It’s about time for a new granular dream module, and the Intellijel Multigrain could be a real contender. Available now, it packs stereo morphing granular powers into 20HP and US$479. (And yes, USA, you can import this from Canada!) I’ve had an advance look at the manual and I’m ready to wrap my granular brain around this one.
Launch livestream:
Plus I hear Intellijel is coming to Superbooth here in Berlin for the first time in half a decade.
I love the layout of this – it’s finally a piece of Eurorack hardware that includes some of the best interfaces from software, but in a relatively compact, patchable form factor.
Pop in the included microSD with your samples, and then knock yourself out with these features, as I’ve gleaned from the manual:
- Start/end (start/wrap) knobs for position
- Blur control – that’s Intellijel’s latest reverb effect, and the blur knob itself is a per-grain send
- Morphing on the crossfader (I first assumed this was position, but dedicating this to morphing probably does make more sense)
- 8 scene snapshots with buttons
- Three assignable CV inputs for modulation – which you can use with any parameter
- Internal random modulation
- Sounds, scenes, and morphing, with additional dedicated CV inputs for moving through those
- Scan (position and direction), rate (trigger rate for grains), size (grain length, 20 ms – 4 seconds!), tone (2-pole lowpass/highpass filter), morphing with attenuverter
- Shape is the grain window shape – unusual (and welcome) seeing that with a dedicated control
- Sync and trigger/pulse input
Size can be linked or unlinked from pitch, and you can reverse grain playback.
Start/scan/wrap, huh? Here you go; they’ve included a handy visualization – start is the start position, scan is an offset amount after start, which then bounces back the other direction based on the wrap position:
And then you get X, Y, and Z modulation. This seems a natural pairing with Intellijel’s Planar², for instance – I hear that module crying out for this as a friend in my own rig.
You can also live-sample on the device and its microSD, for external input sampling or resampling. I think that, plus the combination of scene snapshots, makes for an ideal performance device. So often what you get with granular synthesis is those brief moments when everything is perfect. Now you can store those both ahead of time and captured on the fly, recall them, morph between them, mess them up, go back to where they were – it all makes a bunch of sense.
They’ve also done some clever stuff so you can clear sounds, randomize, latch sound triggering, and navigate through presets in various ways. The active sound remains the one you edit on the panel even as playing sounds are triggered, so you can continue to mess with sound parameters even while triggering different sounds. It’s all perfect for live performance, and even with other granular tools out there (like desktop and iPad apps or the expansive Tasty Chips workstations), this looks ideal for jamming and patching.
And oh yes – for now, at least, the United States has left in place a de minimis exception, so US customers can buy this direct without issue. It’s also available immediately from dealers. (Here in Europe, you owe the usual taxes!)
Intellijel is also offering free shipping to Canada and the USA and 50% on worldwide shipping for the rest of us (over $399 USD).
Check the full Multigrain tutorial playlist, too.
Bonus! Canadian whiskey tips…
Full disclosure: I come from Kentucky bourbon, more or less. My grandfather worked as general manager of Yellowstone in Louisville and knew some of the bourbon names in the state, and various family members worked there in some capacity or for Brown Forman. But Canadians, facing punitive tariffs from a country that was meant to be their trading partner, have been rightfully dubious of US-made products. So let’s celebrate some Canadian whiskey from our friends. (I might have to get one of these to Berlin.)
James Grahame of MeeBlip recommends his local distillery Eau Claire, which sounds fantastic. And Intellijel’s Danjel and lead developer Wes shared some tips, too. Some granular synthesis and some coffee or tea (if you’re avoiding alcohol) or one of these (if you’re not) sounds like a good way to spend the time. Wed and Danjel recommend:
Regular Crown Royal is kind of whatever [Ed. – agreed!] but the Northern Harvest Rye is top notch—
https://www.crownroyal.com/canadian-whisky/crown-royal-northern-harvest-rye
Lot 40’s Rye is also a go to in this house—
https://www.jpwisers.com/en-ca/product/lot-no-40-100-pot-still-rye-whisky/
Usually made with Bourbon, but we usually make a Rye Boulevardier, 1:1:1 Rye, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth
Any of you coming to Berlin for Superbooth, worldwide, I’m glad to welcome you to a fine caffeinated or alcoholic beverage soon. Looking forward to seeing you.
