Cybernetic audio circuit · Ableton Live · after Roland Kayn

Spectral–Reverberant Lattice

A nonlinear directed audio graph built from coupled return tracks, spectral processors, reverberant memory, and redistribution buses. Energy circulates through multiple overlapping loops; an audible branch is split from the internal feedback lattice.

Compact formulation
Loop I — A → N₂ → B → N₃ → A Loop II — C → Q → N₃ → N₄ₐ → N₁ → C RETURN PROCESSORS NETWORK NODES SHAPED RETURNS A Convolution Reverb return processor F_A = ConvRev(θ_A, x_A) B SkramDelay return processor · self-loop F_B = Delay(θ_B, x_B[n]) C Transforming Long Glide self-send 1.000 F_C = Transform(θ_C, x_C[n]) N₁ redistribution bus passive · sends only x_N₁[n+1] ≈ v_N₁[n] distributes → A, B, C N₂ drive / conditioning Drum Buss · Overdrive · MBD F_N₂ = Drive ∘ Shape ∘ Compress → N₄ₐ, N₄ᵦ · send → B (0.501) N₃ spectral–reverberant core Spectral Res. · Hybrid Rev. · Delay F_N₃ = Spectralize ∘ Reverb ∘ τ fed by B, C, Q → N₄ₐ Q side-loop spectral bridge Spectral Blur · AutoShift F_Q = SpBlur ∘ AutoShift N₄ₐ shaped return → lattice Soft Shaper · Spectral Res. Hybrid Reverb · Env.Follow F_N₄ₐ = Sat ∘ Spectralize ∘ Rev → N₁ N₄ᵦ audible output branch Spectral Res. · Hybrid Reverb Limiter F_N₄ᵦ = Spectralize ∘ Rev ∘ Lim → Y Y main output y[n] = H_out(x_N₄ᵦ) 0.447 0.398 0.385 0.501 0.398 0.385 0.432 1.000 self self explicit track routing send path (weight from .als) Q side-loop (w = 1.000) return processor (A, B, C) network node (N₁–N₄) output branch (N₄ᵦ, Y) spectral side-loop (Q) Send weight encodes path opacity and stroke.

Circuit topology

The patch is not a chain of effects but a directed graph with internal memory. Each node applies a nonlinear operator to a weighted sum of upstream states; the result is a coupled family of feedback loops sharing N₃ as their common transformation node.

  • N₁Passive redistribution bus — no devices, sends only. Purely topological: its operator is the identity, distributing xN₄ₐ into A, B, C.
  • N₂Drive and conditioning stage — Drum Buss, Overdrive, Multiband Dynamics, LFOs. Excites the lattice and fans into both N₄ branches.
  • N₃Spectral–reverberant core — Spectral Resonator, Hybrid Reverb, Gated Delay. Shared convergence target of B, C, and Q.
  • N₄ₐShaped return into lattice — Soft Shaper, Spectral Resonator, Hybrid Reverb, Envelope Follower. Reinjected processed residue back to N₁.
  • N₄ᵦAudible output branch — Spectral Resonator, Hybrid Reverb, Limiter. Exposes the lattice externally without collapsing internal recursion.
  • QSecondary spectral loop — Spectral Blur, AutoShift. Coupled C → Q → N₃ with full unity send (w = 1.000) back to C.

Loop structure

Loop I — primary backbone
A → N₂ → B → N₃ → A
Convolution reverb feeds the drive stage; drive sends into delay; delay feeds the spectral core; spectral core returns energy to the reverb.
Loop II — secondary spectral loop
C → Q → N₃ → N₄ₐ → N₁ → C
Long-glide transform feeds spectral bridge Q, which converges at N₃; shaped residue redistributed back to C via N₁.
Output branch
N₂ → N₄ᵦ → Y
A branch from the drive stage reaches the listener without collapsing the recursive internal structure.
Node equations — full formulation
N₂ drive / conditioning

A is the primary upstream source. External seed u[n] injects at bN₂. FN₂ = Drive ∘ Shape ∘ Compress.

B SkramDelay

Self-coupling term wB,B · xB[n] encodes the internal delay memory. Fed principally by N₂ (send 0.501).

N₃ spectral–reverberant core

Shared convergence point of both loops. FN₃ = Spectralize ∘ Reverb ∘ τ-modulation.

A Convolution Reverb

Fed primarily by N₃ (send 0.398) and N₁ (send 0.447). FA = ConvRevθ_A.

N₄ₐ shaped return → lattice

Reinjected processed residue back into N₁. FN₄ₐ = Saturate ∘ Spectralize ∘ Reverb.

N₁ redistribution bus

Passive node — no device chain. Distributes xN₄ₐ into return processors A, B, C via sends 0.447, 0.398, 0.385.

C Transforming Long Glide

Heavy self-coupling (wC,C = 1.000) via Q. Feeds Q as unity send; receives from N₁, N₄ₐ, N₄ᵦ.

Q side-loop · N₄ᵦ output branch

FQ = SpectralBlur ∘ AutoShift. FN₄ᵦ = Spectralize ∘ Reverb ∘ Lim. Hout maps to stereo master.