Sequencing

MI-Marbles

A browser-native port of the Mutable Instruments Marbles — stochastic gates, quantized random voltages, and a Deja Vu loop that lets randomness repeat itself.

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What is a MI-Marbles?

Marbles is the Mutable Instruments approach to randomness in modular: not just a random voltage source, but a full stochastic music engine that handles rhythm, pitch, and the surprising-but-not-too-surprising middle ground in between. It splits its work into two cooperating sections — the t section makes random rhythmic gates, the X/Y section makes random voltages — and gives you a third concept, Deja Vu, that decides how much randomness should repeat itself.

The t section is a probabilistic gate generator. A primary clock runs at RATE, and the section produces three gate outputs: t1 and t3 are complementary (a coin toss decides which one gets each clock pulse, with BIAS skewing the coin), while t2 is the master clock with JITTER applied. Seven different gate models change the underlying coin behavior — Bernoulli, divider patterns, two-state Markov chains, drum-like patterns. The result is rhythm that feels improvised rather than computed.

The X section is a probabilistic CV generator. SPREAD widens or narrows the voltage distribution. BIAS skews toward high or low. STEPS controls quantization, going from continuously smooth at one extreme to stepped sample-and-hold to scale-quantized notes at the other. Three outputs (X1, X2, X3) get clocked from t1/t2/t3 respectively (or all from one external clock), with three diversity modes controlling how similar or independent they should be.

Deja Vu is the cleverest part. It records the random decisions the module is making into a loop buffer (1-16 steps long). Turn it to noon and the sequence locks into a repeating pattern. Below noon, decisions are mostly fresh but occasionally repeat. Above noon, the loop dominates but occasionally mutates. It is the difference between dice and a half-remembered melody.

Our MI-Marbles

Our MI-Marbles runs natively in every Webrack patch — same gate models, same stochastic engine, same Deja Vu loop buffer, same six scales — built in the lineage of Emilie Gillet's original Mutable Instruments Marbles, which she released openly under MIT so the module's character could live on past the hardware.

All twenty-two parameters of the original module are preserved, including the otherwise-hidden ones (Y spread/bias/steps/divider, gate length, gate randomness, X external mode). The panel is 18 HP and includes the full I/O complement: external t clock, external XY clock, CV inputs for every primary control. Patch a Webrack master clock into either clock input and Marbles slaves to your tempo grid.

Pair it with a Bernoulli gate for probabilistic gate routing or with Random CV for an additional independent stream of stochastic voltage. The combination of MI-Marbles + Webrack's drum voices + a master clock is one of the fastest paths to a self-evolving generative patch in the rack.

In a patch

The classic Marbles patch is generative drums plus generative melody from one module. Patch t1/t2/t3 to three drum voices (bass drum, snare, hi-hat). Patch X1 to a VCO's V/Oct (with X Scale set so notes stay in key), X2 to a filter cutoff, X3 to an ADSR decay time. Five patch points and you have a self-playing track.

Marbles plays well with structure modules. Patch its t outputs into a Bernoulli gate for a second layer of probabilistic routing. Run its X output into a quantizer if you want a custom scale outside the six built-in ones. Drive its t-clock from a master clock so the whole rack stays in tempo even as Marbles makes random rhythmic choices within that grid.

For pure stepped or smoothly-interpolated random voltages without the rhythmic / Deja Vu machinery, the simpler Random CV is friendlier. For mathematical rhythm that you can dial in deterministically, reach for Euclidean. Marbles is the choice when you want randomness with character — controllable but not controlled.

Inputs

t Clock (gate) — External clock input for the t section. When patched, replaces the internal clock. The Rate knob becomes a clock multiplier/divider.
X Clock (gate) — External clock input for the X/Y section. When patched, all three X outputs are clocked by this single clock instead of t1/t2/t3.
Deja Vu CV (cv) — CV modulation for the Deja Vu probability. Modulate to vary how much the sequence repeats vs generates new random values.
t Bias CV (cv) — CV modulation for the t section Bias parameter. Shifts the gate distribution between t1 and t3.
Rate CV (cv) — CV modulation for the t section Rate. When an external clock is patched, this input gets V/Oct scaling for precise tempo control.
Jitter CV (cv) — CV modulation for the t section Jitter parameter.
X Spread CV (cv) — CV modulation for the X section Spread. When External Processing mode is on, this input provides the external voltage to be sampled.
X Bias CV (cv) — CV modulation for the X section Bias parameter.
X Steps CV (cv) — CV modulation for the X section Steps parameter.

Outputs

t1 (gate) — First gate output from the t section. The pattern depends on the t model and Bias setting. Complementary to t3 in coin-toss mode.
t2 (gate) — Master clock output from the t section. Always outputs the main clock rhythm with 50% duty cycle, with jitter applied.
t3 (gate) — Second gate output from the t section. Complementary to t1 in coin-toss mode.
Y (cv) — Slow random voltage output. By default clocked at 1/16th the rate of X2. Full range (-5V to +5V). Never affected by Deja Vu. Great as a slow modulation source.
X1 (cv) — First random voltage output. The voltage range, spread, bias, and quantization depend on the X section settings.
X2 (cv) — Second random voltage output. Behavior depends on the X diversity mode (Same/Bump/Tilt).
X3 (cv) — Third random voltage output. Behavior depends on the X diversity mode.

Controls

Rate — Internal clock rate for the t section. 120 BPM at noon. When an external clock is patched, this becomes a clock multiplier/divider.
t Bias — Gate distribution bias (0 to 1). Controls whether gates favor t1 or t3. At noon, equal probability. Behavior changes with t model.
Jitter — Clock timing jitter (0 to 1). From perfectly stable (CCW) through humanized feel to complete chaos (CW).
Spread — Voltage distribution width (0 to 1). CCW = constant voltage, noon = bell curve, CW = only extreme values (random gate behavior).
X Bias — Voltage distribution bias (0 to 1). Skews probability toward low or high voltages. This biases the decision, not the output range.
Steps — Quantization amount (0 to 1). CCW = smooth random curves, noon = classic sample & hold, CW = scale-quantized. Further CW strips notes from the scale.
Deja Vu — Loop probability (0 to 1). CCW = fully random. Noon = locked loop (deadband). CW = random permutations of the loop. Apply to t and/or X sections independently.
Length — Deja Vu loop length. Quantized to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16 steps.
t Model — Gate generation model. COIN (green): Bernoulli coin toss. RATIO (orange): clock dividers/multipliers with random ratios. MRKV (red): Markov chain with memory.
t Range — Clock rate multiplier. /4 = quarter speed, x1 = normal, x4 = four times faster.
X Mode — X output diversity. SAME (green): all three channels identical. BUMP (orange): X1 and X3 inverted from X2. TILT (red): X1 inverted, X2 centered, X3 follows panel.
X Range — Output voltage range. 2V = 0 to +2V (narrow pitch), 5V = 0 to +5V (wide pitch), +/-5 = -5V to +5V (full range modulation).
X Scale — Quantization scale (when Steps is past noon). MAJ = Major, MIN = Minor, PENT = Pentatonic, PHRY = Phrygian, WHL = Whole Tone, CHR = Chromatic.
t Deja Vu — Enable Deja Vu for the t section. OFF = no looping, ON = use Deja Vu knob, LOCK = loop is frozen (equivalent to Deja Vu at noon).
X Deja Vu — Enable Deja Vu for the X section. OFF = no looping, ON = use Deja Vu knob, LOCK = loop is frozen.
X External — External processing mode. When ON, the X section samples voltage from the Spread CV input instead of generating random values internally.

Native port of

Mutable Instruments Marbles

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