Herb and Stones is readying their new dual-groovebox, Mousse, for shipping. It is designed to generate soundscapes, complex rhythms, wonky basslines and other sounds and comes in a desktop form factor.
Users can create patches by connecting inputs and outputs with Eurorack-standard 1/8″ jacks. Mousse is designed to be as universal as possible and all its inputs are protected from potentially dangerous voltages. allowing it to connect it with many external gear options.
Herbs and Stones Mousse
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The clock section is the main heartbeat of Mousse and it controls the timing of the sequencers. Controls: “c i” jack input: external clock input, 0-5V // “c o” jack output: active clock output (internal or external) // “c rate” knob: controls the rate of the internal clock // cv” trimmer knob and CV input: CV input to modulate the internal clock (think tempo changes, wobbly rhythmic patterns)
Mousse generates (and reacts to) control voltages in the 0-5V range, when a CV signal is patched into an input, its knob becomes an attenuator for the incoming signal. The jacks are divided between inputs and outputs: the inputs are placed in the middle of a big white circle while the outputs are not. Mousse is powered by a 9V center negative (500mA) power supply, the standard PSU used with most guitar pedals.
LFO X is tied to LFO Y and is controlled via the “skip” button and LFO Y “steps” knob and CV input. LFO X outputs a random waveform that can be tamed in various ways. LFO Y is a variable waveform LFO that similarly to LFO X can also become a generative pattern sequencer.
The clock section is the main heartbeat of Mousse and it controls the timing of the sequencers…
The two sequencers work independently but share the same clock and some of the features:
Sequencer A Controls:
- “slew” knob: controls the slew limiter for the stepped sequence that is created by turning the four pitch knobs.
- “g” slew gate input: if a gate signal is patched into this input the slew limited signal is availabla only when a high gate is present at the input.
- “steps out”: outputs a four level voltage sequence (controlled by the four knobs on the left) that can be used to control various parameters of the synth
- “a1” – “a4” gate outputs: the four gate outputs of the sequencer
- “rotate” button and gate input: when the button is pressed or a gate is patched into the input, sequencer A changes rotation
- “steps” button and gate input: when the button is pressed or a gate is patched into the input, sequencer A changes length: two steps, three steps, four steps
Sequencer B Controls:
- “div” button: when it is pressed it toggles between a two step pattern (gates 1 and 3 or gates 2 and 4, depending on which step is active when the button is pressed) and a normal four step pattern
- “form”: when pressed it toggles between normal mode and semi random mode for sequencer B
- “b1” – “b4” gate outputs: the four gate outputs for sequencer B
- “rotate” button and gate input: when the button is pressed or a gate is patched into the input, sequencer B changes rotation
- “steps” button and gate input: when the button is pressed or a gate is patched into the input, sequencer B changes length. two steps, three steps, four steps
PreSonus Quantum HD 2 Audio Interface Review
The PreSonus HD 2 computer audio interface came in for a long term test and we employed four evaluators to test it out in their respective project studios – their comments in quotes below. The new HD2 is part of a complete revamping of PreSonus’ audio interface range and is complemented by the ES 2, ES 4 and HD 8.
Mousse features two voices. Voice A – time manipulation synthesis: A sine wave is fed through an audio rate chorus effect to generate 2 OP FM-like sounds. Voice B is a subtractive multi waveform voice
Mousse Features:
- A total of 40 patch points
- CV controllable clock plus separate clock in/out jacks
- Two complex voltage controlled LFOs
- Two envelope generators with curve invert input
- Two sequencers with 4 gate outputs, pitch CV output, random and step skip mode, CV controllable slew limiter plus manual and CV control over rotation and step length
- Two hybrid synth voices with a total of 11 CV inputs: digital sound generators with analog VCAs and VCFs
- Separate outputs for voices A and B plus a mix output
