Confundo Funkidos#

Next-generation four-channel rhythm crossfader with mutes, algorithmically-derived accents, and BURN.

Overview#

Confundo Funkidos is a four-channel rhythm crossfader. Each channel has a left input, a right input, a trigger output, and an accent gate output. While crossfading is generally left in the audio realm, Confundo Funkidos takes in two trigger patterns per channel which can then be crossfaded via the fader. Further modification can be achieved with the Burn and Mute parameters, and its algorithmically derived per-channel Accent outputs bring your drum patterns to life. Crossfader behavior and accent algorithm each have three algorithms to perfectly suit the performer’s patch.

Confundo Funkidos is a uniquely modular and incredibly fun utility that has a home in any performance system.

  • Type: Rhythm Crossfader
  • Size: 12HP Eurorack
  • Depth: .8 inches
  • Power: 2x5 Eurorack
  • +12 V: 45 mA
  • -12 V: 19 mA

Etymology#

Confundo -- from Latin confundo: "to blend"

Funkidos -- from Flemish Fonck "agitation" and Spanish dos "two": "double agitation"

Power#

Power connector

To power your Noise Engineering module, turn off your case. Plug one end of your ribbon cable into your power board so that the red stripe on the ribbon cable is aligned to the side that says -12 V and each pin on the power header is plugged into the connector on the ribbon. Make sure no pins are overhanging the connector! If they are, unplug it and realign.

Line up the red stripe on the ribbon cable so that it matches the white stripe and/or -12 V indication on the board and plug in the connector.

Screw your module into your case before powering on the module. You risk bumping the module's PCB against something metallic and damaging it if it's not properly secured when powered on.

You should be good to go if you followed these instructions. Now go make some noise!

A final note. Some modules have other headers -- they may have a different number of pins or may say "not power". In general, unless a manual tells you otherwise, do not connect those to power.

Input & output voltages#

All trigger inputs respond to a rising edge around 1.8 V.

Triggers and accents output at around 5.5 V.

The CV inputs respond to 0 V to +5 V.

Quick start#

Confundo Funkidos is designed for hands-on jamming. We recommend reading through the whole Interface section to fully understand how it works under the hood, but it’s easy to jump into Confundo Funkidos and start jamming.

As a first patch, route its TRIGGER outputs to four drum voices in your system, and the ACCENT outputs to each voice’s accent input (or any other CV-able parameter). Patch eight trigger patterns and/or clock divisions to the inputs.

Set the ACC and CURVE switches to the center position, the Mute switches to the top position, the BURN pot fully counterclockwise, and the XFADE slider to the leftmost position.

Use the Mute switches to bring drum voices in and out of your jam. Move the XFADE slider right and left to combine and swap between rhythms. Use the BURN potentiometer and button to create some automatic fills.

For more automated and generative results, try patching an infrequent clock or gate sequence to the BURN CV to create fills in time with the rest of your patch. Or, patch an LFO or stepped CV to the XCV input to automatically modify and combine rhythms over time.

Interface#

explanation

Inputs 1/2/3/4
Confundo Funkidos has four channels, each with a pair of trigger inputs. Trigger patterns at the inputs can be passed through to the outputs, modified, or combined, depending on the settings of the XFADE slider, channel Mute, and Burn parameters. Accent gates are also derived from the patterns at these inputs.
Accent 1/2/3/4
Gate outputs. These are gates designed to be used as accent signals, either as simple CV modulation sources or with dedicated accent inputs on drum modules. The ACCENT output of a channel will not change state until a trigger is output on that channel’s respective TRIGGER output.
Accents patterns can be created from the trigger inputs via three different algorithms, described in the “Acc” section below.

Note

Accent outputs are muted (set to minimum) when a channel’s MUTE switch is in the middle or low position.

Trigger 1/2/3/4
Channel trigger outputs: patch to drum voice trigger inputs, envelope generators, synth voices, or any other trigger input in your system. Since Confundo Funkidos was designed with percussion in mind, trigger width at the input is ignored and a standardized pulswidth of 5ms is output.

Note

Timing between clock sources, sequencers, and other trigger sources in Eurorack can vary greatly, and Confundo Funkidos does its best to standardize things and avoid issues when combining trigger sources with varied amounts of delay. There is a timing window of roughly 300uS where two simultaneous triggers at a channel’s inputs will be read as a single event. Additionally, the trigger output inhibits triggers that would fire within a 25ms window to avoid flamming if particularly latent trigger sources are being combined. The timing window on the inputs is designed to be as lax as possible to avoid conflict when combining many trigger sources, without creating audible delays or unwanted retriggering.

