Rainbow Circuit Wriggle is a new, unique M4L filter device that is inspired by the Buchla 291e Triple Morphing Filter
Filters are an elementary building block of subtractive synthesis. They are also omnipresent in other syntheses. Less so in west-coast synth, the side where Don Buchla’s creations and others are at home. Don’t worry; there are also filters here, too, but often of a special nature.
In the colorful Max For Live sphere, you can explore one of these exotic filters—all at a fraction of the price of the original.
Rainbow Circuit Wriggle
Takuma Matsui, aka Rainbow Circuit, developer of the Whiste synth or Pedal FX, has released Wriggle, a new filter device for Ableton Max For Live.
Wriggle is not classic, as its topology is special. It’s not a Moog, Oberheim, or Sequential. The inspiration comes from the West Coast Buchla 291e Triple Morphing Filter module.
The key point of the original is the composition of the core, which is based on three flexible bandpass filters, morphing, and more. Takuma Matsui (Rainbow Circuit) adopted the filters in its new M4L device but with changes. He describes it as a digital re-imagination of the Buchla module.
The result is a wild auto-filter with built-in modulation. Takuma promises that it will squish and squelch all over your music.
Like the hardware, Wriggles bandpass filters can be independently tuned to specific frequencies. Activate the shift function, and the tunings of all three filters will dynamically shift up and down, capturing the content of the fundamental and the upper harmonics.
Then, it has global cutoff, resonance, and dry/wet mix controls. To prevent frequency chaos, Takuma added a safety DC block and limiter to the device.
Rainbow Circuit’s Buchla adaptation has a unique twist: its built-in modulation. It consists of a syncable LFO on steroids.
In addition to the classics, it comes with three additional parameters. Jitter adds chaos to the waveform, smear infuses a delay, and stereo subtly offsets the modulation between the left and right channels.
First Impression
If you are looking for classic filtering, you have come to the wrong place. Wriggle produces results that stand out and are difficult to describe. You can achieve sounds reminiscent of a signal driven through resonators with a wild and organic touch.
In places, it sounds like beautiful flowing water. In others, it destroys your signal and turns it into a resonating drone. Working with bandpass filters is a fun, exciting endeavor. Wriggle looks like another tempting M4l device.
Rainbow Circuit Wriggle is available now for $16 or more. It requires Ableton Live 10, 11, or 12 Suite or Standard with a Max for Live license installed.
More information here: Rainbow Circuit
Rainbow Circuit devices are also available at my partner
All of the Rainbow Circuit stuff is wannabe Fors but without real innovation or functionality. As a consequence everything ends up being overpriced and underpowered. The Whistle M4L device is a case in point. Buyer beware.
Rainbow Circuit stuff definitely has its value. Wriggler is fantastic, fyi. Just bought it yesterday.