clouds clone coming tomorrow, and cannot wait. I surprised myself in that some of my (pre-Clouds) Eurorack noodling in a smallish setup reminds me of Labradford too...not consciously trying to, but it ended up that way. Look forward to seeing what Clouds can do for my stuff. Good to see that someone else posting here knows who Labradford is. Bought Prazision the year it came out after having seen them open for Stereolab, and all these yeas later, I would still put it in my top 20 albums of all time.

[@jukouvaton]

Thks for this! Could you tell us more about the other clouds modes? How do they work? Can't find anythin about in the clouds manual!

[@jukouvaton]

Found my own answer here... : mutable-instruments.net/modules/clouds/alternate_modes/

[@KristerNielsen]

The only problem i think i have with this module is that the sampling time is only 1-8 sec at 32 or 16 kHz. You can clearly hear the noise at some points, which is not always a bad thing, but it would have been nice with 44 kHz for one of the settings.

[@blave549]

This vid has a lot to do with why I now have a Clouds. Thanks? ;^) // What are you triggering Freeze and Trig with?

[@Luftrum1]

I am triggering Freeze and Trig with Plog which is sending output A to Clouds 'Freeze' function, you can see that the red light from Plog and the green light on 'Freeze' are in sync. At the same time, output B of Plog is sending a trigger to the Trig of Clouds - that is what generates the melodic single grains shattered across the ambience.

[@blave549]

Thanks -- I was not familiar with Plog -- I'm researching it now.

[@justinfigiel104]

I've just started checking out Clouds. What do you have running into the Type A, X, and Y inputs of the plog to trigger the freeze and trig inputs at 11:45?

[@Luftrum1]

+Justin Figiel Most likely it was the Doepfer A-147 VC LFO going into A. The Y (blue stackable) might be an output from Quadra plogged (ha!) into Y, the X might be one of the clocks from the Doepfer A161 but I can't remember exactly...

[@wotmate1440]

How did you achieve the sound at 3:40 ?