General

Just Friends

Just Friends is a multipurpose eurorack module. It is made by Whimsical Raps.

Links

Just Friends product page

Standard Modes

Shape/Cycle

Summary

6 LFOs with reset triggers; 0-8v outputs. All slopes are free-running, cycling up & down at rates defined by TIME & INTONE.

Controls

TIME: Controls the period of IDENTITY's cycle.

INTONE: Defines tempic relationships of each generator by controlling the ratio of each of 2N through 6N's period to IDENTITY's. At noon, all periods are equal to IDENTITY's. Clockwise accelerates each of 2N through 6N towards integer multiples as defined by their labels, vs elongation into integer divisions counterclockwise.

FM Input + Attenuverter: Turning CCW towards INTONE allows attenuated modulation of INTONE. Turn clockwise to allow attenuated linear FM. With nothing patched, there is a positive offset (digitally) normalled, allowing detune control CW and additional INTONE control CCW. To ensure accuracy of the INTONE pot, set FM to 12:00.

RAMP: Skews slopes from sawtooth, through asymetrical triangles to ramp waves. Like MANGROVE's barrel, the overall TIME is maintained, while blending the shape (sets the ratio of rise to fall time without adjusting total duration).

CURVE: Blends the slopes from default linear gradients at 12:00. CW passes through lazy 'log' shapes, and reaches cosines at the extreme. CCW twists to snappy 'expo' curves then slides through trapezoids and into squares (with pulsewidth set by RAMP).

TRIGGERS: Normalized from right to left, a TRIGGER in the rightmost will apply to all six. Any slope that receives a TRIGGER immediately restarts its cycle immediately at the start of its attack phase. TRIGGERing only 6N will synchronize all channels due to their normalization.

Outputs

INDIVIDUAL OUTS are 0-8v unipolar LFOs.

MIX provides a combination of all active slopes. After dividing each slope by its OUT number, the maximum value is output.

Shape/Sustain

Summary

6 ASR envelopes; 0-8v outputs. TRIGGER inputs accept gates, with envelope durations set by TIME & INTONE and attack/decay ratio set by RAMP.

Controls

TIME: Controls the duration of IDENTITY's envelope. V/8 scaling allows rhythm accurate temporal shifts.

INTONE: Defines tempic relationships of each generator by controlling the ratio of each of 2N through 6N's duration to IDENTITY's. At noon, all durations are equal to IDENTITY's. Clockwise accelerates each of 2N through 6N towards integer multiples as defined by their labels, vs elongation into integer divisions counterclockwise.

FM Input + Attenuverter: Turning CCW towards INTONE allows attenuated modulation of INTONE. Turn clockwise to allow attenuated linear FM of duration. With nothing patched, there is a positive offset (digitally) normalled, allowing additional linear duration control CW and additional INTONE control CCW. To ensure accuracy of the INTONE pot, set FM to 12:00.

RAMP: Skews slopes from sawtooth, through asymetrical triangles to ramp waves. Like MANGROVE's barrel, the overall TIME is maintained, while blending the shape (sets the ratio of rise to fall time without adjusting total duration).

CURVE: Blends the slopes from default linear gradients at 12:00. CW passes through lazy 'log' shapes, and reaches cosines at the extreme. CCW twists to snappy 'expo' envelopes then slides through trapezoids and into squares.

TRIGGERS: Normalized from right to left, a TRIGGER in the rightmost will apply to all six. Any slope that receives a TRIGGER slopes high, then falls once the input goes low. If the slope reaches maximum it will sustain as long as the gate input is high.

Outputs

INDIVIDUAL OUTS are 0-8v unipolar ASR envelopes.

MIX provides a combination of all active slopes. After dividing each slope by its OUT number, the maximum value is output.

Shape/Transient

Summary

6 AR envelopes; 0-8v outputs. Envelope durations set by TIME & INTONE and attack/decay ratio set by RAMP.

Controls

TIME: Controls the duration of IDENTITY's envelope.

INTONE: Defines tempic relationships of each generator by controlling the ratio of each of 2N through 6N's duration to IDENTITY's. At noon, all durations are equal to IDENTITY's. Clockwise accelerates each of 2N through 6N towards integer multiples as defined by their labels, vs elongation into integer divisions counterclockwise.

FM Input + Attenuverter: Turning CCW towards INTONE allows attenuated modulation of INTONE. Turn clockwise to allow attenuated linear FM of duration. With nothing patched, there is a positive offset (digitally) normalled, allowing additional linear duration control CW and additional INTONE control CCW. To ensure accuracy of the INTONE pot, set FM to 12:00.

RAMP: Skews slopes from sawtooth, through asymetrical triangles to ramp waves. Like MANGROVE's barrel, the overall TIME is maintained, while blending the shape (sets the ratio of rise to fall time without adjusting total duration).

CURVE: Blends the slopes from default linear gradients at 12:00. CW passes through lazy 'log' shapes, and reaches cosines at the extreme. CCW twists to snappy 'expo' envelopes then slides through trapezoids and into squares.

