livepilot 1.4.4 → 1.4.5

package/plugin/skills/livepilot-core/references/device-atlas/synths-m4l.md

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-# Max for Live Synthesizers — Device Atlas
-
-> M4L synths from Fors, Mutable Instruments, Sonus Dept, Spektro Audio, and independent developers.
-> Use this reference to choose, configure, and play M4L synthesizers via LivePilot.
-
----
-
-## Fors Suite
-
----
-
-### Fors.Chiral v1.1
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors Chiral", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Phaseshaping — contorts sine waves through size, bend, and fold operations. Not FM, not wavetable — a distinct method that twists phase relationships to generate complex spectra from a single oscillator. Amplitude modulator adds inharmonic sidebands.
-- **Character:** Holographic, alien, crystalline. Can be glassy and delicate or aggressively metallic. The 3D oscilloscope display (Moebius-strip style) visually represents the waveform contortion. Sits between digital bell-like clarity and analog warmth thanks to the saturation stage.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Size** → scales the phaseshaping depth → low values = near-sine purity, high = complex harmonic density
-  - **Bend** → asymmetric phase distortion → introduces even harmonics, gives warmth or bite
-  - **Fold** → wavefolder-style complexity → aggressive timbral transformation at high values
-  - **Amplitude Modulator** → spectrum from subtle tremolo to harsh ring-mod territory
-  - **Tone Filter** → contouring post-oscillator → tames highs or scoops mids for placement
-  - **Dirt** → crunchy saturator → sweet spot 20-40% for analog grit, above 60% for destruction
-  - **Space** → celestial reverb → built-in, tuned for the synth's character; 30-50% for pads
-  - **ADSR Envelope** → standard amplitude shaping
-  - **Variable Slope Generator** → additional modulation source
-  - **Jitter** → polyphonic random modulation → adds life to static tones
-- **Modulation matrix:** 6 sources (including MPE pressure, slide, per-note pitch) x 12 destinations. Full MPE support in Live 11+.
-- **Polyphony:** Up to 16 voices
-- **Presets:** 32 presets included. Export single-cycle waveforms for use in other synths.
-- **Reach for this when:** you want sounds that don't exist in conventional synths — alien textures, holographic leads, evolving pads with internal movement; MPE expression is a priority; you want a CPU-light M4L synth
-- **Don't use when:** you need bread-and-butter subtractive sounds (use Drift), conventional FM tones (use Operator), or sample-based realism
-- **vs Drift:** Chiral is weirder, more experimental — Drift is warmer and more predictable. Chiral's phaseshaping creates timbres you can't get from traditional oscillators.
-- **vs Operator:** Operator is more precise for classic FM. Chiral's phaseshaping is a fundamentally different paradigm — less mathematical, more gestural.
-
----
-
-### Fors.FM.Bokeh
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors) — Audio Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors Bokeh", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Not a synth — a defocusing delay/reverb effect. Inspired by photographic bokeh (out-of-focus blur). Uses diffusion networks and pitch-shifting to blur audio.
-- **Character:** Dreamy, cinematic, washed-out. Transforms precise sounds into soft-focus textures. Can range from subtle chorusing to infinite reverb-like wash. The pitch-shifting adds tonal color that standard delays lack.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Defocus** → blurs the delay taps via diffusion → low = distinct echoes, high = reverb-like smear
-  - **Spin** → kinetic movement parameter → adds rotation/modulation for evolving textures
-  - **Pitch Shift** → supersonic pitch-shifter → tonal coloring of the delay; subtle amounts add shimmer
-  - **Tone Filter** → variable slope filtering → shapes brightness of the wet signal
-  - **Mix** → dry/wet balance → 20-30% on inserts, 100% on sends
-- **Signal flow:** Input -> 2x Diffusing Delays -> 2x Supersonic Pitch-shifters -> 2x Variable Slope Tone Filters -> Output
-- **Presets:** Pop Warp, Droop, Chimes, Majestic (and more including Chorus Almost, Slapback, Dreamscape, Infinite Reflex, Just Reverb, Washed Out per user library)
-- **Reach for this when:** you want delays that blur into reverb territory, dreamy/shoegaze textures, pitch-shifted spatial effects, cinematic washes
-- **Don't use when:** you need precise rhythmic delays (use Delay), transparent reverb (use Hybrid Reverb), or dry/upfront sounds
-- **vs Delay:** Bokeh is anti-precision — it intentionally defocuses. Delay is surgical. Use Bokeh for texture, Delay for rhythm.
-- **vs Hybrid Reverb Shimmer:** Both pitch-shift, but Bokeh's character is more delay-based and kinetic; Shimmer is more static/ethereal.
-
----
-
-### Fors.Glanta
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors Glanta", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** 2-operator FM (phase modulation). Each oscillator has dynamic bipolar self-modulation (feedback) that is frequency-compensated — meaning saw and square waveshapes stay consistent and alias-free across the entire pitch range. Cross-modulation between operators. Stereo phase modulation widens sidebands.
-- **Character:** Pure, focused FM tones. Can be glassy and clean (low mod amounts) or gritty and complex (high feedback/cross-mod). The frequency-compensated feedback is the secret weapon — it makes single-operator sounds usable across the keyboard without the pitch-tracking issues of naive FM. Surprisingly warm for a digital FM synth.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Mod Amount** → FM depth between operators → sweet spot 20-40% for musical tones, above 60% for metallic/inharmonic
-  - **Feedback** → dynamic bipolar self-modulation per operator → negative = square-ish, positive = saw-ish, zero = sine
-  - **Cross-Mod** → mutual modulation between operators → complex intermodulation spectra
-  - **Unison** → pitch-relative, adds 2 extra oscillators → slight amounts for chorus, extreme for supersaw-like stacks
-  - **FM Envelope (ADSR)** → with adjustable start/end levels → controls how timbre evolves over note duration
-  - **Amplitude ADSR** → standard volume shaping
-  - **Note Slide** → polyphonic portamento → smooth pitch transitions between notes
-- **Polyphony:** Up to 16 voices
-- **MPE:** Pitch-bend enabled, compatible with Live 12 tuning system and Microtuner
-- **Presets:** No factory presets — designed for hands-on tweaking from init state
-- **Reach for this when:** you need clean, focused FM sounds — electric pianos, bells, basses, plucks — with minimal fuss; when you want FM that tracks properly across the keyboard; quick sound design with few parameters
-- **Don't use when:** you need complex multi-operator FM (use Operator with 4 ops), sample-based sounds, or dense wavetable textures
-- **vs Operator:** Glanta is simpler (2 ops vs 4) but the frequency-compensated feedback makes its basic sounds more immediately musical. Operator is more powerful but requires more programming.
