F_MUXZ

F_MUXZ – Creative Pitch & Gate Multiplexer

F_MUXZ is an event-driven pitch and gate “decision module” for combining multiple melodic sources into one coherent monophonic stream. Instead of summing pitches (which quickly becomes chaotic), F_MUXZ selects a single active pitch source at any moment based on musical events (pitch changes) and routing rules. Gates can be combined from up to four sources and optionally extended, while pitch changes can optionally retrigger or generate short “ping” gates. The result is a powerful creative hub for merging unsynchronised sequencers, live pitch sources, random voltages and generative patterns into a playable, stable output.

Signal Overview

F_MUXZ has four pitch inputs (PITCH 1–4), four gate inputs (GATE 1–4), one select control voltage input (SELECT CV), and four outputs: PITCH OUT, GATE OUT, TRIG OUT, and INDEX OUT. Only one pitch input is active at a time. GATE OUT is derived from the gate inputs (plus optional hold/extension and optional ping gates). TRIG OUT emits a short trigger pulse on every pitch selection event. INDEX OUT outputs a voltage indicating which pitch input is currently active.

Inputs

PITCH 1–4 are pitch CV inputs (typically 1V/oct). F_MUXZ continuously monitors these inputs and decides which one is currently “active” based on the selected pitch mode and the event detection settings (THRESH and DEBOUNCE). The pitch signals are not mixed or added together; selection is always exclusive.

GATE 1–4 are gate inputs used to build the outgoing gate. Gate inputs are treated as “high” when above roughly 1V. Depending on the selected gate mode, these gates are combined into a single base gate, which can then be extended by HOLD and optionally supplemented by ping gates (if enabled).

SELECT CV is an optional control voltage used only when SELECT mode is enabled. In SELECT mode, the voltage on SELECT CV directly chooses which pitch input is active: the 0–10V range is mapped across PITCH 1–4. This turns F_MUXZ into a voltage-controlled pitch router.

Outputs

PITCH OUT outputs the currently active pitch input, unchanged (no quantising, no scaling, no mixing). If you want scale-corrected results, patch PITCH OUT into a quantiser or scale module.

GATE OUT outputs the combined gate signal. It goes high when the selected gate logic indicates a valid gate condition (and/or when hold or ping gates are active), and it goes low when all of those conditions are inactive. If RETRIG is enabled, very brief forced-low “blanking” may occur on pitch selection events to create a fresh envelope attack.

TRIG OUT outputs a short trigger pulse whenever F_MUXZ accepts a pitch selection event (for example when the active pitch input changes). Use this to retrigger envelopes, clock sample-and-holds, reset sequencers, or create accent logic in downstream modules.

INDEX OUT outputs a voltage representing the currently active pitch input. The output spans 0–10V in four steps: 0V corresponds to PITCH 1, about 3.3V to PITCH 2, about 6.6V to PITCH 3, and 10V to PITCH 4. This is extremely useful for modulation, for example to switch waveforms, filter settings, panning, or effects based on which source is currently in control.

Selection Switches

PITCH MODE determines how F_MUXZ selects the active pitch input when not in SELECT mode.

In LAST CHANGE mode, the pitch input that most recently makes a significant pitch step becomes active (with a bias toward the largest detected step when multiple changes happen close together).

In PRIORITY mode, inputs have a fixed priority order (PITCH 1 wins over PITCH 2, which wins over PITCH 3, etc.).

In ROUND ROBIN mode, any detected pitch event advances selection to the next pitch input, which is ideal for unsynchronised sequencers and generative patterns because it guarantees the module “shares time” across sources instead of letting one source dominate.

SEL enables SELECT mode. When SEL is ON, F_MUXZ ignores the PITCH MODE logic and uses SELECT CV to choose the active pitch input directly. This is perfect for manual performance control (with a controller or macro), for slow morphing between sources with an LFO, or for probabilistic selection using random voltages.

PITCH→GATE determines how pitch selection events affect the outgoing gate.

In OFF, pitch changes are purely legato: they change which pitch is heard without forcing a new gate attack.

In RETRIG, pitch selection events briefly force the gate low to create a fresh rising edge, retriggering envelopes downstream even if a gate is being held.

In PING, pitch selection events generate a short gate pulse (set by the PING knob), allowing pitch-only sources to create audible notes even without connected gate inputs.

GATE MODE determines how the four gate inputs are combined into a single base gate.