TRIGGERS: Normalized from right to left, a TRIGGER in the rightmost will apply to all six. Incoming TRIGGERs are ignored until envelopes are completed (see SOUND/TRANSIENT/RUN (STRATA) for retriggering).

Outputs

INDIVIDUAL OUTS are 0-8v unipolar AR envelopes.

MIX provides a combination of all active slopes. After dividing each slope by its OUT number, the maximum value is output.

Sound/Cycle

Summary

6 Oscillators with hard sync; bipolar 10v pp outputs. All slopes are free-running, cycling up & down at rates defined by TIME & INTONE.

Controls

TIME: Controls the frequency of IDENTITY's oscillation.

INTONE: Sets harmonic ratios with unison and raw detuned MIXes near noon. At noon, all periods are equal to IDENTITY's. Clockwise spreads upward through unjust chords, approaching the harmonic series (integer frequency multiples) in the extreme. Inversely the undertone series (integer frequency divisions) is reached fully CCW.

FM Input + Attenuverter: AC-coupled (digitally). CW provides linear FM of all oscillations in equal amounts. Turning CCW towards INTONE allows provides linear modulation in amounts accourding to OUT names. Thus IDENTITY is unaffected, while 6N is heavily modulated. When using the MIX output, this method retains the fundamental frequency while shaping the highs intensely.

RAMP: Skews slopes from sawtooth, through asymetrical triangles to ramp waves. Like MANGROVE's barrel, the overall TIME is maintained, while blending the shape (sets the ratio of rise to fall time without adjusting total duration).

CURVE: Blends the slopes from default linear gradients at 12:00. CW passes through lazy 'log' shapes, and reaches cosines at the extreme. CCW twists to snappy 'expo' curves then slides through trapezoids and into squares (with pulsewidth set by RAMP).

TRIGGERS: Normalized from right to left, a TRIGGER in the rightmost will apply to all six. Any slope that receives a TRIGGER immediately restarts its cycle immediately at the start of its attack phase. TRIGGERing only 6N will synchronize all channels due to their normalization.

Outputs

INDIVIDUAL OUTS are 10v pp bipolar oscillations.

MIX provides a combination of all active slopes. A musically balanced sum is output, floating around 10v pp.

Sound/Sustain

Summary

6 triggered trapezoidal impulse oscillators; bipolar 10v pp outputs. Use audio rate TRIGGERS to drive oscillation. Accepts gates; impulses are shaped by interaction between TIME/INTONE and TRIGGER sources' pulsewidths.

Controls

TIME: Controls the duration of IDENTITY's total rise/fall times. Frequency of entire oscillation determined by TRIGGER frequencies, not TIME.

INTONE: Controls the ratio of each of 2N through 6N's rise/fall durations to IDENTITY's. At noon, all durations are equal to IDENTITY's. Clockwise accelerates each of 2N through 6N towards integer multiples as defined by their labels, vs elongation into integer divisions counterclockwise.

FM Input + Attenuverter: AC-coupled (digitally). CW provides linear FM of all rise/fall durations in equal amounts. Turning CCW towards INTONE allows provides linear modulation in amounts accourding to OUT names. Thus IDENTITY is unaffected, while 6N is heavily modulated.

RAMP: Controls the ratio of rise time to fall time. Like MANGROVE's barrel, the overall TIME is maintained, while blending the shape (sets the ratio of rise to fall time without adjusting total duration).

CURVE: Blends the slopes from default linear gradients at 12:00. CW passes through lazy 'log' shapes, and reaches cosines at the extreme. CCW twists to snappy 'expo' envelopes then slides through trapezoids and into squares.

TRIGGERS: Normalized from right to left, a TRIGGER in the rightmost will apply to all six. Any slope that receives a TRIGGER slopes high, then falls once the input goes low. If the slope reaches maximum it will sustain as long as the gate input is high. Use audio rate gates to generate trapezoidal oscillations whose impulse shape/duration are decoupled from oscillation frequency. PWM effects via width of gates.

Outputs

INDIVIDUAL OUTS are 10v pp bipolar oscillations.

MIX provides a combination of all active slopes. A musically balanced sum is output, floating around 10v pp.

Sound/Transient

Summary

6 triggered impulse oscillators; bipolar 10v pp outputs. Use audio rate TRIGGERS to drive oscillation; impulse shape/duration and oscillation frequency are decoupled.

Controls

TIME: Controls the duration of IDENTITY's total rise/fall times. Frequency of entire oscillation determined by TRIGGER frequencies, not TIME.

INTONE: Controls the ratio of each of 2N through 6N's rise/fall durations to IDENTITY's. At noon, all durations are equal to IDENTITY's. Clockwise accelerates each of 2N through 6N towards integer multiples as defined by their labels, vs elongation into integer divisions counterclockwise.

FM Input + Attenuverter: AC-coupled (digitally). CW provides linear FM of all rise/fall durations in equal amounts. Turning CCW towards INTONE allows provides linear modulation in amounts accourding to OUT names. Thus IDENTITY is unaffected, while 6N is heavily modulated.