-- **vs Chiral:** Different paradigms — Glanta is FM, Chiral is phaseshaping. Glanta is more conventional-sounding, Chiral is more alien.
-- **Price:** 10 EUR
-
----
-
-### Fors.Kit (7 Devices)
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors) — collection of 7 devices
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors [DeviceName]", target={"track_index": N})` where DeviceName is Box, Dot, Ego, Hue, Jog, Lux, or Pop
-
-#### Kit.Box (Reverb)
-- **Synthesis:** Feedback reverb with intense tonality — explores feedback, distortion, and filtering for extreme signal manipulation
-- **Character:** Vast, alien spaces. Not a clean reverb — it's a sound design tool that happens to use reverb architecture. Can self-oscillate into drones.
-- **Key parameters:** Size, Feedback, Filter, Distortion amount
-- **Reach for this when:** you want reverb as an instrument, not just an effect; drone generation, sound design, industrial textures
-- **Don't use when:** you need clean, transparent reverb (use Hybrid Reverb)
-
-#### Kit.Dot (Sequencer)
-- **Synthesis:** Circular MIDI sequencer — not a synth itself. Generates two euclidean patterns that interact via logical operators (AND, OR, XOR, etc.)
-- **Character:** Algorithmic, generative, polyrhythmic
-- **Key parameters:** Pattern length, Density, Logical operator selection, Step count per ring
-- **Reach for this when:** you want evolving polyrhythmic patterns that write themselves; pair with any synth
-
-#### Kit.Ego (Delay)
-- **Synthesis:** Grainshifting delay — based on Bokeh's architecture but with granular-inspired pitch shifting instead of supersonic shifting
-- **Character:** Blurred, grainy, lo-fi echoes that dissolve into texture. The granular pitch shifter gives it a unique dusty quality.
-- **Key parameters:** Delay time, Grainshift amount, Diffusion/blur, Feedback, Mix
-- **Reach for this when:** you want delays with granular character, lo-fi texture processing, tape-like degradation
-
-#### Kit.Hue (Filter)
-- **Synthesis:** Dynamic bandpass filter modulated by two euclidean-triggered envelopes. Can function as highpass, lowpass, or bandpass.
-- **Character:** Rhythmic filtering with built-in generative patterns. The euclidean triggers create organic, evolving filter movement.
-- **Key parameters:** Frequency, Width, Envelope depth, Euclidean pattern settings
-- **Reach for this when:** you want rhythmic filter effects without manual automation; generative techno textures
-
-#### Kit.Jog (Sequencer)
-- **Synthesis:** Polyphonic notepad MIDI sequencer with dynamic euclidean algorithm for variation
-- **Character:** Step-recording sequencer that generates endless melodic variation from simple input
-- **Key parameters:** Step recording, Euclidean density, Variation amount
-- **Reach for this when:** you want to quickly capture melodic ideas and let the sequencer generate variations
-
-#### Kit.Lux (Additive Synth)
-- **Synthesis:** Additive — multiple sinewaves with individual control over each partial's frequency and amplitude. Pure, harmonic synthesis.
-- **Character:** Pristine, crystalline, organ-like. Individual partial control means you can sculpt the harmonic spectrum precisely. Sounds range from pure organ tones to shimmering, evolving textures.
-- **Key parameters:** Per-partial frequency, Per-partial amplitude, Global tuning, Envelope
-- **Reach for this when:** you want precise harmonic control, organ-like tones, crystalline textures, educational FM/additive exploration
-- **Don't use when:** you need complex modulation or thick analog sounds
-- **vs Operator:** Lux is purely additive (individual sine control), Operator is FM. Lux is more transparent, Operator is more versatile.
-
-#### Kit.Pop (Synth)
-- **Synthesis:** 8-voice synthesizer with morphing spectral modulation and microtonal capabilities. Revolving oscillators with phase modulation.
-- **Character:** Colorful, microtonal, playful. The revolving oscillators create internal movement. Microtonal capabilities make it ideal for non-Western tunings and experimental intonation.
-- **Key parameters:** Spectral morph, Phase modulation depth, Microtonal tuning, Voice count
-- **Reach for this when:** you want microtonal sounds, colorful timbres with internal movement, experimental melodic work
-- **Don't use when:** you need standard 12-TET sounds with predictable tuning
-
----
-
-### Fors.Opal (Drum Machine + Components)
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors) — rhythm machine with standalone components
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors Opal", target={"track_index": N})` for full machine, or `search_browser("Fors [Component]", target={"track_index": N})` for standalone: Gem, Mass, Dust, Slate, Void
-- **Price:** 49 EUR
-
-#### Opal.Gem (FM Drum Synth)
-- **Synthesis:** 2-operator FM (sinewave phase modulation) with bipolar modulation and feedback for square/triangle/saw waveshaping
-- **Character:** Punchy FM percussion — deep kicks, snappy snares, glistening metallic hits. Can drift into melodic territory. The FM core makes it versatile for both percussive and tonal sounds.
-- **Key parameters:** FM depth, Feedback, Pitch envelope, Decay, Tone
-- **Reach for this when:** you need synthetic kicks, FM percussion, metallic hits, or melodic bass drums
-
-#### Opal.Mass (Modal/Physical Modeling)
-- **Synthesis:** Modal/physical modeling — excites resonant modes to simulate physical materials
-- **Character:** Quirky, organic percussion. Wooden, metallic, or membrane-like depending on settings. Less predictable than FM, more natural-sounding.
-- **Key parameters:** Exciter type, Resonance, Damping, Material brightness
-- **Reach for this when:** you need organic-sounding drums, unusual percussion timbres, physical modeling textures
-
-#### Opal.Dust (Pulsar/Noise Synth)
-- **Synthesis:** Pulsar synthesis (granular-style noise engine). Generates streams of noise pulses with controllable density and spectral content.
-- **Character:** From pure white noise to perfectly soft spectral washes. Ideal for hi-hats, cymbals, atmospheric textures, and noise sweeps.
-- **Key parameters:** Density, Spectral content, Pulse rate, Envelope
-- **Reach for this when:** you need hi-hats, noise textures, atmospheric percussion, granular noise beds
-
-#### Opal.Slate (Granular Sampler)
-- **Synthesis:** Granular sample playback with click-less playback/looping, single-cycle waveform support, flexible loop modes
-- **Character:** Sample-based but granular — can freeze, stretch, and mangle samples. Good for textural percussion and one-shots.
