Neutral LabsScrooge Sequenced Malfunction Generator - Eurorack

Neutral Labs Scrooge

Scrooge from Neutral Labs looks down on lowly drum machines of uncreative normalcy, pushing past mere percussion to provide glamorously glitchy rhythms and the bleating wails of voltage starved circuitry. This Eurorack-ready module version of Scrooge plunges eagerly into modular ecosystems, imbuing your jack laden instrument with five curmudgeonly voices of varying malformations. Poked along by an intuitive yet deep step sequencer or external CV signals when operating passively, Scrooge enables experimental patching with high probability for degraded drums and unplanned brilliance.

Each of Scrooge's five voices are CMOS chips with additional circuitry to give each voice a distinctive flavor. Rather than powering these circuits with the voltage from your Eurorack power supply, they are activated by sequences of CV envelopes created by the step sequencer or externally sourced through Scrooge's Poke inputs. Starved of voltage, these circuits behave in unstable patterns, often cross modulating one another, creating categorization-resistant drum and drone voices. Despite their unstable character, generally speaking these voices provide bass drum, hi hat, snare, bell tone, and bass line. These approximations are merely ways of making sense of the chaos inherent to Scrooge - instead, expectations for straightforward drum sounds are soon cast aside with a resounding "Bah Humbug".

Adjust the timbre of each voice with two knob controls, each featuring Celtic knot symbols which hint at their esoteric and nonlinear functionality in shaping pitch, tone, and more depending on the specific voice's architecture. Route these voices to their direct outputs for independent processing, or switch between two main outputs and a muted position for parallel effects, stereo operation, live cues, and more. An additional external sequencer track can be used to control other parametric inputs, and two modulation tracks can be routed selectively to Scrooge's voices for parameter locking sequenced modulation. You can also replace these modulation tracks with external voltages from your system for further experimentation.

The churning force of industrialized power which activates Scrooge is its highly competent step sequencer, with 64 steps per track. Store patterns into 16 banks of 8 distinct patterns, and safely recall stored creations after they are mangled in performative interaction. Scrooge may be synchronized to itself or an outside source via analog clock or MIDI messages. Sculpt your sequences with the Step knobs per step or in CTL ALL mode, letting you adjust multiple steps simultaneously. The sequencer's vast feature set includes level, probability, microtiming, waveshape, ratchets, and more. Scrooge's sequencer is intuitive to use, yet rewards dedicated practice of its expansive possibilities.

Whether diving boldly into intentional experiments or wandering openly into probabilistic potentialities, Scrooge delivers captivating glitches and broken rhythms that brings characterful cacophony to the musical foreground. If you've been visited in the night by the specter of boring beats past and present, give Scrooge a shot at livening up your percussive future.

Scrooge Features

• Analog glitch drum machine with unique step sequencer
• 5 analog voices provide varied sounds from nearly-normal percussion to otherworldly artifacts
• Voices are passive circuits activated by the sequencer or external voltages at Poke inputs
• Volume control and two knobs per voice with voice-specific functions
• Can be operated without power when controlled externally
• Two selectable main outputs and direct outputs for each voice
• Additional sequencer track for controlling external devices
• Two modulation tracks can be selectively routed to voices
• 64-steps per sequencer track
• Control steps individually or with grouped functions to control step shape, amplitude, probability, and more
• Parameter locking
• External clock and reset input
• MIDI input for transport control
• Eurorack case compatible