In total, there is roughly 750uS of delay from trigger input to output, with the accent output going high roughly 250uS before the trigger output. This early accent behavior ensures that modulation is received at the accent destination before the next trigger.

BURN (pot/button/CV)
The BURN button, potentiometer, and CV input all control the same parameter.
From 0% to 50%, input triggers are probabilistically sent to outputs, with an increasing probability to be sent to outputs of differing channels. At 50% and above, all input triggers are sent to all outputs. From 50% to 100%, the likelihood of the ACCENT output also changing state increases. At 100% the ACCENT outputs flip state every time a channel outputs a trigger.
The BURN button sets BURN to 100% while pressed.
Mute 1/2/3/4
Each channel has a three-position mute switch.
In the top position, the respective channel’s accents and triggers are output.
In the middle position, the accent output stays low but triggers are still output.
In the bottom position, no triggers or accents are output.
ACC
Selects what algorithm is used to derive accent gates. Accents are derived pre-mute, so, for example, muting channel 2 won't change channel 1's accent behavior.

  • Left: In the left position, a channel’s ACCENT output goes high if it outputs a trigger, and the next channel is not outputting a trigger on the same beat. For example, if channels 1 and 2 are patched to a kick and snare respectively, the kick will be accented when no snare is played, and vice versa. Channel 4 observes channel 1 to derive accents.

  • Middle: In the middle position, a channel’s ACCENT output goes high if both of its inputs receive a trigger at the same time and it outputs a trigger. This algorithm makes it easy to program when accents will happen, or sync accents to a clock.

  • Right: In the right position, a channel’s ACCENT output goes high if it outputs a trigger, and the next channel also outputs a trigger on the same beat. Channel 4 observes channel 1 to derive accents.

CURVE
Sets the way the XFADE slider crossfades between each channel’s left and right inputs.

  • Left: In the left position the output rhythm is muted when the crossfader is in the center. This allows either rhythm to be faded to silence.

  • Middle: In the middle position each part has a 50% probability when the crossfader is in the center; the output rhythm is an equal blend of each part.

  • Right: In the right position both parts have 100% probability in the center. This is equivalent to adding them together.

XFADE
Crossfades between all channels’ left and right inputs, using the algorithm selected with the CURVE switch.

Design notes#

In 2016, we released the original Confundo Funkitus. To this day, it’s one of our favorite modules we’ve released, and it continued to be a unique module in the Eurorack space even after being discontinued in 2018. The old version remains near and dear to us, but some structural issues with the original design made it really a non-starter to keep building. For a long time, and with a substantial number of requests from customers, we’ve discussed releasing a successor to the original.

In the fall of 2024, we decided it was time. We rethought the featureset, and many discussions were had about new functions (should it also be a pitch sequencer?) and additions (does it need a screen?). Eventually, we landed on a design that was refined and elegant: it occupied the same footprint as the original, could perform the exact functions of the original, and had a few extras that we’d always wanted on the original. Aside from the crossfader being backwards on the first prototype (left and right are tough at the best of times) the hardware was nearly perfect, and we dove into firmware development.

Deciding how the ACCENT outputs would work took more discussion than we expected, but within a few hours we came up with three algorithms that worked surprisingly well in a variety of rhythmic scenarios. We’d also learned a lot about Eurorack timing (Markus gave an entire presentation on Eurorack clocking at our annual meeting a few years back) and a few days were spent measuring the latency of various modules, tweaking processing times, and making Confundo Funkidos work nicely when fed from as many rhythm sources as possible. That’s the joy of rhythm crossfading, right?

We’re thrilled to have everyone’s favorite crossfading companion back and better than ever. We hope it was worth the wait.

Warranty#

We will repair or replace (at our discretion) any product that we manufactured as long as we are in business and are able to get the parts to do so. We aim to support modules that have been discontinued for as long as possible. This warranty does not apply to normal wear and tear, including art/panel wear, or any products that have been modified, abused, or misused. Our warranty is limited to manufacturing defects.

Warranty repairs/replacements are free. Repairs due to user modification or other damage are charged at an affordable rate. Customers are responsible for the cost of shipping to Noise Engineering for repair.

All returns must be coordinated through Noise Engineering; returns without a Return Authorization will be refused and returned to sender.

Please contact us if you think one of your modules needs a repair.

Special thanks#

  • Everyone who asked for us to bring Confundo Funkitus back.