Intellijel Designs Scales

Scales Dual Channel Note Quantizer and Sequencer

Make Anything Musical
Your modular system is all about generating complex, fluid and dynamic variations in voltage. It’s a glorious thing — until that sousaphonist joins the band and demands you play notes conforming to an actual musical scale. Enter the appropriately named Scales module, which quantizes those feral voltages into musical pitches. Use the second output in conjunction with the Shift and Interval features to generate harmonies and counterpoint, or simply to quantize a second input voltage. Scales can even record, play back and store 35 different sequences as long as 128-steps each. Experience the magic of turning chaos into harmony.

Lock and Step
Scales is an 8hp dual-channel note quantizer and step sequencer. Fundamentally, it takes an input voltage, quantizes it to notes in a user-defined scale, and sends that quantized voltage to an output, where you can use it as a melodic pitch source for oscillators or any other module that expects to see discreet note values at its input.

Scales goes far beyond the fundamental, allowing you unprecedented control of the pitches and intervals hiding inside your control voltages; turn LFO’s into arpeggiators; random voltages into harmonic counterpoint; and unquantized external CV sequencers into chromatically tuned note sequencers.

Quantization can be locked to an incoming trigger. There are a number of trigger output options as well, ranging from no triggering (good for pitch shifting drones); through triggers that sync with either of the two outputs (or both); to a trigger or gate transmitted in sync with one sent to the module’s TRIG input.

Shift
Scales features two independent outputs, enabling you to create shifted harmonic intervals within your chosen scale using only a single pitch input. Using the SHIFT input you can modulate changes on OUT A and/or OUT B.

You can also use the shift input to switch between scales or to change the root of any existing scale pattern or split Scales into two quantizers — each conforming to a common scale, but fed entirely different voltage sources.

Sequence
Scales also features a 128-step SH-101 style step sequencer (complete with storage for up to 35 fully programmable patterns) — allowing you to feed OUT B with sequenced notes and rhythm patterns, while OUT A continues to function as a standard pitch quantizer for external voltages. You can even sync the sequencer to quantizer events on OUT A.

Features
SHIFT/PITCH inputs and A/B outputs operate in a -10v to +10v range with 1v/oct scaling
1-octave keyboard for selecting scale notes in real time and LED buttons provide visual feedback of quantizing
Save and recall up to 35 different scales and sequences, arranged in 5 banks (black keys) of 7 scales each (white keys)
35 factory scale patterns included
High resolution precision DAC for accurate pitch generation
Adjustable trigger delay
Input filtering eliminates jitter and glitches
Low latency with a fast ARM processor
LEARN function allows you to monitor external sequences or inputs and learn notes from them
Tuning mode so you can conveniently tune connected VCOs
ROOT function allows you to set root with or without shifting your current scale to match
USB port on back for easy updates of firmware

Specs + Downloads
Width 8HP
Depth 39mm
Power 35mA @ +12V
5mA @ -12V