-- **Key parameters:** Sample select, Grain size, Loop mode, Playback position
-- **Reach for this when:** you want to use your own samples in the Opal ecosystem, granular drum design
-
-#### Opal.Void (Reverb)
-- **Synthesis:** Reverb tailored for drum sounds
-- **Character:** Tuned specifically for percussion — tighter and punchier than general-purpose reverbs
-- **Key parameters:** Decay, Size, Damping, Mix
-- **Reach for this when:** you want reverb optimized for drums without washing out transients
-
-#### Opal Sequencer
-- **Step sequencer:** Up to 128 steps per track, 5 tracks total
-- **Parameter locks:** unique value for any synth parameter on each step (Elektron-style)
-- **Features:** Probability, conditional logic, ratcheting, microtiming nudge, independent track length/time division/swing/direction, randomizer
-- **Opal-Ctl:** Standalone sequencer device for controlling other instruments/external gear
-
-- **Reach for this when:** you need a full Elektron-style drum machine inside Ableton; complex polyrhythmic percussion; parameter-locked drum sequences
-- **Don't use when:** you just need simple drum patterns (use Drum Rack), or acoustic drum realism (use samples)
-- **vs Drum Rack:** Opal has built-in synthesis engines and an Elektron-style sequencer with parameter locks. Drum Rack is more flexible for sample layering and effect chains. Use Opal for synthetic/electronic drums, Drum Rack for sample-based work.
-
----
-
-### Fors.Superberry + Roulette
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors) — synth + companion sequencer
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors Superberry", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** FM-based supersaw/superwave. Phase modulation core that ranges from super-sharp to super-soft timbres without traditional filters. The FM architecture replaces filtering with timbral morphing.
-- **Character:** Melodramatic trance melodies, juicy supersaws, hyperreal leads. Intentionally nostalgic — designed to evoke late-90s/early-2000s trance and Eurodance. Can also do delicate FM bells and soft pads. The dual delay adds built-in spatial depth.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Superwave Oscillator** → core sound source → sharp or soft timbre via FM amount
-  - **Sub Oscillator** → stackable, with softening and fine-tuning controls → adds weight and body
-  - **AHR Envelope** (Attack-Hold-Release) → simpler than ADSR, tuned for trance-style plucks and pads
-  - **Diffusing Dual Delay** → built-in Bokeh-style spatial effect → instant width and depth
-  - **Morphing LFO** → modulation with variable waveshape → adds movement to static tones
-- **Polyphony:** Up to 16 voices
-- **MPE:** Pitch-bend support
-- **Presets:** 64 presets across Bass, Pads, Percussion, Sequenced, and Synth categories
-- **Roulette Sequencer:** Companion M4L MIDI device. Polymetric/asymmetric list-driven sequencer that separates rhythm and pitch data at independent lengths for evolving, never-repeating patterns. Dynamic velocity patterns with randomization.
-- **Reach for this when:** trance leads, supersaw pads, euphoric melodies, nostalgic 90s/2000s electronic, juicy FM basses
-- **Don't use when:** you need clean/neutral sounds, realistic instruments, or subtle textures
-- **vs Operator:** Superberry is a specialized FM voice tuned for a specific aesthetic. Operator is general-purpose. If you want trance supersaws, Superberry gets there in one click.
-- **vs Drift:** Different worlds — Drift is analog-modeled warmth, Superberry is digital FM sparkle and width.
-- **Price:** 49 EUR (bundle with standalone app)
-
----
-
-## Mutable Instruments Ports
-
-> Free M4L ports of Mutable Instruments Eurorack modules. Based on open-source firmware by Emilie Gillet, ported to Max externals by Volker Bohm and others. Mac-only for most devices (Intel + Apple Silicon).
-
----
-
-### Braids / MutatedMacroOscillator
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Braids", target={"track_index": N})` or `search_browser("MutatedMacroOscillator", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Digital macro oscillator with 45+ synthesis algorithms spanning virtually every digital synthesis method:
-  - **Analog-style:** Notched sawtooth (CS-80), morphing osc (tri/saw/square/pulse), PWM, wavefolder
-  - **Digital:** Dual oscillators with hard sync, triple osc (saw/square/tri/sine), ring-mod sine stack, 7-saw swarm, comb-filtered saw, circuit-bent saw, CZ-style (Casio), vowel/formant, harmonic oscillator, FM
-  - **Physical models:** Plucked string (Karplus-Strong), bowed string, reed/flute, bell/metallic drum, 808 drums (kick, snare, cymbal)
-  - **Wavetable:** 256 waveforms across 21 tables or 16x16 XY map, 4-note chords
-  - **Noise:** Filtered noise, dual bandpass noise, clocked digital noise, granular cloud, particle synthesis
-- **Character:** Massively versatile — each algorithm sounds distinct. The CS-80 sawtooth is thick and notchy, the FM modes are clinical, the physical models are surprisingly realistic for a digital module, the wavetables are lo-fi charming. Quality varies by algorithm but the best ones rival dedicated synths.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Algorithm/Mode Select** → chooses synthesis method → the most important control; explore all 45+
-  - **Timbre** → primary timbral control (meaning depends on algorithm) → e.g., FM depth, wavefold amount, filter cutoff, formant position
-  - **Color** → secondary timbral control → e.g., feedback, waveform balance, damping
-  - **Coarse/Fine Tune** → pitch control
-  - **Filter** (M4L addition) → post-oscillator filter by Surreal Machines → shapes the raw oscillator output
-  - **2x Envelopes** (M4L addition) → modulation sources for filter and amplitude
-- **Polyphony:** 8 voices (M4L port), 6 voices (Poly-Braids variant)
-- **Platform:** Mac only (Intel + Apple Silicon since v1.3)
-- **Reach for this when:** you need a specific synthesis algorithm quickly — the Swiss army knife of digital oscillators; sound design exploration; when you want eurorack character in Ableton
-- **Don't use when:** you need polished, preset-heavy workflow (no factory presets); Windows (Mac only); when CPU is tight (45 algorithms means large binary)
-- **vs Operator:** Braids covers more synthesis ground (physical models, wavetables, noise) but Operator has deeper FM programming and a more polished UI. Use Braids for breadth, Operator for FM depth.
-- **vs Wavetable:** Braids' wavetable mode is more lo-fi and limited (256 waveforms) compared to Wavetable's massive morphable tables. But Braids adds 40+ other algorithms.
-
----
-
-### Poly-Braids 1.1
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Poly-Braids", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Same as Braids/MutatedMacroOscillator — all 45+ algorithms — but wrapped in a polyphonic M4L instrument with ADSR controls and Push mapping.
