Grainity

Digitally-controlled full-analog path Granular + Multimode VCF

The Grainity brings a unique and never-heard-before concept to the world of analog VCF.
While being based on analog filtering only, the Grainity expands and enriches the sound in creating subharmonics, harmonies, unison, flanging effects and formant filtering all at once.

The module presents two sections, the granular filter itself and a typical multimode filter, each with its own output.
A third output offers a mix of both filter paths. Numerous controls and CV allow a very wide palette of results.

Features

• Unique concept of granular VCF
• 100% analog audio path
• Two simultaneous filter flows, Granular VCF and Multimode VCF, with separate outputs
• Mixing of both filter’s output to a dedicated out
• Phase inversion switching between the two filters
• Shared frequency and resonance controls
• Multimode filter with various types and poles
• Self-resonance capability
• Granular filter with unique controls:
  • Structure selection from a predefined list
  • Division to extend the grains length
  • Phase setting of the cycling point
  • Tracking and offset tuning of the cycles
• Detect input for cycling unrelated to audio input
• 7 CV inputs to control all settings
• Current settings maintained over power cycle
• Firmware update via a simple audio file
• Scratch-resistant printed aluminum panel
• Compact and skiff-friendly module

What is the Grainity

Granular?

The word granular was chosen for this filter module in relation to the concept invented by the composer Yannis Xenakis, and which is described as assembling small chops of sounds - he called grains - according to a pattern.
This is exactly what the Grainity does, no more no less ... but, digital control allows doing it in ways that are decades away from what tape and scissors allowed at the time.

Technology wise ...

In the granular section, the incoming sound cycle is determined in order to step through various filtering and phase variations of itself according to predefined patterns called structures.
The controls allow alterations to the cycling phase, cycling frequency offset (tuning), structure selection and frequency division of the filters cycling. This comes in addition to the usual filter frequency and resonance controls.

What the Grainity is not

Technology wise ...

Despite relying on a microprocessor, the Grainity is not a digital audio processor. At any time, the sound remains in the analog domain and goes through analog circuits from in to out.
The digital processor does not convert or generate audio signals; it is there to control the analog circuitry and manage the interface and display.

Sound wise ...

Several digital modules offering granular processing rely on the layering of sound grains, which leads to blurry and cloudy textures.
Layering of the grains is a late addition to the concept of granular synthesis and is not a mandatory feature of the concept.
The Grainity does not use delay lines or sampling memory but is nevertheless true to the foundations of the granular synthesis concept.

The granular VCF in the Grainity is unconventional in that, most of times, it is not filtering the sound in the common expectation of removing something. Typically, the granular process adds more than it removes by expanding both the lower range, creating subharmonics, and the upper harmonic contents in multiples ways.

https://www.klavis.com/all-products/grainity