Mutable Instruments Beads, the brand's last closed module, is now open source

Beads, the granular “texture synthesizer” Eurorack module Emilie Gillet designed for Mutable Instruments, became fully open source on 12 October 2026. According to CDM, it was the last missing piece, meaning the brand's entire module range now has its code and designs freely available. Synth Anatomy first spotted the change, noting that the source code and licensing were quietly updated on the pichenettes GitHub account.

Beads works both as a granular processor and as an oscillator, and was a ground-up reimagining of the earlier Clouds. At launch, Gillet promised “a crisper and broader sound palette”, along with more control and better playability. Until now it was only available through authorized recreations: in software from Softube and Audible Instruments (for VCV Rack), and in hardware from After Later Audio. DIY builders had no way to make one themselves.

The hardware is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license and the firmware, which runs on an STM32F processor, under the MIT license. The Mutable Instruments name is a protected trademark and may not be used on derivative builds, and keeping the original module name is discouraged.

CDM calls Beads the brand's swan song. Hannes Pasqualini and Elizabeth Busani of papernoise worked on the visual identity and panels for Mutable Instruments. Before the final name stuck, the project was variously known as “Clouds light”, Clouds 2, Crowds and Seeds.