-- **Character:** Identical to Braids but polyphonic. The ADSR and UI refinements make it more immediately playable.
-- **Key parameters:** Same as Braids + dedicated ADSR envelope
-- **Polyphony:** 6 voices
-- **Platform:** Mac only (Intel + Apple Silicon since v1.3)
-- **Reach for this when:** you want Braids' algorithms in a more playable, polyphonic wrapper with envelope control
-- **vs Braids/MutatedMacroOscillator:** Same engine, better packaging. Use Poly-Braids unless you specifically need the MutatedMacroOscillator's 8-voice count.
-
----
-
-### Poly-Plaits 1.2
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Poly-Plaits", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** 16 synthesis engines (successor to Braids) in two banks:
-  - **Bank 1 — Pitched (8):** Virtual analog pair, waveshaper/wavefolder, 2-op FM, formant/VOSIM/CZ, 24-harmonic additive, 8x8 wavetable, chord generator, speech synthesis
-  - **Bank 2 — Noise/Drums (8):** Granular saw/sine, clocked resonant noise, dust/particle resonator, Karplus-Strong (Rings red mode), modal resonator (Rings green mode), analog kick, analog snare, analog hi-hat
-- **Character:** More refined than Braids — each engine is better optimized and sounds more polished. The pitched bank covers melodic needs elegantly; the noise/drum bank is surprisingly good for percussion without a dedicated drum machine. Built-in low-pass gate gives each engine an organic, Buchla-like envelope character.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Engine Select** → chooses from 16 algorithms
-  - **Harmonics** → primary timbral control (replaces Braids' Timbre) → meaning varies by engine
-  - **Timbre** → secondary timbral control
-  - **Morph** → tertiary control → three-dimensional timbral space per engine
-  - **OUT/AUX Crossfader** → blends main and auxiliary outputs (each engine has a complementary aux output)
-  - **ADSR** → amplitude envelope
-  - **Stereo Pan** → per-output panning
-- **Polyphony:** 6 voices
-- **Platform:** Mac only (Intel + Apple Silicon since v1.5)
-- **Reach for this when:** you want a modern, polished multi-engine synth with both melodic and percussive capabilities; the successor to Braids with cleaner sound; speech synthesis; physical modeling drums
-- **Don't use when:** Windows (Mac only); you need deep parameter control per engine (each has only 3 knobs); you need more than 6 voices
-- **vs Poly-Braids:** Plaits is the evolution — fewer but better-quality engines, built-in LPG character, three timbral dimensions per engine vs two. Use Plaits for quality, Braids for quantity/variety.
-- **vs Operator:** Plaits' FM engine is simpler (2-op) but the built-in LPG and the other 15 engines make it more versatile for quick sound design.
-
----
-
-### Clouds / MutatedTexturizer
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments) — Audio Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Clouds", target={"track_index": N})` or `search_browser("MutatedTexturizer", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Granular texture processor — captures incoming audio into a buffer and replays it as layered grains. Four processing modes:
-  1. **Granular** → classic granular processing with density, size, pitch, and position control
-  2. **Pitch-shifter/Time-stretcher** → real-time pitch and time manipulation
-  3. **Looping Delay** → buffer-based delay with granular characteristics
-  4. **Spectral Madness** → FFT-based spectral freezing and manipulation
-  - **Parasites firmware variant** adds: Oliverb (reverb) and Resonator modes
-- **Character:** The legendary texture machine. Turns any audio into ambient clouds, frozen drones, granular stutters, or spectral washes. The Parasites firmware's Oliverb mode is a sought-after reverb in its own right. Nothing else sounds quite like Clouds — it has a specific grain character that's become iconic in ambient/experimental music.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Position** → where in the buffer to read grains → manual or modulated for scanning
-  - **Size** → grain length → short = granular stutters, long = smooth time-stretching
-  - **Density** → how many grains overlap → low = sparse, high = dense cloud
-  - **Texture** → grain envelope shape → smooth crossfades to harsh windows
-  - **Pitch** → transposition of grains → subtle detuning to octave shifts
-  - **Feedback** → grains fed back into input → builds layers, can self-oscillate
-  - **Reverb** → built-in post-processing → Clouds' reverb is part of its signature sound
-  - **Freeze** → captures current buffer state → infinite sustain of captured moment
-  - **Blend** → dry/wet and stereo width → controls how processed the output is
-- **5 LFO modulation sources** (M4L addition) for automated parameter movement
-- **Platform:** Mac + Windows (MutatedTexturizer); some variants Mac only
-- **Reach for this when:** granular ambient textures, frozen moments, turning anything into a pad, spectral processing, lo-fi granular delays, the "Clouds sound" specifically
-- **Don't use when:** you need transparent processing (Clouds always colors the sound), precise time-based effects, or clean pitch-shifting
-- **vs Granulator II:** Clouds is real-time (processes live input), Granulator II works with pre-loaded samples. Clouds has the iconic Eurorack character; Granulator II is more precise and controllable. Use Clouds for live processing, Granulator II for sample-based granular.
-- **vs Spectral Time:** Both do spectral freezing, but Clouds is grainier and more lo-fi. Spectral Time is cleaner and more rhythmic.
-
----
-
-### Rings (rings-v2)
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments) — Audio Effect / Instrument
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Rings", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Physical modeling resonator with three modes:
-  1. **Modal Synthesis** → resonant body simulation (like striking a plate, bar, or membrane)
-  2. **Sympathetic Strings** → multiple strings that resonate in sympathy (like a piano's sustain pedal)
-  3. **String (Karplus-Strong variant)** → inharmonic string model with extended parameters
-- **Character:** Beautifully resonant — from delicate plucked strings to massive metallic drones. The sympathetic strings mode is unique and haunting. Can be used as a synth (MIDI-triggered internal exciter) or as an effect (audio input excites the resonator). The resonances have a distinctly physical, organic quality.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Frequency/Pitch** → fundamental resonant frequency → MIDI-controlled or manual knob (C0-C5)
-  - **Structure** → inharmonicity of the resonant modes → low = harmonic (string-like), high = inharmonic (bell/metallic)
-  - **Brightness** → high-frequency content of excitation and resonance → controls brilliance vs warmth
-  - **Damping** → how quickly resonances decay → low = long singing sustain, high = short plucks
-  - **Position** → where the resonator is excited → like plucking a string near bridge vs middle
-  - **Strum modes:** Audio exciter (incoming audio strikes resonator) or MIDI strum (notes trigger internal exciter)
-- **Platform:** Mac + Windows
-- **Reach for this when:** physical modeling resonance, plucked/bowed string sounds, metallic textures, sympathetic resonance effects, making any sound "ring" at a pitch, ambient drones
-- **Don't use when:** you need precise, predictable synthesis (resonators are inherently reactive), clean effects processing
-- **vs Tension:** Rings is rawer and more experimental — three distinct resonator architectures. Tension (if installed) is more polished but less versatile. Rings' sympathetic strings mode has no native equivalent.