In OR, the base gate is high if any gate input is high.

In AND, the base gate is high only if all four gate inputs are high.

In MAJORITY, the base gate is high if two or more gate inputs are high. OR is typically the most musical and practical; AND and MAJORITY are excellent for conditional rhythms and generative gating.

CHAOS introduces controlled uncertainty into pitch selection. When CHAOS is OFF, every valid pitch event is accepted. When CHAOS is ON, pitch events are accepted only with the probability set by the PROB knob. This can create “humanised” variations, occasional missed notes, or selective dominance of one source over another without completely losing predictability.

RETURN controls what happens when F_MUXZ becomes idle (no base gate, no hold extension, no ping activity, and no retrigger blanking).

In HOLD LAST, the last active pitch remains selected.

In RETURN STABLE, the module returns to the pitch that was active during the last gated phase.

In RESET TO 1, the module resets the active pitch back to PITCH 1. Use RETURN to decide whether F_MUXZ feels like a “memory” of the last phrase or a reset-to-home behaviour for structured patches.

Knobs

THRESH sets how large a pitch change must be to count as a pitch event. Higher values ignore small movements such as vibrato, glide, or noisy CV. Lower values make F_MUXZ more sensitive and more likely to switch sources based on subtle changes. If one sequencer never seems to “take over,” lower THRESH slightly. If the active source flickers unpredictably, raise THRESH.

DEBOUNCE sets the minimum time between accepted pitch events. This prevents rapid oscillation between sources when multiple inputs change near-simultaneously or when a signal jitters around the threshold. For tight rhythmic switching, use a lower debounce. For stable long-form generative patches, increase it to smooth behaviour.

HOLD extends the outgoing gate after the base gate condition turns off. This is useful for short gates, unstable gates, or to make quick events audible. HOLD does not create a gate on its own; it only extends gate activity that has already occurred (or that is occurring due to ping gates).

PING sets the length of the ping gate generated when PITCH→GATE is set to PING. Short settings create percussive taps; longer settings create more sustained notes. If you are using F_MUXZ without any gate inputs, PING is the primary control that shapes note length.

TRIG sets the length of TRIG OUT pulses. Shorter pulses are typically best for triggering envelopes and clocks. Longer pulses can be useful for modules that need slightly wider triggers or for visual debugging.

PROB sets the probability that a pitch event is accepted when CHAOS is enabled. At 100% the module behaves deterministically. At lower values, some potential takeovers are rejected, creating variation and tension between sources.

Practical Patch Examples

Two unsynchronised sequencers (musical sharing): Patch sequencer A pitch and gate to PITCH 1 and GATE 1, sequencer B pitch and gate to PITCH 2 and GATE 2. Set GATE MODE to OR. Set PITCH MODE to ROUND ROBIN so both sources are heard even when they are not synchronised. Use TRIG OUT to retrigger an envelope for clear articulation, and use INDEX OUT to modulate timbre depending on which sequencer is currently active.

Live override on top of a running sequence: Patch your main sequence to PITCH 2 and GATE 2, and a live pitch source (keyboard CV, touch controller, or manual voltage) to PITCH 1 and GATE 1. Set PITCH MODE to PRIORITY so PITCH 1 always overrides when it becomes active. Use RETURN STABLE if you want to return smoothly to the sequence when you stop playing live notes.

Pitch-only generative notes: Patch random or wandering voltages into PITCH 1–4 (no gates). Set PITCH→GATE to PING and adjust PING for note length. Use THRESH and DEBOUNCE to control how often new events are detected. This patch turns F_MUXZ into a self-playing melodic selector with controlled note density.

Voltage-controlled selection (performance or morphing): Turn SEL ON and patch an LFO, envelope, random source, or macro CV into SELECT CV. PITCH OUT now follows the selected input directly. Use a quantiser after PITCH OUT for scale-locked results, and use INDEX OUT for expressive per-source modulation.

Tuning Tips

If one source “never gets heard,” lower THRESH or reduce DEBOUNCE, or switch to ROUND ROBIN. If selection flickers or feels too chaotic, raise THRESH and/or DEBOUNCE, or disable CHAOS. If envelopes feel too legato, switch PITCH→GATE to RETRIG. If you want notes without gates, use PITCH→GATE = PING and adjust PING length. For melodic coherence, route PITCH OUT through a quantiser or scale module and use INDEX OUT to vary timbre per source rather than trying to sum multiple pitch streams.