Acid Rain Technology Maestro, 6-Channel Clock Modulation Controller

November 15, 2020 Synth Anatomy Eurorack, Hardware, News 0

Acid Rain Technology Maestro brings the creative idea of automation lanes to Eurorack in form of a 6 tempo-synced LFOs module that puts everything in deep motion.

Many modern synths have built-in sequencers that can also record complex modulation sequences or lanes. The Modal Electronics synthesizers, Korg monologue / minilogue xd or Sequential Pro 3 are known for this. Steep or weak modulations, different shapes… With classic LFOs, these are very difficult to recreate, especially in Eurorack.

Talking about Eurorack. Acid Rain is now bringing this concept into the Eurorack format with the Maestro, probably one of the deepest modulators you will ever have. Maestro has 6 channels of clocked modulations inspired by this feature but implemented in a more playable and performance-oriented way.

Acid Rain Technology Maestro

Maestro can be seen as a 6x LFO generator module but one that goes far beyond that. A 6x LFO on steroids would suit him better. The module is operated with the help of a 4×7 matrix in which you have buttons for the channels, mutes, time divisions/multiplications, timing modifiers, waveforms, waveform modifiers, chain, clock, and save/load. The module has several waveforms to choose from including a bipolar and smooth option. With the latter, you smooth attenuate the shapes.

In the beginning, your approach the module more like a classic LFO. Select a channel, patch it to your destination, choose the waveform, etc. Actually like in a classic low-frequency modulator but that’s not all. Each channel can work in two modes, either in a chain or in a one-shot. The chain function allows you to create sequences of waveforms aka modulation sequences. With this, you can form very complex evolving streams of the control voltage.

But what makes the whole thing even deeper is the possibility to add a specific timing to a waveform in a chain. I can only imagine what musicians like Richard Devine do with it.

One-Shot Mode

Then, you have the one-shot function that turns any channel of Maestro into a complex CV generator by plugging an external gate or trigger in the input. You can use this to transform Maestro into an unusual envelope generator with wild shapes.

Handy, in both modes, a clock system keeps all your waveforms in sync, even when switching them manually in a live performance setting. Maestro keeps track of the number of clock pulses elapsed since the last reset and synchronizes the phase of all channel waveform outputs together. Internal or external clocking to sync with any modular gear is available.

You can save and recall all those crazy modulation shapes from a microSD card and cached in internal memory. Perfect for live performances. The module has 20hp and reminds me of the modulation complexity of the Xoac Devices ZADAR but much more playful and deep. Especially because you can change the shapes, timing… at the push of a button without going out of sync.