-- **vs Corpus:** Similar concept but Rings has more resonator types and the iconic Mutable sound. Corpus is more CPU-friendly for simple body resonance.
-
----
-
-### Grids
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments) — MIDI Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Grids", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Not a synth — a topographic drum sequencer. Machine-learned drum patterns organized into a 2D map. Moving through the X/Y space morphs between hundreds of drum patterns.
-- **Character:** Generates organic, evolving drum patterns by navigating a terrain of rhythms. Patterns range from straight 4/4 to complex polyrhythms. The density controls act like "sea level" — raising them reveals more hits from the terrain.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **X Position** → horizontal navigation through pattern map → morphs between pattern families
-  - **Y Position** → vertical navigation → orthogonal pattern variation
-  - **Kick/Snare/HiHat Density** → independent thresholds per voice → how many hits each drum plays
-  - **Chaos** → randomization amount → adds unpredictability to the pattern
-  - **Accent** → enables accented hits → adds dynamic variation
-  - **Note Assignment** → MIDI notes for kick, snare, hi-hat → route to any drum instrument
-- **Modes:** Standard drums mode + Euclidean rhythm mode
-- **Resolution:** 256-step interpolation per axis
-- **Reach for this when:** you want instant drum patterns with organic variation; generative techno/house rhythms; creative block breaker; automating X/Y for evolving beats
-- **Don't use when:** you need precise manual pattern programming (use MIDI clips), specific genre-accurate patterns, or melodic sequencing
-- **vs Opal Sequencer:** Grids generates patterns from a map (discovery-based), Opal's sequencer is manual programming with parameter locks (precision-based). Use Grids for inspiration, Opal for control.
-
----
-
-### Chants
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Chants", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Vocal/formant synthesis — likely based on Mutable Instruments' formant synthesis algorithms (related to Plaits' speech models or Elements' resonator). Generates vowel-like timbres through resonant formant filtering.
-- **Character:** Vocal, choral, synthetic voice textures. Ethereal choir-like sounds. The formant synthesis creates vowel-like resonances that evoke human voice without using samples.
-- **Key parameters:** Formant frequency, Formant spacing, Vowel morph, Pitch, Resonance
-- **Reach for this when:** synthetic vocal textures, choir-like pads, formant synthesis, experimental vocal processing
-- **Don't use when:** you need realistic vocals (use samples), intelligible speech, or non-vocal sounds
-- **vs Corpus (Vowel mode):** Chants is dedicated to vocal synthesis with more parameters; Corpus can approximate vowels but is primarily a resonator.
-
----
-
-### TOPO SEQ
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Mutable Instruments) — MIDI Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("TOPO SEQ", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Not a synth — likely a topographic/generative MIDI sequencer related to the Grids concept. Generates evolving patterns from a parameter space.
-- **Character:** Generative, algorithmic sequencing. Related to Grids' topographic concept but potentially applied to melodic/pitched sequencing rather than drums.
-- **Key parameters:** X/Y position, Density, Pattern length, Note mapping
-- **Reach for this when:** generative melodic sequencing, evolving patterns, algorithmic composition
-- **vs Grids:** TOPO SEQ may extend the topographic concept to pitched sequences; Grids is drum-focused.
-
----
-
-## Sonus Dept — Abstructs Collection
-
-> 12 experimental M4L devices for minimal/abstract electronic music and sound art. All spectral-based or generative. Available as a bundle for 15 EUR.
-
----
-
-### AbstractSynth
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("AbstractSynth", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Spectral — generates sound from a dense, constantly evolving spectrum. Not oscillator-based; builds timbres from spectral components directly.
-- **Character:** Atmospheric, ever-shifting, amorphous. Dense spectral clouds that never sit still. Ideal for backgrounds that need to feel alive without being melodically distracting.
-- **Key parameters:** Spectral density, Evolution rate, Pitch, Amplitude envelope
-- **Polyphony:** Polyphonic
-- **Reach for this when:** atmospheric backgrounds, evolving ambient beds, abstract textures, sound art installations
-- **Don't use when:** you need stable, predictable tones or melodic precision
-- **vs Drift:** Completely different paradigm — AbstractSynth is spectral/textural, Drift is melodic/tonal. AbstractSynth for backgrounds, Drift for foreground.
-
----
-
-### BiShift
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs) — Audio Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("BiShift", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Spectral magnitude/phase shifting — shifts the magnitude and phase of the spectrum independently, acting as a complex, strange pitch-shifter.
-- **Character:** Alien, disorienting, otherworldly pitch effects. Not a clean shifter — it decouples spectral components in unnatural ways.
-- **Key parameters:** Magnitude shift, Phase shift, Blend
-- **Reach for this when:** experimental pitch manipulation, spectral sound design, making sounds unrecognizable
-
----
-
-### BrokenDelays
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs) — Audio Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("BrokenDelays", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Up to 16 delay lines that abruptly change lengths and playback probability rhythmically.
-- **Character:** Glitchy, stuttering, unpredictable. Creates broken, fractured echoes. The rhythmic parameter changes make it generative.
-- **Key parameters:** Number of delays, Length change rate, Probability, Rhythm
-- **Reach for this when:** glitch effects, broken delay textures, rhythmic deconstruction
-
----
-
-### Disturbances
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs) — Audio Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Disturbances", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Stutter and noise interference generator applied to incoming audio.
-- **Character:** Granular disruptions, vinyl-like artifacts, digital interference. Adds controlled chaos.
-- **Key parameters:** Stutter rate, Noise amount, Interference density
-- **Reach for this when:** adding vinyl-like artifacts, digital noise textures, controlled audio disruption
-
----
-
-### Essential
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs) — Audio Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Essential", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Spectral analysis — isolates only the most prominent spectral features of incoming audio, discarding everything else.
-- **Character:** Skeletal, reduced, bare. Strips sound to its spectral bones. Creates ghostly versions of the input.
-- **Key parameters:** Threshold, Number of retained components, Smoothing
-- **Reach for this when:** spectral reduction, ghostly textures, extracting the essence of a sound
-
----
-
-### FromOuterSpace
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("FromOuterSpace", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Drone generator — creates sustained, evolving tonal textures from internal oscillation.