RAMP: Controls the ratio of rise time to fall time. Like MANGROVE's barrel, the overall TIME is maintained, while blending the shape (sets the ratio of rise to fall time without adjusting total duration).

CURVE: Blends the slopes from default linear gradients at 12:00. CW passes through lazy 'log' shapes, and reaches cosines at the extreme. CCW twists to snappy 'expo' envelopes then slides through trapezoids and into squares.

TRIGGERS: Normalized from right to left, a TRIGGER in the rightmost will apply to all six. Use audio rate TRIGGERS to generate oscillations whose impulse shape/duration are decoupled from oscillation frequency.

Outputs

INDIVIDUAL OUTS are 10v pp bipolar oscillations.

MIX provides a combination of all active slopes. A musically balanced sum is output, floating around 10v pp.

Run Modes

Shape/Cycle/Run (VOLLEY)

Summary

Launches bursts of slopes in response to TRIGGERs. The number of cycles is determined by the VOLLEY voltage at the RUN jack when the TRIGGER arrives.

Controls

RUN controls the number of cycles launched each time a TRIGGER is received. Six repetitions occur at VOLLEY=0, with decreasing in the negative down to none below -4v. Positive voltages move up to 36 cycles.

All kinds of bizarre self-modulation sequences are possible by self-patching outs into CV or TRIGGER inputs, all started by a single external excitation.

Other controls are inherited from SHAPE/CYCLE.

Shape/Sustain/Run (STRATA)

Summary

Creates an additional plateau in each envelope, allowing 'ARSR' style envelopes by sending gates to TRIGGER inputs. The sustain level is determined by the STRATA input at the RUN jack.

Controls

RUN controls where in the decay phase the plateau occurs. Gates to the TRIGGER inputs are followed as normal, however at the end-of-rise the output will start falling until it reaches the STRATA input.

At zero, STRATA is half-way through the release. With CURVE at 12:00, this means 4v output, or -6dB into a linear VCA, though CURVE will drastically affect this voltage. Positive STRATA moves the hold level higher, while negative input approaches the minimum.

Hold all TRIGGERS high and all outs will act as shaped voltage followers for RUN with varying time-constants determined by INTONE.

Other controls are inherited from SHAPE/SUSTAIN.

Shape/Transient/Run (SHIFT)

Summary

Alters the retrigger behavior in transient mode. SHIFT voltage determines where in each envelope's phase it becomes receptive to re-triggers.

Controls

RUN sets the retrigger point to end-of-rise when at 0v or dummied, opposed to end-of-cycle as per normal (no RUN cable). Accepted retriggers start the envelope over by jumping instantly to zero before ramping up.

Negative voltages bring the sensitivity forward in the cycle to 'always' (-5v), while positive votlages push toward the end-of-cycle, operating equivalently to SHAPE/TRANSIENT at +5v.
Modulating SHIFT is particularly effective for slow envelopes with sharp attacks!

Other controls are inherited from SHAPE/TRANSIENT.

Sound/Cycle/Run (FLOOM)

Summary

Activates internal Modulator-Carrier FM. FLOOM weaves your slope stories into a sinusoidal tapestry. Each generator carries internally the modulation of it’s own cosine, linked at the same pitch.

Controls

RUN sets the ratio of internal cosine modulator frequency to carrier output frequency. At 0v, the modutor's frequency equals the carriers. At 5v, modulator is double carrier's frequency. At -5v, modulator is half of carrier's frequency.

FM sets modulation index.

Other controls are inherited from SOUND/CYCLE.

Sound/Sustain/Run (PLUME)

Summary

Activates internal low-pass gate. PLUME funnels oscillations through a lowpass gate construct, sounding somewhere between pinged filter and plucked LPG.

Controls

TRIGGERS are gate sensitive and used to strike LPGs, so longer pulses can hold PLUMEs open, while short spikes sound more softly.

RUN sets the vactrol response. At zero volts, PLUME responds similarly to the classic VTL5C3 vactrol with fast attack and moderate decay. Negative voltages slow these rates into sustained waves, while positive input transitions to microsound blips ideal for rapid-burst triggering. The RUN voltage is sampled at each trigger leaning into sequenced crumbling decay.

Other controls are inherited from SOUND/CYCLE.

Sound/Transient/Run (SPILL)

Summary

When IDENTITY completes each cycle, it sends a pulse to the other channels; receptive slopes are (re-)triggered. SPILL voltage at RUN jack determines where in each slope's phase it becomes receptive to trigger pulses.

RUN

Impulsed slopes fire as in in Sound/Transient.

RUN sets the point in each slope's phase where it becomes receptive to trigger pulses. At -5v, it is always; at 0v, it is end-of-rise; at +5v it is end-of-cycle.

Many sub-harmonics & sync sounds are available, without an external oscillator.

Other controls are inherited from SOUND/TRANSIENT.

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