fourMative CONTOURS: four single phase envelopes with complex combinations
Vermona had a competition to come up with the confusing mix of majuscule-minuscule letters that form “fourMative CONTOURS”. It’s just a thing us peDanTic music technology journos have to deal with. However, it does quite cleverly and loudly describe the idea of a 4 channel envelope, which is what this is. And more, because it’s always more than you think.
fourMative CONTOURS
Four individual envelope phase channels (or “units” as Vermona calls them) that can be used as Attack, Decay or Hold phases arranged in rows on a 24HP Eurorack module in Vermona’s familiar brown panel and cream knobs. Vermona have shied away from the traditional ADSR in order to bring something a bit different to your sound shaping. The Attack and Decay can switch between linear and exponential response and each unit can act independently or in combination with other units either as single fire or looped. That’s the sort of thing you’d really like to see work but at the moment there are no demonstration videos.
Each unit can run from half a millisecond to 30 whole seconds – there’s a “Slow” button to help keep the knob resolution useful. But, apparently, you can push it even further via CV. The CV input lets you modulate the time all the way out to a couple of hours if you wish. Summing the phases together can generate some rather interesting shapes.
Even with the manual open and all the details I’m struggling to really pull together the magnificence and undoubted usefulness of this module – but then I’ve always had trouble with envelopes. Suffice to say you have a lot of control over individual envelope phases which enable you to create custom shapes and unusual time modulations. Looking forward to some demos!
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