-- **Character:** Cosmic, alien, vast. Continuous drones with slow internal movement. Sounds like intercepted deep-space signals.
-- **Key parameters:** Pitch, Density, Evolution rate, Spectral spread
-- **Reach for this when:** drone generation, ambient backgrounds, space-themed sound design, installations
-
----
-
-### InfiniteTrain
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("InfiniteTrain", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Pulse-train generator — creates abstract punctiform sound patterns from streams of short impulses.
-- **Character:** Pointillistic, glitchy, minimal. Sounds like rapid-fire digital clicks and pops organized into rhythmic patterns. Core sound of glitch and minimal electronic music.
-- **Key parameters:** Pulse rate, Density, Pitch, Envelope
-- **Reach for this when:** glitch rhythms, minimal techno textures, click-based percussion, pointillistic sound design
-
----
-
-### MadHatter
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("MadHatter", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Nominally a polyphonic hi-hat synthesizer, but capable of much more when parameters are pushed. Likely noise-based with resonant filtering.
-- **Character:** Metallic, sizzling, unpredictable. At default settings it's a hi-hat machine; with tweaking it becomes a full unusual synthesizer capable of tonal and textural sounds.
-- **Key parameters:** Frequency, Resonance, Decay, Noise color, Tuning
-- **Polyphony:** Polyphonic
-- **Reach for this when:** synthetic hi-hats, metallic percussion, experimental synth sounds from a percussion engine
-
----
-
-### OneToMany
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("OneToMany", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** 32-voice sample player that randomizes its parameters on every trigger. From a single sample, generates a wide range of unpredictable variations.
-- **Character:** Generative, ever-changing, surprising. No two triggers sound the same. The 32-voice layering creates dense, complex results from simple source material.
-- **Key parameters:** Sample select, Randomization range, Voice count, Pitch spread, Pan spread
-- **Reach for this when:** generative textures from a single sample, evolving percussion, granular-like variation without granular synthesis
-
----
-
-### SineBursts
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("SineBursts", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Oscillator-based — creates high-pitched sounds and noises from bursts of sine waves with optional glitch artifacts.
-- **Character:** High-frequency, piercing, crystalline. From pure sine tones to glitchy digital noise. The glitch parameter adds controlled digital artifacts.
-- **Key parameters:** Frequency, Burst rate, Glitch amount, Amplitude
-- **Reach for this when:** high-frequency textures, digital glitch percussion, sine-based sound design
-
----
-
-### SpectroGlitch
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs) — Audio Effect
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("SpectroGlitch", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Stochastic spectral processor — randomly suppresses or inverts the magnitude or phase of spectral components.
-- **Character:** Discontinuous, fragmented, spectral. Creates gaps and inversions in the frequency spectrum that sound like the audio is being randomly erased and flipped. Very distinct from time-domain glitch effects.
-- **Key parameters:** Suppression probability, Inversion probability, Spectral resolution, Rate
-- **Reach for this when:** spectral glitch effects, audio deconstruction, experimental processing
-
----
-
-### SpectroSynth
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_Sonus Dept / Abstructs)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("SpectroSynth", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Spectral — compact polyphonic synthesizer creating sounds with wide, complex timbres from spectral components.
-- **Character:** Rich, atmospheric, wide. Ideal for lush backgrounds and complex pads. More immediately musical than AbstractSynth — designed for atmospheres rather than pure abstraction.
-- **Key parameters:** Spectral content, Brightness, Spread, Envelope
-- **Polyphony:** Polyphonic
-- **Reach for this when:** rich atmospheric pads, complex backgrounds, spectral textures with more musical control than AbstractSynth
-- **vs AbstractSynth:** SpectroSynth is more controlled and musical; AbstractSynth is more chaotic and evolving. SpectroSynth for pads, AbstractSynth for textures.
-
----
-
-## Spektro Audio
-
----
-
-### Spektro Komplex 1.1
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (Spektro / Monty2)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Spektro Komplex", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** FM — inspired by Buchla 261e. Two oscillators: carrier has morphable waveform, modulator has selectable waveform. Modulator frequency derived from carrier frequency x ratio + offset. Three built-in waveshaping effects (fold, wrap, clip).
-- **Character:** Complex, metallic FM with west-coast flavor. The waveshaping post-FM adds Buchla-like harmonic richness. Can do classic FM bass, metallic percussion, or aggressive leads. The morphable carrier waveform adds dimension that pure-sine FM lacks.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Carrier Waveform Morph** → continuously variable carrier shape → adds harmonic content before FM
-  - **Modulator Waveform** → selectable mod oscillator shape → different starting spectra for modulation
-  - **Ratio** → frequency relationship between mod and carrier → integer ratios = harmonic, non-integer = inharmonic/metallic
-  - **Offset** → detunes modulator from ratio → adds complexity and beating
-  - **FM Amount** → modulation depth → low = subtle warmth, high = metallic/aggressive
-  - **Shape** (fold/wrap/clip) → post-FM waveshaping → fold = Buchla-like, wrap = digital, clip = hard distortion
-  - **Overdrive** → additional saturation → pushes the sound harder
-  - **Spread** → stereo widening via right-channel delay → instant width
-- **Bundled:** Spektro StepFilter — 24 dB/oct ladder filter with built-in step sequencer for rhythmic filtering
-- **Polyphony:** Up to 8 voices
-- **Reach for this when:** west-coast/Buchla-inspired FM, metallic textures, complex bass sounds, FM with waveshaping, when Operator's pure-sine FM is too clean
-- **Don't use when:** you need simple, clean FM (use Operator), realistic sounds, or preset-heavy workflow
-- **vs Operator:** Komplex adds waveshaping and carrier waveform morphing that Operator lacks. Operator has 4 operators and more algorithms. Komplex for Buchla-flavored FM, Operator for versatile FM.
-
----
-
-### Spektro String 1.3
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (Spektro / Monty2)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Spektro String", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Karplus-Strong string synthesis. Noise burst excitation into a filtered feedback delay line. Can simulate bowed, plucked, or twanged strings depending on excitation and damping settings.
-- **Character:** Natural, stringy, organic. From gentle plucked guitar to aggressive twangs. The KS algorithm gives it an inherently physical, acoustic quality that oscillator-based synths can't match. Simple but effective.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Excitation** → noise burst characteristics → longer/brighter = more aggressive attack
-  - **Damping** → feedback filter cutoff → low = bright, long sustain; high = dark, quick decay
-  - **Feedback** → string sustain → higher = longer ringing
-  - **Tuning** → pitch control
-  - **Body** → resonant filtering to simulate instrument body
-- **Reach for this when:** plucked string sounds, guitar-like textures, organic percussion with pitch, simple physical modeling
-- **Don't use when:** you need polished, realistic guitar (use samples), complex physical modeling (use Rings), or non-string sounds
-- **vs Fors Pluck:** Similar KS algorithm. Pluck is more refined with modern filters and variable impulse generator. Spektro String is free and simpler. Try both and use whichever responds better to your playing.
-- **vs KS-Synth:** Very similar — both are KS implementations. Spektro String focuses on string character, KS-Synth exposes more of the raw algorithm including mono mode glitches.
-
----
-
-## Other M4L Synths
-
----
-
-### Signaturr Synth 1.0
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (independent — Nando Scheffer)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Signaturr", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Draw-your-own wavetable — you literally draw waveforms by dragging the mouse, and the synth instantly processes and plays the drawn shape. The waveform becomes a single-cycle oscillator.
-- **Character:** Entirely dependent on what you draw. Can be anything from smooth sine-like tones to harsh, angular digital sounds. The appeal is creating sounds that are uniquely yours — no presets, no algorithms, just your drawn waveform.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Waveform Drawing Area** → the main interface — draw with mouse to create waveform
-  - **Playback controls** → standard pitch, volume, envelope
-- **Reach for this when:** you want truly unique timbres, educational exploration of waveform-to-sound relationships, creating a sonic signature/identity, sound design from scratch
-- **Don't use when:** you need quick, preset-based workflow; complex modulation; polished production sounds
-- **vs Wavetable:** Wavetable has sophisticated morphing, modulation, and sub-oscillators. Signaturr is raw and immediate — draw and play. Use Signaturr for uniqueness, Wavetable for production.
-
----
-
-### fp.ComplexOscillator 1.04
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (independent — eltnet)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("fp.ComplexOscillator", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** West-coast complex oscillator inspired by Buchla 261e and Make Noise DPO. Two oscillators with FM, waveshaping, and wavefolding in the Buchla tradition.
-- **Character:** Rich, harmonically complex, west-coast. The Buchla influence means sounds that are more organic and evolving than typical FM — wavefolding adds even harmonics that FM alone can't produce. Warm yet complex.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Oscillator 1 & 2** → carrier and modulator with independent waveform/pitch control
-  - **FM Amount** → cross-modulation depth
-  - **Wavefolder** → Buchla-style harmonic generation → sweet spot 30-60% for rich overtones
-  - **Waveshaper** → additional timbral transformation
-- **Reach for this when:** west-coast synthesis in Ableton, Buchla-inspired timbres, complex oscillator sound design, wavefolding textures
-- **Don't use when:** you need simple, predictable sounds; tight CPU budget; preset workflow
-- **vs Spektro Komplex:** Both are Buchla-inspired FM+waveshaping. fp.ComplexOscillator is more directly modeled on the 261e; Komplex has the step filter bundle and more conventional controls. Try both for different Buchla flavors.
-- **vs Operator:** Fundamentally different philosophies — Operator is east-coast (pure FM), fp.ComplexOscillator is west-coast (FM + wavefolding). The wavefolding gives fp.ComplexOscillator a character Operator can't achieve.
-
----
-
-### KS-Synth (zsteinkamp)
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (independent — zsteinkamp)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("KS-Synth", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Karplus-Strong — noise impulse through filtered feedback delay line. Three-stage architecture: Impulse (white noise -> lowpass filter -> ADSR envelope) -> Feedback Loop (tuned delay with damping) -> Output (highpass filter).
-- **Character:** Plucked strings to metallic textures. The exposed impulse controls give more sound-design flexibility than most KS implementations. Mono mode intentionally creates glitchy artifacts when multiple notes overlap — a feature, not a bug.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Impulse Filter Frequency** → brightness of the excitation noise → high = bright metallic attack, low = soft thud
-  - **Impulse ADSR** → shapes the noise burst → short attack for plucks, longer for bowed textures
-  - **Feedback Amount** → sustain/decay of the string → high = long ringing, low = short pluck
-  - **Range** → base octave offset → shifts pitch range up/down
-  - **Vibrato Amount + Frequency** → pitch modulation → can be extreme for sound design
-  - **Output Highpass** → removes low-frequency artifacts from the feedback loop
-  - **Mono Mode** → single voice with intentional glitchy behavior on overlapping notes
-- **Reach for this when:** you want exposed Karplus-Strong controls, glitchy mono mode, plucked string design, educational KS exploration
-- **Don't use when:** you need polished string sounds (use Fors Pluck), polyphonic reliability, or preset workflow
-- **vs Fors Pluck:** KS-Synth exposes more raw parameters; Pluck is more refined and immediate. KS-Synth's mono mode glitches are unique.
-- **vs Spektro String:** Very similar engines. KS-Synth has more exposed impulse control; Spektro String has a simpler interface.
-
----
-
-### Fors.Pluck
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors) — free
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors Pluck", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Karplus-Strong (the "Digitar" algorithm by Kevin Karplus and Alexander Strong). Tuned delay with feedback, actuated by a variable impulse generator. Modern digital filters extend the timbral range beyond the classic algorithm.
-- **Character:** Acoustic plucked strings — guitar, harp, koto-like tones. Clean and natural at moderate settings. The variable impulse generator allows both soft nylon-like plucks and bright steel-like attacks. Six-string configuration.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Impulse** → variable excitation → brightness and character of the initial pluck
-  - **Damping** → feedback filtering → how quickly harmonics decay
-  - **Feedback** → sustain length → lower = short pluck, higher = long ring
-  - **Filter** → modern post-synthesis filtering → shapes the overall tone
-- **Push 2 & 3:** Full parameter mapping
-- **Reach for this when:** quick plucked string sounds, guitar-like textures, harp tones, organic melodic elements — and it's free
-- **Don't use when:** you need sustained/bowed sounds (Pluck is inherently plucked), complex synthesis, or polished guitar realism
-- **vs KS-Synth:** Pluck is more polished and immediately musical; KS-Synth gives more raw control. Pluck for production, KS-Synth for sound design.
-- **vs Electric (Ableton):** Electric models specific instruments (Rhodes, Wurlitzer). Pluck is a general KS string. Different use cases.
-
----
-
-### Fors.Romb
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (M4L_fors) — Audio Effect, free
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Fors Romb", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Not a synth — a reverb effect. Smooth-sounding algorithmic reverb designed for big to gigantic spaces.
-- **Character:** Vast, smooth, late-90s leftfield electronic. Strips transients and definition, transforming any sound into an ambient void. Inspired by the spacious reverbs of Autechre/Boards of Canada era. Pairs beautifully with minimal synthesizers.
-- **Key parameters:** Size, Decay, Damping, Mix
-- **Push 2 & 3:** Full parameter mapping
-- **Reach for this when:** ambient washes, vast spaces, leftfield electronic reverb, transforming tiny sounds into huge textures — and it's free
-- **Don't use when:** you need precise room simulation, tight reverb, or transparent processing
-- **vs Hybrid Reverb:** Romb is one-trick but does that trick beautifully — vast, smooth spaces. Hybrid Reverb is more versatile but doesn't nail this specific aesthetic as well.
-- **vs Kit.Box:** Both are Fors reverbs. Box is aggressive/feedback-heavy/sound-design; Romb is smooth/ambient/production. Box for destruction, Romb for beauty.
-
----
-
-### Granulator II v2.2.2
-
-- **Type:** M4L User (Ableton / Robert Henke) — free (bundled with Max for Live)
-- **Load via:** `search_browser("Granulator II", target={"track_index": N})`
-- **Synthesis:** Quasi-synchronous granular synthesis. Creates a constant stream of short crossfading sample sections (grains). Position, pitch, and volume of each grain can be modulated independently. Drag any sample into the waveform display.
-- **Character:** The classic M4L granular instrument. Can produce anything from lush evolving pads to glitchy rhythmic textures to frozen moments in time. The grain character is smoother and more controllable than Clouds. Robert Henke's design sensibility shows in the musicality of the results.
-- **Key parameters:**
-  - **Grain Position** → where in the sample to read → click in waveform or modulate with LFO
-  - **Spray** → random position variation per grain → adds character and width; 0 = static, high = scattered
-  - **Grain Frequency** → how many grains per second → higher = denser, smoother texture
-  - **Grain Size** → length of each grain → modulated by MIDI note, random, and LFO
-  - **Window Shape** → grain envelope → 4 shapes including "broken" noise-based variant
-  - **Shape + Spike** → refine grain envelope character → controls crossfade smoothness
-  - **Pitch Fluctuation** → random detuning per grain → adds organic movement
-  - **Fluxus** → random grain muting/level modulation → creates rhythmic holes in the texture
-  - **Residual** → moderates the Fluxus muting effect
-  - **FM Rate + Depth** → frequency modulation → low rate = vibrato, high rate = digital artifacts
-  - **Two Multimode Filters** → in series: lowpass, highpass, bandpass, EQ modes → dedicated ADSR for filter
-  - **Velocity-based detuning** → vel 70 = no change, 120 = +50 cents, 20 = -50 cents
-  - **Grab** → captures up to 16 seconds of live audio via GranulatorInput companion device
-- **Polyphony:** Up to 32 voices
-- **Reach for this when:** sample-based granular synthesis, turning any audio into evolving textures/pads, time-stretching, frozen sound design, the most controllable granular synth in M4L
-- **Don't use when:** you need real-time audio processing (use Clouds), simple sample playback (use Simpler), or preset-based workflow
-- **vs Clouds/MutatedTexturizer:** Granulator II works with pre-loaded samples and gives precise control. Clouds processes live audio and has a rawer, more Eurorack character. Granulator II for production, Clouds for performance and experimentation.
-- **vs Simpler (Slice mode):** Both work with samples but fundamentally different approaches. Simpler slices and triggers; Granulator II deconstructs and resynthesizes. Granulator II for texture, Simpler for rhythm.
-
----
-
-## Quick Decision Matrix
-
-| Need | First Choice | Second Choice | Avoid |
-|------|-------------|---------------|-------|
-| **Alien/experimental textures** | Chiral | AbstractSynth | Drift, Analog |
-| **FM bass/bells** | Glanta | Operator | Superberry |
-| **FM metallic/west-coast** | Spektro Komplex | fp.ComplexOscillator | Glanta |
-| **Supersaw/trance leads** | Superberry | Drift (stacked) | Operator |
-| **Plucked strings** | Fors Pluck | KS-Synth | Simpler |
-| **Physical modeling resonance** | Rings | Poly-Plaits (KS mode) | Reverb |
-| **Granular (sample-based)** | Granulator II | Opal.Slate | Clouds |
-| **Granular (live input)** | Clouds | Spectral Time | Granulator II |
-| **Synthetic drums (FM)** | Opal.Gem | Poly-Plaits (drum bank) | Drum Rack |
-| **Synthetic drums (full kit)** | Opal (full) | Poly-Plaits | Drift |
-| **Drum pattern generation** | Grids | Opal Sequencer | MIDI clips |
-| **Multi-engine Swiss knife** | Poly-Plaits | Poly-Braids | Operator |
-| **Ambient/drone generation** | FromOuterSpace | Romb + any synth | Superberry |
-| **Spectral effects** | SpectroGlitch | Essential | EQ Eight |
-| **Glitch/minimal textures** | InfiniteTrain | BrokenDelays | Delay |
-| **Dreamy delay/reverb** | Bokeh | Romb | Delay |
-| **Vast reverb spaces** | Romb | Kit.Box | Reverb |
-| **Additive/harmonic** | Kit.Lux | Poly-Plaits (additive) | Operator |
-| **Microtonal/experimental melody** | Kit.Pop | Chiral | Drift |
-| **Draw-your-own sound** | Signaturr | Wavetable | Operator |
-| **Generative sample mangling** | OneToMany | Granulator II | Simpler |
-| **Hi-hat/metallic percussion** | MadHatter | Opal.Dust | Drum Rack |
-| **Atmospheric pads** | SpectroSynth | AbstractSynth | InfiniteTrain |
-| **Evolving sequences** | Roulette | Dot | MIDI clips |
-| **Vocal/formant synthesis** | Chants | Poly-Plaits (speech) | Vocoder |
-
-### By Collection — When to Reach for Each
-
-| Collection | Strengths | Best For |
-|-----------|-----------|----------|
-| **Fors** | Polished, performance-ready, Push-mapped, beautiful UIs | Production-quality synths and effects; the most "finished" M4L devices |
-| **Mutable Instruments** | Deep synthesis algorithms, eurorack character, free | Sound design exploration, physical modeling, granular, experimental |
-| **Sonus Dept Abstructs** | Spectral processing, generative, cheap (15 EUR for 12) | Abstract/minimal electronic, sound art, glitch, textural work |
-| **Spektro Audio** | Buchla-inspired, educational, free | West-coast synthesis, KS strings, FM exploration |
-| **Independents** | Niche specializations | Specific needs: drawn wavetables (Signaturr), raw KS (KS-Synth), classic granular (Granulator II) |